Israel's Final Redemption

Either watch the presentation below or scroll down further to view a readable version for more careful study:

Israel’s history is a tumultuous cycle of disobedience, punishment, repentance, calling for salvation, and Divine salvation – over and over again. They are a stiff-necked people and have been subjected to many forms of persecution throughout the years because of it, and this continues to this day. Yet they are God’s chosen nation whom He’s chosen as His witnesses (Isa. 43:10), and He has a grand purpose with them which is bright and wondrous. Great changes are in store, and the Scriptures tell us that the time will come when their days of blindness and backsliding will be a thing of the past:

Jeremiah 31:31-34 – Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:  (32)  Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:  (33)  But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.  (34)  And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

But how will this happen? What leads up to it and what all will befall Israel from our day today until its fulfilment? There are various views, and many brethren from over 150 years ago believed that Israel would be in the land under British control, Russia would overrun, oppress, and disperse them, and Christ would appear to regather and save them. But many things have of course changed since then. The current nation of Israel is nearly 80 years old, and they’re still in “blindness”. I want to consider it because there is increasing antisemitism throughout the world even in Christian circles, and natural Israel is often written off as no longer relevant for God. But as we just read, God will redeem natural Israel as well.

So, as best as time will allow, we’re going to examine prophecies on this subject with the aim of discerning the general sequence of events to understand how Israel is going to be redeemed and how this affects our expectations of events. We’ll consider

-        Blessings and cursings of Israel under the law

-        The end of the Mosaic age and the great dispersion

-        The nature of Israel’s final regathering

-        Whether Israel will be cast out again

-        When Israel is cleansed and the new covenant made

-        Why Israel is cleaned

-        The role of Israel’s mourning

-        When the remnant of dispersed Jews are gathered

-        Summary and shadow of the future

The Mosaic Curse for a Sinful Nation

Israel’s history shows a consistent cycle of Israel dwelling in security, falling into sin, and then God sending a nation to punish them (often enslaving them). Israel then groans, repents, and calls to God for salvation, and the Lord sends a deliverer. This is particularly seen in the book of Judges and is often called “the Sin Cycle” or “the Judges Cycle”. While this was the cycle we see in the nation, it’s also what we go through on an individual level because of our sinful natures (not the enslavement usually). Yet none of this should be a surprise for Israel because there are two chapters in the Old Testament which spell out how God would punish Israel if they were disobedient. These are Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28. We won’t read them now for the sake of time, but they break down like this:

Leviticus 26:	Deuteronomy 28:
1-13 – Blessings if obedient	1-14 – Blessings if obedient
14-39 – Cursings if disobedient	15-68 – Cursings if disobedient
40-46 – Principle of Israel’s preservation

The blessings included peace and prosperity, but the curses culminated in being cast away into all nations and persecuted there. One important difference in these two chapters is that Leviticus 26 details why God would not destroy Israel completely while in dispersion, while Deuteronomy only spells out the blessings and cursings. This last section of Leviticus 26 is often portrayed as the principle for Israel’s regathering – that God will only ever regather them if Israel confesses their iniquity. But let’s read it and pay close attention to what is said:

Leviticus 26:40-45 – If they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their trespass which they trespassed against me, and that also they have walked contrary unto me;  (41)  And that I also have walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity:  (42)  Then will I remember my covenant with Jacob, and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the land.  (43)  The land also shall be left of them, and shall enjoy her sabbaths, while she lieth desolate without them: and they shall accept of the punishment of their iniquity: because, even because they despised my judgments, and because their soul abhorred my statutes.  (44)  And yet for all that, when they be in the land of their enemies, I will not cast them away, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break my covenant with them: for I am the LORD their God.  (45)  But I will for their sakes remember the covenant of their ancestors, whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the heathen, that I might be their God: I am the LORD.

It doesn’t say that they will be regathered, although you could make the argument that it’s implied in God “remembering His covenant”. The most it says is that He will remember His covenant and the land if they humble themselves. It appears also to be emphasizing why God will not destroy them completely – because of His covenant (Jer. 30:11, 46:28). But their recognition of their sins and humility are important for their redemption (not necessarily their regathering to the land), and we will see how this comes about.

The Great Dispersion

As most are aware, the greatest dispersion of Israel was the result of the Jewish-Roman Wars. These lasted from AD66-138, and it saw the fulfillment of many prophecies which said that Israel would be cast away into “all nations” (Lev. 26:33, Deu. 28:64-65, Eze. 36:24). They rejected and crucified their Messiah and were scattered as a result, and the destruction was so complete that very few Jews remained in the land. The nation was dead.

From this point in time, Israel’s redemption required two basic things: 1) their physical return to the land, and 2) their moral/spiritual return to God in recognizing Christ. Israel rejected their Messiah and they were cast from the land, and it seems that the redemption process is the undoing of the curse process. They will be regathered and then recognize their Messiah.

Israel Regathered in Blindness

Many passages show inform us of the moral state of Israel when they are regathered, but we’ll only have time for one or two. What we find is that Israel is gathered into the land while still in ignorance of their Messiah and not having called upon him. They have not humbled themselves, and it is after they are in the land and afflicted (though not cast off) that they turn to God.

Jeremiah 16:14-18

Jeremiah 16:14-18 – 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.  (16)  Behold, I will send for many fishers, saith the LORD, and they shall fish them; and after will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks.  (17)  For mine eyes are upon all their ways: they are not hid from my face, neither is their iniquity hid from mine eyes.  (18)  And first I will recompense their iniquity and their sin double; because they have defiled my land, they have filled mine inheritance with the carcases of their detestable and abominable things.

We didn’t read them, but verses 12-13 show that the nation is cast away, but they are brought again from all lands in a way that man will later understand to be greater than the exodus from Egypt. This is therefore a regathering from which they will not be scattered again.

Verse 16 shows us how they’ll be gathered – by the use of fishers and hunters. Israel is the prey here (vss. 17-18). They have to be hunted and fished from the earth, and this indicates that they are not coming as joyous, redeemed individuals. They are being gathered out of necessity, likely even against their will. There’s nothing which shows that they are redeemed at this point or have even acknowledged their transgressions.

On the contrary, the process of their regathering serves a dual-role as a punishment for their iniquity. Their sin would be recompensed double before they re-entered the land (vs. 18), and the hunters were the means of this. This is all history - the Holocaust wrought by Hitler and the Nazis was the greatest means of persecution, and it was also the main driving force which brought the Jews back to their ancient homeland. They are the hunters. As for fishers, this was said to occur first, and I believe it refers to efforts of the Zionists from the late 1800s onwards who recruited Jews to come back to the land. But had the Holocaust not happened, Israel would not be a nation today.

See also Jeremiah 30:3-24 for the same thing. One final passage we’ll mention on this aspect is

Ezekiel 36:24-26 – For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.  (25)  Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.  (26)  A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

God gathers them out of the nations, and then He cleanses them.

So we see that

1.     Israel would be regathered without having confessed iniquity

2.     The nature of their regathering would serve as a double punishment for their sins

3.     This regathering will eventually be considered greater than the exodus from Egypt

Israel Cast out Again?

Will Israel be subdued or cast away again after this great regathering? Given how Jeremiah 16 speaks of the greatness of this gathering, this alone indicates that this won’t happen. But there are many passages which we believe show this in clear terms:

Ezekiel 37

This entire chapter is about the regathering of the dead nation of Israel, and it’s particularly important in relation to whether Israel will be dispersed again or not:

Ezekiel 37:1-6, 11-12 – 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...  (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.

This shows the dead nation as a bunch of bones in a valley, but they aren’t just bones – they’re “very dry” bones. This is a nation that is not only dead, but has been dead for a very long time. This “dryness” speaks to the great duration of the Roman dispersion which lasted nearly 1,900 years. But here, these bones are spoken to and resurrected. As we know today, the nation currently exists and has been brought back from the dead. This didn’t happen all at once, but was a process which began in the late 1800s. The fact that it was a process is indicated in verses 5-6 where various body parts are assembled one at a time, not all at once.

So, we have a nation that has come back from their longest dispersion. What does this chapter say will happen to this nation? Does it say that they will be cast out again? We find nothing of the sort, but all to the contrary:

Ezekiel 37:21-25 – 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:  (22)  And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all:  (23)  Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God.  (24)  And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them.  (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: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever.

Once the nation is resurrected, they are dispersed no more. As the prophet Amos says,

Amos 9:14-15 – And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them.  (15)  And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God.

They are reborn and planted there forever. Now, had we read this passage in Ezekiel 200 years ago, we could potentially come away with the idea that Christ rules over them as soon as they are brought into the land. The text could indicate this depending on how you read some verses (vss. 13-14, 21-22), but if we pay close attention to the text (and also refer to other prophecies), we note that there is allowance for a time gap between some of these events. The order of events is what’s important: 1) Israel is regathered to the land, 2) one king rules over them, and 3) Israel is cleansed and redeemed. We are between 1 and 2, specifically in verse 22. We will see this order in many places.

When is Israel Cleansed & the New Covenant Made?

I mentioned that Israel’s regathering and redemption process is the reversal of their cursing and scattering process, and today, we are in this period where the nation has been regathered and now await their redemption. It’s noteworthy that Israel was not dispersed immediately after they rejected their Messiah – there were decades between their rejection of him and their dispersion. It’s therefore fitting that when they’re regathered, they exist there for a period before accepting their Messiah.

When will Israel be redeemed and the new covenant be made? As we saw in Ezekiel 37, it is after Christ rules over them and is in the land (vss. 22-26). The nation is resurrected, a king rules over them, and then they are cleansed. This is the pattern we see elsewhere:

Ezekiel 11:17-20

Ezekiel 11:17-20 – Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even gather you from the people, and assemble you out of the countries where ye have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.  (18)  And they shall come thither, and they shall take away all the detestable things thereof and all the abominations thereof from thence.  (19)  And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:  (20)  That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.

We see that 1) Israel is gathered from the nations and given the land of Israel, 2) Israel will take away all detestable things from the land, and 3) the Lord will give them a new heart and new spirit that they might walk with him acceptably. We are currently between 1 and 2.

Ezekiel 36:17-36 (vss. 22-30)

This is a very important passage on this subject because it explains why God brings them back and shows this same sequence of events. Pay close attention to order of events and specifically why God regathers them into the land before they recognize their Messiah:

Ezekiel 36:22-30 – Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name's sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went.  (23)  And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.  (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.  (25)  Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.  (26)  A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.  (27)  And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.  (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.  (29)  I will also save you from all your uncleannesses: and I will call for the corn, and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you.  (30)  And I will multiply the fruit of the tree, and the increase of the field, that ye shall receive no more reproach of famine among the heathen.

God gathers them not because they are righteous, not for Israel’s sake, but for His holy name’s sake (vs. 22-23). He brings them out of the nations to sanctify His name in the earth.

It’s not for Israel’s righteousness that He gathers and heals them, it’s for His name’s sake:

Ezekiel 20:44 – …ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have wrought with you for my name's sake, not according to your wicked ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, O ye house of Israel, saith the Lord GOD.

Consider also Jeremiah 30:15, 17, 3:12-18. Israel is unclean, but they are not going to be dealt with according to their transgressions as they have before. That doesn’t mean they go unpunished and receive acceptance without any change of spirit, but it shows that God is going to have grace and redeem them, not destroy them again.

We also note the same sequence we saw in the other passages: 1) Israel is regathered and planted in their land, 2) they are sprinkled with water and cleansed from sin and idolatry, 3) they are given a new heart and spirit to walk acceptably with God forever more. Again, we of today are between 1 and 2. It’s a wonderful thing we see.

So, we’ve seen that Israel would regathered as a nation while still in blindness (as they are today), and this was done for God’s name sake, not theirs. We’ve also seen that once the nation was resurrected, they would never again be plucked up. Yet this does not mean they suffer no affliction before being cleansed. So,

How & Why is Israel Cleansed?

Many of the passages we’ve considered up to this point are in chapters which have no clear organization of why certain things are spoken of in the order we find them in. I find that Zechariah 12-14 has a very discernible order and logical flow to it, and it is therefore a reliable passage to base things on. It also is very detailed and shows how and when Israel is cleansed.

Zechariah 12-13:2

What we find in Zechariah 12 is a nation that has been regathered into the land, inhabits Jerusalem, but does not know their Messiah. We find them in distress from an attack from “all the people round about” who are in the siege against Jerusalem and Judah (12:2).

When these nations come against Israel, Israel finds themselves in mortal danger and requires saving (12:7-8). We see this is in a great host of other passages like Habakkuk 3:13, Zech. 9:14-16, Isa. 41:8-18, 49:25-26, 63:1, Ob. 1:17-21. For the sake of time, we must skip over these exciting details and summarize: the savior comes from the southern region with a multitude with redeemed saints (Ob. 1:21, Zech. 14:5).

It appears that this is in response to Israel crying out for deliverance. We saw in Leviticus 26 that God requires a humbled spirit from them, and the Islamic “people round about” appear to be the means of accomplishing this. Israel realizes that they are in great trouble from them, and they cry out for their God (though they know not who their Messiah is). It’s then Christ will go “forth for the salvation of thy people” (Hab. 3:13).

We don’t have time to get into more details of the conflict, but one detail is necessary to mention as it relates to Israel seeing their Messiah. Upon arriving at the land, Zechariah 12:4 says that the Lord will first intervene and smite the enemy armies with astonishment and blindness, but we note that he also smites Judah’s horses with blindness (CP to Psa. 20:6-9). The modern counterpart of the horse is the tank, so it appears that Christ will stop Israel from fighting for moment. I believe that this is done to give Israel a moment to stop and see that their Messiah has appeared and their cries have been answered, for the next verse says

Zechariah 12:5 (RSV) – Then the clans of Judah shall say to themselves, 'The inhabitants of Jerusalem have strength through the LORD of hosts, their God.' (CP to Joel 3:15)

They do not know his exact identity at this point, but they know that the Lord is saving them and their Messiah has appeared! Israel will then be saved and strengthened to fight as the next verses show:

Zechariah 12:6-8 – In that day will I make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem.  (7)  The LORD also shall save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem do not magnify themselves against Judah.  (8)  In that day shall the LORD defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the LORD before them.

A few parallel passages which show these same elements include Isa. 41:8-16, Psa. 118:10-16.

Israel requires physical salvation from their external enemies first, and it’s after this that we find they are saved spiritually when the dust settles and they enquire of the identity of their Messiah. The next verses are where we see Divine grace shed over the nation and why:

Zechariah 12:9-13:2 – And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.  (10)  And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.  (11)  In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon.  (12)  And the land shall mourn, every family apart …(13:1)  In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.  (2)  And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall no more be remembered: and also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land.

The Lord saves Israel, and it is then that they are cleansed. Note a few things:

1.     There is no mention anywhere in these latter chapters of Zechariah which indicate Israel to have been recently regathered. We get the sense that they have been there for some time. This coincides with the other things we have seen and history – that God has gathered them back to the land not for their own righteousness, but for His own name’s sake.

2.     Israel is not scattered or dispersed in any form – they are simply weakened to the point of requiring salvation. We get the idea that the Lord saves them just in time, and again – it seems that their affliction from these nations is necessary to humble them.

3.     The Lord cleanses Israel when they recognize his identity as Jesus of Nazareth. “They will look upon me whom they have pierced”. Zechariah 13:6 clarifies this, saying that Israel will see the wounds in his hands, and it is at this point that their consciences will be pricked, and they will know that they crucified their Messiah.

Israel then mourns and laments this realization, but the Lord does not punish them – he cleanses and heals them because, in Leviticus 26 terms, “their uncircumcised hearts (have been) humbled” and they’ve accepted the punishment of their iniquity (Lev. 26:40). Jeremiah 3:12-18 shows this same thing, saying, “I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you, for I am merciful… only acknowledge thine iniquity…” (Jer. 3:12-13). The Lord then “remembers His covenant”, and it’s in that day that the Lord will open the fountain “for sin and uncleanness” and “cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall no more be remembered” (Zech. 13:1-2). These verses correlate to many we’ve read already:

-        Ezekiel 36:24-25, 28-29 – I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.  (25)  Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you…  (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.  (29)  I will also save you from all your uncleannesses.

-        Ezekiel 37:22-24 – I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all…  (23)  Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God.

-        And many others!

The ties are too many to cite here, but what a wondrous progression we see, and how much grace our Lord will give when they recognize him! This brings us to the last aspect which we have time to mention:

The Role of Israel’s Mourning

I mentioned at the beginning that a verse in Ezekiel 39 was what sparked this study and exhortation. This passage is used by some to show that Israel dwell safely, sin, and then will be overrun by Gog, and that Gog is used by God to exact vengeance on Israel. But not only is this concept foreign to Ezekiel 38-39, but it’s contrary to everything else we have seen. Let’s look at the passage, and we’ll see how one word makes a big difference:

Ezekiel 39:25-29 – 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.

We see all of the same elements as in other places, but verse 26 mentions that Israel will “bear their shame” for their sins, and this is often interpreted as “be punished via the Gogian invasion” simply because it appears in Ezekiel 39. But this assumption is incorrect, for when we look at other passages, we see that to “bear their shame” is to “acknowledge and confess” it. We saw this in Zechariah 12 when they see Christ, realize their sin, and mourn, and we see the same thing in a number of other prophecies:

Ezekiel 20:42-44 – And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall bring you into the land of Israel, into the country for the which I lifted up mine hand to give it to your fathers.  (43)  And there shall ye remember your ways, and all your doings, wherein ye have been defiled; and ye shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that ye have committed.  (44)  And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have wrought with you for my name's sake, not according to your wicked ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, O ye house of Israel, saith the Lord GOD.

We see it again in

Ezekiel 36:29, 31-32  I will also save you from all your uncleannesses… (31)  Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations.  (32)  Not for your sakes do I this, saith the Lord GOD…

Upon seeing Christ, they realize their great error and lament it in the greatest national repentance Israel has ever known, and God accepts their contrite spirit. They are thus cleansed and caused to forget their sin and iniquity. As Isaiah says

Isaiah 54:4 – Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more.

That’s the point of cleansing – to wash away transgressions. It’s after the fountain is opened in Jerusalem for uncleanness that their sins are washed away and the new covenant is made with them. As we read in our opening passage, Israel is made to forget their iniquity because the Lord “will forgive their iniquity, and… will remember their sin no more” (Jer. 31:34). See also Jer. 3:12-18. It’s like what we receive in our cleansing through water (baptism) – the forgiveness and washing away of sins! Such is the meaning of Ezekiel 39, and the RSV shows this correct translation which fits the rest of the passages we’ve seen and shows that Israel is caused to forget her iniquity when they dwell safely under Christ:

Ezekiel 39:25-29 (RSV) – "Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Now I will restore the fortunes of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel; and I will be jealous for my holy name.  (26)  They shall forget their shame, and all the treachery they have practiced against me, when they dwell securely in their land with none to make them afraid,  (27)  when I have brought them back from the peoples and gathered them from their enemies' lands, and through them have vindicated my holiness in the sight of many nations.  (28)  Then they shall know that I am the LORD their God because I sent them into exile among the nations, and then gathered them into their own land. I will leave none of them remaining among the nations any more;  (29)  and I will not hide my face any more from them, when I pour out my Spirit upon the house of Israel, says the Lord GOD."

See also Jer. 33:6-9.

Remnant of Dispersed Jews Gathered

Now, there will still be Jews throughout the earth who need to be gathered to the land, and it seems that they will have learned the wonderful news of what has occurred and come with rejoicing to the land when Christ “hisses” for them (Zech. 10:6-12, Isa. 11:10-11). I believe that this second and final regathering effort is what Isaiah means when it says, “the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left…”

The first time he gathered them is what we have seen already in history and continues to this day, but once Christ rules in the land as the context of Isaiah 11 shows, it is then that he sets his hand again to gather the remnant that is left. The fact that this gathering is only for “the remnant of his people” shows that the majority have already been gathered.

Let us conclude with a quick summary and a wonderful shadow of all of these things which are to come:

Summary

Laid out, the sequence we find is as follows:

1.     Israel is regathered from their dispersion for God’s name’s sake, dwelling in their ancient homeland while not serving their God or knowing their Messiah (today)

2.     Israel is weakened by the Psalm 83 nations, and they are humbled to the point of calling to God for salvation.

3.     Christ and the saints go forth to save them.

4.     Once saved, Israel looks to learn the identity of their Messiah, sees the holes in his hands, and realizes that he is Jesus of Nazareth.

5.     Israel mourns and loathes themselves at the realization of their sin, and the nation is humbled and abased.

6.     Christ acknowledges their humility and pours out the spirit of grace – cleansing them, cleansing the land, and making the new covenant with Israel where the law is written in their hearts.

7.     Christ dwells amongst Israel forevermore.

8.     The “remnant” of Jews who haven’t been gathered yet are brought to the land.

It’s a beautiful thing, and it’s even more beautiful when we see how all of this has already played out in history in shadow form.

There are passages which some might more explanation of in light of these things, but with the few moments left, I want to end by considering

The Figure of Joseph

Joseph is one of the greatest figures of Christ in the Bible. Like Christ, Joseph was beloved and favored of his father above his brethren. He was hated by his brethren, persecuted, they sought to kill him, and they cast into a pit (figurative of the grave). Later, we find Joseph elevated to the right hand of the most powerful ruler in the land and given dominion and power, just as Christ has been elevated to the right hand of his father and given all power and authority. Just as Israel doesn’t know their Messiah, Joseph’s brethren did not recognize him even when they came before him. It is in the details of his revelation of himself to his brethren that we see the beauty of all of these prophecies worked out.

Joseph didn’t immediately reveal himself to his brethren – he allowed them to suffer in a similar way they had caused him to suffer. They were falsely accused and convicted of things they hadn’t done. We see the same thing going on with Christ’s natural brethren today as was pointed out by a brother at KBS. Israel is constantly being misrepresented and falsely accused just how they treated Christ.

But then we see how Joseph revealed himself to his brethren. Was Joseph wroth with them? Was he wanting to punish them?

Genesis 45:1-5 – Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren.  (2)  And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard.  (3)  And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence.  (4)  And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt.  (5)  Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.

Understandably, his brethren were fearful, for in their natural minds, they expected to be punished. They expected it again when their father died (Genesis 50:15-18).

This mourning and regret of Joseph’s brethren correlates to the mourning and loathing Israel will feel when Christ reveals himself to them. But what did Joseph do? Was he going to smite them?

Genesis 50:19-21 – And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God?  (20)  But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.  (21)  Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.

Joseph had compassion and blessed them because he realized that while they did it in passion, they did it ignorantly. “God meant it unto good, to save much people alive.” It was their casting away of Joseph which God used to bring salvation to the entire family, and the same is true of our Lord. Christ had to be crucified for the salvation of not only Israel, but the race of man. This necessitated Israel’s ignorance. As Paul says, “had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (1 Corinthians 2:8). Peter told Israel, “through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers” (Acts 3:17). And as Christ himself testified, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots” (Luke 23:34).

They had to be ignorant in order to do what God required, and while they did suffer for their sin, their eyes will finally be opened, they will humble themselves, mourn, and will be accepted. And just as Joseph and his brethren lived a long life in a land of blessedness together for the rest of their days, so will Israel be forever redeemed to God, never to backslide again. What a lesson it is for us in God’s goodness, grace, and the incredible things in store for the nation of Israel! And what a lesson in God’s mercy – that we need only to recognize our sins, confess and repent of it, and He will accept us, for we are espoused to our Lord (Jer. 3:12-14).

Let us close with a passage which not only sums up this great matter, but shows the wondrous things which will result from it, reaching to the very ends of the earth:

Jeremiah 33:7-9 – And I will cause the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel to return, and will build them, as at the first.  (8)  And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me.  (9)  And it shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and an honour before all the nations of the earth, which shall hear all the good that I do unto them: and they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and for all the prosperity that I procure unto it.

In the Hope of Israel,

Tanner Hawkins