Happy Birthday Israel

On the Western calendar, Israel was reborn as a nation on May 14, 1948. (No other ancient nation or language, Hebrew, has been reborn.) But on the Jewish calendar this year, yesterday marked the 61st birthday of the modern Jewish State. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ISRAEL! May Adonai/Yeshua bless you this year as never before.

Yesterday morning Israel paused and stood still in a moment of silence as the sirens sound for two short minutes to remember the fallen and thank them for their service and sacrifice. In the evening sorrow turned to joy, erupting in celebration with fellowship, singing, dancing, lots of food and fireworks across the land, a celebration of life.

Sixty-one years ago, rising from the Nazi ashes of World War II, a nation was born in a day. The world, facing the consequences of silence and lack of action against a monster, decided it was time to give back to the Jewish people a place they called home for thousands of years, a place they dreamt about returning to for generations, hoping against hope to return to Zion with joy and singing.

The words of Psalm 126 became a reality to those who survived "When the LORD brought back the captivity of Zion, we were like those who dream..."

6 So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"
7He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. Acts 1:6-7

5 Afterward the Israelites will return and seek the LORD their God and David their king. They will come trembling to the LORD and to his blessings in the last days. Hosea 3:5

God's Love for Israel
1 "When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. Hosea 11:1

32"Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Matthew 24:32 The fig tree refers to Israel and twigs get tender and leaves comes out refers to the rebirth of Israel in 1948.

1 Praise the LORD. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!
2 The LORD builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the exiles of Israel.
3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147: 1-3

1 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.
2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the LORD's hand double for all her sins. Isaiah 40:1-2

Every year celebrations of Independence Day come on the heels of Memorial Day for those who gave their lives so that the dream could go on. Since the founding of the modern state of Israel, 22,570 soldiers and victims of terror perished to keep the dream alive.

But even as the Jewish people celebrated last tonight, the world conspires against them. A tiny nation has been in the center of the world stage ever since her new beginning. Enemies on every side surround Israel. The Muslim nations have not changed their plans to kill Israel’s dream and want to wipe Israel off the map. Last week's Durban II conference confirmed a sad truth that the fight is far from over as witnessed by Iranian President Ahmadinejad's outrageous statements about Israel.

Against all odds, after centuries of desolation, Diaspora, persecution, rejection, the Jewish people returned to their homeland. Through years of wars, terror attacks, individuals, groups and countries wishing her destruction, Israel remains as a testimony of God's goodness and mercy.

Those of us who know Yeshua, the Messiah of Israel, realize that the natural birth of the state of Israel is just the first step in God's plan to re-birth it spiritually. We dream of the day when all Israel shall be saved - even in the midst of her enemies.

We know that Adonai in Heaven knows all things, sees all things, and controls all things. His promises to the Jewish people will come to pass, because He said so. We pray for Israel. We pray for the Israelis. We pray for this Israeli generation to return to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and serve Him alone. Yeshua will take care of the rest.