The prediction of Moses concerning the rebirth of Israel and their gathering back to the land poses an interesting question (see Deut. 30:1-4). Given that Moses definitely says Israel will become a nation again only after they repent and after the Lord returns to regather them, we are forced to ask a question that has enormous consequences for the prophetic significance of our generation. That question is this: Why was Israel allowed to become a nation again on May 14, 1948, seeing that they have not yet repented and believed in Christ; nor has the Lord returned to regather them? The nation of Israel clearly represents Jews gathered in unbelief, which is the opposite of these prophecies.
For the first time in almost 2000 years the Jews have regained complete control over the land of Palestine, including the city of Jerusalem. These events should not be underestimated. In our generation, Israel has again been established as a self-autonomous nation in the Middle East—beginning to exist soon after World War II as a totally independent state free from any foreign domination—a situation that has not been true for centuries.
But how could this have happened? The Bible clearly states that Israel will remain under the judgment of God for rejecting the Messiah until they repent, and yet the fact of the modern-day state of Israel is something that simply cannot be ignored (see the section, The Regathering of Israel. What’s going on? Is our twentieth-century Israel really a fulfillment of prophecy or just a blip on the pages of history?
Many authors writing on end-times prophecy have quoted similar passages to those mentioned in previous sections (see Israel) and have attempted to interpret all of them as finding fulfillment in the Israel of today. Extreme care must be taken in how these scriptures are applied, because misinformation can be worse than remaining ignorant.
The current state of Israel which remains very antagonistic to Jesus and Christianity cannot be made by any stretch of the imagination to fulfill the prophecy of Moses in Deuteronomy. The nation has by no means repented, and obviously Jesus has not returned to regather them. Christians who simply apply Biblical prophecy ad hoc to any current situation regardless of the details which may or may not fit are just confusing people and inviting valid criticism.
In fact, several books have been published over the years by authors who have realized this serious deficiency in interpreting prophecy. Unfortunately, they have used the numerous incorrect prophetic interpretations about Israel as ‘proof’ in their attempt to refute the nearness of Christ’s coming altogether. In the book “Israel Today: Fulfillment of Prophecy?”, Louis DeCaro states in no uncertain terms that…
“…only a misunderstanding of the prophetic tradition, or a deliberate disregard for that tradition’s true standing, can lead one to believe that the power politics and military posture of Israel today are an integral part of prophecy…”
From Israel Today: Fulfillment of Prophecy?, by Louis Decaro, p.15, 1974, Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co.
DeCaro’s description of the political situation in modern Israel was perfectly accurate and remains true today. It is only by their strong military resolve, which yields no ground to potential adversaries that the small Jewish nation has managed to survive at all. The faith of its people rests not in the true God of the Bible, but in tanks, missiles, and jet fighters—exactly the opposite of what the Lord wants. There can be no doubt that the political and religious life of twentieth-century Israel is diametrically opposed to the ways of their Creator. William Hendriksen also realized this fact when he wrote…[more]
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