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In the midst of Israel’s fight against the terrorists and the burial of the victims of Tuesday and Wednesday’s murderous terrorist attacks — some of whom were Jews who had recently been regathered from Russia and Ethiopia — Israeli airplanes landed at Ben Gurion Airport carrying 400 Jews back to their promised land after a long exile of almost 2,000 years. They came mainly from Russia and Argentina. In the midst of the mourning of the House of Israel for the innocent victims of the battle against the devil, our hearts were encouraged and strengthened to see this exciting godly end-time sight.
It was no accident that this event happened on the same day of terrible terror and pain. It was a clear message from G–d to His people Israel: "They will not stop Me. I will continue to redeem My people and, as I promised: 'You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I carried you on eagles' wings, and brought you to myself.'" (Exodus 19:4) "Fear not; for I am with you; I will bring your seed from the east, and gather you from the west; I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back; bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth" (Isaiah 43:5,6) "Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all you who love her; rejoice for joy with her, all you who mourn for her; That you may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that you may drink deeply, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory. For thus says the L-rd, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like a flowing stream; then shall you suck, you shall be carried upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees. As one whom his mother comforts, so will I comfort you; and you shall be comforted in Jerusalem. And when you see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like grass; and the hand of the L-rd shall be known toward his servants, and his indignation toward his enemies. For, behold, the L-rd will come with fire, and with his chariots like a storm, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire will the L-rd execute judgment, and by his sword upon all flesh; and the slain by the L-rd shall be many. They who sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one in the midst, eating swine's flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, says the L-rd." (Isaiah 66:10-17) When the people of Israel watched this G-dly end-time sight on 19 June 2002, the tears of mourning were mixed with the tears of excitement. They also came out from "the wings of eagles" with tears, tears of excitement and strength. It was even more exciting to hear these Jews after three generations of communism in the Soviet Union and a secular education and way of life in Argentina answering the question of the journalist: "You are not afraid to come to the land at this time?" Their answer was: "No, we are not afraid. This is the safest place for Jews because G–d will protect us. Together with Him we shall protect the land. We shall build for her. We shall work for her. This is our homeland. We have returned to the land of our fathers and forefathers. All the children of Israel are the children of G–d and they should return to the land that He gave them. This is our land. That is what our G–d, the Almighty G–d of Israel, told us." When the journalists asked whether it was hard to leave everything behind them in Russia and Argentina, their houses, work, their ideals, the graves of their parents in order to come to a new land they replied, "2,000 years ago we were taken from our real homes, ideals, work and from the graves of our fathers and forefathers and now we are returning to them. What we had in Russia and Argentina had no meaning. Our body and the body of our nation was persecuted and killed their and now in the land our body came and will come back to life. Our Beloved G–d gave life back to us." This exciting G-dly sight and these voices yesterday gave us G-dly strength to continue to build the Kingdom of G–d, to rebuild the people and land of Israel, and to make the Word of the G–d of Israel a foundation for the life of all mankind. Together with these wonderful children of G–d, those who returned over the last decades and those who will continue to return in the future, we shall continue to build, plant and to protect our wonderful Holy Land and G–d will be with us as He has been with us since He called Abraham to the eternal mission and vision which is now coming to its G-dly climax in the land of Israel with the people of Israel. To all Israel’s good friends all over the world we say be strong and continue to hold hands with the people of G–d. The day of complete redemption is soon to come. To all the people who, in a moment of weakness, think that G–d has forsaken Israel we say that they should listen to this clear Word of G–d: "But Zion says, The L-rd has forsaken me, and my L-rd has forgotten me. Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yes, even they may forget, but I will not forget you. Behold, I have engraved you upon the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me. Your children shall make haste; your destroyers and those who destroyed you shall go away from you. Lift up your eyes around, and behold; all these gather themselves together, and come to you. As I live, says the L-rd, you shall surely dress yourself with them all, as with an ornament, and bind them on you, as a bride does. For your destruction and your desolate places, and the land of your destruction, shall now be too narrow for your inhabitants; and those who swallowed you up shall be far away. The children who were taken away from you shall say again in your ears, The place is too narrow for me; give me room to dwell in. Then shall you say in your heart, Who has borne me these, seeing I have lost my children, a solitary, an exile, and a wanderer to and fro? and who has brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, where have they been?" (Isaiah 49:14-21) |
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