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THE DIVISION OF ISRAEL

ISRAEL AND JUDAH

Israel was divided into two countries after King Solomon died. He had married foreign wives and brought in pagan gods to be worshipped along with the one true God. The country was divided into Israel in the north and Judah in the south. Israel became mostly pagan while some of Judah’s kings remained true to the one true Creator God. However Judah despite warnings gradually sank into Baal worship and other Canaanite religions until Babylon was allowed to conquer them.

There were ten tribes in the kingdom of Israel in the north. When the Assyrians overtook the kingdom of Israel their policy was to deport the conquered to other lands to destroy their sense of nationalism.

Later Babylon conquered Judah and brought some treasures and captives to Babylon in four stages. After Medo-Persia conquered Babylon, when King Cyrus of Persia conquered Babylon, he permitted the Jews to return to their homeland. Then in 70 AD the Romans burned Jerusalem, destroyed the Jewish temple, and dispersed the Jews throughout the world.

God planed for the Jews to return just as they have done.

ISRAEL AND JUDAH HAVE BEEN BROUGHT BACK AS ONE NATION: ISRAEL

21“Then say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Surely I will take the children of Israel from among the nations, wherever they have gone, and will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land; 22and I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king over them all; they shall no longer be two nations, nor shall they ever be divided into two kingdoms again. 23They shall not defile themselves anymore with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions; but I will deliver them from all their dwelling places in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them. Then they shall be My people, and I will be their God. - Ezekiel 37:21-23 NKJV (1982)

The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, 2“Thus speaks the Lord God of Israel, saying: ‘Write in a book for yourself all the words that I have spoken to you. 3For behold, the days are coming,’ says the Lord, ‘that I will bring back from captivity My people Israel and Judah,’ says the Lord. ‘And I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it.’” - Jeremiah 30:1-3 NKJV (1982)

The two groups of verses are speaking about the return of the people of both Israel and Judah. Israel was split into the nations of Israel and Judah after King Solomon died.

Israel was taken captive by the Assyrians and the 10 tribes were dispersed.

Judah was taken captive by Babylon, but the Jews were allowed to return 70 years latter by a decree of the Persian King Cyrus. Jews were dispersed into all nations by the Romans in 70 A.D. Both nations returned and became Israel in 1948.

Sarah was to give birth to Isaac and all nations would be blessed who blessed Abraham. Abraham was given all of the land of Canaan (Gen. 12:1-3, 17:8, 19).

THE LORD WILL GATHER ISRAEL FROM

THE PEOPLES WHERE HE SCATTERED THEM

    1    “So it shall be when all of these things have come upon you, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you, and you call them to mind in all nations where the Lord your God has banished you,

    2    and you return to the Lord your God and obey Him with all your heart and soul according to all that I command you today, you and your sons,

    3    then the Lord your God will restore you from captivity, and have compassion on you, and will gather you again from all the peoples where the Lord your God has scattered you.

    4    “If your outcasts are at the ends of the earth, from there the Lord your God will gather you, and from there He will bring you back.

    5    “The Lord your God will bring you into the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it; and He will prosper you and multiply you more than your fathers.

    6    “Moreover the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live.

    7    “The Lord your God will inflict all these curses on your enemies and on those who hate you, who persecuted you.

    8    “And you shall again obey the Lord, and observe all His commandments which I command you today. - Deut. 30:1-8 NASB (1995)

Israel And Judah Were Dispersed Among The Nations

They Would Be Brought Back As One Nation

Ezekiel 36:16-29, 37:21-22, 38:8-9

Isaiah 11:11-12

Jeremiah 30:2-3

Joel 3:1-2

Luke 20

The Destruction of Jerusalem

And Dispersion of Jews In 70 AD

Jerusalem Will Be Trampled

Under Foot By The Gentiles

Until The Times of The Gentiles Are Fulfilled

    20    “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize that her desolation is near.

    21    “Then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains, and those who are in the midst of the city must leave, and those who are in the country must not enter the city;

Signs of The Return of Christ

    22    because these are days of vengeance, so that all things which are written will be fulfilled.

    23    “Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days; for there will be great distress upon the land and wrath to this people;

    24    and they will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

    25   “There will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth dismay among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves,

    26    men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

    27    “Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

    28    “But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

    29    Then He told them a parable: “Behold the fig tree and all the trees;

    30    as soon as they put forth leaves, you see it and know for yourselves that summer is now near.

    31    “So you also, when you see these things happening, recognize that the kingdom of God is near.

    32    “Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all things take place.

    33    “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.

    34    “Be on guard, so that your hearts will not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day will not come on you suddenly like a trap;

    35    for it will come upon all those who dwell on the face of all the earth.

The Escape Here Is When Jesus Comes With His Angels To Gather His Elect In The Air

After A Period of Tribulation (Matt. 24:29-31)

    36    “But keep on the alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” - Luke 20:25-36 NASB (1995)

 

Jesus warned that when you see all these things the kingdom of God is near. Be on guard so that your hearts will not be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and worries of life, and that day will not come on you suddenly like a trap. Be alert praying that you will be able to escape all these things, and to stand before the Son of Man. Be alert and be ready.

  Romans 11:11-26

ALL OF ISRAEL WILL BE SAVED

11I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. 12Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!

13For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, 14if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them. 15For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?

Israel - Some Branches From The Cultivated Olive Tree Were Broken Off

Gentiles - Some Branches From The Wild Olive Tree Were Grafted In

16For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches. 17And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, 18do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.

19You will say then, “Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” 20Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. 21For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. 22Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off. 23And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, who are natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?

All Israel Will Be Saved, The Deliverer Will Come Out of Zion

25For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written:

“The Deliverer will come out of Zion,

And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;

27    For this is My covenant with them,

When I take away their sins.” - Romans 11:11-26 NKJV

REVELATION 11:1-13

Measure The Temple of God And The Altar

The Outer Court Is Not Measured

It Has Been Given To The Gentiles

They Will Trample The Holy City For 42 Months

The Two Witnesses Will Prophesy For 1,260 Days

I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the worshipers there. 2 But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months. 3 And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” 4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. 5 If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die. 6 These men have power to shut up the sky so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.

When They Finish Their Testimony

The Beast That Comes From The Abyss

Will Kill Them

They Will Lie In The Street For 3-1/2 Days

After 3-1/2 Days They Will Stand On Their Feet And Will Go To Heaven In A Cloud

7 Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them. 8 Their bodies will lie in the street of the great city, which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. 9 For three and a half days men from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial. 10 The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth. 

11 But after the three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them. 12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on. 

13 At that very hour there was a severe earthquake and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven. - Rev. 11:1-13 NIV (1984)

From these verses we can see that the Jewish temple will be rebuilt. This is apparently referring to the time of the last 3-1/2 years of the Jerusalem Covenant i.e. the gathering to meet Jesus in the air.

Amos 9:11-15

THE RESTORATION OF ISRAEL

    11  “In that day I will raise up the fallen booth of David, and wall up its breaches; I will also raise up its ruins and rebuild it as in the days of old;

    12  That they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations who are called by My name,” declares the Lord who does this.

    13  “Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord, “When the plowman will overtake the reaper and the treader of grapes him who sows seed; when the mountains will drip sweet wine and all the hills will be dissolved.

    14  “Also I will restore the captivity of My people Israel, and they will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them; they will also plant vineyards and drink their wine, and make gardens and eat their fruit.

    15  “I will also plant them on their land, and they will not again be rooted out from their land which I have given them,” says the Lord your God. - Amos 9:11-15 ASB (1995)

Jews Said To Jesus That He Was Not Yet Fifty

Years Old

    54    Jesus answered, “If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing; it is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God’;

    55    and you have not come to know Him, but I know Him; and if I say that I do not know Him, I will be a liar like you, but I do know Him and keep His word.

    56    “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.”

    57    So the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?”

    58    Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.”

    59    Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple. - John 8:54-59 NASB (1995)

        Note that the crowd said to Jesus that He was not yet fifty years old. That would have been an odd thing to say to a thirty-three year old man. If Jesus was forty years old then it makes more sense.

THE BIRTH OF JESUS

Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit in Mary (Matt. 1:20). Jesus was born in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:1).

Wise men, by following His star from the east, came looking for Jesus in Jerusalem. He was to be King of the Jews (Matt. 2:1-2)

When Herod the king heard about this he gathered the chief priests and scribes to find where Christ was to be born. They said it was to be in Bethlehem of Judah. Herod secretly called the wise men to determine when the star appeared (Matt. 2:3-7). He then sent them to Bethlehem to find the Child and to bring Him back to Jerusalem so he could worship Him (Matt. 2:8).

When they left, the star which they had seen in the East went before them and led to the house where the young Child was. They fell down and worshipped Him. They presented Him with gifts. They were warned in a dream not to return to Herod (Matt. 9-12).

When Herod saw that he had been deceived by the wise men, he ordered that all male children who were in Bethlehem and all its districts be put to death (Matt. 2:13-16).

This to me indicates that Jesus was probably two years old at the time. The wise men were not at the manger scene when Jesus was born.

When Herod died and angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream in Egypt, Joseph was* to take Mary and Jesus back to Israel. They returned to dwell in Nazareth.

A POSSIBILITY OF THE AGE OF JESUS WHEN HE WAS CRUCIFIED

   2   Based on the fact that Herod killed children up to two    

        years old when the wise men came.

   4  Herod died around 4 BC.

   1  The time that it took to travel to and from Egypt
        and other miscellaneous factors.

   7  years

   7   BC

  33  AD   Jesus was crucified in 33 A.D.

  40

      According to the Bible Knowledge Commentary concerning Daniel 9, the crucifixion of Jesus took place in 33 AD. When you add seven years to thirty-three years, the age of Jesus would haven been 40 years old. This seems logical because some kings in Israel ruled for 40 years and Jesus came with a purpose: to pay for the sins of mankind so that men might be saved.

The Crucifixion of Jesus

Followed By Three Days And Three Nights

In The Heart of The Earth Then The Resurrection

Matthew 12:40

40For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." - Matt. 12:40 NKJV (1982)

The Jewish day began at twilight and continued through the night and through the following day until the following twilight. So their calendar day was from twilight until the following twilight. So the Jewish day covered parts of two of our calendar days.

Jesus was crucified during the day on our Thursday. He arose during the night on our Sunday morning.

Our day begins at midnight. So there can be confusion. We split the night between two days - very messy.

This causes the Jewish day to include parts of two different nights of our current calendar as shown in the table below. The daylight hours are the same for our current calendar and the Jewish calendar.

Therefore there is there is only one daylight listed for each day below. The night is divided between two calendar days. So this causes confusion when calculating what day Jesus was crucified and what day He arose.

Gregorian Calendar

  The Gregorian night is divided between two different days. The Jewish night was in one day -  not two. So the table below shows that the Jewish night is counted as being on only one calendar date.

                             1        1         2         2        3        3

  1 Thurs:          Night 

  2 Friday:         Night--Day--Night 

  3 Saturday:                         Night--Day--Night

  4 Sunday:                                               Night--Day

Israel And Judah Were Dispersed Among The Nations

They Would Be Brought Back As One Nation

Ezekiel 36:16-29, 37:21-22, 38:8-9

Isaiah 11:11-12

Jeremiah 30:2-3

Joel 3:1-2

EZEKIEL 38 & 39

Armies will be brought down against Israel from the north and will be defeated.

The Lord Will Bring Salvation To Judah First

The Lord Will Seek To Destroy All The Nations That Come Against Jerusalem

The oracle of the word of the Lord concerning Israel: Thus declares the Lord, who stretched out the heavens and founded the earth and formed the spirit of man within him: 2“Behold, I am about to make Jerusalem a cup of staggering to all the surrounding peoples. The siege of Jerusalem will also be against Judah. 3On that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples. All who lift it will surely hurt themselves. And all the nations of the earth will gather against it. 4On that day, declares the Lord, I will strike every horse with panic, and its rider with madness. But for the sake of the house of Judah I will keep my eyes open, when I strike every horse of the peoples with blindness. 5Then the clans of Judah shall say to themselves, ‘The inhabitants of Jerusalem have strength through the Lord of hosts, their God.’ 

6“On that day I will make the clans of Judah like a blazing pot in the midst of wood, like a flaming torch among sheaves. And they shall devour to the right and to the left all the surrounding peoples, while Jerusalem shall again be inhabited in its place, in Jerusalem. 

7“And the Lord will give salvation to the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem may not surpass that of Judah. 8On that day the Lord will protect the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the feeblest among them on that day shall be like David, and the house of David shall be like God, like the angel of the Lord, going before them. 9And on that day I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.  - Zechariah 12:1-9 ESV (2016)

In Revelation 19 Jesus will return with the armies of heaven. Birds will eat the flesh of those that have come against Israel and against Jesus (Rev. 19:21).