Elisha Vision – Commentary

 Thus says the Lord Yehovah: “On the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will also enable you to dwell in the cities, and the ruins shall be rebuilt. The desolate land shall be tilled instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass by. So they will say, ‘This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden; and the wasted, desolate, and ruined cities are now fortified and inhabited.’ Then the nations which are left all around you shall know that I, Yehovah, have rebuilt the ruined places and planted what was desolate. I, Yehovah, have spoken it, and I will do it.” Ezekiel 36:33-36

Israel was desolate a hundred years ago, a rocky barren moonscape. Today it is alive with agriculture, flowers, fruit and most of all trees, 250 million trees planted in 100 years! Israel is one on only two countries on the planet that has more trees than in the past.  This is the number planted by the Jewish National Fund. There may have been more planted by other groups.

And there is more to come! The Bible speaks of the desert blossoming like a rose. Israel’s desert is called the Negev, which is also the Hebrew word for “south”, because it is in that part of Israel. Israel’s Negev is indeed blossoming. It is one of only two deserts on earth that is shrinking. All the others are expanding, including the American Southwest. Israel’s desert is shrinking by several meters a year.

Israel’s land primarily consisted of desert until the construction of desalination plants along the country’s coast. The largest percent of desalinated water used in any country is in Israel, which produces 40% of its domestic water use from seawater desalination. The desalination plants, which remove the salt from ocean water, have created a new source of water for farming, drinking, and washing. Wikipedia

This is all the product of science and technology (such as Israel’s invention of drip irrigation). However there is another reason to expect great changes the Negev desert. God has promised the total restoration of Israel. That includes returning the desert to it previous state. What was that? Israel’s Negev used to be a forest! Consider this amazing verse predicting the judgment of the South (Negev in Hebrew).

“and say to the forest of the South, ‘Hear the word of Yehovah! Thus says the Lord Yehovah: “Behold, I will kindle a fire in you, and it shall devour every green tree and every dry tree in you; the blazing flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to thenorth shall be scorched by it.’ “ Ezekiel 20:47

So we know why it became a desert, but what will God do to transform it back to forest land?

Ask Yehovah for rain in the time of the latter rain. Yehovah will make flashing clouds; He will give them showers of rain, grass in the field for everyone. Zechariah 10:1

That is your new assignment!

Les Lawrence, Voice of Christian Zionists     (READ MORE)

(I have taken the liberty to change the word “LORD” to Yehovah. Every single time you see LORD or GOD in all capital letters in the Old Testament, the actual Hebrew word is Yehovah. This name occurs 6,828 times in the Hebrew text, yet remains untranslated in most Bibles. His name, obscured for 2,500 years, is now being revealed. It is TIME to restore the name of Yehovah!) (for deeper study click here.)