The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Judges 9:1-3, “And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother’s relatives, and spoke to them and to the whole clan of the household of his mother’s father, saying,
2 “Speak, now, in the hearing of all the leaders of Shechem, ‘Which is better for you, that seventy men, all the sons of Jerubbaal, rule over you, or that one man rule over you?’ Also, remember that I am your bone and your flesh.”
3 And his mother’s relatives spoke all these words on his behalf in the hearing of all the leaders of Shechem; and they were inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, “He is our relative.”

The modern return of the Jewish People to the Land of Israel is virtually “miraculous!” Such a return by a people group that had been scattered among the nations is historically unprecedented.

Indeed, the Jewish People are the only exiled people to remain a distinct people despite being dispersed to more than 70 different countries for more than 20 centuries.

The modern-day return to the Holy Land began as early as 1871 when a few Jews began to trickle back into the land. By 1881, about twenty-five thousand Jews had settled there.

At the first Zionist Congress in 1897, led by Theodor Herzl, the Jewish people officially adopted the goal of reclaiming the land. The regathering was very slow. By 1914, the Jewish population in the land was only eighty thousand.

During World War I, the British sought support from the Jews for the war effort. So, the British foreign secretary, Arthur Balfour, issued on November 2, 1917, what has become known as the Balfour Declaration. The declaration was stated in a letter from Balfour to Lord Rothschild, a wealthy Jewish entrepreneur. In the letter, Secretary Balfour gave approval to the Jewish goal of reclamation. “His Majesty’s Government views with favor the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people. . . .” The declaration stirred Jewish hopes for establishing a homeland in the Holy Land and encouraged more Jews to return. By 1939, when World War II broke out, about 450,000 Jews had returned.

Adolph Hitler’s atrocities actually provided the greatest momentum for the establishment of a national homeland for the Jews. The United Nations approved a national homeland for the Jews, and British control of the land ended on May 14, 1948. The new nation was given five thousand square miles and had a population of 650,000 Jews and several hundred thousand Arabs.

Now, it would appear that Israel’s enemies have determined to join together and dominate the Jewish State. “Fear not,” however. Pray for Israel! Under the LORD’s Hand she will prevail!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom