A History Question About Israel?

[JTC]

I have a question in regards to Israeli history. When I was a young man I just didn't find history to be of much interest, and that was a big mistake. So I hope we have some history buffs here.

I know that in 1948, after WW2 had ended, the Jewish people were given back the land we now know as Israel. I also know that in ancient times God gave this land to the Jewish people. But then they lost it, and I think God took it away from them because they continually failed to obey Him. So prior to WW2, and maybe even WW1, where were the Jewish people living? What I mean is prior to 1948, when was the last time the Jews lived as a nation in the land known as Israel?

And does anyone know why this land was given back to them in 1948? I mean how was that decision made? Obviously the people who lived there prior to 1948 had to be relocated. They didn't take that well, and there has been war and growing hatred there ever since.

Does anyone know anything about all this?

[Guest LadyC]

zedekiah was the last king, and he died somewhere around 580 BC i think. the jewish people had no land of their own since then. as for where they lived? the bible says they were scattered throughout all the nations of the world. i'm sure they were heavily prominent throughout the middle eastern nations, including what used to be their land. it just wasn't theirs anymore. but they weren't just there, they were, and are, everywhere.

[nebula]

The term "Jew" actually developed out of the Babylonian captivity. After the death of Solomon, the nation rebelled against the new king (Rehoboam?). 10 Tribes split from the Davidic Kingship to form the Northern Kingdom of Israel. The Tribes of Judah and Benjamin remained together as the Southern Kingdom of Judah. Since the Levites were tied into the Temple, it is likely that most of the Levites belonged to Judah.

The Northern Kingdom, because of sin and rebellion, were conquered and taken into captivity from Assyria. The Southern Kingdom was later conquered by Babylon, and most were taken into captivity. It was there the people were called "Jews" from the name of their Kingdom, Judah.

King Cyrus, 70 years later, gave the Jews permission to return to their homeland. And thus the land of Israel, at least a portion of it, was once again under Jewish control, although they were vassals under the dominating Empire - first Medo-Persians, then Greece, then Rome.

Because of rebellion, Rome destroyed Jerusalem and cast the Jews out. However, over time, some Jews managed to return to the land.

The history of "the Holy Land" has been the center of power struggles ever since. It has been inhabited by nomadic peoples, Muslims of various ethnic origins, Christians, and yes even Jews. The Holy Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire, and the empire(s) of Islam (I do not know the political seat of power for it/them) have all had political control over the land for most of the past 2000 years.

The point, though, is that Jews still lived in the land covenanted to Abraham, just not in power of it.

By the 20th century, the coveted territory of the Mid-East was primarily wasteland. Apart from religious or cultural significance, it had no earthly value to it. Try web searching images pre-1948. You won't see much.

What changed in 1948 was that the European Jews, having recovered from the Holocaust, had a wake-up call. After millennia of persecution in Gentile lands, they wanted to return to the land of their fathers, to have a land of their own, a land that could make then a nation once again and not be treated as second-class citizens ever again by their government. And so they appealed to the UN Assembly to give them land from the land promised to Abraham.

It was most likely only because of the horror of the Holocaust that the UN voted the resolution in.

The plan was to divide the territory into two parts: Jordan for the Arabs and Israel for the Jews.

Obviously, things didn't work out so well.

But from what I heard, the Jews did buy their lands from the Arabs who were settled there.

[other one]

The things that transpired to return the people to Israel are kind of complex. But there have always been some jewish people in Israel, even when the Ottoman Empire had control of that part of the world.

There are people here who are much more learned about the subject than I, but keep in mind that there are many sides to the story and you should seek out all of them to make sense of it all.

[JTC]

That's what I'm trying to do. I would like to see peace in ME and from the little I know, the peace will never be had because the Arabs feel that land belongs to them, and the Jews feel like it's theirs.

From what you said Neb the Jews paid the Arabs for the land in 1948. But it was probably a thing like the UN gave the land back to the Jews so the Arabs had to get out, and oh, here's a few trinkets for your trouble. When a people are forced out of a land they've been in maybe up to 2000 years, it's not hard to see why there's no peace.

Another question I have is if the ME lands weren't rich in oil, would we be concerned with what goes on over there? Maybe not. If we leave that area alone it shouldn't take too long for the Arabs to defeat Israel. So maybe there are people in our country who want us to stay in the ME with our military, and it's the same people who oppose the electric car, and oppose finding oil closer to home. It's like only by keeping America dependent on ME oil, can we guarantee that the American people will allow the government to keep our military there.

And I've been trying to understand this without bringing religion into it. But since all the end time prophesies in the Bible talk about Israel, that may be another reason some Americans want us there with our military, and thusly why we don't change our country to one that isn't so oil dependent. It must be at least 10 years now that we know how to make America not so oil dependent. But there is someone blocking it. And I mean people and groups of people. Not God.

[joi]

The British EMpire played a large part in what was happening in Israel. You can do a search on the White Papers.

This is only one of many sites; http://www.mideastweb.org/1939.htm

Also search out the Balfour Declaration

[joi]

http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/myths3/MFroots.html

[Seriousseeker]

JTC, you might like to see the following paper for some insight on Israel.

A COMMENTARY ON ISRAEL’S FUTURE

By R. L. DeWitt, 08/11

[Many religious people speculate about God’s mind concerning Israel ---the people in the Bible whom God called by covenant for special care (see promises to Abraham in (Genesis 12 & 17& 22 ). Popular thoughts are often guesswork and misapplying Scripture to suppose things not true to the Word of God.]

Let us seek to appreciate God’s purposes and determine what is the course for Israel ---God’s chosen earthly people. Will they diminish and be destroyed, or continue and eventually prosper and be at peace?

Any careful student of the Bible will see that there are three kinds of people in the world: Israelites, Gentiles, and the Church of God. Israel is a chosen earthly people, presently under discipline, but always in the mind of God for good. They are presently set aside, but will be preserved and restored in a day to come with blessings on the earth forever. The Church is a called out and redeemed people as a heavenly bride today, who will go to be with Christ forever. All other souls are Gentiles ---the gender of mankind.

The nation called Israel today was formed in 1948 as a sovereign state, and the people that returned and settled in that land reclaimed what God gave them a very long time ago, as the Bible shows. Their return was allowed by God, but not directed by Him, for He will personally re-gather them in the “promised land” one day in the future, in triumph over all their enemies as prophecy shows.

The so-called Israelis today are called that as nationals, but God’s people of the O.T. are by promise still Israelites. The reference to "Jews" today is a religious name and are called that because it was mostly the tribe of Judah that returned to recover the land after exile, but actually most Israelites do not know which tribe they are from. They are a scattered people in the world, and will not be gathered again as a nation by God until the Lord comes to reign after the Tribulation Period, as shown in Bible prophecy.

Israelites were overthrown and taken captive by the judgment of God in about 588 BC for their rebellion over many years. Some were allowed to return under the provision of Cyrus, King of Persia – circa 520 BC, and later the King Artaxeres in 446 BC. This people were later conquered by Rome about 63 BC just prior to the time of Jesus Christ, and later driven out by the Romans in about 137 AD after being occupied by them for about 75 years, though some poor Israelites remained along with various Arab tribes wandering through the land, but never settling and forming a State.

The history thereafter in brief shows Great Britain governing the land under the control of the League of Nations following World War I, then dividing the land to accommodate various religious groups coming in 1922. After Israel began returning to their homeland in great numbers in the 1930’s they eventually formed a nation in 1948. One can study the historical account further from the official records.

The world in general today is divided, with most people outside of real Christianity opposing Israel and calling for them to give in to Moslem demands for ownership of part of Israel’s land. That is unique in the world, for it does not happen in any other country. Israel established a nation and developed the land, and now the various Arab groups that continue coming into the land today want to own it.

Israel is still God's earthly people by covenant, and that is why we as Christians must honor that and aid Israel as much as we can. Israel and the Church are both people of God. We may not approve of their governmental ways, and we are sad that they reject their Messiah --the Lord Jesus Christ, but that is between them and God (and they have and will suffer much for it). Today they must come to God the same as Gentiles through Jesus Christ --God's beloved Son and their only blood sacrifice. Only then will the current generation find blessing and hope, and that for eternity.

It is important to see in the Bible that Israel as a people will rule over the earth by God's leading when the new earth is established and they repent (note Zech. 13:6); and today their religion has been done away at the cross. The church --the bride of Christ, is a heavenly people, and they are not destined to live on the earth, but in Heaven. One needs to understand this difference between the Church and Israel. -RLD

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Edited September 28, 2012 by Seriousseeker

[gdemoss]

The church --the bride of Christ, is a heavenly people, and they are not destined to live on the earth, but in Heaven.

I can't find this in the bible anywhere. One needs to understand who Israel is for sure. Once one truly understands who Israel is then they have the key to all understanding.

Gary

[Seriousseeker]

The church --the bride of Christ, is a heavenly people, and they are not destined to live on the earth, but in Heaven.

I can't find this in the bible anywhere. One needs to understand who Israel is for sure. Once one truly understands who Israel is then they have the key to all understanding.

Gary

One will not find a specific verse that states this (like so many truths in Scripture), but taking "all the counsel of God", as the Apostle said, one can see the big picture. If one believes in the Translation of the Church (called "rapture"), they will find that the Church is taken out BEFORE the wrath of God falls on this Christ rejecting world; then, AFTER God's Tribulation time when the Lord Jesus returns again to vanquish His enemies and establish His reign in the Millennium, the Bride --Church of God, comes with Him and enjoys His reign for a thousand years on earth. AFTER the Millennium reign the Lord Jesus delivers up the Kingdom again to His Father (see 1 Cor. 15:22-28) who will restore and govern Israel on the earth; and the Bride will ever be with the Lord in the Father's house above this world. God will have an earthly people (Israel) and a heavenly people (the Bride -Church) forever.