Life from the Dead
Date farming was the family business. They had settled about ten miles outside the city of Jerusalem. Her ancestors worked this land for centuries and now it was paying off.
The beautiful date palms towered above giving significant shade for her weary head. Their honey-like fruit was a welcome refreshment from her tiresome work. She helped with every aspect of care for these sweet fruit givers: digging the first fertilized hole for the new palms, watering each leafy frond, and harvesting the ripe dates for sale. Her well-worn hands cradled one stray date. It tumbled from her hand into the basket being prepared for Masada, the mountaintop fortress.
Unbeknownst to this first-century date farmer, the Roman army would invade in 70 CE. Jerusalem would be burned to the ground and the temple leveled. The wake of destruction would cripple the land of Israel. Agriculture would eventually die out. The date palms…extinct. Masada would fall in a bloodbath three years later.
I can imagine the journey this small date made from the valley of palms to Masada. Tumbling along in route to the top the of the mountain citadel. What is astonishing is the fact that this date pit would stay dormant for the next 2,000 years. Kingdoms would rise and fall. It would remain hidden until this century.
The arid desert environment served the preservation of this seed well. The seed was dead. With no ability for it to mix with water, the DNA code could not be unlocked to germinate. It remained in this dry state for generations until it hit the hands of a Sarah Sallon[1], a doctor in pursuit of ancient medicinal breakthroughs. Her tenacity was aided by Elaine Solowey, a researcher at the Arava Institute of Environmental Studies, who poured the first drops of water on this ancient treasure.
Their hard work and care for the last 10 years has paid off. Now the first dates are being harvested from a date palm ironically named Hannah, after the Hannah of Scripture who was barren until the LORD gave her Samuel.
The sweet ancient fruit, from a 2,000-year-old seed, is back in the hands of Israeli farmers.
Similarly, the heart of the Jewish people has been laid dormant. When the nation rejected God’s final sacrifice of the Passover Lamb, a season of spiritual barrenness and silence ensued, much like the date seed. Romans 11:25 speaks of this mystery. “Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.”
This truth has been witnessed by generations. A study found that of all the evangelical believers in the world only a fraction of 1% are of Jewish descent.
If we study the prophetic calendar we also notice after the Spring Feasts (all fulfilled by the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus the Messiah and the outpouring of the Spirit of God) there is a four-month harvest period. This period of time represents when the gospel must go to the whole world and then it will return to the nation of Israel.
This 2,000-year-old promise is still active. God is faithful to His people. He will again have mercy and pour out the latter rains of His Spirit on the nation.
To those who love and support the Jewish people:
Be tenacious.
Be available.
Keep holding out your hand in dedication.
Keep being the light of Messiah.
Share the water of His Word with those who are perishing.
Who knows if it’s your cup which you are offering to a thirsty soul that could begin the germination of a national spiritual harvest, to the glory of God.
“For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead?” Romans 11:15
Written by Kori, LIFE staff
Ezekiel’s “dry bones” prophecy in Chapter 37 speaks of God putting His Spirit in the reconstructed skeleton as the last life-giving step for a regathered nation of Israel. Will you join us in praying for the Spirit’s life-giving work among the Jewish people?