The final prayer spoken at the opening of the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem on Monday thanked God but also touched on the historic and biblical significance behind President Donald Trump’s decision to officially recognize the capital of Israel by moving U.S. diplomatic headquarters from Tel Aviv to the “city on the hill.”
The Rev. John Hagee, senior pastor of Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, Texas, and national chairman of Christians United for Israel (CUFI), gave the benediction following the dedication ceremony that included remarks by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Trump advisors Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin attending as part of the U.S. delegation.
“We gather here today to thank you for the joy of living and seeing this glorious and historic day,” Hagee said. “We thank you for the state of Israel — the lone torch of freedom in the Middle East who lives and prospers because of your everlasting love for the Jewish people.”
“It was you, our Lord, who gathered the exiles from the nations and brought them home again,” Hagee said. “It was you who made statehood possible.”
“It was you that gave a miraculous victory in 1967 when Jerusalem was reopened to worshippers of all faiths,” Hagee said.
Hagee called Jerusalem the “city of God,” and described the 3,000-year-history of that city dating back to Abraham and through its history leading to Monday’s dedication of the U.S. embassy, which he credited to Trump’s “courage.”
“We thank you, oh Lord, for President Donald Trump’s courage in acknowledging to the world a truth established 3,000 years ago is and always shall be the eternal capital of the Jewish people,” Hagee said.
“And because of the courage of our president we gather here today to consecrate the ground upon which the United States Embassy will stand reminding the dictators of the world that America and Israel are forever united,” Hagee said.
Hagee said the opening of the embassy sends a message around the world the “Israel lives.”
“Let the word go forth from Jerusalem today that Israel lives — shout it from the housetops that Israel lives,” Hagee said. “Let every Islamic terrorist hear this message — Israel lives.”
“Let it be heard in the halls of the United Nations — Israel lives,” Hagee said.
“Let it echo down the marble halls of the Presidential Palace in Iran — Israel lives,” Hagee said.
Hagee closed the prayer by saying the Bible states that God will protect Israel and that “the name of the Lord be glorified” by the day’s event.
Trump promised to move the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem during his 2016 presidential campaign. Trump announced the decision in December.
“I have determined that it is time to officially recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel,” Trump said. “While previous presidents have made this a major campaign promise, they failed to deliver. Today, I am delivering.”
“Thank you, President Trump, for having the courage to keep your promises,” Netanyahu said at Monday’s dedication ceremony.
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