Around 585 B.C., when the Jewish nation was living in Babylonian exile, we read the words of the prophet Ezekiel:
“‘Thus says the Lord God: “Surely I will take the children of Israel from among the nations, wherever they have gone, and will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land; and I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king over them all; they shall no longer be two nations, nor shall they ever be divided into two kingdoms again”’,” (Ezek. 37:21-22; NKJV, emphasis added).
Thousands of years later, the Jewish nation declared its statehood in May 1948. And Israel’s people began returning in waves, just as the Bible said.
There is much we can learn from the window of time, from Ezekiel’s prophetic word to the time of fulfillment. Today we might just read about it as words on a page. In reality, many generations passed and much life transpired.
Perhaps the most obvious takeaway is that God is faithful to His Word even when the manifestation appears delayed. Our God is a God of covenant, and He can be trusted to do what He said He would do. It’s the “when” that often gets us in trouble. We often lose hope when we don’t see it come to pass quite at the time, place or way we expect.
The nation of Israel is an example that our faith and hope in God should remain steadfast even when the promise seems delayed.
Prophecy of the Land
If we see this fulfillment of Ezekiel 37, we cannot deny that the fulfillment of the Land Covenant is also at hand. Ezekiel prophesied over the land and its restoration as well:
“Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel, and say to the mountains, the hills, the rivers and the valleys, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I have spoken in My jealousy and My fury, because you have borne the shame of the nations.” Therefore thus says the Lord God: ‘I have raised My hand in an oath that surely the nations that are around you shall bear their own shame. But you, O mountains of Israel, you shall shoot forth your branches and yield your fruit to My people Israel, for they are about to come. For indeed I am for you, and I will turn to you, and you shall be tilled and sown. I will multiply men upon you, all the house of Israel, all of it; and the cities shall be inhabited and the ruins rebuilt. I will multiply upon you man and beast; and they shall increase and bear young; I will make you inhabited as in former times, and do better for you than at your beginnings. Then you shall know that I am the Lord. Yes, I will cause men to walk on you, My people Israel; they shall take possession of you, and you shall be their inheritance; no more shall you bereave them of children’” (Ezek. 36:6-12).
This image of tremendous prosperity was difficult to envision generations ago, but the land is growing and producing today. What once lay in ruins is being rebuilt and prospering since Israel’s return.
This Scripture is part of the passion behind our efforts as a family to see the desert blossom and multiply with promise. We started My Olive Tree in 2008 with a heart to participate in what God was doing in the physical land of Israel. Partnering with prophetic fulfillment in the very soil of the promised land is one of our greatest honors.
I remember standing in David Ben-Gurion’s Negev Desert office many years ago. Part of our team began weeping with what I now know was a prophetic unveiling, activation and birthing. We began to see and feel what the first prime minister felt and carried a tremendous vision for the possession of land and the growth of a nation rooted in agricultural development. This moment was a birthing of part of our destiny and one we would help other believers connect with.
With every olive tree planted in the desert by Christians worldwide, we are gifted the holy honor of being a part of prophecy fulfilled. Amos, Isaiah and Ezekiel all spoke of this generation. When we join forces with what God is doing in Israel, we become an integral part of prophecy fulfilled.
Beyond the tremendous advances in agriculture, Israel is now one of the world’s most robust and technologically advanced market economies. What was once labeled a start-up nation is being rebranded as a scale-up nation. The country continues to lead in the hi-tech sector and areas of great innovation. The following continue to draw on substantial non-Israeli investment:
- Cybersecurity.
- Health care.
- Artificial Intelligence.
- Fintech.
- Food tech.
- Automotive technology.
The words of Ezekiel continue to come to pass. The promises of God to Abraham continue to unfold. Delay does not mean denial.
Fulfillment in Full Swing
As Israel celebrates her 75th anniversary this year, God is fulfilling His promise and blessing His people.
“If any of you are driven out to the farthest parts under heaven, from there the Lord your God will gather you, and from there He will bring you. Then the Lord your God will bring you to the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it. He will prosper you and multiply you more than your fathers. And the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live” (Deut. 30:4-6).
Israel’s first prime minister, Ben-Gurion, once said: “In Israel, in order to be a realist, you must believe in miracles.”
And believe in miracles we do!
May 14, 1948: Israel declared herself independent and, on the same day, was attacked by armies of five countries on every border.
May 15, 1948: neighboring armies were joined by the major Arab armies of Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria in what became known as the War of Independence.
Israel’s enemies boasted many advantages, including 270 tanks, 300 aircraft and 150 field guns.
Meanwhile, the Jewish forces had no heavy machine guns, artillery, armored vehicles, anti-tank or anti-aircraft weapons or military aircrafts or tanks at the beginning of the war.
Israel quickly organized 32,000 soldiers (only half of whom had any military training), and the Israeli Defense Force was officially established on May 31, 1948. This group of young Zionists would beat the odds and win the war, making history and fulfilling prophecy.
The prophet Isaiah foretold this miracle when he penned:
“‘Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall the earth be made to give birth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion was in labor, She gave birth to her children’” (Isa. 66:8).
Seventy-five years later, we are still in awe of what God did and celebrating His faithfulness to His Word and His people.
What Is the One New Man?
The United States was the first to officially recognize Israel as independent. President Harry Truman issued a statement of recognition on the same day as Israel’s independent proclamation. During the same period, 4,400 volunteer soldiers from 56 countries joined in the fight for Israel’s independence. This was an example of Jews and Gentiles working together to further the vision of God.
Ephesians 2:14-16 says: “For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.”
The Complete Jewish Bible says it this way: “He did this in order to create in union with himself from the two groups a single new humanity and thus make shalom” (Eph. 2:15).
One can see the story and the power of the One New Man weaving itself throughout Israel’s history, even today. The Trump administration moving the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem is a strong statement of support for the Jewish nation.
When Jews and Gentiles work together as One New Humanity, a single unit, we witness miracles happen.
We see it when Chaim Salomon (Haym Salomon), a Sephardic Jew, helped finance George Washington’s war efforts during the American Revolution. And we see it again during the 1973 Yom Kippur War as the U.S. military transported weapons and supplies to Israeli airbases, helping Israel regain the battlefield and ultimately win the war.
But the battle for Israel’s existence didn’t begin in 1948. It has been waged since God promised Abraham and his descendants the inheritance of a homeland. The battle continued when Moses and the Israelites left Egypt for the promised land. Roughly 900 years later the Jewish people survived an attempted annihilation during the Purim story. And the fight for Israel to continue to exist as sovereign in her homeland rages on today. The promise of God to Abraham is still being challenged by Israel’s neighbors, yet He is faithful to protect and provide and often uses both Jew and Gentile (One New Man) to do so.
Amos prophesied about these days when he said:
“Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord, “When the plowman shall overtake the reaper, And the treader of grapes him who sows seed; The mountains shall drip with sweet wine, And all the hills shall flow with it. 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 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 9:13-15; NKJV).
The Gentiles “who do this thing” truly represent the One New Man in action; we represent a new humanity connected to the roots of our faith and our Creator. As Abraham’s seed by faith, we are called to stand with the nation of Israel with our prayers, actions and our seed.
3 Ways to Support the Modern-Day Nation of Israel in Her 75th Year
1) Pray.
Pray for God to continue to pour out His protection, wisdom, revelation, favor, strength and blessing upon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the current members of the Knesset and the Israeli Security Council as they diligently stand for the truth, peace, security and sovereignty of the nation of Israel.
“He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with Him”(Dan. 2:21b-22).
Pray for the nations of the world to hear the truth and begin to rise up in honor, respect and support of the undivided nation of Israel and her undivided capital city—Jerusalem.
“‘These are the borders by which you shall divide the land as an inheritance’” (Ezek. 47:13b).
“‘I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen. 12:3).
Continue to pray for God’s wisdom, favor, insight and protection to rest upon the men and women in all departments of Israeli security and defense as they protect the citizens and borders of the nation of Israel.
“For the Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard” (Isa. 52:12b).
2) Educate others. We must stress the importance of Israel and standing with her to our family and friends. Open your heart and home for discussion and education. Perhaps you can host your family for a Shabbat meal and share what you have learned about the Jewish roots of our faith and how this has helped shape your spiritual identity.
Education is essential in fighting replacement theology, which was part of the enemy’s plan to cause the church to think she has replaced Israel. This has twisted people’s views on God, His Word and the nation of Israel, separating them from the richness of our Jewish heritage. With education, you can return to your Father’s table and empower your identity and purpose.
#3 Sow into humanitarian efforts. Genesis 12:3 says that God will bless those who bless Israel. I strongly suggest that families and ministries alike find a way to get monthly financial seed into Israel and align their seed with God’s covenant blessing.
In Isaiah 60, it is prophesied that the wealth of the Gentiles will come to the nation of Israel, and the sons of foreigners will rebuild her walls. These ancient prophecies are being fulfilled in modern times through those who understand the importance of standing with and blessing the nation of Israel.
Are you one of the Gentiles? Are you helping rebuild her walls?
You may not be able to join the IDF as a volunteer like the 4,400 in 1948, but you can sow seed into projects supporting her growth and future.
This is where our passion as a ministry lies. We are passionate about connecting families to their true identity in Christ, which creates a true purpose. And our true purpose is the “workmanship that was prepared” beforehand (Eph. 2:10). Part of our workmanship is to care for Holocaust survivors—the foundation modern-day Israel was built upon. We care for Israel’s children, from those in the womb whose mothers choose life to 18-24-year-olds who are Israel’s future. And we care for the very land of Israel by planting olive trees because, like Prime Minister Ben-Gurion, we believe in the power of agriculture to help create a homeland.
It is wise to love what God loves and to participate in areas we see Him moving in. Seeing God at work and getting involved—this is what we do as a family and as a ministry. I can only encourage you to do the same. Find a way to get involved in what God is doing in Israel today and participate in her prophetic destiny.
Happy 76th anniversary to the nation of Israel!
Curt Landry is the founder of Curt Landry Ministries and My Olive Tree. He and his wife, Christie, travel extensively, teaching about the Jewish roots of the Christian faith and the One New Man. Curt is also active in raising support for Israel throughout the evangelical community, as he desires to be a bridge of unity and restoration between Israel and the church. For more information about Curt Landry Ministries or to help support projects in Israel and around the world, please visit www.curtlandry.com.
