This is the fourth lesson in the series I’ve been teaching on Israel. The first lesson was on God’s Covenant with Abraham. The second was on Israel’s Land Grant. And the third was on Israel’s Government. Today, we’re going to study the regathering of Israel. Thus, this lesson has to do with the return of the Jews to their homeland.
For many years, we’ve been hearing that the return of Jews to Israel since the late nineteenth century constitutes the fulfillment of God’s promise to gather Israel from the nations to which they have been scattered. For examples, see Deut 30:3-4, Is 11:12, Jer 23:1-4, Ezek 11:17, and Mic 2:12.
In other words, many believe the Jews are in Israel to stay and that God is the one who brought them back. Therefore, many believe that from now till there is peace in the middle east, the Israelis just need to stay put and defend their homeland. There are several reasons why this current thinking isn’t true, or is only true in part.
First, every verse above is in the context of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. No doubt, Jews have been returning to Israel for decades. But while their return may have been prompted and facilitated by the Lord, what you have seen thus far is not the fulfillment of these prophecies. Matt 24:29-31 clearly shows us that the gathering together of the remnant of the children of Israel takes place after “the tribulation of those days”.
Second, as Pastor Ken Blue taught, Jews are returning to Israel in unbelief. That is, they do not believe that Jesus Christ is their Lord and Christ, Acts 2:36. They are not looking for him. When the Lord regathers Israel, they will believe him and receive Jesus.
Third, men have the false hope that eventually the wars against Israel will cease and that there will be peace in the middle east. They believe the nations of the world will finally accept Israel. So, they are not looking for Jesus to deliver them from war.
Look at the history of Israel’s wars since 1948.
1948-49 Arab-Israeli war. War of Independence.
1956 Suez Crisis. Port at Elat blockaded, Sinai peninsula taken
1967 Six-Day War. Egypt and Syria attacked, Egypt air force destroyed
1973 Yom Kippur War. Egypt and Syria attacked
1982 Lebanon War. Against the PLO
2006 Second Lebanon War. Against Hezbollah
2023-24 Gaza War. Against Hamas
Wars aren’t coming to an end yet. During the Tribulation, there are at least three more wars to come and they will be on a scale much larger than the previous two world wars.
In Rev 6:8, the combined death toll from war, starvation, death (pestilence, disease), and beasts will be one quarter of the population of the earth.
In Rev 9:13-16, the death toll from war will be a third part of men. If these fatalities are not gender specific, then half the population of the earth will be dead by this time.
In Rev 16:12-16, the third world war will be Armageddon. And this one will be the worst of all. During this war, all nations will be in Israel from Megiddo to Jerusalem as they gather against Jerusalem to battle, Zech 14:1-3. The blood from this battle will be horse-bridle deep for 200 miles, Rev 14:20. So, Israel’s problems with war are far from over.
Fourth, it is evident that Jews must be in Israel before the events of the Tribulation begin. For one thing, there will be a temple in Jerusalem and Jews will be worshipping there, Rev 11:1-2. For another, there will be Jews in Judea who have been told to flee into the mountains when the antichrist sets up the abomination of desolation in the holy place, Matt 24:15-20. In other words, the fact that there are Jews in Israel today is understood in these prophecies concerning the Tribulation. But they are not there in fulfillment of the passages regarding the regathering of Israel.
The reason for studying these passages and this doctrine of the regathering of Israel is to help us understand where Israel is with God, currently, and where we should be with Israel. Their return to Israel is not evidence of their return to God and his blessing upon them. As a nation, Israel will be reduced to a remnant before they are finally saved. See Rom 9:27-29, 11:25-27. From now until then, you will see more war and bloodshed. After so much affliction, they will finally turn to God.
As for the church, we should desire and pray for their salvation. We should continue supporting missionaries who are preaching the gospel that “they might be saved”, Rom 10:1. We should help meet their temporal needs, when meeting their temporal needs opens opportunities to meet their spiritual needs. We should seek to lead lost Jews among us to the Lord, Rom 9:6-8. To study the previous lesson, see Israel’s Government. To study the next lesson, see War With God.