Those who question or deny that the return of the Jews to the Promised Land beginning in 1948 was a fulfillment of prophecy often appeal to the people’s continued rejection of God. After all, the returns from the Babylonian captivity under Zerubbabel, Ezra and Nehemiah were done out of national obedience to God. And there is a general principal of blessings and curses being applied to the Israelites based on their obedience (e.g. Deut. 11:26-32). The Israelites were assured that they would be scattered among the other nations should they forsake the LORD (Lev. 26:33; Deut. 28:64). Indeed, the Israelites being taken into the Babylonian captivity testifies to how serious God’s promises are. It is however important to recognize that the warnings provided and the first scattering of the Israelites happened under the Mosaic Covenant.
The Mosaic or old covenant (2 Cor. 3:14; Heb. 8:6) is no longer active as it was replaced by the New Covenant in Christ (Heb. 8:13; 9:15). Therefore, we must understand how a return of the Jews to the Land is to occur under the New Covenant. The inauguration of the New Covenant occurred at the spilling of Jesus’ blood (Luke 22:20; Heb. 12:24). However, the New Covenant is yet to complete its objective of saving all of Israel (Jer. 31:31-34; Rom. 11:26-27; Heb. 8:8-12).
It is precisely because the Jews returned to the Land in unbelief that we should acknowledge a fulfillment of prophecy. This is exactly what the prophet said would occur in Ezekiel 36:22-26:
“Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the LORD God, “It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for My holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you went. I will vindicate the holiness of My great name which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD,” declares the Lord God, “when I prove Myself holy among you in their sight. For I will take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands and bring you into your own land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. (NASB)
Notice that it is only after the LORD ingathers the Jews from the other nations back into the Promised Land that He says He will make the people clean and free from idols (vv. 24-25; cf. Ezek. 11:14-21). Therefore, it would actually be the opposite of what Scripture says if the Jews were brought into their land in a state of obedience and faith. The LORD makes it abundantly clear that He will not bring the Jews back into the land for their sake and that they should be ashamed of their conduct (v. 32). The LORD promises the Jews that He will give them a new heart and a new spirit (v. 26). Such language indicates that the Jewish nation will be brought into the New Covenant (2 Cor. 3:3-6). The new spirit is the Holy Spirit bringing regeneration (John 3:8), leading the Jewish nation to come to finally know Jesus as their Messiah (Zech. 12:10).
This truly speaks to the abundant goodness of God. Christians often expect nothing but grace from God and expect nothing but judgment upon Israel. Just as God saves sinners despite themselves, so too will the God of Israel save Israel. Not only will God’s faithfulness to the unconditional covenants be demonstrated, but by restoring the Jews to their land God will honor His own name. Then the nations will know that the loving and sovereign God of Israel is the only true God (vv. 22-23).
Could it be that the current Jewish control of part of the Promised Land is something that will again end in exile, making the above prophecy only applicable to the final return? This is of course theoretically possible. However, Scripture only ever speaks to two returns from exile (Is. 11:11). It is on one extreme that some believers are quick to interpret every event in the news as fulfillment of prophecy (i.e. newspaper exegesis). The other extreme is to refuse to accept that a prophecy has been fulfilled no matter how much evidence is provided. Rejoice then in the work God started in 1948 with the Jews returning to the land and the establishment of the modern state of Israel. Delight in more and more Jews coming to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Don’t do it because you believe that the Jews are just but because their God is.
The bones come together before the spirit is breathed into them.- Ezekiel 37
Hi Matthew,
The context has Ezekiel prophesying, but not to Israel as we know it, who were scattered ever since AD 70. He was prophesying to the Northern Kingdom called who were called “Israel” and who had already been spread by the Assyrians among many nations. He says, “where you went” indicating that the scattering had already happened. This passage is therefore not referring to modern day scattered Jews.
This Northern Kingdom (10 tribes) called Israel, who had been scattered, would later return to the land of Israel opportunistically, yet providentially, and there find their Messiah. They were unlike Judah who went into Babylon and who returned in obedience.
“I will take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands and bring you into your own land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.”
These words are fulfilled at Pentecost where Jews from all over the world were residing in Jerusalem and were able to hear the gospel and be cleansed of their sin. Acts 2:5 reads “Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven.” Here the term “dwelling” is more than just visiting.
Rob Morley
Actually, the Lord had Ezekiel prophesy to the “mountains of Israel” (v. 1) in contradistinction to Mount Seir (Ezek 6:1-14), not in contradistinction to Judah. Also, it’s quite common for the Lord to speak a word to Israel generations before it would come to pass (e.g., Isa 7:14). The Israelites were scattered at that time, but the prophet ultimately looked to a final restoration–not merely a return from Babylon. You find this theme consistently with the prophets: one eye on next events and one eye on the culmination of the nation’s destiny. Amos 9:15 comes to mind. Are you going to dismiss that plain prophecy by appealing to something other than what was written? The major point of disagreement I have with you here regards a literal fulfillment of prophecy. If Ezekiel is a true prophet then his words must come to pass as they were written (Deut 18:22). The events of Pentecost certainly describe the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the Church. But Ezekiel is concerned with a time when the Israelites as a nation will have the Spirit fall upon them. Because one of the Spirit’s key roles is to bring about regeneration, we shouldn’t be surprised if similar language used in Ezekiel 36 is found elsewhere. Out of many promises yet to happen, it was is said that Israel will experience a permanent, intimate relationship with God (Ezek 36:28-30); they would all be delivered from their uncleanliness (36:25); God would bless them with abundant harvests and fruitfulness (cf. 34:29). The other nations would marvel at Israel’s eden-like conditions–so much so that they would recognize it was Yahweh, the God of Israel, who was responsible for the change (vv. 35-36). And this is to say nothing of subsequent prophecies to Israel, such as a miraculous temple being constructed, filled with the Shekinah glory and quite unlike Zerubbabel’s (Ezek 40-48). These prophetic promises didn’t come to pass in the postexilic period, certainly not with the nation rejecting the Messiah (Matt 23); nor is Israel in such a position with God today. Thus, the prophecy is yet to pass. But because Ezekiel is a true prophet, it most certainly will.
Hi Matthew,
Ezekiel 36:22-26 clearly reads, “Therefore say to the house of Israel”. Therefore it is clear that at that point he was speaking to the “house of Israel”, the 10 tribes who had formed a northern kingdom called “the house of Israel”.
As for Judah, I only referenced them in order to distinguish them from the Northern tribes called Israel. Israel, were scattered among many nations by the Assyrians and, thereafter, Judah went into exile into Babylon specifically. Judah returned from Babylon and Israel found occasion to return from the nations to whom they had been scattered. Acts 2:5 testifies of this.
As for Amos 9:15, note that the term “house of Israel” is used in Amos 9:9, “For behold, I will command, and shake the house of Israel among all the nations as one shakes with a sieve”. Therefore, Amos is also prophesying to the 10 northern tribes of Israel who were called the “house of Israel” and not to the whole of Israel.
Literal prophesy gets a literal outcome, but figurative language in prophesy needs to be recognized and interpreted as such. If one reads chapter Amos 9, then 9:15 is clearly part of a passage of figurative language.
Rob
Yes, but the reference to the mountains underscores that this is “all the house of Israel.” (cf. v. 10). These are all Israelites. But that is a minor issue. The major one is of hermeneutics and if the prophets words have clearly come to pass.