Israel turns 78 tomorrow! Their rebirth and existence are nothing short of miracles and we have touched on them in Israel’s Unique Restoration – A True Miracle and Israel’s Unique Physical Restoration to the Land.

Indeed, God promised both a physical and a spiritual restoration of Israel and the Jewish people:

²⁴ For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land. ²⁵ Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. ²⁶ I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. ²⁷ I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. 
~Ezekiel 36:24-27

So, let’s unpack those promises!

Israel’s Declaration of Independence on May 14, 1948 was fulfillment of Bible prophecy. Beginning with the Abrahamic Covenant, God promised land and descendants to Abraham. In essence, God birthed the Jewish people through that covenant, and promised them a land. Even through exiles and the Holocaust, God preserved them and ultimately prepared the land and brought the people back. (Read Ezekiel 36-37 if you did not do your homework from yesterday’s post!)

⁶ “I will strengthen the house of Judah,
And I will save the house of Joseph.
I will bring them back,
Because I have mercy on them.
They shall be as though I had not cast them aside;
For I am the Lord their God,
And I will hear them.
⁸ I will whistle for them and gather them,
For I will redeem them;
And they shall increase as they once increased.
~Zechariah 10:6, 8

God whistles for them! He brings them back, He redeems them, and He HAS NOT cast them aside (despite what some might say). In fact, Isaiah 49:22 says God raises a banner (sets a standard) over Israel! He is a proud parent gloating over His children! He loves His people and His land, and He desires to restore them both physically and spiritually.

Just as God fulfilled prophecy by bringing the Jewish people back to their homeland, He will also fulfill His promise to restore them spiritually! He HAS NOT given up on them but has an appointed time when all Israel will be saved. (Romans 9:25-26) It will happen when the fullness of the Gentiles comes in. In other words, this church age during which Christ has opened the door of salvation for Gentiles, will soon end, and when it does, full attention will return to the Jewish people and the national salvation of Israel.

Acts 3:21 tells us that Jesus Himself will be the fulfillment of the restoration of all things God spoke about through His prophets. Jesus will arise from His throne one day and roll back the clouds as a scroll. He will be revealed from heaven and will deal righteously. Both Jews and Gentiles will glorify the Lord! (2 Thessalonians 1:7-10)

Just like their restoration to the land, the Jewish people will be fully restored to the God of Israel, the Lord Jesus Christ! Yet, it will not come without much trial and tribulation. In fact, the Great Tribulation is the ultimate means through which God will cause His people to look upon Him and mourn.

¹⁰ “And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.”
~Zechariah 12:10

The day will come! Israel will see their Messiah and their King, eyes will be open, and all Israel will be saved! Pray that this Independence Day brings both physical and spiritual independence to our beloved Jewish friends!

O Israel, your hope is alive! We speak comfort to you, Israel. Your warfare will end, your hard service will be over. We bless you and stand with you until you finish your course.
~Quoted from FIRM (Fellowship of Israel Related Ministries)

Happy Independence Day!