Today is Independence Day in Israel - Israel's 64th birthday.
There has always been a Jewish presence in the land. In the late 19th century, Jews began to return to the Promised Land in line with prophecies made thousands of years before. When independence was declared in 1948 Israel had a population of 806,000. Today, there are 7,881,000 Israelis - 75.3% of them Jewish and 20.6% Arab (the remaining 4.1% immigrants and children of immigrants who are not listed as Jewish by the Interior Ministry).
Israel has come through seven wars, two intifadas and more terrorist incidents than it's possible to count. Jew-hatred among Israel's neighbours is as fierce as ever and peace between Israel and the Palestinians as far away as ever it was. Threats abound. Israel's foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman warned the other day that Egypt is becoming a bigger threat even than Iran. It is suggested that the Muslim Brotherhood is currently engaged in an international charm offensive, but once the Brotherhood consolidates power in Egypt, Egypt's peace treaty with Israel will be scrapped and the way will be open for war with Israel once more.
Will there ever be peace in the Middle East? Yes, there will. One day the Prince of Peace will return. He will appear in power and great glory to destroy His enemies and set up His millennial kingdom. Nothing is more certain. His first appearance was prophesied, and the prophecies were fulfilled in exact detail. His Second Coming is equally sure.
He will return when His Jewish people are ready to welcome Him. He will reign from Jerusalem.
