WATER IN JORDAN
AND DEVELOPMENTS IN JUDEA
All those who pay attention to the movement of the Jews realize that a new age has dawned for the Jews. We will quote one moving account concerning the development of Palestine:
According to the words of one Jerusalem member of the patriotic Jewish society, development of hydroelectric power on the river Jordan is one of the most notable works of the Jews who have returned to Palestine. This person has been living in Jerusalem for nineteen years. He is now traveling around the nations to tell others about these things in the hope of encouraging the Jews living abroad to migrate back to the Holy Land. He said, "Last year, over thirty thousand Jews (from eastern and central Europe) returned to their motherland. From America, few have returned, except those who are invited to go back to teach people of various professions. Since the war, works in Palestine have been developing at a tremendous pace. During the past one to two years, many projects have been initiated. There is the development of the Jordan hydroelectric works. The planning of this project has been completed, and perhaps by the end of the year, different factories will be operated with the power drawn from the Jordan River. Among the 150,000 Jews in Palestine, 30,000 work on the farms. They are all using the new ways. Palestine can now provide food for three million people. At present, it has about 850,000, among which 700,000 are Arabs. The Arabs have sold their lands to the returned Jews. In this way, there has been no conflict between the local Jews and the newly returned Jews. The Jews want to establish their own nation in Palestine, and they are receiving help and relief from everywhere. England has helped her the most, because it is one of her allies. It is exercising its power to help the Jews, and it is giving the Jews much freedom in their religion and in their work of improvement.
LETTER FROM PALESTINE
The following is a letter from Palestine. It shows us briefly some of the developments in Palestine, and the riches and beauty of Joppa and other places. Indeed, according to prophecy, one day we will see Palestine blossoming as a rose. In the land of Israel there will be many Jews, just as Ezekiel 36 describes. The letter said,
This spring has been balmy and pleasant. There has been much rain, and the temperature has been cool. We are wearing lighter clothing. It is a joy to leave the cold plateau of Jerusalem and to come down to the plain of Joppa. There is a lovely mildness in this land. Concerning the scenery: the places which used to have barren rocks and hilly places are now filled with wheat fields and with grape and orange gardens. I recall the words of Song of Songs: "The winter is past, the rain is over and gone" (2:11). When we arrived in ______, the air there was filled with attractive scents, the smell of oranges. The air was so sweet that even the eastern garden that used to be unappealing has now been filled with fragrance....
(Collected Works of Watchman Nee, The (Set 1) Vol. 07: The Christian (5), Chapter 8, by Watchman Nee)
