For many, the current turmoil in the Middle East obscures the fact that Israel has a future far greater than its enemies anticipate or its population hopes for. The continued existence of the country as an independent state seems under threat from conflict with surrounding nations. While the re-establishment of Israel in 1948 is seen as a modern miracle by some, by others it is viewed as a disaster, but amidst the uncertainty there is certainty for those willing to accept it.
Looking back many years: Abraham, previously called Abram, the father of both Jews and Arabs, was told that his descendants would leave Canaan for another country and later return...
And he [God] said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance. And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age. But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full. (Genesis 15:13-16 AV)
It was Abraham’s grandson Jacob who went into Egypt with his family, and, as God promised, their descendants were led out to the border of Canaan by Moses, after the foretold period of slavery.
Before they entered the land, the people were told the consequences of their behaviour, whether good or bad, as part of Moses’ last recorded words. Deuteronomy 28 shows first the blessings of good behaviour…
And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them: (Deuteronomy 28:13 AV)
…and then the troubles that would follow evil behaviour…
And it shall come to pass, that as the LORD rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you; so the LORD will rejoice over you to destroy you, and to bring you to nought; and ye shall be plucked from off the land whither thou goest to possess it. And the LORD shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known, even wood and stone. And among these nations shalt thou find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest: but the LORD shall give thee there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind: And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee; and thou shalt fear day and night, and shalt have none assurance of thy life: In the morning thou shalt say, Would God it were even! and at even thou shalt say, Would God it were morning! for the fear of thine heart wherewith thou shalt fear, and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see. (Deuteronomy 28:63-67 AV)
This latter fate was fulfilled by the Romans, destroying Jerusalem and scattering the Jews in AD 70, and again in AD 135, since when persecution and antisemitism have plagued them worldwide, right down to our day.
Just as the scattering was foretold centuries before the fulfilment, so also was return to the land. The Jewish prophet Ezekiel had a vision of a valley of dry bones, representing the fragmented and scattered Jewish communities of the world. Gradually they came together and were completed with flesh and skin. The further process is described...
So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army. Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts. Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD. (Ezekiel 37:10-14 AV)
Today, Jews are in their own land, they have their own army, navy and airforce in an integrated Defence Force. But threats to the nation are ever present.
The end of all this is revealed through the prophet Zechariah. After initial setbacks, miraculous intervention will ensure survival, and subsequent promotion...
Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. (Zechariah 14:1-3 AV)
We are not told the nature of the intervention but can look back through the Old Testament and see that previous means have included massive hail stones, torrential rain causing floods, earth tremors, sudden mysterious deaths. Then the Lord Jesus Christ is revealed on the same mountain from which he ascended to heaven, which then divides…
And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. (Zechariah 14:4 AV)
Following which, universal government will be established upon divine principles...
And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one. (Zechariah 14:9 AV)
And Jerusalem will become the centre of true worship, with attendance being compulsory...
And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. (Zechariah 14:16-18 AV)
Other passages speak of Jerusalem becoming the legal, political and religious capital of the world, and an ensuing time of peace...
And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’S house shall be established in the top of the mountains and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. (Isaiah 2:2-4 AV)
Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath and vex them in his sore displeasure. Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. (Psalms 2:1-6 AV)
The twelve disciples will have special responsibilities in the land...
And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. (Matthew 19:28 AV)
...and the faithful of all preceding ages will have responsibilities at that time, as John was shown symbolically in vision...
And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. (Revelation 5:8-10 AV)
Whether we are amongst them depends upon our response to God’s Word now.