What Is ISRAEL?

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By Jeff Foerster

Israel is a state.

Its geographical size is quite small. If the nation of Israel were cut from a map and placed over the United States of America, it would require more than 473 “Israels” to completely cover the United States. Even in comparison to bordering Egypt, Israel is tiny, covering only about 2 percent of its neighbor’s geography. It is the only democratic state in the Middle East, having a prime minister (currently Benjamin Netanyahu) and a parliament.

Israel is a person.

“Israel,” which can be translated as “to struggle or wrestle with God,” was the name given to Jacob as recorded in the book of Genesis. Jacob was son to Isaac, the son of Abraham. Through Jacob, now Israel, Joseph was born, and many, many descendants after him. When we speak of the nation of “Israel,” we speak of a group of people, generations of family.

Israel is a promise.

More than four thousand years ago, God made a covenant with Abraham that He would give the land of Canaan to his descendants forever. Modern-day Israel exists in the former “land of Canaan.” Roughly 2,800 years ago, the prophet Isaiah wrote prophecy that would take nearly as long to fulfill. He writes, “Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Can a land be born in one day? Can a nation be brought forth all at once?” (Isaiah 66:8). On May 14, 1948, just that happened. The Jews once again had a place to call home, a nation of their own. From out of the smoking ruin of World War II, and Hitler’s attempted annihilation of the Jewish people, arose the nation of Israel. Her existence today serves the world as a reminder of God’s faithfulness as core to His character. He has not forgotten the Jewish people (Romans 11).

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