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Progress in the Land of Promise A commentary on recent events affecting Palestine Extracts from Bible Students Monthly, the prior name of this publication September 1946 The recent acts of violence in Palestine are deplored by all right‑thinking people. Any nation trusting in such methods for its establishment cannot expect to become the instrument of Divine reconciliation with the world. It is for this reason that no existing nation—not even Britain—can be that instrument, for all depend upon force to maintain their rule, as Britain has shown in connection with these same events in Palestine. The people of this country are liable to condemn all Palestinian Jews for these acts, not realising that this policy of terrorism is that only of a small proportion, not more than five thousand out of six hundred thousand Palestinian Jews. The apparent failure of the remainder to co‑operate with the British authorities in dealing with the situation is understandable in the light of British failure to implement the policy of the Mandate and the pledges given by the present Government prior to the last election. Our own understanding of the Divine Word is that not until Israel abandons all resource to force and violence, and in implicit faith trusts entirely in God for the fulfilment of His promises, will they become masters in their own land. We cannot expect them in their present frame of mind to accede to that principle, and it seems clear that there will be a period of strife the outcome of which cannot at the moment be foreseen; but the ultimate outcome is sure. As Dr. (Chaim) Weizmann said the other day: "During the last thirty years we set ourselves to the implementation of this promise. It cannot now be stopped. It will go on. It must go on. It is our destiny, of which we cannot free ourselves if we would." Although, it may be the Zionist leader bases his assurance upon political developments rather than the Divine promise, he might well, like Isaiah of old, be uttering truths the significance of which he himself only partially grasps. The dignified statement issued by Dr. Herzog, Chief Rabbi of Palestine, shows that some voices at least are being raised even now calling attention to that power which will eventually be acknowledged by all Israel, and so make Jerusalem "the joy of the whole earth...the city of the great King." (Psa.48:2) His statement runs in part: "Just over a quarter of a century ago Britain solemnly pledged herself before God and the nations to facilitate the return of Israel to Zion. The late King George V on one occasion made public mention of his gratification at being enabled by Providence to be the instrument of fulfilling the Biblical prophecies concerning Zion’s restoration. By virtue of her solemn undertaking—and by that alone—Britain was entrusted with the Mandate over the Holy Land. Has the conscience of Britain grown mute? Have those vast streams of the spirit, which have always watered the soul of a great nation, dried up? Will the people hold their silence while their national honour and morality are cast to the winds and bleeding Israel is flung to the abyss of uttermost despair? *** *** *** An interesting incident occurred at the opening, in the middle of July, of a new settlement near Mount Tabor, the generally reputed scene of the Transfiguration, where Jewish ex‑service men have set up a colony of 1,700 acres. At the inaugural ceremony a delegation of Arab elders from the neighbouring village attended to welcome the Jewish settlers, and their chief, Ibrahim Altayh, said this: "I have searched our history and have failed to find any cause for enmity between the sons of Ishmael and Isaac, both of whom were sons of Abraham." He went on to say that it was only intriguers who sought to sow discord between the two peoples and expressed the hope that the present clouds would disperse and that a peaceful time for all would soon begin. *** *** *** Immigrants arriving at Haifa. One is reminded of Isa.66:20, where the expression "swift beasts" is probably more correctly translated "swift ships." The Hebrew word is thought to be equivalent to the Greek cercuri, a particular type of fast merchant vessel in use in the Eastern Mediterranean in Isaiah’s day and for several centuries thereafter. If so, this…is an example of prophecy in course of fulfilment! For the sake of Israel’s speedy peace and prosperity we may hope that some…viewing the land that henceforth was to be their home heard within their souls words ringing down the centuries "Arise, shine, for thy light is come...surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far…to the Holy One of Israel." (Isa.60:1&9) September 1948 Do the Dry Bones Live? The rapid succession of significant events in and around Palestine since the end of the war is of intense interest to all students of the Scriptures. God has promised that He will send for fishers and hunters to gather His earthly people into the land of their fathers. (Jer.16:16) The fishing and the hunting has been going on now for a long time but still the land is not the home of a peaceful and prosperous nation, ready for God’s hand for His purposes. At what point in prophecy do we stand today? Is Jerusalem still "trodden down of the Gentiles"? (Luke 21:24) Will the new State of Israel frame its policies in accord with the ways of God, and so link its destinies more surely with that which is to come? Will it, on the other hand, become merely one of the "kingdoms of this world" and so have to give place to a better order of things that will more fully justify the high hopes with which Zionism, fifty years ago, first set out upon its troubled career? We cannot yet answer all these questions. We do know that God cannot use a people unless that people is devoted and consecrated to His service and maintains implicit faith in Him. Nothing of that is at present to be seen in Palestine. And the land is not yet free! The Western powers have not relinquished their hold, even though British forces have been withdrawn and the Mandate has been terminated. (The) UN is as much a part of the Gentile power as any Western kingdom or country, and (the) UN has Palestine in ward at the moment. And at this very time British officers are leading Arab legionaries into action against American citizens piloting planes on behalf of Israel. Trade is slowing down, war rages openly or secretly through the length and breadth of the land, and no man’s life is safe. This is not the situation presented by the prophet Ezekiel when he described the happy state of the peaceable and contented nation against which the forces of Gog and Magog are to advance at the end. And so there is evidently a further stage in the development of these things, and we must continue to watch. *** *** *** Can these things be related to the events of today? Is there any evidence that this gathering of the Holy Nation to its destined home is under way? Is the present prosperity of Palestine a commencement of that "dwelling in unwalled villages," happy in the possession of cattle and goods, which is described in Ezek.38:11? Three main conditions must be met before it can be said that the time spoken of in Ezekiel 38 has come. They are: First: The Holy Nation settled in the land and enjoying complete control of the entire territory promised to Abraham, from the River of Egypt to the Euphrates. What we have seen since 1918 does not meet the requirements of this prophecy. The Jews who have gathered there are a mixed people, in that whilst some have returned in faith and are believers in the promises, many have no religious faith at all, and have returned in a purely nationalistic spirit. There is no general appreciation as yet that God is going to use that land and its people in the outworking of His plan. The temporal prosperity prophesied is a far greater thing than that which is evident today, and is built upon different principles. The activity of today is based upon normal commercial enterprise, and that must in due course give place to an activity directed by a consciousness of Divine power working in the nation’s affairs. In the political rearrangement following the recent war we may well expect to see another step taken on the road which leads to independence in the Near East, just as the settlement of the 1914‑18 war delivered these same countries from the Turkish power and set them on the way to modern development. Likewise, we may be able to discern in the commercial rearrangements which will also come about a diversion of trade which will progress side by side with the new political set‑up, and reveal to the world the nucleus of a new national power in that place. Most important of all, we must expect that the experiences through which both Jew and Gentile are now passing, and must continue to endure whilst these dark days persist, will cause some to realise the Divine call to give themselves to the creation of a people of God, a holy nation, in the land then so definitely being opened up. The regathering of Israel in faith and with supplication, eager to learn of the Lord and zealous for the honour of His Name, will be the signal that the day has come for men to speak, with meaning, of the "Land of unwalled villages." (Ezek.38:11) October 1948 "The establishment of the State of Israel is the answer to two thousand years of prayer and the beginning of a new epoch in Jewish history. The vision of Theodore Herzl and the sacrifice of generations of pioneers have brought about the fulfilment of the Zionist dream. The Zionist Federation of Great Britain and Ireland joins Jews everywhere in gratitude to Almighty God that this fateful event in Jewish history has been experienced by this generation of the Jewish people..." (From a proclamation issued by the Zionist Federation after the announcement of the setting up of the State of Israel.) *** *** *** An unexpected consequence of the Arab invasion of Palestine has been the reversal of the Arab superiority in numbers in the land. Whereas before the ending of the Mandate the Arabs numbered about one million, and the Jews six hundred thousand, the flight of some three hundred thousand Arabs into Transjordan and elsewhere, and the immigration of a further number of Jews, has left the superiority with the Jews 750,000 against 700,000 Arabs. *** *** *** The State Council of Israel has issued a decree making the Sabbath, and all religious holidays, State holidays in Israel. *** *** *** It is a biting commentary upon present day political affairs that about the only subject upon which America and Russia can agree is Palestine. Both nations have recognised the State of Israel, and Dr. James MacDonald, U.S. Minister to Israel, and Mr. Pavel Yershov, Soviet Envoy to Israel, have arrived at Tel‑Aviv and presented their credentials. Britain has not yet recognised the new State. November 1948 After four months of conflict it is interesting to take stock of the position to date. Notwithstanding the fact that seven Arab states have joined forces in an attempt to push them into the Mediterranean, the Israelis have not only held the territory originally allotted them by (the) UN, but have also captured, and now hold, Arab Galilee and the towns of Nazareth, Jaffa and Acre, and the main part of Jerusalem. A great number of Arabs have left the country and their place has been taken by Jewish immigrants; it is unlikely that the Arabs will ever come back. The State of Israel, whatever its final form as agreed by (the) UN, has come to stay, and the Arab rulers will very soon be hard put to it in explaining this fact, and the failure of their military operations, to their own people. The Western nations will make their peace with Israel and begin to bargain for trade agreements. Trans‑Jordan, at least, among the Arab states, will follow suit. And although we who are students of the Word of God know that this is not the gathering "with weeping and with supplication" (Jer.31:9) that was foretold in ancient time and for which we look; although we must realise that there is evidently a further phase of development to be revealed before we can say "this is the end," yet the significance of this year’s events is great and the things we now see going on before our eyes must be playing some part in, making some preparation for, the real gathering of those true‑hearted sons of Israel who will build "the land of unwalled villages." *** *** *** Under the Constitution of the State of Israel, now being framed, the President of the State is responsible for appointing the Commander‑in‑Chief of the armed forces of Israel, acting upon the advice of the Minister of Defence. In this, as in so many things, Israel has taken its stand with the "kingdoms of this world." Can it then avoid sharing their destiny. The "Holy Nation" of the Last Days will look to, and trust, God for their defence and it is then that He will "go forth, and fight...as when He fought in the day of battle." (Zech.14:3) How evident it is that a great change of heart must come to that people before we can expect prophecy to be fulfilled. *** *** *** There is now a constant stream of immigrants going into the Holy Land. By the end of 1948, it is estimated, the Jewish population will number 805,000, an increase of nearly 20 per cent since the withdrawal of British forces in May. During 1949, it is expected, another 150,000 will enter, and in a few years’ time, it is thought, the nation may be three or four million strong. (The population in the time of Christ is estimated to have been about five million—there is evidently space enough). It is evident that all the tortuous policies of the Western nations and all the opposition of the Arab peoples cannot prevail against this tide. Jacob is going home. |
