The people of Israel are described in the Old Testament as “God’s witnesses” (Isaiah 43 vv10&12). God, we’re told, chose Israel not because of their importance but because He loved them. The Old and New Testaments contain an amazingly candid record of their history, with their flaws and failings plainly revealed. It’s a consistent record of failure that no nation on earth would really want to compile for itself. So, why did Israel preserve records that expose their faithlessness and corruption in such forthright terms? Other nations would have long since got rid of such unflattering material. Why has Israel not dared to do so? The answer must be because they recognise that these writings emanated from God – and God has determined that they should be preserved as testimony to the truth of the Bible. Furthermore, these candid records reveal that Israel is central to God’s future plan for the world. This is the reason why the nation of Israel is important to you.

We read in the Old Testament of interventions by God in Israel’s history, scatterings and re-gatherings, declines and revivals. The Jewish people have survived persecutions, expulsions, massacres, attempted genocide – indeed all attempts to assimilate them or exterminate them.

The modern regathering of Jewish people to the Holy Land was foretold by Old Testament prophets. Here is just one example message that God gave them:

“…I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land.” (Ezekiel 36v24)

The ongoing regathering of Jews to their ancient homeland and the establishment of the State of Israel has been a most remarkable fulfilment of Bible prophecy. From only 24,000 Jews in the Holy Land in 1882, to 657,000 in 1948 when the modern State of Israel was founded, and today there are over 6.6 million Jews living in Israel, which is about 46% of world Jewry.

The Bible also predicts that direct intervention by God will be the eventual dramatic outcome. The promised return to earth of the Lord Jesus Christ will ensure lasting worldwide peace and place Jerusalem and Israel at the centre of His coming Kingdom on earth.

We invite you to a free Bible presentation that will enlarge upon this very crucial topic, The importance of Israel to you. This will be at 7.00pm on Sunday evening the 11th of August. The venue is the Christadelphian Hall, 489 Mount Gravatt-Capalaba Road, corner of Boyanda Street, opposite Ham Road, Wishart.

A relevant free booklet to draw to your attention is titled Israel. God’s People – God’s Land. It can be downloaded or read online by going to the link below:

• bibleed.com (Bible Education→Bible Booklets Online →Jesus & The Promises→booklet title).