4d. ISRAEL MY FRIEND

 

FUTURE: ISRAEL’S DIVINE REGATHERING

DR. EARL PARVIN

Feb. 2018

6-28-17

INTRODUCTION

ISRAEL’S TRUE GOLDEN AGE TO COME

1. When we began this study, we looked at Israel My Friend Past considering their Divine Purpose. Our conclusion was that Israel was chosen by God for the purpose of making Jehovah God known in a pagan world [Ez 33:7-11] which had sought to forget the God who created and wanted to sustain them. God had revealed Himself to Abraham who was reared in a devout, although pagan home. Through a series of miracles God created a unique nation, called Israel. Tragically they rejected God’s Theocracy because they wanted to be like the nations around them [I Sam 8:20]. Israel, without God’s protection was then scattered all over the world in a Jewish Diaspora---

 

19 "But if you turn away and forsake the decrees and commands I have given you and go off to serve other gods and worship them, 20 then I will uproot Israel from my land, which I have given them, and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name. I will make it a byword and an object of ridicule among all peoples. 21 And though this temple is now so imposing, all who pass by will be appalled and say, 'Why has the LORD done such a thing to this land and to this temple?' 22 People will answer, 'Because they have forsaken the LORD, the God of their fathers, who brought them out of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, worshiping and serving them—that is why he brought all this disaster on them.' " II CHRONICLES 7:19-22

 

2. Then we examined Israel My Friend Present, in their Divine Banishment. They were banished from the Promised Land, the Lord’s Temple and God’s Theocratic rule. They were driven from country to country searching for a peaceful existence until they could one day return to the Promised Land. But, there was no peace as predicted by Ezekiel 13:16. Every year they would pray, ‘next year- Jerusalem. In 1948, their national dream became a reality, and they began to flood back to Palestine. But it was more of a NIGHTMARE, for the Arab neighbors have perpetually sought to destroy Israel whom they insist is occupying Arab land. However, as if by the hand of God, they have succeeded in making the desert bloom against super human odds. But spiritually they are but dry bones even as they dream of rebuilding the 3rd temple.

 

7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8 I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them. EZ. 37:7-8

 

Now we begin the third phase of our study of the Future of Israel My Friend: which I have entitled, the Divine Regathering. The regathering is a recurring theme in the Old Testament, that God would Divinely Regather Israel from where they had been scattered---

 

Isaiah 11:12
He will raise a banner for the nations and gather the exiles of Israel; he will assemble the scattered people of Judah from the four quarters of the earth.

 

·  Ezekiel 11:17
"Therefore say: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will gather you from the nations and bring you back from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you back the land of Israel again.'

·  Ezekiel 28:25
" 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: When I gather the people of Israel from the nations where they have been scattered, I will show myself holy among them in the sight of the nations. Then they will live in their own land, which I gave to my servant Jacob.

 

But, Daniel said, “God was finishing Israel’s transgression---

 

24 "Seventy 'sevens' are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy. Daniel 9:24

 

Not only would God regather them, but He would make them the witness He originally created them to be. Notice the series of promises to be fulfilled---

I will take the Israelites out of the nations where they have gone. I will gather them from all around and bring them back into their own land. 22 I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel. There will be one king over all of them and they will never again be two nations or be divided into two kingdoms. 23 They will no longer defile themselves with their idols and vile images or with any of their offenses, for I will save them from all their sinful backsliding, and I will cleanse them. They will be my people, and I will be their God.

24 "My servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd. They will follow my laws and be careful to keep my decrees. 25 They will live in the land I gave to my servant Jacob, the land where your fathers lived. They and their children and their children's children will live there forever, and David my servant will be their prince forever. 26 I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant. I will establish them and increase their numbers, and I will put my sanctuary among them forever. 27 My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people. 28 Then the nations will know that I the LORD make Israel holy, when my sanctuary is among them forever.' " Ez 37: 21-28  [Is it not amazing that the Covenant of Peace is the exact language of the Antichrist who will deceive!]

Ezekiel mentions that their numbers will be increased. This was originally prophesied in Gen. 22:17, however they never did become numberless or as the sands of the sea. This is explained by Isaiah in 48:19 as a result of their sin. However it appears that it will yet happen  because it is here mentioned by Ezekiel and again by Hosea,  “Yet the Israelites will be like the sand on the seashore, which cannot be measured or counted. In the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ they will be called ‘children of the living God.’ 1:10

The regathering of Israel is also a familiar theme in the New Testament that God would again bless Israel, especially seen in the book of Romans---

11Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. 12But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their fullness bring! Ro. 11:11-12

13I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I make much of my ministry 14in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them. 15For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? Ro. 11:13-15

26And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.  27And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins."  Vs. 26-27 Quoted from Isaiah 59:20-21 “when they repent of their sins”

Jesus came the first time as the sacrificial Lamb of God. When He returns, He will come as their conquering KING. And, we the church will come with HIM to reign, but there is another event before the Millennial Reign.

 

ISRAEL MY FRIEND FUTURE: DIVINE REGATHERING - A

 

Let us remind ourselves that the regathering of Israel will be by the miraculous act of God, for over and again the God says: “I will gather Israel” Ezekiel 11:17. It is true, the WORD predicts there is a glorious day coming when Israel will “seek God with their whole heart” [Jer 29:13]. They will repent [Jer 31:19] and be gathered back into the Land. They will confess their sins and be received back into the blessings of the Lord. God will put His law in their minds and write it on their hearts” [Jer 31:31, Heb. 8:11, 10:16]. However, Gabriel revealed to Daniel that transgressions must be finished 9:24---

 

24 "Seventy 'sevens' are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy.

 

THE TRIBULATION---

 

The finishing of transgression and bringing in righteousness would involve three long periods of time--

 

One-- 69 weeks of years of world empires or 483 years. This period began in Babylon and ended with the death of Christ on a Roman cross;

 

Two-- there would be a parenthesis period of time called the Church Age which Dnl did not see, involving some 2000+ years. This period began with the destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem and ends with the rapture of the church and miraculous regathering of Israel---

"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words." (I Thess, 4:16-18).

"Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal [must] put on immortality" (1 Cor. 15:51-53).

Three-- Daniel’s 70th week of years or 7 years of Tribulation. This period begins with the Miraculous Regathering of Israel and will end with the Return of Christ as King, rescuing Israel from annihilation. The Tribulation Period of seven years is a complicated time involving the final cleansing of Israel. It does not involve the church; therefore, it is raptured. The 7 years begin with a covenant for one week made by the Anti-christ with Israel for a period of peace---[remember God’s promise above!]

27 He will confirm a covenant with many for one 'seven.' In the middle of the 'seven' he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing of the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him, Dnl. 9:27.

Notice that these 7 years are divided into two divisions of 3 ½ years. Evidently the first period is typified by a period of peace, that for which Israel longs. Then all hell breaks loose, as the Antichrist reneges on his promise.  This period has various labels which we will examine later. First note:

THE COVENANT MADE BY THE ANTICHRIST

It would appear that this Covenant with Israel involves permission to build the Third Temple, for in the midst of the ‘week’ on the wing of the Temple, the Antichrist will set up an image of himself to be worshipped; therefore, the Temple must exist. Both Zechariah and John speak of two Olive Trees, who are revealed to be two Anointed Ones to serve the Lord. Perhaps they are the ones to oversee the building of the Temple?---

2 He asked me, "What do you see?" I answered, "I see a solid gold lamp stand with a bowl at the top and seven lights on it, with seven channels to the lights. 3 Also there are two olive trees by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left."… 11 Then I asked the angel, "What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand?"  14 So he said, "These are the two who are anointed to serve the Lord of all the earth."  Zech 4:2-3,14

4These are the two olive trees and the two lamp stands that stand before the Lord of the earth. 5If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies…. 7Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them. Rev. 11:4-5,7 [What is that testimony? Perhaps the rebuilding of the 3rd Temple oversight?]

[It is interesting to note that the Temple Institute folks in Israel are the ones who are making plans to build the Temple. They insist that a prerequisite to the building of the Temple, that a Red Heifer be available to be sacrificed to cleanse the Temple for service. A Red Heifer is an anomaly or rarity genetically, and only a few in history have been identified. As of March 2011, they announced the finding of a Red Heifer. They are also seeking to build the Altar of Sacrifice.] Recall that “without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness” [Heb 9:22].

This would be done during the first half of the Tribulation Covenant. During this same period of time following the Rapture of the Christians, a tremendous number of Jews will be converted and begin the witness they were originally chosen to be---

PART B

THE 144,000 SEALED JEWS

 

During the first part of the Tribulation, 144,000 Jews are to be sealed by the Holy Spirit to protect them from the Antichrist’s fury to come. The 12,000 from each of the Twelve Tribes of Israel come alive spiritually and share their faith in the post-rapture world, making the Gospel known in a world gone awfully wrong and getting worse. The Muslim world’s leaders are sorely bent on destroying Israel, because these 144,000 are faithfully and effectively sharing the Truth of the Gospel. It appears that a numberless multitude from every tribe, nation, people and language will respond to their witness [Rev. 7:1-10].

 

2Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: 3"Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God." 4Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel. Rev 7:2-4.

 

9After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10And they cried out in a loud voice:
   "Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb."

            [The Christian church has thought of this prophecy as the work of world missions of the church. However, in the law of double of fulfillment, it could also be the work of the 144,000?]

 

ARMAGEDDON

 

The effectiveness of this turning to the Lord, will no doubt infuriate the Muslim world especially, as well as the secular world following the Rapture; therefore, a united effort is made to stop this turning to Christ. Notice the terminology assigned to this second half of the Tribulation---

 Jacob’s Trouble---3 The days are coming,' declares the LORD, 'when I will bring my people Israel and Judah back from captivity and restore them to the land I gave their forefathers to possess,' says the LORD." 4 These are the words the LORD spoke concerning Israel and Judah: 5 "This is what the LORD says: “Cries of fear are heard— terror, not peace. 6 Ask and see: Can a man bear children? Then why do I see every strong man with his hands on his stomach like a woman in labor, every face turned deathly pale? 7 How awful that day will be! None will be like it. It will be a time of trouble for Jacob, but he will be saved out of it, Jer. 30:3-7.

“Time of Distress---1 "At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered. Dnl. 12:1

“Abomination of Desolation”---15"So when you see standing in the holy place 'the abomination that causes desolation, spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand— 16then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains…19How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers!...21For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again. 22If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. Matt 24:

“Dreadful Day of Lord”--- 31 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD. Joel 2:31

“Lawlessness”--- 1Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers, 2not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come. [That is Preterism] 3Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for (that day will not come) until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 4He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God. II Thess. 2:1-4, Dnl 11:31. [Mahdi of Islam?]

 

This passage makes it clear that there will be a 3rd Tribulation Temple built and the sacrificial system reestablished. Then the Antichrist will rebel and set himself up as god---

3but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. I Jn. 4:3

Jesus Christ will come on His White Horse and destroy the nations who have persecuted Israel--- Rev 19:11-21

11I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. 12His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. 13He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter." He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 16On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:
       KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. = Theocratic!

17And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, "Come, gather together for the great supper of God, 18so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and mighty men, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, small and great." 19Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against the rider on the horse and his army. 20But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. 21The rest of them were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh. Rev. 19:11-21.

Just who these nations are who are attacking Israel seem to be very obvious at this time. They are all  Israel’s neighbors and many are relatives [‘Ishmaelites/Arabs] for they have clearly stated that they hate Israel and are dedicated to destroying Israel. Tragically, Scriptures reveal that they will be successful, “until the time of Wrath is completed”, Dnl. 11:36.  Then God will rescue them!

[Be reminded that Iran is not Arab, but Persian, yet Muslim]

 

The Prophet Joel comforts Israel with these words:

17 “Then you will know that I, the Lord your God, dwell in Zion, my holy hill. Jerusalem will be holy;
    never again will foreigners invade her.18 “In that day the mountains will drip new wine, and the hills will flow with milk; all the ravines of Judah will run with water. A fountain will flow out of the Lord’s house and will water the valley of acacias. 19 But Egypt will be desolate, Edom a desert waste,
because of violence done to the people of Judah, in whose land they shed innocent blood.20 Judah will be inhabited forever and Jerusalem through all generations. 21 Shall I leave their innocent blood unavenged? No, I will not.” The Lord dwells in Zion! [Joel 3:19-21]

MILLENNIUM

 

The final stage of history following the Tribulation will be God’s established Millennial reign. In the Millennium God will set up Israel as a Theocracy, where He is their King, as He did when they first entered the Land and the first temple was built---

 

And the LORD told him: "Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king, I Sam 8:7.

 

“The Lord will be King over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord, and His Name the only Name” Zech 14:9 This will be a True Theocracy! [Not the fake Islamic Mahdi]

 

Following the Great Tribulation the Jews who remain are saved by grace through faith and are ushered into the Millenial Reign of Christ. The Millenial Temple will be built by God Himself and the Glory of the Lord will fill the Temple [Ez 43:1-5]. The blood sacrificial system will be reestablished [Is. 56:6-7, 60:7; Jer. 33:18; Zech. 14;16]. The Jewish people will be involved in serving in the Millennial Temple, which will be the only Temple serving an entire world who come to worship [Zech 14:16-17]

 

The size of the Millennial Temple is huge according to Ezekiel [45:1-2, 6] ---2500 square miles! The Temple courts are a mile square. It is to be 40 miles around the perimeter [Rev. 21:16]. Jonah tells us that Nineveh was some 60 miles. [Mecca, Arabia is the destination of two million Muslim each year in the Hajj. Al Haram Mosque will accommodate 2 million people at one time and covers 1,000 acres. Also note, the current Mosque in Arabia, covers more area than the proposed Temple Courts of the Millennial Temple; therefore, it is not impossible!]

 

THE NEW HEAVENS, EARTH AND JERUSALEM

 

The last two chapters of the book of Revelation indicate that there will be a new heaven and earth, for the first will have passed away. The Holy City, the New Jerusalem, comes down out of heaven. Now God dwells and lives with men, Rev 21:1-3.

 

There are twelve gates to the city and over each is written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel, v.12. [Reminiscent of Israel]

 

There are twelve foundations on which are written the twelve Apostles, v. 14. It would appear that both Israel and the Church are both involved in serving God in this New Jerusalem. [reminiscent of the church]

 

The streets are of pure gold, v. 21.

 

There is no Temple, for God and the Lamb are there, v. 22.

 

There is no sun or moon, for Glory of God gives light, v. 23.

 

The nations and kings of the earth will walk in its light, v. 24

 

The residents all have their names written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, v. 27

 

The River of Life flows from the throne and the tree of life stands on both sides, 22:1-2

 

The Throne of God and the Lamb are here, v. 3

 

The saints will see His Face, and His name will be on their foreheads v. 4

 

JESUS IS COMING SOON Rev. 22:7, 12, 20

 

He is the offspring of David, v. 16

 

EPILOG: The greater shock to the Jew, when He is miraculously gathered from around the world, convicted of his sin of rejection, confesses his sin and is born again will be the realization that they had been deceived by their own religious leaders, that Jesus was indeed who HE said He was. All the years of thinking that keeping the law was all that was needed. That Aliyah, or next year Jerusalem was all that was important. He was so blinded that he was not able to see the reality of the festivals was only a reminder of all that God had done for them. And finally the mocking of the Fulfilled Jew as a non-Jew is what he had to also become. Then they understood, “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ [Acts 2:36].

 

Zechariah adds, “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son. [12:10]

 

Jesus is more than a Prophet. He is the Son of God, the Redeemer, the Savior, the Coming One.

 

The Jews, God’s chosen people, when they repent, will hear, you “ARE MY WITNESSES” [Is 43:10] that I am God [v.12]. Also see Jer 44:8, & Acts 1:8, Jesus final words.

 

This will be the fulfillment of God’s purpose for Israel, “to be a light for the Gentiles, that you may  bring my salvation to the ends of the earth” [Is 42:6; 49:6:Lk 2:32; Acts 13:49; 26:23].

 

This will happen in the Tribulation with the 144,000 Jewish evangelists [Rev 7:4] whose effective witness resulted in, “a great multitude no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the Throne and in front of the LAMB [V.9].

 

What a day that will be!