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In this month's issue: Not So Happy Anniversary  Positive Proof that God Exists!  The Jews : God’s Chosen People God’s Unfolding Purpose  The Jews in the News  Outline of Jewish History  God’s Promises to Abraham  Happy Anniversary

A monthly magazine published by the Christadelphians (brothers and sisters in Christ) and available throughout the world. Its objectives are – to encourage study of the Bible as God's inspired message to men; to call attention to the Divine offer of forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ; and to warn men and women that soon Christ will return to Earth as judge and ruler of God’s world-wide Kingdom.

Not So Happy Anniversary An elderly man looks down over Jerusalem ­– the city in which he has lived for many years and wonders what the future holds. He is a Jew, gazing towards the Western Wall, a place revered by his ancestors for many generations. Here pious Jews have come over the centuries to pray to the God of their fathers and to implore His blessing. But what hope is there that their prayers for peace with security will be answered in the near future? Unhappy Past The area over which the old man is gazing has seen more trouble than almost anywhere else on earth. Since the days of King David, it has been occupied by Babylonians, Greeks, Romans, Seljuks, Crusaders, Mamelukes, Ottoman Turks, the British and the Arab people. In the past, Jews only managed to occupy the city for about 1000 years. And they have been back in sole possession of it for just forty years, since the Six Day War of 1967.This issue is all about God’s purpose with the nation of Israel. The Bible says they are a special people because through them salvation is to come to all nations. This is why the gospel of salvation is called, in the New Testament, “the hope of Israel” (see Acts 28:20, 26:6 and John 4:22). Back in 1849, the founder of the Christadelphians, John Thomas, was persuaded to write down his understanding of Bible truth, and he duly published a book which he entitled “Elpis Israel” – ‘the hope of Israel’. Remarkable Present At the time he wrote there was little prospect of the Jewish race being reunited with their ancient land, which was firmly held by the Ottoman Turks. All the political indicators pointed to a continuance of Jewish dispersion and prolonged anti-Semitism. But the Bible said otherwise, so as part of his explanation of what was bound to happen to fulfil God’s promises, John Thomas made the following statement: “I know not whether the men, who at present contrive the foreign policy of Britain, entertain the idea of assuming the sovereignty of the Holy Land, and of promoting its colonization by the Jews. Their present intentions, however, are of no importance one way or the other, because they will be compelled, by events soon to happen, to do what, under existing circumstances, heaven and earth combined could not move them to attempt.” That proved to be remarkably perceptive, as things worked out, for over 60 years later it was indeed Britain that supported and then policed the re-establishment of a Jewish community back in the land of their fathers. Later articles will explain just how that happened, and why John Thomas was so sure that the Jews must return to their land in fulfilment of Bible prophecy. The existence of the Jewish race is remarkable enough in itself. Their return to Israel and the re-establishment of the State of Israel is nothing short of a modern miracle. Unhappy Anniversary Please do not jump to the conclusion that Christadelphians are political supporters of the nation of Israel, or that we are blindly pro-Zionist or anti-Arab. We are none of those things. We are excited by what has been happening in the Middle East because we see it as the fulfilment of Bible prophecy and a vital step towards the return of the Lord Jesus Christ from heaven. He is to rule as King from Jerusalem, over a worldwide kingdom that will include Jews, but which will also embrace people from all nations. The Jewish people have returned to their land without acknowledging that Jesus Christ is their long-promised Messiah. They have had to fight for their existence ever since the State was formed in 1948 and that is still the case as they reach their 60th anniversary. The ruling political party Hamas, now in control of Gaza, will still not recognize their right to exist as a nation and their violence has resulted in counter-violence. We deplore all acts of violence and terrorism, and we have no political affiliation with any nation or any government. As believers in the kingship of the Lord Jesus Christ, we give our unquestioned loyalty and obedience to him alone, and await his righteous government. He is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6) and only his return to earth will bring about lasting peace. Try as he might, President George Bush will not achieve his stated aim of bringing Jew and Palestinian together in a binding peace agreement, especially not in the timescale he has set himself. Opinions are too divided; the long-running hatred is too deep-rooted; Jerusalem is bound to be a stumbling block. It is Israel’s capital city and it is also the city the Palestinians want as the capital city of their new nation. Stumbling Block The Prophet Zechariah lived over two thousand years ago, so he could never have foreseen 21st century politics, unless his message had been given him by God. It was, for it is a remarkable commentary on the role that Jerusalem is due to play in the peace agreement talks that might get underway under American sponsorship. This is what the prophet said: “I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it … but Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place – Jerusalem … It shall be in that day that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on me whom they have pierced; they will mourn for him as one mourns for his only son” (Zechariah 12:3-10). It may not have arrived yet, but when the Jewish people emerge from their troubles and accept the Lord Jesus Christ as their King, there is a very happy time awaiting them and, through them, for all those people from all nations who accept him as their Lord.