Darby? Never read much of him.
In 1830's Great Britain, John Nelson Darby got the pre-trib rapture theory from the Edward Irving movement, and started preaching it to his congregation. Prior to that, Darby had held to a post-tribulatiional gathering to Christ. Darby also created the mainstream theory of Dispensationalism, an idea that tries to categorize God's Plan of Salvation in different stages in history, but the theory actually leaves Scripture context in places in order to act as a support for the pre-trib rapture theory.
I was actually thinking of ch. 39, at the end of the chapter.
25 Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Now will I bring again the captivity of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and will be jealous for my holy name;
26 After that they have borne their shame, and all their trespasses whereby they have trespassed against me, when they dwelt safely in their land, and none made them afraid.
27 When I have brought them again from the people, and gathered them out of their enemies' lands, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations;
28 Then shall they know that I am the Lord their God, which caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen: but I have gathered them unto their own land, and have left none of them any more there.
29 Neither will I hide my face any more from them: for I have poured out my spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord God.
In that it says, "left none of them any more there", to me this is only fulfilled when ALL Israelites are returned to the Land.
Much love!
mark
So are you assuming that Ezek.39 passage is actually fulfilled after... Christ's future 1,000 years reign of Rev.20? that since Ezekiel 20 reveals the rebels of the seed of Israel will not enter into the land of Israel?
I tend to believe that both houses of Israel will be gathered back to the middle east, but not all of them will be allowed in the land of Israel, like Ezekiel 20 points to.
Ezek 20:33-38
33 As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out, will I rule over you:
34 And I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out.
35 And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face.
36 Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the Lord GOD.
37 And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant:
38 And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against Me: I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
KJV
To me, that sounds like a gathering in 'probation' to lands just outside the land of Israel.
Ezekiel 44:23-24 shows the people will be taught the difference between the clean and unclean, the holy and the profane, and they will stand in judgment during that millennial time.