God's Plan for Israel

For my Christian brothers and sisters who don't believe the return of Israel to their land is a fulfillment of prophecy, or perhaps believe God is done with Israel for good, how do you explain your position in light of Joel 3?

For context, here are some excerpts from Joel Chapter 2 that show this is regarding the last days. Joel writes about the Day of The Lord in verse one and two:

¹Blow the trumpet in Zion;
sound the alarm on my holy hill.

Let all who live in the land tremble,
for the day of the Lord is coming.
It is close at hand—
² a day of darkness and gloom,
a day of clouds and blackness.
Like dawn spreading across the mountains
a large and mighty army comes,
such as never was in ancient times
nor ever will be in ages to come.

 

Then in verse 20, a possible reference to the Gog and Magog invasion:

²⁰ “I will drive the northern horde far from you,
pushing it into a parched and barren land;
its eastern ranks will drown in the Dead Sea
and its western ranks in the Mediterranean Sea.
And its stench will go up;
its smell will rise.”

 

Then to wrap up chapter 2 there is a passage that is also repeated by Luke in the book of Acts when the current stage of eschatology had just begun:

²⁸ “And afterward,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your old men will dream dreams,
your young men will see visions.
²⁹ Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days.
³⁰ I will show wonders in the heavens
and on the earth,
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
³¹ The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.
³² And everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved;
for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem
there will be deliverance,
as the Lord has said,
even among the survivors
whom the Lord calls.

 

Throughout chapter 3 it speaks of Israel being scattered across the nations, a final judgment for the offenders and that Israel will inhabit the land of Judah (Israel) forever. I will underline the scriptures that clearly outline that this event has not happened yet and I will touch on some of them below.

The Nations Judged

3 “In those days and at that time,
when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem,
² I will gather all nations
and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat.
There I will put them on trial
for what they did to my inheritance, my people Israel,
because they scattered my people among the nations
and divided up my land.
³ They cast lots for my people
and traded boys for prostitutes;
they sold girls for wine to drink.

⁴ “Now what have you against me, Tyre and Sidon and all you regions of Philistia? Are you repaying me for something I have done? If you are paying me back, I will swiftly and speedily return on your own heads what you have done. ⁵ For you took my silver and my gold and carried off my finest treasures to your temples. ⁶ You sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks, that you might send them far from their homeland.

⁷ “See, I am going to rouse them out of the places to which you sold them, and I will return on your own heads what you have done. ⁸ I will sell your sons and daughters to the people of Judah, and they will sell them to the Sabeans, a nation far away.” The Lord has spoken.

⁹ Proclaim this among the nations:
Prepare for war!
Rouse the warriors!
Let all the fighting men draw near and attack.
¹⁰ Beat your plowshares into swords
and your pruning hooks into spears.
Let the weakling say,
“I am strong!”
¹¹ Come quickly, all you nations from every side,
and assemble there.

Bring down your warriors, Lord!

¹² “Let the nations be roused;
let them advance into the Valley of Jehoshaphat,
for there I will sit
to judge all the nations on every side.
¹³ Swing the sickle,
for the harvest is ripe.
Come, trample the grapes,
for the winepress is full
and the vats overflow—
so great is their wickedness!”

¹⁴ Multitudes, multitudes
in the valley of decision!
For the day of the Lord is near
in the valley of decision.
¹⁵ The sun and moon will be darkened,
and the stars no longer shine.
¹⁶ The Lord will roar from Zion
and thunder from Jerusalem;
the earth and the heavens will tremble.
But the Lord will be a refuge for his people,
a stronghold for the people of Israel.

Blessings for God’s People

¹⁷ “Then you will know that I, the Lord your God,
dwell in Zion, my holy hill.
Jerusalem will be holy;
never again will foreigners invade her.

¹⁸ “In that day the mountains will drip new wine,
and the hills will flow with milk;
all the ravines of Judah will run with water.
A fountain will flow out of the Lord’s house
and will water the valley of acacias.
¹⁹ But Egypt will be desolate,
Edom a desert waste,
because of violence done to the people of Judah,
in whose land they shed innocent blood.
²⁰ Judah will be inhabited forever
and Jerusalem through all generations.
²¹ Shall I leave their innocent blood unavenged?
No, I will not.”

The Lord dwells in Zion!

I believe it is very clear that this passage is dealing with the last days and has not been fulfilled yet. In the passage, God is judging the nations for the mistreatment of His people, scattering them and selling them to foreign peoples. This judgment will come when God dwells in Jerusalem after He has re-established His people in Israel. In verse 17 Joel writes that never again will foreigners invade Israel. Well, Israel was invaded in 1948 and in 1973, and will be at a time yet to come (Gog and Magog invasion spoken of in Ezekiel 36-39). How could this passage already be fulfilled?

The very existence of modern day Israel after being scattered throughout the world for 2000 years and undergoing numerous attempts at her extermination is a miracle that can only be explained by God's hand. His promise endures forever.

Genesis Chapter 12:

 ¹ The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.

² “I will make you into a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.
³ I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.”

Not only does God still have a plan for the People of Israel, he has a judgment for those who have abused her. I pray that our nation is always supportive of Israel's security needs and keeps her interests in mind. 

Washington Post Article on the Temple Mount

Recently, the Washington Post released an article that does a good job presenting the current situation surrounding the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. The writer explains the issues and players that factor into the most contested and sensitive place on earth. 
Many Bible and prophecy scholars believe that the Jews must rebuild their temple in order for certain end-times events to take place (such as the abomination of desolation). Here is a compilation of bible references that imply that Israel will rebuild the temple:
Bible references to a 3rd temple

The Temple Mount as it appears today

with the al-Aqsa Mosque on top
 

Interestingly, there are preparations underway to rebuild the temple. Blueprints for the temple have been created, items to be used during priestly ceremonies have been made in accordance to biblical instruction. All that is needed now is permission from The King; no man can stop His will from being done in His timing.

The WP article touches on these preparations and more can be found at the Temple Institute web site.

Update

I will continue on with my new series as I find the time, doing the research required to write a decent article about those topics takes a lot of time. Time that I don't find very frequently. So, when I have the time, I will be writing those posts about why we can trust the Bible as true. But if and when I get snippets of time I will be posting interesting (at least I think they are) articles and videos as I stumble across them. 
Thanks for reading!

New Blog Series, Part I: God's Word is Truth

God’s word is under attack today like no other time in history. The number of churches that handle the sword (cover term for Bible, for all my military friends) correctly is dwindling. Preachers use it to push their own agenda, rather than letting it push their agenda. I constantly hear non-believers decry the bible as brutal, evil, homophobic, a bunch of fairy tales, and false. And rather than investigating the truth of the Bible for themselves, even Christians try to explain away the “unpopular” or convicting passages by all kinds of very creative and illogical means. I hear people say that there are many different ways to interpret the Bible, so why should anyone insist that a certain doctrine or teaching must be interpreted a certain way? Now, granted there are certain matters of personal discretion that the Bible affords, such as drinking. We shouldn’t ostracize other believers for drinking or not drinking but just encourage them to hold to their own personal convictions from the Lord (Romans 14). Some matters of doctrine can be divisive (not the Bible’s fault but our own) if Christians aren’t careful to treat one another with love and keep things in reasonable perspective. However, the Word is very clear on all of the major teachings and should be used as a unifying source, rather than one of division. If the Bible is not taken seriously in America, supposed by many to be a Christian nation, and isn’t even held closely to by Christians, how do you suppose it is viewed in other parts of the world or by non-believers? Christians must realize that without God’s Word this world is hopeless. There would be no instruction from our creator in how we should live, govern, treat one another, and there would be no hope for anything beyond this cruel death-stricken world. Maybe if we treated the Bible how it should be treated--by doing what it says—others would recognize it as the beacon of hope that it is.

Luke 6:49

(NIV)
^{49 “}But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”

I readily admit that there are very difficult passages of scripture to interpret, but I have never come across a passage or verse that I could not find a reasonable, well researched explanation for. I see people throw out Old Testament verses from Leviticus or Numbers that at first glance can be very confusing or even disturbing to our 21^st Century American worldview. I want to touch on the 3 main categories of Bible challenges that I see thrown at us today. As I am granted time, I hope to cover the following topics in individual blog posts:

Old Testament Laws

Contradictions

Miracles and Scientific/Historical Inaccuracies

I want to be fair and not pick the low hanging fruit, so if you have had difficulty with a challenging passage, topic or teaching, feel free to suggest a topic in the comment box below or on Facebook if we are friends. Same goes for my atheist/skeptic friends out there! I don’t have all the answers, but I know I can find them.

I also hope to write a post on the evidence I hold to in knowing that the Bible is true, God’s word, and the only source of truth and hope for this world.

I pray that He will strengthen our trust in Him, and that we would show others the reason for the hope we have in Him. Above all, I pray we would hear His word and obey it, placing our hope firmly on Him as our Rock and solid foundation.

And remember:

Hebrews 4:12
(NIV)
¹² For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Why no new Posts?

For all of my regular blog readers, I apologize for my updating in so long! I am in the military and I just received orders to move to a new base. This is exciting but also very time consuming and I have had no free time to put together any decent thoughts. Once things settle down I hope to get some new content out. Thanks for reading! 

“Iran two weeks away from weapons-grade uranium”: former IAEA senior official.

How does Iran play into Bible prophecy?

In Ezekiel 37-38 God tell us of Persia (now called Iran) teaming together with other surrounding nations to come against Israel in the last days. Iran has repeatedly called for Israel to be wiped off the map and seems to be set on making this happen. Only time will tell what is going to become of this issue with Iran's nuclear program, but something has to give, and soon! Here is an interesting and somewhat frightening article I read on Joel Rosenberg's blog. (http://flashtrafficblog.wordpress.com/)

 

“Iran two weeks away from weapons-grade uranium”: former IAEA senior official.

“Iran could produce enough weapons-grade uranium to build an atomic weapon within two weeks and has, “in a certain way,” already reached the point of no return in its nuclear program, a former senior International Atomic Energy Association official said Monday,” reports the Times of Israel.

“I believe that if certain arrangements are done, it could even go down to two weeks. So there are a lot of concerns out there that Iran can hopefully now address, in this new phase, both at the P5+1 [talks between Tehran and six world powers] and with the IAEA,” former IAEA deputy director Olli Heinonen said, confirming a report released last week by the Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security, which stated Iran could muster enough uranium for a bomb by converting all of its 20-percent enriched stockpile within 1 to 1.6 months.

Excerpts from the Times story:

Earlier on Monday, IAEA Director Yukiya Amano met in Vienna with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, Tehran’s top nuclear negotiator, ahead of two days of technical talks between Iranian representatives and the UN’s nuclear watchdog, Amano described his meeting as important in addressing ‘the outstanding issues regarding Iran’s nuclear program.’ Speaking to journalists on a conference call organized by The Israel Project, Heinonen contrived to sound optimistic and pessimistic at the same time.”

“They are forward looking,” he about the Iranian negotiators. “And I think they have realized that they don’t get away from this situation unless they answer properly the questions raised by the IAEA and concerns raised by the international community. So I’m to a certain degree hopeful. But we have to make sure that everything is covered.”

“Asked specifically if Iran had passed the ‘point of no return’ in its nuclear program, Heinonen, today a senior fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, replied, “Yes, in a certain way. But we have to remember what are the capabilities of Iran. People have slightly different definitions of breakout capability.”

In his assessment, which appears to concur with that of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a critical level is reached when the Iranians have enriched enough uranium to weapons grade, in the form of hexafluoride gas enrichment, to create a nuclear bomb.

“But you still don’t have a nuclear weapon,” Heinonen added. Preparing the highly enriched uranium for a nuclear bomb would take another month or two, “assuming that someone has all the knowledge.” After that, assembling an actual nuclear weapon that can be delivered with a ballistic missile would take perhaps another year, he said.

Iran continues to install hundreds of new advanced centrifuges every month, drastically reducing the so-called breakout time it would require in order to produce weapons-grade uranium if it decided to do so, he said.

Israel has called for Iran to be stripped of all enrichment capability, saying even low-grade uranium could be made suitable for a nuclear weapon in a short time with enough centrifuges running. “Regarding Iran, we are not impressed by the discussion surrounding the issue of 20% enrichment,” Netanyahu said Sunday, referring to reports that Tehran has been insisting on retaining the ability to enrich uranium to that level. “Its importance is superfluous as a result of the improvements the Iranians have made in the past year, which allow them to jump over the barrier of 20% enrichment and proceed directly from 3.5% enrichment to 90% within weeks, weeks at most.”

 

People These Days

What does the Bible say about the social landscape in the last days? What will society look like? How does the Bible’s description compare to what we see today?

According to 2 Timothy 3, good moral character will give way to selfishness and brutality. Look at this passage and compare it to what you hear in the news, see on your facebook feed (I must admit though, most of my FB friends are pretty awesome :), or just observe in daily life:

(NIV) But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. ² People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, ³ without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, ⁴ treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— ⁵ having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.

Now, I don’t want to come across as a self-righteous, judgmental person, but I believe that anyone can agree that the verses above accurately describe our society. I know how easy it is to slip into the pattern we see around us!  

People pride themselves in their pride. We revel in our sin today. How often have we heard, “I want to go to hell because that’s where the party is going to be!”? Looking at the verses above, I think a lot of people today view half of those qualities as being just fine!

Our American society has become very entertainment driven. We fill our lives with whatever fits our fancy at the time; video games, television and movies dominate our younger generations in particular. Although I fully support relaxing and enjoying a reasonable amount of time of entertainment (I love watching football), we can’t substitute our momentary pleasure for God.  

Time is precious! We can either throw away hours and days on things that will not last or we can invest them in eternity. If I spend 6 hours playing a video game, what will I have to show for it the next day, week or year? Absolutely nothing. If I spend countless hours in the gym sculpting my body into the likeness of a greek god, what will I have to show for it when I grow old or when I die? Look at Arnold Schwarzenegger! Tragically, our bodies are like wildflowers, here today, gone tomorrow. But what if I spend time investing in important things? Instead of vegging out, what if I invested that time with my kids and taught them the way of the Lord? What if I spent time serving other people?

Matthew 10:42

(NIV) "And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward."

 

Let me tell you, my reward in heaven has grown exponentially since my wife and I started having  kids! My me-time is almost gone, but you know, that is actually a really good thing! I now have seemingly endless opportunities to serve my kids at every hour of the day and practice self-control :-).

 

The obesity pandemic in America is an obvious result of our lack of self-control. I am very glad that I have the opportunity to work out as a part of my job. I LOVE to eat and I am sure that if it wasn’t for getting to exercise regularly I would be overweight as well. What we need to do is find satisfaction in the bread of God’s word. This is healthy to indulge in, and is much more satisfying.

 

A recent episode here in America really stood out to me as an example of the moral decay within our society. There was a glitch in the food stamp card program and suddenly a lot of people in a certain town realized that their cards had no limit. In no time 2 Wal-Marts shelves were cleared of food with some people buying over $700 worth of groceries. I’m sure they felt as if their day had come and they deserved it. They stole because they were selfish and knew they could get away with it (they probably viewed it like winning the lotto). When I was a kid, people hesitated before accepting government aid. People were more likely to actually make sacrifices, work extra hours and try to be frugal than they are today. Obviously this is my own personal observation, but I am sure that this rings true for most people (especially the further back one remembers).     

We Christians should be a refreshing contrast to those described in this passage. We won’t be clawing our way to the top like others do, rather we should be humbling ourselves and putting Jesus at the top. And instead of building some online video game character and accomplishing amazing things in the cyber realm (which is a meaningless world of binary 1’s and 0’s), let’s invest our time and passion into being the greatest servant of the Lord and other people as we can. No one can deny that this is worthwhile. Death seems to creep up on people…let’s exhort each other to make the most of our days here on earth, and never cease in doing good.

Creation and Evolution Blog Started

I have begun updating my other blog, shrewdsnake2.blogspot.com .
I plan to discus recent origins/science related stories, my own thoughts on the evidence for creation and the existence of God, and what the Bible has to say about the matter. Check it out!

Who Would Want to Love the God of the Bible?

<sup>I’ve often heard the God of the Bible described as a jealous, merciless and wrathful God. But have you ever considered that the Bible teaches that the creator of the universe is humble?

God has been accused of being selfish, uncaring, jealous and downright angry. I believe these accusations flow from people who wish to justify their rejection of Him; they cite passages from the Old Testament out of context, ignore others, and try to prosecute God according to what is culturally acceptable by our modern US society.

What does the Bible really say about God? I cannot possibly include everything in one post, but let’s talk about a couple broad aspects to God’s character. What is often considered jealousy in today’s society is the insecure and controlling feelings that arise when someone else is getting what you believe you deserve. When God says he is a jealous God what does that mean? Doesn’t it just feel right when credit goes where credit is due? Shouldn’t the one who created the universe and everyone in it be righteously indignant when his creation purposely rejects the one who loves and provides all things in favor of undeserving, hopeless objects? This arouses God’s righteous jealousy for our hearts.

God’s wrath? We were never meant to endure God’s wrath. He created us to have fellowship with Him, but gave us the choice to do so (back in the Garden and even now). We chose to follow after our own ways and reject His supremacy and desire for us. Our lot is now in with Satan, the one we chose to join and the one for whom God’s wrath is reserved for. But there is hope; God wants to redeem us back to Him. But God wants a certain person, one who has a humble heart and acknowledges their insufficiency without Him.

Haven’t you noticed that people tend to admire famous, wealthy or highly skilled (ie pro athletes, rock stars) people that have a humble tone, don’t boast or expect special treatment, and/or choose to help other people with the surplus they have been given. People like this are admired far more than the ones that don’t think the law applies to them, brag about their ability, or treat others as lesser than them. True humility and selflessness are ideals that are valued universally in human hearts.

John 1 tells us that Jesus being in every way God, created the entire universe. Most people “don’t have a problem with Jesus”. They say he was a good teacher, a good person, even a hippie. But do people really consider that Jesus told us (even insisted) that he is God? Jesus being God is an unveiling of an often ignored aspect of who God truly is! Jesus entered into His world in humility. Literally born in a barn, Jesus was born into a family that was likely condemned for Him being born outside of wedlock. He and his family were refugees to Egypt for years. During Jesus’s ministry he didn’t even have a place to call home, but instead went from place to place to seek and save the lost. He endured the same temptation that he expects us to endure. He took on the same broken and mortal body that we wear. He went hungry; he felt pain, physical and emotional. He, the humble King, came to serve us.</sup>

Mark 10:45

New International Version (NIV)

⁴⁵ For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

^{Jesus broke social norms by associating with the “sinners”, the down and out, the prostitutes. He broke cultural and racial rules by reaching out across ethnic bounds to those in need. He openly opposed the religious leaders of his day that were prideful, hypocritical, and unloving toward those in need. Read the gospels (again, even) and just see who God in Jesus is!}

What Should We Do?

^{Salvation comes by grace (a free gift) through faith in Jesus to those who acknowledge their sin and insufficiency without Jesus. Faith that He died, was buried and rose again, defeating death once and for all for those who follow Him. How do we follow Him? By seeing what he did and emulating it! Read this awesome (somewhat frightening) passage about Jesus’ return:}

Matthew 25

 (NIV)

 ³¹ “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. ³² All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³ He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

³⁴ “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶ I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

³⁷ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹ When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

⁴⁰ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

⁴¹ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. ⁴² For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, ⁴³ I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

⁴⁴ “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

⁴⁵ “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

 

^{Now, we can never earn our way to heaven. Salvation comes as a gift to the repentant heart that clings to Jesus as their only hope for being transformed. But once we are forgiven and saved, true heart change takes place. Consider this passage:}

 

Matthew 18:

 (NIV)

²¹Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”

²² Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.<sup>[g]

23</sup> “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. ²⁴ As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold^[h] was brought to him. ²⁵ Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.

²⁶ “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ ²⁷ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.

²⁸ “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins.^[i] He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.

²⁹ “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’

³⁰ “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. ³¹ When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.

³² “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. ³³ Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ ³⁴ In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.

³⁵ “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

 

^{Our humble, merciful God expects us to follow His example and be humble and merciful servants for others. Shouldn’t that be a believer’s natural response? If that isn’t our response then we are nothing more than hypocrites! What is more attractive in a person than true love, humility and selflessness? What is a bigger turnoff to others than judgmental hypocrisy?  The humble and merciful aspects of God’s character should be apparent in a true Christian’s life, testifying to who God is and what He has done for us.}

The Nation of Israel Prophesied

Scattered, Hated, but Back

The world has seen some amazing things come to pass, but perhaps none as improbable as the return of a nation after not existing for almost 2000 years. The Hebrew people went into exile in 132 AD at the hands of the Roman Empire after Emperor Hadrian had enough of the Jew’s violent rebellions. They were scattered throughout the Roman world and beyond. Throughout the Middle Ages the Jews were abused and driven from one place to the next. During this time the Jews maintained their blood lines and a unique culture. Jewish persecution culminated in the holocaust in which 6 million Jews were slaughtered (that is apx 80 Super Bowl stadiums filled to capacity, for perspective). By 1948, 800,000 Jews had returned to Palestine and on May 14 of that year, the State of Israel was restarted. Since then several amazing prophecies were fulfilled and the doors opened for many more to come to pass.     

I will list the entire chapter of Ezekiel 36 below for context, but I will refer to specific verses in the commentary. I highly encourage you to read the entire passage. It truly speaks for itself, and you will gain much more from reading it than you will from reading my comments.

 

Hope for the Mountains of Israel

36 “Son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel and say, ‘Mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord. ² This is what the Sovereign Lord says: The enemy said of you, “Aha! The ancient heights have become our possession.”’ ³ Therefore prophesy and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because they ravaged and crushed you from every side so that you became the possession of the rest of the nations and the object of people’s malicious talk and slander, ⁴ therefore, mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Sovereign Lord: This is what the Sovereign Lord says to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys, to the desolate ruins and the deserted towns that have been plundered and ridiculed by the rest of the nations around you— ⁵ this is what the Sovereign Lord says: In my burning zeal I have spoken against the rest of the nations, and against all Edom, for with glee and with malice in their hearts they made my land their own possession so that they might plunder its pastureland.’ ⁶ Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel and say to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I speak in my jealous wrath because you have suffered the scorn of the nations. ⁷ Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I swear with uplifted hand that the nations around you will also suffer scorn.

⁸ “‘But you, mountains of Israel, will produce branches and fruit for my people Israel, for they will soon come home. ⁹ I am concerned for you and will look on you with favor; you will be plowed and sown, ¹⁰ and I will cause many people to live on you—yes, all of Israel. The towns will be inhabited and the ruins rebuilt. ¹¹ I will increase the number of people and animals living on you, and they will be fruitful and become numerous. I will settle people on you as in the past and will make you prosper more than before. Then you will know that I am the Lord. ¹² I will cause people, my people Israel, to live on you. They will possess you, and you will be their inheritance; you will never again deprive them of their children.

¹³ “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because some say to you, “You devour people and deprive your nation of its children,” ¹⁴ therefore you will no longer devour people or make your nation childless, declares the Sovereign Lord. ¹⁵ No longer will I make you hear the taunts of the nations, and no longer will you suffer the scorn of the peoples or cause your nation to fall, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”

Israel’s Restoration Assured

¹⁶ Again the word of the Lord came to me: ¹⁷ “Son of man, when the people of Israel were living in their own land, they defiled it by their conduct and their actions. Their conduct was like a woman’s monthly uncleanness in my sight. ¹⁸ So I poured out my wrath on them because they had shed blood in the land and because they had defiled it with their idols. ¹⁹ I dispersed them among the nations, and they were scattered through the countries; I judged them according to their conduct and their actions. ²⁰ And wherever they went among the nations they profaned my holy name, for it was said of them, ‘These are the Lord’s people, and yet they had to leave his land.’ ²¹ I had concern for my holy name, which the people of Israel profaned among the nations where they had gone.

²² “Therefore say to the Israelites, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: It is not for your sake, people of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone. ²³ I will show the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Sovereign Lord, when I am proved holy through you before their eyes.

²⁴ “‘For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. ²⁵ I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. ²⁶ I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. ²⁷ And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. ²⁸ Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God. ²⁹ I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and make it plentiful and will not bring famine upon you. ³⁰ I will increase the fruit of the trees and the crops of the field, so that you will no longer suffer disgrace among the nations because of famine. ³¹ Then you will remember your evil ways and wicked deeds, and you will loathe yourselves for your sins and detestable practices. ³² I want you to know that I am not doing this for your sake, declares the Sovereign Lord. Be ashamed and disgraced for your conduct, people of Israel!

³³ “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: On the day I cleanse you from all your sins, I will resettle your towns, and the ruins will be rebuilt. ³⁴ The desolate land will be cultivated instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass through it. ³⁵ They will say, “This land that was laid waste has become like the Garden of Eden; the cities that were lying in ruins, desolate and destroyed, are now fortified and inhabited.” ³⁶ Then the nations around you that remain will know that I the Lord have rebuilt what was destroyed and have replanted what was desolate. I the Lord have spoken, and I will do it.’

³⁷ “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Once again I will yield to Israel’s plea and do this for them: I will make their people as numerous as sheep, ³⁸ as numerous as the flocks for offerings at Jerusalem during her appointed festivals. So will the ruined cities be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”

 

In Light of Modern Events

This chapter was written when the Israelites were in captivity in Babylon. There is certainly debate as to whether this portion of scripture is written concerning the Israelites returning from their captivity in Babylon (which obviously happened), or if this is written concerning Israel’s recent return in these last days. The ensuing chapters (37, 38 and 39) lead me to believe this is referring to modern events, as well as the fact that the passage references the Israelites being scattered and gathered from among the nations (not just from Babylon). Regardless, looking at past and present happenings in light of this chapter, it is very hard to deny the incredible fulfillment of this prophecy in our current time.

In plain language the passage says that Israel will be scattered among the nations. They were scattered in unbelief and in rebellion (v17-21).  This certainly happened, beginning in AD 132.

Israel and God Profaned Globally

Throughout this chapter Ezekiel, writing what the Lord spoke to him, speaks of Israel’s enemy’s triumph (verse 1), slander (v3), ridicule (v4), taunts (v15), and scorn (v15) against the Jews after they were scattered. There is even mention of God’s name being profaned among the nations because of Israel (v22, 23). Sadly, this to me is the most obvious fulfilled prophecy in this passage. Throughout the ages the Jews have been hated and discriminated against by all the nations, even by people claiming to be Christians.

Christians should know God’s place and plans and grace for Israel, rebellious as they have been (throughout Biblical history and even recently), and cling to it! We Christians are rebellious and profane God’s name at times through our actions both before and even after being saved. We should be encouraging toward Israel, knowing that if God keeps his promises toward her, He is faithful to keep his promises for us.   

You only had to be on this planet a short time before you realized the anti Semitism that exists. It exists beyond the Middle East. It was obvious after WWII. How many Jew jokes have you heard? Every joke told fulfilled this prophecy.

Still not convinced about the scorn and hate for Israel? Do an experiment. Go to Facebook and in the search box type “hate” then type in some random countries that there may be hate toward. North Korea, Iran, Syria, etc. Then type “hate Israel” and compare the number of pages, groups and the amount of likes for “hate Israel” compared to “hate___”. It is completely irrational the amount of hate toward God’s children.

Desolation Succumbs to God’s Blessing

Mark Twain visited what was then Palestine (now called Israel again) and described how desolate the land had become: ".....A desolate country whose soil is rich enough, but is given wholly to weeds... a silent mournful expanse....a desolation....we never saw a human being on the whole route....hardly a tree or shrub anywhere. Even the olive tree and the cactus, those fast friends of a worthless soil, had almost deserted the country."

What he described is exactly what verses 33-36 foretell. The land was desolate for almost 2000 years with no one to irrigate or work the land. This was supposed to be the “land flowing with milk and honey”.

However, when Israel restarted in 1948, things began to change. Today, even in an arid climate we see some of the most scientifically advanced and successful agriculture practices on the planet. Through innovative drip irrigation and fertilization methods, as well as genetic innovation, Israel, through the Lords blessing, has caused the land to bear fruit again.

 

Israel’s Mediterranean climate permits it to grow a very wide variety of fruits, vegetables and other produce. From cotton to dairy, dates and figs to citrus and avocados, the small country in the desert grows 95% of its consumed food products. It also exports about 20% of what it grows to Europe and other countries in the Middle East.

Isaiah 27:6

In days to come Jacob will take root,
Israel will bud and blossom
and fill all the world with fruit.

 

 

 

  

Re-gathered but not Reborn

 

Israel is back in their land, surrounded by enemies, at times with only the US supporting their right to defend themselves. They have brought the Hebrew language back from being a dead language and speak it today. They are blessed with many great scientific minds that have lead to great innovation in computer, medical and defense technology. It is amazing what the Lord has done for them.

 

God said that he would restore Israel to their homeland, not because of their action, remorse or worthiness, but to prove his supreme power and name to them and to the other watching nations (v21-23). He is not finished with Israel yet! They are still in unbelief. Many of them don’t even believe in God’s existence; very few of them trust in His Son, Jesus as their salvation. But later we will see how God chooses to reveal himself to his people again. It’s exciting!