When the Jews were driven out of the Holy City (Jerusalem), and the Holy Land (Israel), by the Romans starting in 70 A.D., they hoped against hope that one day they will return to Jerusalem and Israel. Their hope did not disappoint them. And it couldn’t because hundreds of years before they lost the beloved city (as Revelation 20:9 calls it), and were expelled from the Holy Land (as Zechariah 2:12 calls it), they had not only received from God a prophecy that indeed the expulsion would happen, but also a promise that they would indeed return home one day.

Beginning in the late 1800’s, Jews, in small numbers, began going back to Israel (called Palestine at that time after having been renamed by the Romans) although it was not yet under their control. Then in May 1948 a miracle happened; Israel once again became a sovereign nation under the control of its rightful owners the Jews. Thereafter, many Jews returned home to Israel in large numbers. The hope of two thousand years became a visible reality because “He who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23).

Israel’s national anthem, HaTikvah (The Hope), written below, captures the hope the Jews had that one day they would return to the Eretz Yisrael (Land of Israel) just as God had promised.

As long as the Jewish spirit is yearning deep in the heart, With eyes turned toward the East, looking toward Zion, Then our hope – the two-thousand-year old hope – will not be lost; To be a free people in our land, The land of Zion and Jerusalem.

My prayer, and God’s desire, is that you will imitate the Jews by holding strong onto the promises you received from God. Never let them go however long their fulfillment may be. Always remind yourself that “He who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23). God who was, and continues to be faithful to Israel, will by all means be faithful to you because faithfulness is His nature. Because “Hope (Tikvah) does not disappoint” (Romans 5:5), you will not be disappointed if you keep your faith in the promise-keeping God.

Hallelujah.