land that was the inheritance of his seed forever, the waters from the melting snows of Mount Hermon and surrounding peaks were flowing down through Galilee, into the River Jordan, and on to the sea which had no outlet. Consequently, as the rays o f the sun vapor ized the moisture and lifted it to the clouds, to pour it as rain upon some other place, the mineral salts in the Dead Sea became more and more dense. Today this huge amount of valuable mineral deposit is being re covered and utilized. It is estimated by those who surely ought to know that the wealth of the minerals in the waters of the Dead Sea totals one trillion, two hundred and sixty-seven billion dollars. Someone has said that if this estimate is true, there are more poten tial riches in the waters of the Dead Sea than the combined wealth of the nations of the world. Whether or not these figures are absolutely accurate, I suppose there is no way of knowing; but this we do know, that there is enormous wealth stored up in this region. How wonderfully God has prepared for this very day in giving the Jew this mineral wealth, which will mean prestige among the nations, as well as the means of rehabilitating the land. And besides all this, there are also in this region deposits of sulphur, cop per, coal, bitumen, and oil. And many parts of Pales tine have not yet been fully surveyed for their poten tial wealth. Our God, who knows the end from the be ginning, has richly stored this land with all the re sources necessary for the maintenance of the host of His Chosen People who will soon be re-gathered there. ISRAEL’S FUTURE GLORY 1. The New Birth o f Israel at the Second Coming o f Christ. We have already referred to the words of Zechariah, when he said that Israel will “ look upon” Him “whom they have pierced” in that day when “ his feet shall stand upon the mount of Olives.” That will be the long-looked-for day of our Lord’s appearing in power and great glory. And it was of this day that Ezekiel wrote when he obeyed the voice of the Lord to explain that the “ breath” entering into the “ exceeding great army” of nationally resurrected Israel is none other than the new life in Christ which she will re ceive from Him when He comes again. All the present day efforts are but preparatory to the time when “ a nation shall be born in a day.” When Israel looks up and sees her once rejected King, even Jesus, she will receive Him, not only as King, but also as her Saviour and Lord. And the remarkable achievements of the Jew in Israel today are signs of God’s work ing on behalf of the nation, preparing her for His glorious appearing. Then God’s ancient people will see that the suffering Saviour foretold in the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah was none other than Jesus, who bore “ the print of the nails in His hands”—for them and for all the world. Wonderful it is for God to bring about, before our eyes today, the return of the Jew to his country even though in unbelief. Far more won derful will be that miraculous act whereby He gives “breath”—His own Holy Spirit—to a cleansed nation. 2. Future Israel—A United Nation with One King — Jesus. As if to emphasize this marvelous prophecy once more—and it is found literally hundreds of times in the Old and New Testaments—God gave yet another “ sign” to Ezekiel in the verses which follow the vision of the valley of dry bones and the interpretation there of. It is “ the sign o f the two sticks.” Let us read to the end of the chapter to get the message (Ezek. 37:15-28). You will remember that, after the death of Solo mon, the kingdom of Israel was divided, with Reho- boam and Jeroboam ruling over the separate kingdoms.
latter rain” that they might gather in their “ corn” and “wine” and “ oil.” (See Deut. 11:14.) James, writ ing to Christian Jews many centuries later, also spoke of “ the early and latter rain” (James 5 :7 ). For many, long years the early rains of Palestine had been insuf ficient; and the latter rains, of little or no value. But a few years ago the latter rains began to increase, with the result that in some parts of the land the soil is able to produce three crops a year. And the ancient pools of Solomon, which even today supply Jerusalem with water, have overflowed for the first time in centuries. These pools were recently measured, and were found to have a capacity of more than sixty million gallons. When this land comes into full productiveness, it is TO ISRAEL O Israel, His Israel, Your fathers' God still loves you well, And still He offers to your race,— O matchless wonder of His grace— His Paschal Lamb, for sinners slain, His Son, so soon to come again; That One, who dying, prayed for you, "Forgive, they know not what they do!" He loves you yet, that Blessed One, Your own Messiah, God's dear Son. In all your desperate need, there is No other help for you save His, No other refuge from the storm About to break. His mighty arm Is strong to save you, and His power Will keep you in your darkest hour. He can supply your deepest need. With outstretched hands behold Him plead, "Come unto Me, My people, come, And I will take you safely Home!" believed that it will be without parallel in all the world. How all this thrills our hearts when we realize what is involved in the transformation of Palestine into “a land flowing with milk and honey” ! It is but one of many significant “ signs” which point to one thing, that Israel is again to behold her Messiah, per haps very soon. And this time He will come, not as the Babe in Bethlehem’s manger; He will come riding upon “ a white horse,” as ‘‘KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS’ (Rev. 19:16). How earnestly we ought to pray, “ Come quickly, Lord Jesus’ ! And as we pray, let us remember that these vast and tremendous changes in the land of Palestine are tokens of the “ sinews” and “ flesh” and “ skin” as they are appearing upon the “ dry bones.” They are a preparation for the coming of the One who is to be the “ Breath” of life to Israel. INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS IN ISRAEL TODAY The progress in industrial development in Israel is enormous. Factories are springing up everywhere. Be fore the first World War, there was little or no indus try, in the modern sense, in Palestine. But today that ancient land is rapidly becoming the world’s center of business activity. Israel is taking her place with the nations of the world. VAST M INERAL WEALTH IN PALESTINE There are supposed to be some forty-odd billions of tons of salt in the waters of the Dead Sea. Long be fore God called Abraham from his tent to survey the
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JUNE, 1964
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