Where is My Land? ∙

Where is My Land? ∙

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings. – James 1:1

Genesis 12:1-6

The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.”

So Abram departed as the LORD had instructed. He took his wife, Sarai, and headed for the land of Canaan. When they arrived in Canaan, the LORD appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your descendants.”

Deuteronomy 28:49-67

The LORD will bring a distant nation against you from the end of the earth, and it will swoop down on you like a vulture. They will attack your cities until all the fortified walls in your land – the walls you trusted to protect you – are knocked down. They will attack all the towns in the land the LORD your God has given you.

Though you become as numerous as the stars in the sky, few of you will be left because you would not listen to the LORD your God.

For the LORD will scatter you among all the nations from one end of the earth to the other. There you will worship foreign gods that neither you nor your ancestors have known, gods made of wood and stone! There, among those nations, you will find no peace or place to rest. And the LORD will cause your heart to tremble, your eyesight to fail, and your soul to despair. Your life will constantly hang in the balance. You will live night and day in fear, unsure if you will survive. In the morning, you will say, “If only it were night!” And in the evening, you will say, “If only it were morning!” For you will be terrified by the awful horrors you see around you.

The Story of Bruce’s Beach

Manhattan Beach, located about 25 miles southwest of Los Angeles, is a scenic oceanside community on the Pacific Coast. Its history includes a plot of land once known as Bruce’s Beach, owned by Willa and Charles Bruce, a Black couple. This land was more than just property; it represented opportunity and progress for the Bruce family. However, racial prejudice and systemic injustice eventually deprived them of their rightful ownership.

The Injustice of Eminent Domain

In the 1920s, Bruce’s Beach faced racial discrimination. The city of Manhattan Beach condemned the property, claiming it was needed for a public park. Through eminent domain, the city seized the land and offered the Bruces $14,500 in compensation, which was well below the property’s actual value. By 1927, the family was forced to leave, and two years later, the city demolished the buildings on the land.

For generations, the Bruce family and their descendants asked a simple yet powerful question: Where is my land? This question became a rallying cry for justice, as the family fought for restitution for nearly a century.

A Step Toward Justice

In September 2021, nearly 100 years after the land was taken, the Governor of California signed a bill returning Bruce’s Beach to the descendants of Willa and Charles Bruce. During the signing, the governor acknowledged past wrongs and said, “I want to apologize to the Bruce family for the injustice that was done to them. We haven’t always had a proud past.”

The land’s return marked a major moment in the fight for justice. The Bruce family’s great-grandsons later decided to sell the property back to Los Angeles County for almost $20 million, bringing closure to a long and painful chapter in their family’s history.

Faithfulness in the Face of Injustice

The story of Bruce’s Beach reminds us of God’s unwavering faithfulness, even when humans fail. While people and systems may falter, God’s nature remains constant. He stays true to His promises, bringing hope and restoration during the most difficult times.

REFLECT & PRAY

2 Timothy 2:13: “If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is.”

Father, thank You for keeping Your promises. Even when we falter and become faithless, You remain faithful. Your character is unchanging, and Your justice endures through all generations.

INSIGHT

The Dispersion of the Jewish People

During the time of the New Testament, the Greek term diaspora, translated as “dispersion,” was commonly used to describe Jewish people scattered throughout the Roman Empire who lived outside the land now called Israel. This scattering started with the Assyrian conquest of the Northern Kingdom in 722 BC. The Assyrians deported the Israelites, forcing them to live in various locations within their empire. Later, in 586 BC, the two Southern Tribes of Judah were exiled to Babylon after the Babylonian conquest.

The diaspora continued to grow over the centuries. In 70 AD, after the Romans defeated the last remaining Jewish resistance at Masada, a “worldwide dispersion” began. With the Jewish people exiled from the land of Israel, other groups moved in and took control of the land that the Lord had promised to the Jewish people.

The Promise of Restoration

For nearly 2,000 years, the Jewish people lived in the diaspora, scattered around the world, often asking, “Where is my land?” However, the promise of restoration remained central to their faith and identity.

Isaiah 66:8: “Who has ever seen anything as strange as this? Who ever heard of such a thing? Has a nation ever been born in a single day? Has a country ever come forth in a mere moment?”

This prophecy predicts the miraculous rebirth of the nation of Israel. On May 14, 1948, the modern state of Israel was founded, fulfilling this ancient promise. In a single day, the Jewish people regained their homeland, marking a historic moment.

The Gathering of Israel

The restoration of Israel is not only a historical event but also a fulfillment of God’s promises as recorded in Scripture.

Ezekiel 37:21: “Thus says the Lord GOD, I will gather the people of Israel from among the nations. I will bring them home to their own land from the places where they have been scattered.”

This verse shows God’s unwavering commitment to His covenant with Israel. The gathering of the Jewish people from different nations demonstrates His faithfulness and the fulfillment of His promises.

A Time of Rejoicing in Jerusalem

The restoration of Israel is described as a time of great joy and prosperity.

Isaiah 66:9-12:

“‘Would I ever bring this nation to the point of birth and then not deliver it?’ asks the LORD. ‘No! I would never keep this nation from being born,’ says your God.’

‘Rejoice with Jerusalem! Be glad with her, all you who love her and all you who mourn for her.’ This is what the LORD says: ‘I will give Jerusalem a river of peace and prosperity. The wealth of the nations will flow to her. Her children will be nursed at her breasts, carried in her arms, and held on her lap.’

‘I will comfort you there in Jerusalem as a mother comforts her child.’”

This passage vividly illustrates the joy and abundance that will come with Israel’s restoration. Jerusalem is depicted as a mother who offers comfort, nourishment, and peace to her children. The imagery highlights the miraculous nature of this event and the blessings it will bring.

A Miraculous Birth

The prophecy of Isaiah 66:8 highlights the extraordinary nature of Israel’s rebirth: “Who has ever seen anything as strange as this? Who ever heard of such a thing? Has a nation ever been born in a single day? Has a country ever come forth in a mere moment? But Jerusalem’s children will be born before the birth pains begin.”

This Scripture describes a miraculous birth, one that occurs effortlessly and without labor pains. As Gary Smith notes, “This event is unusual both with respect to the speed of the delivery and the total absence of any pain.” The rebirth of Israel is a clear demonstration of God’s power to accomplish the impossible.

The Faithfulness of God

The restoration of Israel serves as a powerful reminder of God’s faithfulness. What God promises, He fulfills. The rebirth of the nation of Israel in 1948 is a testament to the reliability of God’s Word and His steadfast commitment to His people.

This remarkable event encourages us to reflect on God’s sovereignty and His ability to accomplish His purposes, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

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© Dr. H 2026