Here in His city, Jerusalem, and in His Land, Israel, we are seeing the fulfilment of Biblical prophecy as God re-gathers His people to the place He covenanted to them — all in preparation for the revelation and return of the Messiah.

The modern state of Israel was founded in May 1948, undoubtedly one of the most important events in recent history. For the first time a people that had been uprooted and dispersed for almost 2,000 years returned as a sovereign nation to their historic homeland. This occurred against amazing odds and under incredible circumstances — because the Lord had promised that He would take Israel from among the nations, gather them from every country and bring them to their own land (Ezekiel 36:24).

God’s plan will not be stopped despite the world’s efforts to divide Israel among her enemies. The Lord says that He will gather Israel from the ‘four quarters of the earth’ (Isaiah 11:12). In the midst of terrorist bombings and Iran seeking nuclear weapons, the Lord says, ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine’ (Isaiah 43:1, NKJV). He promises to bring Israel’s descendants to the Land (vv 5–6).

Aliyah is the Hebrew word used to describe the physical return of the Jewish people, the children of Israel, to their ancient Promised Land, Israel. Literally, it means to go up, specifically to ascend to the house of the Lord or to Zion.

The Lord ‘causes’ His people to return (Jeremiah 30:3). More and more we are hearing about ‘lost tribes’ coming home to Israel. We are witnessing a stirring of Jews in ‘all the places where they were scattered’ (Ezekiel 34:12), including the Bnei Menashe in India and the descendants of the Kaifeng Jews in China.

Aliyah is an awesome display of God’s mercy and grace in these days. It is a ‘banner for the nations’ (Isaiah 11:12), signalling that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob reigns and He alone is the true and living God. Indeed, over three million Jews have returned to the Land since Israeli independence—an exodus unparalleled since the time of Moses.

Yet we sense now that we are on the threshold of something much bigger, as Scripture clearly foretells an even greater exodus in the latter days. This will enormously impact the nations, because it will completely overshadow the first exodus from Egypt.

Such a vast exodus may seem incomprehensible, but our God has promised: ‘“So then, the days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when people will no longer say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, who brought the Israelites up out of Egypt,’ but they will say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, who brought the descendants of Israel up out of the land of the north and out of all the countries where He had banished them.’ Then they will live in their own land” ’ (Jeremiah 23:7–8, NIV).

I love the statement: ‘They will live in their own land.’  That includes Judea and Samaria! Nowadays such a statement is not politically correct, but I am so glad that it is Biblically correct.

It is also Biblical that non-Jews be used in practical ways to help implement God’s prophecy-fulfilling acts. Your prayers and your financial support will make it possible not only to satisfy the dream of Jewish people desiring to return to their homeland, but also to execute God’s divine will on the earth. What an honour and a privilege we have to participate in preparing the way for our Messiah’s return!