The Watchman
In this article, we are going to look at convergence. Three men coming together for the purpose of God, the timing of the convergence, and the purpose. These three men are Mark Twain, Charles Warren, and Theodor Herzl.
Who are these men? First, Mark Twain. I believe he’s the stranger mentioned in Deuteronomy, chapter 29, verses 22-23. That would come from a far land, see the plagues of the land, and tell about them to the world. He was a journalist and would send his reports from the land of that time, called Palestine, where they would appear in newspapers throughout America.
The witness of the stranger would go beyond that shortly after he returned from his journey. He was approached by a publisher to turn the reports of his journey into a book. The book would be released in 1869 and would be called Innocence Abroad. It would become a best seller. I believe this was the fulfillment of the ancient prophecy of the stranger.
You may ask who Charles Warren was. He would later be called the pioneer of archaeology, and he would lay the foundation for the uncovering of Asia and ancient Jerusalem. His measuring and mapping of Jerusalem proved so significant that it opened the door to a greater mission. The next decade would see the mapping of the entire land. The survey would cover the area from Dan to Beersheba, the same boundaries given in the Bible to identify the land of Israel. With every discovery, the connection between the Jewish people and the land was further restored and strengthened. All this would be part of building momentum for a greater restoration. It would take place in the following century and would begin the restoration of Jerusalem.
After measuring Jerusalem and uncovering its ancient pathways, Warren returned to England. There, he was led to write down a vision concerning the land and its future. Warren foresaw the return of the Jewish people from exile and that their return would lead to the birth of a nation. He envisioned the nation of Israel resurrected from the dead.
A Jewish state is recorded in Ezekiel chapter 37. Charles Warren and Mark Twain came to Jerusalem at the same time in 1867. Coincidence? I do not think so. I believe it was the providence of God’s convergence. Just a few years after their visit, the Jewish people went from a minority to a majority. From there, the rest is history.
I wonder what Mark Twain would say if he could come back and see what has happened to the land. He called it desolate. There is a prophecy in Isaiah chapter 62 verses 1-4 concerning the restoration of Zion, Jerusalem, and the land. In verse one of Isaiah 62:1-4, for Zion’s sake I will not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest until the righteousness thereof goes forth as brightness and the salvation thereof is a lamp that burneth. And the gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory, and thou shalt be called a new, which the mouth of the Lord shall name. Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God. Thou shalt no more be termed forsaken, neither shall thy land anymore be turned desolate, but should be called Hephzibah in thy land Beulah. For the Lord delighted in thee, and thy land shall be married.
These scriptures tell us that Israel would fall into great evil but would return to God and be restored to greatness and glory. This brings us to the third person, Theodor Herzl. Who is he? He would become the founder of political Zionism, from the word Zion, the ancient name for Jerusalem and its land. Zionism was the movement for the return of the Jewish people to the land and the restoration of the nation.
Herzal would be called the father of the Jewish state because the paths of Mark Twain and Herzal converged in the same city in the same year. The two were brought together in the very place where Zionism was formed. So the convergence of these three men’s lives came together for God’s purpose to bring the restoration of Israel. Nobody involved in the land’s restoration could have planned or known what was coming; only God’s providence could have foreseen it.
As the restoration continues in the 21st century, we are getting closer to going home to be with the Lord. There are two scriptures in the Bible that tell us about the time, not the day or the hour.
Let’s look at the first scripture, Psalms 102:13, “thou shall rise and have mercy upon Zion, for the time to favor her, the set time, is come.” When is the set time? Look at verse 16 of Psalms 102, when the Lord shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory.
I believe 1867 marked the start of the end-time restoration. Mark Twain recorded in his travels to Palestine that he could go for 30 miles and not see 10 people. Today, Israel’s population is around 10 million.
I believe that since 1948 we’ve witnessed the resurrection that was prophesied in Ezekiel chapter 37. On December 7, 2017, Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Israel is economically, socially, and militarily one of the top nations of the world. So, we are in the timeframe set forth in Psalms 102:13 and Psalms 102:16.
Another scripture that tells us of the time of his return is Matthew 24:14, which says, “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations, and then shall the end come.” Are you ready if he should come today? If not, why not ask Jesus to forgive you and live for him the time you have left?
Stay Tuned, The Watchman
