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Israel in Prophecy

Israel in Prophecy. Dr. Richard Elofer. Israel in Prophecy. Difficult topic Can we see Israel in the prophecy at the end of time? Most of Historical Christians would say « No » because Israel has been replaced by the Church. What does “Israel” means ?.

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Israel in Prophecy

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  1. Israel in Prophecy Dr. Richard Elofer

  2. Israel in Prophecy • Difficult topic • Can we see Israel in the prophecy at the end of time? • Most of Historical Christians would say « No » because Israel has been replaced by the Church.

  3. What does “Israel” means ? • The word “Israel” is a confusing one. It is confused with the word Church. Many scholars are writing “Israel” but they think “Church” • The same phenomenon is true with the words « Sabbath » and « Sunday ».

  4. What does the word “Israel” means ? • Israel in the Bible: • A Man • A people • A land or country • This not only in the Hebrew Bible, but also in the NT Israel is used 68 times in the NT it is almost never used for the “Church”. It is used 18 times in the Pauline letters, never for “Church” but always for Israel

  5. Israel in Prophecy • There are many prophecies in the Bible about Israel. • When we think about Israel in Prophecy, as Seventh-day Adventists, we automatically think about the Seventy-Weeks of Daniel 9

  6. Israel in the NT • Romans 9-11 is a key text to understand the concept of Israel and the prophecy of the 70 weeks. • Romans 9-11 Is Paul’s interpretation of the 70 weeks of Daniel 9. • Prophecy that must not be ignored by the first Christians because Jesus has quoted this prophecy (Mat 24:15) “So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand)”

  7. Did God reject His people at the end of the prophecy of the 70 week? • Paul asks the question: “I ask, then, has God rejected his people? He answered By no means!” (Romans 11:1,2) • He even says in verses 28-29 “As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.”

  8. How to understand the prophecy of the 70 weeks of Daniel 9 • The purpose of the prophecy • To explain the prophecy of Daniel 8:14 • To answer the prayer of Daniel 9:1-23 • To comfort Daniel • It is a good news • It says how the people of Israel will get forgiveness. • Through the coming of the Messiah

  9. The work of the Messiah “Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city, • to finish the transgression, • to put an end to sin, and • to atone for iniquity, • to bring in everlasting righteousness, • to seal both vision and prophet, and • to anoint a most holy place.” (Daniel 9:24)

  10. How the Messiahwill fulfill his mission? • “An anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing.” (Daniel 9:26) • It is by the death of the Messiah on the cross that the Messiah will • finish the transgression, • put an end to sin, and • atone for iniquity, • bring in everlasting righteousness, • seal both vision and prophet, and • anoint a most holy place.”

  11. The end of the prophecy • “he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week” (Daniel 9:27) • The Hebrew text says « Higbir » which means • « to make bigger » • « to extend » • He will extend the covenant, which was limited to Israel in the Hebrew bible, but after the 70 weeks it become available for everyone, without joining Israel.

  12. Ellen G. White summarizes the Prophecy “The time of Christ's coming, His anointing by the Holy Spirit, His death, and the giving of the gospel to the Gentiles, were definitely pointed out. It was the privilege of the Jewish people to understand these prophecies, and to recognize their fulfillment in the mission of Jesus.” (DA 234)

  13. What happened at the end of the 70 weeks? • Israel has been put aside in order to be possible for the Gentiles to enter into the covenant • “For, if by their putting away, the rest of men have been made friends with God, what will their coming back again be, but life from the dead?” (Romans 11:15 BBE). • Israel in prophecy “their coming back again”

  14. Israel in prophecy • It is in this perspective that we have to understand this text • “And the LORD will scatter you among the peoples, and you will be left few in number among the nations where the LORD will drive you. And there you will serve gods of wood and stone, the work of human hands, that neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell. But from there you will seek the LORD your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul. When you are in tribulation, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, you will return to the LORD your God and obey his voice. For the LORD your God is a merciful God. He will not leave you or destroy you or forget the covenant with your fathers that he swore to them.” (Deut 4:27–31)

  15. Israel in prophecy • The diaspora of Israel was in the plan of God. • It is the way, God used to spread His name among the nations. • Even in the diaspora, God will not revoke His covenant with Israel. • Esaiah 54:10 “my covenant of peace shall not be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you.”

  16. Do the prophecies are conditional? • We can ask the question if the reinstallation of Israel in his land is a conditional prophecy. • If Yes? When do we see the conditions fulfilled even at the first deportation and coming back from Babylon.

  17. Israel in prophecy • Their coming back will be done in discovering their Messiah • “For the children of Israel shall dwell many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or pillar, without ephod or household gods. Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the LORD their God, and David their king, and they shall come in fear to the LORD and to his goodness in the latter days.” (Hosea 3:4–5).

  18. Ellen G. White and Hosea The prophecies of judgment delivered by Amos and Hosea were accompanied by predictions of future glory. To the ten tribes, long rebellious and impenitent, was given no promise of complete restoration to their former power in Palestine. Until the end of time, they were to be "wanderers among the nations." But through Hosea was given a prophecy that set before them the privilege of having a part in the final restoration that is to be made to the people of God at the close of earth's history, when Christ shall appear as King of kings and Lord of lords. "Many days," the prophet declared, the ten tribes were to abide "without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim." "Afterward," the prophet continued, "shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord their God, and David their king; and shall fear the Lord and His goodness in the latter days." Hosea 3:4, 5. (PK 298)

  19. God’s faithfulness is bigger than men’s faithfulness • God’s love for His people is unconditional. • “For a brief moment I deserted you, but with great compassion I will gather you. In overflowing anger for a moment I hid my face from you, but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,” says the LORD, your Redeemer.” (Isaiah 54:7–8)

  20. Israel in prophecy This will come from God “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn.” (Zechariah 12:10).

  21. Ellen G White and Zechariah The work of which the prophet Zechariah writes is a type of the spiritual restoration to be wrought for Israel before the end of time. [Zechariah 8:9, 11-13, 7, 8 quoted] (Letter 42, 1912). {4BC 1180.3}.

  22. According to E G White:they will recognize Jesus “The Old Testament Scriptures blending with the New in an explanation of God's purpose, will be to them the dawning of a new creation, or as the resurrection of the soul. Faith will be awakened as Christ is seen portrayed in the pages of the Old Testament. As the doors of the Old Testament are unlocked by the key of the New, and it is seen how clearly the New Testament explains the Old, Christ will be recognized as the Saviour of the world. Many of the Jewish people will receive Christ as their Redeemer.” (6 MR 326)

  23. It is our Privilege It is our privilege to make the prophecies about Israel to become a reality. It is our duty to make contact with the Jewish people in order to reconcile them with God and Jesus the savior of Israel.

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