The Restoration of Israel in the New Testament

[charleychacko]

The Restoration of Israel in the New TestamentBy Shiloh357​

Most of the time, whenever I talk people about the restoration of Israel to their Land, I use those tried and true prophecies from the Tanakh such as Gen. 17:8,9 Ezek. 36,37, Amos 9:11-15, Zech. 12:1-10 and others as well. I was recently challenged by another believer that sought to discredit the biblical foundation for modern Israel, that I could not support my notions from the New Testament. This person's assertion that the restoration of Israel as physical nation was nowhere to be found in the New Testament. To this person, the Church is Israel, so any biblical validity given to the nation of Israel presents a very messy theological problem. I began sharing with this person NT passages that felt support the physical, national restoration of Israel. It was an interesting discussion to say the least!!I will start off by presenting one or two of the Scriptures from the New Testament that I have noticed that support a biblical view of modern Israel's restoration. Please jump in with your own, and discuss them. I think it will be very a edifying discussion!! :thumb: And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. (Luke 1:30-33)This passage specifically mentions the Throne of David. The Throne of David is always an earthly throne. Every reference to it in the Old Testament is that of a physical throne. The Throne of David is the throne that Yeshua will be seated upon as He reigns from Jerusalem during the Millenium. This is the ONLY New Testament passage that specifically mentions the Throne of David. It would therefore be clear to any unprejudiced reader that Mary would have understood the words of the angel as referring to Jesus reigning as a physical King over a physical nation, namely Israel.A second passage is found a little later in the same chapter of Luke:And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, And hath raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; The oath which he swore to our father Abraham, That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life. (Luke 1:67-750Often, I have run across those who misinterpret many OT passages relative to the restoration of Israel, as only applying to the restoration that occurred after the return from Babylon. Yet, here we have the father of John the Baptist prophesying about the future of national Israel. Zechariah is prophesying under the power of the Holy Spirit and speaks of a fulfillment of the blood oath that God swore to Abraham. As you know, it is this covenant that unconditionally secures Israel's Divine Right to the Land. From Zechariah's perspective, and indeed the Holy Spirit's perspective, this fulfillment was still forthcoming. It pertained to a future Israel. Truly Israel had not been delivered from all those that hated her, as history dutifully records. Even today, the ugly head of anti-Semitism still plagues the Jewish people, even in their own country. We can still feel the sting of irrational, insatiable hatred.This prophecy had not been fulfilled in the first coming of Jesus. It was clearly another reference to the Millenium. The first coming of Jesus was only the first stage in bringing this to pass. I believe we are seeing the restoration of modern Israel as another stage in the process of God bringing His chosen people back unto Himself. The Bible clearly teaches that the children of Israel from both Israel and Judah will be together in the Land when they finally recognize the Messiah. The fact that he mentions the covenant with Abraham is significant to me, since I believe that Israel, under the Messiah reign, will finally inhabit the original borders that God promised to Abraham. As we go through this study, I think we will be reminded just how accurate Bible prophecy is. The rebirth of national Israel after nearly 2000 years of exile, is one of the best testimonies to the accuracy of the Bible.Well, those are just for starters. I am interested in your thoughts, and other passages from the New Testament that you feel support Israel's restoration.