Someone asked if modern Israel is biblical Israel. My answer is below. Let's start here. There are dozens of prophecies in the Hebrew Bible that speak of the restoration of Israel as a nation (Exek 36:24ff). It says it would happen in the end-times (Amos 9:14–15, Ezek 37:21–22). It tells of a mass exodus of Jewish people from a land north of Israel (Jer 16:14-15); Over 1,00,000 Jews return to Israel from the former Soviet Union between 1991-2000. So, what you have to ask yourself is, have these prophecies been fulfilled in the modern nation of Israel? Ethnic Jews, proven by DNA, have gone back to their homeland after 2000 years. There is no example in world history of a nation being separated from its geographical homeland for more than two or three generations and maintaining its ethnic identity--except for Jews/ Israelites/Israelis. (Have you run into any Jebusites or Hitites recently?) If the prophets were not speaking about present-day Israel, then this is one of the most remarkable coincidences in history. Secondly, who are they talking about? Did the church come out of the land of the north? No. Was the church regathered from all over the world back into the land of Israel? No. But the Jewish people were. Even if one spiritualizes those verses to the church, one cannot deny that the physical descendants of Abraham returned to the land promised to him and his descendants forever, and built a nation. One would have to be intellectually dishonest not to see the connection between the prophecies and the fact that there is a nation of Israel today filled with Jewish people. It's a miracle. In Romans 11, Paul clearly states that ethnic Israel has a future. He says they have been temporarily blinded so that the gospel can prosper amongst the nations. But in the end times, the hardness of heart will be removed and "all Israel will be saved." (Rom 11:26). He explains three verses later that the gifts and callings are irrevocable. He is emphatically stating that God's calling on Israel will never be revoked, no matter what Israel does. This is because of God's faithfulness, not Israel's righteousness. Keep reading, please. You don't honor the politicians, you honor the God of Israel. Despite Israel, God has been faithful. See Jer. 31:35-37, where God says specifically that he will not reject Israel for all she has done, and as long as the stars, moon, and sun continue to operate, he will be faithful to Israel. There is faulty reasoning that goes into disqualifying Israel, based on bad behavior. If God were going to disqualify people based on bad behavior, then much of the church would be in very big trouble. But God is gracious. Jesus is still Jewish. After his resurrection, he is referred to as the seed of David (Rom 1:3), and in Revelation 5:5 as the line of the tribe of Judah and Root of David. According to Zechariah 14:3-4, he will return to the Mount of Olives. That's where he left from, and the angel said he would return in the same way. Rev. 1:7 says that when he comes, every eye will see him, even those who pierced him… Which is very similar to Zechariah 12:10, which speaks of the Jewish people realizing that the one they pierced is the Messiah. The problem many people have is that they look at someone like Netanyahu and see him as an unsavory character, and think, "How can that be biblical Israel?" biblical Israel had people far worse than Netanyahu as leaders, such as a Ahab and Jezebel and Manasseh, who "did evil in the eyes of the LORD." But according to Paul, that did not disqualify the entire nation (Rom 11:29). There are unsavory politicians all over the world. In America. In Israel. Certainly in Russia. Honoring Israel is about loving God and believing in his faithfulness and that Jesus is literally returning to Jerusalem. He was faithful to his promises to Israel. Loving Israel is about believing for her salvation, and contending for it, recognizing that Israel was blinded so that the gospel could come to Gentiles. They suffered so the nations could be saved. In Matthew 23:39 he tells the Jews of Jerusalem that he will not return until they welcome him as Messiah. How can they do that if there are no Jews in Jerusalem or if there's no Jerusalem? I am an Israeli, and I criticize my own government. I don't give them a free pass because we are a modern fulfillment of prophecy. I believe that October 7 happened because we allowed a racist element into our government. I prophesied that a month before it happened (not in detail). When Israel was chosen in the Old Testament, God would bring judgments upon her. Israel is still chosen today, but when we are bad, there are consequences. Still, if you're going to be intellectually honest, there's no other explanation for the creation of the state of Israel in 1948 other than biblical prophecy. The existence of Jewish people today is a miracle based on science. As stated above, there's no other example of people being separated from their geographical homeland and remaining a people. The fact that we are on a tiny sliver of land outnumbered more than 99 to 1 by those who would be our enemies, and we have been able to win every war, is a miracle. The Six-Day War was a miracle, where we were vastly outnumbered, but defeated three nations in six days. In conclusion, yes, modern-day Israel is what God was referring to when he spoke about the restoration of Israel in the Hebrew Bible. But this does not mean that Israel gets a free pass on anything we do. If anything, we are more accountable to God because we have the Scriptures.
I am missing a 0...1,000,000 immigrants came from the former Soviet union, 1,00,000 :-)
Respectfully, the modern nation of Israel is not the prophetic Israel spoken of in the Bible’s last-day events. That may surprise some, but we must base our beliefs on the Word of God, not on headlines, tradition, or sentiment. God’s Word is crystal clear. “If ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:29). The true Israel today is not determined by genealogy, but by faith in Jesus Christ. That’s what the Bible teaches. Anyone who belongs to Christ, whether Jew or Gentile, is part of spiritual Israel. Many are looking to the Middle East, expecting some political drama to usher in the end. But the Bible paints a different picture. The final issues of prophecy are not centered on land, borders, or governments, they’re centered on truth, worship, and obedience. Revelation tells us that Satan’s final masterpiece is a counterfeit religious system that leads people to break God's commandments (Revelation 13:16–17; Revelation 14:12). The mark of the beast has nothing to do with missiles in the desert. It has everything to do with whom you choose to obey, God or man. Yes, Jesus will return to the Mount of Olives (Zechariah 14:4). But He’s not returning to set up an earthly government. His kingdom is not of this world. He’s coming for a people who are prepared, faithful, and obedient, not those with a certain nationality, but those with a clean heart and a surrendered will. I'll speak plainly. The idea that modern Israel is the fulfillment of those Old Testament prophecies is not in harmony with the teachings of Scripture, nor with the message God has given His remnant church. That belief comes from futurism, a system developed to distract from the real issues of prophecy. If you’re willing, I’d be glad to study this with you, verse by verse. Let’s not rely on opinions or emotions. Let’s open the Bible and let God speak for Himself.
@RonSCantor It's fine if this is your theology. My theology as an LCMS Lutheran is that Christ died to extend God's covenant, previously called Israel, to all men. Jews and gentiles are welcome.
@RonSCantor Amazing post here Ron. This is very helpful to defend my position of Israel with others!
I hear ya. It’s no doubt that the modern nation of Israel is a marvel in world history... culturally, politically, even prophetically. But the question isn’t whether Israel’s existence is significant. The question is whether the Bible’s promises to Israel are fulfilled in a national, geopolitical way or in Christ. Let’s go back to Ezekiel 36-37. Yes, those chapters talk about regathering & restoration. But read closely... they also talk about a new heart, a new spirit, cleansing from sin, & David reigning forever... That’s not just national return, that’s new covenant language!! That’s pointing to Jesus, the greater David (Luke 1:32-33), who now reigns at the right hand of the Father. Yes, Jews have returned to the land. But the return in prophecy is tied to repentance, cleansing, Spirit renewal, & Messiah’s reign, not just political rebirth. The real fulfillment isn’t partial or geopolitical... it’s full, eternal, & rooted in Christ. As for Jeremiah 31 & the “sun, moon, & stars” passage, please read that whole chapter. That’s the chapter where God promises the new covenant. The one fulfilled in Jesus (Luke 22:20 & Hebrews 8:6-13). It’s not just about preserving a nation’s borders... it’s about transforming hearts through Messiah. The stars staying in place isn’t about a permanent state... it’s about a faithful God who keeps His covenant, & that covenant has found its Yes & Amen in Christ (2 Corinthians 1:20). Romans 11? Amen. Israel isn’t cast off... Paul says that plainly. But he also says not all who are descended from Israel are Israel (Romans 9:6). There’s a remnant chosen by grace (Romans 11:5). There’s a grafting in of Gentiles. But it’s not about going back to national distinctions... it’s about being united in one olive tree, one body, one new man (Ephesians 2:14-16). All Israel being saved doesn’t mean every ethnic Jew by default... it means the full inclusion of those who turn to Christ, Jew & Gentile alike. Jesus is still Jewish.... yes. But His Jewishness doesn’t make Him the King of only one nation. He’s the King of kings, the fulfillment of every covenant, Davidic, Abrahamic, Mosaic. The land? Fulfilled in the new heavens & new earth (Revelation 21:1-3). The temple? Fulfilled in Christ’s body (John 2:19-21). The kingdom? Not of this world (John 18:36), but breaking in thru the Spirit right now. Matthew 23:39? Jesus says He won’t return until they say, Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord. That’s not a political rally... it’s a repentant recognition of the true Messiah, which Zechariah 12:10 also connects to mourning & faith, not borders or governments. Yes, Israel has faced wars & survived. It’s astonishing. But the true miracle is that in Christ, God is forming one people, not divided by ethnicity, but united by the cross. The real “Israel of God” (Galatians 6:16) are those who walk according to the new creation. So no, it’s not intellectually dishonest to say modern Israel isn’t the final fulfillment. It’s just biblically honest to say God’s promises to Israel point us to Jesus & in Him, everything finds its meaning. It’s not about denying Israel.... it’s about exalting Jesus. 🙏 ✝️ 🫂 🫶
-Jeremiah was prophesying the return to Jews from exile in Babylon -Entire NT makes clear that Israel is now composed of all people who are loyal to Jesus the Messiah, the true king of Israel -Paul makes it very clear that ethnic Jews who reject Jesus are not apart of God's people
All those prophecies were fulfilled 2000 years ago. Cherry picking verses to apply them to today is silly. I get that folks don’t want to believe they’re living under a broken covenant today, but Ez, Amos, and Jeremiah were written about specific events all fulfilled by the first century.
Great post! I love that you are Israeli, understand and wrote this. I also love that you expose Netanyahu, because there are many American evangelicals that are guilty of soft Israel idolatry. That every single thing your government does, or ours is because they always do what’s right because of their divine status. They support everything he does with a sort of “divine right” out guidance. No earthly ruler will ever fill that bill, especially one operating from a non regenerated spirit position. That said, we can support Israel and Israeli’s because of God’s covenant nation and promise of future restoration and blessings to all nations during the millennial reign, but we don’t have to “rah, rah” all the manipulative players behind the scenes or believe all the actions of Bibi are good, righteous and holy in intent or actions. Unfortunately most people, unless they live in the NY/NJ or Hollywood areas have barely met a Jewish person. I happen to live in one of the most Jewish areas of America (both progressive/non religious and Hasdium) and have been to Israel. People don’t even understand many Jews are not even on board with the intentions of their government, what’s going on is promoted by certain sects of Judaism, even if they want to remain safe and their country to continue to exist. Correct me if I’m wrong or you have another perspective. Shalom. Thanks for a beautiful post. Praying many see and understand this.
Hello Ron, Thank you for the thorough answer to this important question. I would love to ask you some questions about this, if that’s ok. Let me start by briefly laying down my understanding of the biblical framework of what/who Israel is. 1. Abraham -> Isaac -> Jacob/Israel -> 12 sons -> 12 tribes a. Reuben – Jacob’s firstborn b. Simeon c. Levi – Priestly tribe (no land inheritance) d. Judah – Line of David and Jesus e. Dan f. Naphtali g. Gad h. Asher i. Issachar j. Zebulun k. Joseph [his tribe was split into two: Ephraim and Manasseh (his two sons); this was done to maintain 12 land-holding tribes while Levi served as priests] l. Benjamin 2. In the days of Rehoboam (Solomon’s son) around 931 BC (1 Kings 11), God split the nation in 2 a. Northern kingdom i. Israel ii. Capital: Samaria iii. 10 tribes (some Levites) b. Southern kingdom i. Judah ii. Capital: Jerusalem iii. 3 tribes (some Levites) 3. In the days of Hoshea king of Israel (2 Kings 17) and in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah (2 Kings 18) around 722 BC, the northern kingdom of Israel was taken captive by Assyria. a. 10 tribes were taken and never returned to the land b. For 700+ years, they mingled with the Gentiles and are the Samaritans of the New Testament i. Jesus does not recognize the Samaritans as being part of the lost sheep of the house of Israel, only the Jews who are descendants of the southern kingdom of Judah, namely, people from Benjamin, Levi, and Judah 4. In the days of Zekehiah’s reign over Judah around 586 BC, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took the southern kingdom of Judah captive to Babylon for 70 years, and they returned to their land 5. Judah returns to the land around 538 BC (Ezra 1) a. In Ezra 2:61-62, there were men who weren’t allowed to serve in the priesthood because they could not prove they were Levites 6. In 70 AD Rome destroys Jerusalem and the Jews get scattered all over the world, yet some remained in the land 7. In 1948 AD, the United Nations created the modern state of Israel Summary: The original nation of Israel ceased to be unified in the days of Rehoboam around 931 BC, where God split it in 2 separate nations. One retained the name Israel and the other took on the name of one of its tribes, Judah. The first time the word “Jew” appears in the Bible is 2 Kings 16:6, where the term refers to the people or citizens of the kingdom of Judah. People today incorrectly use the term “Jew” to refer to all Israel but it is biblically incorrect. The word Jew can mean following: a. Ethnic from the 3 tribes of Judah (Benjamin, Levi, and Judah) i. Jesus is/was a Jew because he is from Judah ii. A Levite can be either a Jew or Israeli because Levites were in both split nations b. Religious, a convert to the religion of Judaism i. Both an ethnic Jew and a Gentile convert are called Jews c. A citizen of the modern state of Israel This can be very confusing unless context clarity is provided. Questions. 1. The nation of Israel, when viewed from today, can mean 3 different things: the modern state of Israel, the northern kingdom of Israel composed of 10 tribes, or the original nation of Israel prior to being split in 2. When you say the modern state of Israel is biblical Israel, what do you mean by biblical Israel? 2. Why didn’t Jesus recognize the Samaritans as part of the lost sheep of the house of Israel? 3. Many say that ethnicity does not matter when it comes to recognizing ethnic Jews, but this is not biblically accurate. As we see in the examples of Ezra, people claiming to be Levites were rejected because they could not prove it. This is significant because God was clear that only the sons of Aaron could be Levites. Why then do people reject the need to prove one’s ethnicity to claim Israeli ethnic identity? 4. If after 700 years of the 10 tribes being mingled with the Gentiles was enough to “dilute” the ethnic differentiation between the 10 tribes in Christ’s day, what do you think 2000 years later has done to maintain the differentiation of such 10 tribes? What about the 3 tribes of Judah in the last 2000 years? 5. You say we can know ethnic Jews by DNA. But how can we possibly know what the DNA is of each of the original 12 tribes to even have a reference point to determine who has a greater DNA percentage to make a claim of ethnicity? That’s enough questions for now. I have more, but if you could answer some of these, that would greatly help me better understand this question of whether the modern state of Israel is biblical Israel. Thank you!
@RonSCantor Brace yourself: screeching about dispensationalism and Scofield Bible inbound
@RonSCantor Any restoration of Israel that is not under Christ is not biblical. God will not bless those who reject His Son.
I'm not an Israeli but a gentile saved through the Grace of our Lord and Savior - I fully agree - Israel is God's chosen people from the beginning and He will keep His promises of restoring Israel! Jesus came for the Jews first but they rejected Him but God does not give up on His true love - I am saved by God's Grace - what a wonderful God we serve and can have a personal loving relationship with Him - I feel so honored that we are seeing prophecy unfolding before our eyes and we will be with Him soon, hopefully while I am still living to experience being taken up to Him after the dead in Christ I look forward to His appearing and if I go through tribulation - I will do it gladly to honour Him - I cannot wait dear brother - I am praying for you and Israel - God's plan won't fail because He is true to His Word!!!
@RonSCantor We don’t even worship the same God.
@RonSCantor Apocalyptic Zionist death cult trying to convince Christians that we should support people that reject the Messiah. Jesus would flip the tables in Israel. Don't let people lie to you.
@RonSCantor Thank you for this wonderful post. Can you tell me what the correct number is when you mentioned Jews returning to Israel from the former Soviet Union? Did you mean 1,000,000? Thanks again!
@RonSCantor So the DNA testing by John’s Hopkins is not accurate? It found that nearly 98% of people in Israel was not Hebrew descent. Why the Babylonian occult symbol on the flag? Heirs of the promise are those in Christ. The old covenant no longer exists.
@RonSCantor Galatians 3:29 states, "And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise." This verse emphasizes that through faith in Christ, believers become spiritual descendants of Abraham and inheritors of the promises God made to him.
@RonSCantor It's calling itself Israel, but it's Judah. It's not Israel, it's Judah.
@RonSCantor A lot of people question stuff because of the Balfour declaration by Lord Rothschild - youtu.be/J-XC6VXMwJQ?si…
@RonSCantor Great post ! God made Israel a nation long before 1948, the world just caught up and made it official. Well spoken, Thank you for posting!
@RonSCantor Well said, thank you!
@RonSCantor This a good compilation. I continue to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and for all non-believers of Jesus Christ (not just Jewish) to come to faith in the Savior
@RonSCantor Is there any clause in The Bible that exempts Israel from God's judgment, because if there is it hasn't in the past.
@RonSCantor You need to double check your genetic data because from my understanding, 97% of Israelis are not the ethnic Israelites from the bible. There is another group that reclaimed their land in that area that do have genetic ties. Palestinians.
@RonSCantor You absolutely took rom 11:26 out of context. Because he spent the 2 previous chapters and most of Romans prior to the verse saying that being Israel is not of nationality and instead is of obedience to God. So while we are quoting 11, were the Israelis who worshipped Baal saved?
@RonSCantor Lies. Israel is and always was the Church and the Body of Christ! Not the ethnic Pharisees who dare to larp as the real Israel!
Paul saying "all Israel shall be saved" is what he said in Romans chapters 9, 10 and 11. That they were joined together with the Gentiles. Paul was winning them onto the Church. That prophesy was a present-day fulfilment. Not future. Jesus the Deliverer came to take away sin (at the cross). You totally missed the interpretation here of the "Mystery of the Gospel".