Dr. Couch, I heard you speak the other day about a U.S. President who wept over the founding of Israel and the Jewish people. Could you repeat that?
Answer: In 1947 thousands of Jewish survivors of the Holocaust of World War II were struggling back to the Holy Land making way for the creation of the state of Israel. The issue was urgent because of the opposition of the Arabs and the British who were the 'keepers' of the Holy Land by an international mandate.
The future President of the state of Israel, Dr. Chaim Weizmann, came to the White House and pleaded with President Harry Truman to help the Jews establish the new state. Dr. Weizmann was a Jewish chemist who previously taught at the University of Manchester in England. He had greatly aided Britain in developing better explosive ammunitions during World War I. When the state of Israel was formed in June 1948, Weizmann became that country's first President.
In speaking to President Truman, Weizmann said dramatically: "God put you into your mother's womb so that you could be the instrument to bring about the rebirth of Israel after two thousand years [of exile]."
A former Sunday school teacher, and a deeply emotional man (who had read the Bible through at least twice in his life), Truman could see all that he knew of Scripture coming together in what was happening with Israel in their return to their ancient homeland. He realized instantly that prophecy was being fulfilled!
With his biblical imagination running, Truman suddenly burst into uncontrollable tears! One might say at that very moment he became a believing dispensational/premillennialist! Only an amillennial "fool" could miss the fact of what God was doing at that dramatic moment in history!
Thanks for asking.
Dr. Mal Couch
