Modern Israel is Not the Fulfillment of Prophecy

To begin with, I agree that the given verses describe a return of Jews to the land of Israel. I also agree that Jews have made a mass migration back to the land of Israel. The reason I do not accept May 14th, 1948 event as a fulfillment of prophecy is that it has not fulfilled the complete extent of the prophecy. There are key markers of the fulfillment of this prophecy which have yet to be fulfilled. You stated, ". . . for Pro to contend this, they are actually going to have to argue that the Jews did not return en masse during the 20th century and that they were not made into a nation again. Which due the fact they did and are, is absolutely irrefutable. " This is simply not the case as I have already claimed that there are portions of this prophecy which are inextricably linked to their return to Israel. Allow me to first make my case and I then will move on to rebut some of your claims. My Case for a Future Fulfillment of This Prophecy Below are the following requirements for this scripture to be conclusively reckoned as being fulfilled: Revelation from the Tenakh (Old Testament) God Himself shall perform this work of regathering the scattered tribes of Israel (Ezekiel 37:21,22, et al). This event shall take place after the time of "Jacob's trouble"or Great Tribulation (Jeremiah 30:7, et al). They shall from the time onward dwell safely, never to be in fear of their enemies (Ezekiel 34:28, et al). They shall call on the name of the LORD and He shall be the God they worship (Zechariah 13:10, et al). God shall place His Holy Spirit within the people of this newly reestablished nation (Ezekiel 37:14, et al). In following God's Law, Israel shall repent of her infidelity and sins toward God (Deuteronomy 30:1-20) The Messiah shall be their King and rule over them (Ezekiel 37:24,25, et al). Revelation from the New Testament Israel shall be scattered among all nations until the fullness of the Gentiles and after the Great tribulation upon which time they shall see and believe in their Messiah (Luke 21:22-24, Roman 11:23-27). They shall not see their King, and thus shall not be restored to their land, until they proclaim, "Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord" (Matthew 23:37-39). Modern Israel Cannot be a Fulfillment of these Prophecies None of these requirements has been fulfilled aside from a group of Jews being given the land of Israel. But this no more supports the claim that modern national Israel fulfills prophecy than does the fact that someone who was born in Bethlehem and crucified between two thieves supports his claim to being the Messiah. The reason the student of the Bible recognizes Christ as truly being the Messiah is that he or she recognizes that Jesus Christ has fulfilled all the requirements and related prophecies concerning the first coming of the suffering servant. One cannot isolate a single aspect of the prophecy concerning Israel's return to their land and ignore or dismiss the others concerning their repentance, keeping of God's law, etc. Clearly the modern day state of Israel does not meet any of the above given biblical requirements for fulfilling the prophecy of their restoration. . These Prophecies Shall be Fulfilled During The Future Millennial Reign of Christ Given the clear prophecies concerning Israel's return to their land, it is evident that these prophecies concern the events recorded in the book of Revelation. A great tribulation takes place after the fullness of the gentiles, or the rapture of the Church (Revelation 6). A remnant of believing Jews, who keep the commandments of God, endure the tribulation (Revelation 12:17). Then Christ returns to conquer the enemies of God and establish His kingdom in Israel (Revelation 19, 20:4). God miraculously protects them from their enemies and defeats them (Revelation 20:9). They dwell safely with the Lord forever unto the heavenly kingdom and the new heaven and earth (Revelation 20). These events in the book of Revelation clearly coincide with the prophesied events concerning Israel's return to their land in the Tenakh. To the reader I ask that you consider the events of the book of Revelation and then consider this passage in Ezekiel: ". . . Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land: And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all. Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God. And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them. And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children's children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever. Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And the heathen shall know that I the Lord do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore" (Ezekiel 37:21-28) ". . . Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God" (Revelation 21:3). Conclusion Modern Israel cannot rightfully be claimed as a fulfillment of prophecy as they have not repented and do not keep the Law of God among many other unfulfilled prophecies concerning their return to their land. Revelation, as a clear fulfillment of these prophecies, provides the timeframe in which these prophecies shall be fulfilled. It is not until the fulfillment of the millennial reign of Christ in the city of Jerusalem that these prophecies can rightfully be said to be accomplished. "Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things" (2 Timothy 2:7). Rebuttal of Con's Claims Con has simply isolated one aspect of these prophecies, that is, the return of Jews to the land of Israel while completely ignoring the context of these verses (e. g. leaving out verses 23-28 out of her quotation of Ezekiel 37). Her mentioning of Israel's seeming prosperity is negligible as what is it to gain a prosperous harvest and yet lose your soul (Mark 8:36)? Though Israel may prosper for a season, she has not repented and embraced Jesus Christ as her Messiah and her king, thus Israel as a nation is antichrist (1 John 2:22). The only real problematic claim Con has made that merits addressing is when she says, ". . . the Jews did remember G-d. Despite the fact they had been exiled to foreign land, they continued to maintain the Torah and their belief in G-d. " The Bible is clear that God has divorced His people Israel and has established a new covenant which all must go through, including the Jewish people (Jeremiah 3:8, Hebrews 8). And this entails believing in Jesus as their Messiah and their Savior who died upon the cross for their sins, was buried and rose again for their justification(John 14:6, 1 Corinthians 1-4, Romans 4:25). Judaism is not honored by God and is indeed a dead religion of Spirit-less, faithless, fumbling in the dark, blind leading the blind, adultery. They serve a god of their imagination (Exodus 20:3).