RON NASH, 1960 - 2007

"How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land? If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy." Psalm 137:4

Ron Nash, who we have grown to love like a brother, went to be with the Lord Sunday evening, November 26, 2007 after having suffered a cerebral brain aneurysm.

He was a man of tenderness and warmth, with a manner that so put you at ease, you couldn’t help but love him. He greeted everyone with an outstretched hand, an infectious smile and always considered everyone he met "somebody."

There had to be times when Ron was down, but no one ever knew it. He was always expressing concern about the situation in the life of the person he was talking to - no matter what the circumstances were in his own - always looking for a way to alleviate the suffering of others often at his own personal expense and that of his family.

Ron had such a love for Israel, and Israel will miss you Ron Nash. This void will be vast and hard to understand, but Ron would want us to look to the same Lord that sustained him for guidance and direction in his absence.

One thing was for certain, Ron loved Jesus with every fiber of his being. The Light of the Lord unmistakably shined through and around him as it illuminated his every day walk and for those of us who were privileged to know him - it brightened ours as well.

Ron Nash left a legacy as a noble man of honor and integrity, a valiant warrior for the Kingdom.

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I met Pastor Ron in his ranch called Promised Land in Dallas, Texas where later on I was privileged to preach. He was teaching on Biblical archeology and brought me some Israeli rocks to look at. There was an instant ‘rapport’ in the spirit. I prophesied over him that YHVH would lift him up and honor him in Israel. This truly came to pass this last year as even members of the Israeli government and of the opposition Likud Party heard him speak and knew that a prophet was in their midst. Ron fought for the Land of Israel, laid down his time, finances and life for the sake of the Restoration of Israel. During his last visit to the Land he came to our Sukka (tabernacle) during the Feast accompanied with a group of wonderful Christian lovers of Israel. When he arrived he said that our place in the Mountains of Jerusalem was home for him. On the following Shabbat as we were worshipping and looking from the mountains towards the Holy City, he was very pensive. What was he thinking and seeing I do not know…He had sighed many times over the impending danger that Israel was in pressured by the USA and the nations to establish a Palestinian State. Ron was a sensitive man; he grieved for what God grieved: For His Land and His People.

The last time that we saw Ron it was only last month in October as we visited Dallas. We went to lunch together; Rabbi Baruch and I, Pastor Ron and his wife Melissa. Ron had asked me to organize a special tour of Israel for a very special group of his friends. We thought of March and I promised to work on it. This coming March Pastor Ron Nash will not walk the streets of the Old Jerusalem, he is tasting the delights of the New Jerusalem awaiting for his time to return to rule and reign from the Temple Mount together with His Messiah. Dear friend we are so surprised by your sudden promotion to Glory when I prophesied a promotion I did not know that it would be all the way! We will miss you down here! May many follow in your footsteps and your legacy live on to all generations, may Melissa and your family enjoy the blessings promised to the lovers of Israel in Genesis 12:3,

“I will bless those who bless you…And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed”.

However, there is one part of this situation that we all can agree upon if we all knew. So let us focus on this one area we can all agree on and get to the bare facts and what the results will be.

Because the pressure is being applied now, we cannot wait until the summit begins to let the White House know how we feel. We need to act today.

Basically, the bottom line is to return to the pre-1967 borders. So, what does this mean? All areas that were acquired after the war of 1967 must go back. This includes Judea, Samaria, and East Jerusalem. Now let us look at what all is involved and what is at stake. All of our holy sites in East Jerusalem will go under Palestinian Authority .They are saying all of East Jerusalem, which is more than the 1967 border. Is this a bad thing?

At the time Bethlehem was given to the Palestinian Authority, Bethlehem was 85% Christian, two years ago there were 15% Christian, and today it is less than 5%. Bethlehem is a virtual ghost town. You can go there, but at your own risk so tours are sparse. Bethany now is not an option since it is behind the security wall. It can happen with planning but is rarely done.

Now in East Jerusalem, the areas we will lose will be:
1.) The Garden Tomb which is located outside the Old City walls north of the Damascus Gate. Nearby is a barren knoll, according to some fits the description of John 19:20 Golgotha. Several feet down is a tomb that many believed that of Joseph of Arimathea. This area is surrounded in tranquility. An area of worship of believers all over the world weeping and praying and worshiping at a holy site they feel so dear to them.

2.) Pool of Bethesda Located near the Lion's Gate in the Old City. This is the area believed where Jesus healed the man that had been ill for 38 years. John 5:2-9.

3.) Via Dolorosa - "Way of Sorrows." Located along the road by Christian Quarter Road, and to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

4.) The Upper Room - Traditional site of the Last Supper and also known as Holy Zion. Located just outside the Old City walls on Mount Zion.

5.) Golden Gate Also known as the Eastern Gate located East of the Temple Mount. This is the area that Jesus will return, and is now sealed off.

6.) House of Caiaphas This is the area Jesus predicted Peter would deny him three times before the cock crowed. It also contains several underground prisons which are believed to have held Jesus before his trial. This also is believed to be the home of the High Priest, Caiaphas.

7.) Garden of Gethsemane Located at the foot of the Mount of Olives, just above the Kidron Valley. This is the area the disciples were told to be on guard while Jesus prayed to the Father. Shortly afterwards he was arrested.

8.) Mount of Olives This area is where Jesus triumphal entry into Jerusalem on what we call Palm Sunday. This area is one of the most important sites of Jerusalem. It plays such a key role in the life of Jesus and the Christian faith.

9.) The Mount of Ascension This is located at the peak of the Mount of Olives and is considered the site of ascension. Acts 1:8-12. "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you in heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven."

These are the major parts of the holy sites of the New Testament not to count a vast number of sites in the Old Testament located in East Jerusalem.

I remember as a child so many of us were raised singing the song “We’re Marching to Zion" the beautiful city of God. It is amazing how this word Zion has ended up in a political quagmire of a Presidential legacy. Christian Zionist now are viewed as a radical instead of humble Christians that believe to preserve the holy city.

Each year that I come to these sites I am amazed at how many people from all over the world with all different nationalities, different denominations weeping and worshiping in the areas where the ultimate sacrifice was made. We have enjoyed these sites since after 1948, and we can go there in safety and not fear for our lives. The Israeli government has assured our safety. Not the UN, but the IDF and Israel police. As you walk and worship these areas you constantly see their presence and know they respect and protect us to worship freely.

Jerusalem is mentioned over 600 times in the Old Testament and several hundred times in the New. Interesting enough it is not mentioned one time in the Koran. This is the only holy sites we have, we do not have Mecca or Medina and as Christians we could never even enter theses cities.

Bethlehem should have been a litmus test for us to see what it will be like not under Israel control. Each year it will be less and less of Christian presence. We owe this to our children and grandchildren to secure our holy sites so all faiths can worship in safety.

Church, this is not a time to be silent. This is an abomination, and this is the time for the church to rise. President Eisenhower said it so eloquently. Appeasement is nothing more than surrender on the installment plan. Our holy sites have been placed on an installment plan.

After Annapolis we will see exactly what will be lost and what boundaries of East Jerusalem are going, so we can see the direction we need to go to assure safety of all to worship in Zion the beautiful city of God!

Please stand with us, Ron Nash
http://PromiseLandNetwork.com    ronnash@promiselandnetwork.com