You cannot even understand the times and the seasons if you do not understand Israel. That is what the Bible itself says. Bible prophecy has nothing to say about the nations as such in their own relations to one another, but only in their relation to Israel, the people, and the land.
And therefore, in our attempt to understand what’s next for Israel, we’re basically going to understand what is going to happen to the whole world. There are a lot of wars, a lot of conflicts, a lot of issues all across the globe. Yet what is happening here is the only thing that is going to affect directly the entire world.
The Holy Spirit, through the prophet Isaiah, gives us a wonderful reminder of one of the many attributes of God:
Isaiah 46:10
Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, “My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure.”
Isaiah reminds us of the omniscience of God. He knows the past, present, and future equally, and has declared “the end from the beginning.” That means God has told us how things began and how they will end. One of the major benefits of this revelation is that there will be generations that see certain aspects of His declaration which other generations will only read about.
It seems clear we are in just such a generation.
Zechariah 8:6-8
“Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘If it is marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, will it also be marvelous in My eyes?’ says the LORD of hosts. Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘Behold, I will save My people from the land of the east and from the land of the west; I will bring them back, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. They shall be My people and I will be their God, in truth and righteousness.’”
This revelation is preceded in verse three with the Lord declaring He will return to Jerusalem, which will be at His second coming. This means that the regathering of His people is a prophetic indicator that the Lord is preparing to dwell in the midst of Jerusalem and be the God of His people, in truth and righteousness.
We are watching God’s people gathered from the four corners of the world back into the land that He gave them. This tells us that if we are ignorant of that fact, allegorize that fact, or misinterpret that fact, we won’t know the lateness of the hour or the apparent nearness of His return for the church.
Israel, both the land and the people, are essential to understanding Bible prophecy. If we get that wrong then our whole understanding of the prophetic progression revealed by God will be askew. Much of it won’t make any sense. But thanks be to God that He has made known the future and many of the details related to it that give us a general understanding of the lateness of the hour and, therefore, the nearness of His return to rule the world from Jerusalem.
God’s regathering of the Jews from around the world into their national homeland is the most significant prophetic fulfillment since the time of Jesus. That tells us we need to keep looking up, for our redemption is near!
Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus,