Torch, Fall 1980

r{>:--·n·- , : • .,., •..; ':1 ••:"':..,:s·- . time-Israel scattered among the nations and Israel kept separate from the nations-indicates once again that the Word of God can be trusted, and that the Jew is indestructible. A Returning People The United Nations partitioned the land of Palestine in 1947. The prophet Joel predicted more than . ~soo years before Christ that this would happen. "I will also gather all nations, and will brin~ them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, 1.. •-~ ::·-:.......... ~: ~~:~ :; -; ~- _-·__ ·:. w om they have scattered among the :- ..- "-·n ions, and parted my land (Joel !" .... -~ .. ; 1-~~~ - ""' ·3: ). ;;""··-"':: - . ne of the most exciting days in Id history must have been May 15, 19 8. On that day, for the fi~ time in 20 ecame a nation again-a nation in the promised land. The next day, the infant nation was in the midst of a war, designed to destroy her very existence. An uneasy peace lasted until 1967 when the Six Day War brought the city of Jerusalem under the control of Israel. In the vision of the valley of dry bones, Ezekiel 37 declares "these bones are the whole house of Israel" (vs. 11). God's Word to the prophet indicated the process of restoration. "The sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above; but there was no breath in them" (vs. 8). Today we are pos· sibly seeing the "sinews, flesh, and skin" in Israel's return; but there is no "breath" because they are returning in unbelief, again in fulfillment of scripture (see Romans 11:23-29). According to Shim Peres, Israeli Minister of Absorption, there are some 14 million Jews in the world today. More than 2 million are in Israel; 12 million are scattered; and 61/ 2 million are in the United States. Today we are seeing only the begin– ning of the return; but Israel has her homeland, and God's Word is in the process of being fulfilled as her people go home. A Resurrected Language It is difficult to imagine the confu– sion that must have existed in 1948 when the Jews began to return to Palestine in great numbers. They came from the countries in which they were born and they spoke the languages of the people among whom they had lived. However, God predicted the solution to this problem over 2,500 years ago. "As yet they shall use this speech (speak this word) in the land of Judah and in the cities thereof, when I shall bring again their captivity (restore their fortunes)" (Jeremiah 31:23). Eleazer Perelman, a young Euro– pean scholar, came to Israel per· suaded that the nation must have one language if it were to be revived. His whole life was devoted to the restora· tion of the Jewish people. He insisted that his own child, when but an infant, should hear no word of any other language. He believed that every Jew in Israel must learn and speak Hebrew. He built the Hebrew vocabulary from that of the Old Testa– ment from 7, 704 words to almost 100,000 words. Perelman changed his name to Ben-Yehuda, setting a pattern for the adoption of Hebrew names in the homeland. As a result of his dedication, Hebrew is now the language spoken by the Jews in Israel. Hebrew is the only "dead" language ever revived and used as the speech of the people. Even the language of the indestructible Jew is indestructible! A Prosperous People God's Word predicts that the waste places shall be reclaimed. "But ye, 0 mountains of Israel, ye shall shoot forth your branches, and yield your fruit to my people of Israel; for they are at hand to come ... the cities shall be inhabited, and the wastes shall be builded . . . And the desolate land shall be tilled . . . And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced, and are inhabited" (Ezekiel 36:8, 10, 34, 35). Before 1948, Israel imported 85% of her food supply. Today it is estimated that Israel produces more than 85% of the food consumed by her people, even though the popula– tion of the country has increased from 875,000 to over 3 million people. The prophet Ezekiel also predicted the cities in the land would be rebuilt. "I will also cause you to dwell in the cities . . . so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of men" (Ezekiel 36:33, 38). Two examples are Ash– kelon, established as a new city in 1949, and Ashdod, which began as a modem city in 1957. Both of these new cities have modem shopping areas, fine new streets lined with trees and flowers, and beautiful new buildings. Ashdod will eventually be the largest seaport in Israel. The city is being planned for 350,000 people. In Ezekiel's prophecy, one phrase stands out as a word of caution and yet is a prophecy that gives much encouragement. God said much of this reclaiming wasteland and rebuilding of cities will take place "in the day that I shall cleanse you from all your inquities" (Ezekiel 36:33). This whole passage then fits chronologically into the period of the last days of the great tribulation and the beginning of the Kingdom Age. A word of caution to us is that the rebuilding that we now see is only the beginning of that which will be much more remarkable in the days to come. The encouragement from all we read in the Bible and see in Israel about reclaimed lands and new cities is that the coming of the Lord appears to be very near. When we see what is happening in Israel, we are encouraged to believe we are not too far from the complete fulfillment of these predictions. Reu. James T. Jeremiah is the Chancellor of Cedarville College. 7