We published an article recently about Israel as proof of the truth of the Bible. God’s faithfulness is a reason for hope even in the dark times and chaos! And there is no better example of hope fulfilled than the Jewish People. Through thousands of years of exile, hope has kept them a people, and gave them vision to return to their homeland.

Their faith is in the God who declared “There is hope for your future, declares the Lord, and your children shall come back to their own country.” Jeremiah 31:17

In 1878, just as Jews began returning to the Land of Israel in large numbers, a beautiful poem expressing the Jewish longing was composed. Later it was set to music and became the national anthem of Israel. It says, in part: Our hope is not yet lost, The hope that is two-thousand years old, To be a free nation in our land, The Land of Zion and Jerusalem."

Seventy years later, on May 14, 1948, Israel’s first Prime Minister, David Ben Gurion announced the creation of the State of Israel, and read the declaration of independence:

“The Land of Israel was the birthplace of the Jewish people. Here their spiritual, religious and political identity was shaped. Here they first attained to statehood... Impelled by this historic and traditional attachment, Jews strove in every successive generation to re-establish themselves in their ancient homeland. In recent decades they returned in their masses. Pioneers, defiant returnees, and defenders, they made deserts bloom, revived the Hebrew language, built villages and towns, and created a thriving community controlling its own economy and culture, loving peace but knowing how to defend itself… and aspiring towards independent nationhood…”

This time of celebrating Israel as a nation, can also be a time of reaffirming our hope—because the best is yet to come! Because God has been faithful, and His people faithful, the prophesied restoration has begun, and the same steadfastness will bring about the final redemption.

Israel is becoming a brighter light to the nations each day as God’s people hold to His word and act on it! I find so much encouragement in Israel‘s story; Stand strong in hope and action! God is faithful and we can rest in hope that His word will continue coming to pass.

“And they will say, ‘This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden…’ Then the nations that are left all around you shall know that I am the Lord; I have rebuilt the ruined places and replanted that which was desolate. I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it.” Ezekiel 36:35