Letters From Grandpa #257
LETTERS FROM GRANDPA #257
Dearest grandchild,
Today’s letter will deal with the promises of God. God doesn’t lie (Tit. 1:2). The promises of God are always “yes” in Christ (2 Cor. 1:20). At a time when promises are broken every day it is comforting to know that you can always count on God to keep His promises!
To illustrate this truth let us narrow our focus to a promise God made to Abraham 4,000 years ago. Among the many promises God made to Abraham we will select only one. God promised that through Abraham’s “Seed” all the families of the earth would be blessed (Gen. 22:18). Paul points out by inspiration that the word “Seed” in this verse is singular and specifically refers to Jesus (Gal. 3:15- 18). This promise, as you know, came true. Against all odds, a childless vagabond named Abraham had a baby by his wife who was past the age of bearing (Heb. 11:11). Through that miraculous child, named Isaac, Abraham became the Father of a nation. Again, against all odds, that nation survived wars and genocide and gave birth to the baby Jesus Whose Gospel is today blessing the whole world.
At the risk of being misunderstood, it is a fact that the prophecies of God sometimes have more than one fulfillment. Hosea 11:1, for example, states “out of Egypt I called my son”. This prophecy refers both to the nation of Israel being called out of Egypt and also to the baby Jesus being called out of Egypt. Yes! Through Jesus, the “Seed” of Abraham, all nations have been blessed. But there is a sense in which this also applies to the Jewish nation. Consider, for example, the following 10 amazing discoveries that were all made by Jews who are also the descendants of Abraham.
m The laser was invented by a Jewish scientist named Theodore Maiman on May 16, 1960. (Light Amplification by Stimulated Emissions of Radiation) It is the laser that makes possible barcode scanners, DVD players, etc. Jewish scientist Zhores Alferov won a Nobel Prize for a special high frequency laser that makes possible the transfer of information from satellites.
m The pacemaker and defibrillator were developed by Jewish cardiologist Paul Zoll.
m In 1972 Jewish scientist Paul Berg created the first recombinant DNA molecules which has made possible modern genetic engineering. His discovery is being utilized in cancer treatment, the development of disease resistant crops, and also many other useful endeavors.
m™ Stainless steel was developed by Jewish chemist Hans Goldschmidt in 1893.
Mass energy equivalence (E=mc2) was discovered by Jewish physicist Albert Einstein.
Cholera and bubonic plague vaccinations were discovered by Jewish bacteriologist Waldemar
Haffkine. He even moved to India for 30 years to closer examine the plagues.
The vaccine for polio was discovered by Jewish biologists Karl Landsteiner and Jonas Salk.
Jewish American Robert Oppenheimer is known as the “father of the atomic bomb”.
Jewish economist David Recardo was the first to use of the term “capitalism” (1817).
Google was founded in 1998 by Jewish colleagues Larry Page and Sergey Brin.
Other Jewish patents involve mathematics, chemistry, physics, optics, medicine, economics,
biotechnology, computer science, robotics, defense, agriculture and breeding, energy, etc.
m World famous scientist Dr. James Tour is a Messianic Jew who has by himself filed for over 120 patents. Yes! The Jewish people are indeed a blessing to our modern world!
Although Jews make up less than one half of one percent of the world’s population, from 1901- 1990 they won 22% of the Nobel prizes in science. In the next few years the Jewish Nobel Prizes increased to 29% and now stand at 32%. Yes! It seems that the world is not only blessed by Jesus, but also by other descendants of Abraham as well.
On May 14, 1948 Israel again became a nation after centuries of being scattered throughout the world. Their tiny homeland was arid and unproductive. Only 20% was arable. Today by using computer controlled drip irrigation, computerized detection of leaks, thermal imaging, biological pest control and new varieties of fruit and vegetables, the Israelis have made the desert blossom like a rose. They now export many agricultural products and even sell tulips to the Netherlands. Anti-Semites who resent their success have started a world wide movement to punish Israel. It is known as BDS (Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions). In spite of all the roadblocks in their way, however, Israel continues to produce a wide variety of goods and services to bless the world. How interesting!
To illustrate the dangers Israel faces every day, Wikipedia states that in 2014 Palestinians launched 4,594 rockets and mortars into Israel to kill men, women, and children. These rockets are frequently launched from schools and hospitals to avoid retaliation. From its creation in June 2006 through June 2016, the UN Human Rights Council has done nothing to protect the “Human Rights” of Israel. In fact, out of 135 resolutions criticizing rogue countries, 68 have criticized Israel. Before giving weight to these criticisms, however, please remember that the U.N. “Human Rights” Council is composed of leaders from the most brutal dictatorships on earth (China, Russia, Cuba, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, etc.) In spite of this Israel continues to prosper and use their creative genius to bless the world.
The point of this letter is not meant to be political. It is a letter from an old man who loves his grandchildren very much. He wants you to have a star by which to steer. He wants you to find stability in a world of confusion. If you place your confidence in the promises of men you are destined for disappointment. If you will place your confidence and trust in the promises of God you will never be disappointed.
I love you,
Grandpa Boyce