This section comes from the book:  Israel:  The Blessing or the Curse by John McTernan.  If you would like to order a copy, send a check for $15.00 to Branch of David, P. O. Box 444, Liverpool, PA  17045

    Prophet after prophet in the Bible tell of the restoration of Israel after being dispersed into all the world. God sent prophets to Israel to warn them of the coming judgment on the nation. The prophets warned of the destruction of the nation based on the second covenant. But, these same prophets also comforted the Jewish people by telling them the nation would be restored. The prophets also spoke of the coming of the Messiah and the golden age of His rule on earth. But, before the rule of the Messiah, the nation had to be restored.

    There are several themes of prophecy in the Bible. These themes include the coming of the Messiah; the Day of the Lord; the Messianic age; and heaven and hell. The theme of the dispersion and restoration of the nation of Israel is one of the major focuses in the Bible. There is verse after verse in the Bible about the rebirth of Israel. The prophets Ezekiel and Zechariah devote entire chapters to this theme. The prophecy about the rebirth of Israel from a world-wide dispersion is not a footnote in the Bible. This theme is written on page after page by prophet after prophet for all to clearly see.

    When the prophets spoke about the rebirth of Israel, it was based on the everlasting covenant with Abraham and the promises made in the second covenant with Moses. The message of the prophets was not new. These messages were given to comfort the children of Israel and warn the world that the covenant with Abraham was still in effect. The Jewish people were dispersed under the second covenant, but one day would be brought back into the land under the everlasting covenant. Let us look at what these ancient prophets wrote that has such a clear message for today.

Isaiah

    The prophet Isaiah about 750 BC wrote about the rebirth of Israel from a world-wide dispersion. About 150 years after Isaiah, the nation was destroyed and the people were taken captive to Babylon. This was the first dispersion. After 70 years in captivity, some returned and rebuilt the country, Jerusalem and the temple. This was not a world-wide dispersion. Isaiah was writing about the rebirth of the nation from a world-wide dispersion. This has happened in our life time. The world-wide dispersion was the second. The Jews have now come back to Israel literally from the east, west, north, and south. From the location of Jerusalem, they have returned from the ends of the earth.

Isaiah 11:11 And 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, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. (12)  And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.

Isaiah 43:5 Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west; (6)  I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth;

Jeremiah

    Jeremiah was a prophet right at the time of the first dispersion. This was about 600 BC. He warned the people of the coming captivity to Babylon, but he also warned about another dispersion into all the world. He prophesied that the people would return from the coming captivity to Babylon and also from a world-wide captivity. The prophets all warned of the coming judgment, but they also comforted Israel that there would be a restoration. Jeremiah like all the prophets told of the rebirth of the nation. Jeremiah states that the return of the Jews was going to be the direct act of God. God was going to be directly involved in leading the Jews back to Israel. This regathering of the people was to be a warning to the nations. Remember, these verses were written 2600 years ago.

Jeremiah 31:8 Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the coasts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together: a great company shall return thither.

(9) They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.

(10) Hear the word of the LORD, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock.

    Jeremiah said the rebirth of the nation would be greater than the exodus from Egypt under Moses. The Jews coming back to Israel from the nations of the world would surpass the exodus from Egypt. This regathering would be of such a magnitude that no longer would the exodus have such a great impact, but the world-wide regathering would supplant it. This regathering would be based on the covenant that was made with their ancestors.

Jeremiah 16:14  Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that it shall no more be said, The LORD liveth, that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;

(15) But, The LORD liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all the lands whither he had driven them: and I will bring them again into their land that I gave unto their fathers.

Ezekiel

    The prophet Ezekiel lived and wrote during the first exile about 570 BC.  He was taken captive by King Nebuchadnezzar and brought to Babylon. While in Babylon, Ezekiel wrote incredibly detailed prophecies about the world-wide dispersion and rebirth of the nation of Israel. In beautifully written language with awesome imagery, the prophet gives a detailed look of God’s plan for Israel and the nations. Entire chapters of Ezekiel are devoted to the dispersion, restoration, and events that happen after the restoration.

    Chapter 36 gives a panoramic view of what was going to happen to Israel. This chapter first talks about the nation being destroyed and the land wasted. He follows with the promise the land will once again be fruitful and inhabited. Ezekiel promises they would again dwell in the land that God promised to their fathers. The fathers would be Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob with whom God made the everlasting covenant. Ezekiel ties the regathering of Jews from all the nations with the everlasting covenant. Let us look at some of these scriptures from Ezekiel.

Ezekiel 36:19 And I scattered them among the heathen, and they were dispersed through the countries: according to their way and according to their doings I judged them. (24) For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. (28)  And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.

    Ezekiel follows the general statements in chapter 36 about the regathering of the nation with a vivid picture in chapter 37. With some of the most graphic imagery in the entire Bible, Ezekiel describes the rebirth of the nation of Israel. The nation was described as being a huge pile of dead dried bones lying in a valley. In reading this chapter, the picture comes to mind of the prophet standing on a mountain ledge over looking a large valley full of dead men’s dry bones. One can almost see the noonday sun shining on these bones causing them to glisten white. God gives this picture to show the utter hopelessness of the nation of Israel. The nation was completely dead with no hope of ever living. What hope can dead men’s bones have for ever living again, none!

    To the natural eye, Israel had no hope. The nation was destroyed. The people dispersed into all the world. The language was gone, and they were persecuted and rejected from country to country. The vision of the valley of the dead bones was a perfect picture of the nation of Israel after its destruction in 70 AD. There was no hope. But, Ezekiel does not end with the hopelessness. He shows that by a sovereign act of God, the nation will be reborn. God is going to work in the affairs of men and governments to resurrect the valley of dried bones into an exceedingly great army. This will happen according to the will of God to fulfill His covenant.

    Let us look at the picture Ezekiel gives of the hopeless of the nation of Israel ever being reborn.

Ezekiel 37:1 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones,

(2) And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry.

(3) And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest.

(4) Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.

(5) Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live:

(6) And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

(7) So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone.

(8) And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them.

(9) Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.

(10) So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.

    Immediately, after giving this powerful imagery of the nation, Ezekiel then goes on to explain the vision. There can be no doubt whatsoever the theme of this vision. The bones are the people of Israel without hope, and they are dead in the nations. The prophet calls the nations of the world Israel’s graves. The coming together of the bones into a body is the nation being reborn.

Ezekiel 37:11 Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts. (12) Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.

(21) And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land: (25) And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children's children for ever:

    Ezekiel connects the resurrection of the nation from the dead, with the land being given to Jacob. This is again a reference to the covenant. Time after time, over and over again, the Bible connects the dispersion and rebirth of Israel with the everlasting covenant. When the nation is reborn the Bible is crystal clear, it will be because of God honoring His covenant. God is working in the affairs of men and nations to fulfill His ancient promise. God cannot lie. God’s word cannot fail.

Zechariah

    Zechariah was one of the prophets after the Jews returned to Israel from the Babylonian captivity. He wrote about 520 BC. Zechariah is unique in that so much of his focus is on the city of Jerusalem. The other prophets talk about the land and some touch upon Jerusalem, but Zechariah gives details about the city. The prophet says that God has chosen Jerusalem for His purpose. Of all the cities of the world, God has chosen the city of Jerusalem to work out His redemption plan for man. Zechariah 2:12 And the LORD shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy land, and shall choose Jerusalem again.

    Zechariah shows that Jerusalem, just like Israel, would be inhabited and restored. The people would come back to Jerusalem from all over the world.

Zechariah 8:7 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country; (8) And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness.

    The city will be the center for the worship of God. All the peoples from the nations of the world would come to Jerusalem. The city would be the center of world attention. Jerusalem is unlike any city in the world because it is the city God has chosen. This city will be once again the capital of a reborn nation of Israel.

Zechariah 8:22 Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD.

Zechariah 12:6 and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem.

    When the Jews returned from their world-wide dispersion and the nation was reborn, it would be the final return. There will be no second or third dispersion into all the world. For this reason, the events that are unfolding before our very eyes are so significant. God is working in the affairs of the nations to bring what was written in the Bible to a conclusion. Remember, when the Jews returned from the world-wide dispersion, it would be final. The world is now entering into the end play of God’s prophetic plan for our age. The entire script has already been written by the prophets. It is there for everyone to read, understand and believe. Remember, this is the final rebirth of the nation of Israel.

Joel 3:20 But Judah shall dwell for ever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation.