What Does the Bible Say about the Modern Nation of Israel?
The Bible, especially the Old Testament, is filled with prophecies about future events in human history. The best known of these prophecies are the ones concerning the first and second comings of the Messiah. Many want to know if there are any Bible prophecies relevant to the time we are living in now, especially in regard to Israel.
The passages that speak about the second rebirth of Israel as a nation present the strongest case for biblical prophecies being fulfilled during our time. Many Bible scholars believe that these prophecies apply to the Jewish nation established in 1948 in the land over which King David reigned three thousand years ago. Other Bible scholars believe that these passages do not literally apply to modern Israel, but rather are figurative references to the Christian church.
Below are all the Bible passages I am aware of that scholars cite in support of their application to the modern nation of Israel. When it comes to eschatology (end times considerations) I am a premillennialist. Thus I believe Scripture speaks of a future for the nation of Israel. I encourage readers to examine these texts in the context of modern Israel’s history and its potential future, and then draw their own conclusions.
Modern Israel, a Fulfillment of Prophecy?
Worldwide Dispersion of Jews (key passages denoted by asterisks)
Lev. 26:31–35 Jer. 9:7–21 *Dan. 9:26 Zech. 10:9
*Deut. 28:36–68 Jer. 12:7–17 Hosea 3:4–5 Matt. 23:36–39
*Deut. 29:22–28 *Lam. 4:12–19 Joel 3:1–3 Matt. 24:1–35
1 Kings 14:15–16 Ezek. 36:3 Mic. 5:3 *Luke 21:20–24
Isa. 6:9–13 *Ezek. 36:18–19 Zech. 7:13–14
Second Rebirth of Israel as a Nation (key passages denoted by asterisks)
Deut. 30:1–9 Isa. 51:14 Ezek. 11:17 *Hos. 3:4–5
*Ps. 102:12–22 Isa. 52:2–3 Ezek. 21:25–27 Joel 3:1–3
*Isa. 11:11–13 *Isa.60:9 Ezek. 28:25–26 *Amos 9:9–15
*Isa. 14:1–5 *Isa. 66:7–11 Ezek. 34:12–14 Mic. 5:3
Isa. 27:12–13 Jer. 23:3 *Ezek. 36:1–15 Zeph. 3:19–20
Isa. 41:9 Jer. 23:8 *Ezek. 36:24 Zech. 2:3–12
Isa. 43:5–6 Jer. 30:7–11 *Ezek. 37:1–14 Zech. 8:7–8
Isa. 44:1–5 *Jer. 31:8–40 *Ezek. 38:8 Zech. 10:9–12
Isa. 49:14–22 Jer. 32:37–42 Hos. 1:11 *Matt. 24:32–33
Developments in Reborn Nation of Israel (key passages denoted by asterisks)
*Isa. 11:11–16 Isa. 51:3 *Ezek. 36:34–38 Mic. 7:11–17
*Isa. 19:16–17 Isa. 51:22–23 *Ezek. 38:1–16 Zech. 2:3–12
*Isa. 27:6 Isa. 54:3 Dan. 9:24–27 Zech. 8:11–13
Isa. 32:12–15 *Isa. 61:4–5 Joel 2:18–20 *Zech. 9:8
*Isa. 35:1–2 Jer. 3:16–18 Joel 3:1–3 Zech. 12:2–13
*Isa. 41:11–12 *Ezek. 28:26 Mic. 4:11–13 *Zech. 13:8–9
*Isa. 41:18–20 *Ezek. 34:25–30 Mic. 5:5–9 Zech. 14:2–21
Isa. 48:3–7, 11 *Ezek. 36:1–15
Reborn Israel’s Adversaries
Gen. 12:3 Isa. 41:11–12 Ezek. 29:3–16 Mic. 4:11–13
Ps. 83 Isa. 51:22–23 Ezek. 30:3–9 Zech. 9:8
Ps. 120:5–7 Isa. 54:3 Ezek. 36:1–8 Zech. 12:2–9
Isa. 11:14–16 Isa. 61:5 Ezek. 38:1–39:23 Zech. 14:2–21
Isa. 14:1–3 Jer. 30:7–11 Dan. 11:40–45 Rev. 9:14–16
Isa. 19:11–25 Jer. 30:16 Joel 2:19–20 Rev. 16:12
Isa. 29:14 Ezek. 28:26 Joel 3
Reborn Israel’s Territorial Expansion
Isa. 11:14 Ezek. 47:13–23 Mic. 5:5–6 Zeph. 2:6–11
Isa. 35:2 Amos 9:12 Mic. 7:11 Zech. 10:10
Ezek. 36:1–15 Obad. 19–21
Not Just for the Sake of Israeli Jews
Deut. 9:6 Isa. 19:23–24 Ezek. 36:22–32