Israel is God’s vehicle to bring salvation to all the world. God created Israel to be His “Kingdom” on earth. Nine times, He described the Land of Israel as His “Land”—“the place He has chosen as the dwelling place for His Name.” The covenant with Abraham is described as “everlasting” or “forever”. Israel’s rebirth in 1948 after almost 1900 years was a miracle, a miracle which Jesus prophesied in the Olivet Discourse (parable of the fig tree) as the first major sign prior to His return.