Celebrating 63 Years of Prophetic Fulfillment<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
Dr. Randy White
www.wordfortheworld.tv
 
In May, 1948, the unthinkable happened.  In fulfillment of ancient prophecies, a nation was "born in a day."  Nation birth in itself is not terribly dramatic.  In fact, it is somewhat common-place.  The number of nations born in the aftermath of World War II is especially staggering.  Today the entire <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Middle East is filled with ancient nations rebirthed in a modern embodiment.  Though the names of Middle Eastern countries-Israel and Egypt, for example-are ancient, a glance at their date of independence shows that all of them were born as a modern nations after 1920.
 
So why is the birth of modern Israel in 1948 significant?  First, let's go back in history.  Israel was born as a theocracy (nation led by God) at Mt. Sinai immediately after the Exodus.  Before that time, the Hebrew "nation" was a clan of decedents from Abraham living as sojourners in a Promised-but-not-received Land, or in Egypt.  After 40 years of nomadic existence, the new Theocracy entered its Promised Land near Jericho.  Within a period of about seven years, around 1400 BC, the new nation conquered and inhabited the land deeded by God to Abraham in Genesis 12:7. 
 
For several hundred years the new nation enjoyed independence and was ruled very loosely as a confederation of tribes.  In 1051 BC the nation chose its first King, Saul the Benjamite.  The monarchy lasted under two families until it divided in 931 BC into the northern monarchy (Israel) and the southern monarchy (Judah).  Israel survived until it was conquered by Assyrians in 723 BC.  Judah lasted until 586 BC when it was conquered by the Babylonians and most of its citizens were transported to exile in Babylon.  However, 70 years after the initial deportation, the nation returned, began rebuilding, and held many of the characteristics of a nation-state, though constantly existing as a vassal state of other empires: first the Persians, then the Greeks, then the Romans.  For a glorious period following the uprising of Judas Maccabees in 165 BC, Israel was completely independent.  With the arrival of Rome in 63 BC, however, the nation was once again a less-than-independent state living within the Promised Land.  In 70 AD, with the destruction of Jerusalem by Rome, Jews lost not only political control but possession as well, and the nation of Abraham was scattered through the nations of the world; a dispersion that would last in full-effect until the miraculous began to happen in the late 1800's and early 1900's.
 
After 1800 years, the Jewish people still remained a cohesive, identifiable group.  So much so that many Christian preachers through the ages have said that if one needs evidence that the Bible is true, all he needs to do is look at the existence of the Jew.  Outside of the hand of God, the retention of culture and identity over 1800 years among groups of people scattered throughout Europe, the Middle East, and Africa would simply be an impossibility. 
 
In the late 1800's a movement called "Zionism" began to take root in the heart of Christians and Jews.  Zionism is the religiously-fueled desire to create, promote, and protect a Jewish State in the Promised Land.  The earliest Jews returning to the land for the express purpose of building a Jewish state began in the 1860's, and the movement has continually grown since that time.
 

Why is this significant?

 
Hundreds of years before Christ, God clearly stated His agenda for the Jews:  "For I will take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands and bring you into your own land. " (Ezekiel 36:24, NASB95)  There has only been one time when Israel was scattered to the nations (plural), which was after the fall of Jerusalem.  There was only one promised re-gathering from the nations, and this regathering began in the late 1800's and continues to this day.    A picture of this regathering is seen in the valley of dry bones of Ezekiel's vision.  The valley was said to be "the whole house of Israel."  The bones, though very dead, would begin to rattle and roll in the latter days, then would connect, dance, become covered in muscle and flesh, and, finally, be given the breath of life. 
Anyone who believes in the truth of the Old Testament-Christian or Jew-must rejoice at the obvious fulfillment of this dry bones prophecy.  The regathring of Israel to the Promised Land was an impossibility.  Imagine an Italian-American family returning to Italy after 100 years of living in America.  It would not happen.  Imagine the descendants of German immigrants returning to Germany after 150 years of living in America.  It would not happen.  Imagine descendants of the first pilgrims returning to England after 400 years.  It would not happen.  Imagine further that these families retained all their old-world customs for 100 years, or 150, or 400 years.  It would not happen!  It could not happen!  It has never happened!
But for nearly 2,000 years the Jews were scattered, retained their Jewishness, and continually prayed, "Next year, in Jerusalem!"  In time-a long, long time-their prayer was fulfilled, along with the prophecy of God.

How should Christians respond to this prophetic fulfillment?

 
We should support the nation of Israel politically.  The safety and prosperity of Israel should be a political agenda and a litmus test for the Christian voter.  When God has done a work, we should stand with what He has done. 
We should pray for the nation of Israel passionately.  God is looking for those who say, "For Zion's sake I will not be silent!"  He has placed watchmen on the wall.  Their job is not just intercessory prayer (a common Christian misconception of the Watchman), but, rather their job is to pray for the peace of Jerusalem!  Their job description is found in Isaiah 62:6-7 "… All day and all night they will never keep silent. You who remind the Lord, take no rest for yourselves; And give Him no rest until He establishes And makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth. " (Isaiah 62:6–7, NASB95)
We should finance the nation of Israel plentifully.  "For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they are indebted to minister to them also in material things" (Romans 15:27, NASB95).   This summer my church will be having, for the first time, a benevolent offering that will directly bless Jews in Israel.  We will do this because God has done the work of regathering the Jewish people to their homeland.  I personally will take part in helping to finance the cost of what God is doing in the nation of Israel. 

Replacement Theology: A Lie

Finally, let me speak a word to some who may say "The church is the New Israel!"  This is called "replacement theology."  Those with a replacement theology need to replace their theology!  God has been true to the Jew, to Israel, and to His own Word.  Christians should stand in amazement at the undeniable work of God fulfilled before our eyes.  God's Word is absolutely clear that He will stand by Israel FOREVER!  Some Christians want "forever" to mean "a long time" in the Old Testament when it speaks about the Jew, and "eternally" in the New Testament when it speaks of the life God gives through Jesus Christ.  We cannot have it both ways!  When God says, "for all the land which you see, I will give it to you and to your descendants forever " (Genesis 13:15, NASB95), He must mean forever!  He told Jeremiah when this "forever" would cease:
"If this fixed order [of the moon and stars] departs from before Me," declares the Lord, "Then the offspring of Israel also will cease From being a nation before Me forever." Thus says the Lord, "If the heavens above can be measured And the foundations of the earth searched out below, Then I will also cast off all the offspring of Israel For all that they have done," declares the Lord. " (Jeremiah 31:36–37, NASB95)
Join me in supporting Israel-forever!
Dr. Randy White
www.wordfortheworld.tv
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