David B. Goldberg, M.A.
There was a story on an inside page of the newspaper this morning about 65 miracles. In the rush to work or school, most readers wouldn’t have paid much attention. But there it was, along with a photo of 65 new immigrants to Israel from North America, age 10 months to 83 years, standing in front of a jumbo jet.
Only a miracle would make people give up comfortable lives in the “Golden Nation,” as Israelis call America, to live in Israel, with its high taxes and high cost of living.
Each of them is a miracle because each is a fulfillment of Bible prophecy. Didn’t the Prophet Isaiah say: “Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your seed from the East and gather you from the West. I will say to the North, ‘Give [them] up!’ and to the South, ‘Keep [them] not back!’ Bring My sons from afar and My daughters from the ends of the earth” (43:5-6)?
And surely it takes a miracle to come here in these violent times.
Hundreds of people have been injured and over a dozen killed. Ambulance sirens wail on the streets all day long. In the Arab news and social media, terrorists are hailed as heroes and martyrs, and in Palestinian towns, streets are named in their honor. Peace with the Palestinians? Their own state even? They don’t want to live among us, they want to kill us. Israel left Lebanon and got Hizbullah, left Gaza and got Hamas. It’s enough.
A midst these troubles, friends of Zion visited Israel. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, a delegation of American Congressmen, even Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the presidents of Georgia and Lithuania, visited to declare solidarity with the people, cooperation with the government, and seek business deals. The Bible says, “Comfort, comfort My people, says your God” (Isai. 40:1).
And tourists clogged sightseeing venues and filled hotels, even if their numbers were down. Each of them becomes an eyewitness ambassador for Israel when they return to their home country. Again the Bible says, “Declare it in the distant islands and say, ‘The One Who scattered Israel will gather him in and guard him as a shepherd guards his flock’” (Jer. 31:9; other translations, v.10).
The Prophet Isaiah conveyed God’s assurance to our people, “For a brief moment have I forsaken you, but with abundant mercy will I gather you in” (54:7). In 1985, I heard a rabbi in Munich comment on this verse. He asked, rhetorically, “If all the Jews’ suffering throughout history is just a ‘brief moment,’ then how much greater will His mercy be by comparison?”
Israel’s permanence is confirmed in verse 17 of the same chapter, “No weapon formed [Hebrew: sharpened] against you will succeed, and any tongue that will rise against you in judgment you will condemn.”
Israel will continue to act on its Bible-based moral principles and help where aid is needed. Magen David Adom (Israel’s version of the Red Cross), raised eyebrows recently for treating injury victims based on injury severity. As a result, in some cases, terrorists with life-threatening wounds were treated before their own Jewish victims. But this is the justice and humanity of Israel.
This is a nation and a people worth investing in. As we approach the year-end holiday season, please consider blessing Israel generously. You will be greatly rewarded for helping the needy, victims of terrorism, orphans and widows. You will also be supporting new immigrants–each one a miracle–and many poor among them, who have returned home from the four corners of the world.
All our family and team wish our Jewish readers a happy Chanukah and our Christian friends a merry Christmas and happy, blessed and healthy New Year.