These 10 Bible prophecies said that Israel would become a country,
that it would be destroyed, that its people would be scattered worldwide
and persecuted, that they would have a worldwide impact, and that they
would return to Israel. Each of these prophecies have been fulfilled or
are being fulfilled.
1. Abraham's descendants would have their own country
Bible passage: Genesis 15:18
Written: perhaps 1400 BC
Fulfilled: 1400 BC and in 1948
The Bible’s book of Genesis explains that about 4000 years ago, the Lord
found a man who had strong faith. That man’s name was Abraham. In
Genesis 12:1-3, the Lord calls out to Abraham and chooses to reward him.
In Genesis 15:18, the Lord said that Abraham’s descendants would have
their own country, and that this country would be between the river of
Egypt and the Euphrates River. (People sometimes call this the Promised
Land.) Genesis also explains that this promise of land to the
descendants of Abraham was inherited by Abraham’s son, Isaac, and then
by Abraham’s grandson, Jacob. Jacob is the father of the 12 Tribes of
Israel. (This web site uses the terms Jews, Israelites, people of
Israel, and Hebrews, interchangeably.)
This prophecy of nationhood has been fulfilled more than once. About
3400 years ago, the Hebrew descendants of Abraham first established
Israel. The Bible’s book of Joshua explains how Joshua led the
Israelites into the land that had been promised to them, as descendants
of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and established the nation of Israel.
The nation of Israel was later divided into two kingdoms, called Judah
and Israel, about 2900 years ago. The kingdom of Israel lost its
independence when it was conquered by Assyria about 2700 years ago.
Judah lost its independence about 2600 years ago when it was conquered
by Babylon.
Then, about 2000 years ago, the Romans scattered the Jews (or
Israelites, or Hebrews) throughout the Roman Empire. But, in 1948, after
many Jews from around the world had returned to the land of Israel, the
Jews issued a declaration of independence. That was the first time in
2900 years that Israel was both united and independent.
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Genesis 15:18
On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram and said, "To your
descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great
river, the Euphrates…"
2. Jacob saw a vision of Israel's future
Bible passage: Genesis 28:10-15
Written: perhaps 1400 BC
Fulfilled: Throughout history
In Genesis 28:10-15, the Bible says that Jacob, who lived about 4000
years ago, received a vision from God about the future of his
descendants (the Israelites, who today are commonly called "Jews"). The
vision accurately foretold their future. Here is our summary:
1. Jacob's descendants would have Israel as their own country. (Gen.
28:13). This was fulfilled about 3400 years ago when the Israelites
first established Israel.
2. The Israelites would be like dust, spreading out to the east,
west, north and south. (Gen. 28:14). Throughout history, the Jews
have been scattered worldwide. They are the first and only group of
people to be scattered worldwide.
3. The Israelites would have a worldwide impact. (Gen. 28:14).
Jews have had a tremendous worldwide impact in science, art, literature,
economics, music and theology. The worldwide spread of Christianity
began 2000 years ago by Jews who were followers of Jesus.
4. Jacob’s descendants would be brought back to Israel. (Gen. 28:15).
This began to be fulfilled during the late 1800s when many Jews
worldwide began returning to their ancient homeland. They re-established
Israel's independence in 1948.
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Genesis 28:10-15
Jacob ... had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth,
with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending
and descending on it. There above it stood the Lord, and he said: "I am
the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will
give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. Your
descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out
to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples
on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. I am with you
and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to
this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised
you."
3. Counting Abraham's descendants would be like counting the stars
Bible passage: Genesis 15:5
Written: perhaps 1400 BC
Fulfilled: Throughout history
In Genesis 15:5, the Bible said that Abraham would have many descendants
and that counting them would be like counting the stars. The fulfillment
of this prophecy is obvious. In fact it is so obvious that it can be
easily overlooked:
Abraham is the only person revered by large numbers of people throughout
world as being their ancestor. He is the father of the Jewish
people, as explained in the book of Genesis, through his son Isaac, and
through Isaac's son Israel.
Christians become descendants of Abraham through faith (Galatians 3:29),
just as Abraham became the father of many nations through faith (Genesis
chapters 12-17; Romans 4:18). And many other peoples count
themselves as descendants of Abraham, through his son Ishmael. It
also should be noted that the first part of his name, "Ab," means
"father," and that his name was changed by God. The reason for the
change is explained in Genesis 17:5, for which the NIV translation is:
No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I
have made you a father of many nations.
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Genesis 15:5
He took him outside and said, "Look up at the heavens and count the
stars - if indeed you can count them." Then he said to him, "So shall
your offspring be."
4. The people of Israel would be scattered worldwide
Bible passage: Deuteronomy 28:64
Written: perhaps 1400 BC
Fulfilled: 721 BC, 586 BC, 70 AD, 135 AD, modern times
In Deuteronomy 28:64, the Bible said the Jews would be scattered
worldwide. This prophecy has been fulfilled in detail. Take a look at
the explanation of the Jewish "Diaspora," which means "scattering," from
the Columbia Encyclopedia, Fifth Edition: "… by 70 A.D. Jewish
communities existed in Babylonia, Syria, Egypt, Cyrene, Asia Minor,
Greece, and Rome. Jews followed the Romans into Europe and from Persia
and Babylonia spread as far east as China. In modern times, Jews have
migrated to the Americas, South Africa, and Australia. The Jewish
population of Central and Eastern Europe, until World War II the largest
in the world, was decimated in the Holocaust. Despite the creation of
the state of Israel in 1948, the vast majority of the Jewish people
remains in the Diaspora, notably in North America, Russia, and Ukraine."
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Deuteronomy 28:64
Then the Lord will scatter you among all nations, from one end of the
earth to the other. …
5. God will never forget the children of Israel
Bible passage: Isaiah 49:13-18
Written: perhaps between 701-681 BC
Fulfilled: Throughout history
In Isaiah 49:13-18, the Lord makes it clear that even though the people
of Israel are to be exiled from their land, the Lord will not forget
them, and they will be brought back to their land. Isaiah lived
about 2700 years ago. At about that time, the Assyrians invaded the
northern part of the land of Israel and had scattered many of the
people. More than a century later, the Babylonians would do the same to
the people in the southern part of the land of Israel.
Many returned after the fall of Babylon, but the Romans later exiled and
scattered the people again. And many remain scattered throughout the
world today. Given the exile, the scattering, and the persecutions of
the past 19 centuries, it is easy to understand the sentiment of Verse
14 (NIV translation): "The LORD has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten
me." But Verses 15 and 16 show that the Lord will never forget. In
fact, it says that even if a mother could forget her child, the Lord
will not forget his children, for they are "engraved" on the palms of
His hands. Verses 17 and 18 show that the sons of Israel will return to
Israel.
Although there has always been at least a small number of Jews living in
the land of Israel, millions have returned from around the world during
the past 2 centuries, allowing Israel to reclaim independence in 1948, a
few thousand years since the previous time that the nation had
independence.
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Isaiah 49:13-18
Shout for joy, O heavens; rejoice, O earth; burst into song, O
mountains! For the LORD comforts his people and will have compassion on
his afflicted ones. But Zion said, "The LORD has forsaken me, the Lord
has forgotten me." "Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have
no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will
not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your
walls are ever before me. Your sons hasten back, and those who laid you
waste depart from you. Lift up your eyes and look around; all your sons
gather and come to you. As surely as I live," declares the LORD, "you
will wear them all as ornaments; you will put them on, like a bride.
6. The people of Israel would have a worldwide impact
Bible passage: Genesis 12:2-3
Written: perhaps 1400 BC
Fulfilled: Throughout history
In Genesis 12:2-3, and in Genesis 28:10-15, the Bible said that the
descendants of Abraham and the descendants of Abraham's grandson, Jacob,
would be a blessing for people worldwide. Jacob is the father of the 12
Tribes of Israel (the Jews). In 1898, Mark Twain wrote an essay for
Harper's New Monthly Magazine that discussed how the Jews have had an
impact on the world:
" … the Jews constitute but one percent of the human race. It suggests a
nebulous dim puff of stardust lost in the blaze of the Milky Way.
Properly, the Jew ought hardly to be heard of, but he is heard of, has
always been heard of. He is as prominent on the planet as any other
people, and his commercial importance is extravagantly out of proportion
to the smallness of his bulk. His contributions to the world's list of
great names in literature, science, art, music, finance, medicine, and
abstruse learning are also way out of proportion to the weakness of his
numbers. He has made a marvelous fight in this world, in all the ages;
and had done it with his hands tied behind him. He could be vain of
himself, and be excused for it. The Egyptian, the Babylonian, and the
Roman followed, and made a vast noise, and they are gone. Other peoples
have sprung up and held their torch high for a time, but it burned out,
and they sit in twilight now, or have vanished. The Jew saw them all,
beat them all… All things are mortal but the Jew; all other forces pass,
but he remains. What is the secret of his immortality?"
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Genesis 12:2-3
"I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make
your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who
bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you."
7. Israel would be partitioned by other nations
Bible passage: Joel 3:2
Written: about 400 BC
Fulfilled: 1900s
In Joel 3:2, the prophet said that the nations of the world will be
judged for having scattered the people of Israel and for having "divided
up" (or "parted" or "partitioned") the land of Israel. Christian
scholars believe that this is a prophecy that will be fulfilled during
the End Times. But portions of the prophecy already have been fulfilled.
The Jews have been scattered to nations throughout the world, and the
nations of the world have divided up the land of Israel. On November 29,
1947, the United Nations General Assembly approved a motion to partition
the land into two separate states, one for Jewish people and another for
Arab people.
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Joel 3:2
I will gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of
Jehoshaphat. There I will enter into judgment against them concerning my
inheritance, my people Israel, for they scattered my people among the
nations and divided up my land. (NOTE: "Jehoshaphat" means "the
Lord judges.")
8. Israel would be restored and repopulated
Bible passage: Ezekiel 36:8-10
Written: between 593-571 BC
Fulfilled: late 1900s
In Ezekiel 36:8-10, the prophet Ezekiel said that the people of Israel
would return, rebuild and repopulate their fallen cities. Ezekiel,
according to the Bible, lived about 2600 years ago during the time of
the Babylonian Captivity, when many Jews, including Ezekiel, were taken
as captives to Babylon. After the Babylonian Captivity ended, many Jews
returned to their homeland. But about 1900 years ago, the Jews again
were forced into exile, this time by the Romans. However, since the late
1800s, millions of Jews have returned to their ancient homeland. And,
once again, they have been rebuilding and repopulating their ancient
cities. In 1948, there were about 600,000 Jews living in Israel. Today
there are about 6,000,000.
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Ezekiel 36:8-10
"`But you, O mountains of Israel, will produce branches and fruit for my
people Israel, for they will soon come home. I am concerned for you and
will look on you with favor; you will be plowed and sown, and I will
multiply the number of people upon you, even the whole house of Israel.
The towns will be inhabited and the ruins rebuilt.
9. Jesus' life was foreshadowed by the prophet Isaiah
Bible passage: Isaiah 42:1-9
Written: perhaps between 701-681 BC
Fulfilled: About 2000 years ago
In Isaiah 42:1-9, the prophet Isaiah speaks of a servant of God who will
be a light to the Gentiles (non-Jews) and bring justice to the world.
Christians believe that Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of this promise.
Jesus' teachings govern the lives of Christians throughout the world.
Some estimates claim that there are as many as 2 billion Christians
worldwide. More people follow the teachings of Jesus than those of any
other person in history.
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Isaiah 42:1-9
"Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I
will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations. … In
faithfulness he will bring forth justice; he will not falter or be
discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. … "I, the Lord, have
called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep
you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for
the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison
and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness. "I am the
Lord; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise
to idols. See, the former things have taken place, and new things I
declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you."
10. Jesus said His words would never be forgotten
Bible passage: Luke 21:33
Written: about 30 AD
Fulfilled: At this very moment
In Luke 21:33, Jesus said that regardless of what happens to the world,
His words will never be forgotten. Here we are 2000 years later and the
words of Jesus are all around us: Christianity has spread to people
around the world and the Bible is the world's most circulated book. Of
all the people who have ever lived, can you think of a single person who
could have made this claim more effectively than Jesus - that his words
would never be forgotten?
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Luke 21:33
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
