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In this lesson we will continue the last two lessons on the prophecies concerning the restoration of Israel in the books of the Minor Prophets. Furthermore, we will also see the New Testament prophecies concerning Israel being restored.
Hosea 1:10—2:1 is God’s promise to restore the children of Israel. This promise is a matter of grace. Grace follows sin. Where sin abounds, grace superabounds (Rom. 5:20).
Hosea 1:10 says that in the restoration the number of the children of Israel will be like the sand of the sea, which is immeasurable and innumerable. Verse 10 also says, “In the place where it will be said to them, You are not My people, / It will be said to them, You are the sons of the living God.” Being sons of God indicates regeneration. When God makes a new covenant with the children of Israel (Jer. 31:31-34), they will have God written into their hearts. This means that they will be regenerated. God will put Himself into them as their life to make them the sons of God. Thus, Israel will be not merely God’s people but also the sons of God.
In the restoration when the children of Judah and the children of Israel are gathered together, they will appoint for themselves one head, and they will go up from the land of their captivity; great will be the day of Jezreel, meaning “God sows” or “God will sow,” the day for the people of Israel to be sown in the Holy Land by God (Hosea 1:11 cf. 2:22-23). God has sown the children of Israel in their fathers’ land, and no one can pluck them out again. In that day the Lord will charge the children of Israel to call their brothers Ammi, meaning “My people,” and their sisters Ruhamah, meaning “she has obtained compassion” (2:1). Thus, Israel will be perfected. Under the victory of God’s love, Israel will become His people and obtain His compassion.
Hosea said that God loves Israel with an everlasting love (11:1; 14:4). Although God is loving, He is also a God of purity and righteousness. He cannot tolerate any kind of uncleanness or unrighteousness. Wherever these things are found among God’s people, God’s chastisement will follow. For this reason, even though Israel has been re-formed as a nation, they are still under God’s chastisement. Nevertheless, even though they are being chastised by God, He still loves them. It is the Lord’s lovingkindness that they have not been consumed (Lam. 3:22). Because of His compassion, Israel remains and will eventually be restored.
Israel will return to Jehovah. The prophet Hosea said, “Come and let us return to Jehovah; / For He has torn us, but He will heal us, / And He has stricken us, but He will bind us up” (6:1). Verse 2 says, “He will enliven us after two days; / On the third day He will raise us up, / And we will live in His presence.” According to the principle in the Bible, “with the Lord one day is like a thousand years” (2 Pet. 3:8). Hence, the two days in Hosea 6:2 might each signify the first two periods of a thousand years, counting from A.D. 70, when the Roman prince Titus destroyed Jerusalem and the temple, cruelly killed thousands of Jews, and scattered the Jews among the nations. From that time the Jews have been without king, without prince, without sacrifice, and without the temple, fulfilling Hosea’s prophecy in verse 4 of chapter 3. For two thousand years God has left Israel in a dead condition. After this two-thousand-year period, the third thousand years will come. The third day in 6:2 might signify the third period of a thousand years, that is, the millennium, the age of restoration, in the reality of Christ’s resurrection (Rev. 20:4, 6).
Hosea 6:11 is Jehovah’s promise to Judah. Jehovah promised that there will be a harvest appointed for Judah, when He will turn the captivity of His people. This means that in the restoration all the Israelites, including the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah, will be very rich in all kinds of produce from the earth. The earth was created by God to produce a rich harvest, but due to the fall of man, the earth was cursed to grow thorns and thistles, and man has had to labor by the sweat of his face (Gen. 3:17-19). In the restoration the earth will be restored to its original condition and will be rich, fertile, and productive. Thus, a harvest will be apportioned to Judah for their enjoyment.
Hosea 14:4-8 is a description, a picture, of Israel’s transformation in the restoration (2:15-23; 3:5; 6:1-3; 10:12). Jehovah will heal their apostasy, and He will love them freely, for His anger will turn away from them. He will be like the dew to Israel. Israel will bud like the lily, signifying a pure life trusting in God (Matt. 6:28), and will send forth his roots like the trees of Lebanon, signifying standing steadily in the uplifted humanity (cf. S. S. 3:9). His shoots will go forth, signifying flourishing and spreading; his splendor will be like that of the olive tree, signifying glory in fruitfulness; and his fragrance will be like that of the trees of Lebanon, signifying the sweet odor of a life in the uplifted humanity. Those who sit under his shade, signifying being overshadowed by the sufficient grace that they enjoy (2 Cor. 12:9), will return. They will revive like grain, signifying being full of life for producing satisfying food, and will bud like the vine, signifying blossoming for producing cheering drink. Israel’s renown will be like the wine of Lebanon, signifying a good name spreading like tasteful wine. Israel’s transformation as described in these verses is based on the factor of love in life.
At the beginning of Hosea, Israel is a harlot; however, at the end of this book, Israel has become a son of God. Eventually, Ephraim declares that he has no more idols. “Ephraim says, What have I yet to do with idols?” and God answers, “I respond and look on him. / I am like a green fir tree; / From Me your fruit is found” (14:8). Jehovah’s being like a green fir tree, symbolizing God’s being living and evergreen, and Ephraim’s bearing fruit from Him indicate Ephraim’s oneness with Jehovah. They also indicate that based on the factor of love in life, a wonderful transformation will take place. This is more than an organic union. It is the oneness of two in one life, one nature, and one living.
In the book of Joel God desires to bless His land (2:18-27). The holy land is a particular land; it is God’s land. God desires to bless His land with the rich produce of the land. God also desires to bless His land by the rains—the early rain and the late rain. Finally, God desires to bless His land by driving away from His people the enemies sent by Him as the swarming locust, the licking locust, the consuming locust, and the cutting locust, His great army.
Joel said that Jehovah is willing to save Israel by pouring out His Spirit as the early rain upon them (vv. 28-29). This prophecy was fulfilled as a foretaste on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4, 16-21), and it will be fulfilled as a full taste before the great tribulation for the salvation and regeneration of many of the returned Israelites. This outpouring is different from the outpouring of the Spirit on the last day of the tribulation (Zech. 12:10) for the salvation of the remnant of the Jews under Antichrist’s besieging.
The Spirit poured out on the day of Pentecost was the Spirit of God compounded with Christ’s humanity, death, resurrection, and ascension. This compound Spirit, who has been poured out, is the realization of Christ and the consummation of the Triune God. There will be a great outpouring of the Spirit as the consummated Triune God upon those Jews who call upon the name of Jehovah and who thus are regenerated and saved for the manifestation of Christ. At that time, God’s elect will be saved through their calling on the name of Jehovah (Joel 2:32). The equivalent of this in the New Testament is calling on the name of the Lord Jesus.
Finally, Joel spoke regarding Christ’s reign in Israel in the age of restoration (3:16-21). After the defeat of Antichrist, Christ will reign in Israel on the holy mountain of Zion within Jerusalem. As Christ reigns in Jerusalem, He will be a shelter and a stronghold to the children of Israel. Therefore, no one will be able to harm Israel anymore.
Verse 18 speaks of the rich situation in the restoration. The mountains will drop down fresh wine, and the hills will flow with milk. There will be no shortage of water, for all the waterways of Judah will flow with water. Wherever there is a waterway, there will be a river full of water. A fountain will go forth from the house of Jehovah, the temple, to water the entire Holy Land. This verse refers to the blessed situation of the land of Israel in the earthly part of the millennial kingdom.
Amos prophesied, “In that day I will raise up / The fallen tabernacle of David, / And I will wall up its breaches / And raise up its ruins / And build it up as it was in the days of old; / That they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations which are called by My name, declares Jehovah who does this” (9:11-12). This portion of Amos is quoted by James in Acts 15, when the apostles and the elders were gathered together to resolve the problem of circumcision (vv. 16-18).
The tabernacle of David is the kingdom and the royal family of David. In ancient times it was hard to separate the royal family from the kingdom. Actually, these two things are one. David’s kingdom was David’s royal family. That kingdom, that royal family, fell when Nebuchadnezzar captured the nation of Israel, devastated the land, burned the city, destroyed the temple, and carried off the king. However, in Amos God came in to promise that one day He would come back to restore the fallen kingdom of David. In that day the kingdom of David and the family of David will be restored, and all the nations will be called by the name of Jehovah.
This prophecy in Amos indicates that when Christ comes back, in His last appearing, He will be the real David to restore His kingdom and His royal family. That will be the millennial kingdom, in which all the nations will be called by the name of Jehovah; that is, all the nations will belong to God. Based on this prophecy, in Acts 15 James told the Jewish believers not to be bothered by Peter and Paul going to the Gentiles, because in the restoration all the Gentiles will belong to God, just like the Jews. This is a great item in Amos’s prophecy.
In Amos 9:14 the prophet said that Jehovah will turn the captivity of His people Israel. They will build the desolated cities and inhabit them. They will plant vineyards and drink the wine from them, and they will make gardens and eat the fruit from them. Eventually, Jehovah will plant the people of Israel upon their land, and they will not be plucked up again from their land, which He has given to them (v. 15).
The prophet Obadiah prophesied that the house of Jacob will possess Edom’s possessions: the mountain of Esau, the land of the Philistines, the field of Ephraim and the field of Samaria, Gilead, as far as Zarephath, and the cities of the south (vv. 17, 19-20). This indicates that during the restoration Israel will enlarge their territory—the kingdom of God on earth.
Saviors will come up on Mount Zion to judge the mountain of Esau, and the kingdom will be Jehovah’s (v. 21).
These two items were fulfilled at the time of the Maccabees, and they will be further fulfilled in glory at the time of the restoration for the kingdom of God (Matt. 19:28; Rev. 11:15). The Maccabees took Mount Zion as their ground to judge Edom and gained a victory over Antiochus Epiphanes in about 165 B.C. The victory of the Maccabees is a type of the victory that Israel will gain immediately before the age of restoration.
The prophet Micah spoke of Jehovah’s promise to gather all of Jacob and assemble the remnant of Israel (2:12). Jehovah declares, “I will gather her that limps, / And her that has been driven out I will collect, / As well as her that I have afflicted; / And I will make her that limps a remnant, / And her that has been cast far away a mighty nation” (4:6-7). Jehovah’s comfort to Israel also includes His deliverance of Israel (vv. 9-13). This means that God will meet Israel’s every need and solve every problem.
At the restoration of Israel in the millennium (Matt. 19:28; Rev. 20:4, 6; Isa. 2:2-5), people will no longer learn war (Micah 4:3). Rather, enjoying life without disturbance, “they will each sit underneath his vine / And underneath his fig tree, / And no one will disturb them” (v. 4). Every person will eat and drink for his enjoyment in peace.
The thousand years of the millennium will be a continual feast. In the Old Testament the children of Israel were charged not to work during the yearly feasts (Lev. 23:7-8, 35). To work during those feasts would have been an insult to God. The people were only to rest, eat, drink, and enjoy their life before God. Their eating and drinking were their worship to God. At the time of the restoration, the life of the Israelites will be such a restful living for worship.
Micah 5:2 is a prophecy concerning Christ. This verse says that His “goings forth are from ancient times, / From the days of eternity.” This means that in eternity, before the creation of the earth, Christ was preparing to come forth. From the ancient times, from the days of eternity, the Triune God was preparing to come forth out of eternity into time, to come with His divinity into humanity.
Christ’s going forth, His appearing, is a continuous matter. From the time of His incarnation, He has been coming forth, and His coming forth is still taking place today. Christ’s coming forth will be consummated when He throws Antichrist and the false prophet into the lake of fire (Rev. 19:19-20), Satan is cast into the abyss (20:2-3), and Christ sets up His throne to reign as King (Matt. 25:31, 34, 40). At that time His appearing will be complete.
While Christ is on the way, He is taking care of the scattered Jews. On the one hand, Israel is under God’s chastisement. On the other hand, Israel is also under God’s shepherding care. This shepherding is His preservation of Israel. In the restoration Christ will be the Ruler, Shepherd, and peace to His elect, Israel (Micah 5:2-5). As their Ruler, He keeps Israel; as their Shepherd, He nourishes and cherishes them; and as their peace, He controls their environment so that they may enjoy Him.
After Christ deals with all the enemies, the remnant of Jacob will be blessed by Jehovah, and they also will be victorious among the nations. Concerning this, Micah prophesied that in the restoration the remnant of Jacob will be in the midst of many peoples like dew from Jehovah, like abundant showers upon the herbage, like a lion among the beasts of the forest, and like a young lion among flocks of sheep. The small nation of Israel will be victorious among the nations, her hand will be raised up against her adversaries, and all her enemies will be cut off. Jehovah will clear up the armies, cities, strongholds, sorceries, idols, and idol worship from Israel. Furthermore, He will execute vengeance in anger and wrath upon the nations (vv. 7-15).
Zechariah 8 reveals Jehovah’s desire to restore Israel. He will return to Zion, and He will dwell within Jerusalem. Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of Jehovah of hosts, the Holy Mountain (v. 3). Old men and old women will dwell in Jerusalem with their staff in their hand due to the multitude of their days, and the streets of the city will be full of boys and girls playing (vv. 4-5). This indicates that the city will be peaceful and very pleasant. Men and women, young and old, will have the real enjoyment of life. The situation of Jerusalem in the restoration will be so pleasant that it will be wonderful both in the sight of the remnant of Israel and in the sight of Jehovah (v. 6). When the people see the pleasantness of Jerusalem, they may say, “This is wonderful!” and God will also say, “Yes, this is wonderful!”
Jehovah will save His people from the land of the east and from the land of the going down of the sun and bring them to Jerusalem so that they may dwell in it. They will be Jehovah’s people, and Jehovah will be their God in truth and in righteousness (vv. 7-8). The land of the east is Babylon and the land of the going down of the sun is Spain. At that time Spain was considered the uttermost part of the earth, the place of the sunset.
The vine will give forth its fruit, the land will give forth its produce, and the heavens will give their dew, that is, their rain. Jehovah will cause the remnant of Israel to inherit these blessings (v. 12). Because of these blessings, the entire country will be fruitful and productive for the enjoyment of the people. Once they were a curse among the nations, but Jehovah will save them, and they will be a blessing. Therefore, they should not fear; their hands should be strong. Just as Jehovah intended to do harm to them when their fathers provoked Him to anger, and He did not repent, so He intends in those days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah (vv. 13-15). God will be good to them in every way. Finally, “the fast of the fourth month and the fast of the fifth month and the fast of the seventh month and the fast of the tenth month will become joy and rejoicing and cheerful feasts to the house of Judah” (v. 19). Instead of fasts, there will be feasts full of good food for the enjoyment of the people of Israel. This is a promise related to Israel’s restoration.
The prophet Zechariah also prophesied that the nations will come to Israel to entreat the favor, the grace, of Jehovah, and the children of Israel will be priests to them (vv. 20-23). At that time, not just one country but peoples, even the inhabitants of many cities from different countries, will come to Israel. “The inhabitants of one will go to another, saying, Let us go at once to entreat the favor of Jehovah and to seek Jehovah of hosts; and the other: I will go too” (v. 21). Moreover, “indeed, many peoples and strong nations will come to seek Jehovah of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of Jehovah” (v. 22). This will be the situation in the millennium. Not only all the people of Israel, but also the Gentiles who are living with them will seek God.
“In those days, from all the languages of the nations, ten men will take hold, indeed, they will take hold of the skirt of a Jewish man, saying, Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you” (v. 23; cf. Isa. 2:2-3). This implies that God will reverse the situation of Babel and deal with the problem caused by the different languages among the nations. God did this once already, at Pentecost (Acts 2). What happened at Pentecost is a prefigure of what will take place during the age of the millennial kingdom.
The children of Israel will be priests to the nations (Isa. 2:3-4). In the millennial kingdom, after the Lord’s return and the salvation of the Jews, the entire nation of Israel will be a priesthood. They will teach the Gentiles, the nations, to know God’s way and God’s person, and they will teach them to worship and serve God. As priests, they will bring the nations into the presence of God that they may be enlightened, corrected, and favored with all the riches of God. This is the priesthood. According to Exodus 19:6, God’s intention was to have Israel as a nation of priests, and He has never forgotten this. God has been waiting for an opportune time to fulfill this, but He has not yet had the opportunity. In the time of the restoration, all the Israelites will be priests. They will be very busy as priests to the nations, teaching them how to worship and serve Jehovah. The nations were formerly idol worshippers or atheists, but they will turn to God, and God will turn to them to be their God. Therefore, they will need to learn how to worship and serve Jehovah.
Zechariah 9:10 says, “I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim / And the horse from Jerusalem, / And the battle bow will be cut off; / And He will speak peace unto the nations, / And His dominion will be from sea to sea / And from the River unto the ends of the earth.” This indicates that in the millennial kingdom, God will cause all warfare to cease. This is the result of Christ’s coming (v. 9). Christ’s coming issues in peace and restoration and brings in God’s dominion. In the restoration the first item is peace: “He will speak peace unto the nations.” The second item is dominion: “His dominion will be from sea to sea.”
When Christ came the first time, He was welcomed for only a short period and was ultimately rejected, detested to the uttermost, and put to death by being crucified. Because the children of Israel rejected Christ the King, the restoration was suspended, and the children of Israel entered into a time of judgment. This time of judgment has lasted nearly twenty centuries. Therefore, Christ needs to come a second time. However, this time He will not be riding a donkey; rather, He will come like lightning (Matt. 24:27). Then peace and the eternal kingdom, as God’s dominion, will be on the earth from sea to sea.
Zechariah 12:10 says, “I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and of supplications; and they will look upon Me, whom they have pierced.” In Acts 2 God poured out His Spirit upon all flesh (v. 17), and three thousand were saved. However, when God pours out the Spirit of grace upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, thousands of Israelites, even the entire race of Israel, will be saved.
The Spirit of grace in Zechariah 12:10 is a sweet term. It is in contrast to the Spirit of power in Acts 1:8 and 2:1-4. The Spirit of power is for strengthening, but the Spirit of grace is for bringing people into the enjoyment of the Triune God. In Acts 2, the beginning of the age of grace, the church age, the Spirit was mainly the Spirit of power. In Zechariah 12, at the ending, the consummation, of the age of grace, the Spirit will be mainly the Spirit of grace for the enjoyment of the Triune God.
At the time of the restoration, the Israelites will obtain the divine provision of a Redeemer with His redemption. God will provide the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem with an opened fountain, Christ’s pierced side, for sin and for impurity (John 19:34, 37). “In that day there will be an opened fountain for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for impurity” (Zech. 13:1).
In the millennium there will be no thirst, because living waters will go forth from Jerusalem, half of them toward the eastern sea, the Dead Sea, and half of them toward the western sea, the Mediterranean Sea (14:8). This is similar to what Ezekiel said concerning the living water flowing out of the temple of God (47:1-2). Furthermore, in the millennium Jehovah as Christ will be King over all the earth; He will be the one God and His name, the one name (Zech. 14:9). Jerusalem will be raised up and will dwell in her place (v. 10). People will dwell in Jerusalem, and there will be no more curse, for Jerusalem will dwell securely (v. 11). Instead of a curse, there will be blessing with security. Everyone left from all the nations that went forth against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship the King, Jehovah of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles (v. 16). Whoever will not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, Jehovah of hosts, will not have rain; instead, there will be the plague with which Jehovah strikes the nations. This will be their sin (vv. 17-19). Because the present age is the age of grace, God sends rain on the just and the unjust alike (Matt. 5:45). But the coming age will be the age of righteousness. Those who do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles will not receive rain. This is righteous.
In the millennium “on the horses’ bells will be, Holiness to Jehovah; and the pots in the house of Jehovah will be like the basins before the altar” (Zech. 14:20). Pots are small, and basins are large. However, in the millennium the pots in the house of God will be as large as the basins before the altar. “Indeed every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah will be holiness to Jehovah of hosts; and all those who sacrifice will come and take of them and boil in them; and there will never again be a Canaanite in the house of Jehovah of hosts in that day” (v. 21). In that day there will be no merchant in the house of God. This is Israel’s destiny in the millennium.
The prophet Malachi prophesied that Christ will come suddenly to His temple as the Angel of the covenant. He is the Lord whom the people of Israel seek and whom the people of Israel desire (Mal. 3:1; Hag. 2:7). He will execute upon Israel the covenant that He enacted through His death (Matt. 26:28). He came as an Angel to serve God in forming the new covenant. When He established His table on the night in which He was betrayed, He took up the cup and said, “This cup is the new covenant established in My blood” (Luke 22:20). Thus, He enacted the new covenant, in which God is obligated to dispense Himself into our being to be our life, our law of life, and our everything as our inward content. Although the Lord Jesus enacted the new covenant nearly two thousand years ago, most Israelites have not benefited from it. Instead, the benefit has gone to the Gentiles. However, when Christ comes back, He will come as the Angel of the covenant to execute His covenant over the repentant and believing Jews. At that time, they will become beneficiaries of the new covenant.
Christ will come also like a refiner’s fire and like fuller’s soap to refine and purify the sons of Levi, mainly the priests, so that they may offer to God the proper sacrifice (Mal. 3:2-4). In the millennium the repentant Jews who are regenerated through the new covenant will be the priests to care for all the nations. In order to care for the nations, they will need much refining and purifying. Therefore, in His second coming Christ will renew, sanctify, and transform Israel to be His refined and purified priests.
In Matthew 24 the Lord gave a clear revelation concerning the restoration of Israel. In verse 32 the Lord said, “Learn the parable from the fig tree: As soon as its branch has become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that the summer is near.” In verse 19 of chapter 21, during His last visit to Jerusalem, the Lord Jesus cursed a fig tree because He could not find any fruit on it. The fig tree is a symbol of the nation of Israel (Jer. 24:2, 5, 8). Since Israel was stubborn and rebellious and had no fruit that could satisfy God, she was rejected by Him. In A.D. 70 Titus, the Roman prince, brought a great army to destroy Jerusalem and the temple, as prophesied by the Lord when He said, “There shall by no means be left here a stone upon a stone, which shall not be thrown down” (Matt. 24:2). From the time that Jerusalem was destroyed, the children of Israel have been scattered among the nations. Not only did their nation fall, but even their homeland was lost.
The fig tree, signifying the nation of Israel, passed through a long winter after it was cursed. Winter signifies a time of being dried up, a time of tribulation. Then in 1948 the nation of Israel was restored. That was the branch of the fig tree becoming tender and putting forth its leaves (v. 32). To become tender signifies that life has come back; to put forth leaves signifies engaging in outward activities. Therefore, verse 33 continues, “So also you, when you see all these things, know that it [summer] is near, at the doors.” Summer signifies the restoration of the nation of Israel (Acts 1:6; Luke 21:30-31). When the nation of Israel becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, we know that the summer, the full restoration of the Messianic kingdom, is near.
Although Israel has been restored according to the prophecy of the Lord, the restoration of Israel is not yet in fullness. As far as population and geography are concerned, there has not been a full restoration of Israel. However, the restoration of the nation of Israel is becoming more and more full. At the time of the millennium, the restoration will reach its fullness.
In Romans 11:25 Paul says, “I do not want you, brothers, to be ignorant of this mystery (lest you be wise in yourselves), that hardness has come upon Israel in part, until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in.” The fullness of the Gentiles refers to the repentant and believing Gentiles. Now is the time for many Gentiles to repent. Hence, the fullness of the Gentiles has not yet been completed. It is continuing at the present time. When “the fullness of the Gentiles comes in,” according to Paul’s declaration in verse 26, “all Israel will be saved, as it is written, ‘The Deliverer will come out of Zion; He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob.’” At that time all the remaining Israelites will be saved. This is the restoration of Israel.
Hosea prophesied that in the restoration the number of the children of Israel will be like the sand of the sea, which is immeasurable and innumerable. They will not be merely the people of God but also the sons of God. Israel will return to Jehovah, and He will enliven them after two days. On the third day He will raise them up, and they will live in His presence. When Jehovah turns the captivity of His people, there will be a harvest appointed for Judah. Israel will have a wonderful transformation based on the factor of love in life. Joel prophesied that God desires to bless His land and is willing to save Israel. Jehovah will reign, and the land of Israel will be blessed. The mountains will drop down fresh wine, and the hills will flow with milk. A fountain will go forth from the house of Jehovah, the temple, to water the entire Holy Land. Amos prophesied that Jehovah will rebuild the fallen tabernacle of David, and all the nations will be called by the name of Jehovah. Jehovah will turn the captivity of the people of Israel and plant them upon their land, and they will not be plucked up again from their land, which He has given to them. Obadiah prophesied that the house of Jacob will possess Edom’s possessions. Saviors will come up on Mount Zion to judge the mountain of Esau, and the kingdom will be Jehovah’s. Micah prophesied that Jehovah will gather and deliver Israel so that when Israel is restored in the millennium, they will eat and drink for their enjoyment in peace. Christ will come as Israel’s Ruler, Shepherd, and peace. The remnant of Jacob will be blessed by Jehovah, and they will also be victorious among the nations. Zechariah prophesied that Jehovah desires to restore Israel. He will save His people from the land of the east and from the land of the going down of the sun and bring them to Jerusalem where they will dwell. The children of Israel will be priests to the nations and will teach the nations to worship and serve God. All the fighting of the Israelites will cease. Peace and the eternal kingdom, as God’s dominion, will be on the earth from sea to sea. Jehovah God will also pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and of supplications. He will provide the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem with an open fountain for sin and for impurity. Jerusalem will be blessed, and living waters will go forth from Jerusalem. Malachi prophesied that Christ, the Angel of the covenant, will execute upon Israel the covenant that He enacted through His death. At that time all the repentant and believing Jews will become beneficiaries of the new covenant. Christ will also renew, sanctify, and transform Israel to be His priests.
There are also prophecies concerning the restoration of Israel in the New Testament. The Lord prophesied in Matthew 24 that when the branch of the fig tree, which signifies the nation of Israel, becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, which happened when the nation of Israel was restored in 1948, we should know that the summer, the full restoration of the Messianic kingdom, is near. Paul says in Romans 11 that hardness has come upon Israel in part, until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in, after which all Israel will be saved.
