End Times

Israel’s Exiles Precisely Foretold

Three times the children of Israel have been exiled from their land. 430 years in Egypt; 70 years in Babylon and 1900 years among the nations.

Abraham foretold the first exile and the exact time of the exile was specified as 430 years (Genesis 15). Precisely on time the Israel came out of Egypt by the direct intervention of God to fulfill the word He had given to Abraham. (Exodus 12:40)

Had the children of Israel not left Egypt on the exact year then Abraham would have been a false prophet. Abraham had accurately heard from God - and God, who never lies, against all odds fulfilled His word.

The second exile to the land of Babylon was a fulfillment of the prophetic words of Moses and Jeremiah. Jeremiah specified the duration of the exile as 70 years (Jeremiah 29:10) and exactly as predicted God intervened again and returned Israel to its land. Again their return was against all odds, including an attempt to annihilate and exterminate them in the days of Haman.

The return of Jerusalem to Israel after nearly 2000 years (like the first two returns) a fulfillment of God’s plan; or is it (as some believe) a random twist of history? A study of the prophetic scriptures shows that the return of Jerusalem to Jewish control in 1967 is no accident of history but a definite fulfillment of God’s plan. Furthermore the precise date of 1967 is given clearly (as we shall see) by both by Daniel and Jesus. It is a major benchmark date in prophetic history.

Daniel & Jesus

Daniel describes a vision of the conquest of the Middle East (including Jerusalem) by a King from Greece (Chapter 8:5 & Daniel 8:21). In the middle of the vision he asks the angel that brought him the message “For how long is the vision concerning the continual burnt offering, the transgression that makes desolate, and the giving over of the sanctuary and host to BE TRAMPLED UNDER FOOT?”  (I.e. ‘How long will Jerusalem be trampled underfoot?) The answer was given: “Unto evening and morning two thousand three hundred: and the sanctuary shall be cleansed.” (Literal translation) (Daniel 8:13-14)

Daniel was told that Jerusalem (the place of the sanctuary) was to be under gentile domination for a 2,300 period. Most scholars agree this is a period of 2,300 years. It is commonly known that Alexander the Great of Greece conquered the Middle East in 334 BC. The prophecy indicates that Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles for 2,300 hundred years from Alexander’s conquest of the Middle East. This takes us, amazingly, to exactly 1967!! (-334BC +2300 =1967AD exactly since there is no year 0 we add 1.)

There can be no doubt, therefore, that Jesus understood that Jerusalem would come back under Jewish sovereignty 2,300 years after Alexander’s conquest i.e. 1967.

When Jesus predicted the destruction of Jerusalem and the third exile of the Jewish people he quoted from the question that Daniel asked the angel “How long is the vision of the sanctuary and host to be TRAMPLED UNDERFOOT?” (Daniel 8:14) and he states simply that ‘Jerusalem will be TRAMPLED UNDERFOOT by the gentiles until the times of the gentiles are fulfilled.” (Luke 21:24) (The ‘times of the Gentiles’ means ‘the period of Gentile control of Jerusalem’.) But how long is this period going to last? Jesus tells us that to answer this we should remember the answer the angel gave Daniel. When Daniel asked “How long?” he was essentially told: “The time of Gentile domination of Jerusalem will end 2,300 years after the King of Greece puts Israel under his rule.” Jesus (interpreting Daniel) indicates that the impending diaspora of the Jews from Jerusalem should be understood as having duration of 2,300 years from the conquest of Alexander and therefore comes to an end in the year we call 1967.

In the light of this tremendous prophecy of Daniel and its interpretation by Jesus there can be no doubt that June 1967 and the present day restoration of Jerusalem to Jewish control is the fulfillment of the divine plan and not a mere accident of history!

The End Of The Age

Apart from any speculation about the unfoldment of future days we can be certain that we are living at the end of the age – the climactic generation in history. In the answer to the question “What is the sign of your coming and the end of the age?” Jesus foretold the fate of Jerusalem – its destruction, the scattering of the Jewish people from the city and the eventual return of Jerusalem to Jewish control. (See Matt. 24: & Lk 21)

Those who oppose the return of the Jewish people to their land are defying the plan and purposes of god. Not only that, but they are also declaring that the prophetic predictions of Jesus are meaningless and His words can be ignored.

Christian politicians, journalists, theologians and preachers who are seeking to limit Jewish return to their on city are defying their faith.

Not every action of the Jewish government, police or army is perfect. Nor is every action of any government perfect. The Jewish people go to extraordinary measures to be fair to their Arab neighbors, short of denying their own destiny.

The unbelieving international community is extremely ignorant when they defy and ignore the plan of God. They think that though this way they will bring peace. The opposite is true by ignoring God's clear plan to bring world peace and redemption they are setting the stage for international instability. All Christians believe that the return of Messiah Jesus will bring peace to this strife torn world. Jesus himself says that His return will be preceded by the return of the Jewish people to their land and to their city. Those who oppose God’s plan for the Jewish people are also opposing God’s plan to return for the return of His Messiah to reign over all the earth.

Only the Bible can predict events like this with such astonishing accuracy. The biblical scriptures are completely unlike any other writings. God authenticates the accuracy of His word and His sovereignty over history and the outlines of His plan by describing events before they happen. Jesus gave the date of 1967 –1,934 years before the reunification of Jerusalem. Daniel spoke of Alexander more than 200 years before his conquest of the Middle East happened. God’s word is truth. We are foolish when we ignore Him and His word.

Our society ignores God’s word thinking its plans and wisdom are better. God has a solution to our problems but we must listen to Him and not oppose His plans. We do so at our peril.

(Permission to copy with acknowledgement granted)