Jesus said, 

“Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” (Luke 21:24)

A time was coming, he tells us, when the city would once again be in the hands of the Jewish people. I doubt those listening to him at the time could have possibly imagined how many years would pass before this prophecy came true.

For the first time in over two millennia, since before the Roman conquest, Israel regained control of Jerusalem in 1967. As controversial as the Six-Day War still is with all the subsequent fallout, the sheer number of “coincidences” that happened show that these events have God’s fingerprints all over them. Many miracles were reported over the duration of those six days which led to a highly improbable victory (a repeating theme in the history of both modern and ancient Israel). Yeshua’s words were coming to pass.

In the weeks leading up to the war, Israelis were growing increasingly concerned as Egypt, Jordan and Syria formed a military alliance, and began moving aircraft into position for attack. The Israelis knew that they were vastly outnumbered compared to the combined forces of Iraq and the allied Arab neighbours both in forces and equipment. So many Israeli deaths were expected that all of the public parks in Jerusalem were designated as cemeteries by the rabbis in advance.

A grim joke was circulating among Israelis; “The last one to leave, please turn out the lights!” They were anticipating another genocide of devastating proportions.

Some who had put their faith in Israel's Defence Forces as their “Messiah” understood that all things considered, they were not going to win this war. The odds were stacked far too highly against them. However, what actually happened caused many Israeli atheists to doubt their own atheism. 

Miscommunication, mishaps and miracles

Having only a quarter of the air force of their opponents, early on the 6th June, Israel sent 200 planes towards Egyptian airbases in order to reduce their great advantage. Despite efforts to fly low enough to avoid detection by radar, the planes were spotted by the Jordanians, but the coding frequencies had changed just the day before, and so the message never got through. The attack was a complete surprise. Israel was able to take out half the Egyptian air force, and gain a chance at survival. 

From inexplicable paralysis coming upon troops of Egyptian soldiers to peculiar unexploding bombs landing and perching on piles of Israeli munitions, accounts of miracles of those six days are many and varied. Scores of such stories have been catalogued in the documentary series, “Against All Odds, Israel Survives”. Michael Greenspan, a seasoned journalist, presents eyewitness accounts and commentary by high-ranking government officials, generals, soldiers, historians and foreign leaders telling the remarkable stories of Israel's miraculous victories.

In one episode, an Israeli who was fighting for Jerusalem later became friends with one of the Arabs he had been fighting against. He had always wondered why, when there were only 9 Israeli soldiers with a few bullets left between them, the hundreds of Jordanian soldiers didn't take the opportunity to finish them off? They just dropped their weapons and ran away, shouting “Ibrahim! Ibrahim!” He asked his friend what happened that day. Apparently, as the Israeli soldiers were wishing one another luck and saying their final goodbyes, the Arabs before them suddenly saw a vision of Father Abraham behind them, telling them in Arabic to drop their weapons and surrender to the Israeli soldiers! They were so terrified by the apparition that they ran off, shouting the name of the prophet.[1] 

After reporting in detail on the remarkable events of the short war, the military correspondent for Haaretz newspaper in the analysis of events concluded that, “Even a non-religious person must admit this war was fought with help from heaven.” [2]

God's hand at work

“The Six Day War was a huge moment of seeing God's Hand intervene on behalf of the Jewish People,” explains Joel Rosenberg. “That's what was so extraordinary, that you had this moment where Arab/Islamic leaders were saying we're going to throw the Jews into the sea and it looked like another holocaust was immanent. Suddenly, in six days, the Jewish people defended themselves, destroyed their enemies, tripled their land; recaptured control of Jerusalem for the first time in 2,000 years and on the seventh day they rested.”[3]

Moreover, these deeply significant events in Jerusalem seem to have been a catalyst in the spiritual realm, as many revivals and movements broke out in 1967. The Jesus Movement saw approximately one million people come to faith as it swept the United States of America, many of whom were Jewish. It was one of the biggest waves of Jewish people coming to faith that the world had ever seen, and many of them moved to Israel helping to pioneer ministries and congregations, many of which are still here today. Similarly, there was a huge renewal movement in the English church at that time, and among some Catholics too, where dry, dusty religion was brought back to life. And perhaps it is just a coincidence, but all just happened to be in a year that comes around only twice in a century – the year of Jubilee.

“And you shall consecrate the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you, when each of you shall return to his property and each of you shall return to his clan.” Lev 25:10

“When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
    we were like those who dream.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
    and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then they said among the nations,
    “The Lord has done great things for them.”
The Lord has done great things for us;
    we are glad.” (Psalm 126:1-3)

[1] Bill McKay: Against All Odds (July 31, 2011)
[2] HaTekufa HaGedola, Rabbi Menachem Kasher, Chap. Sichu B’chol Niflaotav, p. 445, 5761 edition
[3] CBN: Israel's 1967 Miracle, Chris Mitchell, June 05, 2007