The Lord spoke to Abraham 4,000 years ago; [And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. And I will bless them that bless you, and curse them that curse you.] [Genesis 12:2,3]
The desire of the Jewish people to return to their rightful homeland dates all the way back to their captivity in Babylon from 606 B.C. to 536 B.C., and after the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in A.D. 70, when they were dispersed among the nations. Not much progress was made until 1917 when the British government issued a statement called the Balfour Declaration, which favored the establishment of a Jewish homeland in Palestine. After World War 1, the League of Nations ratified the Declaration and appointed Britain to rule Palestine in 1922. Jewish hopes were high and some Jews were allowed to migrate to Palestine amid Arab opposition. But in 1939, Britain issued a “White Paper” restricting further Jewish immigration to Palestine. The Jews, feeling betrayed, bitterly opposed the policy and turned to the United States for help. World War II followed.
After the war, with sympathy for the Jewish people widespread because of the horrors of the Holocaust, Britain and the United States began a joint effort to examine the problem. When Harry Truman became president he made clear that his sympathies were with the Jews and accepted the ideas of the Balfour Declaration. But the U.S. State department was opposed to the idea of a Jewish homeland because they recognized the threat from the growing Soviet-Arab connection, and the possible interruption of oil supplies from the Middle East.
In 1946, a joint U.S.-British committee recommended that the United Nations establish a trusteeship that would create two autonomous states, one for the Jews, and one for the Palestinians. It became known as the “Partition Plan”. On November 29, 1947 the U.N. General Assembly passed the partition plan. The plan established three entities in Palestine; a Jewish state, an Arab state, and an international zone around Jerusalem.
At midnight on May 14, 1948, the Provisional Government of Israel, proclaimed the new state of Israel. President Truman recognized the new state of Israel 11 minutes later. In a statement prepared ahead of time he had written the words “the Jewish state” then crossed them out and wrote “Israel”. Although the nation of Israel is mentioned many times in prophesies from the Old Testament, 1948 was the first time in history that this land was officially called Israel. In Moses and Abraham’s time this land was called Canaan, and in the time of Jesus the land was called by it’s three subdivisions; Judea, Samaria, and Galilee.
United States support for the partition plan was critical to the creation of the state of Israel. President Truman had made clear his support for the Zionist cause prior to World War II. President Truman wrote in his memoirs, “ The question of Palestine as a Jewish homeland goes back to the solemn promise that had been made to the Jews by the British in the Balfour Declaration of 1917, a promise which stirred the hopes and dreams of these oppressed people. This promise, I felt, should be kept, just as all promises made by responsible, civilized governments should be kept.” In a 1947 poll, 65% of the American people supported the partition plan.
After Nazi atrocities against the Jews came to light during the war, then Senator Harry Truman, said in Chicago in 1944; “ Today, not tomorrow, we must do all that is humanly possible to provide a haven for all those who can be grasped from the hands of the Nazi butchers. Free lands must be opened to them [the Jews].”
President Harry Truman, played such an important role in the establishment of the new state of Israel, that the first secretary general of the United Nations stated, “ I think we can safely say that if there had been no Harry Truman, there would be no Israel today.”
But it wasn’t just President Truman who helped, there were many American people who were essential to the establishment of the new state of Israel. In 1999, director Jerry Levine was the winner of an Emmy award for Best Documentary. The title of the documentary was, “Israel’s Forgotten Heroes”. The documentary was a tribute to the American men and women, Jews and non-Jews, who actively helped in the creation of the State of Israel, from 1945 to 1949. The story provides firsthand accounts from Americans who went to Israel and helped fight for Israel’s independence, or aided Israel by providing weapons and aircraft. Many of these people were veterans of World War II, or Americans who were affected by the plight of Holocaust survivors and wanted to help ensure that a Jewish homeland was established.
President Truman stated in a speech on October 28, 1948; “It is my responsibility to see that our policy in Israel fits in with our policy throughout the world; second, it is my desire to help build in Palestine a strong, prosperous, free and independent democratic state. It must be large enough, and strong enough to make it’s people self-supporting and secure.” After Israel’s war of independence in 1948, President Truman provided Israel with a loan of $135 million to help repatriate Jews from around the world, back to Israel.
Since the end of WW II, Israel has received more direct aid from the U.S. than any other country. Through 2007, Israel has received over $105 billion in American assistance.
Isaiah was a Hebrew prophet, he was the son of Amoz, of noble descent. He lived in Jerusalem, in what was then called, Judah. About the year 740 B.C., young Isaiah had a vision in the temple;
[Also, I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then I said, Here I am send me.] [Isaiah 6:8]
The young, ambitious Isaiah, was given the near impossible task of turning his people away from their sinful ways. The sins the Lord charged of His people can be found in [Isaiah 1-5] chief among them was worshipping false idols that they had made themselves.
The Lord gave Isaiah many important prophesies;
[And it shall come to pass that in the last days, that the mountain [nation] of the Lord’s house shall be established.] [Isaiah 2:2] This prophesy was fulfilled on May 14, 1948, with the assistance of the United States and the American people.
Isaiah also prophesied the birth of Jesus more than 700 years before it occurred;
[Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel.] [Isaiah 7:14]
The prophet Isaiah, about 2700 years ago, delivered a message to a country, and a people, from far. That is, far from the land of Israel in distance, and far in time. We know that it is far in time because the restoration of the preserved of Israel did not occur until 1948. This country, the [Isles] would someday be the Lord’s servant, and perform three very important works for God:
The first was to help [restore the preserved of Israel.]
The second was [to be My salvation unto the end of the earth.]
The Lord also said this country would be given by Him [for a light to the Gentiles.]
The key to understanding this prophesy, is to realize that there are two parts to the first verse from [Isaiah 49:1].
In the first part, Isaiah says to the Isles [Listen, O isles, to me; and hearken, you people from far;] The word [Hearken] is defined as; “to listen; to attend to what is said; to take heed”. Isaiah is saying that this is an important message for the [Isles], and to take heed.
In Strong’s Concordance: the word isles is translated from Hebrew to mean; a habitable spot, as desirable; a coast; an island.
In the second part of the first verse of [Isaiah 49:1], through verse 5, Isaiah identifies himself as a servant to the Lord, and is anguished that he has not been able to turn his people away from their sins.
[The Lord hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother has He made mention of my name.
And He has made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of His hand has He hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in His quiver has He hid me;
And said to me, you are my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.
Then I said, I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing, and in vain; yet surely my judgment is with the Lord, and my work with God.
And now, said the Lord that formed me from the womb to be His servant, to bring Jacob again to Him,
Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I [Isaiah] be glorious in the eyes of the Lord, and my God shall be my strength.]
Then Isaiah proceeds with this message for the Isles;
[And He said , It is a light thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel; I will also give you as a light to the Gentiles, that you may be My salvation unto the end of the earth.] [Isaiah 49:6]
From Strong’s Concordance: the word light is translated from Hebrew in two ways; it can refer to mean a trivial thing; or to mean an esteem thing. In this context, it would be an esteemed thing to help restore the preserved of Israel.
The word Isles appears 27 times in the Bible. Not all of them refer to America, but this one does. Isaiah did not restore the preserved of Israel. Isaiah says Israel is not gathered. They would not be regathered until 1948, with crucial assistance from President Harry Truman and the American people.
The Isles were given three tasks:
Task number 1 for the Isles, was completed in 1948.
Task number 2 for the Isles, was to be as a “light” to the Gentiles. The United States was founded on the principles of Freedom, Justice, and Liberty for all. Not just in this country, but around the world we have defended these principles, and fought for those people that called on us for help. The Statue of Liberty, holding a beacon of light, stands as a symbol for what this country has done, and for all those we have saved from tyranny. Presidents Kennedy, and Ronald Reagan, both, were fond of calling this country a “Thousand Points of Light”, and a “Beacon of Hope” for the entire world. Whenever there is distress anywhere in the world, the United States is there to provide assistance. Currently the United States has over 300,000 troops, stationed in 155 countries around the world, defending freedom. Task number 2 is on-going.
Task number 3 for the Isles, was to be the Lord’s Salvation to the end’s of the earth. No other country in history has sent more Christian missionaries around the world than the United States. After WW II, 150 missionary agencies were formed in the United States. Christian leaders envisioned a missionary arrangement where the message would be thoroughly Biblical. The Christian Missionary Fellowship was incorporated in Kansas in 1949. The chartered purpose of this new mission agency was to, “Evangelize the non-Christian people of the world.” Task number 3 is on-going.
The name of no other country fits into this prophesy. America, is the Isles.
America, and the American people, have truly blessed the nation of Israel. And the Lord has truly blessed this country, just as He told Abraham, the father of Israel, 4,000 years ago.
