עם ישראל חי
Am Yisrael chai
Samuel Clemens who later became the famous American author under the pen name Mark Twain wrote this about the Jews more than a century ago:
“If the statistics are right, the Jews constitute but one quarter of one percent of the human race. It suggests a nebulous puff of star dust lost in the blaze of the Milky Way. Properly, the Jew ought hardly to be heard of, but he is heard of, has always been heard of. He is as prominent on the planet as any other people, and his importance is extravagantly out of proportion to the smallness of his bulk.
His contributions to the world’s list of great names in literature, science, art, music, finance, medicine and abstruse learning are also very out of proportion to the weakness of his numbers. He has made a marvelous fight in this world in all ages; and has done it with his hands tied behind him. He could be vain of himself and be excused for it. The Egyptians, the Babylonians and the Persians rose, filled the planet with sound and splendor, then faded to dream-stuff and passed away; the Greeks and Romans followed and made a vast noise, and they were gone; other people have sprung up and held their torch high for a time but it burned out, and they sit in twilight now, and have vanished.
The Jew saw them all, survived them all, and is now what he always was, exhibiting no decadence, no infirmaties, of age, no weakening of his parts, no slowing of his energies, no dulling of his alert but aggressive mind. All things are mortal but the Jews; all other forces pass, but he remains. What is the secret of his immortality? ” – September 1897 (Quoted in
The National Jewish Post & Observer, June 6, 1984)
Well if Mark Twain had opened his Bible he’d have know the “secret of Jews’ immortality”,
“Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.”
Psalm 121:4 AMPC
“After a period of glory, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies sent me against the nations who plundered you. For he said, “Anyone who harms you harms my most precious possession.”
Zechariah 2:8 NLT
God is speaking of Israel, His covenant people as His most precious possession.
God promised Abraham when He made a covenant with him.
“And I will bless those who bless you [who confer prosperity or happiness upon you] and curse him who curses or uses insolent language toward you; in you will all the families and kindred of the earth be blessed [and by you they will bless themselves].”
Genesis 12:3 AMPC
The salvation through Jesus bringing eternal life is the ultimate fulfillment of this promise.
God has blessed Israel and made it a blessing for the world much more than the world can comprehend.
Jews constitute only 0.2% of the world population of 7.8 billion plus, still more than 20% of the Nobel prize winners from 1910-2000 were Jewish.*
A nation which was formed only in 1948, is now one of the leaders in technology, startups, medicine, military and defence research and the list goes on.
Israel is the only true democracy in middle East. Also the only nation in middle East where women have most freedom, including Muslim women.
Sadly Israel is surrounded by nations which propogate hatred towards the Jews and even publically call for their annihilation. As children of Yahweh let us pray for peace in the land where Jesus walked. As partakers of the Abrahamic blessings through our faith in Jesus (Galatians 3:14), it is our responsibility to pray for our Jewish brothers and sisters and for the peace of Jerusalem.
“Pray for peace in Jerusalem. May all who love this city prosper. O Jerusalem, may there be peace within your walls and prosperity in your palaces. For the sake of my family and friends, I will say, “May you have peace.” For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek what is best for you, O Jerusalem.”
Psalms 122:6-9 NLT
Shalom Yisrael! (שלום ישראל)
* B. Shalev, 100 Years of Nobel Prizes, 3rd edn (Los Angeles, 2005), pp. 57–61.
joyancejames 