Is modern Israel prophetically significant?
Question 10065
The re-establishment of the nation of Israel in 1948 is one of the most significant prophetic events in modern history. After nearly 2,000 years of dispersion, the Jewish people have returned to their ancient homeland exactly as the Old Testament prophets predicted. This restoration points towards the fulfilment of God’s remaining promises to Israel and the imminent return of Jesus Christ.
The Miracle of Israel’s Survival
Before we even look at prophecy, consider the sheer improbability of Israel’s existence. No other ancient people scattered across the world for two millennia has maintained its distinct identity, let alone returned to its homeland and revived its ancient language. The Babylonians, Assyrians, Philistines, and countless other ancient nations have vanished into history. Yet the Jews remain.
Mark Twain visited Palestine in 1867 and described it as a “desolate country” whose soil was “rich enough, but is given over wholly to weeds – a silent, mournful expanse.” He wrote of encountering “hardly a tree or a shrub anywhere.” Yet today, Israel is one of the world’s leading agricultural exporters, making the desert bloom exactly as Isaiah prophesied: “The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus.” (Isaiah 35:1)
This is not merely remarkable – it is supernatural. Israel’s survival and restoration are proof of God’s faithfulness to His covenant promises.
The Prophecy of Regathering
Numerous Old Testament passages predict that God would scatter Israel for their disobedience but would then regather them to their land in the last days. Moses prophesied this pattern: “And the LORD will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other… Then the LORD your God will restore your fortunes and have mercy on you, and he will gather you again from all the peoples where the LORD your God has scattered you. If your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there the LORD your God will gather you, and from there he will take you.” (Deuteronomy 30:3-4)
Ezekiel saw a vision of dry bones coming to life, representing Israel’s resurrection as a nation: “Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I will take the people of Israel from the nations among which they have gone, and will gather them from all around, and bring them to their own land. And I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel.” (Ezekiel 37:21-22)
Isaiah prophesied the same: “In that day the Lord will extend his hand yet a second time to recover the remnant that remains of his people… He will raise a signal for the nations and will assemble the banished of Israel, and gather the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.” (Isaiah 11:11-12)
Think about the specificity of these prophecies. Not just that Israel would be scattered – many nations have been conquered and dispersed. But that they would return “from the four corners of the earth” to their ancient homeland and be reconstituted as a nation. This is unprecedented in human history.
Restored in Unbelief
Significantly, the prophecies indicate that Israel would be regathered in unbelief, before their spiritual restoration. Ezekiel’s vision shows the bones coming together and receiving flesh before receiving breath (the Spirit): “So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no breath in them.” (Ezekiel 37:7-8)
Only later does the Spirit enter them: “Then he said to me, ‘Prophesy to the breath… and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord GOD: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.’ So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.” (Ezekiel 37:9-10)
This is precisely what we see today. Israel has been physically regathered – the bones have come together. But as a nation, they remain in spiritual unbelief, still rejecting Jesus as their Messiah. Their spiritual awakening is still future, prophesied to occur during and after the tribulation period.
Jerusalem Under Jewish Control
Jesus prophesied that “Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” (Luke 21:24) For centuries, Jerusalem was controlled by various Gentile powers – Romans, Byzantines, Muslims, Crusaders, Ottomans, and finally the British. In 1948, Israel gained independence but did not control all of Jerusalem.
Then, in the remarkable Six-Day War of June 1967, Israel captured the Old City of Jerusalem and reunified the city under Jewish control for the first time since 586 BC. This fulfilled Jesus’ prophecy that Gentile control of Jerusalem would eventually end.
The significance cannot be overstated. For end-times prophecy to be fulfilled – particularly regarding the Antichrist’s desecration of the temple and the return of Christ to the Mount of Olives – Jerusalem must be under Jewish control. As of 1967, this precondition has been met.
Israel as God’s Prophetic Time Clock
Throughout Scripture, God’s dealing with Israel marks His prophetic timetable. Daniel’s seventy weeks prophecy (Daniel 9:24-27) concerned “your people and your holy city” – Israel and Jerusalem. The prophesied tribulation period is called “the time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jeremiah 30:7), indicating it primarily concerns Israel.
When the disciples asked Jesus about the signs of His coming and the end of the age, He gave them the parable of the fig tree: “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates.” (Matthew 24:32-33)
Throughout Scripture, the fig tree often represents Israel (Hosea 9:10, Joel 1:7). When Jesus cursed a fig tree (Matthew 21:18-22), it was a prophetic sign of Israel’s spiritual barrenness and coming judgement. Yet He also promised that the fig tree would “put out leaves” again – indicating Israel’s restoration as a sign that His return is near.
In 1948, the fig tree came back to life. This generation has witnessed something no generation has seen in 2,000 years – Israel reborn.
Setting the Stage for Future Prophecy
Israel’s restoration is not the fulfilment of all prophecy concerning the nation, but rather sets the stage for what is still to come. Several key prophetic events require Israel to exist as a nation in its land:
The Tribulation Period: Daniel’s seventieth week concerns Israel. The Antichrist will make a covenant with Israel (Daniel 9:27) and later break it, setting up the “abomination of desolation” in Jerusalem (Matthew 24:15). These events require Israel to exist as a nation and Jerusalem to be under Jewish control.
The Invasion from the North: Ezekiel 38-39 describes a coalition of nations led by “Gog of the land of Magog” (likely Russia) invading Israel “in the latter years” when Israel is “dwelling securely” in the land (Ezekiel 38:8, 11). This prophecy requires Israel to be regathered and established in the land.
The Two Witnesses: Revelation 11 describes two witnesses who will prophesy in Jerusalem for 1,260 days during the tribulation. Their ministry in Jerusalem requires the city to be a functioning centre of Jewish life.
The Remnant’s Survival: Jesus warned that when the Antichrist sets up the abomination of desolation, those in Judaea should flee to the mountains (Matthew 24:15-16). God will preserve a remnant of Israel through the tribulation (Zechariah 13:8-9), who will recognise Jesus as their Messiah at His return.
Christ’s Return to the Mount of Olives: Zechariah prophesied that the Messiah will return and “his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives that lies before Jerusalem on the east” (Zechariah 14:4). This requires Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives to be accessible and significant locations.
National Salvation of Israel
Paul makes clear that God has not finished with Israel: “I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means!… God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew… So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous.” (Romans 11:1-2, 11)
Israel’s current unbelief is temporary and purposeful – it allowed the gospel to go to the Gentiles. But God will complete His plan for Israel: “I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, ‘The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob; and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.'” (Romans 11:25-27)
Zechariah describes this moment when Israel recognises Jesus as their Messiah: “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn.” (Zechariah 12:10)
Practical Implications
Understanding Israel’s prophetic significance should affect how we view world events. When we see tensions in the Middle East centred on Israel, when we hear of peace negotiations involving Israel, when we observe nations aligned against Israel – we are watching prophecy unfold before our eyes.
It should also deepen our evangelistic urgency. If Israel’s restoration indicates we are in the last days, then Christ’s return is near. Paul wrote, “Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed.” (Romans 13:11) If that was true in Paul’s day, how much more today?
We should also pray for Israel’s salvation. Paul said, “Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved.” (Romans 10:1) Whilst Israel will ultimately be saved as a nation, individual Jews can come to Christ now. We should support Jewish evangelism and pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
Conclusion
The re-establishment of Israel in 1948 and the reunification of Jerusalem in 1967 are prophetically significant events that point to the nearness of Christ’s return. After 2,000 years of dispersion, the Jewish people have returned to their land, revived their language, and made the desert bloom – exactly as the prophets predicted. Yet this is only the beginning. Israel’s spiritual awakening, the tribulation period, and the glorious return of Christ to establish His kingdom are still future. Israel’s restoration is God’s prophetic time clock ticking towards the culmination of human history and the establishment of Messiah’s reign on earth.
“Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I will take the people of Israel from the nations among which they have gone, and will gather them from all around, and bring them to their own land.” Ezekiel 37:21