Deacon Stephanus Khoury of Zababdeh, Jenin

Dear Living Stones in the homeland of Jesus,

In these days, as discussions about land, borders, and ancient promises continue to grow, I invite every Christian to read the Old Testament through the light of the Cross and the Resurrection, rather than through the lens of politics or contemporary conflicts. The risen Christ is the key to understanding the entire Scriptures. Without Christ, the texts of the Old Testament can be read outside their salvific purpose, while God intended them to be a path leading humanity toward salvation, love, and reconciliation.

The question facing Christians today is not, “Who owns the land?” but rather, “What did God intend to accomplish through the promise?” Was God’s ultimate purpose to lead humanity to a piece of land, or to lead humanity into new life in Christ?

Beginning with the call of Abraham, God initiated a long journey of salvation. He promised him land, descendants, and blessing. Yet the Old Testament itself reveals that the land was not the end of the story. The people entered the Promised Land, yet wars continued. They entered the land, yet sin remained. They entered the land, yet divisions persisted. If the land itself had been the complete fulfillment of the promise, there would have been no need to continue waiting for salvation.

The land was a sign, not the destination; a symbol, not the final reality. The God who created heaven and earth could never limit His saving purpose to geographical boundaries. Therefore, the prophets lifted the people’s eyes beyond the land itself. They spoke of a new covenant, a new heart, and a new spirit, anticipating the coming of the Messiah who would bring the promises to their fullest meaning.

When Jesus came, He did not speak about restoring a political kingdom. He did not call for control of the land, nor did He establish a nationalist project. Instead, He proclaimed: “The Kingdom of God is at hand.” He shifted the focus of the promise from geography to God’s presence, from land to the Kingdom, and from borders to salvation.

When the crowds wanted to make Him an earthly king, He refused. When He stood before Pilate, He declared, “My kingdom is not of this world.” With these words, Jesus laid the foundation for the Christian understanding of God’s promises. The Kingdom of God is not built upon domination but upon service; not upon power but upon love; not measured by borders but by God’s presence in human lives.

Then came the Resurrection, revealing the full truth. The empty tomb proclaimed that God was not leading history toward a land that could be conquered or lost, but toward a life that even death could not overcome. In the Resurrection, the symbols of the Old Testament were transformed into deeper realities: the land became a symbol of the Kingdom of God, the Temple became the Body of Christ, Jerusalem became a symbol of the Heavenly Jerusalem, and the people of God became a community of believers from every nation and people.

For this reason, after the Resurrection, the apostles did not go forth preaching a land; they preached Christ. They did not invite the nations to migrate to a particular place; they invited them to believe in Jesus Christ. Their message was not about new borders, but about a new humanity and a new creation.

All of God’s promises find their fulfillment in Jesus Christ. As Saint Paul declares, “For all the promises of God find their Yes in Him.” Therefore, Christ is not merely part of the promise; He is the fulfillment of the promise itself. In Him, Abraham finds his true offspring. In Him, blessing reaches all nations. In Him, humanity becomes heirs of the Kingdom of God.

Today, as we live in the land that witnessed Christ’s birth, suffering, death, and Resurrection, we are called to proclaim the Gospel rather than use Scripture to justify injustice or deny the dignity of any human being. Christ did not die for land; He died for humanity. He did not rise to grant privilege to one people over another, but to gather the scattered children of God into one.

The Cross tears down the walls that human beings build, and the Resurrection opens the doors of hope to all. Therefore, the Promised Land finds its fullest meaning in Jesus Christ, because He is the true promise, the true Temple, the true King, and the way to the Kingdom that knows no borders and cannot be destroyed by war.

From the heart of the Holy Land, among the Living Stones who continue to bear witness to Christ today, we hold firmly to the hope of the Resurrection, believing that God is leading history toward life and not death, toward reconciliation and not division, and toward the love that triumphed on Easter morning.

Christ is Risen… Truly He is Risen!