Are there prophecies about the Jews returning to the land of Israel to form a nation, in the present-day?
The modern State of Israel was established May 14, 1948. This event was the culmination of a vote in 1947 by the newly formed United Nations. The Israeli nation was born in spite of international opposition and the bitter resentment of Israel’s Arab neighbors.
The Bible reveals an earlier occurrence which finds parallels when some captive Jews were allowed to return from Babylon to rebuild the Temple and the Jewish nation. In this case, God very specifically told the Jewish people that He would make it possible for them to return:
“For thus says the LORD: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place” (Jeremiah 29:10).
Daniel the prophet came to understand this prophecy, and he stated:
“In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the lineage of the Medes, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans—in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years specified by the word of the LORD through Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem” (Daniel 9:1-2).
The fulfillment of God’s promise is recorded in the Book of Ezra:
“Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying, Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: All the kingdoms of the earth the LORD God of heaven has given me. And He has commanded me to build Him a house at Jerusalem which is in Judah. Who is among you of all His people? May his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel (He is God), which is in Jerusalem. And whoever is left in any place where he dwells, let the men of his place help him with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, besides the freewill offerings for the house of God which is in Jerusalem” (Ezra 1:1-4).
God prepared for these events! The Book of Isaiah contains an astounding prophecy which actually names Cyrus and commissions him to perform God’s Will regarding Judah’s return from captivity and the re-establishment of the Jewish nation (compare Isaiah 44:28; 45:1-5, 13). Isaiah prophesied over 150 years before the time of Cyrus!
Now why was it important to God that the Jewish remnant should return to the land of Israel following the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple of God? The answer centers on the first appearance of the Messiah!
Jesus Christ was born of a human mother of the tribe of Judah (Luke 3:23-38; Hebrews 7:14). Many Old Testament prophecies point to Jesus, and they are very specific about Him coming to His own people of Judah to begin His redemptive work:
“He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him” (John 1:10-11; compare Mark 6:1-6; Luke 4:16-30; Acts 3:12-18).
Even though the entire world which had been made by Him rejected Him, special emphasis is also being given here to the Jewish people—“His own”—who did not and still do not accept Him.
The rejection of Jesus Christ by the rulers of Judah proved to be devastating to the nation—just as it was in the time of Jeremiah’s warnings to the people of God’s impending judgment! Note what Jesus prophesied for the city of Jerusalem because of their refusal to repent:
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! See! Your house is left to you desolate for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ “(Matthew 23:37-39).
Here, Jesus provides a key to begin unlocking the answer as to whether or not a modern nation of Judah would once again be established. Jesus metaphorically addresses the city of “Jerusalem” as representative, that is, as the seat of government for the nation of Israel—specifically, the ruling tribe, Judah (Genesis 49:10; 1 Chronicles 28:4). By what He said, then, we can understand that Jerusalem will exist at the time of Jesus’ return to earth.
History gives us a record of the destruction of the Temple of that time, which occurred in 70 AD. Subsequently, the entire Jewish nation was driven out of the land of Israel, and the Jews became a scattered, remnant people, grouped together by ethnicity and religion in countries all around the world. However, the prophecies of Jesus must and will be fulfilled!
Jesus also told His disciples to watch for the prophesied “‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (Matthew 24:15). This prophecy refers to the inner sanctuary in the Temple of God, which is behind the veil and is called “the Most Holy Place” (Ezekiel 41:4). This has not yet been fulfilled! Numerous prophecies indicate that a new Temple of God will arise in Jerusalem, and this is a task which Jews will complete—just as they have done in the past. In the Book of Haggai, a prophecy is given which far transcends reference to the rebuilding of the Temple that occurred in his time:
“For thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘Once more (it is a little while) I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land; and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this temple with glory,’ says the LORD of hosts. ‘The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,’ says the LORD of hosts. The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former,’ says the LORD of hosts. ‘And in this place I will give peace,’ says the LORD of hosts” (Haggai 2:6-9).
In Genesis 49, Jacob presented to his twelve sons prophecies of their circumstances “in the last days” (Genesis 49:1; verses 2-28). In Revelation 7, twelve of the tribes of Israel are sealed for special protection from God during the horrific events leading to the return of Jesus Christ. Among those sealed is the tribe of Judah (verse 5). By these references we can establish the continued existence of the tribe of Judah. Regardless of the mindless hatred against Jews, they have and will continue to exist—and, in the future reign of Jesus Christ as King of kings and Lord of lords over all the earth, Jews will be among the most highly cherished and respected people (Zechariah 2:12; 8:23).
Now let’s examine some more remarkable prophecies about the existence of a Jewish nation with the capital of Jerusalem in our time:
“Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it” (Zechariah 12:2-3).
At no other time in history have “all nations of the earth” gathered against Jerusalem as is now happening! For prophecy to be fulfilled, Jerusalem, ruled by the Jewish people, has become the object of world attention.
Another critical prophecy is finding fulfillment in the deteriorating relationship between the State of Israel, the United Kingdom and the United States—all three nations are among the modern descendants of the sons of Jacob:
“Manasseh (USA) shall devour Ephraim (UK), and Ephraim Manasseh; Together they shall be against Judah (STATE OF ISRAEL). For all this His anger is not turned away, But His hand is stretched out still” (Isaiah 9:21).
The strategic ties between these sons of Jacob are further described in a prophecy in Zechariah 11:14 in which the “brotherhood” between Israel and Judah is broken.
These, along with many other prophecies in the Bible, attest to the existence of a modern nation of Jewish people—now called the State of Israel—with Jerusalem as its capital city.
Finally, there remains an ominous fact for the people of the State of Israel and for Jerusalem—destruction and captivity will come! Consider this end-time prophecy, something that has not yet happened, and the scale described is nothing short of global war:
“Behold, the day of the LORD is coming, And your spoil will be divided in your midst. For I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem; The CITY shall be taken, The houses rifled, And the women ravished. Half of the CITY shall go into captivity, But the remnant of the people shall not be cut off from the CITY” (Zechariah 14:1-2).
The Bible speaks in many places of Jesus Christ returning to this earth, and He will return to the city of Jerusalem—to the Mount of Olives (Zechariah 14:4; Acts 1:11), and enter the Temple of God in Jerusalem (Malachi 3:1; even though this passage also refers to Christ’s Second Coming to His spiritual Temple—the Church—it includes His Coming to a physical Temple which will still be built in Jerusalem). And although great trials are ahead before this occurs, the Holy Land will then find peace—for Jews and for all the House of Israel (Zechariah 1:17).
Consider, also, how God’s peace will then be available to everyone:
“They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD As the waters cover the sea (Isaiah 11:9).”
The modern State of Israel with its capital—Jerusalem—is and will continue to fulfill prophecies leading to the return of Jesus Christ, and this time, the Jewish people will recognize Him for Who He is—the Savior of the World!
Lead Writer: Dave Harris
