On a trip to Israel a few years ago we visited the Western wall plaza just before Yom Kippur, the day of atonement, for the prayers for forgiveness, a similar type of event to the one just held. There were thousands of people in attendance, the plaza was packed from one side to the other. One of the things that struck me, was the large proportion of Jewish people attending, which did not really look religious at all. It was a gathering of many different Jewish people, all together engaged in prayer.

In the first decades Israel was much more a secular nation, as a result of being spearheaded in a large part by secular Jews, such as Theodore Herzl, the founder of the Zionist movement. However, this began to change with the large influx of Jews who had been expelled from Arab lands, who found a home in the State of Israel. Over the years Israel has become more and more religious. This has not just included a keeping of the commandments of traditional Judaism, but rather an awakening to the reality that the return of the Jewish people to the land of Israel, is a fulfillment of the words of the prophets and orchestrated by the hand of the Almighty. I have met a number of Jews in Israel, who have expressed these beliefs in the promises to Abraham and the prophets of Israel.

Ten thousands gather at the Western Wall to pray.

Of course, we would not expect the Almighty to miraculously gather his scattered people from the four corners of the earth, from over 100 countries, speaking over 80 different languages and establish them as an independent nation, speaking the resurrected Hebrew language in their ancient homeland and not be shaping their hearts to transform them into a Godly nation. This is a work of time, a process, a development of faith. We can read of a similar effect in the coming of John the Baptist to the nation 2000 years ago. Luke 3:15 says, "And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Messiah, or not.” The people’s hearts were prepared to hear the teaching of John the Baptist and the Lord Jesus Christ. Yes, the people’s hearts had been prepared.

Speaking of the days of restoration, in Ezekiel 36:26 God says, "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 an heart of flesh.” Again, this is a process. Removing an impenetrable heart of stone and replacing it with a teachable listening heart, is a process that takes time. Individually it can take years, nationally even more so. This is the great and miraculous work, that is going on in the nation of Israel today.

A common and powerful phrase that comes up Ezekiel’s prophecies of restoration is, "and ye shall know that I am the LORD.” God will bring His people back to the land again and they will know that He is the LORD! This is what I have seen in the people of Israel today, a great awakening that it was the hand of the Almighty that preserved them and brought them back to the land of Israel. This awakening is a fact and not just among a few, but among many people in the nation of Israel. It is a reigning sentiment amongst religious Zionists, a large growing segment of Israeli society. This phenomena is astounding and cannot be denied.

One of the voices of religious Zionism in the land of Israel, is the land of Israel network. Ari Abramowitz and Jeremy Gimpel, are very active on the channel and live in Judah at the Arugot farm, an incredible place which I visited in 2018. Ari did a short broadcast as the missiles from Iran were on the way over, headed to the land of Israel. I found Ari’s words quite incredible and an excellent example of this growing realization and faith in the nation of Israel. Again this is as the missles were in the air from Iran on the way to Israel. I would like to share them on Bible in the News.

“Shalom friends, Ari Abramowitz here, in the hills of Judea. And I just made the final preparations here to make sure my family is comfortable in our safe room if it comes to that. But you know, there are missiles on their way here, drones, missiles on there way here and we all know that this could mean for Israel, for the entire world. The fate of mankind in someway really does hang in the balance and I don’t think I’m being over dramatic by saying that. But we should know that there is a Creator of heaven and earth. God gave us the Torah, HaShem is with us right now and he said, “V’hi Sh'amdah Livotanu” — every generation they will arise against us seek to destroy us. And He will protect us and He has protected us all of this time and I actually am comforted by the words of the prophets, because who would have thought that a nation could have their temple destroyed as prophesied, would be exiled around the world together and then not only would we be exiled but we would survive, which no other nation has done, and then we would be ingathered from the exile exactly as the prophets said, hundreds of times over in the Bible, gambling the veracity of their prophecy on these impossible to imagine prophecies coming to life, coming true. Our ancient dead language would be revived. And then as we return to the land, the nations would seek to divide our land, and they will blame us and call us thieves for stealing our indigenous homeland. And all of this is happening right before our eyes and we know the end! We know the end! And the end is that Ha’Shem will protect us. And I just sat here to open the book of Psalms, and as I opened the book it just “randomly" opened to Psalm 91 and I read it and it really spoke to my heart, so I thought I’d for all of you both in Hebrew and English.

"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High abides under the protection of the Almighty. I say about God: “He is my refuge and my stronghold, my God, in whom I trust.” For he will save you from fowler’s trap, from the destructive plague.  He will cover you with his pinions, and you will find shelter under his wings; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrows that fly by day, the plague that stalks in the darkness, nor the pestilence that ravages at noon. Though thousands fall upon your left side, tens of thousands on your right, it shall not reach you. You will only look with your eyes, and witness the punishment of the wicked. For you said, “God is my refuge!" You made the Most High your shelter, no harm will befall you, no plague will reach your tent. For he will assign his angels to you, to guard you where ever you go. They will carry you upon their hands, lest you strike your foot against a stone. You will tread on lions and vipers; you will trample on young lions and serpents. “Because he is devoted to me, I will save him; I will make him safe, for he knows my name. When he calls upon me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and bring him honor. I will satisfy him with long life, and show him my salvation.”

“So, I mean, just, the thousands fall on your left side, tens of thousands on your right, it shall not reach you. If there is anyone that we can rely on, it is not the Biden administration, and it's not the Israeli government, it’s no flesh and blood, it is only the God of Israel, Creator of heaven and earth and He has promised us that He will protect us and that He is with us and that is where I put my faith. And I look forward to seeing all of you on the other side because I really believe with all my heart that directly correlated to the level of fear and instability and anxiety that we all feel on the other side of this will be peace and tranquility and love and goodness, that’s what is waiting for us!”

Isaiah chapter 30, we could say, is Isaiah’s Ezekiel 38, it is a great prophecy for the latter day, the great day of Apocalypse or revealing. In verses 19-21, the prophet says,

"For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem: thou shalt weep no more: he will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry; when he shall hear it, he will answer thee. And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers: And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.”

Here we see a process. Adversity and affliction. Prayer to God that will be heard. Teachers sent to Israel to show the way. We are in this process. Everything that happens to Israel is for Israel. These are not random events. The current adversity is having a tremendous effect on the nation of Israel. We look forward to the peace, tranquility, love and goodness of the kingdom of God, that is on the other side of this period of adversity and affliction. May that day come quickly. This has been David Billington with you for the Bible in the News. Come back next week God willing to www.bibleinthenews.com. Thanks for listening.