During World War II, one in every three Jews in all the world were killed. After the war, the Jews who survived the onslaught of concentration camps and having most of their cities destroyed were faced with a new dilemma--a place to call home. With nothing more than a determination to start a new life, thousands of Jews sought their native homeland, Israel. Amazingly, in 1948, Israel became a nation...and by God's protection, tiny Israel has survived!
Now, 69 years later, Israel bustles with commerce. They are a leading exporter of agriculture and grows almost every kind of fruit except pineapple. A tour of the land reveals thousands of tour buses packing the streets and Biblical landmarks as Christians and Jews travel from around the world to experience the Holy Land. Shops and kiosks line the streets selling every kind of sacred trinket imaginable--t-shirts, key chains, miniature menorahs, magnets, matzah bread and even ram's horns (just in case you want your own personal shofar to wake up all your neighbors).
I smile from ear to ear as I think about tiny Israel surviving for so long amidst enemies all around her. Time and time again, Israel's neighbors have attacked her. And time and time again, Israel stands her ground...and sometimes such as the Six-Day War in 1967, Israel gains more land. But really, who can prevail when fighting God? The Jews are God's chosen people, and Israel is God's chosen land. So let's break out the cake, blow the shofar and celebrate Israel's Birthday! Happy Independence Day Israel!
"Now that LORD said to Abram, 'Go forth from your country, and from your relatives and from your father's house, to the land which I will show you; and I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and so you shall be a blessing; And I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed'" (Genesis 12:1-3).
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