The Return of IsraelSample

Day 1 – Prophesied by Jesus

You have just read in the Scirpture passage how Jesus predicted the destruction of the city of Jerusalem. This prophesy came true in the year 70 A.D. The Romans destroyed the city and the temple. Countless Jews were killed or driven out. “Look, your house is left to you desolate.” Since then, the people of Israel have been scattered even further across the world than before.

This destruction of Jerusalem is seen by many Christians as judgment from God. Jesus also mentions that the inhabitants of Jerusalem killed the prophets and refused to be gathered by the Lord. Not looking any further than the destruction of Jerusalem, these Christians conclude that God’s special plan for Israel and Jerusalem has ended.

But Jesus brought not only a message of judgment, but also one of hope. The next thing He said was: “You will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’” Jesus says this to His own people in the earthly city of Jerusalem, so by ‘you,’ Jesus means the Jews in Jerusalem. Jesus is saying that there is a future for the people of Israel in Jerusalem. His people, Israel, will soon welcome their own Messiah with the words baruch haba b’shem adonai – “Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord.” This also means that Israel will return to the Promised Land and Jerusalem will again be inhabited primarily by Jews. We are living in prophetic times; the return of the people of Israel to the land of Israel is a sign of the imminent coming of the Messiah!

Something to think about: What are your expectations about the return of the Lord Jesus? Do you recognize the signs of His return?