Israel had to move from Canaan to Egypt to get away from the famine. They ended up residing in Goshen, the area where they remained for approximately 200 years before leaving to return to Canaan at the Exodus. During this long sojourn, the Bible says that Israel multiplied exceedingly. As a matter of fact, in this period of just over 2 centuries, they multiplied from 70 souls to over 600,000 men over twenty years old plus inestimable women and children (Ex. 12:37).
The most outstanding characteristic of the Jews is their ability to resist all attempts to exterminate them and to proliferate in times of affliction. The Bible recounts several instances throughout their history when the Jews survived efforts to eliminate them to only come back stronger in the end. This is the result of God’s promise to Abraham, "I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee," (Gen. 12:3). They are divinely protected, "For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed," (Mal. 3:6).
Here are some examples of the way the Jews have continued to survive as a nation and grow in affliction:
- In slavery in Egypt, Ex. 1:11-12, 20. In spite of the fact that Pharaoh "made their lives bitter with hard bondage," (Ex. 12:14), instructed the midwives to kill the baby boys, and ordered the baby boys drowned in the river, the Jews "multiplied and waxed very mighty." "The more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew."
- In the invasion of the Midianites, Jud. 6:1-6. The Midianites and the Amalekites invaded Israel and literally wiped out the food supply. By a little army of 300 men, Gideon was able to start a war that left 120,000 of the enemy dead after the first round of fighting (Jud. 8:10) and resulted in the Midianites being subdued. The land had rest for 40 years after this victory (Jud. 8:28).
- In David’s ascent to the throne, 2 Sam. 8:1-8. David was anointed king of Israel long before he ever took the throne. In the interim, Saul attempted to kill David repeatedly, in an attempt to get his own son, Jonathan, to succeed him in the throne. During this time, David got up a small group of soldiers (400 to start with) and eventually expanded his small army to 600 soldiers (1 Sam. 22:1-2; 23:13). By the time he was established as king over all Israel, he had conquered his enemies on every side and expanded his border all the way to the Euphrates River (Gen. 15:18).
- In Nehemiah’s reconstruction of Jerusalem, Neh. 6:15-16. Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabians, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites tried to keep the walls of Jerusalem from being built (Neh. 4:7-18). The builders had to work with a tool in one hand and a weapon in the other to defend themselves. In spite of the constant harassment, the Jews finished the wall in 52 days and were strengthened in their work with joy (Neh. 8:10).
- In Haman’s decree to exterminate them, Est. 3:8-13. King Ahasuerus decreed to destroy all of the Jews in his 127 provinces, following Haman’s wicked counsel. A decree of the king could never be reversed. Miraculously, God exposed Haman’s wicked plot and Haman was killed. A new decree was issued allowing the Jews to defend themselves if they were attacked. As a result, the Jews survived extermination and destroyed 75, 800 of their enemies (Est. 9:12, 15-16).
- In World War II. Hitler, a type of the antichrist, tried to exterminate the Jews, killing 6,000,000 of them in the Holocaust. His attempt failed and the Jews ended up being granted statehood in 1948.
- In the tribulation, Is. 37:31-32. The antichrist and the nations of the world will fight against the Jews in the tribulation. Their aim will be the final elimination of Israel forever. They will succeed in beating down the nation to a remnant before the Lord returns. However, before the Jews are destroyed, Jesus Christ will return and destroy the nations that attack Israel. In the end, Israel will become the greatest nation on the earth, ruling over all other nations (Is. 60:10-12; Is. 11:10; Zech. 8:22-23; Mic. 4:2, 7).
God’s blessing is on Israel. All men and countries that have fought them in order to destroy them have only succeeded in temporary and partial victories. In the end, their enemies have always been defeated and the Jews wind up multiplying exceedingly. Therefore, the United Nations’ desire to wipe out Israel will fail.