09/08/2025
THE HOMECOMING
When the Jews returned to their ancestral land in 1948 it changed everything.
The early church had seen the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. They saw the stones removed in order to capture the melted gold. They saw the prized artifacts being hauled to Rome. In 135 AD The Romans subdued Israel. The Temple Mount was plowed with salt and Jews were banished from Jerusalem on pain of death. Jerusalem was renamed Aelia Capitolina for a time.
By the third century it was concluded by scholars like Augustine that there was no possibility of Israel being restored to their land ever again and so Augustine himself decided that Bible prophecy (which seemed to be centered around Jerusalem and the Jews) must be interpreted allegorically. The church had evidently become spiritual Israel and as such they had replaced Israel as God’s chosen people. Thus was replacement theology born.
The problem with allegorical interpretation is that you can make it say whatever you want it to say and Bible prophecy becomes mostly irrelevant…and such it is with most churches today.
But with Israel being suddenly back in their land and restored as a nation in 1048 with language and culture and religion restored, then Bible prophecy would have to be interpreted literally. Prophecy was not an allegory. It was now understood to be a literal prediction of future events that would play out on the world stage in their appointed times. And just as the Bible had predicted, Israel would indeed become the center of end time prophecy.
Just a side note here: Abraham was called out of UR in the year 1948 from Adam and Israel came back into their land in the year 1948 from Christ. Coincidence? I think not.
We need to understand that Bible prophecy is cyclical. The four horsemen have ridden over and over again through time. Wars and rumors of wars and earthquakes and such have happened many times… Antichrists have risen to power ever since the days of John. And yet we are told that there will come a time when all of these events will happen together in a way that is unprecedented in history, for it was Jesus Himself who said:
“For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.” Mt 24:21-22
So then Bible Prophecy must now be viewed as future rather than historical or preterist and Israel has become the cup of trembling and a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who will lift it will be severely injured, even if all of the nations of the earth would be gathered against it. Zechariah 12:2-3.
I believe that we are witnessing the nations of the world gathering against Israel right now, even as all of the physical and spiritual events predicted are coming upon us in an unprecedented way. I believe that we are entering into the end of the end of the end times, as we race toward the great tribulation.
This miraculous return of Israel not only resurrected New Testament Bible prophecy, but Old Testament Bible prophecy as well. The Day of the Lord can now be seen as a future event that is converging upon us right now and every honest Biblical scholar must now return to the drawing table, for we are now experiencing it in real time.
Also, Jesus‘ promise that the generation that saw Israel return to their land would be the generation that saw the return of their Messiah Jesus is now an expected reality for those who are awake. Mt 24:32-34, 1 Thess 5:1-10
Jesus said to His disciples: “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.” Mt 24:32-34
Israel has always been referred to as the fig tree and Jesus said that the generation that saw that fig tree come to life again after 1900 years would also be the generation that would see Him return.
So here we are: Replacement theology has been proven wrong. Allegorical interpretation of prophecy has been proven wrong, Historical and preterist theology has proven wrong and we are the generation that has seen Israel restored to its land.
We can cry about the Palestinians or we can claim that the Jews are not really the Jews ( Although I seriously doubt that Gentiles would voluntarily choose to be circumcised, or even to join a nation that is hated by the whole world and targeted for destruction.)
Archeological excavation has been going on in the City of David for some time now, as they dig their way back through history, through the Hasmoneans, the Arabs, the Crusaders, and below that, the second temple era and then the first temple era, but there is scant if any evidence of Palestinians in and .around Jerusalem. There is, of course archeological evidence of the Philistines in Gaza
Whatever the case may be, The Jews are coming back to their own land in what must be a miracle much like the miracle of animals coming to Noah’s Ark two by two. They are being drawn by forces greater than themselves and they are fulfilling many Bible prophecies in the process.
How sad it is that so many Christians cannot see it for what it is…that in spite of Israel’s literal return, they still cling to outdated doctrines like replacement theology and allegorical interpretation of prophecy. Oh the stubbornness and rebellion of a people who claim to be followers of Christ.
They continue to claim that God’s promises to Israel were all conditional…(and many of them were since the Old Covenant was a temporary covenant of Law pointing forward to the real covenant that could only come through Jesus Christ.
Jesus said to the Jews: You search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.” John 5:39-40
And Luke also records Jesus’ teaching on the. Road to Emaus saying:
“And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. Luke 24:27
So the Old Covenant is valid in every way as a foundation for the New Covenant, but if we don’t see Jesus portrayed in it, then we have missed the whole point. For the covenant of Law was temporary, but the eternal covenant promises that God made to Abraham before the Law was given, still stand and in fact they form the basis of the New Covenant that Jesus brought to us. These promises are eternal and irrevocable just as Paul explains it in Romans 11:29
And Jeremiah told us that the New Covenant would not be like the Old Covenant that was given at Mt. Sinai…but this one would be written on our hearts by the Holy Spirit. And Paul made it very clear that God’s eternal promises to Israel would yet be fulfilled saying:
“For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; For this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins.” Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” Rom 11:25-29
I have dealt with these issues a lot, but there are still those who continue to try to pull people back under the Old Covenant when in fact Paul says that we must die to the Law in order to live unto Christ.
“For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness comes by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” Gal. 2:19-21
God’s eternal purpose has always been to dwell in our hearts and to restore us to His image, but we keep missing the point.
Many legal Christians come on with a superior attitude as if keeping the Law can save them. But what they fail to realize is that the Law can only be fulfilled in us who are born again and Holy Spirit filled…
“For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”
It is the love of Christ shed abroad in our hearts that fulfills the ten commandments and it is our trust in the righteousness of Christ working in us that gives us the rest that was promised by the Sabbath.
And so Hebrews explains it saying:
“For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.” Hebrews 4:10
Israel has been brought back into their land not to finally keep the Law better, but to be reconciled to Christ and to receive His salvation in the same way we do…by faith in His sacrifice for our sins, and His indwelling Holy Spirit in us when we are born again.
Pentecost is for everybody for it is the resurrection life of Christ shed abroad in our hearts that has the power to transform us into His image from glory to glory.
Unfortunately, it is those Christians that have rejected Israel’s role in end time events, that have a really messed up eschatology and many are falling away from the faith altogether, since none of it makes any sense to them. They have become blind to the fact that we are now plunging into those final events that will catch them sleeping like a thief in the night.
Let us wake up and study the Scripture with fresh eyes. Jesus is coming back for a Bride that has made herself ready.
And Israel’s homecoming is one of the key signs that we are indeed in the last of the last days.
