Re-birth of Israel

 Re-birth of Israel

Collin Leong. March 2, 2024

A. Background

Israel's Second Temple, built in 516 BC by Zerubbabel (Ezra Chapter 3-6), was destroyed in 70 AD by the Romans.  In 135 AD, the Romans expelled all the Jews out of Jerusalem, and salted the earth so that nothing can grow, and renamed Judea to Palestine. For over a thousand of years, Israel, as a country and a nation, vanished form the earth. 

What a gloomy picture! But God promised to bring a new birth to Israel, as described by Jeremiah and Isaiah:

Jeremiah 30:3 -  "For behold, days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will restore the fortunes of my people, Israel and Judah, says the LORD, and I will bring them back to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall take possession of it.”

Isaiah 14:2: - “The nations will escort Israel and bring it to its homeland. Then the house of Israel will possess the nations as menservants and maidservants in the LORD’s land. They will make captives of their captors and rule over their oppressors.”  

How did God architect the re-birth of Israel? We will summarise the story starting from end of 19th century.

B. Re-birth of Israel

In 1894, the French army Captain Alfred Dreyfus, a Jewish officer, was falsely convicted of treason for allegedly selling military secrets to the Germans.  He was publicly shamed and given a life imprisonment on Devil's Island. This was so controversial that they called it The Dreyfus Affair.

The Dreyfus Affair attracted widespread public attention and had a profound impact on French society. It highlighted issues of anti-Semitism, national loyalty, and individual rights. The cry of the French people changes from “Death to Dreyfus” to “Death to the Jews.”  

At that time, Theodor Herzl was Jewish journalist. The trial of Alfred Dreyfus, falsely convicted of spying for Germany, deeply affected Herzl. Witnessing this open act of anti-Semitism, Herzl concluded that Jews needed a place of their own to escape such persecution permanently. His vision was outlined in his pamphlet “Der Judenstaat” (“The Jewish State”) published in 1896. 

Herzl’s efforts led to the First Zionist Congress in 1897 in Basel, Switzerland. This congress brought together Zionists from various countries and established the World Zionist Organization. He is widely regarded as the father of modern political Zionism. 

Reverend William Hechler was a Christian clergyman, an Anglican priest and a British diplomat. Hechler met Herzl in 1896 during a chance encounter in Lutheran Church in Jerusalem. 

Hechler was a Zionist, and used his social connections to introduce Herzl to members of German royal society and even arranged an audience with Kaiser Wilhelm II. Herzl hoped to recruit the Kaiser’s support to influence the Turkish Sultan (who owns the unproductive Israel wasteland) to seriously consider the proposals of the Zionists. 

However, the Kaiser’s reaction was not as supportive as Herzl had hoped. He observed, “The land needs water, very much water.” 

Arthur Balfour, the British Foreign Secretary, later issued the Balfour Declaration in 1917, expressing Britain’s support for the establishment of a national home for the Jewish people in Palestine.

Following World War I, the Ottoman Empire collapsed, and the League of Nations granted Britain the Mandate for Palestine in 1922.

Jewish immigration to Palestine increased significantly during the 1920s and 1930s. The influx of Jewish immigrants led to tensions with the Arab population. 

The horrors of the Holocaust during World War II intensified the urgency for a Jewish homeland. In 1947, the United Nations proposed a partition plan for Palestine, dividing it into separate Jewish and Arab states. The plan was accepted by the Jewish leadership but rejected by the Arab and Palestinians side.  

On May 14, 1948, David Ben-Gurion, the head of the Jewish Agency, declared the establishment of the State of Israel. 

Israel was re-born after 1813 years, a feat that has never happened to any nations that had rise and fall before. This is because man did not do this, but God bring this about to honor his promises and to prepare for His kingdom's future.

C. Rejection of Israel

Immediately after Israel’s declaration, neighboring Arab states invaded. These are the major wars between Israel and the Arab states:

1. 1948 Arab–Israeli War (November 1947 – July 1949): The Arab-Israeli war started before the independence declaration of Israel. However, it became a full-scale war once independence was declared. 

Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon invaded Israel a few days after the declaration. This war is also called the Independence War. Instead of Israel losing, the war resulted in Israel’s control of their enemies land, including West Jerusalem, the Negev, and parts of the West Bank that were not apportioned to the Jews by the UN. 

This is amazing as the new nation has no experienced army and weapons at all. Israel had purchased surplus arms from WWII, deals with sympathetic governments, and some smuggling operations. 

The war concluded with the signing of the 1949 Armistice Agreements, which established the armistice lines (also known as the Green Line) between Israel and its neighbors.

2. Six-Day War (June 1967): Fought between Israel and Egypt, Jordan, and Syria. Again, Israel gained significant territory, including East Jerusalem, Golan Heights, Sinai, and Gaza. 

For the first time, the Jews now have access to their beloved temple mount in East Jerusalem. There were stories about the battle-hardened Jewish soldiers cried like babies at the temple mount wall, once they broke through to East Jerusalem. 

However, Israel signed an agreement that they will not destroy the Dome of The Rock and the Al-Aqsa mosque at the temple mount. 

The Dome of the Rock is a monument where Muhammad allegedly ascended to heaven, and it was built on top of the Jewish Temple destroyed by the Romans. This place is the 3rd holiest place for the Muslims, after Mecca and Medina. Any attempt to destroy the Dome or the Mosque will create World War III. 

The Jews are not allowed to pray openly on the temple site, so they are praying at the ruins of the temple wall. Visits by Jewish individuals are carefully monitored by Israeli authorities and the Waqf (the Islamic religious authority managing the site).

Ironically, non-Jews visitors can visit the Dome of The Rock during their vacation, which I personally did!

3. Yom Kippur War (October 6, 1973): Egypt and Syria launched a surprise attack on Israel during the Yom Kippur holiday. The Syrian attack was massive, with 1,400 tanks backed by more than 1,000 artillery pieces and supporting air power. They were held off by only a handful of Israeli tanks. The situation seemed dire for the Israelis. 

However, the Syrians were stopped at Mitzpe Gadot in the Golan Heights. According to a story, during the intense fighting, a Syrian general observed something extraordinary. He reported seeing a giant hand rising from the ground, seemingly blocking the Syrian advance. This mysterious occurrence was interpreted by some as a divine intervention in favor of the Israelis. 

The war ended after a cease-fire agreement with Egypt and Syria. Few years later, the 1979 Egypt–Israel Peace Treaty formalized the return of the Sinai to Egypt in exchange for peace and normalization of relations with Israel.

D. Recent Situation

The Gaza strip was won by Israel in the 6-day war in 1967. In 2005, Israel withdrew it's military forces from Gaza, dismantled it's settlements, and implemented a temporary blockade. Control of the Gaza Strip was transferred to the Palestinian Authority (PA), although Israel continued to patrol its borders and airspace.

In 2007, tensions escalated between the PA’s ruling party, Fatah, and the militant group Hamas. After a series of violent clashes, Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip during the Battle of Gaza. The PA continued to govern the West Bank, while Hamas established its de facto rule in Gaza.

Hamas objective is to establish an Islamic state in place of Israel. It rejects Israel’s right to exist and is committed to its destruction. Hamas had used armed resistance against Israel since it took control of Gaza, including rocket attacks, suicide bombings, and other forms of violence. Israel had captured thousands of Hamas soldiers and had imprisoned them. 

Israel, the United States, the European Union, and others consider Hamas a terrorist organization. Iran provides funding, weapons, and training to Hamas.

Yom Kippur War II (October 7, 2023): 

Hamas launched an unprecedent,  sophisticated terrorist attack against Israel, on October 7, 2023, during the Yom Kippur festival. Exactly 50 years after the last Yom Kippur war. 

This attack involved a barrage of rockets from the Gaza Strip, and the security barriers were breached by gunmen. The assault resulted in more than 1,200 deaths, primarily Israeli citizens, making it the deadliest day for Israel since its independence. Some women were raped and others were tortured before being killed by bullets or burnt alive. Additionally, more than 240 people who were celebrating Yom Kippur were taken hostage during the attack.

Israel's response to Hamas was to invade the Gaza strip and execute a ground war with Hamas.  According to the Palestinian reports on February 29, 2024, about 30,000 Palestinian people has died. This includes 1,410 Israeli casualties, and Hamas terrorists as well. This is a one sided report, so the quantity may not be reliable. 

Gaza is basically a rubble now, with bombs dropping on buildings from Israeli air force. Israel's army also invaded the hospitals and schools, as Hamas are hiding themselves behind their own citizens. Israel has also destroyed an array of tunnels that can be accessed via schools, hospitals and residents. 

However, Israel had done something no army has done before - they have dropped messages to the Palestinian citizens to let them know where and when they are dropping bombs, and when their army will arrive at their towns, so that they can flee the place. No one has done this before, as they have ruined their surprise attack. 

By Feb 27, 2024, Hamas had returned 112 hostages. An estimated 99 hostages are still held by Hamas, and the rest are presumed dead. 

The war is on-going despite all the nations have condemned Israel for its “genocidal” war, and had asked for a cease-fire agreement. Many Palestinians are not able to get food and water, and may lead to a humanitarian crisis. 

However, Israel PM Netanyahu insist that the war will go on until Hamas are completely destroyed and all the hostages are returned. 

E. Future Of Israel

Will the Israeli-Hamas war lead to the fake peace initiated by the anti-christ? 

Daniel 9:26-27 says - "The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed. He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’  In the middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.”

The “one seven” means 7 years – this is the tribulation period at the end-times. The peace treaty will last only for 3.5 years (middle of the “seven”), when the anti-christ will end the Jewish worship, and set up an abomination in the temple (i.e. a statue of himself or something unclean). 

As 1 Thessalonian 5:4-8 says: "While people are saying, “Peace and security,” destruction will come upon them suddenly, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape."   

Many nations will attack Israel but Jesus will come with His army to rescue Israel and defeat the anti-christ at the end of the 7 year tribulation. Then their eyes will be open and they will recognize their Messiah whom they have pierced. (Zechariah 12:10)

We do not know if this war will lead to the tribulation. We are told to pray for Israel, our “brother”, from whom the Grace of Jesus Christ came from, and where gentiles are added to the Jews for the redemption plan. (Rom 1:16; Gal 3:6-9; Eph 2:14-16) 

F. Summary 

God has done for Israel what is impossible for man to do - to resurrect a dead and erased nation to come back to life, after 1800 years.  

He made the poisoned ground to grow the best produce ever seen. He made a young nation one of the most progressive in technology industry and other trades. All these prove that He is trustworthy on His words to the Jews and to us. 

Is it any wonder that Jesus was also resurrected from death to be our savior? How can anyone doubt the God who did all these?

In all the Israeli wars, God kept his promise in Zechariah 12:3-6: - On that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples. All who lift it will surely hurt themselves. And all the nations of the earth will gather against it …. On that day I will make the clans of Judah like a blazing pot in the midst of wood, like a flaming torch among sheaves. And they shall devour to the right and to the left all the surrounding peoples, while Jerusalem shall again be inhabited in its place, in Jerusalem.”

Let's pray that Jesus will come soon, so that Israel can be saved!