by Arnold Kennedy

Today we find much written and spoken in religious circles insisting that the establishment of the modern Israeli state is the fulfillment of end-of-age prophecy concerning the regathering of Israel. Others hold a view that YEHOVAH God will no longer have a purpose in the land he covenanted to give to Abraham and his seed after him. There are those who declare that the USA is to be the new Zion. The latter two breach the covenant YEHOVAH God swore unto Abraham.

The contention in this article is that this is a false insistence and that the bulk of the peoples being gathered to the Israeli state could not possibly be Israelites as a race of people. Since the seed of Abraham is genetic, and since those going to Palestine are multi-racial, the only common “Jewish” connection can be by religion, sympathy, upbringing or some false pseudo-racial association. Rather than being Israelites, these people are more likely to be descendants of Esau. Prophecy declares Esau’s descendants will be brought together for destruction centered on Jerusalem. Many of the prophecies concerning the fate of Esau (also known as Edom, Idumea, Mt. Seir, Teman, etc.) have been presented in the article entitled, Could the Modern Jews Be Israel?

Furthermore, the timing of the Israeli build-up is incorrect if it is to be portrayed as the re-gathering of Israel. When we consider other events associated with the return of the nation of Israel to “The Land”, we find the sequence does not fit the Israeli state. In this article we will examine the timing factors.

When writings from Evangelical, Zionist and Messianic Jewish sources are examined, a limited number of Scriptures quoted by these groups are repeated over and over again to support their views claiming that the Israeli state is a fulfillment of prophecy.

Who Are Regathered?

The very titles that we find in the margins of our popular Bibles, such as regathering and Jews Return, suggest correctly that this all pertains to Israel only. However, the popular acceptance is that all converted people are true Jews; [meaning true Israelites because they think that “Jews” and “Israel” mean the same thing]. This is a consideration that has been disproved in other articles, mainly on the basis that the Bible is a book about Israel and is addressed to Israel ONLY (including the so-called Gentiles of the dispersed Houses of Israel and Judah).

What Saith the Law, the Psalms and the Prophets?

In considering this subject, we cannot ever move away from the foundation given by Scripture. This is, that New Testament fulfills the Old Testament prophecy, as given in the Law, the Psalms and the Prophets. All through the Old Testament we find references to this promise of national gathering being made to the people of Israel ONLY. This selective aspect of the gathering is a fact of Scripture -- even though this may be difficult to accept because of the sentimental objections that arise from our pre-conditioning and religious upbringing or education.

There are Scriptures used to suggest that all the families of the earth are to be blessed in Abraham, but it has been demonstrated that all the families does not mean all people of all races. Without going over all this again, it might be well to ask how Israel could have been a blessing to all those nations YEHOVAH God told Israel to destroy? There are many similar contradictions. For example:

Amos 3:1,2: "Hear this word that the LORD has spoken against you, O Children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up out of the land [earth] of Egypt, saying you ONLY have I known of all the families of the earth…"

Something is obviously wrong with the traditional teachings!

The Regathering as Found in the Law

Addressed specifically to Israel as a people [and not to any other race], we read:

Deuteronomy 30:1-6: "… and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath driven thee,…That then will the LORD thy God turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the LORD thy God has scattered thee. If any of thine be driven out unto the outmost parts of heaven, from thence will the LORD thy God gather thee…And the LORD thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed…and the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of they seed…"

This is the original promise made to Israel; this has not changed, and there are things that must be noted:

1). The PEOPLE in this passage are Israel -- NOT any others.

2). YEHOVAH GOD is repeatedly presented as the LORD God of Israel -- NOT of others.

3). YEHOVAH GOD does the gathering -- they do NOT come back unconverted under their own steam.

4). It is FROM THENCE not OF all nations. Whither also speaks of place.

5). The TIME is given as when thou [Israel] shalt call to mind all the things presented at Mt. Sinai and set their mind to return to the LORD and to obey His voice. These is no evidence of this in the Israeli state.

6). The PLACE is given as the land which your fathers possessed…[Note all the New Testament references to “The Fathers”]. It is a specific geographical place on Earth. It is the land where the fathers [of Israel] lived.

7). The FULFILLMENT is isolated to the children of “The Fathers”. It is NOT the mythical, spiritual children of Abraham in the sense that Galatians 3:7 is commonly taught, because “The Fathers” includes Isaac and Jacob.

This passage in Deuteronomy 30:1-6 gives us the time of this event and goes on to tell us that Israel’s enemies will be cursed and not be blessed. This racial separation is always present. Provision is also made for those of Israel who deny YEHOVAH God, to be cursed instead of being blessed. Being born an Israelite is no guarantee of eternal life. Each must come through The Door. The Messiah says "I am The Door of the sheep" [John 10:7]. The Messiah does NOT say that he is the door for races other than the sheep. The Messiah gave his life for the sheep! But, it is NOT recorded that he gave his life for goats or anyone else. Israel is often spoken of as being the sheep of his pasture.

From here we go on to find the very same message that the Apostle Paul teaches in Romans 10:5-13 that is so often quoted in religious gospel preaching. Paul is addressing Israelites ONLY who are stated to be “brethren” (kinsmen of the womb). These were of the same kin and of the House of Israel who Paul said also knew the Law (Romans 3:19 and 7:1-4). The Law was given to Israel ONLY.

1 Chronicles 16:35, 36: "And say ye, Save us, O God of our [Israel’s] salvation, and gather us together, and deliver us from the heathen, that we may give thanks to thy holy name…Blessed be the LORD God of Israel for ever and ever…"

In all these verses, kindly take note of the separation or identification that is made by the pronouns. See just who the gather us refers to and understand how this cannot ever be extended to include others. Note that YEHOVAH God is always stated to be The LORD God of Israel.

In this song of David, we find the prayer for Israel’s gathering together, prayed by David on behalf of Israel. This regathering has not yet happened. In the New Testament, the Messiah taught Israelites to pray, Thy Kingdom come. This is the hope of Israel, under both covenants. It is NEVER presented as being the hope of all races, even in the New Testament.

Nehemiah 1:8-10: "Remember, I beseech you, the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, If ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations: But if ye turn unto Me, and keep My commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set My name there. Now these are thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand."

Some might like to argue that this refers only to those of the House of Judah who returned to Jerusalem from Babylon. But, the original promise was made to the whole nation, and in this verse, the gathering is from “nations” in the plural. Again, the action relates to the redemption of Israel. It is through the Redeemer OF ISRAEL, the Messiah, who came "to save his people from their sins." The PLACE is always a specified place; it is not a condition as many New Testament teachers suggest, but a physical place that YEHOVAH God has chosen on Earth. It is the land which your fathers possessed.

The Regathering in the Psalms

Psalm 102:21, 22: "To declare the name of the LORD in Zion, and His praise in Jerusalem; when the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms [of Israel] to serve the LORD."

Psalm 106:47: "Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us, from among the heathen, to give thanks unto thy holy name,…"

Psalm 105:42, 43: "For He remembered His holy promise, and Abraham His servant. And He brought forth His people with joy, and His chosen with gladness."

This psalm is addressed to "O ye seed of Abraham his servant, ye children of Jacob, his chosen:" (verse 6). It speaks of the everlasting covenant made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Verses 8, 9-19) and refers to the land of Canaan.

Psalm 107:2, 3: "Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom He hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy; and gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north and the south."

In verse 7 of this Psalm, it is YEHOVAH God who leads Israel unto a "city of habitation." This Psalm is about the gathering of the redeemed of the LORD from the East, West, North and South. It is always to a place. It is centered upon Jerusalem. This Psalm ends with:

Psalm 107:43: "Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the loving kindness of the LORD."

What are "these things"? Are they not to do with Israel and her gathering? Would it be improper to suggest that if we do not observe "these things" we must therefore be lacking in understanding? The Messiah pointed out the same thing in John 3:12: "If I have told you earthly things and you believe not, how shall you believe if I tell you heavenly things?" The Messiah was talking to Nicodemus, a Master in Israel about knowing these things. It is absolutely necessary to understand the earthly things about Israel as a racial entity before we can ever understand heavenly things. The facts concerning the gathering of Israel are most important!

The Regathering in the Prophets

Isaiah 11:9-13: "They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall be for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles [nations] seek and His rest shall be glorious. And it shall come to pass, in that day, the LORD shall set His hand again the second time to recover the remnant of His people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. And He shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim."

Twice in this section there is the phrase "in that day". So it does not apply to other than the time specified. This is the day when the wolf will dwell with the lamb and the leopard will lie down with the kid, etc, and when "the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea" (v. 9).

Isaiah is telling us a basic fact about the House of Israel who are at enmity against the House of Judah until the time of the regathering of all Israel (Isaiah 11). These two Houses (or parts of Israel) must exist today as specific entities. The gathering is clearly spoken of as being of two parts that come from among (not of) all nations in "the four corners of the earth." If Israel has now been “taken over” by the Church, how ever could this prophecy be fulfilled? We will see a lot more about this separation between Israel and Judah as we go along. What do the end-of-age teachers say about this matter? Nothing! If we take this literally, we see the route Israel is to take back to the promised land, as well as the timing. So far men do not go dry-shod over the Egyptian sea (verse 15). A highway expressed in verse 16 as being from Assyria is not presently manifest either. The time of "in that day" is the time of the latter days when the Messiah comes to smite the earth with "the rod of his mouth…" (Isaiah 11:4).

Reading on we find that the time is when the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose (Isaiah 35:1). The fact that the Israeli state has organized the watering of desert areas does not prove anything in itself Do the same in the interior of Australia and that desert will also blossom as the rose This chapter ends with, "and the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads." Those going to Palestine today are not returning this way! They do not make any claim of being ransomed!

Isaiah 40:5: "And the [Shekinah] glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD has spoken it."

Isaiah 40:11: "He shall feed His flock [Israel] like a shepherd: He shall gather the lambs with His arms, and carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those with young."

Could this possibly refer to any other time in history? All flesh has not yet seen the Shekinah Glory of the LORD, but when He returns, "every eye shall behold Him." In the Word of the LORD we do not see a multi-racial mix going back to Palestine. The Shekinah Glory of the LORD is revealed to all the flesh of Israel, and then He gathers His lambs. Although there is no "in that day" in these passages, the times are the same. The expression, "in those days" or "in that day" refers to the time approaching the close of this age.

There is so much in this book on this subject, that it is difficult to select quotations. In chapter three there is the same separation of Israel and Judah, with the same time feature as given by Isaiah. These two factors are so important yet they are what the popular ministers have to omit to support their traditional teachings. The present Israeli state is a mis-fit in terms of the timing given.

Jeremiah 3:18: "And in those days [the timing], the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given for an inheritance unto your fathers."

Once again we find the gathering is to the same specific land area and a repeat statement about the time of the gathering of Israel as being "in those days." This is a time when Israel will no longer be walking after the imagination of their evil hearts. In this verse and in this chapter of Jeremiah we again find the same reference to the differentiation between Israel and Judah. They are separate parts of Israel (for example, see Jeremiah 3:11; 3:18; 5:11; 11:17; 30:3, 31; 31:31; 33:14; 36:2; 50:4). Again, it has to be pointed out very clearly that something is very wrong with the popular doctrines that do not allow for this. There are many Scriptures in this book of Jeremiah alone about this matter. Let us look further into Jeremiah for the gathering of these two Houses:

Jeremiah 23:3: "And I will gather the remnant of My flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again unto their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase."

Verse 5: "Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise up unto David a righteous Branch [the Messiah], and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth."

Some like to say that this applies to the Messiah’s time, but Yeshua did not reign and prosper as a King over Israel when he was first commissioned by YEHOVAH God.

Verse 6: "In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is His name whereby He shall be called THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS."

Note the usual Israel and Judah separation, and again that it is in the day when the Messiah reigns.

Verses 7, 8: "Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that they shall no more say, The LORD liveth which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; but, The LORD liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and there they shall dwell in their own land."

It must be noted that the gathering is only of the seed of Israel, that is, the Children (descendants) of Israel. Also, the return is from the North Country (singular) where Israel is to be found.

Jeremiah goes on to say something sad and searching, yet most significant:

Jeremiah 23:9: "Mine heart within me is broken because of the prophets; all my bones shake; I am like a drunken man, and like a man whom wine hath overcome, because of the LORD, and because of the words of His holiness."

Verse 11: "For both prophet and priest are profane, yea, in My house have I found wickedness, saith the LORD."

We can now examine the full passage above to see if today’s prophets are equally profane in not believing what YEHOVAH God says about the gathering of His people Israel. This is the context in which Jeremiah is speaking. Should we feel as bad about it as Jeremiah did? These Pastors and Teachers with the universalist all-races doctrines are the pastors who are said to be destroying the sheep of YEHOVAH’s pasture (verse 1). These are hard words and YEHOVAH God pronounces woe on all and every one of these pastors who will not teach what Jeremiah is saying about the gathering of Israel and Judah. It is time for a personal check up on what we believe about this, to avoid this woe!

[a] Those regathered are a very small remnant of the two Houses (all Israel) ONLY. (Zephaniah 2:9; Micah 2:2; Ezekiel 14:22; Jeremiah 6:9, 23:3, 31:7; Isaiah 1:9, 4:3, 11:16, 37:4; Romans 11:5, 9:27)

[b] They are ONLY from YEHOVAH God’s flock (Israel).

[c] Israel as a whole are gathered from out of all countries where YEHOVAH God had driven them. But Israel is NOT of the racial content of the races of those countries.

[d] The timing is in the days of the Righteous Branch. This is not when the Messiah was first commissioned (1st. century A.D.), because the Messiah does not yet sit on David’s present throne on earth. He is yet to return to David’s throne (over Israel).

[e] Judah and Israel are separate entities until this time. Their present enmity has been stated clearly (Isaiah 11:11-13). Do we believe this?

[f] It is "in his days" that the two entities re-unite. The "middle wall of partition" that the Apostle Paul talks of is then broken down under the New Testament that is made with Israel and Judah ALONE (Hebrews 8:8). And then, Paul says, "All Israel shall be saved." In prophecy, the two parties are NEVER other than Israel and Judah, they are never “Jews and Gentiles” in the way that is commonly presented. There is NO line of Old Testament prophecy that the popular teachings could be shown to fulfill.

[g] The people concerned are always the seed (genetic) of the House of Israel (verse 8).

[h] The “Land” is that which was given to their Fathers (genetic). There are not two promised lands, nor is this promised land a place to which “saints” of Israel are raptured to before the Millennium. Israel is to dwell in their own land; the SAME ONE that was given unto their fathers. They are gathered from out of nations on Earth, and not from some place outside of earth from where they supposedly might have been raptured!

Let us look at this passage from Jeremiah again, and examine our hearts:

1). Are we those upon whom YEHOVAH God says He will bring evil (verse 12)?

2). Are we those who cause "My people Israel" to err (verse 13)?

3). Do we "speak a vision out of our own heart" and not out of the mouth of the LORD (verse 16)?

4). Do we say to our people, or think, "no evil shall come upon you" (verse 17)?

5). Have we yet "marked His word and heard it" (verse 18)? Indeed, look at the rest of this chapter of Jeremiah about teachers and pastors who carry on stealing "My words every one from his neighbour."

6). Is what we teach or believe just what we learned at Bible College or at church?

7). Will we yet continue not to accept what YEHOVAH God is saying through His prophets about the gathering of Israel?

8). Will we continue to ignore the present separation of Israel and Judah?

9). Will we continue to ignore the time when Israel is gathered and confess that this is NOT what is happening in the Israeli state? If we do not yet do so, we still have the rest of the prophetical books to contend with and be convinced, for all tell the same story.

Let us probe this subject further in Jeremiah:

Jeremiah 31:8-11: "Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the coasts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child, together: a great company shall return thither. And they shall come with weeping, and with supplications I will lead them:…He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd does his flock. For the LORD has redeemed Jacob.…"

We find a place that they come from, (this is another subject, as is the "North country"). Woman still are getting pregnant at that time and life on Earth continues. They were not raptured away anywhere, nor do they come from a place where they "neither marry or are given in marriage". It is the returned LORD who leads them back; this Scripture again shows the timing of this gathering!

The flock is made up of two parts; remember how the Messiah said he had other sheep than the Judean fold? One is Judah and the other is the House of Israel. The two add together to make up the "Jacob" we see in the verse above.

It is only Jacob-Israel (both Israel and Judah) that is spoken of in Scripture as being redeemed. It is NEVER a multi-racial church. (Note again, ONLY Israel was given the Law, and therefore only Israel needs redeeming from that broken Law). In Jeremiah 31:2, it is Israel who finds grace in the wilderness; it does NOT include anyone else. Could all the factors in this chapter be spiritualized away?

Jeremiah 31:1: "At the same time, saith the LORD, will I be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be My people."

YEHOVAH is NEVER spoken of as the God of all races, and Israel is always "My people". As YEHOVAH says of old (verse 3), "I have loved thee [Israel] with an everlasting love". Jeremiah 31:31 is the very chapter Paul repeats in the Book of Hebrews (Hebrews 8:8) telling of the New Testament that is made with the House of Israel and the House of Judah. The New Testament is made with none others -- even in the New Testament pages!

Jeremiah 32:41: "Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, I will plant them in this land assuredly with My whole heart and with My whole soul."

Who, and who only, are planted "in this land"? Israel can NEVER be spiritualized away as a church in the modern concept. Jeremiah 31:35-37 and 33:17 tells us that Israel will always be A PEOPLE in the same way Peter does in the New Testament. This is to be so as long as the stars are shining and the moon can be seen. So Israel is still an individual two-part racial entity today, consisting of the House of Israel and the House of Judah! Jeremiah also tells us about the House of Israel always having a monarch over them (Jeremiah 33:17), and so this part of Israel must contain a monarch today. (Note again the separation of Israel and Judah in this article).

N.B. There are NO separate prophecies concerning any non-Israelite church.

Jeremiah 50:4, 5, 19: "In those days, and in that time, saith the LORD, the children of Israel shall come, they and the children of Judah together, going and weeping: and they shall go, and seek the LORD their God. They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherwood,…And I will bring Israel again to his habitation,…"

It is always Israel and Judah ONLY! Again they are mentioned separately as seeking YEHOVAH God together. There is not one drop of a stream of prophecy to the contrary! This verse is certainly not being fulfilled in the Israeli state today. Some would say that “Zion” is a figure of speech, or that the prophecy concerns the return of Judah to the Land under Ezra and Nehemiah. But here it is both houses, not just Judah, who are mentioned as separate entities making up all Israel as being brought to his habitation.

Israel will be sanctified in the eyes of all the other races when YEHOVAH God gathers His people "… then shall they dwell in THEIR LAND that I have given unto My servant JACOB…" (Jeremiah 28:24-26). The word “Jacob” can NEVER include other races.

This book tells the same story. In chapters 37 and 38 in particular we find some verses are commonly extracted to support popular views. But these chapters also give a repeat of the timing factors which immediately put this subject in the right perspective. Ezekiel was told, "Behold I send you TO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL" (Ezekiel 2:3 and 3:1). To extend this limitation beyond the Children of Israel is to DECEIVE! We are told by the Apostle James who wrote to THE TWELVE TRIBES, that many deceivers are entered into the world. Our modern deceivers extend these twelve tribes to include every race on earth! They claim other races are joined to Israel by adoption. If this was so then other races and churches would have to come to belong to one of the Twelve Tribes! They would have to be in either one or the other of the Houses of Israel or Judah.

Ezekiel 11:17: "…Thus saith the LORD God, I will even gather you [Israel] from the people, and assemble you OUT of the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel."

Ezekiel tells the same story as Jeremiah! He makes the same complaint about the pastors and prophets who ignore the national message of the Bible and who have not "made up the hedge for the House of Israel." He says that their teaching is "prophecy out of their own hearts" (Ezekiel 13:1-16). The rest of this chapter tells how their teaching seduces Israel. Today the modern teachers see "visions of peace" for Jerusalem (verse 16) and they think that the Israeli state is the start of the fulfillment. But, there will be no peace in Jerusalem until Edom is destroyed there and YEHOVAH God and the Prince of Peace bring the righteous remnant back to enjoy the abundance of peace they alone are promised. This gathering is after Esau’s descendants have been destroyed in "The Land" by a complete and utter destruction.

YEHOVAH God says that these false prophets will have YEHOVAH’s hand against them, "and they shall bear their iniquity" (Ezekiel 14:9-11). They will be taken out from among Israel! It is YEHOVAH God who is saying these things -- like it or not! We can see the severity of YEHOVAH God in this and just how seriously we must take heed to this message.

Although Israel is punished much for their abominations, YEHOVAH says:

Ezekiel 6:60: "Nevertheless, I will remember my covenant with thee [Israel]:…and I will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant."

But, the gathering of Israel, from among the countries "wherein you are scattered", is with fury, purging and judgment (Ezekiel 20:34-38). All flesh shall know that "I the LORD have drawn my sword" (Ezekiel 21:5). Can we perceive the sword sharpened as Ezekiel did (Ezekiel 21:8-17)? Or do we prophesy LIES saying YEHOVAH’s people shall be raptured away out of it? YEHOVAH’s principle is always, "the unrighteous shall be severed from among the just" (Matthew 13:49). How dare our teachers reverse what the Messiah says. They teach that the righteous are raptured away from wicked. These teachers must face their judgment! In the parable of the Tares and the Wheat, is it not the Tares who are FIRST burned? We must have a good think about this!

Ezekiel 34 is too long to quote, but it is a mine of treasure on the subject of the gathering of Israel. It ends by saying:

Ezekiel 34:30, 31, 33: "Thus shall they know that I the LORD their God am with them, and that they, even the House of Israel are My people, saith the LORD God. And you my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men and I am your God,…"

“Sheep” and “flock” are the people who personally belong to YEHOVAH God. Israel is bought back for a price and “found”. The "bring" (verse 13) and "seeketh out" (verse 12) parallel the "bought" and "found" through the New Testament parables. The "new heart" is a promise made to the House of Israel. You will look in vain for the "new heart" to be put in anyone else but Israel (Ezekiel 36:21-38).

What is the timing? We must look at this timing and see if this is what we have been taught. And with this, note the desolation that is yet to come upon the land before Israel returns. Other prophets write about this too, but you will not find our modern teachers ever mentioning it. They are too busy prophesying smooth things about the Israeli state! These are the false prophets. These are the ones with the dangerous doctrines, every one of them.

Our end-time teachers and book writers use extracts from these chapters, but again they ignore the timing factors of the regathering as well as exactly who this prophet is addressing.

The Dry Bones

In the parable of the dry bones, we find:

Ezekiel 37:11: "Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole House OF ISRAEL."

They are expressly stated to be Israelites, so how could they be anyone else?

Ezekiel 37:14: "…and I shall place you in your own land…"

Just who, and who only are to be placed in their own land? It is Israel as a people who ALONE are being addressed. So we must again ask if this gives support for the present Israeli state. To support the Israeli state is to say, in effect, that the resurrection is past. The current teaching about the Israeli state is pure deception!

The Two Sticks

Even the Jehovah Witnesses have a play on this one. However, the Bible states the one stick represents Judah and the other represents Israel. They are companions…(verse 16)…or fellows…(verse 19). The sticks become joined together. This is a picture of the gathering together of all Israel. It includes no one else! It is not “Jews and Gentiles” in the popular context. The prophet goes on to say:

Ezekiel 37:21-23: "…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. And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king unto them all; and they shall no more be two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms anymore at all."

Anyone who denies that Israel is made up of just these two peoples has a serious problem. If they are not prepared to believe this earthly thing, the Messiah says they cannot ever believe heavenly things (John 3:12). At present Israel could not possibly be a singular “church” as some teach. The two parties could not possibly be “Jews and Gentiles” as is commonly taught. All the kosmos (or order) of Israel that the Messiah is talking about is changed by our teachers to be all the races on the Earth.

Ezekiel 37:24: "And David My servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one Shepherd…"

Religious denominations teach that the Messiah is the King of Christians of all races, but they fail to observe that the Messiah says he is gone away to a far country, AND WILL RETURN to take his kingdom over Israel and be one shepherd to Israel. Those falsely occupying the vineyard part, at present, will be destroyed "with the brightness of his coming." The vineyard is not the whole earth; it is a specific area of the earth.

Ezekiel 37:25: "And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob My servant…and My servant David shall be their Prince, for ever."

This “land” is a defined area on earth, being that given to Jacob. There is both racial separation and place separation.

Ezekiel 37:28: "And the heathen shall know that I the LORD do sanctify Israel, when My sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore."

In these verses we see two groups, the heathen and Israel; they are two completely separated identities.

Ezekiel 39:21: "And I will set My glory among the heathen, and all the heathen shall see My judgment that I have executed, and My hand that I have laid upon them."

Verses 22, 23: "So the house of Israel shall know that I am the LORD their God from that day and forward…and the heathen shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity…"

Verse 25: "Thus saith the LORD God; Now I will bring again the captivity of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and will be jealous for My holy Name."

Verse 27: "…and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations;"

Verse 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 [Israel] unto their own land…"

Verse 29: "Neither will I hide My face any more from them: for I have poured out My spirit unto the house of Israel."

Note here the segregation of Israel from the other nations. The mercy upon Israel is in the sight of many nations, so Israel and these many nations coexist, but are separate. On whom do the prophets say the spirit is poured out? Do the prophets say it is poured out upon all races? From Joel 2:28 (and from the New Testament) we have been taught that all flesh is not limited to Israel’s sons and daughters, even if Israel are the people being addressed. But all flesh is almost always the all flesh of Israel.

The important thing to note in connection with the gathering of Israel, is that Israel is still a separate racial entity from the other nations, not only at this late stage of this present age, but into the next age. It is impossible that Israel has become a multi-racial “church”. There is no prophecy at all about any portion for anyone of any race other than the Twelve Tribes. YEHOVAH God’s sanctuary is stated to be in the midst of Israel and NOT in the midst of the heathen nations or races.

At the end of Ezekiel, we find listed the apportioning of the land which is divided according to the Tribes of Israel. All those who want to continue to call the Tribes of Israel “The Church” will continue to blur what is on the pages of the Bible in black and white. The more this subject is examined, the more impossible the popular evangelical teachings become.

The “stone” kingdom of Daniel 3 is touched upon in another article and a summary of the position is given in Daniel 7:

Daniel 7:13, 14: "…one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before Him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations and languages, should serve him:…and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed."

Yet again, this kingdom is separate from other peoples and nations. The other peoples are servants to Israel. The LORD of Hosts, the LORD of the armies of Israel, has the whole Earth and all the other peoples in subjection. At the end of this book of Daniel, the archangel Michael "standeth for the children of thy [Daniel’s] people" (Daniel 12:1). Daniel’s people were Israel. The limitation is specific! Again, there is no suggestion of a “church” in the way it is presented today.

Hosea says the Children of Israel will be known as "The sons of the living God":

Hosea 1:10: "Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God. Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head,…"

Here again we find that the separation of the two Houses must still be existing today. Peter, in the New Testament quotes Hosea, and does not say anything about anyone other than a (singular) nation. He is writing to Israel:

Hosea 8:10: "Yea, though they [Israel] have hired among the nations, now I will gather them…"

YEHOVAH God says He will then be as the dew to Israel (Hosea 14:5). But note, none of these things are said to anyone of any other race. Israel is scattered “among” the other nations.

In those days of the pouring out, the blood and fire, the pillars of smoke and the sun being turned into darkness with the moon into blood, Mount Zion and Jerusalem shall be delivered. This is the time when YEHOVAH God says He "will be jealous for His land and pity His people." YEHOVAH’s people, expressed as being Israel, are still that entity. The land is still the same area. The other races are still separate.

Joel 3:1, 2: "In those days…and will plead with them there for My people and for My heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted My land."

YEHOVAH God says that His heritage is still the unchanged nation of Israel who are My people. It is NOT The Church in the common concept. “My land” is still parted today.

The remnant left of YEHOVAH’s people are NOT raptured away from this time of trouble. They are very much present. Joel points out that at that time, the LORD will be the hope of His people and the strength of The Children of Israel (Joel 3:16, 17). The Children of Israel are not multi-racial non-Israelites. No strangers will pass through Jerusalem any more (verse 17). Note this well. This means that such must be passing through Jerusalem up to this time! We can see that this passing through of strangers is not YEHOVAH’s intention and the effect of the mixed multitude within Israel is always to Israel’s detriment.

This prophet speaks about the grievous judgments upon Israel. He reminds us of the terror of these days and of the sun going down at noon and of the destruction in “The Land”. But of those of Israel who are left, He says:

Amos 9:11-15: "In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof, and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old: That they may possess the remnant of Edom…And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall rebuild the waste cities…And I will plant them upon their own land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God."

Amos did not prophesy about any rapture!

Our modern teachers like to take an expression like "rebuild the waste cities" and then say this is what is happening in the Israeli state today. Cities are being rebuilt, but the tabernacle of David is not raised up; neither has "the sun gone down at noon-day." The cities of the Land have never been devastated so much that there is not a person, a blade of grass or even a fish (Zephaniah 1:2, 3). This must came to pass before the notable day of the LORD, and before Israel returns to the Land. This level of destruction has never happened yet to what is commonly called the “Holy Land”. The wasted cities will then be rebuilt by Israel, but not before this time. That which is being built now in Palestine, must be something other than what the prophets are talking about concerning Israel. We will see that the reference to the remnant of Edom in verse 12 is confirmed when we quote from Obadiah. These peoples falsely calling themselves “Jews” will be exterminated and:

Obadiah 1:17: "…and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions."

This is the time when Israel displaces Edom (see our article entitled Could the Modern Jews Be Israel?). The “House of Jacob” NEVER means all races. Neither was Obadiah a believer in a multiracial church!

By now the consistency of the message about the gathering together of Israel has to be apparent to anyone with half a mind to evaluate the evidence objectively! Not one of the prophets of Israel is an universalist! This continues through the minor prophets:

Micah 2:12: "I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee, I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together…"

Micah agrees with all the other prophets that the gathering ONLY involves Israelites. When Israel is gathered, Micah tells the position of the other nations:

Micah 4:2: "And many nations shall come, and say, Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob, and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem."

This is the time when YEHOVAH God Himself rules over the nations of the world with a rod of iron while the Messiah rules over the nation of Israel. "The nations shall see and be confounded at thy might" (Micah 7:16). Metaphorically, the other nations are to "lick the dust" (Micah 7:17).

For the duration of the millennium, there is no more war among the nations, all of whom are still separate from Israel. Israel is described as a “nation”, as are the others. Other nations and Israel are always separate peoples in Scripture. All the prophets agree.

Micah 5:7, 8: "And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the LORD…And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles [nations] in the midst of many peoples as a lion among the beasts of the forest,…"

Micah goes on to remind us of the Doctrine of Balaam and that to walk humbly with her God, Israel must avoid the idolatry that comes through racial intermarriage. Idolatry always is a reason, through Scripture, for judgment upon Israel. Balaam prophesied blessing upon Israel when Israel dwelt as a separate people. Moabite intermarriage with Israel destroyed this separation leading to idol worship. As with the other prophets, Micah concludes with the usual message:

Micah 7:20: "Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old."

Despite what all the prophets have to say about this subject, it is ignored, or spiritualized, by almost all of today’s teachers.

This prophet’s message on this subject is missed because the word for “gather” is translated as “turned away” (KJV) or “restore” (NIV):

Nahum 2:2: "For the LORD hath turned away [gathered] the excellency of Jacob, as the excellency of Israel:…"

But Nahum is just as exclusive about Israel as are all the other prophets. This prophet mentions other peoples only as they relate to Israel.

Habakkuk is the prophet who declares that the vision is for an appointed time and that it will surely come (Habakkuk 2:3 and Habakkuk 3:13 -- "You went forth for the salvation of Thy people, the salvation of Thy anointed").

To call Israel YEHOVAH’s anointed is never taught today. It could not possibly be taught together with popular concepts. When we consider the time factor of chapter three when the LORD goes forth for the salvation of His people, this is at the time of YEHOVAH's return (Habakkuk 3:3-6). It is at a time of judgment (verses 9-12).

Habakkuk 3:18: "Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation."

This is the message Habakkuk gave to the Chief Singer about the salvation of the anointed people Israel. It must be a very important message!

This prophet speaks about the terrible judgments upon Israel and then he speaks of the remnant of Israel with YEHOVAH God in the midst of them:

Zephaniah 3:17,18, 20: "The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy;…I will gather them that are sorrowful…At that time I will gather you again…for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes,…"

In this passage the word gather is found twice. Although Zephaniah was a prophet to Judah, the last chapter speaks of the remnant of Israel (verse 13) and of a fulfillment beyond the return of Judah from Babylon.

Israel is still found to be separate among "all the peoples of the earth" (verse 20). We do not find reference to such captivity of any other nation but Israel. Israel is the ONLY people exclusively gathered together from among the other nations!

Haggai also speaks about the anointed people, the Children of Israel:

Haggai 2:5: "According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, so My spirit remaineth among you:…"

This latter phrase definitely is not taught in our churches. Israel are the people of the covenant that are mentioned above. They are children of the ones YEHOVAH God brought out of Egypt. This identifies them as Israelites. These are whom YEHOVAH’s spirit remains upon, so the prophet says. Haggai goes on to speak of the heaven and the earth shaking and then of the glory of the new Temple. This speaks of the time surrounding the end of this age.

This prophet tells of the scattering of both Israel and Judah, but he goes on to say:

Zechariah 2:5: "For I, saith the LORD, I will be unto her a wall of fire round about [Jerusalem], and will be the [Shekinah] glory in the midst of her."

Israel is "the apple of Mine eye" and the other nations are a spoil. No one can say these are the same things. YEHOVAH God will "yet choose Jerusalem again" (Zechariah 2:12). This will be marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of Israel (Zechariah 8:6).

Zechariah 8:7, 8: "…Behold I will save My people…and I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be My people…"

NEVER do we find any other race than Israel being termed YEHOVAH’s People. These ALONE are brought (gathered) to Jerusalem.

Once again, it is the House of Israel together with the House of Judah that are gathered…(Zechariah 8:13 and 9:1), as is also shown in the verse below. The word “Joseph” indicates the leadership of the House of Israel:

Zechariah 10:6: "And I will strengthen the house of Judah and will save the house of Joseph, and will bring them again to place them; for I have mercy upon them: and they shall be as though I had not cast them off…"

The following chapters of this book tell of the continuing separation of all Israel from other races and also the separation within Israel. Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives feature in a geographical way. Once again, the non-Israel nations come up to Jerusalem, from year to year to worship YEHOVAH God, the LORD of Hosts. This is optional because there is punishment for those nations who will not come (Zechariah 14:12-21). And again, the non-Israel nations cannot reside inside Jerusalem. The very last verse of this book says, "and there shall be no more the Canaanite in the House of the LORD of Hosts." This means that the Canaanite must presently be in the House of the LORD. It is the doctrine of those with Canaanite blood that this book is opposing. The Messiah says, "beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees."

Malachi’s burden of the Word of the LORD was to Israel (not to others). Here we find the expression, "Yet I loved Jacob, and I hated Esau." This our universalists cannot accept with their interpretation of "go into all the world," making this phrase mean the inhabited Earth (oikoumene) whereas it is kosmos which means the kosmos of Israel, in that context.

Racial admixture is expressed as "hath married the daughter of a strange god" and we see that, "The LORD will cut off the man that does this...both the master and the scholar out of the tabernacles of Jacob." It seems that most of our masters and scholars will be cut off because of what they are teaching. We have seen how other prophets say the same thing about the false teachers. "Who will be able to abide the day of His coming?" (Malachi 3:2). The "great and dreadful day of the LORD" is at hand.

There will be a message before that day that few will accept.

Malachi 4:4-6: "Remember the law of Moses My servant, which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments. Behold I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: And He shall turn the heart of the fathers unto the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse."

This last book of the Old Testament tells of the gathering and who will be entered in the Book of Remembrance. Again it is a remnant of the sons of Jacob (Malachi 3:6).

Malachi 3:17: "And they shall be Mine, saith the LORD of Hosts, in that day when I make up My jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him."

To Conclude

Let us not be too proud to admit what YEHOVAH God says about the regathering of the remnant of the exclusive SONS OF JACOB. This subject of the regathering of Israel and the gospel of the Kingdom have much in common. The people involved have the same racial identity. It is essential that we believe the right gospel, applying it to the same people that Scripture does.

Hope of Israel Ministries -- Preparing the Way for the Return of YEHOVAH God and His Messiah!

Hope of Israel Ministries P.O. Box 853 Azusa, CA 91702, U.S.A. www.hope-of-Israel.org

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