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There are many prophecies by the Old Testament prophets concerning the children of Israel forsaking God due to their unbelief after they entered the good land, the plagues that they would suffer as a result, and their being captured and scattered among the nations. The prophets also prophesied that the captured children of Israel would repent to God and that God would gather them together and bring them back to the good land to receive blessings from Him and to be restored. In this lesson we will begin to study the prophecies concerning God’s promise to restore Israel, starting with the prophecies in Isaiah.
The Old Testament prophets, including those before the captivity and those during the captivity, prophesied concerning the restoration of Israel. These prophecies are dispersed throughout the books of prophecy in the Old Testament. The content of these prophecies is both detailed and rich. Most of the prophecies were initially and partially fulfilled with the return of the children of Israel from captivity and will be ultimately and fully fulfilled with the restoration of the children of Israel in the millennial age.
Isaiah 10:20-27 prophesies that Israel will be released and return. Verse 20 says, “In that day the remnant of Israel and those of the house of Jacob who have escaped will no longer rely upon him who strikes them, but they will rely upon Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.” To rely upon Jehovah in truth is to rely upon Jehovah in truthfulness. Verse 21 and the first part of verse 22 say, “A remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God. For though your people, O Israel, are like the sand of the sea, only a remnant among them will return.” Paul quoted this word in Romans 9:27, indicating that a remnant of Israel will be saved. They will rely upon Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, and return to the mighty God.
Isaiah 11:11-12 says, “In that day the Lord, / By His hand for the second time again, / Will recover the remnant of His people / Who remain, from Assyria and from Egypt, / From Pathros, Cush, and Elam, / From Shinar, Hamath, and the islands of the sea. / He will lift up a standard to the nations, / And will gather the outcasts of Israel; / And the dispersed of Judah He will assemble / From the four corners of the earth.” The standard that will be lifted up is Christ. At that time, Ephraim’s jealousy will depart, and the adversaries in Judah will be cut off. The northern kingdom of Ephraim will not be jealous of Judah, the southern kingdom, nor will Judah be hostile toward Ephraim (v. 13). The Lord will take away the divisive element, and these two kingdoms will become one. The restored remnant of Israel “will fly down upon the shoulders of the Philistines on the west; / Together they will plunder the children of the east. / Edom and Moab will come into the grasp of their hand, / And the children of Ammon will submit to them” (v. 14).
Furthermore, Jehovah will utterly destroy the tongue of the sea of Egypt, that is, the gulf of the Red Sea. He will also wave His hand over the River, the Euphrates, with the scorching of His wind. He will strike the Euphrates into seven streams and march men through it dryshod. There will also be a highway from Assyria for the remnant of His people to return (vv. 15-16).
“The River” spoken of in Isaiah is the Euphrates, which Abraham crossed (Josh. 24:2-3). The great river Euphrates is also mentioned in Revelation 16:12 in relation to the war at Armageddon. In the coming days God will dry up the Euphrates with the scorching heat from the wind. He will also change the situation on the earth and open the way from Assyria to the Holy Land for the children of Israel to return.
Three big problems and frustrations will be solved for the return of the children of Israel. First, the tongue of the sea of Egypt, that is, the Gulf of Suez, which frustrates the traffic from Egypt to the Holy Land, will be destroyed. Second, God will use scorching heat from the wind to dry up the Euphrates into seven streams so that the children of Israel can walk through it. Third, God will build a highway to the Holy Land from Assyria.
Isaiah 27:12-13 says, “In that day Jehovah will beat out the grain from the flowing stream of the River / Unto the brook of Egypt; / And you will be gleaned / One by one, O you children of Israel. / And in that day a great trumpet will be blown, / And the ones lost in the land of Assyria will come, / As well as the outcasts in the land of Egypt, / And they will worship Jehovah / On the holy mountain in Jerusalem.” The grain in verse 12 denotes the scattered people of Israel. According to these two verses, all the Israelites who are outcasts, lost, and scattered will be gathered together and brought back to the good land. The fulfilment of this prophecy began with the return of the captives from Babylon. It is still being fulfilled today, and it will be fully accomplished at the Lord’s second coming.
In verses 9 through 11 of chapter 51, Isaiah cried out for the arm of Jehovah to awaken and put on strength as in the days of old, especially as in the time when His elect came out of Egypt. In their exodus from Egypt, the first obstacle that the children of Israel faced was the Red Sea, which was in front of them, while Pharaoh’s army was behind them. The children of Israel could do nothing about the situation, but the arm of Jehovah caused a strong wind to blow so that the water was divided. The sea was dried up, and Israel walked in the sea on dry land. Isaiah was burdened for the arm of Jehovah to do the same thing in his day so that the captives of Israel could be brought back.
In Isaiah’s prophecy Christ is given the name “arm of Jehovah.” Christ is the arm of Jehovah, the Triune God, the great I Am. Christ is the arm of Jehovah to save God’s people. The arm of Jehovah’s awakening and putting on strength as in the days of old is for the ransomed of Jehovah to return and to come to Zion with a ringing shout and eternal joy (v. 11).
At His return Christ will be raised up as a standard for the gathering of Jehovah’s scattered people (62:10). At that time, the children of Israel will return. They will see a sign, the raised standard, for their gathering together. Christ, the Anointed of Jehovah, will be the gathering standard.
Isaiah 52:8 says that Jehovah will restore Zion, and 62:6-9 says that Jerusalem will be established and made a praise in the earth.
God promised to restore the city of Zion and its people. Afterward, the city will be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city (1:26). Zion will be ransomed with justice, and her returning ones with righteousness (v. 27). The children of Israel fell into a chaotic situation because they gave up justice and righteousness. However, God’s restoration will bring them back to their initial condition.
Verse 3 of chapter 4 says, “He who is left over in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy, everyone who has been written down in Jerusalem for life.” This indicates that there will be a book of life, in which names are written.
According to verse 5, Jehovah will create over the entire region of Mount Zion and over all her convocations a cloud of smoke by day and the brightness of a fiery flame by night to be a canopy of His divine glory over all His interests on the earth. This refers to the God-man, Christ, who as the great canopy will cover Zion and the children of Israel. This is similar to the pillar of smoke and the pillar of fire that went with the children of Israel in the wilderness. Furthermore, in the restoration of Israel, God will provide them with a tabernacle for a shade in the daytime from the heat and for a refuge and a cover from the storm and rain (v. 6).
In the restoration all the earth will be under the teaching of Israel. “Many peoples will come and say, / Come and let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah, / To the house of the God of Jacob, / That He may instruct us in His ways, / And that we may walk in His paths. / For from Zion will go forth instruction, / And the word of Jehovah from Jerusalem” (2:3).
Furthermore, according to Isaiah 61:4-9 and Zechariah 8:20-23, during the millennium, the thousand-year kingdom, the restored Israel will be priests. In the millennium there will be both an earthly part and a heavenly part referred to as the priesthood. The restored nation of Israel will be the priests in the earthly part, and the overcoming believers in Christ will be the priests in the heavenly part. By this priesthood all the peoples on earth will be taught and instructed.
Isaiah also prophesied, “Look upon Zion, the city of our appointed feasts; / Your eyes will see Jerusalem, / A secure habitation, a tent that will not be removed; / Its stakes will never be pulled up, / And none of its cords will be torn apart” (33:20). The inhabitant will not say, “I am sick,” and the people who dwell there will be forgiven their iniquity (v. 24).
In the restoration the righteousness of Zion will go forth like brightness, and her salvation like a burning torch as God’s crown of beauty and delight (62:1-5). During the restoration, righteousness will be dispensed and transfused into the Jews; therefore, their righteousness will go forth like brightness. Their salvation will also be like a burning torch as God’s crown of beauty and delight. God will be beautified by and will be happy and satisfied with what Israel will shine forth.
Salvation will come to the daughter of Zion, and the people will be called the holy people, the redeemed of Jehovah (vv. 10-12).
In the day of the restoration the God-man, Christ, as the divine shoot of Jehovah, will be beauty and glory to Israel, and as the fruit of the earth, the human seed, He will be excellence and splendor to them (4:2). In the coming restoration the all-inclusive Christ will be beauty and glory in His divinity to the children of Israel. He will also be their excellence and splendor in His humanity that expresses the beauty and glory of His divinity. The children of Israel will manifest and express the all-inclusive Christ.
According to Isaiah 12:1 in that day Israel will say, “I will praise You, O Jehovah. You were angry with me, / But Your anger has turned and You have consoled me.” The Hebrew word rendered “praise” can also be translated “give thanks to.”
Verses 3 and 4 say, “Therefore you will draw water with rejoicing / From the springs of salvation, / And you will say in that day, / Give thanks to Jehovah; call upon His name!” In that day the children of Israel will receive the Lord as their salvation. To receive the Lord as our salvation is to draw water from the springs of salvation. This is strongly emphasized in the New Testament, especially in the Gospel of John, where the Lord Jesus said, “The water that I will give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into eternal life” (4:14). This fountain becomes rivers of living water in those who believe into Him (7:37-38). This indicates that in the restoration the Lord will become Israel’s salvation as the living water.
Isaiah also said, “In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: / We have a strong city; / He will set up salvation as walls and a rampart. / Open the gates / So that the righteous nation may enter, / They who maintain faithfulness. / You will keep the steadfast of mind / In perfect peace / Because he trusts in You. / Trust in Jehovah forever and ever, / For in Jah Jehovah we have an eternal rock” (26:1-4). Previously, the children of Israel were not faithful, but Israel will become a righteous nation that maintains faithfulness.
In that day there will also be singing of a vineyard of wine (27:2). Jehovah is the keeper of this vineyard. He waters it every moment, and He guards it by night and by day lest anyone visit harm upon it (v. 3). Isaiah also spoke of how Israel will be blessed: “In the days to come Jacob will take root; / Israel will blossom and bud; / And they will fill the surface of the world with their produce” (v. 6). Verse 9 says that the iniquity of Jacob will be expiated, and the fruit of the removal of their sin is that they will make all the stones of their altars like chalk stones beaten to powder such that the Asherahs and sun images will not stand. This means that Israel will be redeemed. Their Asherahs and their sun images will be no more, for all idols and false altars will be destroyed.
In the restoration the Holy Land will extend from the Mediterranean to the Euphrates (Deut. 11:24). Isaiah 26:15 says, “You have increased the nation, O Jehovah; / You have increased the nation—You are glorified; / You have far extended all the edges of the land.” To increase the nation is to increase the people, and to extend the edge is to enlarge the territory.
As the King, Christ will bring in the restoration of Israel. Then the eyes of those who see will not be dim, and the ears of those who hear will attend. The heart of the hasty will understand knowledge, and the tongue of those who stammer will hasten to speak elegantly (32:3-4).
Furthermore, the Spirit will be poured upon them from on high, the wilderness will become a fruitful field, and the fruitful field will be considered to be a forest. Justice will dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness will remain in the fruitful field. The work of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness will be quietness and assurance forever. Jehovah’s people will live in a peaceful habitation and in secure dwellings and carefree resting places (vv. 15-18). During that time, righteousness will work out peace, and the result of righteousness will be quietness and assurance forever. Thus, there will be a peaceful habitation.
Isaiah 60:15-18 reveals that in her restoration, Israel will be made an eternal excellency and a joy for generations. Israel will be the excellency of the human race.
The restored Israel will enjoy Jehovah in Christ, the Servant of Jehovah, as the eternal light. Verses 19 through 21 say, “You will no longer have the sun for your light by day, / Nor for brightness will the moon give you light; / But Jehovah will be an eternal light to you, / And your God your beauty. / Your sun will no longer go down, / Nor will your moon withdraw; / For Jehovah will be an eternal light to you, / And the days of your mourning will be ended. / Then all your people will be righteous; / They will possess the land forever, / The branch of My planting, / The works of My hands, / That I may be beautified.” Israel will have something brighter than the sun and the moon, for they will have Jehovah as an eternal light. In the restoration Israel will be glorified and beautified to become God’s beautification. God will be beautified by the restored and beautified Israel.
Jehovah will bless Israel with the blessing of new wine, and they will possess His mountain, Zion, in order to dwell, eat, drink, and rejoice there (65:8-10, 13-16). In the restoration there will be new wine that will cheer God and His people. Instead of working and laboring, Israel will eat, drink, and rejoice.
A restoration will be brought in both to Israel and to all things (vv. 18-25). Jerusalem will be an exultation, and her people will rejoice. Even God Himself will exult in Jerusalem and rejoice in His people, and there will no longer be heard in her the voice of weeping and crying. “There will no longer be in her / An infant who reaches the age of only a few days / Nor an old man who does not fill up his days; / For the lad will die at a hundred years of age, / And the sinner, being a hundred years of age, will be cursed” (v. 20). In the restoration an infant will not die before reaching maturity, and one who dies at the age of a hundred will be regarded as a youth.
“They will build houses and inhabit them, / And they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit. / They will not build and another inhabit; / They will not plant and another eat; / For like the days of a tree are the days of My people, / And My chosen ones will enjoy the work of their hands to the full” (vv. 21-22). This indicates that in the restoration the unique work carried out by God’s chosen people will be to sing, praise, worship, and rejoice. Calling on the Lord will be their occupation, and even before they call, He will answer (vv. 23-24).
Isaiah also prophesied, “The wolf and the lamb will feed as one, / And the lion will eat straw like the ox, / And dust will be the serpent’s food; / They will not harm nor destroy / In all My holy mountain, says Jehovah.” (v. 25) The prophecies in this verse are similar to those in 11:6-9, which also speak of the restoration brought in through Christ. In the restoration death will be limited, and there will be abundant life and much praise and rejoicing.
Isaiah 60:1-9 refers to the time of Israel’s restoration when Christ as the Servant of Jehovah will be the glory of Jehovah arising upon Israel. When Christ comes back as the saving Redeemer, Israel as God’s elect and as the center of the world’s population will be restored in every respect. At that time, all the Gentile nations will be for Israel, and not only Israel’s captives but also the wealth of the nations will be gathered to Israel.
The nations will build Israel’s walls and will minister to her with their wealth and glory (vv. 10-14). The word glory in verse 13 refers to the products of the nations (Gen. 31:1, 16; Esth. 1:4). The nations will minister to Israel with their wealth and their best products.
In the restoration Israel will be priests of Jehovah, the ministers of their God. The Gentiles will be laborers to serve Israel (Isa. 61:4-9).
Jehovah will gather the nations to worship at Jerusalem, and they will bring, as a meal offering to Jehovah, the scattered children of Israel, of whom some will be priests (61:6) and some Levites (66:18-21). Today we offer sinners as sacrifices to God (Rom. 15:16), but in the restoration the nations will bring the scattered Israelites as a meal offering to God. Just as in the Old Testament time, some will be appointed to serve as priests, and others will do the Levitical service.
The Old Testament prophets prophesied many times concerning the restoration of Israel. Most of these prophecies were initially and partially fulfilled at the return of the children of Israel from captivity and will be ultimately and fully fulfilled at the restoration of the children of Israel in the millennial age. Isaiah prophesied that the remnant of Jacob will return to the mighty God. The Lord will recover the remnant of His people by His hand. Jehovah will destroy the tongue of the sea of Egypt and prepare a highway for the remnant of His people. Jehovah will glean the children of Israel from the flowing stream of the River unto the brook of Egypt, like the beating out of the grain. The ransomed of Jehovah will return and come to Zion with a ringing shout and joy. Christ will be a standard raised up for the gathering of Jehovah’s scattered people. Jehovah will restore and cleanse Zion, and Jerusalem will be established. He who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy. Jehovah will create a canopy over Zion and her convocations and will provide His chosen people with a tabernacle. From Zion will go forth instruction, and the word of Jehovah from Jerusalem. Jerusalem will be a secure habitation. The righteousness of Zion will go forth like brightness, and her salvation like a burning torch. Salvation will come to the daughter of Zion, and they will be called the holy people, the redeemed of Jehovah. In the restoration of Israel, Christ will be their beauty and glory and also their excellence and splendor. The children of Israel will praise Jehovah and draw water with rejoicing from the springs of salvation. In that day there will be singing in the land of Judah and in a vineyard of wine. The Israelites will be increased. The eyes of those who see will not be dim. The Spirit will be poured upon them from on high, and the wilderness will become a fruitful field. Thus, there will be a peaceful habitation. Israel will be made an eternal excellency and a joy, and they will enjoy Jehovah as the eternal light. Jehovah will bless Israel with the blessing of new wine, and they will possess His mountain. There will be rejoicing, exulting, and abundant life in Israel. Then the nations will serve Israel, and Israel will become priests to all the nations. The glory of Jehovah will rise upon Israel, and all the nations will gather to Israel. The nations will build Israel’s walls and minister to her with their wealth and glory. Israel will be the priests of Jehovah, and the Gentiles will be laborers to Israel. Jehovah will gather the nations to worship at Jerusalem, and the nations will bring the scattered children of Israel as a meal offering to Jehovah.
