2) Why it seemed hard to enter the Land: Aliyah

As it is written, 'I have set before you an open door'.

Research by an Israeli published in 2007 showed that a few in Britain, knowing the prophecy about to be fulfilled, funded Laurence Oliphant's work in Israel 1882-8 settling European Jews in Palestine, amounting to nearly £1000 pounds plus clothing.

In 1880's £1000 was ~ 20 families yearly wage. In 1881 annual income was 40 - 120 pounds (skilled manufacturing 80, teacher 120). Weekly wage of labourer 13s/7pence

In today's terms £1000 is about a million dollars. Overall it was not much, as the majority of people who had some expectation did nothing. But the article says

“much of their aid came before the Baron’s {Rothschild} organization was operating fully, and so acted as a kind of bridge, enabling the settlers of Rosh Pinna and Zichron Yaakov to hold on during that crucial time.”

It saved the settlers from hunger, and strengthened the needy to stay and farm the desolate land. This was the beginning of the first Aliyah, the first wave of Jews returning. Laurence Oliphant and all those he stirred up saw that Jews would return to the Promised Land, while it was impossible.

Even in 1882 Oliphant struggled negotiating with Russian and Ottoman authority as it seemed all things were against the settlement. Yet history now shows this was the beginning of faith being made sight. Why was it so hard for Jews to enter? That generation knew the scriptures far better than today's generation, where many christains don't even read their Bible through. The return of the Jews was sure. Yahweh had declared,

Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely: (Jeremiah 32:37)

Why was it so hard for them to enter?

Didn't Yahweh say he would bring them?

If it was hard in 1882, it got more difficult. A few had written & preached that Britain and Commonwealth would likely aid the establishment of a Jewish homeland, from the tiem fo Mede and Isaac Newton which it indeed did, when it proclaimed in the Balfour declaration in 1917, which then became written into international law in 1920 when Britain obtained the mandate over Palestine. But when Jews had nowhere to go during persecution and attempted annilation in Europe, Britain actively restricted immigration.

So if Yahweh put Balfour, like Esther in power, then why was it so hard for Jews to enter the land when he clearly wanted them there? What does it tell us about our entrance to the kingdom?

Most would have heard of the ship Exodus. Due to the British restriction, the Jews formed Aliyah Bet, parallel illegal immigration. The Exodus in 1947 tried to run the British blockade with over 4,000 Jews on board. They were turned back and ended up back in Germany. Why did they try to run the blockade in over crowed leaky ships in often poor weather? Jews in large numbers now really wanted with all their desire to go to the Holy Land. From the 2007 article by the Israeli Amit on Oliphant.

In 1882 Oliphant understood, “not to be deterred {by Jews being discouraged from Aliyah) wrote: The movement of the Jews to Palestine is a movement that doubtlessly deserves our sympathy. The yearning for the Holy Land is only quenched in Jews by the temptations of material prosperity.”

Material prosperity! Does that quench our desire to enter the open door, to take the narrow path? With avenues to material prosperity cut off, they learned to chose hope. they were taught to desire it, as something that had to be worked for. From a Jewish source,

The Jews saw Palestine as the only land in which they could renew their lives. This was the result of years of suffering and despair, where Palestine remained their only hope. http://www.palyam.org/English/Hahapala/mainpage

From an personal account of an American Jew who illegally immigrated via France and ended up at Cyrus, there is an eyewitness of this hope which he calls 'high morale',

The voyage of the Lanegev was long and arduous, plagued by storms, and at times perilous. It was typical of the voyages of dozens of ships of the Hagana that sailed the Mediterranean during that period. They were usually old ships, overloaded, terribly crowded, and lacking in adequate sanitary facilities. But two things characterized all of them: the high morale of the passengers, who, despite the utter lack of physical comfort, knew that they were at last going home; http://www.palyam.org/Hahapala/Teur_haflagot/Lanegev_kaufman1

See how the names of the ships running the blockade changed.

Aliyah Bet ships and their dates of voyage

Name	Passengers	Arrival Date
Hagana (Heb. Miltary force)	2,670	July 1946
Wedgewood	1,250	July 1946
Chaim Arlosoroff	1,398	February 1947
Ben Hecht	599	March 1947
Hatikva (Heb. Hope)	1,422	May 1947
Exodus	4,493	July 1947
Geula (Heb. Redemption)	1,385	October 1947
Jewish State	2,664	October 1947
Ingathering of Exiles	7,557	December 1947
Independence	7,612	December 1947

*new name as Aliyah Bet ship

The Exodus was made famous by a book and movie. In the fiction here was another ship running the blockade which was called 'Door of Hope'. It may be that someone knew their scriptures

Then,

And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor (Troubled) for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt. (Hosea 2:15)

The famous ship named 'Exodus' reminds us it was 'as in the day she came up out if the land of Egypt'.

The valley of trouble was given for a door of hope. It is part of a pattern. A pattern for all Yahweh's people.

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