THE RESTORATION OF ISRAEL - PRELUDE TO GLORY 

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JERUSALEM

Location: Situated on the junction of land that connects the vast continents of Africa, Asia and Europe. It is in one of the most strategic locations in the world and is a Holy City for three major world religions (Christian, Jew and Islam). Therefore it is the most logical city to become the future World capital. (Jeremiah 3:14-17; Isaiah 2:2-4; 65:17-20 Psalm 122:6) 

First mentioned in Genesis 14:18 as "Salem" (peace) . 

Later known as "Jebus" - city of the Jebusites, it became "Jebus + Salem" - Jebusalem (Jerusalem). 

PROPHECIES CONCERNING JERUSALEM

According to this prophecy the Messiah would come near the time of the "removal of the daily sacrifice" and the destruction of the "city and the sanctuary". 

Fulfillment: Jesus came exactly on time and even decreed Jerusalem's "desolations" as a reminder that He was the fulfillment of this prophecy, and as a warning to His people to be ready to escape when the time came. 

Read: Matthew 23:37-38; Luke 19:41-44 and Luke 21:20-24. 

Further Fulfillment: In 70 A.D. the Roman general Titus (Son of Emperor Vespasian) besieged the city. Then for no apparent reason he withdrew his army. 

The ancient historian Josephus notes the sect called "Christians" escaped to the hills by climbing over the walls because the gates were crammed with people "coming into the city". The Jews thought that God would never allow Jerusalem to be destroyed. 
 

 BUT

SINCE 70 A.D.

But what did Jesus mean by "until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled" ? This signifies a period of control of the city. 

Gentile: A person who is not a Jew. 

It was not until last century that Bible Students began to think about the term "the times of the Gentiles". 

Jerusalem in the 19th Century was ruled by the Turks, an Islamic power. Therefore the Jews had still not entered the city and been gathered as a people. Therefore the "times of the Gentiles" must still have been in operation. But how long was it to last ?? 

By looking for other references in the Bible to the word "times" [Greek = Kairos] we see one which stands out in Revelation Chapter 12. 

This reference indicated that 3.5 "times" = 1260 "days". 

Therefore 1 "time" = 360 "days". 

But the question remained. How many times was the "times of the Gentiles" ?? 

Another passage which stands out is Daniel Chapter 7:25 and Chapter 12:7. This same period of 3.5 "times" is designated. This time the Hebrew word for times "Iddan" is used. But this passage does not apply to Jerusalem or to the Gentile control. 

In Chapter 4 of Daniel however the word is used again to signify a period. I.e.. 7 "times" of madness for King Nebuchadnezzar. 

Read: Daniel 4:23-25. 

Some translations indicate that Nebuchadnezzar's madness was for 7 "years" (not "times") but archeology has shown that it definitely lasted only 4 years. 

So what did 7 "times" really mean ?? 

History indicates that Nebuchadnezzar as king of Babylon, invaded Judah and Jerusalem initially in 604 B.C. The campaign was finally settled 19 years latter with all the remaining Jews being taken captive to Babylon. 

There seems to be a "symbolic" application of the 7 "times" of madness in Nebuchadnezzar's dreams. 

Read: Daniel chapter 2. 

The image that Nebuchadnezzar saw in his first dream represented the World Empires that would rise and fall around the Middle East before God's Kingdom was established in the earth. 

Each portion of the image represented a new empire: 
 

•  The head of Gold   = Babylon
•  The breast and arms of silver  = Meads and Persians
•  The thighs of bronze   = Greece
•  The legs of iron   = Rome
•  The feet of iron and clay  = Europe after the fall of Rome. (note ten toes and ten kingdoms which arose out of the Roman Empire)

Therefore 1 "time" is not literally 360 "days". The question had to be asked. What sort of "day" was it ?? 

There are two places in scripture which may give a clue of God's timing. These are: 

Numbers 14:34 and Ezekiel 4:1-7. 

The scale indicated is one year for every "day" in prophecy. If this is true it could be the key to understanding many time prophecies in the Bible. 

So: 
1 "time" = 360 years 

Therefore: 
7 "times" = 2520 years. 

The understanding given was that God had allotted 2520 years for the Gentile powers to rule Jerusalem. If we wish to test the theory we cold consider again the prophecy concerning the coming of the Messiah to Jerusalem. 
 

THE TIMES OF THE GENTILES

By counting 2520 years from 604 B.C. this period of Gentile control was to end in 1917. This was still in the future for the bible students of last century but it was reasonable to assume 1917 was the year the Turkish Empire would loose control of Jerusalem. 

It was still very much speculation, and possibly would have remained so, had not another time prophecy coincided with exactly the same year. 

Read: Daniel 12:11-12. 

We will consider this time a period of 1335 "days". The two things which would mark the beginning of this period of time were: 
 

1. The daily sacrifice would be taken away. This occurred in 70 A.D. with the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
2. The "Abomination of Desolation" would be set up. This abomination was to make desolate the true religion. This occurred about 5 centuries after the first event, with the rise to power of Mohammed. A new calendar was started in opposition to the Christian calendar. It was based on the "Lunar" year rather than the "solar" year. (It is 11 days shorter).

The 1335th year in the Islamic calendar falls in 1917 A.D. Two different time prophecies beginning with two different starting dates and calculated using two different calendars coincide with the same year. 

This was the seal for the research. Many Bible scholars of last century predicted that in 1917 A.D. Jerusalem would be delivered from Turkish rule. 

This was worked out from the prophecy given 2500 years ahead of the actual date. 
 

A PROBLEM

FULFILLMENT

The First World War was going on in the Middle East. General Allenby of the British Army was leading the British forces against the Turks. 
 

JERUSALEM DELIVERED

1. The Turks had a long standing tradition that they would never be driven out of Jerusalem until a prophet of God came in war against them. Here is an amazing coincidence. In the Turkish language Allenby's name was "Allah - nebi" which means "Prophet of God". This filled many of the Turkish defenders with fear.
2. On December 8th the 14th Squadron flew over the City on a reconnaissance mission to find out where the garrisons were and at what strength. When the planes flew low over head the Turks realized that their holy shrines and temples could be bombed and withdrew their garrisons from the city on December 9th.

All this happened within the allotted 3 month period calculated from the study of the Biblical prophecies written 2500 years before. 
 

THE RESTORATION OF ISRAEL

These scriptures indicate clearly that the nation of Israel would be re-established in the Holy Land and the Jews would be gathered from every nation on the earth. 

This prophecy was fulfilled on May 15th, 1948, when the United Nations established the sovereign state of Israel as a Jewish "home land". The "times of the Gentiles" were finished. This was proven beyond doubt in June, 1967, when Israel captured Jerusalem during the "6 day war". 

Note: 
 

1. When Nebuchadnezzar first invaded Judah in 604 B.C. it took 19 years before Jerusalem was finally overthrown completely and the population taken into captivity. When Israel was declared a sovereign state in 1948 it took 19 years before Jerusalem was back in Jewish hands.
2. 1967 was the "Year of Jubilee" (See Liviticus 25:13) after the deliverance of Jerusalem from the Turks. Jerusalem is now in the hands of its rightful owners.

WAR TO COME

The prophecy in Ezekiel indicates that there will be a full scale invasion of the Holy Land by the forces of "Magog". The ancient historian Josephus identifies the land of Magog as being north and north-east of the Black Sea. This is an area within the boarders of the Soviet Union. Several other nations will be in "confederacy" with this invader. They will be "Persia, Ethiopia, Libya, and possibly Turkey" (Known in ancient days as Gomer and Togarmah). 

The reason for this invasion will be two fold: 
 

1. Israel will have become one of the wealthiest and most fertile areas on earth. Even now this is becoming so. With continuing crop failures in the Soviet Union it would be desirable for them to "own" this fertile country.
2. The second and possibly not so obvious reason will be to display God's awesome power to the world. God will fight for Israel and this great invading army will be destroyed. So complete will this destruction be that both Israel and all the other nations of the world will realise that it was God who accomplished it (Read: Zechariah Chapter 14.).

CAPITAL OF THE WORLD

As stated at the beginning Jerusalem is the most strategic city in the world. When all these prophecies are fulfilled God will establish His Kingdom in the earth. Jerusalem will be the capital of this Kingdom. It will be the centre of true worship of God. Those nations which will not acknowledge God and come in peace to Jerusalem will be plagued with all kinds of plagues. 
 

SUMMARY

Created: 23 - Jan - 1997.
Last modified: 18 - Sept - 1998.
Copyright © 1998, Graham Brodie.