Published August 19, 2024 at 3:13 PM

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The Restoration of Israel is one of the most misunderstood end times Bible topics. Some believe that it was all fulfilled when the Jews returned from Babylon, but Zechariah’s prophecies (which were written after they returned) easily rebut this. We also know that Israel was kicked out of the land again in 70 AD, meaning the return from Babylon couldn’t have fulfilled the prophecies about them never being uprooted again (Amos 9:15, Ezekiel 37:25).

The more popular view among Evangelical Christians is that the Restoration of Israel was fulfilled in 1948, when the State of Israel was created. This view is popular because many people do not read their Bibles for themselves, causing a misunderstanding of the event. We see that Israel is a political entity again and assume that Bible prophecy was fulfilled. This article will use the Bible to explain the Restoration of Israel and rebut the claim that it happened already.

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What Is The Restoration of Israel?

The Restoration of Israel is an end times event described by several Old Testament prophets. It is when God will gather all 12 Tribes of Israel back to the land. They will dwell in the land safely and worship Him in spirit and in truth. They will no longer be oppressed, nor will they ever be uprooted from the land. Jesus will rule over them as king and fulfill the Messianic prophecies that the Jews expected him to fulfill at His first coming (These prophecies usually refer to Jesus as “David”, “The Root of Jesse”, “THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS”, or “Servant”).

To be specific, the Jews expected the Messiah to be a king who would deliver them from their enemies. Their expectations were correct, but they didn’t understand that He had to come as a servant first. Jesus’ first coming was to atone for our sins and give up His life as a ransom for our sins (Matthew 20:28). When Jesus comes a second time, it will be to judge the nations and rule as king; this is the Millennial Reign.

Moreover, Gentiles can and will be part of this beautiful event. The saints, namely those who refuse the mark of the beast and are beheaded, will reign with Jesus for the Millennial Reign (Revelation 20:4-6). Gentiles will even be priests of God, and have their sacrifices accepted on the altar, showing how God wants salvation to come to the entire world (Isaiah 56:1-8, Isaiah 66:19-22, Revelation 20:6). So while the Restoration of Israel is about God and His chosen people, the Gentiles are more than welcomed to be part of it all, through Jesus.

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Biblical Evidence For The Restoration of Israel

I pray that the previous section sufficiently explains the Restoration of Israel. It is a beautiful event, as the scattered sheep of Israel are brought back to God. Shifting focus, this section will focus on letting the Bible explain the Restoration of Israel in its own words. I will pull from the Major Prophets for quotes, but please know that Hosea, Joel, Amos, Micah, Zephaniah, and Zechariah are the Minor Prophets who also spoke of this event.

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“It shall come to pass in that day That the Lord shall set His hand again the second time To recover the remnant of His people who are left, From Assyria and Egypt, From Pathros and Cush, From Elam and Shinar, From Hamath and the islands of the sea. He will set up a banner for the nations, And will assemble the outcasts of Israel, And gather together the dispersed of Judah From the four corners of the earth. Also the envy of Ephraim shall depart, And the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off; Ephraim shall not envy Judah, And Judah shall not harass Ephraim.” (Isaiah 11:11-13 NKJV)

“The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, ‘Thus speaks the LORD God of Israel, saying: ‘Write in a book for yourself all the words that I have spoken to you. For behold, the days are coming,’ says the LORD, ‘that I will bring back from captivity My people Israel and Judah,’ says the LORD. ‘And I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it.'” (Jeremiah 30:1-3 NKJV)

“Then He said to me, ‘Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They indeed say, ‘Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!’ Therefore prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: ‘Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves. I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken it and performed it, ‘ says the LORD.’” (Ezekiel 37:11-14 NKJV)

“’As for you, son of man, take a stick for yourself and write on it: ‘For Judah and for the children of Israel, his companions.’ Then take another stick and write on it, ‘For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel, his companions.’ Then join them one to another for yourself into one stick, and they will become one in your hand. “Then say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: ‘Surely I will take the children of Israel from among the nations, wherever they have gone, and will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land; and I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king over them all; they shall no longer be two nations, nor shall they ever be divided into two kingdoms again. ‘” (Ezekiel 37:16-17, 21-22 NKJV)

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There are many more prophecies than this, and if you are interested in reading more, this website has a larger compilation of them. The prophets constantly spoke of a time when Israel would become one nation and never be divided again. Jesus will be the king that reigns over them and it will be a great display of God’s power. It saddens me that there are Christians who have never heard of this event, which shows why we must read our entire Bible.

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Why 1948 Did Not Fulfill This Event

Some may feel that this event happened in 1948, as Israel is a nation once again. However, what happened in 1948 does not line up with the Biblical criteria for the Restoration of Israel.

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All 12 Tribes Did Not Come Back

The simplest reason we know that Israel hasn’t been restored is because all 12 tribes did not come back. The people who came back were Ashkenazi and Sephardic Jews, who claimed to be the remnant of Benjamin, Judah, and Levi. The Ten Northern Tribes have not come back to the land, meaning Israel has not fully been restored. Ezekiel 37 made it clear that Israel and Judah would be joined together when God restored them; the dry bones of the whole house of Israel will rattle. As long as the tribes of Israel are missing, Israel has not been restored.

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Israel’s Enemies Have Not Been Dealt With

The next reason we know that Israel has not been restored is because their enemies have not been dealt with. This point doesn’t need much explaining, as you can look at the modern political climate and see that the political entity of Israel has a number of enemies. The people of the land certainly aren’t dwelling safely, nor have their enemies been dealt with.

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They Have No King Ruling Over Them

The third reason we know that Israel hasn’t been restored is that Jesus hasn’t come back to rule as king over them. The prophecies of restoration are always synonymous with the Messiah coming to rule over a restored Israel; this has clearly not happened.

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Conclusion: God Will Restore Israel Through His Power

I pray that you see that the Restoration of Israel has not happened yet. While the Zionist Movement led to the Sephardic and Ashkenazi Jews obtaining control of Israel, this was not a fulfillment of how God said he would restore Israel. But don’t be mistaken: the whole house of Israel will be restored one day, and God will do it through His power.

Moreover, God tells us exactly how He will restore Israel. The same prophets who spoke of the Restoration of Israel also spoke of an event known as the Second Exodus. We will discuss this in the next article, as it is the most overlooked end times prophecy. Isaiah 43, Ezekiel 37, Jeremiah 16, and Jeremiah 31 are some of the passages that talk about it, yet most people have never heard of this event.

This is why I pray that Christians begin reading the entire Bible. The Second Exodus and Restoration of Israel are talked about frequently in the Bible, yet Christians are not waiting for these prophecies to be fulfilled. Instead, we are waiting for a pre-tribulation rapture to come and take us to heaven, when the Bible never says that, but I digress. I close by once again praying that this article brought clarity to the subject of the Restoration of Israel, and I also encourage you to pray on this topic and do research of your own.

Thank you for reading, and always remember to stay vigilant!