This Article: (5 Pages)
- 1. How do we begin to understand... Prophecy?
- 2. A Nation as Witness to God's... Existence
- 3. The Living Witnesses
- 4. Restoration of Israel
- 5. Modern Israel Witnesses today to... God's Existence
5) Modern Israel Witnesses today to God's Existence
What did the prophets say would happen after the Jews had been scattered among the nations?
In the closing years of the nineteenth century with the Zionist movement and persecution in Russia, some Jews filtered back into the land that was at the time called Palestine. But it was not until WW2 that they were driven out of Europe by Hitler. Six million were killed and a remnant managed to flee as refugees. In 1948 the United Nations voted for partition to allow a homeland in Israel for the Jews.
We can now witness a continuing fulfilment of prophecy. You might argue that the New Testament changed all that and the Old Testament has little relevance to today. You might consider that Christianity changed the way we should consider the Old Testament.
New Testament supports the Old Testament Prophets
Yeshua frequently warned the Jewish leaders of his day that they needed to know the writings of Moses, the Psalms and the Prophets. Does this still apply to us today. Look at what James says. He is quoting from Amos 9: 11-12 to prove that Israel would again be rebuilt.
Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,
After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.(Acts 15: 14-17)
Luke gives the time setting for when Jerusalem would once again belong to the Jewish people.
And they (the Jews) shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.(Luke 21:24)
In 1967 Israel was attacked by the surrounding Arab nations in their attempt to destroy Israel. In an amazing battle which lasted six days, the small nation defeated the overwhelming numbers of her Arab enemies and gained control of their ancient city of Jerusalem. Jerusalem had been subjected to the control of other nations for almost 2000 years. Over 40 years later we can see continuing Arab antagonism and hostility towards Israel and the emergence again of anti-Semitism. We are witnessing that promise of the regathering of the Jews into their traditional homeland, which was prophesied would occur after the dispersal of the Jewish people into all nations, that occurred after the Romans destroyed Jerusalem in AD70.
Yeshua also made a prophecy and promise related to the disciples, about the “regeneration”. We are seeing the “regeneration” or rebirth of Israel. In our privileged position and the wealth of knowledge available to us we can look back at history and see those witnesses, the Jews, through all their adversities fulfilling the prophecies given thousands of years ago that we might have hope in the future of a Kingdom and peace on earth.
And Jesus said unto them (the disciples), Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration (rebirth/restoration) when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.(Matthew 19:28)
Yeshua saw a future, a regeneration, for the nation of Israel. In the past fifty years we have seen that beginning of the rebirth of the nation. There are other prophecies yet to be fulfilled, but we can have faith that they will be and that ultimately there will be peace on earth and salvation for the faithful. The letter to the Hebrews assures us that Yahweh's promises will not fail.
Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.(Hebrews 6: 17-20)
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Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God. (1 Corinthians 4:5)
This may be one of the most misunderstood passages of the Bible. Paul is notorious for long sentences of connected thoughts, and this is part of a complex wide ranging thought which lasts 2 chapters, and includes what seems opposite advice:
But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person. (1 Cor. 5:11-13)
We were asked what early documents establish that Rosh of Ezekiel 38 is Russia. The answer is in 2 parts, as we explain the trajectory from fulfilled prophecy in history to prophecy yet to be fulfilled.
The Revelation 12 Sign
There is much written about the sun, moon and planets aligning on in September 2017. We have many reasons for suspecting that 2017 will be a prophetically significant year, and the time of the Jewish feast of Sukkot could be more significant than any other time, but we need to understand the scripture before we consider the stars.
As I was thinking to write this article, having just read Psalm 46 as I do each year on that day, on January 25th a Bible was found untouched after a tornado hit Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
