#183 The Day of the Lord [7] | Regathering of Jews in Unbelief

Welcome to Episode #183 of the Way of the Bible podcast. This is our seventh of eight episodes in our Twenty-Third mini-series entitled The Return of Jesus Christ [2]. Today’s episode, our seventh in this second mini-series on the Day of the Lord, will address the Regathering of Jews in Unbelief in Israel. A prelude to the tribulation, the great tribulation, and the Day of the Lord.

There are four common views, theologically, regarding Israel’s role in the world today, the return of Jesus, and the end of time. These views would be of no consequence if it were not for the fact that Israel was reestablished in 1948 as a sovereign nation-state in the global community. Israel has not been a sovereign nation-state since Babylon conquered the southern kingdom of Israel (Judah) and deported a remnant into captivity between 605 and 587 BC. The reconstitution of Israel over two millennia after it was obliterated is so unique that it should make us pause to wonder.

I’ll mention the four common views of the role of Israel in the world briefly and then discuss a less common fifth option that I adhere to. The first view is called replacement theology, in particular amillennialism, which does not see the nation of Israel to be of any consequence prophetically. In this view, Israel rejected their messiah and forfeited any rights and all privileges associated with former promises and covenants with God. In this view, Israel is just another of the rebellious nations in the world. The church has replaced Israel in prophetic history in regard to the promises and covenants. The nation of Israel today is just a random historical event.

The second view believes the prophetic texts which say Israel will once again be a restored nation to God, but the current Israel is not it. The reason being, the far majority of Jews living in Israel are agnostic or secular in their beliefs of Judaism, with few who have faith in Jesus. This view believes there is a time coming when, prophetically, Israel will come to a final restoration with God in the land of promise through faith in Jesus.

The third view believes Israel today is going to fulfill the prophetic texts of a final restoration with God in the land of promise. In this view, prophetic texts that speak of a divine tribulation and the wrath of God were fulfilled in the Holocaust of WWII. What we are seeing today in Israel are just the first stages of this final restoration.

The fourth view believes there will be a series of tribulations and wrath of God against Israel, including the holocaust, that will prepare Israel for final restoration with God. The nation of Israel today, while a unique incident, may not be the final nation of Israel that God raises up for restoration of a remnant of Jews to God. 

The fifth view, which again is the one I hold, believes the current nation of Israel established in 1948, will experience tribulation and the wrath of God along with the rest of the world. What will end the great tribulation will be a remnant of Israel calling out to Jesus for redemption. This redemption will coincide with the judgment of the world and the restoration of the nation of Israel with God. King David, as the prince of Israel will rule over the Jews in the land, and the people of the surrounding nations. Jesus himself will rule the entire world from a temple on the world’s highest mountain, just north of Jerusalem.

The prophetic scriptures are clear and plain. First, there is going to be a regathering of Israel in unbelief back to the land in preparation to go through the great tribulation that is coming upon the whole earth. This will be a judgment of unbelief in Israel, along with the unbelief in the rest of the world. Again, this unbelief is in Jesus.