Dispensationalist Only The Pre-Trib Rapture

[Danoh]

The internal evidence of Scripture is that Galatians was the first Epistle the Apostle Paul wrote.

Meaning 1st and 2nd Thessalonians were written after Galatians.

It is in those two Epistles that the Apostle Paul goes into much having to do with the Pre-Trib Rapture; as he addresses various issues the Thessalonians had been concerned about.

He addresses these various issues, including the issue of the Pre-Trib Rapture, based on prior instruction he had given them.

Most of which revolve around their having ended up unstable as to their understanding of where to look at said various issues from to begin in with - in light of what Paul had taught them back when he'd yet been with them.

A key in all this is how much Paul had apparantly taught them as key foundational aspects to a proper understanding of all that he is merely reminding them of.

This is a practice that is a constant within Paul's writings - Romans thru Philemon.

Case in point - Galatians is heavily based on doctrine or instruction he will write of to the Romans some years in later, given his expressed desire to them in Romans 1 and again in Romans 15, to have been able to do so in person, only to find he had been hindered from being able to.

In other words, Paul has been preaching Romans years before he shared its' doctrines in written form with the Romans.

As a result, Galatians is now studied out in light of Romans.

Likewise with the various issues he attempts to address in 1st and 2nd Thessalonians.

Issues he attempts to address based on all he has taught them.

Much of which is found throughout Romans thru Philemon, in one aspect or principle, or another.

In this, even those writings that Paul wrote during that part of his ministry depicted in Acts make it evident that he is reminding the Thessalonians of the Pre-Trib Rapture he had taught them was linked to a delay in Daniel's 70th and final week of Jacob's trouble.

As time permits; this post and my continuance of same will attempt to explore much if not all that the Apostle of the Gentiles may or may not have actually had to say about a Pre-Trib Rapture.

Towards that end, I have posted this thread under the protection of Dispensationalist Only - towards actually being able to explore this issue free of the constant attempts at highjacking same by some given the obvious in such individual's by their false reports - their obvioius need to rigtht off attempt some sort of a supposed rebutal despite the obvious - that they never really heard out the actual view and its basis, to begin with, as such had never been their interest.

Given this problem, please excuse my having had to post this thread within a hedge of protection made necessary by such individuals.

 

[ac28]

I look forward to your proof(s).

 

[Razare]

I may make a post on "Why the rapture?"

A lot of the alternative viewpoints could be right if a person were not living in the correct degree of faith.

Certainly, if we were thinking naturally, we would be subject to the wrath of God. And when Abaddon's locusts are unleashed from the pit, he would affect us just like the unbelievers.

It seems very reasonable that this would happen to a person just on a basic level of faith. But there are a couple issues with basic faith:

Mark 11:22 - "Have God's Faith" http://www.ibiblio.org/bgreek/test-archives/html4/1997-02/17364.html

Romans 4:16 - Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring--not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.

So then the issue is that no Christian was given ordinary faith, but the common faith we have is of a miraculous quality on par with God's level of faith. And it's not arrogant or proud to say this, since God gives us the faith in the first place, so certainly I would claim it is of the same quality if God is providing it. To say otherwise, is to try and excuse unbelief saying our faith is diminished, and therefore we should not expect good things from God.

And the faith which God gave us, is a faith which justifies us completely before God, directing all wrath to the cross, exposing us to none.

For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. - 1 Thessalonians 5:9

Wrath should be differentiated from persecution, and differentiated from bad things happening because the world is fallen. God's wrath is a special category of bad, which happens not because the world is fallen, or because there are people persecuting us, but rather God's wrath is a courtroom judgement. It is being brought before a judge, convicted justly, condemned justly with due process, and then receiving the retribution (God forsakes them which is retribution for God to leave us.) A great example of this is Job. Bad things happened to Job. Never does God say or imply that he put Job under his wrath. What Job experienced was not God's wrath, it was due to Job's lack of knowledge of God's word, and also due to the fallen world with the devil in it. Or another example, take when God judges people in the NT and does put them under wrath. They are judged according to a specific deed they did, and furthermore, those people are not in fellowship with Christ.

1) God gives specifics when he judges, because he is an honest judge.
2) A Christian following Christ is free from that judgement because it would be double-jeopardy for him to put us on trial twice over.

Study God's grace if you need further elaboration.

Then with knowledge of God's grace and how he judges, we can then realize, if God judges the world in the tribulation...

The nations were filled with wrath,
but now the time of your wrath has come. - Revelation 11:18

19 So the angel swung his sickle over the earth and loaded the grapes into the great winepress of God’s wrath. 20 The grapes were trampled in the winepress outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress in a stream about 180 miles long and as high as a horse’s bridle. - Revelation 14:19

... so clearly this wrath was wrought by God's judgement of the world, then likewise no Christian suffers it. We suffer persecution, we suffer corruption of the world, we suffer temptation, but we do not suffer wrath.

And there are other areas of study about the pre-trib rapture. Really, I am a pre-wrath rapture person. Some believe wrath does not begin until mid-way through the tribulation, or some even believe wrath begins a period after the 7 years. Pre-wrath rapture is the best viewpoint because it supports the doctrine of grace, even if we get muddled up in the specifics of timelines.

As for why I lean pre-tribulation rapture, is that Christ must be with his bride 7 days in ceremony. 7 days in scripture can often be translated into 7 years prophetically. For example, Daniel's 70th week. A week normally referring to calendar days, but in this instance it is years. Then I do expect Christ to fulfill a 7 year period with the Church, where we have his undivided attention.

Genesis 29:27 - "fulfill her week" http://biblehub.com/commentaries/genesis/29-27.htm

 

[Biblewriter]

Those who deny the pre-trib rapture often call is "escapism." They think we "like" this doctrine because it means we get out of the tribulation. And they ask why we think we deserve to escape persecution when God has not delivered his own from persecution for two thousand years. But they completely miss the point.

The point of the tribulation is not to punish the world for its wickedness. That will take place at the end of that period, when He comes in wrath and flames of fire. The point of this period is to bring rebellious Israel to repentance. And God has told us that this will finally work, and that a remnant of Israel will actually repent. They will finally begin to seek Him with their whole hearts, and THEN the end will come.

This is the overall subject of end time prophecy. And no one that is familiar with the books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, the Psalms, and the minor prophets, can fail to realize that this is what that period is all abut.

When this is understood, both the pre-trib rapture and its reason become obvious. God will have finished what He was doing with the church, and will have once again resumed His direct dealings with Israel. That is why He will take the church to heaven before He begins his next program.

 

[ac28]

What type of Gentiles did Paul usually preach to in Acts? Mainly, he preached to those who "feared God." This was a common term used by the Jews to designate Gentiles who were proselytes, circumcised or not, who believed in Jehovah, and attended the synagogue services, in which they were separated from the Jews. Acts 10:2, Acts 10:22, Acts 13:16, Acts 13:26. In other words, these Gentiles were tied to Israel's kingdom program. These Gentiles were Jews in God's eyes. In fact, everyone saved during Acts were Jews in God's eyes.

Paul taught at least 3 different Gospels in Acts. What he taught depended on who he was talking to and when.
(1) To pagans, he taught that there was only one God who was the creator of the universe and all that is in it. Acts 14:15. This same gospel seem to be the same in Revelation 14:6-7, where it is called the everlasting gospel.
(2) To both the Jews and Gentiles in the synagogues, he taught that Jesus Christ is the son of God and is the Messiah promised to Israel. Those that accepted this teaching were "born again." These inherited the earth during the kingdom. This is the gospel to the uncircumcision, which is the only gospel the 12 apostles preached.
(3) To certain individuals which believed (2) above, Paul preached his gospel from 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. Those that accepted it were deemed a "new creature" in Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:17, Galatians 6:15. They became Sons of God, a term used only for created beings : angels, Adam, and the new creatures in Acts. Those that believed Paul's gospel, both Jews and Gentiles, had an inheritance on the holy city, the New Jerusalem, which is in the created heavens. The New Jerusalem is entirely Jewish. It's gates are named after the 12 tribes and the foundations after the 12 apostles which ministered only to Israel. There will be other kingdom program people that will inherit the New Jerusalem, such as the overcomers of the tribulation in Revelation 21.

In essence, every person saved during Acts was attached to Israel's kingdom program. They were all Israel. Israel will replace the fallen angels in the created heavens and earth.

So, what does this have to do with the pre-trib rapture?
(1) Every Jew that has ever lived will go through the entire tribulation. This includes all proselytes and those from the valley of dry bones. The tribulation is the week of Jacob's (Israel's) trouble and, according to Revelation, the trouble will be incredible.
(2) Everyone saved during Acts was part of Israel, whether Jew or Gentile.
(3) Therefore, everyone saved during Acts will go through the entire tribulation.
(4) Therefore, a pre-trib rapture as discussed in Corinthians, Thessalonians, and any other book during Acts is impossible. Actually, the term "last trump", which MUST be the 7th trump of Revelation, since that's the only series of trumpets in the NT, is proof enough against a pre-trib rapture. And then there's 1 Corinthians 15:23, which says that the rapture will occur at Christ's parousia, which always signifies His second coming.

So, I can see no way that there is a pre-trib rapture of the saints from the Acts period.

But, who cares? I sure don't. The reason being that nobody today is part of that totally Jewish group from Acts. We have a much better deal that they did. The only active program during the 2000 year age we now live in is only in Paul's last 7 books. Our rapture (appearing) is in Colossians 3:4, when we will appear with Him in Glory, which is ABOVE the Heavens (Psalms 8:1). This "rapture" is definitely pre-trib. Israel doesn't exist today. We are Gentile saints. We don't go through Israel's tribulation.

Repent and "see" the "present truth" of the hope of your calling in Ephesians. Paul knows it's difficult to see and that's why he prays that God will give you the enlightenment of understanding to see the "hope of your calling", which is Far Above All Heavens, above every name that is named, where Christ now sits at the right hand of God. All this is spelled out in Paul's prayer of Ephesians 1:16-22.

Put the "born again" of the Gospels and Acts and the "new creature" of Acts (and probably today) behind you and become the "one new man" found only in Paul's last 7 books - Ephesians 4:24, Colossians 3:10.

In the last 30 years, I've been back and forth on the subject of what happens to those saints of these last 2000 years who DO NOT see the hope of their unique calling found only in Paul's last 7 books. Most of these fall back on the beggarly elements of the past in Acts. Do these inherit the hope of being resurrected to the Uncreated Glory far above all heavens? As of recently, I really don't think they do. Faith is the substance (the reality) of things hoped for. You need faith for your calling. I think that those stuck in Acts will either end up on the earth or the NJ. That's where their faith is centered.

ADDITIONS to this post are below:

THE HOPE BEFORE ACTS 28:28
(1) Is associated with HIS COMING
(2) Down from Heaven
(3) With a SHOUT, VOICE, and a TRUMP of God
(4) ARCHANGEL
(5) CAUGHT UP IN THE CLOUDS to meet the Lord in the air
---This is a catching away that would seem to be very noisy and certainly not a silent transaction.

THE HOPE AFTER ACTS 28:28
(1) Is associated with HIS APPEARING
(2) In Glory, Far Above All
(3) NO SHOUT, NO VOICE, NO TRUMPet
(4) NO ARCHANGEL
(5) RECEIVED UP TO GLORY and to be manifested with Christ in Glory
---This would seem to be a silent departure of Saints to be manifested with the Glorious Head of the Church of the One Body in Heavenly Places on the tip-top of the universe. This was taken from the excellent book,"Plainer Words", by Tom Ballinger

"As long as believers rob Israel of her blessings and her hope in Acts, the Word of God is dishonored and the Holy Spirit is not at liberty to "enlighten" the eyes of their understanding - Ephesians 1:18." Quote from Tom Ballinger's book, "Plainer Words."

I have an feeling that Tom is right. If you want to know the truths in Ephesians, you have to first divorce yourself from Israel and give up their blessings and hope in Acts that you are robbing from them. That includes the rapture, the gifts, the kingdom, the New Jerusalem, and everything else
___________________________________

Two of the most commonly used verses by all types of dispensationalists are:
2 Timothy 2:15, Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Philippians 1:10, That ye may approve things that are excellent......
In the margin, you find that this means, That ye may try (test) the things that differ.....

Both verses appear in Paul's last 7 books. Why? Recently, I realized that they're in Paul's last 7 books because that's the only place they are needed. This is because the calling there is so radically different from the calling in Paul's first 7 books. The reason these 2 verses aren't in Paul's first 7 books is because the calling during all of Acts is the same as the calling during the Gospels and is, essentially, the same as the calling since Abraham - the Kingdom. If you think your calling is in Acts, there is absolutely no reason to rightly divide or test the things that differ.

 

[Biblewriter]

What type of Gentiles did Paul usually preach to in Acts? Mainly, he preached to those who "feared God." This was a technical term used by the Jews to designate Gentiles who were proselytes, circumcised or not, who believed in Jehovah, and attended the synagogue services, in which they were separated from the Jews. Acts 10:2, Acts 10:22, Acts 13:16, Acts 13:26. In other words, these Gentiles were tied to Israel's kingdom program. These Gentiles were Jews in God's eyes. In fact, everyone saved during Acts were Jews in God's eyes.

Paul taught at least 3 different Gospels in Acts. What he taught depended on who he was talking to.
(1) To pagans, he taught that there was only one God who was the creator of the universe and all that is in it. Acts 14:15
(2) To both the Jews and Gentiles in the synagogues, he taught that Jesus Christ is the son of God and is the Messiah promised to Israel. Those that accepted this teaching were "born again." These inherited the earth during the kingdom. This is the gospel to the uncircumcision, which is the only gospel the 12 apostles preached.
(3) To certain individuals which believed (2) above, Paul preached his gospel from 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. Those that accepted it were deemed a "new creature" in Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:17, Galatians 6:15. They became Sons of God, a term used only for created beings : angels, Adam, and the new creatures in Acts. Those that believed Paul's gospel, both Jews and Gentiles, had an inheritance on the holy city, the New Jerusalem, which is in the created heavens. The New Jerusalem is entirely Jewish. It's gates are named after the 12 tribes and the foundations after the 12 apostles which ministered only to Israel. There will be other kingdom program people that will inherit the New Jerusalem, such as the overcomers of the tribulation in Revelation 21.

In essence, every person saved during Acts was attached to Israel's kingdom program. They were all Israel. Israel will replace the fallen angels in the created heavens and earth.

So, what does this have to do with the pre-trib rapture?
(1) Every Jew that has ever lived will go through the entire tribulation. This includes all proselytes and those from the valley of dry bones. The tribulation is the week of Jacob's (Israel's) trouble and, according to Revelation, the trouble will be incredible.
(2) Everyone saved during Acts was part of Israel, whether Jew or Gentile.
(3) Therefore, everyone saved during Acts will go through the entire tribulation.
(4) Therefore, a pre-trib rapture as discussed in Corinthians, Thessalonians, and any other book during Acts is impossible. Actually, the term "last trump", which MUST be the 7th trump of Revelation, since that's the only series of trumpets in the NT, is proof enough against a pre-trib rapture. And then there's 1 Corinthians 15:23, which says that the rapture will occur at Christ's parousia, which always signifies His second coming.

So, I can see no way that there is a pre-trib rapture of the saints from the Acts period.

But, who cares? I sure don't. The reason being that nobody today is part of that totally Jewish group from Acts. We have a much better deal that they did. The only active program during the 2000 year age we now live in is only in Paul's last 7 books. Our rapture (appearing) is in Colossians 3:4, when we will appear with Him in Glory, which is ABOVE the Heavens (Psalms 8:1). This "rapture" is definitely pre-trib. Israel doesn't exist today. We are Gentile saints. We don't go through Israel's tribulation.

Repent and "see" the "present truth" of the hope of your calling in Ephesians. Paul knows it's difficult to see and that's why he prays that God will give you the enlightenment of understanding to see the "hope of your calling", which is Far Above All Heavens, above every name that is named, where Christ now sits at the right hand of God. All this is spelled out in Paul's prayer of Ephesians 1:16-22.

Put the "born again" of the Gospels and Acts and the "new creature" of Acts (and probably today) behind you and become the "one new man" found only in Paul's last 7 books - Ephesians 4:24, Colossians 3:10.

You have stated a number of doctrinal points that have zero basis in scripture.

 

[ac28]

You have stated a number of doctrinal points that have zero basis in scripture.

Why don't you tell me exactly what all those points are and exactly why they have zero basis.

I'm very pleased that you responded. It's time we got some discussion going between us dispensationalists.

NOTE: I added a few things at the end of my previous post.

 

[Biblewriter]

In essence, every person saved during Acts was attached to Israel's kingdom program. They were all Israel.

There is no scripture that states this idea, or that even implies it.

Israel will replace the fallen angels in the created heavens and earth.

There is not only no scripture that states this, but many scriptures that explicitly state otherwise.

(1) Every Jew that has ever lived will go through the entire tribulation. This includes all proselytes and those from the valley of dry bones. The tribulation is the week of Jacob's (Israel's) trouble and, according to Revelation, the trouble will be incredible.

This is clearly contrary to almost the entirety of end time prophecy.

(2) Everyone saved during Acts was part of Israel, whether Jew or Gentile.

I have already addressed this.

(3) Therefore, everyone saved during Acts will go through the entire tribulation.

This is a false conclusion, because it is based on the false premises of the points above.

(4) Therefore, a pre-trib rapture as discussed in Corinthians, Thessalonians, and any other book during Acts is impossible.

Here appears to be the central essence of your error. What the other scriptures say cannot be correct, because it disagrees with your interpretations of the Acts.

Actually, the term "last trump", which MUST be the 7th trump of Revelation, since that's the only series of trumpets in the NT, is proof enough against a pre-trib rapture. And then there's 1 Corinthians 15:23, which says that the rapture will occur at Christ's parousia, which always signifies His second coming.

So, I can see no way that there is a pre-trib rapture of the saints from the Acts period.

This last appears to be based on the false assumption that our Lord is only returning a single time. But many scriptures make it very plain that He will return more than just once.

 

[ac28]

BW,

The only one that's not Biblical is the one about Israel replacing the fallen angels in the created heavens. The odds are about 9 to 1 that it's true. Had Satan and his angels not rebelled, the present creation would likely have not existed.

Do you realize that you made that long post without using ANY scripture? I won't participate in any of this unless you provide scripture to refute all of my statements that you cited. In my original post, I cited scripture 19 times. You made a lot of strong statements, with indications of scripture to back yourself up - but, zero scripture.

If you want me to play this fault-finding game that all Christian forums subsist on, give me some scripture.

I take it that your eyes are so blinded by your being imprisoned in Acts that you can't see the obvious totally different new calling in Ephesians. That's really what I want to discuss.

 

[Biblewriter]

AC28, I cannot give scripture to back up a claim that there is no scripture to support such-and-such an idea, for the absence of the concept from scripture makes it impossible to give scripture either for or against it.

So I will have to address just two of my comments. I did not give scriptures for them, because citing them would take up a great amount of time and space.

But in regard to your comment that "Israel will replace the fallen angels in the created heavens and earth." and my answer that "There is not only no scripture that states this, but many scriptures that explicitly state otherwise." And in regard to your comment that "Every Jew that has ever lived will go through the entire tribulation," and my answer that "This is clearly contrary to almost the entirety of end time prophecy." These are covered generally in the following, which is from my award winning book, "Keys to Bible Prophecy."


All Israel brought back to the land

The return of all Israel to their land is one of the great themes of prophecy, and is found in too many places to cite them all. One of them is Jeremiah 31:7-9:

“Sing with gladness for ·Jacob, And shout among the chief of the nations; Proclaim, give praise, and say, ‘O LORD, save Your people, The remnant of Israel!’ Behold, I will bring them from the north country, And gather them from the ends of the earth, Among them the blind and the lame, The woman with child And the one who labors with child, together; A great throng shall return there. They shall come with weeping, And with supplications I will lead them. I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters, In a straight way in which they shall not stumble; For I am a Father to Israel, And Ephraim is My firstborn.”

We need to notice that this prophecy has to refer to the future because it has never been fulfilled. For it explicitly speaks of Ephraim, the northern kingdom of Israel after its division in the days of Rehoboam, the foolish son of the wise Solomon. (2 Chronicles 10) A small portion of Judah, the southern kingdom, returned to their land after the Babylonian captivity. But Ephraim never returned.

Unlike the previous return of Judah to her land, this is not a partial return. All Israel will be gathered. We see this in Ezekiel 36:10, where the Lord tells the “mountains of Israel” (verse 8) that He “will multiply men upon you, all the house of Israel, all of it; and the cities shall be inhabited and the ruins rebuilt.” We see it again in Micah 2:12, where the Lord says “I will surely assemble all of you, O ·Jacob, I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together like sheep of the fold, Like a flock in the midst of their pasture; They shall make a loud noise because of so many people.”


The nations bring the children of Israel home.

“They shall bring your sons in their arms, And your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders; Kings shall be your foster fathers, And their queens your nursing mothers; They shall bow down to you with their faces to the earth, And lick up the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am the LORD, For they shall not be ashamed who wait for Me.” (Isaiah 49:22-23)

Isaiah 66 makes it exceedingly plain that this occurs AFTER, not BEFORE, Messiah returns.

"For behold, the LORD will come with fire And with His chariots, like a whirlwind, To render His anger with fury, And His rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire and by His sword The LORD will judge all flesh; And the slain of the LORD shall be many. 'Those who sanctify themselves and purify themselves, To go to the gardens After an idol in the midst, Eating swine's flesh and the abomination and the mouse, Shall be consumed together,' says the LORD. 'For I know their works and their thoughts. It shall be that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come and see My glory. I will set a sign among them; and those among them who escape I will send to the nations: to Tarshish and Pul and Lud, who draw the bow, and Tubal and Javan, to the coastlands afar off who have not heard My fame nor seen My glory. And they shall declare My glory among the Gentiles. Then they shall bring all your brethren for an offering to the LORD out of all nations, on horses and in chariots and in litters, on mules and on camels, to My holy mountain Jerusalem,' says the LORD, 'as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the LORD. And I will also take some of them for priests and Levites,' says the LORD." Isaiah 66:15-21






The rebels purged from among Israel.

But many of the children of Israel are rebels. To such, the Lord’s appearing does not mean blessing, but judgment. These will be removed from among the people.

“‘As I live,’ says the Lord GOD, ‘surely with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, and with fury poured out, I will rule over you. I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you are scattered, with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, and with fury poured out. And I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will plead My case with you face to face. Just as I pleaded My case with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will plead My case with you,’ says the Lord GOD. ‘I will make you pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant; I will purge the rebels from among you, and those who transgress against Me; I will bring them out of the country where they dwell, but they shall not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’” (Ezekiel 20:33-38)

“In that day you shall not be shamed for any of your deeds In which you transgress against Me; For then I will take away from your midst Those who rejoice in your pride, And you shall no longer be haughty In My holy mountain. I will leave in your midst A meek and humble people, And they shall trust in the name of the LORD.” (Zephaniah 3:11-12)

This is how “it shall come to pass that he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy; everyone who is recorded among the living in Jerusalem. When the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and purged the blood of Jerusalem from her midst, by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burning.” (Isaiah 4:3-4)


Israel repents of their rejection of Jesus as their Messiah.

When Israel finally sees their long awaited Messiah, “one will say to him, ‘What are these wounds between your arms?’ Then he will answer, ‘Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.’ (Zechariah 13:6) The result is that “In that day there shall be a great mourning in Jerusalem, like the mourning at Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. And the land shall mourn, every family by itself: the family of the house of David by itself, and their wives by themselves; the family of the house of Nathan by itself, and their wives by themselves; the family of the house of Levi by itself, and their wives by themselves; the family of Shimei by itself, and their wives by themselves; all the families that remain, every family by itself, and their wives by themselves.” (Zechariah 12:11-14)

Again, we read, “Then I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the LORD; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God, for they shall return to Me with their whole heart.” (Jeremiah 24:7) “And so all Israel will be saved” (Romans 11:26)


Ephraim and Judah reunited

This is detailed in Ezekiel 37, in which the Lord says: “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.” (Ezekiel 37:16-17) The Lord then told Ezekiel that when the children of his people asked him what this meant, he should answer them that “the Lord GOD” says: “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 37:21-22)

Isaiah also speaks of this, saying that the Lord “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)

This is celebrated in the fifth book of the Psalms:

“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, Running down on the beard, The beard of Aaron, Running down on the edge of his garments. It is like the dew of Hermon, Descending upon the mountains of Zion; For there the LORD commanded the blessing; Life forevermore.” (Psalm 133:1-3)

And again:

“When the LORD brought back the captivity of Zion, We were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, And our tongue with singing. Then they said among the nations, ‘The LORD has done great things for them.’ The LORD has done great things for us, And we are glad.” (Psalm 126:1-3)


The Lord sends united Israel to war.

But the Lord has come to judge the nations, and His work is not yet finished. The nations that have hated Israel must now be punished. The Lord, in His justice, decrees that this must be done by the very ones they have so long tried to destroy. He commands Israel to destroy them. The justice of this is pointed out in Habakkuk 2:8; “Because you have plundered many nations, All the remnant of the people shall plunder you, Because of men's blood And the violence of the land and the city, And of all who dwell in it.”

We see this again in Isaiah 49:26. “I will feed those who oppress you with their own flesh, And they shall be drunk with their own blood as with sweet wine. All flesh shall know That I, the LORD, am your Savior, And your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob·.” Again, in Isaiah 51:22-23, the Lord says, “See, I have taken out of your hand The cup of trembling, The dregs of the cup of My fury; You shall no longer drink it. But I will put it into the hand of those who afflict you, Who have said to you, ‘Lie down, that we may walk over you.’ And you have laid your body like the ground, And as the street, for those who walk over.”

In keeping with this decree, the Lord gives Israel a most awesome charge: “Cursed is he who does the work of the LORD deceitfully, And cursed is he who keeps back his sword from blood.” (Jeremiah 48:10) This may seem unlike the gracious God we know, but we must remember that the present age of grace is over, and it is now “the Day of the LORD.” As we read in the fifth book of the Psalms, “The Lord is at Your right hand; He shall execute kings in the day of His wrath. He shall judge among the nations, He shall fill the places with dead bodies, He shall execute the heads of many countries.” (Psalm 110:6)

This same fifth book of the Psalms goes on to give Israel’s response to the Lord’s instructions:

“All nations surrounded me, But in the name of the LORD I will destroy them. They surrounded me, Yes, they surrounded me; But in the name of the LORD I will destroy them. They surrounded me like bees; They were quenched like a fire of thorns; For in the name of the LORD I will destroy them.”
(Psalm 118:10-12)

“Let the saints be joyful in glory; Let them sing aloud on their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, And a two-edged sword in their hand, To execute vengeance on the nations, And punishments on the peoples; To bind their kings with chains, And their nobles with fetters of iron; To execute on them the written judgment; This honor have all His saints. Praise the LORD!” (Psalm 149:5-9)

So we read that “In that day I will make the governors of Judah like a firepan in the woodpile, and like a fiery torch in the sheaves; they shall devour all the surrounding peoples on the right hand and on the left... In that day the LORD will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; the one who is feeble among them in that day shall be like David, and the house of David shall be like God, like the Angel of the LORD before them.” (Zechariah 12:6-8) And “the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, ‘The inhabitants of Jerusalem are my strength in the LORD of hosts, their God.’” (Zechariah 12:5)

Israel conquers the Philistines, Edom, Moab, and Ammon

We noticed the prophecy about Ephraim being reconciled with Judah. (page 200) The rest of that prophecy says, “Ephraim shall not envy Judah, And Judah shall not harass Ephraim. But they shall fly down upon the shoulder of the Philistines toward the west; Together they shall plunder the people of the East; They shall lay their hand on Edom and Moab; And the people of Ammon shall obey them.” (Isaiah 11:13-14)

We see this again in Ezekiel 25:14, where the Lord God says, “I will lay My vengeance on Edom by the hand of My people Israel, that they may do in Edom according to My anger and according to My fury; and they shall know My vengeance.”

The destruction of these lands will be complete.

“For Gaza shall be forsaken, And Ashkelon desolate; They shall drive out Ashdod at noon-day, And Ekron shall be uprooted. Woe to the inhabitants of the seacoast, The nation of the Cherethites! The word of the LORD is against you, O Canaan, land of the Philistines: ‘I will destroy you; So there shall be no inhabitant.’ The seacoast shall be pastures, With shelters for shepherds and folds for flocks. The coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; They shall feed their flocks there; In the houses of Ashkelon they shall lie down at evening. For the LORD their God will intervene for them, And return their captives.” (Zephaniah 2:4-7)

“‘Therefore, as I live,’ Says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Surely Moab shall be like Sodom, And the people of Ammon like Gomorrah; Overrun with weeds and saltpits, And a perpetual desolation. The residue of My people shall plunder them, And the remnant of My people shall possess them.’” (Zephaniah 2:9)

All this must of necessity be future, for since the days of Isaiah, Ephraim and Judah have never joined together in a successful military operation. Ezekiel wrote after all of Ephraim and most of Judah had been carried away captive. And Israel has never completely destroyed any of these nations, as is so clearly stated in Zephaniah.


The Lord sends Israel against the Grecian kings.

“For I have bent Judah, My bow, Fitted the bow with Ephraim, And raised up your sons, O Zion, Against your sons, O Greece, And made you like the sword of a mighty man. Then the LORD will be seen over them, And His arrow will go forth like lightning. The Lord GOD will blow the trumpet, And go with whirlwinds from the south. The LORD of hosts will defend them; They shall devour and subdue with slingstones. They shall drink and roar as if with wine; They shall be filled with blood like basins, Like the corners of the altar.” (Zechariah 9:13-15)

Israel wastes the land of Assyria with the sword.

This is expressly stated in Micah 5. This has to be future, for Israel has never invaded Assyria.

“And this One shall be peace. When the Assyrian comes into our land, And when he treads in our palaces, Then we will raise against him Seven shepherds and eight princely men. They shall waste with the sword the land of Assyria, And the land of Nimrod at its entrances; Thus He shall deliver us from the Assyrian, When he comes into our land And when he treads within our borders.” (Micah 5:5-6)


All Israel settled in the land

All Israel is now settled in the land. This is described in the last two chapters of Ezekiel, beginning with the details of the boundaries of the land. (Ezekiel 47:15-20)

Next come specific instructions as to how the land is to be divided. Strangers who dwell among them are not left out.

“Thus you shall divide this land among yourselves according to the tribes of Israel. It shall be that you will divide it by lot as an inheritance for yourselves, and for the strangers who dwell among you and who bear children among you. They shall be to you as native-born among the children of Israel; they shall have an inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel. And it shall be that in whatever tribe the stranger dwells, there you shall give him his inheritance," says the Lord GOD.” (Ezekiel 47:21-23)

Finally, the Lord names each of the twelve tribes, stating which portion of the land is to be given to each of them. (Ezekiel 48:1-7 and 23-29) Between these last two passages is another highly detailed instruction regarding a plot reserved for the Temple, the Levites, and the king.

Many imagine that this is only figurative speech, that it does not mean literal Israel, but only the people of God generally. In this regard it is important to examine a most remarkable prophecy addressed to a piece of real estate.

“But you, O mountains of Israel, you shall shoot forth your branches and yield your fruit to My people Israel, for they are about to come. For indeed I am for you, and I will turn to you, and you shall be tilled and sown. I will multiply men upon you, all the house of Israel, all of it; and the cities shall be inhabited and the ruins rebuilt. I will multiply upon you man and beast; and they shall increase and bear young; I will make you inhabited as in former times, and do better for you than at your beginnings. Then you shall know that I am the LORD. Yes, I will cause men to walk on you, My people Israel; they shall take possession of you, and you shall be their inheritance” (Ezekiel 36:8-12)

In view of all this explicit detail, it is simple unbelief to deny that this refers to a physical restoration of the natural offspring of ancient Israel. The only way to escape this conclusion is to deny that the scriptures mean what they say.