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This is a study that examines some of the major objections put forward by those who reject the traditional viewpoint of a Friday crucifixion and a Sunday resurrection – and we will explore their validity. A Refutation of Alternative Chronologies of the Passion Week | Let Us Reason Description Contents Download Today, there exists much confusion surrounding the dating and chronology of events taking place during the Passion Week of Christ. There are those who now are advocating for a Wednesday or a Thursday crucifixion and a Saturday resurrection. To the casual onlooker unschooled in the original languages, their points may initially appear to have some validity. But because this issue is so important – in that it affects so many other date-sensitive prophetic timelines in the Bible – it is imperative that we go into some further depth in order to examine these points. In this study, A Refutation Of Alternative Chronologies Of The Passion Week , we will touch on some of the major objections put forward by those who reject the traditional viewpoint of a Friday crucifixion and a Sunday resurrection – and we will explore their validity. Download this free study to learn more! Introduction The Traditional Christian View – Friday Crucifixion and Sunday Resurrection Introduction to the Alternative Chronologies Objection #1: “Scripture indicates there were two separate Sabbaths in between the time Jesus died and resurrected, making the crucifixion Wednesday or Thursday rather than Friday” Objection #2: “Certain passages of Scripture indicate that the resurrection took place on a Saturday rather than a Sunday” Objection #3: “The women bought spices after the Sabbath (Mark 16:1) and prepared spices before they rested on the Sabbath (Luke 23:55-56)” Objection #4: “A Friday crucifixion with a Sunday resurrection would violate the 'three days, three nights ‘sign of Jonah’ prophecy' in Matthew 12:40” Further Considerations Conclusion Appendix Bibliography Download ePub/iBook Format Download PDF Format Back to Home

Let Us Reason is a Christian ministry dedicated to the pursuit and discovery of truth. Our primary objective is to help viewers better understand Biblical truth by providing in-depth studies on topics that are frequently either ignored or overlooked in most churches. All of these resources are provided for free on this site. Feel free to download, distribute, and use them to further your investigation of truth. Daily Script ure/Devotional Weekly Torah P ortion (Parsha) Western Wall Live Video Feed Learn More A Deeper Study of Biblical Truth Let Us Reason is a Christian ministry dedicated to the pursuit and discovery of truth. Our primary objective is to help viewers better understand Biblical truth by providing in-depth studies on topics that are frequently either ignored or overlooked in most churches. All of these studies are provided for free on this site. Feel free to download, distribute, and use them to further your investigation of truth. "Come now and let us reason together, saith the Lord..." -Isaiah 1:18 We believe that most churches today are failing to truly educate Christians on many topics that enrich and inform one's understanding of the Word of God. And we want to help fill that gap. This ministry offers free biblical teaching in three main formats: in-depth studies, videos, and articles. Feel free to take advantage of these free resources! Studies Videos Articles Contact us First name* Last name Email* Write a message Submit Contact Subscribe for Email Notifications Enter your email here Sign Up Thanks for submitting! About Us Truth Bible Study Prophecy Apologetics Michael Filipek is a Bible researcher, teacher, author, and the founder of LetUsReason, a teaching ministry focused on providing in-depth studies on the topics of truth, Bible study, prophecy, and apologetics. Michael received his Bachelor of Science from Seton Hall University in northern New Jersey, where he was born and raised. Our goal is to provide current believers with the tools and information to have a more "perfect" understanding of God's Word, as He intended it to be understood - not necessarily how religious traditions and institutions have interpreted it. Additionally, it is also our goal to educate non-believers and complete skeptics on the genuine truth of the Bible and its teachings and concepts. Many Christians today have unknowingly become the spiritual victims of erroneous doctrines that have evolved through man-made religious institutions. Although the Reformation was an important time in Christian history, the reality is that the Reformers didn't go as far as they needed to in their attempt to return to the original patterns and teachings of the Apostles. Many errors remain mainstream, including - but not limited to - hermeneutics (methods of Biblical interpretation) and eschatology (the study of end-times prophecy). Our hope and mission is to provide the content and the study tools for you to investigate these things for yourself and arrive at your own conclusions based on the evidence - not the traditions of men. We hope that you enjoy exploring the resources provided on this site! Please consider subscribing to our mailing list as well as our YouTube channel to keep up with new content! A First-of-its-Kind Study! Learn about an overlooked biblical paradigm that helps clarify and harmonize the end-time scriptural passages that have perplexed both scholars and novice Bible readers for generations! Get It Now The Daniel 9:25 Prophecy The Isaiah 53 Prophecy How Sure Can We Be That Jesus Was The Messiah Of Israel The Daniel 9:25 Prophecy 1/12 Popular Studies Deep Calleth Unto Deep Are you ready to go beyond surface-level topics and a superficial understanding of the Bible? Our free in-depth studies are designed to be resources that bring a knowledge of God's Word that unfortunately, most churches fail to even attempt. Learn More “The Missing Key” – A Biblical Paradigm That Enables a Consistent Interpretation of Eschatology End Times Michael Filipek Dec 24, 2024 The Double Sense of the Future Day of the Lord Prophecy Michael Filipek Mar 27, 2024 The Two-Fold Nature of the Future Day of the Lord Prophecy Michael Filipek Mar 8, 2024 What Is the Day of the Lord?
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This is a study that examines the prophetic typology behind the eight levitical feasts that Israel was instructed to observe. We will discover how they act as prophetic "dress-rehearsals" for future divine appointments on God's calendar for mankind. Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Pentecost, Trumpets, Atonement, Tabernacles, 8th Day Typology of the Moedim | Let Us Reason Description Contents Download In this study, Typology Of The Moedim: The Levitical Feasts As Prophetic Macrocodes , we examine the eight feasts that the Israelites were commanded by God to celebrate during the Hebrew religious calendar year. The institution of these feasts by God provides incredible meaning and relevance to modern observers in light of the events of the New Testament, which occurred over a thousand years later. We will thoroughly investigate the typological themes and details of each feast, recognizing how they strategically profiled future prophetic events. find that the typology of these feasts demonstrates a profound verification of the integration and prophetic nature of the Bible – evidence pointing to its authorship as being from outside time. How do the Hebrew words moedim and miqra - which the Bible uses to refer to the Jewish feasts - reveal the mystery of how we should view them? What do these words mean? In what way do these feasts picture future events on God's calendar for mankind? Were the spring and summer feasts fulfilled? If so, how precisely? What do the fall or autumn feasts tell us about God's future plans? And what can they teach us about eschatology, or the study of the end-times? How do the feasts uniquely reveal God's Word as being one integrated message system given to us from outside of time? Download this free study and find out for yourself! Introduction Overview of the Moedim The Feast of Passover (Erev Pesach) The Feast of Unleavened Bread (Hag ha-Matzah) The Feast of First Fruits (Hag ha-Bikkurim) The Feast of Weeks (Hag ha-Shavuot, Pentecost) The Summer Months The Feast of Trumpets (Yom Teruah) The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) The Feast of Tabernacles (Hag ha-Sukkot) The Eighth Day (Shemini Atzeret) Conclusion Bibliography Download ePub/iBook Format Download PDF Format Back to Home

(From the study "Understanding The Distinction Between Israel And The Church" ) In previous articles on the Rapture , we have defined the Rapture, alluded to the different views regarding the Rapture’s timing, and discussed the Rapture’s imminence. In all of these articles, we've advocated that scripture describes the timing of the Rapture as pretribulational (meaning it takes place prior to the Tribulation, or the final seven years that are characterized by God’s eschatological wrath). In this article, we will seek to go deeper into the numerous Biblical reasons that suggest the certainty of this doctrine. We believe that there is more than enough evidence in scripture to form a strong opinion on this issue and to rest in complete assurance that this is a Biblical truth. We will offer seven convincing proofs of the pre-tribulational timing of the Rapture. 1 – The Mutual Exclusivity of Israel and the Church When a literal or plain interpretation of scripture is consistently applied, a downstream result is the understanding that national Israel and the Church are distinct entities in God’s prophetic program. We can also then understand that God deals with them mutually exclusively. Our outline for this perspective is given in Daniel 9. This chapter records how in the mid-500s BC, the prophet Daniel was given the seventy-weeks prophecy, which declared seventy weeks or heptads of years that would take place for national Israel and Jerusalem. It is critical that we recognize that according the text, these seventy weeks are specifically designated for the Jews and Jerusalem – not the Gentiles or the Church (Verse 24 – “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city ”). These seventy weeks amount to a total of 490 years (70 x 7). This acts as the framework for all future Bible prophecy. A beginning point and ending point are provided for marking the first through the sixty-ninth weeks of years. The sixty-ninth week of years ended with the Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem in 33 AD, just days prior to His crucifixion. According to the prophecy, it is clear that this prophetic time-clock for national Israel stopped with the completion of the sixty-ninth week, leaving one future week – the seventieth week – to still be completed. But after the sixty-ninth week, something “unexpected” happened. After Israel killed her Messiah, rejecting His offer of the Messianic Kingdom (which had been promised and prophesied of throughout the Old Testament), this prophetic seventy-week program of God for Israel was paused, and God instead introduced an interim program called the Church, as the Spirit was poured out on the Day of Pentecost of that same year – 33 AD (Acts 2). Subsequently, the gospel was to be spread to all nations, as God’s focus temporarily shifted from that of national Israel to His new work called the Church, which focused on all nations. And so, at the Triumphal Entry, the time-clock for Israel’s seventy-week countdown was paused and a gap period we call the Church Age was inserted. In 70 AD, the final harbinger of this shift took place as Jerusalem was destroyed and the Jews were eventually scattered to the uttermost parts of the earth in what is termed the Diaspora. The Church Age has been in effect since 33 AD, and will last until the closing event of this age – the Rapture, or supernatural catching away of the Church to heaven described in scripture (Romans 11:25; I Thessalonians 4:14-18; et al.). We understand that God’s time clock for the Church will stop with the Rapture, and either immediately or soon after, His time clock for national Israel will again begin, as there remains one final week of years – the seventieth week – to be completed. During this time, Israel will once again become the primary focus of God’s plan during this final seven-year “week” of time often called the Tribulation, or Daniel’s seventieth week. This final week for Israel, the Tribulation (Revelation 6-19), will be a time of great trouble for the world as God’s wrath is poured out – but will be especially focused upon Israel, especially the second half of this seven-year period. One primary purpose of the Tribulation is to drive the nation of Israel to repentance through great affliction. Sometimes God has to knock us down in order to get us to look up at Him – and that’s what’s happening to Israel during the Tribulation. Through this experience of unimaginable distress, Israel will finally be brought to faith (Zechariah 12:10; Romans 11:25). When Christ does return to the earth at the end of the Tribulation, Israel will be ready to receive Him as their Messiah. This now-righteous remnant of Israel will be rescued from the nations that have gathered to destroy her, and Christ will set up His Millennial or Messianic Kingdom on earth (Zechariah 12:2-3; Chapter 14). How does all of this inform our perspectives of the timing of the Rapture? We see that when the first sixty-nine weeks for Israel were active, the Church was not on the scene. But the same year the sixty-nine weeks ended – 33 AD – the Church then began almost immediately after on Pentecost. Israel’s clock stopped and the Church’s clock began. The Church was God’s interim program that He inaugurated after national Israel rejected her Messiah. This is the time we are living in presently – which we call the Church Age. Again, the Rapture of the Church will be the event that stops the Church’s clock - permanently. But as we’ve discussed here, when the seventieth week begins, Israel’s clock will resume until its completion at the Second Coming – which will take place at the end of the seventieth week. So, the first sixty-nine weeks and the seventieth week (in other words, all seventy weeks ) are designated specifically for Israel, and have nothing at all to do with the Church. In fact, the Church and the seventieth week are completely incompatible. They are mutually exclusive according to this prophetic calendar. This itself is one of the reasons that necessitate the pretribulational removal of the Church from earth in order for God to begin Israel’s final week. God will not reinitiate His program for Israel until His program for the Church has been concluded (at the pretribulational Rapture). No other Rapture view makes a clear distinction between Israel and the Church. 2 – The Church is Exempt From Eschatological Wrath The Tribulation is the culminating subset within the judgment phase of the broad Day of the Lord. The idea of this whole period being the wrath of God is shown most plainly in Revelation 6, as the Sixth Seal opens and even the wicked earth dwellers finally recognize that they’ve been experiencing God’s wrath. The people of earth cry out in fear. And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand? -Revelation 6:16-17 The wrath (the judgment phase of the broad Day of the Lord – which includes the Tribulation) didn’t just begin with the opening of the Sixth Seal - it began with the opening of the First Seal. Why? Because Jesus is the one in heaven opening the seals and releasing these wrathful judgments (Revelation 6 and following)! They are all part of the “wrath of the Lamb.” But here is what we’re really getting at: the Bible clearly teaches that believers escape before the time of God’s wrath. They don’t experience any of the judgments of this period. In other words, the Church is caught up in the Rapture prior to any of the judgments of God’s wrath that get poured out upon the earth. Consider the following points. In 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10, Paul tells the Church that Jesus delivered us from the wrath to come. And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come. -1 Thessalonians 1:9-10 Notice that this says Jesus deliver ed us (past tense) from the wrath to come (future tense). When we were saved and we entered into the body of Christ or the Church, that salvation brought with it an exemption from the coming time of wrath. It doesn’t say God will bring us through the wrath in the future – it says He has already saved us from it altogether. Then, in 1 Thessalonians 5:9, Paul says: For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, -1 Thessalonians 5:9 So, we again find it clearly taught that we are not appointed to wrath. The Tribulation is the culmination of God’s time of wrath for those that dwell on the earth (as we will see even more clearly in the following passage). If we are not appointed to wrath, then our being on earth during the coming time of wrath is irreconcilable. And most convincing yet, in Revelation 3:10, the Lord Himself promised to keep us from the time of the Tribulation altogether. Jesus, speaking to the Church at Philadelphia says: Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth. -Revelation 3:10 There’s simply no way to interpret this to mean God will preserve us through the Tribulation. It specifically says God will keep us from even the time of the Tribulation. We won’t be here to experience it. Notice also that it says the hour of trial is coming on the whole world and will affect all those who dwell on the earth. The only way then for the Church to be untouched by this hour of trial is for them to be removed from the earth prior to it. Of course, the Church – like anyone else – will endure normal tribulations of life (lowercase “t”), but the Church is exempt from the Tribulation (uppercase “T”) – and the entire judgment phase of the broad Day. We will experience none of it. 3 – The Rapture is a Comfort In 1 Thessalonians 4:18, after giving us the promise of the Rapture in the previous several verses, Paul then follows this up by saying: Wherefore comfort one another with these words. -1 Thessalonians 4:18 We find that the Rapture is intended to be a comfort to us. Only a pre-tribulational Rapture is truly a comfort, since it is the only view that includes a rescue of the Church out of this world prior to the outpouring of God’s wrath during the broad Day of the Lord. This will be a time of unparalleled distress on earth. If the Rapture doesn’t take place until sometime during this period of Tribulation, or especially until the end of the Tribulation, how could it provide us with any comfort? It would be like saying, “Be comforted that those of you who endure through the worst distress in all of earth’s history, who do not get decapitated by the Antichrist, will get raptured at the end of it.” Obviously, that’s not a comforting promise at all - nor does it make any sense. And so, this description of the Rapture as a comfort supports the earlier passages that detail our exemption from this coming time of wrath altogether – all requiring a pretribulational Rapture. When we study the Tribulation in the broad Day of the Lord, we can all be comforted by the teaching that we will be rescued prior to it. We will experience none of its judgments. All other Rapture views require Christians to participate in at least part of this time period. 4 – The Church is Not Mentioned in Revelation Chapters 5-19 The Church is conspicuously absent from the portion of the book of Revelation that discusses the eschatological judgments taking place on the earth during the broad Day of the Lord (Chapters 5-19). However, before this, the word “Church” is prominently mentioned (twenty-two times in Chapters 1-3). It’s not mentioned again (in the context of being on earth during God’s wrath) for the remainder of the book. Revelation 1 provides for us an outline of the book as a whole. John is told to: Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter; -Revelation 1:19 This allows us to recognize the three divisions of the book. It is divided into the “things which thou hast seen,” the “things which are,” and the “things which shall be hereafter.” David Hocking writes: In Revelation 1:19 we have an outline of the book given to us: "Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter." This threefold outline includes the vision of our resurrected Lord in chapter 1 as "the things which thou hast seen"; the messages to the seven churches in chapters 2 and 3 as "the things which are" (meaning – existing in John’s day); and from chapter 4, verse 1, to the end of the book – "the things which shall be hereafter." The word "hereafter" (Greek: meta tauta) or "after these things" (following the "things which thou hast seen" and the "things which are") is an important clue to the order of things in this book. We read in Revelation 4:1: "After this" (Greek: meta tauta) and at the end of the verse the word "hereafter" (Greek: meta tauta). It would appear, therefore, that the third part of the outline of the Book of Revelation begins with Revelation 4:1 and continues to the end of the book. These events follow the "things which are" or the messages to the seven churches existing in John’s day. [1] Revelation 4:1, where the apostle John is “caught up” to heaven at the sound of a trumpet, seems to be a type or shadow of the Rapture. John, as a representative of the Church at large, was brought up into heaven to see what would take place meta tauta , or “after these things.” After what things? After the “things which are,” or the Church Age. In other words, he’s shown what takes place after the Rapture. What happens after this in Revelation is the beginning of the broad Day of the Lord, and that’s what John records. From heaven, John and the elders are able to witness the judgments of this period occurring “below” on earth. Chapters 6-19 describe the judgments of the Day of the Lord, and the Church is completely absent of mention. Further, the Twenty-Four Elders, which many Biblical scholars conclude can only be a picture of the glorified Church, is already in heaven in Chapter 4 before the seven-sealed scroll is opened, producing the Day of the Lord judgments that begin on earth. [2] So, we continue to find that the concept of the Church on earth is incompatible with the broad Day of the Lord and Tribulation period. Some have mistakenly concluded that the various mentions of “Tribulation saints” in these chapters of Revelation are equivalent to the Church. This is not the case. There will be saints present during the Tribulation in the same way that there were Old Testament saints present before the Church existed. This does not refer in any way to the Church. Again, the Church is nowhere mentioned by name after Chapter 3, yet is mentioned many times by name in the first three chapters. One point that helps clarify this distinction is that Jesus told us the gates of hell would not prevail over the Church (Matthew 16:16-17). Yet, in the Tribulation, Satan’s man of the hour – the Antichrist – is said to prevail over the saints on the earth at that time and conquer them (Daniel 7:21; Revelation 13:7). Clearly, either the Bible is contradictory or the believers being discussed in these two passages are different. There will be many who come to faith in Jesus during the Tribulation, but they should not be confused with the Church, and Revelation never refers to them as the Church. The explicit mentions of the Church abruptly stop at Chapter 3. 5 – The Imminence of the Rapture The Rapture is continuously described in the Bible as an imminent event – meaning it can occur at any moment, with no preconditions. There are no signs or warnings – it takes place suddenly. This logically requires that nothing has to happen before the Rapture can take place. If there were necessary preconditions or events, it couldn’t be truly imminent. This is why scripture constantly tells us to wait and watch for the Rapture, and gives us the impression that it can happen at any moment. It is always to be seen as the “next event” on the prophetic horizon concerning God’s end-times program. Renald Showers gives an excellent overview of the English term “imminence.” The English word "imminent" comes from the Latin verb "immineo, imminere," which means to "overhand" or "project." In light of this, the English word "imminent" means "hanging over one’s head, ready to befall or overtake one; close at hand in its incidence." Thus, an imminent event is one that is always hanging overhead, and is constantly ready to befall or overtake a person. Other things may happen before the imminent event, but nothing must take place before it happens. If something else must take place before an event can happen, that event is not imminent. The necessity of something else taking place first destroys the concept of imminency. [3] This characteristic of imminency demands that the Rapture take place prior to the broad Day of the Lord (which the Tribulation is a subset of). If on the other hand, the Rapture couldn’t occur until the middle or end of the Tribulation, then that would contradict this characteristic of imminence since other predicted events must take place first. Wayne A. Brindle writes: The term "imminence" (or imminency) as applied to the Rapture of the Church means that Christ may return at any moment for His Church, and no biblically predicted event must necessarily precede it. Those who believe that Christ will return for His Church before the Tribulation normally hold that the Rapture is imminent – that it may occur at any time and that it is the next predicted event in God’s prophetic timetable. [4] Just a few of the many “imminency passages” in the New Testament include the following. The Bible says that Jesus’ return is at hand , and we are to wait eagerly for it (Romans 8:19-25; 1 Corinthians 1:7; Philippians 4:5; Jude 21). “At hand” conveys the idea of imminence. If other events (such as the Tribulation and the arrival of the Antichrist) had to occur first before the Rapture could take place, then imminence language such as “at hand” could not be used to describe it. James encourages us to “be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near ” (James 5:8). Revelation 1:3 and 22:10 also say that “the time is near.” Again, “near” is another example of imminence language. If the Rapture could not take place until the end of the Tribulation, for example, then it could not be described as being “near,” or able to befall at any moment. Other prophetic events would have to precede it chronologically. Much more can be said on this issue of imminence, which is taught all throughout the New Testament. (We addressed this subject of imminence more deeply in our previous article .) The pretribulational Rapture is the only view that allows for the Rapture to be imminent in its timing. All the other views require a number of prophetic events to take place first before the Rapture can occur. To be looking for the imminent return of Christ on an “any day” basis (as the New Testament teaches), you have to believe in a pretribulational Rapture. Think about that for a moment. No other Rapture view believes that Jesus can come back today. 6 – The Many Scriptural Differences Between the Rapture and the Second Coming Many unreconcilable distinctions exist between the Bible’s description of the Rapture and its description of the Second Coming at the end of the Tribulation. These distinctions indicate that the two are different events happening at different times, which would specifically contradict the idea of a posttribulational Rapture. The central passages dealing with the Rapture are John 14:1-3, 1 Corinthians 15:51-58, and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. The central passages dealing with the Second Coming to earth are Zechariah 14:1-21, Matthew 24:29-31, Mark 13:24-27, Luke 21:25-27, and Revelation 19. A careful examination of these texts will show that there is enough reason to conclude that the Rapture and the Second Coming to earth are not the same event. Let’s examine a brief list of some of the major points of contrast. Meeting Christ in the air versus returning with Christ The Rapture verses say that when Jesus comes, He comes in the air. Believers are caught up from the ground into the air to be with Christ, and are taken to the Father’s house in heaven. But in the Second Coming verses, the opposite order occurs, with Jesus coming down to the earth while bringing His saints with Him, and His feet will touch down on the Mount of Olives. Furthermore, let’s look at the location of believers during these events. In the Rapture verses, the believers are brought up from the earth to heaven to be with Jesus. But in the Second Coming verses, when Jesus comes back to earth from heaven with the believers with him, there are believers (Tribulation saints) still on the earth. If the Rapture and the Second Coming are the same event, then if Jesus brought all the believers up at the Rapture, how could there be believers still on the Earth at the Second Coming? A significant time lapse would’ve had to occur between the Rapture and Second Coming for so many people to come to belief in Jesus as Savior. So, again, these contradictory descriptions force us to understand these to be two separate and distinct events. A mystery event versus an event known and expected throughout Old Testament Prophecy In the Rapture verses, the catching away or gathering of the saints to Christ is described as a mystery that Paul was revealing. In John 14:1-3 of the “Upper Room Discourse” and even in a vaguer sense in the latter half of His "Olivet Discourse" (Matthew 24:36-24:13; Mark 13:32-37; Luke 21:34-36 – see more on this ), Jesus had introduced the basic concept of the Rapture in “seed form.” He expressed it as an imminent rescue of the righteous, who would be brought to the Father’s house in heaven immediately prior to a time of imminent distress that would begin upon the wicked who are left. But it was Paul who later expounded upon this promise, revealing it as a doctrine that we can now more fully understand. Paul described the full unveiling of this Rapture doctrine as a “mystery” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52). A mystery in the Greek Biblical sense means a concept that was previously unknown, but now revealed (Strong’s # G3466 – mustérion ). [5] Post-tribulationists suggest that Jesus's description of a future “gathering of His elect” at His Second Coming (in Matthew 24:29-31 and parallel passages) refers to the Rapture. Many people confuse this gathering of the elect with the Rapture, as the language sounds in some ways a bit similar. But if Paul, who wrote much later on, was the first to reveal in detail this mystery doctrine of the gathering of the Church at the Rapture, then the gathering described by Jesus at the Second Coming (Matthew 24:29-31, et al.) would seem to be referring to something else. Paul couldn’t have revealed it as a mystery if it was already described in detail by Jesus long before. While Jesus did plant the doctrinal seeds of the Rapture, He did not expand on the details. And of course it wasn't a doctrine taught to the Old Testament audience. Meanwhile, it turns out that this "gathering of the elect" described by Christ in Matthew 24:29-31 is a very familiar prophetic event to anyone who knows their Old Testament. It refers to the re-gathering of Israel in faith in preparation for Millennial blessings after the ending of the Tribulation (cf. Isaiah 27:12-13; 43:5-7; et al.). This concept is extensively taught all throughout the Old Testament ( see more on this ). And so, the mystery nature of the Rapture of the Church contradicts the well-known nature of the prophetic gathering of Israel at the Second Coming, helping us recognize their distinction as separate events. These are just a few of the many Biblical differentiators between the Rapture and the Second Coming, helping us recognize that they are two different events happening at two different times. 7 – Confirmation in Typology While we do not use Biblical typology to determine doctrine, it can be a powerful voice of confirmation when it aligns with and supports a clear Biblical teaching. This is certainly the case concerning the prominence of pre-tribulational Rapture typology in scripture. One of the most powerful examples is found in the ancient Hebrew wedding, whose rituals God instituted . All throughout the Gospels, Jesus relied on the ancient Jewish wedding pattern for many of His parables, climaxing in His "Bridegroom's promise" in the Upper Room in John 14 (as reviewed in our previous four-part article series on this topic ). We will provide a brief synopsis of the relevant points that align solely with a pre-tribulational Rapture timing. First, when the prospective bridegroom was of age, he would begin the process of finding a bride. Once he found a young woman of interest, the young man would leave his home and travel to the home of the prospective bride’s father. There, he would work on the details of the proposal and agreement. When the agreement was reached, and the father consented, the prospective bride would be offered a cup of wine by the prospective bridegroom. If she drank from the cup, she was accepting his marriage proposal. If she refused it, she was refusing him. After drinking from the cup, a legal contract between the two would be in place (the ketubah ). At this time, they were called husband and wife, although it was only yet the betrothal period and the actual wedding ceremony and consummation had not yet taken place. Their official status was “betrothed,” and not yet fully married. After this was done, the bridegroom made the statement to his bride-to-be that he would leave her to go back to his father’s house and prepare a place for her. This addition onto the father’s house was referred to as the cheder , meaning the bridechamber, but could also be called the chuppah , a bridal canopy. His promise was that he would one day return to receive her. During this period of betrothal, the bride was considered sanctified, consecrated, and set apart for her future husband, as she had been bought with a great price. This price to the Jews did not signify that the bride was purchased as an item like a piece of furniture or a servant, but rather that by the exchanging of something of value, a change of status was conferred upon her. In other words, she goes from single to betrothed-to-be-married. During this time of betrothal separation, which typically lasted about one to two years, the bride spent her time preparing for her wedding and awaiting her bridegroom’s promised imminent return. She would faithfully keep watch, lest he returned while she was unaware and unready. Meanwhile, the bridegroom returned to his father’s house and began construction of the bridechamber, which was typically a room added onto his father’s house. The construction is examined and approved only by the father. When the father was satisfied with the construction, he would give his son permission to go and receive his bride. When it was time for the bridegroom to go and receive his bride, there was great celebration and rejoicing. The groom would select several of his trusted friends to act as the “friends of the bridegroom,” or what we today would call the “best man.” They would act as the witnesses required for the marriage to be legal. The bridegroom and his friends would form a wedding party to travel to the home of the bride, along with virgin bridesmaids that would run ahead. In the form of a torchlit procession, typically at night, they would approach the home of the bride. Although the bride was expecting her groom to come for her, she did not know the exact time of his coming. To maintain her readiness, she may keep an oil lamp lit throughout the night. As the procession approached the home of the bride, at a distance, a shofar (a ram's horn trumpet) would be blown, and there would be shouts to alert the bride that “the bridegroom cometh!” She would be prepared and ready, and would use these last moments to gather her belongings and be ready to immediately leave with her bridegroom. The arrival of the groom at the bride’s house signaled his intention of “taking her to wife.” This act of “taking” or in a sense romantically abducting the bride was referred to as nesuin , which literally means “taking.” She would be lifted up, placed onto a bridal litter, and carried off to the bridegroom’s fathers house with great joy and celebration. Once back at the father’s house, the ceremony was performed. Many guests would be assembled for the week-long wedding celebration. On this day, the bridegroom and the bride would be treated like a king and queen at their coronation. Every expense was taken to ensure their joy. Following the ceremony, the bridegroom and his bride would retire in seclusion to the bridechamber, where they would consummate the marriage through sexual intimacy. When the marriage was consummated, the friend of the bridegroom would joyfully deliver the news to the guests outside, and the week-long wedding celebration would begin. The new couple would emerge at the end of the seven-day celebration feast and the bride would be unveiled for all to see, as she is introduced to the community. Throughout the scriptures, the terminology and themes of the ancient Jewish wedding ritual are consistently applied to the relationship between the Messiah and His bride the Church. We can say that the ancient Hebrew wedding is a type of the ultimate wedding – the one between Jesus Christ and the Church. Let’s explore these similarities in parallel to what we just went through. Jesus, like the prospective bridegroom, left His Father’s house (in heaven) and travelled to the home of His prospective bride (He came to earth in the form of a man – the Incarnation). And just like the bride did not initially choose the groom, we did not choose Christ (John 15:16). At the Last Supper meal, Jesus presented a cup of wine, and assuming the position of a Bridegroom, He told His bride-to-be that by the drinking of the cup, she is agreeing to His marriage proposal (1 Corinthians 11:25-26). He established this tradition of the Lord’s Supper to commemorate and celebrate the marriage covenant. And just as the earthly bridegroom would leave after the bride’s agreement, in order to go prepare a place for her, and then later return, our heavenly Bridegroom instructed us to do this in remembrance of Him until He returns for us. Then, Jesus, before His crucifixion, made the promise of a bridegroom to His disciples who would soon become the foundation of His future Church. He had been warning the disciples of His coming departure and death, and gave them a comforting promise. Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. -John 14:1-3 This was Jesus’ first explicit promise of what the disciples would later learn to recognize as the Rapture , or the nesuin – the romantic abduction or snatching away of the bride – and He presented it using the phraseology of a Bridegroom. The word “mansion” here in Greek refers to a lodging, a dwelling-place, or a room, as in the room that would be added onto the father’s house. When asked about the timing of His return, like any Jewish bridegroom, Jesus said: But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. -Matthew 24:36 In other words, like the bridegroom, Jesus promised to go back to His Father's house, prepare a bride-chamber, and then return at an unknown time to receive His bride. She must be ready on an ongoing basis, as His return remains imminent. Like the Hebrew brides who would await their bridegrooms during the betrothal period (typically one to two years), the Church has been eagerly awaiting the return of her Bridegroom for about two thousand years. Just as the bridegroom would come for the bride at any time, often at night, and with a shout and sound of a trumpet, in like manner, the Lord will return as a Bridegroom for the Church. Jesus’s parable in Matthew 25 emphasizes the practice of the Hebrew bridegrooms often approaching at night, with a cry or a shout alerting the bride of His arrival. And at midnight there was a cry [or a shout] made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. -Matthew 25:6 Many of these same idioms are included by Paul in his description of the Rapture in the following passage. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. -1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 Like the ancient Hebrew brides who would remain hidden away in the bride-chamber for the marriage week, scripture describes a bridal week for the Church in which we will be in the wedding chamber with our Bridegroom, Christ. As we described earlier, there remains a final seven-year period of time (the Tribulation) that is connected with the Jewish people specifically (Daniel 9). As we know, the doctrine of the pre-tribulational Rapture advocates that the catching away of the Church will happen prior to this seven-year period. So, according to that pattern, while the Jewish people’s final “week” is taking place on earth, we (Jesus and His bride, the Church), will celebrate our marriage “week” in our heavenly chuppah (or cheder ), hidden away from view! Of course, only a pretribulational Rapture would align with this pattern! Though the Church was unknown to the Old Testament audience, we find some interesting prophetic allusions that may refer to the heavenly chuppah or cheder . The theme of the Lord returning in power and glory to visit judgment on the earth is spoken of in Joel 2, referring prophetically to the “Day of the Lord.” It then speaks of a bridegroom coming out of his chamber and a bride from her chuppah . And the Lord shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the Lord is great and very terrible; and who can abide it? … Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly: Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet [chuppah]. -Joel 2:11, 15-16 And just as every Hebrew wedding celebrated with a great wedding feast, in like manner, following the seven years in our heavenly chuppah while the Tribulation was taking place on earth, Jesus Christ will return to earth (at the Second Coming) with His unveiled bride – the Church – to also celebrate with a marriage supper. At this time, the angels will gather the scattered remnant from all over the earth who had survived the Tribulation, and they will enter the Kingdom and celebrate the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, Christ, and His bride (Revelation 19:9, 11-14). It is astonishing to recognize that everything that God has said about His marriage to His bride, the Church, was anticipated thousands of years earlier in the institution of these customs. As you can see, only a pretribulational Rapture can fit in with this prophetic patterning. Conclusion These were only seven of the many proofs that can be offered in favor of a pretribulational view of the Rapture's timing. Many more can can be presented, but time and space limit our ability to fully explore them here. This understanding arises from the consistent application of a literal, plain interpretation of the Bible. All other views end up compromising a consistent literal interpretive method at some point. As the eminent theologian John Walvoord said: The only view that interprets prophecy literally and consistently is that of the pretribulational, premillennial position. [6] Maranatha! [1] David Hocking, “The Rapture In Revelation,” Pre-Trib.org . ( https://www.pre-trib.org/pretribfiles/pdfs/Hocking-TheRaptureinRevelati.pdf - Retrieved 8/20/19) [2] Ibid. [3] Renald Showers, Maranatha: Our Lord Come! Bellmawr, NJ: Friends of Israel, 1995, p. 127. [4] Wayne A. Brindle, “Imminence” in The Popular Encyclopedia Of Bible Prophecy , eds. Tim Lahaye and Ed Hindson, Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 2004, p. 144. [5] Strong’s Concordance , entry “3466, mustérion,” BibleHub.com . ( https://www.biblehub.com/greek/3466.htm - Retrieved 7/12/19) [6] John F. Walvoord, Prophecy in the New Millennium , Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel, 2001, p. 122.

(From the study "Should Christians Support Israel?" ) Oil painting by Alex Levin, https://artlevin.com So far in "Part 1" and "Part 2" of this article series, we have already demonstrated from scripture that Israel’s first worldwide regathering in unbelief must be the modern regathering in the current State of Israel. We have witnessed this return over the past century or so. But in order to recognize even more fully just how much modern Israel really is a part of God’s plan, we will now focus our attention on several Biblical characteristics of this regathering. Doing so will enable us to appreciate this with precise detail. So, we will shift our focus back to the first regathering that we have witnessed in recent times involving the modern Jewish State. Israel's First Worldwide Regathering Will be Through Persecution and For Judgment A key prophetic aspect that we need to be aware of regarding the current State of Israel and their present-day regathering has to do with the way in which this regathering has occurred. The Bible even gives us the specifics on the stimulus for this regathering. It tells us that they will be regathered through the means of being “fished” and “hunted” – or in other words, through persecution. This is outlined for us in Jeremiah 16:15-16. But, The Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all the lands whither he had driven them: and I will bring them again into their land that I gave unto their fathers. Behold, I will send for many fishers [or fishermen] , saith the Lord, and they shall fish them; and after will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks. -Jeremiah 16:15-16 Here, Jeremiah predicts a worldwide regathering of the Jewish people to the Land of Israel through the means of persecution. In Verse 16, this means of persecution is metaphorically described as involving “fishermen” and “hunters” whose actions will essentially chase the Jewish people back to their land. These pursuers, said to be sent by God, have been used to force the Jewish people to return back to their land in preparation for the events of judgment that will result in their final restoration. In an article entitled “Is the Modern State of Israel Prophetically Significant?” author and scholar Randall Price concludes: The modern history of Israel reveals that persecution has been the leading cause of the Jewish return to the Land. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries czarist pogroms and Polish economic discrimination in Eastern Europe motivated the creation of the Zionist Movement. During the Second World War, the attempted genocide of Jews during the Nazi holocaust encouraged international sympathy for the Jewish plight and led to the creation of the State of Israel. The Arab-Israel war of 1948-49 then forced Jews from Arab lands and later Soviet repression forced over a million Jews to immigrate to Israel. Over fifty years Israel has had to fight five major wars with its Arab neighbors for its survival and wage an on-going war of attrition with the Palestinians that during last decade Jews has resulted in a growing hostility in the international community toward Israel and provoked a renewed anti-Semitism in Europe. These "fishermen" and "hunters" continue to drive otherwise complacent Jews from the Diaspora to find safe haven in the Jewish State. If this modern history of events has occurred as these prophetic texts have predicted, how can we not say that the modern State of Israel is prophetically significant? [1] Israel Will Be Regathered to the Land in Stages Those who deny the prophetic significance of the modern return of the Jewish people often point out that the return has been only partial (meaning it has included only part of the Jewish people returning to only part of the land). In addition, some also object by saying the return is secular, and not spiritual in nature. However, we should understand that these objections are invalidated by scripture (as we've already shown in the previous two articles of this series). It is a misconception and a non-scriptural idea to expect that all of the Jewish people would return to the land immediately, all at once, when the process of national regathering began. It’s also a misconception that the regathering would be only spiritual in nature. To the contrary, as we’ve seen in the first two articles, the Bible prophetically reveals that the regathering would take place in two stages – a regathering before the Tribulation and a regathering before the Millennium. Furthermore, this is also clearly depicted in Ezekiel’s well-known vision of Israel’s restoration. Recorded in Ezekiel Chapter 37, this vision uses the imagery of a valley of dry bones (referring to Israel’s state of physical and spiritual deadness) that slowly and through several stages begin to experience restoration to life. It portrays a progressive physical restoration that ultimately ends in spiritual restoration. Professor Michael Rydelnik writes: The bones come to life in stages: first sinews on the bones, then flesh, then skin, and finally, breath of life (Ezekiel 37:6-10). Then God told Ezekiel that "these bones are the whole house of Israel" (Verse 11) and their restoration is a picture of the way God will bring them "back to the Land of Israel" (Verse 12). [2] Through this vision, we can recognize a prophetic pattern that reveals sequential stages of restoration: first a progressive physical regathering to the land, followed by a spiritual regathering to the Lord. Since this first regathering takes place in spiritual unbelief, then of course we should expect it to be a regathering characterized by secular and political means. That is exactly what we observe with the modern re-establishment of the secular Jewish State. So, this is not a reason to deny the prophetic significance of the modern regathering. Clearly, the opposite is true. Scripture requires it to be this way. Additionally, we would totally expect that a regathering of this nature (secular and political) would only result in a partial physical regathering. Total restoration cannot take place without a spiritual movement. Further, since this regathering is partial, it leaves the remainder of the Jewish population still living outside of the land. This is a necessity since the Bible teaches two regatherings. If the initial regathering was total, then how could there be a second one? There would be no Jews remaining to be regathered. So, again, this idea of a partial regathering is not unscriptural. Rather, it is a Biblical requirement. But even with the initial regathering being only partial, it still remains in perfect harmony with the prophesied pattern of a worldwide regathering. Geographically, we can see that Jews have returned from “the four corners of the earth,” just as Scripture anticipated. Randall Price concludes: The second regathering, then, which would follow a time of worldwide Jewish persecution in the Tribulation will result not only in Israel’s seeking deliverance physically but also spiritually in a time of national repentance (Luke 21:25-28). Therefore, just as the Jewish dispersion occurred in successive stages over time (722 B.C., 586 B.C., A.D. 70, A.D. 115, et. al), so the Jewish regathering can be seen to occur in stages modern and future (before the Tribulation, e.g. 1897, 1948, 1967, and at the end of the Tribulation). If the regathering is in stages, and the first regathering of the Jewish people to their Land is the historic modern regathering, how can we not say that the modern State of Israel is prophetically significant? [3] Modern Israel Parallels the Israel Expected to Exist During the End-Times In his article, Price observes that historically, Christians embracing a futurist and a consistent literal view of eschatology fully expected that at some point in history, the following would occur: the Jewish people would have to return to their ancient homeland, “the land of Israel” they would have to regain their national status as “the people of Israel” they would again be in an adversarial position with the Gentile nations Interestingly, all of these expectations have currently been fulfilled! Why did futurists and literalists always expect these conditions to come about? The simple answer is that they are all required by clear scriptural prophecies describing Israel in the end-times. Anyone who reads these prophecies from a literal perspective (and does not try to allegorize or spiritualize them away) could recognize the requirement of their future literal fulfillment. The prophecy of Gog and Magog in Ezekiel Chapters 38-39 is a good example. Price notes: Set in an eschatological context (Ezekiel 33-48), the text specifically states that its fulfillment "will come about in the last days" (38:16). At this time "the people of Israel" are described as living in "the cities of Israel" in "the Land of Israel" (38:14, 18-19; 39:9). According to Ezekiel 37:25 this Land is "the land that I (God) gave to Jacob (Israel) My servant, in which your fathers lived." Ezekiel 38:8 also states that the Jewish People who had retuned to the Land had been "gathered from many nations" (a worldwide regathering). The regathering of Jews from exile in 538 B.C. had only been from one nation (Babylon). Only in our modern period have we witnessed a regathering of Jews to Israel from "many nations" in accord with this prophecy. Ezekiel’s Gog and Magog prophecy also speaks of "the mountains of Israel" (39:2, 4, 17). This mountainous region that extends the length of the country did not become a part of the modern State until after the Six Day War of 1967. Only then could this region again be properly called "the mountains of Israel." Before this date it was under a succession of foreign rulers until wrested from Jordan (who last controlled it from 1948-1967). This is in harmony with Ezekiel 38:8, 12 which states that this mountainous land, before being restored to Israel, had been under "the sword" (foreign dominion). The text further states that the Land had been "a continual waste." History affirms that under foreign domination, and especially under the 400 years of Ottoman Turkish domination, the once fertile mountain region (particularly in the north) had been denuded and had eroded into a wasteland. [4] As Price notes, some have attempted to claim that the restoration being spoken of was the one that occurred in the 530s BC as the captive Jews were allowed to return to Israel after seventy years of Babylonian exile. However, a careful reading of this prophecy eliminates that return as being the fulfillment spoken of, as it was only a migration from one nation (Babylon). The prophecy requires the return to be worldwide, from “many nations.” Only in modern times have we witnessed a regathering of this kind. The many points of similarity between the conditions required by Ezekiel 38 and those of the modern regathering make it clear that this is the one intended. Price concludes: Therefore, Ezekiel 38-39 demonstrates that an Israel with the conditions presently experienced by the modern State was predicted to exist before final prophetic fulfillment would be possible. Other texts also reveal that the Israel of the end time will have conditions that parallel those existing in the modern Jewish State. Daniel 9:27 depicts Israel in the Land, in possession of the Land, and in the city of Jerusalem when the seventieth week of Daniel starts. It also speaks of a "covenant" being made between the Jewish leadership ("the many") and a foreign leader ("the prince that shall come," verse 26). In order for any covenant to be legally binding and enforceable, both parties must be recognized entities that have the authority and power to fulfill the terms of the agreement. Since this verse implies that the covenant has something to do with the restoration of the Temple and the sacrificial system, it is understood that the Jewish leaders have a control in the city that qualifies them as partners in the contract. Matthew 24:16 likewise implies that Jewish law (the Sabbath) is being observed in the Land, another factor that indicates Jewish control of the city or at least freedom from foreign rule that would restrict the free exercise of the Jewish religion. Today, the modern Jewish State fulfills all of these conditions, including having sovereignty (whether fully exercised or not) over the Temple Mount. If the modern State of Israel parallels the Israel of the end times, how can we not say that the modern State of Israel is prophetically significant? [5] After examining all of this evidence, our overall conclusion is simple: the creation of the modern Jewish State in 1948 has the prophetic significance of beginning the process of the regathering of Israel from the nations (the first regathering in unbelief in preparation for end-times judgment), which will be followed by a further regathering (the second regathering in faith) after the Tribulation, in preparation for the time of Israel’s full physical and spiritual restoration in the Millennial Kingdom. This is the result of a plain, literal reading of scripture, and it aligns perfectly with what we can observe in real time as we've watched the nation of Israel emerge back onto the world scene. So then in conclusion, if modern Israel is prophetically significant, and we know that God’s plan is to ultimately use this process to bring them to national salvation, then it should be clear what the attitude of the Bible-believing Christian should be towards Israel as well as the Jewish people. Our viewpoint towards them should mirror the mind of God – He still loves them, has plans for their future, and ultimately will get them back! Our attitudes as Christians should be in line with this. [1] Randall Price, “Is the Modern State of Israel Prophetically Significant?” Pre-Trib.org . ( https://www.pre-trib.org/articles/dr-randall-price/message/is-the-modern-state-of-israel-prophetically-significant/read - Retrieved 11/10/20) [2] Michael Rydelnik, Understanding the Arab-Israeli Conflict , Chicago: Moody Press, 2004, p. 119. [3] Price. [4] Ibid. [5] Ibid.

(From the study "Should Christians Support Israel?" ) In our modern times, it has become fashionable for those in political, academic, and media spheres to attack Israel's right to exist as a sovereign nation. Unfortunately, similar sentiments are often expressed in Christian circles. For instance, some have taken the position that due to Israel’s current state of unbelief, the attitude of the Christian towards them as a nation should be one of opposition ("unbelief" meaning they still have not accepted their true Messiah, Jesus Christ). Some have gone as far as to say that their current state of unbelief makes even the State of Israel’s national sovereignty illegitimate in God’s eyes. They claim that since Israel’s return to the land in the 1900s took place while in this state of unbelief, then that return is not in any way connected to Bible prophecy. From this train of thought, they often deny that the modern State of Israel has any significance at all in terms of Bible prophecy. What is the truth about this? Where does Israel fit into God’s future program for humanity and world events? Is the modern State of Israel prophetically significant? Does God have a future plan for national Israel? And if so, what does it include? Answering these questions will help us gain a perspective as to the proper attitude of a Bible-believing Christian towards Israel. As Christians today, one of the best ways we can gain further understanding concerning the proper perspective we should have towards Israel as a nation is by recognizing what the Bible has to say about their prophetic destiny. First, we will explore the topic of whether Israel’s current regathering from worldwide dispersion (or in other words, the establishment of the modern State of Israel in the 1900s) has any connection to Bible prophecy. The answers we uncover will logically guide our perceptions going forward. In other words, if we do find that the modern State of Israel has prophetic relevance, and we recognize what Scripture tells us about Israel’s future in God’s plan, then those understandings must logically guide how we as Christians think towards modern Israel. Israel's Two Worldwide Regatherings In order to recognize how prophetically significant the current State of Israel actually is according to Bible prophecy, we need to first have an understanding of what the Bible says about Israel’s regathering to their ancestral homeland. The Bible is full of these prophecies. In fact, Bible scholar Thomas Ice notes: Every Old Testament prophet, except Jonah, speaks of a permanent return to the Land of Israel by the Jews. [1] The Biblical focus on the people of Israel being permanently regathered to the land is a pervasive theme throughout the Old Testament. But one of the most ignored topics of Bible prophecy is the awareness that Scripture plainly declares that Israel will undergo two different regatherings from worldwide dispersion (or if you prefer, two distinct phases of worldwide regathering). Further, the Bible also declares that these two regatherings would take place under very different circumstances and for very different purposes . It turns out that these differences actually help us recognize just how significant the current State of Israel is within the Bible’s prophetic outline for Israel’s future. We will begin by first stating our proposition. We will then thoroughly demonstrate the reality of this proposition as being a clear Scriptural teaching throughout the remainder of this article and the one to follow. Our proposition is that the Bible contains a number of prophecies indicating that Israel would be regathered first in a state of unbelief in preparation for judgment (the judgment that culminates in the Tribulation ), and that afterwards, they would then be regathered a second and final time in faith (this taking place after the Tribulation), in preparation for blessings to be received in the Millennial Kingdom. This is significant because many people overlook the distinction of these two regatherings and only recognize one regathering. Some only recognize or expect a regathering in faith – and because of this, they deny the prophetic significance of the current secular regathering (in unbelief ) that has been taking place over the past hundred years or so. Let’s dive right into this and see for ourselves what the Bible has to say about it. The first thing to take note of is that from the very beginning of Israel's history, God had promised to scatter them among the nations worldwide if they refused to keep the terms of the Mosaic Covenant and later refused to recognize Him as Messiah when He visited them. For instance, Deuteronomy 28:64 says God would: Scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other... -Deuteronomy 28:64 From this passage, it’s clear that the dispersion would be global, as God had promised to scatter them from one end of the earth to the other. Predictions like this one are spoken of in a number of places throughout the Old Testament. Although the nation was somewhat scattered during the Assyrian and Babylonian invasions, in which many were brought captive into those lands, these events were only a local dispersion and cannot act as the ultimate fulfillment of these prophecies describing a worldwide dispersion. Instead, these prophecies of worldwide dispersion find clear fulfillment in the events of 70 AD and following. At this point in time, God brought discipline upon unbelieving Israel through the invasion of the Roman general Titus Vespasian, whose armies would level Jerusalem and the Temple in order to quell the Jewish uprisings of the late 60s AD. During this time, many Jews were killed or sold into slavery and removed from the land. Then, during the 130s AD, the Bar Kokhba revolt would result in most of the remaining Jewish population of Judea being killed, sold into foreign slavery, or forced to flee the land. The area of Jerusalem was renamed Aelia Capitolina by the Romans. For the last two thousand years, the Jews have found themselves in this worldwide dispersion without a home country (this dispersion referred to as the Diaspora) exactly as foretold by God through the writings of Moses in Deuteronomy, and in many other places. But just as Israel’s disciplinary dispersion is prophesied in the Old Testament, so is her eventual restoration. As we already stated, the Bible specifically predicts two worldwide regatherings for national Israel. First, there would be a regathering in unbelief when Israel returns to part of her original land promise – a return in preparation for the eventual judgment of the Tribulation, through which the nation will be brought to faith. But this regathering will be followed by another future regathering in faith, after the discipline of the Tribulation leads the Jewish remnant to cry out unto Christ in their time of trouble – prompting His response. After He returns to save this righteous remnant and destroy their enemies, He will then regather the global outcasts of Israel and bring them back to the land in preparation for blessings in the Kingdom Age. In this final regathering, Israel will be restored not only to part of her land, but to all of her land, according to the original boundaries promised by God to the Patriarchs and reiterated to Joshua in the Old Testament (Genesis 15:18 and Joshua 1:4). These boundaries have never yet been completely under Israel’s control, but they will be in this future Kingdom Age. But here’s a key point to recognize: We know that there are only two worldwide regatherings of Israel, and that this second and final one will occur after the Tribulation, prior to the beginning of the Millennial Kingdom. We learn all of this from Isaiah 11:11-12. And it shall come to pass in that day, that 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. -Isaiah 11:11-12 The setting of this passage is clearly eschatological, referring to the final regathering in faith after the Tribulation as the Millennial Kingdom is being established. Verses 1-5 of this chapter describe the Second Coming of Christ in judgment to rule the earth. Verses 6-9 depict the peaceful conditions of restoration under the New Covenant, and Verse 10 introduces Israel’s national repentance and return to their true Messiah. Verses 11-12 (which we just read) continue this theme, helping us understand the context of this final worldwide regathering. You will see this clearly in the other parallel passages we will examine in Part 2. But let’s recognize the important marker given to us in Verse 11 – the phrase “the second time.” In light of what we just discussed, it becomes clear that if this final worldwide regathering is the “second one,” then that means there was an earlier worldwide regathering – “the first one”. The Hebrew-Christian scholar Arnold Fruchtenbaum explains this further. [Isaiah] is speaking of the final worldwide regathering in faith in preparation for blessing. Isaiah numbers the final worldwide gathering in faith in preparation for the Messianic Kingdom as the second one. In other words, the last one is only the second one. If the last one is the second one, how many can there be before that? Only one. The first one could not have been the return from Babylon since that was not an international regathering from the four corners of the world, only a migration from one country (Babylonia) to another (Judea). The Bible does not allow for several worldwide regatherings in unbelief; it allows for one worldwide regathering in unbelief, followed by the last one, the one in faith, which is the second one. This text only permits two worldwide regatherings from the four corners of the earth. [2] Let’s take note that this “second time” regathering as a time of repentance indicates that national Israel must have existed in a state of unbelief prior to this (cf. Zechariah 12:10-14; 14:4; Romans 11:25-27). If this was not the case, then there would be nothing for Israel to repent of! Therefore, the “first time” regathering, which must be identified as taking place before this, must have involved Israel's regathering to the Land in unbelief. If there are only two regatherings, then this “first time” regathering of the Jews to the Land of Israel must be the modern one we’ve witnessed over the past hundred years or so – and it certainly has been a return in unbelief. Further yet, since the Bible describes Israel dwelling “in the land” throughout the end-times, and if there are only two regatherings, then there cannot be another dispersion before the future “second time” regathering. Logically then, this requires that the modern State of Israel will remain in possession of the Land perpetually from now until the fulfillment of end time prophecy. Otherwise, there would be more than two worldwide regatherings. Although the first regathering has already been occurring within modern times, we of course can recognize that many Jewish people will remain scattered among the nations awaiting the future “second time” regathering, according to prophecy. In other words, there have to be Jews still in worldwide diaspora who do not return during the first regathering, in order for a final worldwide regathering to occur later on. Another way of putting it is there must be Jews living both in Israel and in the worldwide diaspora among the nations throughout the end times. That of course is what we see currently taking place. The first regathering has been gradual and partial. The final regathering will be a full regathering of all remnant Jews, and seems to be more of an immediate event. So, the logical conclusion of all of this requires us to accept that the modern return of Israel to the Land (even while in a state of unbelief) is a divinely ordained event – and therefore, the modern State of Israel must be part of God’s prophetic program. Clearly, it is part of God's plan to bring the nation of Israel to future repentance and spiritual restoration. Fruchtenbaum arrives at the same conclusion. Therefore, the present Jewish state is relevant to Bible prophecy. [3] And so, from this key passage in Isaiah 11 that tells us of this second and final regathering, we can recognize the logical conclusion we are brought to: the modern State of Israel is prophetically significant! [1] Mark Hitchcock and Thomas Ice, Breaking the Apocalypse Code , Costa Mesa, CA: Word for Today, 2007, pp. 136-137. [2] Arnold Fruchtenbaum, Footsteps of the Messiah: A Study of the Sequence of Prophetic Events , rev. ed., Tustin, CA: Ariel, 2003, pp. 102-103. [3] Ibid.