Glimpses of Israel - Aliyah; The Miracle of Coming Home
No other nation has had a homecoming like it. No other people have returned to their homeland from so many countries, after being away for so long. Even if this were the only thing said of the people of Israel, it would be extraordinary, yet the return of the Jewish people is more than an extraordinary homecoming, it is a miracle – the fulfilment of God's promise to His people. "'I will bring back the captives of my people Israel; they shall build the waste cities and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and drink wine from them; they shall also make gardens and eat the fruit from them. I will plant them in their land, and no longer shall they be pulled up from the land I have given them,' says the LORD your God." (Amos 9:14, 15)
Undoubtedly, the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, and the return of the people to the land of their fathers, have been modern-day miracles, so too, their survival. Since 1948, Israel has been victorious in no fewer than five major wars, and is presently defending itself daily from terrorist attacks. It was as if King David saw these days when he spoke the words, "'If it had not been the LORD who was on our side,' let Israel now say – 'If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, when men rose up against us, then they would have swallowed us alive, when their wrath was kindled against us . . . '" (Psalm 124:1-3)
The remarkable ability to absorb hundreds of thousands coming from different cultures and backgrounds is miraculous. A much larger country would have collapsed under the weight of employment, education, and social service needs. Indeed, much larger countries limit migrant numbers in order to cope, but not Israel. Moreover, Israel has become a world leader in trade and development. Praise God!
Aliyah has brought freedom in the celebration of the God of Israel. He can be worshipped and experienced in the Hebrew way. Notably, the Sabbath rest and the feasts of the Lord – the calendar of the Eternal, which is peculiar to Israel – are celebrated with an awakened spiritual experience. Aliyah is to experience the miracle of coming home, and the coming home to miracles. Praise the Lord, O Israel, for His goodness endures!