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Israel: Modern-Day Miracle |
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“Who has heard
such a thing? |
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Who has seen
such things? |
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Shall the earth
be made to give birth in one day? |
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Or shall a
nation be born at once? |
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For as soon as
Zion was in labor, she gave birth to her children.”
Isaiah 66:8 |
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Sixty-two
years ago—on May 14, 1948 (5 Iyar 5708, on the Hebrew calendar)—Biblical prophecy was fulfilled, and heaven and earth witnessed a
modern-day miracle with the reestablishment of the State of Israel. |
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Spoken well
over 2,000 years ago, the prophecy foretells an incredible event.
After almost 2,000 years of exile and near destruction in a
Holocaust, a people—the Jewish people—returns to its Land and once
again becomes a sovereign nation. |
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In fact,
the Old Testament Scriptures are replete with God’s promises:
covenanting the Land to Israel, warning of exile due to
disobedience, and assuring the Jewish people of their re-gathering
based upon His mercy. |
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So
considering this wonderful miracle, the question is: Why do the
nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing? (Psalm 2:1). The
next verse provides the answer: They are raging “against the
LORD and against His Anointed [Messiah in Hebrew].” |
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According
to the Word of God, it is transparently clear that the Jewish return
to Israel is threefold in purpose: |
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Sanctification of God’s
name |
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“Therefore
say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “I do not do
this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name’s sake…”
’ ” (Ezekiel 36:22). |
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Restoration of Israel to
God |
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“ ‘
“Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you
shall be My people, and I will be your God” ’ ”
(Ezekiel 36:28). |
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Restoration of the
nations to God |
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“ ‘
“…And the nations shall know that I am the LORD,” says the Lord GOD,
“when I am hallowed in you before their eyes” ’ ”
(Ezekiel 36:23). |
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Indeed,
these things are unfolding before the eyes of the nations. Thus
everyone and everything in heaven and on earth that is contrary to
God is in opposition to this glorious miracle of Israel. Our
neighbors harbor an “ancient hatred” (Ezekiel 35:5). They desire to
“possess” the covenant Land (verse 10). Yet, as the Lord says, they
are boasting and multiplying their words “against Me” (verse 13).
Still God—the God of Israel—in His infinite mercy determines to
demonstrate both to His enemies and to His people Israel that He is
the Lord. |
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So let us
celebrate and rejoice as Israel commemorates the miracle of its 62nd
Independence Day and pray that both Israel and the nations will soon
be restored to the one true God. |
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Scriptures
taken from the NKJV |
