This is my second Blog explaining Israel’s extraordinary significance and the special relationship Yahweh has with the nation of Israel. If you have not read Part 1, it would be appropriate to read that first to correspond with this part.

The Jews were in charge of writing down and caring for God’s revelation – the Scriptures. (Rom. 3:2) He worked with them over many centuries to reveal His overall plan for humanity. Through those writings, the prophets predicted the restoration of Israel, and God brought it about. Currently, they are poised to play a more significant role in the Last Days events that lead to Jesus’ Second Coming and the Millenial kingdom.

Said differently, Yahweh gave us many blessings and revelations through Israel. He employed the Jews to record the covenants and give the Law, and from them came the Prophets who provided the Scriptures. Tremendously, from the lineage of the Jews, God sent Jesus so that all humankind could more fully know God’s ways. He has unveiled His love to all through these acts and closely watches to see how all people respond (including the Jews). The nation of Israel has been essential in this important role.

I mentioned the following passage of Scripture in my last Blog, but its weight compels me to share it again. For centuries, responsible Jewish leaders have prayed for all the nations in this regard.

Psalm 67:2-4 May your ways be known throughout the earth, your saving power among people everywhere. 3 May the nations praise you, O God. Yes, may all the nations praise you. 4 Let the whole world sing for joy, because you govern the nations with justice and guide the people of the whole world.

In harmony with the prayer above, Jesus has reached out to all nations. (Matt. 28:19) Every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11)

It’s been thousands of years in the making, but all will be brought to their knees because God made an unconditional and everlasting covenant with Abraham. Over millennia, Israel may have failed a few times. But God keeps His promises regardless of that situation. Therefore, the restoration and protection of Israel is one of God’s end goals for His outreach to the nations.

“This covenant continues to exist because of God’s graciousness and faithfulness and not because of Israel’s fidelity and obedience. [1]

Past and Future Acts of God

I realize it may sound like I talk out of both sides of my mouth, so to speak. In other words, I am convinced that each human has free will and is responsible for their actions. Yet God tells us the future before it happens. It sounds like a contradiction. My best answer is that it’s a supernatural characteristic of God to grant free will but still know the end from the beginning.

The wicked have free will and must indeed change their ways…

Isaiah 55:7 Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously.

On the other hand, although the wicked change their ways, God still knows the future…

Isaiah 46:10 Only I can tell you the future before it even happens. Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish.

Again, God is supernatural; His thoughts are not like our thoughts. His ways are higher than our ways.

Isaiah 55:8-9 “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. 9 For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.

Yahweh wants us to know and believe His supernatural power so we can trust Him. The Bible shows instances where God acted with divine power over the last 6,000 years or so. He does not show His might very often, but various times are recorded in Scripture so we can know His works and have faith in His gracious nature.

We can gain confidence in Yahweh by reading His story – history – from the Bible. We can put our trust in Him by learning about the acts of God in the past and what He said will happen in the future. This happens particularly when we study the Scriptures and see His promises fulfilled.

The Power of God

Many humans would prefer a definitive scientific formula to prove the Biblical description of God’s creation of this world and His plan for it. Some have lost faith in the supernatural acts of God, past and future. They prefer to believe in theories of millions of years of uniformity and evolution.

Don’t get me wrong, I trust true science too. I just don’t trust some of the popular theories and opinions that are called science. Sometimes, God operates beyond human ways, thoughts, and reasoning. Sometimes He bypasses the physical laws of the universe. Like Jesus making water into wine, reducing the fermentation stage, simply to satisfy His mother’s request. (John 2:1-5)

Trusting the same source from which Sunday School stories came may seem foolish. But I encourage faith in Yahweh and that He will bring about the end of this age by uplifting the nation of Israel, as described in Scripture. Intelligent as the Apostle Paul was, he put his trust in the power of God.

1 Corinthians 2:1b, 4-5  I didn’t use lofty words and impressive wisdom to tell you God’s secret plan. 4 And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. 5 I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God.

Paul put his trust in the supernatural plan of God that, at one time, was a mystery. But God revealed parts of the plan in Scripture through the prophets, so we can trust it.

1 Corinthians 2:7-8 No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God—his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began. 8 But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would not have crucified our glorious Lord.

Faith must be in the supernatural acts of God, not in consulting the opinion-makers, and not necessarily by obeying the rulers of this world.

To that end, let’s continue learning about the End Times and how this age’s consummation (completion) will occur. Let’s begin this narrative with a prophecy Jesus fulfilled by modestly riding a donkey. And, let’s see how a major prophecy He told about Israel was supernaturally fulfilled just decades after He spoke it.

Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple

It was about 33 AD when Jesus made His triumphal entry on a donkey into Jerusalem. It happened according to Zechariah’s prophecy written about 550 years beforehand.

Zechariah 9:9 Rejoice, O people of Zion! Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet he is humble, riding on a donkey—riding on a donkey’s colt.

Interestingly, it was a colt that had never been ridden before Jesus mounted the creature. But it didn’t need to be trained as is typically required.[2] The willing animal was happy to oblige its Maker. Being the first to ride the donkey was an appropriate honor to Jesus, the King.

It was a significant event because earlier in the day, Jesus sent two disciples to get the colt.

Luke 19:29b-30 He sent two of the disciples, 30 saying, “Go into the village ahead of you; there, as you enter, you will find a colt tied, on which no one yet has ever sat; untie it and bring it here.

Notice that Jesus didn’t ride a horse like a king’s typical mount. Horses were used in conquest over opponents, which would have signified coercive power. Jesus was different. He came as the King of Peace, not to Lord it over the Romans like the Jews would have preferred.

As Jesus was riding along, the people cordially and respectfully laid their garments before Him on the road. His many disciples joyfully praised God because of all His miracles. (Luke 19:30-38) They said in a loud voice…

Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord; peace in heaven and glory in the highest!

They were shouting Psalm 118:26, another prophecy written hundreds of years earlier. It was unbeknown to the disciples and many others that they were fulfilling a prophet’s prediction in real time. (John 12:16) Although, the Pharisees maybe knew it as a Scriptural prophecy.

But the Jewish leadership rejected Jesus and refused to believe He was supernaturally fulfilling what was written. They told Him to rebuke his disciples. Jesus’ unvarnished reply to the Pharisees was that the rocks would cheer if the people kept quiet.

Luke 19:39-40 But some of the Pharisees among the crowd said, “Teacher, rebuke your followers for saying things like that!” He replied, “If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!”

When Jesus got to Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept. The Jews, of all people, should have known the social conditions that make for peace. But now, He said they would not have peace.

Luke 19:42 How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes.

Jesus knew what would happen in the future because of the unbelieving Jews. Most of them did not recognize God the Father and Jesus’ attempt to enlighten them. In response, He predicted the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, even stating that ramparts would be built against the walls.

Luke 19:43-44 Before long your enemies will build ramparts against your walls and encircle you and close in on you from every side. 44 They will crush you into the ground, and your children with you. Your enemies will not leave a single stone in place, because you did not recognize it when God visited you.

A few days later, they were in Jerusalem, and the disciples remarked to Jesus how beautiful the Temple was. However, He was concerned more about its future than its architecture, saying…

Luke 21:6 “The time is coming when all these things will be completely demolished. Not one stone will be left on top of another!”

Skipping some decades ahead in time, the destruction of the Temple happened exactly according to Jesus’ foretelling. In about 66 AD, the Jews revolted against the Romans.[3] There was a four-year military campaign in Judea between the two forces. The Romans finally attacked Jerusalem in 70 AD, mostly destroying the city and the Temple,[4] as Jesus said would happen.

Jesus Begins the Church

After the Jews killed Jesus, God began reaching out to the whole world, whose population was now in a providentially good place to bear fruit. The church was God’s way of bringing sincere Jews and Gentiles into the fold of His fellowship.

The church was for those willing to serve Jesus, God’s Son, the Messiah. The church was not for the Jews or Gentiles who refused, denied, or betrayed God as most of the Jews did. They cooperated with the lawless Gentiles to crucify Him. Peter gave them a piece of his mind, and some listened.

Acts 2:22-24 People of Israel, listen! God publicly endorsed Jesus the Nazarene by doing powerful miracles, wonders, and signs through him, as you well know. 23 But God knew what would happen, and his prearranged plan was carried out when Jesus was betrayed. With the help of lawless Gentiles, you nailed him to a cross and killed him. 24 But God released him from the horrors of death and raised him back to life, for death could not keep him in its grip.

Yes, after Jesus was crucified, Peter preached to the Jews (and Gentiles) on the day of Pentecost, letting them know they killed the Lord and Messiah. Some of them felt terrible when they realized this and asked Peter what they could do to rectify their major mistake (to put it lightly).

Acts 2:36-37 “So let everyone in Israel know for certain that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and Messiah!” 37 Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”

Because of Jesus’ work on the cross, many Jews and Gentiles finally repented of their waywardness, got the message, and became believers.

Acts 2:41 Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all.

Future Spiritual Awakening

Since the church began, millions of Jews have repented and turned to their true Messiah. Overall, Jesus’ ministry brought a large contingent of Jews to God, and the Gentiles also turned to Him. Millions of Jews continue to serve Jesus Christ today, although not the majority of Jews.

There’s coming a time though, when God will renew the spiritual standing of the Jews. They will no longer reject or ignore the moving of God’s Spirit like they did to Jesus. Spiritually, the majority will experience a regeneration, get in tune with the Lord, and be aligned with His purposes.

God has remained devoted and faithful in His promises to Abraham’s rebellious or unsincere descendants. As we’ll see, after many centuries, He brought them back to the land of Israel, where they are currently thriving.

The Jews will gain a desire to know and serve God again as Abraham did. Yahweh will eventually renew them spiritually by giving them new hearts, particularly when they see Him work in their favor.

Ezekiel 36:26-27 And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations.

This is not to say the Israelis are extremely out of tune with God currently. I have some dear Christian friends who have spent years on and off in Israel. They tell me of an optimistic expectancy in the Israelis’ midst. And the Bible’s story promises Yahweh has more to teach them. However, there first needed to be a physical restoration of their land from being scattered worldwide.

Israel – Scattered But Gathered Again

Starting in the first century, when the Romans devastated Jerusalem and the Temple, the Jews who rejected Christ have had heartache after heartache. It happened just as the Scriptures stated centuries beforehand. None of us should be haughty or smug about their demise and struggles since that time. Unfortunately for the Jews, the Romans were not the first ones to have scattered them.

Since there was no repentance from most of the Jews, “the ax at the root of the trees” that John the Baptist described dealt a heavy blow to Israel. “The Jewish state came to an end in 70 AD, when the Romans began to actively drive Jews from the home they had lived in for over a thousand years… After 73 AD, Hebrew history would only be the history of the Diaspora as the Jews and their worldview spread over Africa, Asia, and Europe.” [5]

Diaspora – A group so dispersed, especially Jews outside of the land of Israel.

From about 70 AD until 1948 AD, the Jews’ substance would no longer be in the land God had given them. They were dispersed and spread around the world as various prophecies noted.

Nation of Israel Rebirth

The Scriptures predicted centuries and even thousands of years beforehand that Israel would be separated from their land and scattered among other nations. Yahweh clarified suffering would occur if they rebelled against Him and didn’t follow His attempts to reach them. But despite their rebellion, the prophets said the Lord would gather and bring the people of Israel back to their land.

Over millennia, there have been several scatterings and captivities of the Jews. The Egyptians, Assyrians, Babylonians, and Romans have all caused or facilitated their dispersion worldwide.

After the Great Revolt in 70 AD the Jews wandered for centuries and did not have a land they could call their own. Without a homeland, tragedies happened to God’s chosen people.[6] But even from such terrible circumstances, God enabled them to bounce back. Ezekiel chapters 34-39 foretold Israel’s exile and, amazingly, the return to their land in the End Times.

Ezekiel 34:13 I will bring them back home to their own land of Israel from among the peoples and nations. I will feed them on the mountains of Israel and by the rivers and in all the places where people live.

Ezekiel 36:24, 28 For I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries, and will bring you into your own land. And you will live in Israel, the land I gave your ancestors long ago. You will be my people, and I will be your God.

Ezekiel 37:21 And give them this message from the Sovereign Lord: I will gather the people of Israel from among the nations. I will bring them home to their own land from the places where they have been scattered.

Some assume the above passages in Ezekiel describe their early captivities in Egypt, Assyria, and Babylon, from which God brought them home. And some of those events were indeed prophesied.

But Ezekiel chapters 34-39 speak of “Israel’s future End Times restoration. Within these chapters, Ezekiel speaks about a regathering of the nation of Israel from all the nations of the world (not just from any one nation). The prophet speaks of a battle in the end times where God will make His name known to the nations.” [7]

That battle will be with “Gog of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal,” (Ezekiel 38:2 NASB). In this instance, Yahweh’s “fury will boil over!” against Rosh because Israel will be living securely and at peace. (Ezekiel 38:11, 18) The occasion triggers the Battle of Gog and Magog, when God rescues His people supernaturally. Many Bible scholars claim Gog of Magog, the prince of Rosh, will be Russia.

Ezekiel 38:15-16 You will come from your homeland in the distant north with your vast cavalry and your mighty army, 16 and you will attack my people Israel, covering their land like a cloud. At that time in the distant future, I will bring you against my land as everyone watches, and my holiness will be displayed by what happens to you, Gog. Then all the nations will know that I am the Lord.

I will provide more insight on Gog and Armageddon in a Blog I anticipate writing. But for now, let’s concentrate on the fact that Ezekiel 34 – 39 (above) is for a future time.

Bible commentary author David Guzik suggests that Ezekiel 37:21 intended to divulge a deliverance of God’s people on a wider scale, stating, “This was a promise to bring the Jewish people from among the nations, from a scattering much broader than the Babylonian captivity.” [8]

Because the nation of Israel had a rebirth in 1948, the prophecies above are partially fulfilled and continue to be imminent as the Jews return to Israel. The Ezekiel passages reveal there would be a worldwide dispersion of the Jews, but they would be restored to their homeland as a nation—as the world has now seen.

We’re not the only ones to be informed by Biblical prophecies. The bigger challenge is interpreting the forecasts properly and believing God reveals the future for our knowledge and benefit. Other scholars, many years before us, did so. They expected Israel to become a nation again before it happened. In the next section, we’ll see where centuries beforehand, trust in the Scriptures gave confidence that God would restore the nation of Israel.

Expecting Israel’s Rebirth – More Recently

A commentary dating back to 1669 AD reveals that its pages were not outdated musings on a shelf. Also, Bible prophecy books from the 1800s disclose that Israel would become a nation in the distant future. Those authors knew beforehand that God would bring the Jews back to Palestine.

These men were people just like you and me. They realized that Jewish prophets made it clear: Yahweh would bring His people home, and Israel would become a nation again before the second coming of Christ. Below are just a few instances of the findings by those researchers.

1669 AD – Increase Mather

Centuries before, in a book published in 1669, The Mystery of Israel’s Salvation, the author “showed that the Jews would return to Palestine and become a nation before their spiritual conversion and the return of the Messiah, Jesus Christ.” [9]

1864 AD – Dr. John Cumming [10]

Almost a century ahead of time, Dr. John Cumming said, “ How does it come to pass that as a nation they (Israel) have been dispersed over every land, yet insulated, separated, and alone amid the nations? The predictions of their restoration are in words as definite, only not yet fulfilled. As a nation, they were cut off and dispersed, and it is as a nation that they shall be gathered and restored.”

“But one closing act in this great dramatic history of an extraordinary people is yet wanting to complete the whole. Their restoration is predicted and demanded. Who will stretch out his hand to move the scene and call forth the actors?” [11]

1866 AD – James Grant [12]

82 years beforehand, James Grant predicted, “The personal coming of Christ, to establish His millennial reign on earth, will not take place until the Jews are restored to their own land, and the enemies of Christ and the Jews have gathered together their armies from all parts of the world, and have commenced the siege of Jerusalem… now the return of the Jews to the Holy Land, and the mustering and marshaling of these mighty armies, with a view to capturing Jerusalem, must require a considerable time yet.”

Those Bible scholars from the “old days” may have died before Israel had its official rebirth. But they didn’t need to be alive for God to accomplish that feat according to His timing. Because of its importance, I don’t mind repeating it. On May 14, 1948, David Ben-Gurion read Israel’s Declaration of Independence. That reading established the Jewish nation as the State of Israel. Thus began the gathering of the Jews back to Israel from centuries of scattering and dispersion.

Israel Scattered – Church Age and Times of the Gentiles

Although Israel has been a critical component in the overall scheme of God’s plan, they had a backstage destiny for a few thousand years. When the Jewish religious leaders rejected Jesus in the first century, it was a major blow to Israel. Moses told them in Deuteronomy 28:45-46, by not following Yahweh, “these curses will pursue and overtake you until you are destroyed.”

Deuteronomy 28:25 The Lord will cause you to be defeated by your enemies. You will attack your enemies from one direction, but you will scatter from them in seven! You will be an object of horror to all the kingdoms of the earth.

As we’ve seen above, when the Romans destroyed the city of Jerusalem and burned the Temple in 70 AD, Israel’s role in history changed. From then on, the Church Age and God’s plan for the Times of the Gentiles overtook history. The message of Jesus was made known to the Gentiles everywhere.

The Apostle Paul was a Jew who rejected Jesus initially and persecuted Jesus’ followers before becoming a believer in Him. But in the book of Romans, he clarified that God revealed His long-kept secret plan for the Gentiles.

Romans 16:25-27 Now all glory to God, who is able to make you strong, just as my Good News says. This message about Jesus Christ has revealed his plan for you Gentiles, a plan kept secret from the beginning of time. 26 But now as the prophets foretold and as the eternal God has commanded, this message is made known to all Gentiles everywhere, so that they too might believe and obey him. 27 All glory to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, forever. Amen.

Keep in mind that each individual Jew could make their own decision for or against Jesus. Over the centuries, many Jews have surely accepted Jesus as their Messiah. But overall, the course of humanity has been the Church Age, also called the Age of the Gentiles.

Because of God’s love for the Jews, it’s sometimes hard to fathom that He intended the nation of Israel to be removed from their homeland for close to 2,000 years, from 70 AD until 1948 AD. To wrap our heads around the whole concept of thinking in millennia, not years, decades, or centuries, we need to comprehend how God operates. That is, extremely long periods of time go by quickly for Him because He thinks and lives eternally.

So that an accurate perspective can be grasped, we must realize that to Yahweh, a thousand years are like a day, and a day is like a thousand years. In it all, He’s being fair, He’s giving people in all nations the opportunity to turn to Him, just as He gave the Jews that chance when Jesus visited millennia ago in the first century. (And He continues to invite every Jew and Gentile to repent.)

2 Peter 3:8-9 But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. 9 The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.

Interpreting End-Time Events

Countless moving parts are happening in the End Times. It’s an extremely complicated, multi-dimensional situation with many options and ranges of scenarios. And yet, certain prophecies are sure to happen. Essentially, in the end, the Lord will see to it that shiploads of wrongs will be righted. His people will stand in awe, be amazed, and blown away by His wonderful works!

Psalm 64:9-10 Then everyone will stand in awe, proclaiming the mighty acts of God, realizing all the amazing things he does. The godly will rejoice in the Lord and find shelter in him. And those who do what is right will praise him.

We don’t know the exact timing of End Times events, but the stage is being prepared. We must be ready for God to begin His work that has been prophesied for thousands of years.

Matthew 24:42-44 (NLT) “So you, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming. Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would keep watch and not permit his house to be broken into. You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.

Even though we don’t know the exact timing of the second coming of Christ, it’s right for us to be informed by the signs of the times in the Last Days. For Israel to have become a nation again is a huge, bright fluorescent sign. Jesus suggested we watch for and interpret the signs of the times just as we often attempt to predict the weather. He was upset with the Jews because they refused to watch for signs.

Matthew 16:3b You know how to interpret the weather signs in the sky, but you don’t know how to interpret the signs of the times!

Had the Pharisees and other Jewish religious leaders watched for the signs of their times, they could have recognized that God visited them when He sent His Son in the first century. In other words, Jesus intends us to understand God’s will by watching for the signs of the times.

Luke 21:25 (NLT) “And there will be strange signs in the sun, moon, and stars. And here on earth the nations will be in turmoil, perplexed by the roaring seas and strange tides.

I live in Florida, where there are more hurricanes, stronger than in the past, with major flooding higher than ever. Is it the roaring seas and strange tides Jesus spoke about? It certainly concerns me, and I’d be dull mentally and spiritually to ignore the situation. Events are escalating in our world; some of the most important facets of history may be at hand, ready to happen.

In my next Blog, we’ll learn from the prophet Daniel. We’ll be informed about some major Gentile empires and a future empire from which the Antichrist will rise. I’ll also highlight Daniel’s Seventy Weeks of Years prophecy with a timeline that includes the Tribulation. Additionally, we’ll expound more upon the secret plan I mentioned above. A mystery has been revealed to us – the Church Age and the Times of the Gentiles, as above in Romans.

Thanks for subscribing. I always enjoy hearing your thoughts. Feel free to email me at Glenn@GlennLMarx.com.

Until next time, all the best to you.

Glenn

[1] Paul N. Benware, Understanding End Times Prophecy (Moody Publishers, 2006) p. 109

[2] https://petshun.com/article/do-donkey-have-to-be-broke-to-ride (Accessed 2025-02-16)

[3] https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/the-great-revolt-66-70-ce (Accessed 2024-11-21)

[4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Jerusalem_(70_CE) (Accessed 2024-11-21)

[5] https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/the-diaspora (Accessed 2024-11-21)

[6] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiddler_on_the_Roof (Accessed 2025-02-26) I recommend watching the 1964 musical, Fiddler on the Roof, set in around 1905. It’s long, but in a whimsical, heartfelt, and loving way, it shows how outside influences strained against Jewish cultural traditions. Eventually, the family gets evicted from their Ukrainian village, as often happened to the Jews.

[7] https://jesusplusnothing.com/series/post/EzekielOverview (Accessed 2025-02-27)

[8] https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/guzik_david/study-guide/ezekiel/ezekiel-37.cfm?a=839021 (Accessed 2025-02-27)

[9] Hal Lindsay, The Late Great Planet Earth (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1970) pgs. 49-50

[10] John Cumming, M.D., The Destiny of Nations (London, England: Hurst & Blackette, 1864)

[11] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balfour_Declaration (Accessed 2025-02-26) The Balfour Declaration shows Lord Rothschild had a role.

[12] James Grant, The End of Things (London, England: Darton & Company, 1866)