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Although a visitor to Israel today does not get the impression that Israel is a nation under siege, this is the reality. He is made somewhat aware of unrest and danger by the presence of barriers, walls, armed encampments, and armed soldiers present everywhere. But there is literally no evident fear or terror among the populous of the country. Jerusalem is one of the most pacific places we have ever visited and feels like “home” to almost everyone who goes there.
Since its establishment over 60 years ago, Israel has been a refuge indeed to oppressed Jews from many parts of the world – especially to the former Jewish inhabitants of nearby Islamic societies from which they were expelled to Israel. In the first four years of its history its population doubled due to the influx of the Jewish refugees coming from Islam and from war-torn Europe to the Promised Land.
Here, every Jewish man, woman and child in whatever state of health or wealth was welcomed into the new society. A few very ill folk actually died en route to their future home and were buried there. Numerous babies were born in mid-flight and became the newest inhabitants of Israel! Many who were terminally ill when they arrived died in a short time. Worldwide Jewry mercifully approved the immigration of every Jew without exception.
So Israel became a true refuge for her people – the wealthy as well as the poor from the entire world; currently over an hundred foreign countries are represented in Israel by her returning people.
As apparent from the previous article, that Refuge though admittedly under threat of siege is prospering mightily; this threat from ALL their enemies is due for termination at some time in the near but indeterminate future. The picture we read from scores of references to the Endtime conflicts of Israel with their neighbors is one of the overall protection of the Almighty for their continued existence as a State and People here. But that is not to say their position may not become more and more tenuous as the months pass – just as it is now becoming so due to the threats of Iranian nuclear weapons. Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza continue to amass rockets and terrorists in their lands with the intent of destroying the Jewish state as daily avowed by both.
They have attempted to destroy Israel in the past with no success. Future aggression shall likewise meet with abject failure. No Muslim takeover is admissible in the Bible’s prophetic literature; no Moslem victory is ever forecasted. Israel is safe although she may have difficulty believing that.
Israel’s perception of safety may not therefore be sure. We suspect that when the moment of their final liberation from their oppressors arrives, they shall again be fearful for their continued ability to defend themselves and to survive.
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