The Hope

Many Christians are not aware of Israel's history nor do they realize the significance, in God's grand plan of the ages, of this tiny nation. I originally wrote the following article several years ago at the request of the founder of a pro-Israel ministry which, sadly, is no longer in operation. It is presented here with the hope of bringing more awareness to the those who wonder why we, as believers in Christ, should support Israel and her people. 

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Ha Tikva (The Hope)

As long as deep in the heart,

The soul of a Jew yearns,

And forward to the East,

To Zion, an eye looks

Our hope will not be lost,

The hope of two thousand years

To be a free nation in our land,

The land of Zion and Jerusalem.

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Ha Tikva, The Israeli National Anthem

Although these words of hope were not penned until the 1880s, Ha Tikva’s fire has burned in the heart of every descendant of Abraham since God commanded him, Get yourself out of your country... and go to the land that I will show you (Genesis 12:1).

Ha Tikva is the hope of a homeland, the hope of freedom, the hope of independence and the hope of peace. Despite hardship, Diaspora (scattering), persecution, atrocity, and genocide, the truly Jewish heart has never abandoned Ha Tikva.

For you are a people set apart as holy for ADONAI your God.
ADONAI your God has chosen you out of all the peoples
on the face of the earth to be his own unique treasure.
- Deuteronomy 7:6

A unique treasure, chosen and set apart is cherished, adored and preserved. It is not abandoned, replaced or cast aside. Sadly, some in the church believe that God has abandoned Israel and put out the fire of Ha Tikva that He Himself kindled within their hearts. However, He is the God who keeps covenant and mercy to a thousand generations. He is the God who made covenants with Abraham, Moses and David, igniting and fueling the fire of Ha Tikva. That fire still burns brightly within the Jewish soul.


God has faithfully kept His promises to the apple of His eye (Zechariah 2:8). He gave them a land flowing with milk and honey, established kings, set up His own dwelling place in their midst and preserved a remnant in Israel during times of captivity. In 70 AD, Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans and the people scattered. The land came under the control of several invading forces, ending with the British Empire. Yet, a remnant remained in the land of promise and Ha Tikva still smoldered within the hearts of God’s chosen people.


For two millennia, most of God’s chosen were of the Diaspora, inhabiting almost every nation on the globe. However, the God who keeps covenant and mercy to a thousand generations did not abandon or forget His chosen. He kept the fires of Ha Tikva burning through the centuries, even in the face of an evil like this world had never seen.


The Holocaust impelled many to seek fulfillment of that burning hope of a land to call their own. On May 14, 1948, the British forces withdrew from the land they had dubbed ‘Palestine.’ Led by David Ben Gurion, the remaining Jews declared the establishment of the independent state of Israel. Despite misleading reporting by America’s liberal media of the events and history of the Middle East, there never was a Palestinian nation. There is no occupation. Those who call themselves ‘Palestinians’ are merely Arabs from the surrounding areas.


Upon Israel’s declaration of independence, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Egypt and Iraq immediately attacked. Unprovoked attacks have continued ever since in the form of trained armies and cowardly acts of terror. Yet, Ha Tikva still burns brightly within the soul of every true Jew whether they have returned to the Holy Land or remain of the Diaspora.


This unique treasure, chosen and set apart is still cherished, adored and preserved by the God who gave them reason to hope. Israel comprises an area of only 8,019 square miles, while her Muslim neighbors, seeking to extinguish Ha Tikva, occupy a total land mass of well over 2 million square miles. Logic defies Israel’s continued existence yet she stands strong, as a David facing the Philistine Goliath. 


As Nehemiah admitted, the survival of the nation is due to the good hand of their God upon them, fulfilling His promises and keeping Ha Tikva burning in the hearts of His people. That same God who keeps covenant and mercy to a thousand generations is fulfilling His promise right now, bringing His own back to the land of their fathers in record numbers.


Every follower of God whether Jew or Gentile, whether living in the land of promise or elsewhere, has a responsibility to fan the flames of Ha Tikva. Some may take issue with such a bold statement. Many arguments could be presented to support it, but only one is needed. It comes in the form of a promise made by God Himself to Abraham. I will bless those who bless you, but I will curse anyone who curses you; and by you all the families of the earth will be blessed. (Genesis 12:3) As we bless the descendants of Abraham, God’s chosen, treasured people, we bless and glorify God Himself and He, in turn, blesses us.

Ha Tikva

As long as deep in the heart,

The soul of a Jew yearns,

And forward to the East

To Zion, an eye looks

Our hope will not be lost,

The hope of two thousand years,

To be a free nation in our land,

The land of Zion and Jerusalem.

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Pray for shalom in Yerushalayim; may those who love you prosper.

May shalom be within your ramparts, prosperity in your palaces.

For the sake of my family and friends, I say, "Shalom be within you!"

For the sake of the house of ADONAI our God, I will seek your well-being.

-Psalm 122:6-9

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Scripture quotations are taken from the Complete Jewish Bible, copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. www.messianicjewish.net/jntp. Distributed by Messianic Jewish Resources. www.messianicjewish.net. All rights reserved. Used by permission. 

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