Today is Yom Ha'Atzmaut—Israel Independence Day. On May 14, 1948, the Israeli Declaration of Independence was proclaimed by future Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion. It was 5 Iyar 5708 on the Hebrew calendar, which corresponds to the date shifting each year on the Gregorian calendar (just like Passover and other Jewish holidays).
Happy Birthday, Israel!
Though today may be modern Israel’s 72nd birthday, we know that Israel is much older than that. We see God’s first promise for Israel in Genesis 12:1-3 (ESV).
“Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
Plenty of things regarding Israel throughout history have seemed impossible. All the way from the plagues in Egypt and the deliverance across the Red Sea to God’s miraculous protection during the Independence War or the Six-Day War of 1967 and beyond—It is in God’s first promise that we see His intention to show us His power and do “the impossible” with Israel right from the beginning! Abraham was an old man without any children, but God promised to make a great nation from him, and He did!
In Genesis 15:18-21 (ESV), we see God promise a specific land to that great nation.
“On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, ‘To your offspring I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates, the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites and the Jebusites.’”
We see these promises reinforced throughout Scripture.
Genesis 35:12 (NASB) “The land which I gave to Abraham and Isaac, I will give it to you, And I will give the land to your descendants after you.”
Jeremiah 7:7 (NASB) “Then I will let you dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers forever and ever.”
Psalm 135:12 (NASB) “And He gave their land as a heritage, A heritage to Israel His people.”
Judges 6:9 (NASB) “I delivered you from the hands of the Egyptians and from the hands of all your oppressors, and dispossessed them before you and gave you their land”
Amos 9:15 (NASB) “‘I will also plant them on their land, And they will not again be rooted out from their land which I have given them,’ Says the Lord your God.”
While there is a lot more to be studied about Israel being compared to the Vine (Spiritually), the Fig Tree (Nationally) and the Olive Tree (Religiously) in Scripture, one thing we can certainly celebrate now is God’s provision and faithfulness throughout the ages! It may be Israel’s 72nd birthday today, but God has been setting Israel apart for thousands of years.
Bridge to Israel was created out of a mission to better connect the American Church and Israel. We believe that Yeshua is the promised Messiah of Israel and He has come! We seek to provide better understanding within the Church of its duty to engage with, support and to grow the Kingdom of God within Israel. Bridge to Israel also seeks to support Messianic congregations and ministries in Israel through financial support, meaningful connections, prayer, communications and missions.
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