There are all kinds of fictions and numeral manipulation schemes floating around in Christian circles that the creation of “another Israel” by Ukrainian Ashkenazim in 1948 is a fulfillment of prophecy.
“God unconditionally promised Abraham’s descendants a literal world-wide kingdom over which they would rule through their Messiah who would reign upon King David’s throne…Even the animals and reptiles will lose their ferocity and no longer be carnivorous,” (The Late Great Planet Earth, Hal Lindsay, p 165)
“The nature of the blessings are earthly, territorial, and national, and have nothing to do with a spiritual church to which none of these blessings has been promised …Christ is not now on the throne of David bringing blessings to Israel as the prophets predicted, but He is rather on His Father’s throne waiting for the coming earthly kingdom and interceding for His own who form the church,” (The Millennial Kingdom: A Basic Text in Premillennial Theology, John F. Walvoord, p 205, 1983 AD)
“The foundation of the state of Israel in recent years has been a part of the predicted regathering of scattered Israel back to their ancient land…The present partial possession of the land is a token. The complete possession awaits the coming of Israel’s Redeemer” (The Millennial Kingdom: A Basic Text in Premillennial Theology, John F. Walvoord, p 185, 1983 AD)
But, the belief that Modern Day Israel is a fulfillment of Biblical prophecy is another “Jewish Myth” (Titus 1:14).
MYTH: MODERN ISRAEL IS A FULFILLMENT OF PROPHECY.
All the promises used to support a modern Israel phenomenon occurred before the return of Israel in or around 536 BC.
All the promises regarding a return were made before biblical Israel returned from Babylon. Before 536 BC, God spoke through His prophets and promised to restore Israel and bring them back to the land (Ezekiel 37:12, 14; Jeremiah30:3). Why would any of these ancient promises apply to modern times?
God brought His people back to the land of Canaan in 536 B.C. by the decree of Cyrus. During this same period of time, God promised to rebuild and restore the temple. The temple was completed in 516 B.C. Both the land and temple promises appeared in the sacred record before the return to the land and rebuilding of the temple. Since the promises apply to Israel’s 536 B.C. return, it is not hermeneutically accurate to use these same verses to apply to the political development in 1948. They do not and should not be applied to the Ashkenazi invasion of Palestinian lands in modern times. To do so is hermeneutical malfeasance.
While some use the “double fulfillment” principle, the hermeneutic is as slippery as Penzoil to say the least. To take the return promises to rebuild the temple that belong to the Persian Period and hold them out as a promise from God to give Israel the land and to rebuild the temple future to our time shatters hermeneutical integrity. To take the vision of the Valley of Dry Bones (Ezekiel 37) away from the context of the Babylonian Captivity and apply it to formation of “Israel” in 1948 is a shoddy, prejudicial hermeneutic.
We assert, therefore, that all the prophecies given to Israel about returning to the land and rebuilding the temple relate to the return between 536 BC and 516 BC and that to apply these same promises to a time future to us is a miscreant hermeneutical error that creates a false hopes and false expectations. Man’s hope is in the gospel, not in a restored Israel!
Furthermore, NO BIBLICAL PROPHECIES CONCERNING A RETURN TO PALESTINE WERE GIVEN AFTER 536 B.C.
Q: Doesn’t Isaiah eleven say that God will restore/recover[1] Israel a second time; that is, from a second exile which lasted until 1948?
From this question, people assume that the “first time” recovery refers to 536 B.C. This is not so. The first recovery from the grips of a foreign power was during Israel’s enslavement in Egypt during the time of Moses and Israel’s exodus from Egypt around 1446 B.C. In Isaiah 11, Isaiah discusses a second recovery from exile—a highway from Assyria. The second recovery is compared to Israel’s from recovery “out of the land of Egypt” (1446 B.C.). The two returns are respectively (a) the exodus from Egypt (1446 BC), and (b) the promise of restoration from the land of Babylon[2] (536 BC).
Q: Doesn’t verse 12 say he will gather them from the four corners of the earth?
Yes, but again the context is the Babylonian captivity. In Jeremiah 32:37, God says, “Behold I will gather them out of all countries . . .” The context is the Babylonian Captivity. When the Babylonians armies came to Israel, many Jews fled to Egypt, Edom, and Arabia. It was from these countries that God retrieved His people.
It should be noted that Paul quotes Isaiah 11:10 as a fulfillment that Gentiles would gather around the “Root of Jesse” (Jesus) for salvation. Nothing is said of Jews, only the salvation of Gentiles (Romans 15:12). Furthermore, James informs the brethren at the first Jerusalem Council that it was the salvation of Gentiles and their addition to the people of God that God was building up the fallen “tabernacle of David.” It is not through a restored geo-political Israel that God builds true Israel, but through the addition of Gentiles into the messianic community by the proclamation of the gospel (Acts 15:14-16).
Q: Doesn’t Isaiah 43:5-6 apply to the alleged “return in 1948?”
No, the context is regarding the Babylonian captivity: “For your sake I have sent to Babylon, and have brought down all their nobles, and the Chaldeans, whose cry is in the ships” (43:14).In chapter 44:28, the prophecy regards the influence of Cyrus in rebuilding Jerusalem.
Q: Doesn’t Israel have to be back in the land to fulfill the “time of Jacob’s trouble” that is predicted in the Book of Revelation?
First, the Book of Revelation does not predict a time of “Jacob’s trouble.”
Second, the “time of Jacob’s trouble” is found in Jeremiah 30:7. The context is the Babylonian Captivity (Jeremiah 29:10)[3]. Jacob’s trouble was their deportation to Babylon (606, 597, 586 BC)! And, these chapters deal with Israel’s restoration from Babylon, not a restoration after WWII in 1948.
Q: Doesn’t Ezekiel 11:7 refer to Israel’s restoration in 1948?
Again, this prophecy was given around 597 B.C. where God gave the captives hope that He would be with them, protect them, and bring them back to the land. This happened between 606 BC and 536 BC.
All return promises are conditioned upon faith and repentance (Deuteronomy 4:29-11). Deuteronomy 30:1-5 promises a return from among the nations if they return “with all thine heart and with all they soul.” Sadly, the people who call themselves “Jews” and who live in Middle East today are there in militant Christ-rejecting unbelief. They are not there because of fulfilled prophecy. They are not God’s people. They are not believers. They are Ashkenazi unbelievers in need of a Savior. They are Zionists with a political agenda.
Deuteronomy 4:29 But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.
If they sin against thee, (for there is no man that sinneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captives unto the land of the enemy, far or near; . . . Yet if they shall . . . repent, and make supplication unto thee in the land of them that carried them captives, saying, We have sinned, and have done perversely, we have committed wickedness . . . And so return unto thee with all their heart, and with all their soul, in the land of their enemies . . . Then hear thou their prayer and their supplication in heaven thy dwelling place, and maintain their cause . . . And forgive thy people . . . give them compassion before them who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them (1 Kings 8:46, 53).
Jeremiah 29:12-14 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity.
As we can see, a return was based on genuine repentance. Modern day Israel is not the result of repentance, but the result of political prowess, propaganda flim flam, money trees and military strength. The nation may indeed expand its control in the Middle East. It may even build a temple, but if so, it is not because some Bible prophecy is being fulfilled.
Furthermore, any modern day support for Israel must be because Modern so called “Israel” acts morally and responsibly as a democratic nation in the region — not because of some purported biblical prophecy. If by some miracle, the atheist people who call themselves “Jews” do repent, they will come into the kingdom on Church ground (the gospel), not on some promise of a restored Israel.
The Bible warns us about giving heed to “Jewish myths” (Titus 1:12). The Church’s occupation with the people who calls themselves “Jews, but are not” (Revelation 2:9) who live in “Israel” which is not Israel, is entirely a Jewish myth rather than accurate Biblical teaching.
However, this does not mean we discount the “good” accomplishments of modern day Israel who has produced a stable democracy and who have proved to be good stewards of the land. Modern Israel has preserved archaeological sites and rescued these sites from the Muslims who would destroy any evidence of Biblical accuracy. For this, they deserve commendation.
Politically speaking, every Christian ought to condemn this “other Israel” and their genocide of the Palestinian People, the plunder of their lands and homes, and not to turn a blind eye to these atrocities. These so called “Jews” stole Palestinian lands and houses and drove the survivors into largest Ghetto concentration camp in world history; that is, military “Israel” is the mainspring of present-day Hamas and Palestinian frustration. To retaliate against Hamas aggression is understandable, but unjustified; that is, it is blant murder kind of like shooting at a thousand fish in a barrel. There is room for repentance on both sides; but, Hamas will not repent or relent until the other “Israel” acknowledge their murderous crimes against Gaza. Yes, Israel has a right to defend itself . . . but not by hurlings hundred of rockets into apartment building in the Gaza Ghetto. Self-defense is merely modern Israel’s excuse to go on a rampage of murder. May the Lord hold them accountable for their atrocities.
Source: Stockton, “Gospel of the Kingdom Lectures”
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