Why I may not come back from Israel

Rare Nubian Ibex photographed in 2015 Israel tour of David's En Gedi hideaway. (Photo: Mark Karis/WND)

Editor's note: Joseph Farah is leading a tour of Israel through Nov. 21 with messianic rabbi and best-selling author Jonathan Cahn. Farah's columns during this time will be devoted to the Holy Land and the introduction of his new book, available the first week of December, "The Restitution of All Things: Israel, Christians, and the End of the Age."

"He maketh my feet like hinds' feet: and setteth me upon the high places."

-- 2 Samuel 22:34 and Psalm 18:33

EN GEDI, Israel – People ask me why I keep coming back to Israel – year after year – leading some of the biggest tours from America with my buddy Jonathan Cahn.

It's simple.

It's God's country.

One of these days, in fact, I will probably come here and never return to the U.S.

I could give you a thousand reasons. But suffice it to say that my Messiah is going to be here for a thousand years. Why wouldn't I want to be here with Him?

In the meantime, however, there are some more mundane things you will see in Israel to keep you coming back.

How many times do you get to see rare Nubean Ibex up-close and personal – so close you can hear them breathe? How many times do you get to see this unusual goat, which looks like a small deer, climbing in trees? And how many times do you get to see all this in the specific place where the young man named David who would become Israel's king hid from his nemesis, King Saul?

But sometimes pictures and videos tell the story better than words.

I'll treasure these for a lifetime.

(Photo: Mark Karis/WND)

Get Joseph Farah's new book, "The Restitution of All Things: Israel, Christians, and the End of the Age," and learn about the Hebrew roots of the Christian faith and your future in God's Kingdom.

It was a fantastic visual wildlife experience for WND's annual Israel tour last year when we were joined by New York Times best-selling author Joel Richardson, Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Famer Richie Furay and some surprise guests – dozens and dozens of the rare Nubian Ibex, the desert mountain goats of Bible renown.

It came in this little Dead Sea town where the young man who would become King David hid from his predecessor, the jealous and paranoid King Saul. It was in a cave overlooking the Ibex habitat that David cut off a piece of Saul's tzit-zit fringe from his robe just to let the king know he could have killed him but chose to do him no harm.

Ibex were known as hinds in the Bible – and they are mentioned frequently, in 2 Samuel 22:34, Job 39:1, Psalm 18:33, Psalm 29:9, Song of Solomon 2:7, Song of Solomon 3:5 and Habakkuk 3:19. It is first mentioned in Genesis 49:21: "Naphtali is a hind let loose: he giveth goodly words."

The Ibex is also referenced in the story of David's encounter with Saul in En Gedi in 1 Samuel 24:1-2 – but not by name.

"And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi. Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats."

Those wild goats are still there in the Judean Desert.

At first glance, the Ibex look like small deer, except for the large ram-like horns on the heads of the males. They are known for living in the roughest, steepest terrain they can find. Their hooves are built like suction cups to help them climb the rocky cliffs they call home. Those feet, with a sharp outer rim and a soft inner pad, also allow them to climb trees and munch on leaves.

The Ibex has another ability that allows them to climb the highest and rockiest mountains: When climbing cliffs, or even tree branches, their rear hooves can find the exact location of where their front feet were before taking a step.

Spotting an Ibex on a faraway cliff is considered a distinctive treat for most tourists visiting Israel. Photographing one at a distance even better. Seeing a half-dozen or so standing in a tree like goat ornaments is the kind of thing of which lifetime memories are made.

Watch this extraordinary video of the animals captured by WND-TV:

I have traveled to Israel and En Gedi many times over the last 35 years, and I've never seen a spectacle like this. I've seen them many times, but not like this – not congregated by the dozens and hanging out in trees. Honestly, I didn't even know they could do that.

And that's another reason I keep coming back to this place – God's land.

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