These 10 Bible prophecies were fulfilled after 1948, when Israel
became an independent country for the second time in history. These
prophecies find fulfillment in Israel's stunning military victories and
in its transition from a desert wasteland to a comparatively prosperous
nation.
1. Israel will ultimately 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 proclaimed that the tiny nation of
Israel ultimately will prevail over its enemies, and that although its
enemies will cease to exist one day, Israel will survive. This prophecy
is interesting from an historical perspective. The country of Israel has
been conquered and destroyed at different times by very powerful nations
and empires, such as Assyria, Babylon and the Roman Empire. Those
conquests led to the exile and worldwide dispersion of the people of
Israel, and to the desolation of the land of Israel. Even so, Israel is
again a sovereign nation today, and the empires of Assyria, Babylon and
ancient Rome have vanished long ago. The Nazis tried to destroy the
people of Israel during the 1940s. But that decade saw the rebirth of
the county of Israel and the destruction of the Nazi empire. From the
perspective of various Christian scholars, this prophecy has found
partial fulfillment so far, and will be completely fulfilled in the
future when all enemies of Israel are destroyed.
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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.
During that time, Israel was a united and sovereign nation. Afterwards,
the land was divided into two kingdoms and later conquered by a
succession of world powers. For much of the past 2000 years, the people
of Israel have been living in exile in countries around the world, and
the land of Israel has been in a state of ruin. During the past two
centuries, however, many Jews have returned from exile and have rebuilt
and reconditioned much of the land of Israel. The soil is again
productive, producing food exports for many countries. And the nation is
again sovereign and united.
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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 a restored 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 part of the land had been decimated by the Assyrians, and the
southern part, called Judah, was being destroyed by the Babylonians. The
land of Israel suffered greatly, falling into a state of poverty and
desolation that would last for many centuries. But today, Israel again
is a sovereign nation. And it is a prosperous nation. In 1999, Israel
had the highest per capita Gross Domestic Product of any nearby country,
even though the surrounding countries have many oil resources.
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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 would flourish again in a desolate 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.
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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.
Note: The Jewish National Fund web site, at
www.jnf.org , has information about how
people can contribute to the effort to reforest Israel.
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 so far, literally and spiritually. 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 spiritually with the worldwide spread of
Christianity, which began with Jesus in Israel.
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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: Partially in modern times
In Micah 4:1, the prophet said that the Temple mount in Jerusalem would
become the focal point of the world. Various Christian scholars regard
this as a prophecy that is to be fulfilled in the future. But it is
interesting to note that Jerusalem is, and has been for centuries, the
world's most important religious site. Christians and Jews have always
regarded the city as important. Followers of Islam later adopted
Jerusalem as an important city in their beliefs. No other city in the
world is a religious focal point to as many people.
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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 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. Egypt today,
in many respects, is an impressive nation. But since the time of
Ezekiel, it no longer rules over other nations.
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Ezekiel 29:15
… 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 from exile
back 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. And, the Romans banned Jews from living in
Jerusalem. More than 1800 years passed before the Jews had control of
Jerusalem again. They reclaimed control of their ancient capital during
the Six Day War of 1967.
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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.
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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 said that the people of Israel would
return to their homeland from the east, the west, the north and the
south. Isaiah lived 2700 years ago. Beginning at that time, a succession
of empires conquered the land of Israel and forced many into exile. This
led to a worldwide scattering of Jews. But, during the past century,
millions have returned to Israel.
From the east: Many Jews living in Middle East countries moved to
Israel during the 1900s. After Israel reclaimed independence in 1948,
more Jews moved to their ancient homeland after being forced out of
various Arab countries in which they had been living for centuries.
From the west: During the mid-1900s, hundreds of thousands of
Jews living in the West (Europe and the United States) began moving to
Israel to escape various persecutions, most notably, the Holocaust in
Nazi Germany.
From the north: Hundreds of thousands of Jews living in the
former Soviet Union have moved to Israel since the 1980s.
From the south: During the 1980s and 1990s, Israel struck a deal
with Ethiopia's communist government to allow Jews of Ethiopia to move
to Israel. On the weekend of May 25, 1991, for example, 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 allow their Jews to
move to Israel. 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, Australia and South America, have moved to
Israel.
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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…"
