BACK TO THE PROMISED LAND …..(1)

Gordon Lindsay

Reprint from "Christ For The Nations"

We wept when we remembered Zion" (Ps. 137: I ). And they were scattered among the nations of the world for 1,900 years, bearing sufferings and persecutions almost unequalled by any people. Yet, within the Jewish breast burned a hope, their only hope – a return to the land of Palestine. For the Word had promised, '"He shall ... gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth" (ls. II: 12).

Onward To Zion

In the providence of God, Theodor Herzl became interested in the problems the Jews faced. In 1896, he wrote the book The Jewish State which stirred up a great deal of interest on the Jewish question.

è Through his efforts the first historic Zionist congress was held in Basle, Switzerland in 1897. World War I began, and the Jews in Eastern Europe sustained the most severe persecutions in Russia, Poland, Hungary, and Romania.

British Mandate 1917-1922   for Palestine

During World War I, Dr. Chaim Weizmann, a Jew, was engaged in chemical research for the British. At a critical time during the conflict, there developed a serious shortage of acetone, which was necessary for the manufacture of gunpowder. - Without sufficient ammunition, the British fleet would have been seriously crippled. - At this moment of crisis, Dr. Weizmann came forward with a new process for making the much needed acetone. For two years he was actively engaged in the work of  providing Britain with vital chemicals for the war effort.   While engaged in these activities, Dr. Weizmann was in a position to present to and to gain the favour of the British regarding the plight of the Jews in many countries in Europe. At the same time, leaders in America, including President Woodrow Wilson, became favourably interested in the establishment of a Jewish national homeland in Palestine. And consequently, on November 2, 1917, the British foreign secretary, Arthur James Balfour, contacted Lord Rothschild, a wealthy English financier that helped the Jewish settlement, as follows.

Balfour Declaration In 1917

Foreign Office

November 2, 1917

Dear Lord Rothschild, I have much pleasure in conveying to you, on behalf of His Majesty's Government, the following declaration of sympathy with Jewish Zionist aspirations which has been submitted to, and approved by, the Cabinet.

His Majesty's Government views with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavours to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine, or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country.

I should be grateful if you would bring this declaration to the knowledge of the

Zionist Federation ..

Yours,

Arthur James Balfour

Jerusalem  - Panorama For the Jews, a prophecy fulfilled

The result of the above Declaration was to cause great rejoicing in Jewish circles all over the world - within a month Jerusalem fell into British hands. Christians saw it to be a fulfilment of prophecy, and an indication of the near return of Christ. The world saw it as a solution to the terrible sufferings the Jews were undergoing.   In the providence of God, Turkey came into the war on the side of Germany; and this doomed her control of Palestine. British forces from Egypt under General Allenby now advanced northward toward Palestine. Allenby's general-ship was brilliant, and the advance of the British army brought them steadily nearer to Jerusalem. The Turks had said that the water of the Nile River must flow into Palestine before they would ever lose Jerusalem, meaning of course, that such an event was impossible. When the laying of twelve-inch pipe brought water from Egypt northward to supply the British army, it caused the Turks the greatest dismay. Moreover, Allenby's name in Arabic read Allah Nebi, Prophet of God. Fear smote the Turkish hearts.

At dawn on December 8, the main move against Jerusalem began. Providentially, not a shell fell on the city. That night General Allenby had prayed on his knees in his tent that the city of Jerusalem would be spared the disaster of a bombardment.

- Previously, he had sent up two scouting planes over the city for reconnaissance purposes.

The Turks in that area apparently had never seen planes before and considered them an ill omen. At any rate, that night the Turkish Moslem army quietly evacuated the city.

On December 9, the keys of the city were surrendered. Two days later General Allenby humbly entered Jerusalem on foot. The fears that the Turks experienced when they saw the scout planes over the city calls to mind the prophecy in Isaiah 31 :4, 5: "So shall the Lord of hosts come down to fight for Mount Zion, and for the hill thereof. As birds flying, so will the Lord of Hosts defend Jerusalem: defending also he will deliver it; and passing over he will preserve it."

Arab Reaction

In contrast to present Arab feelings, many Arabs offered no objections to the Zionist movement at its beginning. Lloyd George, Prime Minister of England, recorded in his book The Truth A bout the Peace Treaties the following note about the Arab reaction:

"Arab leaders did not offer any objections to the Declaration so long as the rights of the Arabs in Palestine were respected. Pledges were given to the non-Jewish population of Palestine who constituted the majority of its inhabitants as well as the Jews. These were the result of conversations we had with Arab leaders as we could get in touch with.

- There was a twofold understanding given to them, that the establishment of a Jewish National Home would not in any way,

1. firstly affect the civil or religious rights of the general population of Palestine;

2. secondly, would not diminish the general prosperity of that population...

Leaders of the Zionist movement then contacted King Emir Feisal, who was in control of the Arab armies, with the hope of getting his approval of the Zionist program for Palestine. King Feisal showed himself quite familiar with Zionism and was agreeable to the plan of the development of the Jewish National Home in Palestine.

è Even the famed Colonel T. E. Lawrence, champion of the Arab people, favoured the plan, as he believed that the coming of the Jews would bring a strong economic impetus to the area.

Arab King Feisal Welcomes The Jews

The following. is a letter which will amaze many people. It is a letter from King Feisal welcoming the return of the Jews during the early Zionist movement.

Hedjaz Delegation

Paris, March 3, 1919

Dear Mr. Frankfurter:

I want to take this opportunity of my first contact with American Zionists, to tell you what I have often been able to say to Dr. Weizmann in Arabia and Europe.

We feel that the Arabs and Jews are cousins in race, suffering oppressions at the hands of powers stronger than themselves, and by a happy coincidence have been able to take the first step toward the attainment of their national ideals together.

We Arabs, especially the educated among us, look with the deepest sympathy on the Zionist movement. Our deputation here in Paris is fully acquainted with the proposals submitted by the Zionist Organization to the Peace Conference, and we regard them as moderate and proper. We will do our best, in so far as we are concerned, to help them through; we wish the Jews a most hearty welcome.

With the chiefs of your movement, especially with Dr. Weizmann, we have had, and continue to have, the closest relations. He has been a great helper to our cause, and I hope the Arabs may soon be in a position to make the Jews some return for their kindness.

- We are working together for a reformed and revived Near East, and our two movements complete one another.

- The Jewish movement is national and not imperialistic.

- Our movement is national and not imperialistic;

and there is room in Syria for us both. Indeed, I think that neither can be a real success without the other.

People less informed and less responsible than our leaders, ignoring the need for cooperation of the Arabs and the Zionists, have been trying to exploit the local difference that must necessarily arise in Palestine in the early stages of our movements.

è Some of them have, I am afraid, misrepresented your aims to the Arab peasantry, and our aims to the Jewish peasantry, with the result that interested parties have been able to make capital out of what they call our differences.

I wish to give you my firm conviction that these differences are not on questions of principle, but on matters of detail, such as must inevitably occur in every contact with neighbouring peoples, and as are dissipated by mutual good will.

Indeed, nearly all of them will disappear with fuller knowledge ....

Yours sincerely

Feisal

The facts reveal that opposition by the Arabs did not come at the beginning of the Zionist Movement but afterward.

Mandate For Zion

The Peace Conference at Versailles in 1919, established the Covenant of the League of Nations which

• provided a Mandate for Great Britain to govern the Palestine area and make it a homeland for the Jews, thereby enforcing the Balfour Declaration.

• The League of Nations Mandate, however, did not go into effect until September 23, 1923.

• In the meantime, during the five years that had elapsed since the war, Arab opposition began.

• The Mandate included the clause, "The Jewish people will be in Palestine as a right and not on sufferance."

• The Mandate provisions were put into force, and the Jews began their immigration into Palestine. Winston Churchill set forth in clear terms the Jewish right to Palestine with the following statement:

      "(1) The land had originally been given to them by God.

(2) The terrible persecutions they had endured entitled them to a land of their own.

(3) The Balfour Declaration and the terms of the Mandate had established their legal right to Palestine."

The Desert Began To Bloom

The Haganah

The Rise of German Anti-Semitism

At the same time in Europe an ominous situation was developing. Adolph Hitler had risen to supreme power in Germany. With it came a wave of anti-Semitism which caused many to flee the country.

This document outlined a plan whereby only 10,000 Jews a year were allowed to enter Palestine, with the exception of 25,000 special refugee cases. After five years, there would be no more immigration, except by the consent of the Arabs - which of course would never be given.

• Yet with all these concessions, the Mc-Donald White Paper was still rejected by the Arabs and was not considered strong enough against the Zionist Movement.

Multiple Rejections

The Jews of Palestine also rejected the White Paper and declared that they would endeavour to bring in refugees by one means or another. They considered the White Paper an illegal document and contrary to the terms of the original Mandate.

- The League of Nations also rejected the White Paper, declaring that its terms were incompatible with the Palestine Mandate.

While the British government went round and round on the matter, World War II broke out.

è The British government under Neville Chamberlain closed its ears to the Jewish pleas,

è put the White Paper into effect and clamped down on Jewish immigration. 

Having sold the fate of Europe into the hands of Hitler, this inept leader complacently declared, while hundreds of Jews were being herded into concentration camps for mass slaughter, "It is peace in our time." Certainly these words were as inappropriate as any that were ever uttered.

The Course of Error

Chamberlain had not long to pursue his role as a blind man. The Nazi blitzkrieg resulted in the defeat of France and the lowland countries, and Great Britain was left wide open to take the full force of the Nazi air attack that destroyed much of London and other British cities. Chamberlain died shortly thereafter, a broken and discredited man.   Despite the treatment that the Jews received from Britain, they were loyal to the Allied cause and made many contributions to the war effort. Their labours far exceeded those of the Arabs.   The ex-Mufti of Jerusalem played the role of a Judas to Britain. He organized a rebellion in Iraq. è When it failed, he fled to Germany where he organized pro-Nazi propaganda under his master Joseph Goebbels.

In Palestine, some 135,000 Jewish men and women registered to take part in the conflict. At first the British refused to accept more Jewish than Arab volunteers, but few Arabs came forward.

è The Jewish brigade that was formed achieved many daring services for the British. One of their tasks was to take over Syria which was an important event in protecting Palestine from the north.

U.N. Declares Israel Independent

Partition Plan for Israel 1947 and 1949

In view of the terrible experiences in which six million Jews had been slaughtered in Germany, it was assumed that è with the end of World War II that Britain would give the surviving Jews permission to immigrate to Palestine. Nevertheless, the fear of the Arabs still overruled all considerations. To the shame of Britain, these refugees who had entered Palestine from Germany without visas were herded into internment camps, while their fate was debated by the government.   Great Britain had performed a notable deed in securing Palestine as a homeland for the Jews. Her failure to carry out the responsibility was to result in much suffering for the Jews, but Britain would suffer also. ð It is a law written in the Scriptures that those who persecute Israel must pay the penalty, and the world has had the opportunity to evaluate what has happened to England since she followed this policy. ð Once the world's greatest power and mistress of the seas, she has been reduced to the point that at times she has been barely able to avoid bankruptcy. This is a lesson America should carefully note. Finally the Jewish refugee problem was turned over to the U.N. for a solution. God works in mysterious ways, and strange as it may seem, it was Russia who took the lead at the U.N. to restore the Jewish state, though historically she has shown herself as Israel's enemy The Russians have been notoriously anti-Semitic with their pogroms and ghettos. But more important to Russia was the fact that she wanted Britain out of the Mideast, and the best way to get her out was to take Israel's part in her desire for independence. On November 29, 1947, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted a Resolution requiring the establishment of a Jewish State in Palestine. The General Assembly called upon the inhabitants of the country to take all the necessary steps on their part to put the plan into effect. è This recognition by the United Nations of the right of the Jewish people to establish their independent State is unassailable. The League of Nations Mandate was to be terminated at midnight May 15, 1948, and the U.N. ruling to be effective.

The British announced they would pull out of Palestine May 14, 1948. And the Arabs had sworn between themselves that the moment the British pulled out of Palestine that they were going to destroy the Jews once and for all.

Israel A Nation Once More!

On May 15, 1948, the last British soldier had left Israel's soil! The Jews now took things into their own hands, and in accordance with the United Nation's Resolution declared themselves an independent state.

è But the Arab armies were poised for battle, and herein is an interesting parallel between the circumstances then and those of the days of Moses and Joshua. During Moses' time, there were seven nations contesting Israel's return to Palestine:

The Arab army never dreamed that the small Jewish army, which at that time numbered only 6,000 would be able to hold out against them.

• This false warning caused the Arab population in Palestine to panic. The roads were clogged with terrified families streaming into the neighbouring Arab states.

• Certainly these poor Arab refugees deserve our sympathy.

• They have never been able to return.

• Their leaders were the ones responsible for their flight from their homes, and

• the promise that they would be able to return soon was

• based on the Arab army's well-publicized threat and intent to destroy completely the Israeli Independent State.

 Siege Had Already Begun

Even before the British left, Jerusalem was already under siege by the Arabs. They had also taken possession of many strategic military points such as the largest British military camp located only 15 miles from Tel Aviv. The Arabs had modern equipment, planes, tanks, and heavy guns.

è The Jews had little to defend themselves with - only a fierce desperation to save their families and homeland.

è The U.N. Security Council called for a cease fire, but the Arabs, thinking they were winning, refused.

Needing successes to bolster their morale, the various Arab capitals claimed victories that did not exist.

Actually the Jews were winning on many fronts. The only incident that almost resulted in catastrophe was the roadblock held by the Arabs between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Unless supplies could be gotten through, Jerusalem would starve. Try as they would, the Jews could not break through. Nevertheless, Jerusalem was saved when Jewish engineers succeeded in building a new road around Latrun.

U.N. Truce Ignored By Arabs

The U.N. arranged a truce on June 11 which was to be in force for 4 weeks.

è But the Egyptians anticipated it 30 hours ahead of time and attacked Jewish settlements to the south.

è However, by this time, the Jews had greatly strengthened their forces; and they took the offensive.

è Sarafand, the big military camp, was captured by the Jews.

City after city fell into Israel's hands. 

The second truce began on July 18, and was broken again in October.

è This time the Jews decisively defeated the Egyptian army. On February 24, 1949, Israel and Egypt signed an armistice agreement.

Gathered From The Ends of the Earth

The declaration came forth - "The State of Israel will be open to immigration of Jews from all countries of their dispersion ...“

è In perfect confirmation of the Scriptures, with everlasting love, God began to restore Zion: "He shall gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth" (Isa. 11: 12) .

Immediately a vast influx of immigrants began. That same year 101,828 Jews arrived, then 239,141 in 1949, and they poured into Palestine until today the Jewish population is over 2,700,000. 

è [Population in 2009: Jewish citizens 7.411.000 (75%); Arab citizens 1.498.000 (20,2%); Foreign residents, not citizens 4,3% - From: Haaretz.com - latest update: 27.04.2009]. 

è Most of the immigrants arrived in Israel with nothing. The governments that let them go confiscated everything they owned. For example at the Baghdad airport, Jews were stripped of everything of valuating, jewellery, watches, even topcoats were taken.

But the Scriptures promised, "With loving kindness have I drawn thee. Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built ... thou shall again be adorned with thy tabrets ... " (Jer. 31: 3-4).

Naturally such numbers of immigrants coming to a small country at first resulted in hardships for many.

è But to those arriving from despotism, squalor, despair, and mass murder, Israel was indeed the "promised land."

è Great immigrant camps were set up to house the people until permanent dwellings could be built. And in the course of five years 200,000 housing units were constructed in Palestine. Many factories were built during these years, and the economy of the little state of Israel began to flourish.

But still, trouble with the surrounding states was not over.

è The armistice was openly flaunted by the Arab nations.

è Raids were conducted almost nightly by soldiers and irregulars who murdered and robbed the Israeli settlers.

In August, 1949, Israel offered to permit 100,000 Arab refugees who had fled from Israel to resettle there.

è The Arabs rejected this offer.

Not all Arabs had fled when the war started, and those who remained found that they were treated well by the Jews. In the course of time, the Israeli-Arabs became law-abiding citizens. Within five years, literacy among them increased from 25 % to 80%.

• Today they have their own representatives in the Israeli parliament.

The return of the Jews to Israel became a unique experiment in human history. Never before had there been such a mass movement of peoples of different colours, languages, and customs to make a coherent people.

Nasser, a Modern-Day Pharaoh

Immediately upon assuming power, he began a build-up of Egypt's military forces. The United States had been helping Egypt with large grants to improve the condition of its poverty-stricken people. But a series of high minded actions by Nasser caused the U.S. to change her mind. Nasser was making little contribution to projects that would help his people, preferring to spend the money he could get his hands on for building up a military machine for an avowed showdown with Israel.

The Russians had originally hoped that Israel would become a Marxist state. This was one of the reasons for their interest in Israel's independence. They were sorely disappointed when they saw that Israel had no appetite to become a Soviet satellite.

è With great chagrin the men in the Kremlin saw Israeli’s leaders making their country a citadel of democracy. So the stage was set for a Russian turn-about. face. They began to take notice of the new man in Egypt-Nasser.

Nasser had great ambitions, but unfortunately for him, his country was in extreme poverty. His 21 million people were increasing by half a million a year. Parasitic diseases ravaged the inhabitants, rendering them listless. Egypt had become a base kingdom as prophecy declared: " …They shall be there a base kingdom. It shall be the basest of the kingdoms; neither shall it exalt itself any more above the nations: for I will diminish them ... " (Ezekiel 29: 14-15).

è Nasser saw that it would take a long time for Egypt to become a power in the world.

è But he had ideas: if he could unite the Arab world, then Egypt would share in the Arab wealth-especially the oil resources of the sheikdoms. He began his campaign for power by spending large sums for armaments.

The U.S. had been contributing heavily to Egypt's economy and had promised to help build the Aswan Dam. The U. S. wanted to know the purpose of Egypt's armaments. Nasser considered this inquiry impudence. The U.S. then cut him off from further aid.

è Thus it was at that time Nasser turned to Russia who was ready to turn a sympathetic ear to him. Nasser mortgaged his crops to buy tanks, planes, and artillery from the Soviets.

è But the Egyptian dictator ran into trouble from his own people. King Hussein of Jordan did not take kindly to Nasser's plan to take over the Arab world.

This infuriated Nasser. He gave orders to his spies to assassinate the young king. Hussein in his memoirs' cites thirteen attempts upon his life by Nasser agents. In conjunction with Russia, Nasser attempted to subjugate Yemen. Nevertheless, his five-year war of liberation got nowhere.

Seizing the Suez

With Soviet approval behind him, Nasser seized the Suez Canal on July 26, 1956. Russia openly defended this act of banditry. He proceeded to forbid Israel to ship her goods through the canal. Moreover,

è Nasser made it clear that his goal was to drive Israel into the sea. An Arab spokesman said, "We will soon reconquer Palestine."

Seizing the Suez Canal and violating treaty obligations caused dismay in Britain, France, and Israel. There were several U.N. resolutions passed, but Nasser paid them no heed.

Having been warned by the Egyptian dictator that he planned on eliminating Israel,

è the Israeli forces on October 29, 1956, stabbed deep into Egypt's Sinai peninsula. Anglo-French operations began on October 3 I, followed by paratrooper landings in the Canal Zone.

è It was at this point that the U.S. made a grave mistake. America put strong pressure on the three nations in the Canal Zone to withdraw their forces. America said nothing to Russia who at that very time was brutally suppressing Hungary with bayonets and tanks. The nations did withdraw from the canal with  disastrous effects for all countries involved.

• America in return for her pains in saving Nasser,  received only his continued hostility. The way was prepared for another round between the Jews and the Arabs.

"Back TO ZION..."  by Gordon Lindsay –  NEW WINE February 1970, p.14 -  (Reprint from "Christ For The Nations")

Courtesy, "Christ For The Nations" - P.O. Box 8658, Dallas, Texas 75216