World events continue to arrest the attention of all thinking people. It states in Revelation 22. 7, “Behold, I come quickly : blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book”. How necessary that God should intervene to save not only Jewry, but mankind in general. The nations continue to strive with each other for supremacy, but the weaker nations refuse to admit defeat. We have never had the great pleasure of seeing so much prophecy fulfilled and fulfilling. The Lord Jesus Christ, the scriptures say, is to be King of the Jews. When he was crucified, it was written over him : “The King of the Jews”. We know that some wanted to alter it, but it was not. The days are quickly flying and Christ will soon come back to the earth again to assume that role, and, as Son of God, to show to all the world that there is a God who is supreme over all. Christ will soon return !
There is an excellent verse in Revelation 11. 18:
“And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants, the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great ; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth”.
Prime Minister Loves Bible
The Israeli Prime Minister, Mr. David Ben-Gurion, sent the following greeting to a Bible study convention in Israel of over a thousand people from villages in the Jezreel and Jordan Valleys.
“I am very sorry that I cannot be with you today, but please allow me to express my satisfaction over the spread of the study of the Bible among adults, and particularly in the labour settlements. Just as our spiritual ties with the Homeland were never severed, so we never abandoned the study of the Bible. Only on our return to the soil of the Homeland and its cultivation did our bond with the Land of the Fathers become normal, since it also became the Land of the Sons. But we cannot become rooted in the physical Homeland if we do not strengthen our ties with the spiritual Homeland, which is the Book of Books, and these ties can be strengthened only if we fulfil the precept, ‘Thou shalt meditate therein day and night’.”
“We must know every footpath and corner of our country, and it is even more important that we should know every book, verse and word of the Law, the Prophets and the Writings. All honour to those who study the Bible and help to spread and deepen the study of the Book of Books”.
It is no doubt a fact that the Jews read the Bible as never before—and this will give them great faith and hope. They know what prophecy says about Israel and its future, and are expecting the Messiah to come any time to be their King. Even young boys and girls in Israel are told how to study and read their Bible. When nations will come against them, they will remember what prophecy says and will ask God to save them. Even in Parliament Ben-Gurion has quoted verses from the Bible for the country’s parliamentarians to understand what should be done.
Mrs. Meir On Summit Conference
Israel’s reaction to the failure of the Summit Conference and her attitude to the Egyptian blockade in the Suez Canal were expressed by Mrs. Golda Meir, Minister for Foreign Affairs, in a review of the activities of her ministry in the Knesset :
“Because of the dispersion of the Jewish people among the nations, because its scattered communities are to be found in both East and West, and because of the particular position of the State of Israel, our need for world peace and a reduction of inter-bloc tension is perhaps greater than that of any other people. We live in one of the regions of the world where inter-bloc tension manifests itself very concretely.
One of its most dangerous consequences is the flow of modern armaments in tremendous quantities into the Arab countries, Egypt especially ; and this in spite of the fact that Egypt does not conceal in any way the purpose for which she is acquiring these arms. Moreover, inter-bloc tension enables Egypt to engage in blackmailing manoeuvres in both blocs.”
Mrs. Meir went on to recall Israel’s support for “general and final disarmament in the world”, and went on to say, “Unless general disarmament is accepted and carried out in the whole world, the Government of Israel will propose to all her Arab neighbours an agreement for complete disarmament and abolition of armies in Israel and the Arab countries, on condition that mutual, continuing and free supervision of its implementation is guaranteed and that the boundaries and sovereignty of each these nations are not impaired”.
The Jews would like world peace. However, as they have Arabs and Egyptians close to them and ready to make an attack, Israel also must have an army, otherwise they could easily be defeated. But God is going to intervene and Israel will be used as God’s battle axe and weapons of war. All who hate Israel will be punished by God.
Jews And Christadelphians
It was nice to read in the Jewish book, “Ivriah”, appreciation for Brother John Carter, and also for Christadelphians generally.
In “The Christadelphian” for January appeared a brief note acknowledging the receipts of gifts of money and clothing from places as far apart as Alberta (Canada), New Zealand, and Ohio (U.S.A.), in addition to contributions from within Great Britain. It was reported also that on September 16th, 580 new garments and shoes were despatched for Israel and on November 24th 1,000 new garments were sent. “We have completed”, says the report, almost 44,000 since the work started in a very small way nearly eight years ago, and we thank God and take courage.”
“Ivriah” said,
“This effort had its origin in a visit to Israel paid by a small party of Christadelphians eight years ago, and the interest in providing garments has continued unabated. In addition, considerable contributions are regularly made, which in recent years have been devoted to feeding the children who have recently entered the land of Israel . . These efforts may not figure so largely as some of the princely contributions periodically made by individual Jews and by Jewish families to particular appeals. Yet Christadelphian contributions have been made regularly in one form or another from the days of sporadic appeals to relieve the distress from the pogroms of two generations ago up to the constantly reiterated needs for help of the last few years. This sustained interest has elicited grateful responses from many Jewish authorities . . . The activities of Christadelphians spring from the faith they hold”.
Israel’s Employment
A large increase in industrial and a small drop in agricultural employment is shown by a manpower survey for 1959 recently issued by the Central Bureau of Statistics. The average labour force employed in industry and mining rose from 141,800 in 1958 to 157,100 in 1959 ; the number employed during the period under review rose from 658,300 to 675,400.
Survey Of World Jewry
It has been reported recently that nearly half of the world’s Jewish population today (5,200,000 out of a total of 12,083,00) live in U.S.A. Russia comes next with two million, and Israel third with 1,822,361.
Jews are in all parts of the world today and, finally, prophecy will be fulfilled when they shall all be sent back to Israel. The Jews have kept separate from all Gentiles. When you think how the Jews were scattered among all nations and yet remained as Jews, it is a sign of the power of God, for he foretold it through his prophets. Many nations have been lost over the ages, but the Jews are still well known and the majority of them are waiting for the Messiah.
Israel’s Friends
“We are not alone”, Ben-Gurion said on his return to Israel recently. He had been in France, Belgium and the Netherlands. He added, “We have devoted friends, and their friendship is not dependent on material advantages”. He was full of joy in having hundreds of friendly talks with many of them. It is nice to know that many love the Jews though some nations hate them.
Conclusion
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46. 1). These confident and inspiring words are a source of comfort and understanding and have proved of immense spiritual value to men and women down the ages. Salvation is coming for the Lord is near ! The signs tell us in no uncertain manner of this great fact. We know that God will soon rebuke the strong nations and then this earth will be a fit place for man to dwell upon. Meanwhile, we must manifest more than ordinary assent to things of our religion, and should exhibit that practical outlook that will inspire confidence in others.
“He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth ; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder ; he burneth the chariot in the fire. Be still and know that I am God : I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord of hosts is with us ; the God of Jacob is our refuge, Selah”. (Psalm 46. 9-11.) Let us then have that practical faith and calm assurance in God, and realise that He is our refuge and strength. May God’s kingdom be the objective of us all.
The Borders of the Land of Israel