Israel a Modern Miracle vol 1 by Joseph H. Hunting

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IsraelAModernMiracle Volume1 WebReady

by Joseph Hunting

ISRAEL – A MODERN MIRACLE VOLUME 1

The State of Israel will be open to the immigration of Jews from all countries of their dispersion; will promote the development of the country for the benefit of all its inhabitants; will be based on the principles of liberty, justice and peace as conceived by the Prophets of Israel; will uphold the full social and political equality of all its citizens, without distinction of religion, race or sex; will guarantee freedom of religion, conscience, education and culture; will safeguard the Holy Places of all religions; and will loyally uphold the principles of the United Nations Charter.

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CONTENTS

Chapter 1. Prophecies Fulfilled in the Land Concerning the ancient High places Concerning the desolation of the mountains Concerning "All Idumea" Concerning Israel's Reafforestation program Concerning the husbandry of the soil Concerning the regathering of Israel "I will settle you after your old estates" Concerning Israel's possession of the land

Chapter 2. "The Valley of Dry Bones" Israel's return prophesied The vision of the Valley of Dry Bones The prophecy of Theodore Herzl "Can these bones live? . . . Ye shall live!"

The prophecy of an exceeding great army "I will open your graves" Israel – the land of unwalled villages – at rest

Chapter 3. The Invasion from the North David and Goliath A voice from the past The invading nations identified Egypt not included in the invading forces The land of unwalled villages Israel to take seven years to burn the weapons Israel to taken seven months to bury the dead

Chapter 4. Jerusalem: Past, Present and Future "Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles until" "Jerusalem, a burdensome stone."

The time of Jacob's trouble Israel's final glory

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Foreword For centuries Bible students have waited to see the fulfillment of Ezekiel's prophecy that "the Sons of Zion" would return from the four corners of the earth to "build up the old wastes". th

On May 14 , 1948, the nation of Israel was "born in a day". The land that had been a desolation for centuries began to revive again. Then Ezekiel's prophecy took on new meaning: "Behold, I am for you, and ye shall be tilled and sown . . . and ye shall yield your fruit to My people of Israel, for they are at hand to come . . . and I will multiply men upon you . . . and the cities shall be inhabited, and the wastes be builded."

Although the Jewish people have drained the swamps, built cities and caused much of the desert to "blossom as the rose", the purpose of "ISRAEL – A Modern Miracle" is to focus the attention of the reader beyond the splendid efforts of the modern Israeli to the mighty power of the God of Israel Who long ago foretold the great events that are taking place today, and Israel's glory that will follow the nation's recognition of the Messiah.

Much of the content of the following pages results from my own observations, when like the spies of old I walked through the land for forty days beholding ISRAEL – A Modern Miracle.

Joseph H Hunting Melbourne, 1969

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Chapter 1 -- Prophecies Fulfilled in the Land A Jewish friend who suffered terribly at the hands of the Nazis once challenged me to prove to him God still existed.

As the result of suffering that was almost beyond his endurance my friend lost his faith in God and became atheistic. He listened with rapt attention as I read the first eleven verses of Ezekiel chapter 36, after which we discussed together the miracle of the rebirth of the State of Israel.

Join with me now as we share together the great truths which helped my Jewish friend rediscover his faith in the God of Israel.

1. The Prophecy Concerning the Ancient High Places (Ezekiel 36:1-2) "Also, thou son of man, prophesy unto the mountains of Israel, and say, Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord: Thus saith the Lord God; Because the enemy hath said against you, Aha, even the ancient high places are ours in possession . . . " One of the most astounding things about the modern State of Israel is the fact that most of the ancient high and holy places were in enemy possession for nineteen years from 1948 to 1967. When the United Nations partitioned Palestine and drew up the borders of the Jewish State such sacred and ancient high places as Shiloh, Mount Gerazim, Mount Ebal, Mount Hebron, the Mount of Olives and the ancient Temple site on Mount Moriah became the possession of the enemy.

The most sacred of all holy places, Jerusalem, the Holy City, was cut in two. The modern section, built on the hills west of the Old City, was given to Israel, whilst the Old City with its massive walls and historic gates was sealed off from the modern State of Israel.

Behind those walls were thirty-four synagogues which contained priceless scrolls and manuscripts, and for nineteen years no Jew was permitted to worship in these synagogues.

No Jew could pray at the most holy place of all in Old Jerusalem – the Wailing Wall. th

For nineteen years, until June 7 , 1967, no Jew set foot upon Mount Moriah, holy ground indeed, because it was on this mountain Abraham offered Isaac. No Jew could visit Mount Hebron, sacred because the Patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are buried there. For nineteen years all access to these ancient high places was securely barred to the newly-born nation whose ancestors had given to the world the Book of Books, much of which was written in the high places possessed by Israel's enemies.

Surely, only the Spirit of God could inspire Ezekiel to prophesy 2,600 years ago present dayevents that have now been fulfilled to the very letter.

Not every generation is privileged to witness prophecy becoming history in the short space of th six days. Yet old borders were made obsolete overnight and on June 7 , 1967, Jerusalem was wrenched from Jordan's grasp, and the Temple Mount and the Wailing Wall, the most sacred of all the "high places", were liberated from the enemy. Within 48 hours Hebron, Shiloh, Gerazim and Ebal had followed suit.

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2. The Prophecy Concerning the Desolation of the Mountains (Ezekiel 36:1-3) "Also, thou son of man, prophesy unto the mountains of Israel, and say, Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord . . . Thus saith the Lord God; Because they have made you desolate, and swallowed you up on every side, that ye may be a possession unto the residue of the nations . . . " The mountains of Israel that once were clothed with forests, olive groves, vineyards and prosperous villages, and immortalized by psalmist and prophet alike, became desolate and eroded crags. During the long dispersion which extended over nineteen centuries, the foreign invaders denuded the hills and mountains of the forests. Carefully-tended vineyards and olive groves disappeared as successive waves of invaders ravaged the soil of the Holy Land with their wars. Finally the eroding forces of nature, helped by herds of goats, completed the scene of treeless desolation. Flourishing settlements and cities were likewise destroyed.

Through the length and breadth of the land, the forces of nature finally completed the work.

The Negev became a rocky wasteland whilst the once-fertile coastal plain slowly but surely gave way to shifting sand dunes. The fertile valley of Jezreel, famous for its vineyards and fertility in Biblical times, degenerated into a vast swamp.

3. The Prophecy Concerning "All Idumea" "Thus saith the Lord God; Surely in the fire of My jealousy have I spoken against the residue of the nations, and against ALL IDUMEA, which have appointed MY LAND into their possession . . . " (Ezekiel 36:5) God calls the tiny strip of land on the eastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea MY LAND. The title deed for the Holy Land is in joint names. It was given to Abraham and to his Seed.

"For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever."

(Genesis 13:15). The Apostle Paul clarified this truth in his letter to the Galatians: "Now to Abraham and to his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy SEED, which is the Messiah." (Galatians 3:16) Thus the land called Israel belongs to the Messiah! Likewise the territory which was annexed

by Jordan between 1949 and 1967 belongs to Him. Whilst the world witnessed Israel's lightning victory in June, 1967, and military strategists weighed the pros and cons of Israeli superiority over tremendous odds, the real answer lies in the words of Ezekiel; " . . . Surely in the fire of My jealousy have I spoken . . . against all Idumea, which have appointed MY LAND into their possession . . . " Modern Jordan occupies the land that was called Idumea in Ezekiel's day.

And whilst the exploits of Israel's defence forces were truly magnificent, in the final analysis it was the God of Israel Who wrought a miracle and spoke against the enemies that had appointed His land into their possession, not only against Jordan, but against the "residue of the nations", Egypt and Syria, too.

4. The Prophecy Concerning Israel's Reafforestation Program (Ezekiel 36:6-8) "Prophesy therefore concerning the land of Israel, and say to the mountains, . . . to the rivers, and to the valleys, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I have spoken in My jealousy and in My fury, because ye have borne the shame of the nations: . . . But ye, O

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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." For eighteen centuries the land of Israel was closed to the Jewish people even as Moses prophesied: "And the Lord God shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other; . . . And among these nations shalt thou find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot find rest." (Deuteronomy 28:64-65) During this long dispersion, the once-beautifully wooded hills of Galilee and Judea became denuded of trees and pitifully eroded from neglect. The once-fertile valley of Jezreel became a vast malaria-infested swamp, and the rich pasture lands of the Negev became a desert with only the ruins of places like Avdat to testify to the fact that ancient civilizations once flourished there.

One can only marvel at the tremendous change that has taken place in Israel in the past 30 years. Once again the sycamore, tamarisk and myrtle trees have been planted by the tens of thousand in areas where they flourished three thousand years ago. Entire forests have now reclothed the once-barren Judean hills. Tree nurseries play a very important part in the development of modern Israel as 200,000,000 trees have already been planted out in this vast program of reafforestation.

Of all the tremendous projects undertaken in Israel during the past thirty years, that of reclothing the hills and mountains with trees is the one that makes us most conscious of the Divine promise, "O mountains of Israel, ye shall shoot forth your branches . . . " "Fruit to My People of Israel."

Not only are the mountains of Israel shooting forth their branches, they are also yielding "fruit to My people of Israel". The orange export to Europe reached a record of fifteen million cases in 1968. In addition, thousands of tons of bananas, pineapples and tomatoes find a ready market on the fruit stalls of London and Paris and a score of other continental cities.

Israel's wheat harvest jumped from 90,000 tons in 1966 to a record of 200,000 tons in 1967 as the result of soil reclamation and irrigation which opened up areas in the Negev that had lain desolate for centuries. In northern Galilee, vast swamps were drained in the Huleh valley where today Israelis harvest rich crops of cotton and ground nuts.

5. The Prophecy Concerning the Husbandry of the Soil. (Ezekiel 36:9) "I am for you, and I will turn unto you, and ye shall be tilled and sown."

Come with me to the heights overlooking the Sea of Galilee in the early spring. The scene is breathtaking in its beauty. As far as the eye can see, the lovely hills of Galilee have been "tilled and sown", creating a vast patchwork of rich browns and greens bordered by stately cypresses.

We may realize how accurately this prophecy has come to pass when we remember that barely forty years ago the same Galilean hills were desolate and barren.

For eighteen centuries the Jews were denied access to their ancient homeland. During that time the Romans built magnificent highways and erected temples to their pagan gods, but did little to cultivate the soil. The Romans were followed in turn by the Moors, Arabs, Saracens, Crusaders, Turks and, finally, the British during the turbulent Mandate period.

Although each of these nations brought its culture, the soil of the Holy Land remained barren and unproductive. The fertile hills of Galilee became eroded and treeless, whilst the rich valleys degenerated into disease-ridden swamps. Scavenging herds of goats helped to complete the scene of utter desolation.

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The miracle of the transformation of Israel from rolling sand dunes, desert and swamp, to a land now "tilled and sown" and dotted with prosperous settlements, was foretold by Isaiah: "Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah (meaning My delight is in her), and thy land Beulah (meaning Married): for the Lord delighteth in thee; and thy land shall be married. For as a young man marrieth a virgin, SO SHALL THY SONS MARRY THEE: and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, SO SHALL THY GOD REJOICE OVER THEE." (Isaiah 62:4, 5) Thus, the soil of Israel which remained barren and unproductive for eighteen centuries under foreign husbandry, immediately responded to the loving attention given to it by the sons of Israel – "MARRIED TO THE SOIL." Surely, the secret of this miraculous response by the soil in such a brief time is due to the Divine command: "Behold, I am for you . . . and ye shall be tilled and sown . . . and yield your fruit to My people of Israel; for they are at hand to come." (Ezekiel 36:8, 9) 6. The Prophecy Concerning the Regathering of Israel (Ezekiel 36:10) "And I will multiply men upon you, all the house of Israel, even all of it: and the cities shall be inhabited, and the wastes shall be builded."

During the Mandate period, Britain permitted the Jews to return to their ancient homeland on a quota system. As Arab hostility mounted, so the quota decreased, until 1939, when all Jewish immigration to Palestine stopped. th

When the State of Israel was reborn on May 14 , 1948, the doors of the Holy Land were flung wide open with the invitation to Jews from every country to return to Zion. The response was immediate, and the returning "Sons of Zion" came from more than one hundred different countries to "build up the old wastes". Jews whose forefathers had been resident in Yemen since the days of the Babylonian captivity returned to Zion and rubbed shoulders with Jews from America, Europe and Asia. A Jewish colony that had been in India for more than two thousand years returned en masse to Israel in 1948, and found their niche with Jews from Australia and South Africa.

And so the miracle of integration began. There was no screening of immigrants. Some were wealthy, and invested capital in "the nation born in a day". Others came sick in soul and body, and needed all the loving care and attention that could be given to them. A new language had to be learned! Mothers and fathers went to school along with their children to learn their "Aleph-Beth" (the first two letters in the Hebrew alphabet).

Yet, the present return does not represent the total fulfillment of Ezekiel's prophecy. So far only a fifth of world Jewry has answered the call to return to Zion, but that which is happening today is an important phase of the total fulfillment.

At present Israel is going back as foretold by the prophet in his vision of the valley of dry bones: "Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, O My people, I will open your graves . . . and bring you into the land of Israel." (Ezekiel 37:12) 7. "I Will Settle You After Your Old Estates" (Ezekiel 36:11) "And I will multiply upon you man and beast; and they shall increase and bring fruit: AND I WILL SETTLE YOU AFTER YOUR OLD ESTATES, and will do better unto you than at your beginnings."

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This prophecy has a three-fold application very evident in Israel today. After twenty-one years of statehood, the population has increased from 600,000 in 1948 to nearly 3,000,000 in 1969.

The ancient cities of Israel which have lain waste for nearly two thousand years are again being inhabited. Three thousand years ago, King Solomon built a port at Elath on the Gulf of Aqaba. Nearby, his miners and engineers mined and smelted copper ore at Timna.

Because of the strategic position of Elath to the ports of Ethiopia, Sheba and India, Solomon built Israel's first navy at Elath and his sailors exported copper and returned with peacocks, spices and gold. For nearly two thousand five hundred years the hot desert winds and sand obliterated all trace of this ancient port until 1948 when the modern sons of Israel pushed south into the desert and rebuilt this same port. Shortly afterwards, Israel's miners and engineers reopened King Solomon's mines at Timna. Today, Israel has a modern port and a modern navy at Elath. Surely Ezekiel's prophecy: "I will settle you after your old estates," has fresh meaning in Israel today.

Four thousand years ago Abraham founded Beersheba, which later became a center of great importance during the reign of Solomon. In 1948, Beersheba was a collection of dirty mud huts occupied by poverty-stricken Bedouin tribes. Today, Beersheba, with a population of fifty thousand, is a miracle of modern architecture in the midst of the Negev desert. This city confirms the accuracy of Ezekiel's prophecy: "I will settle you after your old estates."

Three thousand years ago the Philistines occupied the coast of Palestine, and Ashdod was their principal port. In New Testament times the port was known as Azotus, and was evangelized by Philip. In 1965 Israel opened a modern deep water harbour at Ashdod after the city had lain in ruins for fifteen centuries. Again, modern Ashdod fulfils the prophecy: "I will settle you after your old estates, and will do better unto you than at your beginnings."

And Ashkelon, another of the principal cities built by the Philistines, that has lain in ruins for centuries, has been rebuilt, and will soon become a major oil terminal for super-tankers.

Scores of settlements have been established upon ancient Biblical sites. Names that are familiar wherever the Bible is read -- names such as Sodom, En Gedi, Arad, Nahalal and Elath, -- are familiar to travelers in modern Israel.

8. The Prophecy Concerning Israel's Possession of the Land (Ezekiel 36:12) "Yea, I will cause men to walk upon you, even My people Israel; and THEY SHALL POSSESS THEE, and thou shalt be their inheritance."

In 1948, the total population of Jews in Israel faced annihilation. Immediately following the withdrawal of the British mandate troops, seven Arab states attacked Israel and were th confident of a speedy victory. On May 15 , Tel Aviv was bombed and straffed by the Egyptian airforce, and several days later the Egyptian fleet sailed from Alexandria harbour with orders to reduce Tel Aviv to rubble. A solitary Israeli gun-boat, which was a converted ice-breaker, saved the city from destruction.

The ship, commissioned only hours earlier, was equipped with two 20 mm aircraft cannon disguised with six inch papier-mâchÊ barrels designed to deceive the enemy. An eye witness described the action as follows: "The Egyptians, who did not expect Israel to have any navy, were taken by surprise when they found their vessels raked by fire from the aircraft cannon, whilst through their binoculars they could make out what they took to be two 6 inch guns swinging in their direction. The Egyptians began to retire with the Israeli ship in hot pursuit."

After winning the War of Independence, Israel settled down to the gigantic task of feeding, clothing, educating and housing the waves of immigrants who returned to their ancient homeland. In spite of warnings that the economy couldn't stand such a strain, the young

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nation did clothe, feed, educate and house the hundreds of thousands who returned destitute from Yemen and war-ravaged Europe, and it will continue to do so as long as the need exists.

Chapter 2 "The Valley Of Dry Bones" (Ezekiel 37:1) "The Spirit of the Lord set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones."

Introduction: The great nation of Israel, that once knew the secret of supernatural power under the leadership of Joshua, David and Samuel, became scattered as dry bones among the nations after the Romans destroyed Jerusalem in AD 70.

Moses accurately foretold this great world-wide dispersion: " . . . ye shall be plucked from the one end of the earth, even unto the other; And among these nations thou shalt find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest." (Deuteronomy 28:63-65) It has been estimated that there were approximately 6,000,000 Jews in Palestine in the time of Christ. This number was reduced to less than 1,000,000 in the land through deportations on the slave markets and the terrible sufferings inflicted upon them by the Romans, again fulfilling Moses' prophecy: "And ye shall be left few in number, whereas ye were as the stars of heaven for multitude; because ye would not obey the voice of the Lord your God." Israel's Return Prophesied Moses prophesied that Israel's dispersion would be world-wide: "And the Lord shall scatter thee among ALL people, from the one end of the earth unto the other." The accuracy of this prophecy is revealed in the fact that Jews have returned to their homeland from over a hundred different countries. Indeed, there is hardly a country or nation that is not represented by the returning sons of Zion today: "For I will take you from among the nations, and gather you out of all countries, and I will bring you into your own land, . . . then the nations that are left around about you shall know that I the Lord build the ruined places . . . I the Lord have spoken it, and I will do it." (Ezekiel 36:24 & 36) The Vision of the Valley of Dry Bones "The hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones, and caused me to pass by round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry." (Ezekiel 37:1-2) nd

"God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform." In Austria on May 2 , 1860, a Jewish home rejoiced in the birth of a baby boy who was destined to be God's instrument to bring the dry bones of Israel together. Theodore Herzl lived only 44 years, yet during his brief life-span he succeeded in the superhuman task of awakening Israel out of its long national sleep of more than eighteen centuries.

From time to time during Israel's long history, God has raised up leaders to be his instruments on occasions of national crisis. Moses was divinely appointed to lead the nation out of the Egyptian bondage. Esther came to the kingdom "for such a time as this" to save her people from extermination in Persia. Theodore Herzl was God's instrument to call Israel's sons back to Zion after an exile of nearly 2,000 years.

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The Prophecy of Theodore Herzl th

The rebirth of Israel on May 14 , 1948 was a miracle of such magnitude that its true proportions weren't recognized by a world that was only just recovering from the disaster of World War II. Just before he died, Herzl revealed the secret of his great mission in life. He said that at the age of 12 the Messiah appeared to him in a vision and commissioned him to perform great wonders and deeds for his people.

At a Zionist Conference in 1897, Herzl prophesied that in 50 years the State of Israel would be established, although such a suggestion at the time was met with universal ridicule.

However, just fifty years later, in November 1947, the General Assembly of the United th Nations voted for the formation of the State of Israel. Then six months later on May 15 , 1948, the governments of the Great Powers sent congratulatory messages to David Ben Gurion, as Herzl's prophecy materialized in the rebirth of the State of Israel.

This event is even more wonderful when it is realized that it occurred less than ten years after Hitler had boasted that he would build his Nazi empire on the graveyard of Israel.

"Can These Bones Live?" . . . . "Ye Shall Live!"

"Thus saith the Lord unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live: And I will lay flesh upon you . . . and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the Lord. So I prophesied as I was commanded: And as I prophesied there was a noise, and behold, a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone." (Ezekiel 37:5-7) World War I brought about not only the deliverance of Palestine from Turkish rule, it also provided the "great shaking" which resulted in the rebirth of the State of Israel, an event that has no equal in modern history.

The Prophecy of an Exceeding Great Army "Then He said unto me, Prophesy unto the wind; . . . Thus saith the Lord God; Come from the four winds, O Breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live. So I prophesied as He commanded me and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet an exceeding great army." (Ezekiel 37:9-10) From the time that Ezekiel prophesied that a great army, or host, would arise from scenes of destruction, there have been three occasions when a great army has arisen amidst times of terrible adversity.

The first occasion was sparked off by an edict issued by Antiochus Epiphanes that a sow was th to be sacrificed in the Holy of Holies on 25 Kislev (December) 167 BC. At that time Judas Maccabeus rallied the Jews in a courageous attack on Jerusalem and th cleansed the Temple on 25 Kislev three years later. This event is commemorated by the festival of Hanukkah to this day.

The mighty army of peasants and farmers who rallied under the banner of Judas Maccabeus fought one of the most heroic battles in Jewish history when they charged a vastly superior army under the command of Gorgias. After exhorting his men to trust in Jehovah, Judas led

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his men in a charge and blew rams' horns as their ancestors did at Jericho. The enemy was routed.

Then after the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and crushed the Jewish revolt of AD 70, a mighty army arose the second time.

In order to erase all trace of Jerusalem, the Romans completely destroyed the city by ploughing over the ruins, then sowing it with a layer of salt to a depth of about five inches.

Later, in the year 132 AD, the emperor Hadrian decided to build a new city which he named Aelia Capitolina. Jews were banned from this pagan city, and Hadrian commanded that a new temple be erected to Jupiter where the Temple of Jehovah had once stood.

When Rome was at the zenith of its power, Shimon Bar Kochba rallied the remnants of Jewish life in Palestine that had survived the massacres.

Bar Kochba recaptured Jerusalem after defeating the famous Tenth Legion. The revolt then spread from Jerusalem as Bar Kochba tried to throw off the Roman yoke in Judea. By this time he commanded a mighty army, and the emperor Hadrian recalled from Britain one of his most trusted generals.

A huge army of many legions, assembled from various parts of the Roman empire, joined with the army of occupation. At Beitar, just south of Jerusalem, Bar Kochba fell in battle. The Jewish losses were frightful. An estimated half million were slain, and the revolt was crushed mercilessly.

Then followed the dark night of Jewish suffering that extended over eighteen centuries. If the darkest hour is before the dawn, then surely Israel's darkest hour was the Nazi holocaust which preceded the rebirth of the Jewish State. It was out of this furnace of affliction where the flames burned the fiercest, a handful of Jewish men and women revolted against the iron fist of Nazism, and a new flame of freedom was kindled in the Warsaw Ghetto.

Meanwhile their Jewish brethren in Palestine under David Ben Gurion declared, "We shall fight side by side with Britain in our war against Hitler as if there were no White Paper, and we shall fight the White Paper as if there were no war." And to accomplish this the famous Jewish Brigade was formed.

After the crushing defeat of the Nazi empire, those in the Jewish Brigade who had fought the Nazis, joined the Hagana and Palmach, the Jewish underground forces, and continued their fight against the White Paper which restricted Jewish immigration to Palestine.

On May 14th, 1948, the British Mandate ended and the State of Israel was reborn. The role of the Hagana and Palmach was finished. On May 26th a new page in Israel's history began with an Order of the Day issued by Mr. David Ben Gurion, "The Israel Defence Forces consisting of land forces, a navy and an air force, are hereby established."

Thus was born "a mighty army" that astonished the world in 1948 by its miraculous victory over the invading Arab armies which outnumbered the Israelis by 80 to 1.

In November, 1956, Egypt planned to reverse the humiliating defeat of 1948 by wiping Israel off the map with a huge arsenal of tanks, planes and guns supplied by the Communist bloc countries for that purpose. The Sinai Campaign led by General Moshe Dayan lasted four days, and the world was amazed at the lightning speed with which the Israelis fought over a vast desert area against an enemy equipped with the finest modern weapons.

In June, 1967, this "mighty army" again astonished the world in a lightning war that ended in total defeat for the Arabs. Once again, the Arab armies had been armed to the teeth with the latest planes, tanks and rockets, and the Sinai Peninsula was a formidable arsenal to be left in smoking ruins as the Israelis swept through to the Suez Canal. In the incredibly short space of six days maps were made obsolete, ancient prophecies were fulfilled and Jerusalem became an all-Jewish city after 2,000 years of foreign control.

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"Thus Saith the Lord God; Behold, O My People, I will Open Your Graves" "Therefore, prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, O My people, I WILL OPEN YOUR GRAVES; and cause you to come up out of your graves, AND BRING YOU INTO THE LAND OF ISRAEL." The resurrection of Israel has brought the scattered remnants of the Jewish people from the far corners of the earth where they have been "buried" for centuries.

A pitiful remnant of European Jewry struggled back in spite of the blockage imposed by the British Government.

Ten thousand, clad only in rags, trudged across the burning Arabian desert from Yemen to Aden. Their only possession were the ancient scrolls of the Law they brought from their Synagogues, and the yearning to return to the land their ancestors had left 2,500 years before when Judah was taken captive to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar. The greatest human air-lift in the history of aviation bore these "sons from afar" on "eagles' wings". The giant Skymasters were the first aircraft they had seen.

Tens of thousands of wanderers from the free world turned their faces towards Jerusalem according to Isaiah's prophecy: "I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: Bring My sons from far, and My daughters from the ends of the earth." (Isaiah 43:6) Others came from the hideouts provided by the Underground. One Jewish member of the Underground was sentenced to death by the Nazis, but escaped just before the execution was to take place. He was rescued by Nuns and kept in a Convent until the Allied armies liberated Europe.

Surely, the graves of the scattered people of Israel have been the Gentile nations.

Israel – The Land of Unwalled Villages – At Rest "And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go up to them that are at rest . . . " Let me share with you the thrill of my first glimpse of Israel. The visibility is excellent as our aircraft cruises along at about 5,000 feet. On one side below us the blue Mediterranean sparkles in brilliant sunshine, and on the other side Mt. Hermon lifts its lofty snow cap another 5,000 feet above us. Can that blue jewel, set amidst those hills in the distance, be the Sea of Galilee?

Soon, our aircraft passes over a town that looks like a miniature Crusader fortress complete with battlements and moat. Surely, this must be Acre, a city by-passed by modern progress.

Around the sweep of the coastline we have no difficulty in identifying Haifa draped up Mt. Carmel. We wonder where Elijah called down fire from heaven, and our thoughts run riot as we pick out the little stream that must be the ancient river Kishon that once ran red with the blood of the four hundred priests of Baal.

Our aircraft slowly loses height as we drift over the beautiful Vale of Sharon dotted with prosperous settlements. Now we can clearly see the traffic steaming along the highway connecting Tel Aviv and Haifa. Beyond are the wooded Judean hills, and Jerusalem, the city described by David as "beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth".

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So this is modern Israel – "the land brought back from the sword" – Israel, "dwelling in the land of unwalled villages" – Israel, "at rest".

Chapter 3 The Invasion From The North Some time ago I stood on the slopes of Mt. Carmel where Elijah once preached and called down fire from heaven in his great contest with the priests of Baal.

Stretched out before my gaze the vast valley of Jezreel was like a magnificent tapestry of rich browns and greens dotted with scores of settlements. It was a scene of indescribable beauty.

Rising like a huge bowl, Mt. Tabor commanded the eastern approaches to Jezreel. It was on this mountain that Deborah and Barak slew the hosts of Sisera.

Just below where I stood, the waters of a spring still flow where the warriors of Gideon once drank and the Lord chose 300 men to fight against the Midianites.

A little further along, strong young Israelis work the soil of Mt. Gilboa and build a kibbutz where once David wept over the death of Saul and Jonathan. Countless feet marched along this valley when the armies of Egypt, Assyria, Babylon and Rome used it as a highway as their empires rose and disappeared.

Three thousand years ago King Saul died at Beth Shean in the Valley of Jezreel. Here, archaeologists have uncovered 18 cities, each buried on top of the previous one, which date back to the Canaanite period.

As I drank in the beauty and tranquility it seemed impossible that this peaceful valley would probably be the scene of Divine wrath upon the armies of Gog as foretold by Ezekiel: "And thou shalt come up against My people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land, IT SHALL BE IN THE LATTER DAYS, and I will bring thee against MY LAND." (Ezekiel 38:16) David and Goliath In 1956 Russian armies moved with lightning speed to invade Hungary. The free world was shocked but did nothing. Again in 1968 Czechoslovakia fell victim to a similar invasion; again the free world was horrified but did nothing. In the UN the usual debates and censure motions were equally ineffective.

One day the nations of the free world will again be shocked when Russia, together with other communist satellite countries, invades Israel with the same lightning speed. In that day Israel will again stand alone, and the world will witness a modern David-versus-Goliath drama of gigantic proportions. Not only has Russia completely rearmed Egypt, Syria and Jordan, but Russian naval units have been steadily assembling in the Mediterranean Sea until a formidable force of about forty warships has been built up.

Without warning Russia will make a lightning bid for supremacy in the Middle East. "Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee." (Ezekiel 38:9) A Voice from the Past "Thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, (Heb. "The uttermost parts of the north") thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army; And thou shalt come up against My people of Israel, as a

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cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against My land, that the nations may know Me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes." (Ezekiel 38:15-16) Thus, Ezekiel prophesied that a great army comprising "many people" would come from "the uttermost parts of the north" in "the latter days" to invade "My people of Israel" dwelling in "My land".

The country located in "the uttermost parts of the north" obviously refers to Russia. The expression "in the latter days", in Hebrew terminology refers to the closing days of the age associated with the coming of the Messiah.

The Invading Nations Identified "And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him, And say, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal: "And I will turn thee back, and put hooks in thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company clothed with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords: Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet: Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee." (Ezekiel 38:1-6) We turn to Genesis chapter 10 for the origin of the nations which invade Israel under the leadership of Gog, the chief prince of the northern army. Firstly, Magog was the second son of Japheth, one of Noah's three sons who survived the flood. The ancient Scythians are believed to have descended from Magog. The Scythians lived in the area north of the Caucasian mountains, which today is part of Soviet Russia.

Meshech and Tubal were also sons of Japheth, and it is believed that their descendants also settled north of the Caucasian mountains. The Jewish historian Josephus Flavius also confirms this view.

The Hebrew text translated "Persia, Ethiopia and Libya" (Ezekiel 38:5) identifies these nations as Paras, Cush and Phut. The latter two were brothers of Mizraim (Egypt) whose name isn't mentioned in the line-up of nations upon whom God's wrath falls.

Finally Ezekiel names Gomer and Togarmah as allies in Gog's invading armies. It is interesting to note that Gomer is the brother of Magog and is also the father of Togarmah.

The descendants of Gomer are believed to have settled in the region now known as Germany, whilst Togarmah could well be the country known as Turkey today. Of these things we may not be sure until the northern invasion actually begins.

On Monday, December 9th, 1968, the following headline appeared on the front page of the Melbourne "Age", "ALBANIA GIVES CHINA A EUROPEAN FOOTHOLD". The leading paragraph was as follows: "China's missile technology has taken great steps forward with the development of a ballistic missile capable of delivering a nuclear warhead over ranges of up to 1,500 miles."

This startling news item followed a massive build-up of Soviet warships in the Mediterranean.

A glance at a map shows how vital the Suez Canal is to Russia now that China is capable of launching missiles within striking distance of the heart of Russia.

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When the occasion demands it Russia may take the necessary steps to open the Canal – AND THAT COULD RESULT IN A FULL-SCALE INVASION OF ISRAEL! Three times in 20 years Israel has fought off Arab armies that have heavily outnumbered her.

Yet one may be forgiven for being a little skeptical about Israel's ability to emerge victorious over the mighty impact of a full-scale invasion by Russia together with a formidable array of allies.

Egypt is not Included in the Invading Forces Egypt has led three attempts to wipe out the State of Israel in the first 20 years of statehood.

Each attempt resulted in a spectacular defeat for Egypt and the U.A.R. In 1948 Israel was almost defenceless and was hopelessly outnumbered, yet the infant state emerged victorious over six far more powerful Arab states. In 1956 Egypt prepared to annihilate Israel during the Middle East crisis of that year, but was again defeated in one of the most brilliantly-led desert campaigns of all time.

In June 1967, the whole world waited to see how Israel could possibly survive against the massive array of armour that surrounded her from Egypt to Syria. Then the world looked on with astonishment as she fought with amazing success against enemies on three fronts. The entire Arab war machine was smashed and completely destroyed in six days! On each occasion the Egyptian forces received a terrible battering.

Today the Sinai desert bears silent testimony to the awful defeats suffered by Egypt that could only be compared with the judgment poured out upon this nation 3,500 years earlier when Pharaoh's army was destroyed in the Red Sea. I have purposely emphasized the magnitude of Egypt's defeats during the past twenty years because Egypt is not included in the line-up of nations that are confederate with Russia, according to Ezekiel's prophecy.

The Land Of Unwalled Villages "Thus saith the Lord God; It shall also come to pass that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought; And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls and having neither bars nor gates; To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thy hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land." (Ezekiel 38:10-12) Thus Ezekiel accurately describes Israel as I saw the land recently. One can appreciate the meaning of the words, Israel "at rest" in the peaceful Galilean countryside, or driving through the "desolate places that are now inhabited". It is into this idyllic scene that Russia swoops with savage ferocity.

The focal point of the invasion is the land of Israel dwelling in "peace and safety". Whereas Russia has invaded Hungary and Czechoslovakia in the past with impunity, and may invade other countries in the future, Russia's invasion of Israel will result in disaster for the great invading forces. The vast amount of Russian equipment left to rust away in the Sinai Peninsula is just a preview of the coming destruction that will be poured out upon their total destruction. It was only when Israel was completely alone that God demonstrated his power on behalf of His people. And just as the Arabs met with a humiliating defeat, so the Russian invaders will learn the hard way that God still looks upon the Jews as "MY PEOPLE" and their land as "MY LAND".

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The destruction of the invading forces will be sudden and terrible. "Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel . . . Thou shalt fall upon the open field; for I have spoken it, saith the Lord God." Divine fury and judgment will completely demoralize the invaders. Firstly, there shall be a great earthquake that shall strike terror into their hearts, and "every man's sword shall be against his brother. And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone." (Ezekiel 38:21-22) This will be a war upon MY PEOPLE dwelling in MY LAND. "And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord God, that MY FURY shall come up in MY FACE." (Ezekiel 38:18) Just as the Western nations merely censured Russia for her invasion of Hungary in 1956 and Czechoslovakia in 1968, it appears that this will be the course of action taken by the major powers when Israel is over-run. Diplomats will hold top-level conferences, and the U.N. will have futile debates but little or nothing will be done to help Israel in her hour of need. Indeed, Scripture speaks of the "merchants of Tarshish, and the young lions thereof" who merely ask, "Art thou come to take a spoil?" And as the Western powers abandoned Israel to its fate in 1967, so Ezekiel's prophecy indicates that a similar course of action will be taken again.

And just as a miracle war was fought and won by Israel in 1967 even though the odds seemed insurmountable, so a miracle war will be fought and won by Israel when Russia and her allies "come up against My people of Israel".

I believe that the nations of this world are yet going to witness Divine judgment upon Gog that will be far more terrifying than anything experienced to date. The nations involved will learn that "it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God".

When Gog invades Israel God's "fury mounts up in His face", and all mankind will stand in awe as the sacred palm that was once pierced becomes a clenched fist that smashes the invading forces. The total destruction of Gog's forces will be the most devastating the world has yet witnessed.

Israel to Take Seven Years to Burn the Weapons "And they that dwell in the cities of Israel shall go forth, and shall set on fire and shall burn the weapons, both the shields and the bucklers, the bows and the arrows, and the handstaves, and the spears, and they shall burn them with fire seven years" – this in the future. And yet it is interesting to note that already much of the shattered war equipment left abandoned in the Sinai desert after the Six Day War has been melted down to provide metal for the oil pipe line which is to link Elath with Ashkelon.

An objection has been raised that Ezekiel described war equipment that was in use 2,500 years ago, therefore this prophecy could not have any bearing on the present world situation.

One could hardly have expected the prophet to described weapons used in modern warfare, such as Mirage and MiG supersonic aircraft, or radar-controlled surface-to-air rocket missiles that are far too technical for even the present-day man in the street to comprehend. The interesting fact is that the amount of war material abandoned by the invading forces is so vast that it takes Israel seven years to burn it.

In this regard, I would like to draw your attention to another significant passage: "They shall spoil those that spoiled them, and rob those that robbed them, saith the Lord." (Ezekiel 39:10) This passage of scripture may well apply also to the vast amount of war equipment forfeited by Egypt, Syria and Jordan in June 1967. It has been estimated that Egypt alone lost

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over two billion dollars' worth of equipment in the Sinai desert! Admittedly, much of the equipment was destroyed by the fighting, but hundreds of tanks, trucks, guns and rockets, plus other valuable items of equipment, were captured intact.

Israel to Take Seven Months to Bury the Dead "Seven months shall the house of Israel be burying of them, that they may cleanse the land." (Ezekiel 39:12) This suggests a casualty list of tremendous proportions. The slain will require special burial squads – a whole army destroyed.

Ezekiel described the invading forces as a "great company, and a mighty army". (Ezekiel 38:15) One can be sure that when the time comes for this prophecy to be fulfilled Russia will take no chances. Already Russian technicians and observers have witnessed the destruction of their war material at the hands of the Israelis in both 1956 and 1967. Russia also bore the humiliation of seeing the vast stockpile of sophisticated weapons, that was intended to be used for Israel's destruction, completing the journey to Israel bearing the insignia of the Star of David and manned by the very Jews these weapons were intended to be used for Israel's destruction, completing the journey to Israel bearing the insignia of the Star of David and manned by the very Jews these weapons were intended to destroy. So we can expect "a great company and a mighty army" to be slain, this requiring a seven months' burying program.

Just as the God of Israel demonstrated His mighty power in the total destruction of Pharaoh's armies 3,500 years ago, so Israel's God will again make bare His mighty arm to save His people.

"Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel; . . . and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground. And I will call for a sword against him throughout all My mountains, . . . And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and all his bands, and upon the many people that are with him and an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone." (Ezekiel 38:19-22) God is not mocked, and the day of reckoning for Russia will come as surely as God's Word promises.

Chapter 4 Jerusalem – Past, Present and Future There have been two dates within the span of my own lifetime that have altered the course of history. On each occasion Jerusalem has been the centre of a great drama that marked the close of an era.

The first occasion was December 9th, 1917, when General Allenby's armies captured Jerusalem in remarkable circumstances. The Turks had ruled Palestine for 400 years, and General Allenby was prepared for a stiff battle for the Holy City. To his astonishment the Turks surrendered the city. Jerusalem had the distinction of being the only enemy stronghold which surrendered in World War I without a shot being fired in its defence. th

The fall of Jerusalem on December 9 , 1917, not only marked an important turning point in the history of the war and the collapse of the 400-year Ottoman empire in the Middle East, it also marked an important date in the Hebrew calendar – the 24th Kislev.

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In order to discover the spiritual significance behind the 24th Kislev we turn to the prophet Haggai. Jerusalem had been reduced to ashes during the 70 year Babylonian captivity. Then, th on the 24 Kislev, the word of the Lord came to Haggai: " . . . consider now from this day and upward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth month (Kislev), even from the day of the foundation of the Lord's temple was laid, consider it. Is the seed yet in the barn? Yea, as yet the vine, and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree, hath not brought forth: FROM THIS DAY WILL I BLESS YOU." (Haggai 2:18-19) God kept His promise and blessed their efforts to rebuild the Temple and Jerusalem 2,500 years ago. And it is not without significance that He also chose this date to end the 400-year Turkish rule in Palestine and bless the efforts of the Jewish pioneers who returned to rebuild their homeland and resettle Jerusalem. Indeed, the foundation of the modern state of Israel was laid when the gates of Jerusalem were opened to the sons of Zion just over 50 years ago. th

The second date with unusual significance in the past 50 years is June 7 , 1967. It was on this occasion during the "Six Day War" that Jerusalem was liberated from the Gentile over lordship which had controlled the destiny of the Holy City (with one brief exception during the Maccabean revolt) for 2,500 years.

"Jerusalem shall be Trodden Down of the Gentiles Until.."

Because the Gentiles no longer dominate Jerusalem, it would be well to clarify the meaning of the term "Gentile". The dictionary defines the word as "any one not a Jew". Thus, in his prophecy: "Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled", (Luke 21:24) Israel's Messiah made it clear that the non-Jews would control Jerusalem UNTIL their times be fulfilled.

Historically, a succession of non-Jewish peoples controlled the Holy City from the time of th Christ right up to June 7 , 1967. Then a new era began. Although Jerusalem passed from Gentile to Jewish hands on that date, the Holy City has become the storm centre of debate and censure, proposal and counter-proposal in the U.N. King Hussein, in a recent address to the U.N., has claimed that the Arabs have the right to control Jerusalem and that there will never be peace in the "City of Peace" until Israel surrenders the city to Arab control. King Hussein's claim is backed by 70,000,000 Arabs, the U.S.S.R. and Red China. Britain, France and America are divided on the issue. Meanwhile U Thant has declared that a state of war exists along the whole Suez front between Israel and Egypt. During this period Al Fatah activity has been stepped up and Israeli jets have pounded terrorist bases in Jordan. The Middle East is a powder keg that could be ignited at any time.

"Jerusalem, A Burdensome Stone" About 480 B.C. Zechariah prophesied: "Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling to all the people round about when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. At that day I will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people . . . " (Zechariah 12:2-3) It would appear that an intermediate period has been reached in the history of Jerusalem. th Since June 7 , 1967, the Holy City has become a "burdensome stone" indeed, and its future has become a "burdensome stone" indeed, and its future has become one of the gravest issues confronting the U.N. It is impossible to forecast a solution to the problem. Israel is almost certain to retain Jerusalem as its capital, at the same time granting freedom of access to the holy places.

"The Time of Jacob's Trouble"

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A new temple will be built on the Temple Site! It is impossible to forecast the time and circumstances of this event, except to say that when this happens, the time of the end will be very near.

When the new temple is built in Jerusalem, "the man of sin", the Antichrist will make a covenant with Israel for seven years. After 3½ years the covenant will be broken and the Antichrist will enter the Temple "so that he has God sitteth in the Temple of God, showing himself that he is God." (2nd Thessalonians 2:4) Then will begin "The Time of Jacob's Trouble", or "The Great Tribulation" during which Israel will enter a period of suffering such as the world has never known and which will extend over 3½ years. "For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days be shortened, THERE SHOULD NO FLESH BE SAVED." (Matthew 24:21-22) Now we turn to Zechariah for the final scene: "Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, . . . for I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when He fought in the day of battle. And His feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives ... And the Lord shall be King over all the earth: in that day there shall be one Lord, and His Name One." (Zechariah 14:1-9) In that day " . . . all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, there shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob, FOR THIS IS MY COVENANT WITH THEM WHEN I SHALL TAKE AWAY THEIR SIN." (Romans 11:26-27) Israel's Final Glory "Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for My holy Name's sake, which ye have profaned among the nations whither ye went.

"And I will sanctify My great Name, which was profaned among the nations, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the nations shall know that I am the Lord, saith the Lord God, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.

"For I will take you from among the nations, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.

"Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols will I cleanse you.

"A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you and heart of flesh. And I will put My spirit in you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and ye shall keep My judgments and do them.

"And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be My people, and I will be your God." (Ezekiel 36:22-28) Israel's final glory shall follow the nation's recognition of the Messiah when with the "spirit of grace and supplications they shall look upon Me Whom they have pierced and shall mourn for Him as one mourneth for his only son." (Zechariah 12:10)

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The prophet Hosea also speaks of Israel's national repentance and turning to God in the words: "I will go and return to My place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek My face: in their affliction they will seek Me earnestly." (Hosea 5:15)

Volume 1 "Prophecies Fulfilled in the Land" – by Joseph H Hunting