In 1917 British General Allenby captured Jerusalem, the City of Peace, without firing a shot. Added to this remarkable circumstance is the fact that the capture occurred on Hanukkah, or the Feast of Dedication. Hanukkah is in remembrance of the recapture of the Temple in 164 B.C. In John 10:22 the Lord Jesus celebrated Hanukkah.

Prior to the capture of Jerusalem, the British forces were arrayed against the Turks at a village called Michmash. An officer, Major Vivian Gilbert, recognized the name Michmash and searched his Bible for mention of this village. He found the story in First Samuel chapters 13 and 14. In the story the Philistines were encamped at Michmash and Jonathan, the son of King Saul, and his armor-bearer climbed up the cliff beneath Michmash, found a gap between two sharp rocks, and surprised the Philistine garrison. The garrison supposed they had been attacked by all of Saul’s army and fled.

Major Gilbert took the Bible to his commanding officer, and woke him up. After they read the story again, patrols were sent out and the gap was found. It was lightly guarded by the Turks, and two sharp rocks were just beyond.

The following is from The Bible As History, by Werner Keller, pages 179-180:

• “Up on top, beside Michmash, they could see by the light of the moon a small flat field. The brigadier altered his plan of attack. Instead of deploying the whole brigade he sent one company through the pass under cover of darkness. The few Turks whom they met were overpowered without a sound, the cliffs were scaled, and shortly before daybreak the company had taken up a position [in the small flat field.]”

• “The Turks woke up and took to their heels in disorder since they thought they were being surrounded by Allenby’s army. They were all killed or taken prisoner. And so, after thousands of years British troops successfully copied the tactics of Saul and Jonathan.”

Here is a case where history repeated itself because a man had studied his Bible, and took it to be true. If only our leaders today would study the Bible and understand that it is true. They would save themselves a lot of trouble, and maybe save their lives and their souls in the process.

God is in control, and He does not change. (Malachi 3:6) May His name be praised always!