Harry Truman and the Jewish haberdasher

In February of 2018, a man who had a tip on an allegedly great racehorse decided to take a chance on his information. He called a Las Vegas futures sportsbook and bet $500 on the horse to win the 2018 Kentucky Derby.

The horse had not raced before that date and wasn't even entered to run in the Kentucky Derby as yet. The man received 300:1 odds for his wager.

The horse's name was Justify. The bettor earned $150,000 when the thoroughbred won the Kentucky Derby May 5, 2018.

This is a perfect example of luck.

Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall the earth be made to give birth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion was in labor, she gave birth to her children? (Isaiah 66:8)

This prophecy was spoken by the prophet Isaiah 125 years before Judah was herded off to Babylon in 586 B.C. With this dispersion, Israel and its homeland dreams were tossed into history's dumpster for lost causes.

Yet, Isaiah's prophecy – along with dozens of others – was fulfilled when Israel became an independent nation on May 14, 1948.

Unlike luck, which operates through random chance, biblical prophecies are backed by God's omniscience. These prophecies provide a storyline for God to bring His plans out of the spiritual sphere and into the earthly realm. He orchestrates behind the scenes with people and events until the timing is perfect on His calendar. Then, He draws the curtain back and the prophecy is fulfilled for all to see.

It's my opinion that one of God's master strokes of orchestration for Israel becoming a nation occurred when 20-year-old Harry Truman met 14-year-old Edward Jacobson in 1905.

Truman worked for a bank in downtown Kansas City while Jacobson worked at a nearby men's clothing store. Neither cared about their age difference or that Truman was a Baptist and Jacobson a Jew. They enjoyed having lunches together.

The perfect film for celebrating the anniversary of Israel's rebirth: "70 Years: Israel's Prophetic Past, Present and Future"

Soon afterward, Truman left his job and went home to work on the family farm.

Their relationship was renewed 12 years later in 1917 when both were surprised to learn the other had joined the Missouri National Guard. They fought alongside each other in France and returned home on the same ship. It was there on the North Atlantic Ocean they decided to open a haberdashery shop together in downtown Kansas City. The partnership thrived for two years, but the recession of 1921 forced them into bankruptcy in 1922, leaving both deeply in debt.

Afterward, Truman went into politics and Jacobson became a traveling salesman for men's clothing. They kept in touch through letters and family gatherings over the years.

What odds would Las Vegas have given that a man who had no college degree would be elevated from an obscure county judge position to that of U. S. senator from Missouri? To accomplish this feat, four men had to turn down the opportunity to be the Democratic nominee before Truman was asked. Truman then surprised everyone with his election as senator in 1934.

Next, what were the odds of President Franklin D. Roosevelt dumping his popular vice president – Henry Wallace – and selecting Sen. Harry Truman to be his running mate for his 1944 presidential campaign?

All of the above unforeseen events had to happen for Harry Truman to be sworn into office as the 33rd U. S. president on April 12, 1945, the afternoon of FDR's death.

President Truman was immediately tossed into a whirlwind of events requiring difficult decisions. But let's look at a particular meeting held at the White House three years after his inauguration.

Earlier in 1948, President Truman had tangled with a Zionist delegation that demanded Truman help set up a state for the European Jewish refugees. The bitter argument so soured Truman on helping the Jews that he demanded the word "Palestine" never be uttered in his presence again.

This argument caused Truman to cancel a meeting with Dr. Chaim Weizmann, president of the World Zionist Organization, who had flown from London to meet Truman. Weizmann was devastated but learned about Jacobson's relationship with the president. Jacobson was then asked to help arrange a meeting with Truman.

On March 13, 1948, Edward Jacobson walked into Truman's office. They shook hands and chitchatted about their families.

"OK, Eddie, why are you here?" asked Truman.

"Please, Harry, I want you to talk with Dr. Weizmann," replied Jacobson, choosing his words wisely so as not to use the word "Palestine."

Truman's outburst to his plea shocked Jacobson. His eyes filled with tears.

"Harry, all your life, Andrew Jackson has been your hero," whispered Jacobson. "Well, my hero is Chaim Weizmann. You've got to do me this one favor. See this tired, old man. He's come halfway across the world to see you. Just give him a few minutes of your time."

Truman drummed his fingers on his desk. "OK, you bald-headed son of a —. I'll see him."

President Truman met Dr. Chaim Weizmann a few days later. Weizmann's words convinced the president to back the new state of Israel.

The president kept his promise by issuing a formal statement of recognition 11 minutes after Israel's announcement of its new nationhood status on May 14, 1948. Our nation was the first to do so.

Was this the hand of God intervening in the lives of Truman and Jacobson to fulfill Israel's destiny? I believe so.

And who knows?

Perhaps God has prepared President Trump in much the same way for his recent decisions on Jerusalem.