Israel Independence Day (Yom HaAtzmu'ut)...A Prophecy Fulfilled!

 Israel celebrates 76 years this Tuesday, as they celebrate Yom HaAtzmu’ut (Independence Day). 

There has always been a remnant of Jewish people living in Israel, even during the Diaspora, but as of the census taken last November, the Jewish population in Israel has surpassed the six million mark! (This is significant as during the reign of Hitler, six million Jewish people were killed in the Holocaust). According to the Jerusalem Post, “The day is not far off—experts say within two decades—that a majority of the world’s Jews will live in Israel.”

This is all a fulfillment of the prophecy found in Isaiah 66:7-8: “Before she travailed, she gave birth; before her pain came, she delivered a male child. 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 travailed, she gave birth to her children.” The woman giving birth before going into labor represents Israel. This describes what happened on May 14, 1948 when the Jewish people declared independence for Israel as a united and sovereign nation for the first time in 2,900 years.

That same day, the United States, under the Presidency of Harry Truman, issued a statement recognizing Israel’s sovereignty, while only a few hours beforehand, the UN mandate expired, which ended British control of the land. Over a period of 24 hours, foreign control of the land of Israel had officially ceased and Israel declared its independence. That independence was acknowledged by other nations as well. Modern Israel was literally born in a single day!

Isaiah’s prophecy was written sometime between 701-681 BC and fulfilled in 1948.

All around the world, we celebrate with Israel by listening or singing their national anthem, Hatikva. Please click here and listen to Marty Goetz sing and read the translation below.

English Translation:

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.

Transliteration התקוה Kol od balevav p'nimah כל עוד בלבב פנימה Nefesh Yehudi homiyah נפש יהודי הומיה Ulfa'atey mizrach kadimah ולפאתי מזרח קדימה Ayin l'tzion tzofiyah עין לציון צופיה Od lo avdah tikvatenu עוד לא אבדה תקותנו Hatikvah bat shnot alpayim התקוה בת שנות אלפים L'hiyot am chofshi b'artzenu להיות עם חופשי בארצנו Eretz Tzion v'Yerushalayim ארץ ציון וירושלים