These 10 Bible prophecies were fulfilled after 1948,
when Israel became an independent country for the second time in
history. These prophecies foretold of modern Israel's stunning military
victories and of its transition from a desert wasteland to a prosperous
nation.
1. Israel will prevail over its enemies
Bible passage: Isaiah 41:12-14
Written: perhaps between 701-681 BC
Fulfilled: late 1900s
In Isaiah 41:12-14, the prophet said God would help Israel
during times of conflict with enemies (if the people have faith in
God). Isaiah said this during a time when the northern kingdom of Israel
had already been conquered by the Assyrian Empire. And the southern
kingdom, Judah, was about to be conquered by Babylon. (The Bible
explains that Israel and Judah lost their independence because so many
of the residents had turned to false religions). But, since 1948 when
Israel was re-established, Israel has been attacked by much-larger
countries. And Israel has prevailed in each of those attacks. This
prophecy has found partial fulfillment; Christian scholars believe that a
time will come when all of Israel's enemies are destroyed.
Here is Isaiah 41:12-14
Though you search for your enemies, you will not find
them. Those who wage war against you will be as nothing at all. For I am
the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you,
Do not fear; I will help you. Do not be afraid, O worm Jacob, O little
Israel, for I myself will help you," declares the Lord, your Redeemer,
the Holy One of Israel.
2. The ruins of Israel would be rebuilt
Bible passage: Amos 9:11, 13
Written: about 750 BC
Fulfilled: late 1900s
In Amos 9:11, 13, the prophet said that God would restore
the land of David. (King David ruled Israel from about 1010 BC to about
970 BC). The land of David - Israel - was conquered and destroyed by the
Babylonians, Assyrians and Romans. The land has been in ruins for much
of the past 2000 years. The Jews, who had been scattered throughout the
world, began to return in large numbers during the past 100 years. Since
then, they have been rebuilding many of Israel's ancient cities. Amos
also said there would be continuous planting and harvesting. During the
past 100 years, the Jews have been using advanced farming and irrigation
techniques to turn barren land into productive farmland. Today, Israel
is a source of food for many countries.
Here is Amos 9:11, 13
"In that day I will restore David's fallen tent. I will
repair its broken places, restore its ruins, and build it as it used to
be,'' … "The days are coming," declares the Lord, "when the reaper will
be overtaken by the plowman and the planter by the one treading grapes.
New wine will drip from the mountains and flow from all the hills."
3. Ezekiel prophesied prosperity for modern-day Israel
Bible passage: Ezekiel 36:11
Written: between 593-571 BC
Fulfilled: late 1900s
In Ezekiel 36:11, the prophet said that there would come a
time when Israel would be more prosperous than it was in the past. The
Bible describes Israel as being a prosperous nation during the time of
King David and King Solomon about 3000 years ago. But, Ezekiel knew a
very different Israel. In Ezekiel's day (he lived about 2600 years ago),
the northern kingdom of Israel already had been decimated by the
Assyrians, and the southern kingdom (called Judah) was being destroyed
by the Babylonians. In the centuries that followed these destructions,
Jews rebuilt the city of Jerusalem, but their homeland was destroyed
again, by the Romans, about 1900 years ago. Since then, a majority of
Jews have lived in exile. But during the past 100 years, millions of
Jews from around the world moved to Israel and they have been rebuilding
the country once again. Today, Israel again is an independent nation,
as it was in the days of King David, and it is one of the world's most
prosperous countries. In 1999, Israel had the highest per capita Gross
Domestic Product of any nearby country, even though the surrounding
countries have many oil resources.
Here is Ezekiel 36:11
I will increase the number of men and animals upon you,
and they will be fruitful and become numerous. I will settle people on
you as in the past and will make you prosper more than before. Then you
will know that I am the Lord.
4. Trees again would grow in Israel
Bible passage: Isaiah 41:18-20
Written: perhaps between 701-681 BC
Fulfilled: late 1900s
In Isaiah 41:18-20, the prophet's talk of a future
restoration of Israel coincides with an occurrence in modern Israel -
the construction of a vast irrigation system to improve farming. The
lack of available water, including rain, is one reason why Israel had
been a desolate, unproductive land during much of the past 2000 years.
But, during the 1900s, when many Jews returned to their ancient
homeland, they built a network of irrigation systems. And during the
past century, more than 200 million trees have been planted in Israel.
Here is Isaiah 41:18-20
I will make rivers flow on barren heights, and springs
within the valleys. I will turn the desert into pools of water, and the
parched ground into springs. I will put in the desert the cedar and the
acacia, the myrtle and the olive. I will set pines in the wasteland, the
fir and the cypress together, so that people may see and know, may
consider and understand, that the hand of the Lord has done this, that
the Holy One of Israel has created it.
5. Isaiah said Israel's fruit would fill the world
Bible passage: Isaiah 27:6
Written: perhaps between 701-681 BC
Fulfilled: late 1900s
In Isaiah 27:6, the prophet said Israel would one day
blossom and fill the world with fruit. This prophecy has been at least
partially fulfilled, literally and symbolically. Today, the land of
Israel, which had been barren for centuries, is a leading producer of
agricultural products, exporting food to many countries. This prophecy
also has been fulfilled symbolically with the worldwide spread of
Christianity. Christianity, which began with Jesus in Israel, now has
about 2 billion followers worldwide.
Here is Isaiah 27:6
In days to come Jacob will take root, Israel will bud and blossom and fill all the world with fruit.
6. Jerusalem would become the world's most important religious site
Bible passage: Micah 4:1
Written: sometime between 750-686 BC
Fulfilled: Today
In Micah 4:1, the prophet said that the Temple mount in
Jerusalem would become the focal point of the world. This prophecy has
not yet been fulfilled. But, it is interesting to note that Jerusalem
is, and has been for centuries, the world's most important religious
site. Christians and Jews regard the city as the world's most important,
and Christians and Jews comprise about one-third of the world's
population. No other city in the world is a religious focal point to as
many people.
Here is Micah 4:1
In the last days the mountain of the Lord's temple will
be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above
the hills, and peoples will stream to it.
7. Egypt would never again rule over other nations
Bible passage: Ezekiel 29:15
Written: between 593-571 BC
Fulfilled: 1967, etc.
In Ezekiel 29:15, the prophet says that Egypt would
recover from a desolation (perhaps Babylon's attack about 2600 years
ago), but that it would never again rule over other nations. Up until
the time of Ezekiel, Egypt had been a world power for centuries,
dominating many nations, including Israel. But for most of the past 2500
years, Egypt has been controlled by foreign powers, including the
Romans, Ottomans and Europeans. Today, Egypt is an independent nation
again. In 1948, 1967 and 1973, Egypt tried to dominate Israel but was
unsuccessful each time, despite the fact that Egypt is 10 times larger
than Israel. Since the time of Ezekiel, Egypt no longer rules over other
nations.
Here is Ezekiel 29:15
It will be the lowliest of kingdoms and will never
again exalt itself above the other nations. I will make it so weak that
it will never again rule over the nations.
8. Zechariah prophesied the Jews return to Jerusalem
Bible passage: Zechariah 8:7-8
Written: between 520 and 518 BC
Fulfilled: 1967, etc.
In Zechariah 8:7-8, the prophet said God would bring the
Jews back from the east and the west to their homeland (Israel) and that
they would be able to live in the city of Jerusalem again. This
prophecy has been fulfilled more than once. About 2600 years ago,
Babylon destroyed Jerusalem and took many Jews as captives to Babylon.
But many Jews later returned from Babylon. The Jews rebuilt Jerusalem
but the city was destroyed about 1900 years ago by the Romans. The
Romans killed more than 1 million Jews and forced many more into exile.
The Jews did not have control of Jerusalem again until 1967 when the
Jews recaptured the city during the Six Day War.
Here is Zechariah 8:7-8
This is what the Lord Almighty says: "I will save my
people from the countries of the east and the west. I will bring them
back to live in Jerusalem; they will be my people, and I will be
faithful and righteous to them as their God."
9. Israel's deserts will become like the Garden of Eden
Bible passage: Isaiah 51:3
Written: perhaps between 701-681 BC
Fulfilled: Being fulfilled now
In Isaiah 51:3, the prophet said that God will restore
Israel and make it a paradise, like the garden of Eden. This foreshadows
what is currently happening in Israel. The Jews have been irrigating,
cultivating and reconditioning the land during much of the 1900s. Many
of the country's swamps, which had been infested with malaria, have been
converted into farmland. And water from the Sea of Galilee has been
channeled through portions of the deserts, allowing some of the deserts
to bloom. Much work remains, but parts of Israel are blooming again.
Although it was described as a wasteland as recently as the late 1800s,
Israel is now a food source for many countries. And at least 200 million
of trees have been planted there during the past century.
Here is Isaiah 51:3
The Lord will surely comfort Zion and will look with
compassion on all her ruins; he will make her deserts like Eden, her
wastelands like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness will be found
in her, thanksgiving and the sound of singing.
10. Isaiah foretold of the worldwide return of Jews to Israel
Bible passage: Isaiah 43:5-6
Written: perhaps between 701-681 BC
Fulfilled: late 1900s
In Isaiah 43:5-6, the prophet Isaiah said that the Jews
would return to their homeland from the east, the west, the north and
the south. Isaiah lived about 2700 years ago. At that time, the
Assyrians had forced many Jews in the northern kingdom of Israel into
exile. Those Jews were taken to other areas in the Middle East. Then,
about 1900 years ago, the Romans destroyed the city of Jerusalem and
killed and exiled hundreds of thousands of Jews. Since then, the Jews
have been scattered to virtually every country in the world. But, during
the past century, millions of Jews have returned to Israel, from the
east, the west, the north and the south.
From the east: Many Jews living in the Middle East moved to Israel by the early 1900s.
From the west: During mid-1900s, hundreds of thousands of Jews living in the West (Europe and the United States) began moving to Israel.
From the north: The former Soviet Union (Russia) is
north of Israel. It refused to allow its Jewish residents to move to
Israel. But, after years of pressure from other countries, Russia
finally began to allow Jews to return to Israel during the 1980s. So
far, hundreds of thousands of Russian Jews have moved to Israel.
From the south: Ethiopia, which is south of Israel,
also refused to allow its Jews to return to Israel. But, in 1985,
Israel struck a deal with Ethiopia's communist government to allow the
Jews of Ethiopia to move to Israel. On the weekend of May 25, 1991,
14,500 Ethiopian Jews were airlifted to Israel.
Isaiah's prophecy was also correct in saying that the
north (Russia) and the south (Ethiopia) would have to be persuaded to
give up their Jews. Many countries pressured Russia for years before it
began to allow its Jews to leave. And Ethiopia had to be paid a ransom
to allow its Jews to leave.
Isaiah's prophecy was also correct in saying that the Jews
would return "from the ends of the earth," and Isaiah said that many
centuries before the Jews had been scattered to the ends of the earth.
During the past 100 years, Jews living as far east as China, as far west
as the West Coast of the United States, as far north as Scandinavia,
and as far south as South Africa, have moved to Israel.
Here is Isaiah 43:5-6
"Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring
your children from the east and gather you from the west. I will say to
the north, `Give them up!' and to the south, `Do not hold them back.'
Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth…
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