The Wonder of the Restoration of Israel

The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad;
the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus;
it shall blossom abundantly
and rejoice with joy and singing.
…They shall see the glory of the LORD,
the majesty of our G-D.

~ Isaiah 35:1-2

Riders traverse the southern desert area in modern Israel, which is reprentative of the barren landscape that comprised much of the Land until its rebirth during the past century.

No Flowers!

There is a record of the first ambassadorial visit to Israel of foreign dignitaries, who happened to be the President of Thailand and his wife. Golda Meir was Foreign Minister at the time and shortly before their scheduled arrival she asked her personal assistant to order a large bouquet of flowers to present to the First Lady. The problem arose that there were no flowers to be had!

The nation’s first preoccupation, besides the challenges of defense against constant attacks, was building housing for thousands of immigrants and refugees who were arriving from the four corners of the earth! Any further time and resources were devoted first to planting trees on the denuded hills and to clearing stoney ground and draining swamps in order to plant crops for food. There certainly was no opportunity to establish gardens or greenhouses to raise flowers. That was a luxury. Fortunately, they were able to arrange for some to be flown in overnight from Europe and the presentation could be made.

One aspect of the miracle and fulfilment of Isaiah’s prophecy is that today, only 50 or so years later, Israel is one of the largest exporters of flowers in the world. The desert truly has blossomed!

 

 

 “And I will bring back the captivity of my people Israel,
and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them…”
~ Amos 9:14a

 TEL AVIV – Hill of Spring – nothing but sand dunes!

Digging the first foundation in 1908.

 TEL AVIV beach – 100 years later

TEL AVIV –  Rothschild Blvd – the “old” and the new!

TEL AVIV at night.

 

The southern-most tip of Israel. A marina in the rebuilt city of  EILAT on the shores of the Red Sea.

The beautiful port city of HAIFA on the Mediteranean coast north of Tel Aviv.

Haifa at night! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE ONE AND ONLY CAPITAL OF ISRAEL ~ REBUILT JERUSALEM.

The Golden Gate and Old City from the Mount of Olives.

A city compacted together… new neghborhoods spreading out over the Judean hills.

 Pic. Elchanan ben Avraham

Sparkling like a jewel at night.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

YEHUDAH and SHOMRON  ~  JUDEA and SAMARIA

“But you, O mountains of Israel, shall shoot forth your branches and yield your fruit to my people Israel, for they will soon come home. For behold, I am for you, and I will turn to you, and you shall be tilled and sown. And I will multiply people on you, the whole house of Israel, all of it. The cities shall be inhabited and the waste places rebuilt.”

~ Ezekiel 36: 8-10

Brave planting and building on the desert mountains.

 

“…and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof…”  

~Amos 9:14b

…they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them.
~ Amos 9:14c

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo: Geneva Seeds    Artwork: Betty Rubenstein, Lavender Garden, U-Boutique, Israel

The photographer describes it well: “This is not Tuscany! It is Bitronot Ruchama in Israel” – a beautiful nature reserve one hour south of Tel Aviv.

 

 

With full hearts we  praise and thank the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob ~ the God of Israel ~  for being faithful and true, in His great compassion and love, and for the miracle of the Restoration of His Land, to His people in accord with His Scriptures.

“And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be plucked up out of their land which I have given them,” says YHWH your God. 

~ Amos 19 :15

 So we proclaim. Amen and Amen. El Melech Ne’eman – G-d Faithful King!

~ Keren Hannah