Hope of Israel Ministries (Ecclesia of YEHOVAH):

Just Where Will Israel Be Re-Gathered To?

by Arnold Kennedy

The latter phrase is important -- “the covenant of their ancestors”. The “land of their enemies” is not the end point!

2 Samuel 7:10: “Moreover I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime”.

1 Chronicles 17:9: "Also I will ordain a place for My people Israel, and will plant them, and they shall dwell in their place, and shall be moved no more; neither shall the children of wickedness waste them any more, as at the beginning”.

These two passages have been the basis of a standard British-Israel teaching for a very long time -- that YEHOVAH God would eject His people from the Holy Land for a period, and there is much prophecy to support this, and that YEHOVAH God would still be with His Chosen Ones where ever they would be scattered to. What is not said is that this “place” is about being any sort of “New Jerusalem”.

Where the problem starts is in the translators’ choice of words and when we examine these more carefully we have to conclude that there is no contradiction between this “scattering” and later “re-gathering” doctrines.

In the translators’ words, “and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more”, there is wording that appears to convey the thought of “permanence”, such as “dwell”, “plant” and “move no more”. Indeed, it does look like that on the surface. It is from this appearance that gives rise to the thought that YEHOVAH God has indeed finished with Palestine as a place for His people. So let us look further and see what the answer is.

The verbs “appoint”, “plant”, “dwell” are each in the Perfect Mood in Hebrew which means that they are completed actions from the standpoint of the present or completed from the point of view of another action yet future. The next two verbs are different in mood with “move” being in the imperfect and “afflict” being infinitive. So the translators are not absolutely wrong, but it is how we read their words that can be wrong.

It is when we come to look these words we find there are meanings that are invalid. Firstly the word “plant” is used in Exodus 15:17, “Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance, in the place, O LORD, which thou hast made for thee to dwell in, in the Sanctuary, O LORD, which thy hands have established”. Israel was “planted” originally but this does not mean they could never be “rooted out” of the Promised Land or out of the “place” of 2 Samuel 7:10.

So if Israel was once rooted up from where they were “planted”, they could be “rooted up” likewise again from whence they went to in the diaspora. The Septuagint uses the word “encamp” that does not convey the meaning of “dwell” permanently. This word is "encamp", and we know that when Israel "encamped" in the wilderness they did not stay in the one place for all time. They came to move on to the next camping place; that is they were only "planted" until the "cloud" moved. And, the Greek lemma of "move" is given as "to care for -- to be anxious about". There is no example found that gives “move” as having the sense of shifting or not shifting from A to B, and thus any claim that it does is invalid.

• The PEOPLE in this passage (and all others) are Israelites -- NOT any others.

• YEHOVAH GOD is repeatedly presented as the LORD God of Israel -- NOT of others.

• YEHOVAH GOD does the gathering -- they do not come back unconverted under their own steam.

• It is FROM THENCE not OF all nations. Whither also speaks of places.

• The TIME is given as when "thou [Israel] shalt call to mind" all the things presented at Mt. Sinai and set their mind to return to the LORD and to obey His voice. There is no evidence of this in the Israeli state….or in the USA.

• The PLACE is given as "the land which your fathers possessed"…(Note all the New Testament references to “The Fathers”). It is a specific geographical place on Earth. It is the land where the fathers (of Israel) once lived.

• The FULFILLMENT is isolated to the children of “The Fathers”. It is NOT the mythical, spiritual children of Abraham in the sense that Galatians 3:7 is commonly taught, because “The Fathers” are Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

This passage in Deuteronomy 30:1-6 gives us the time of this event and goes on to tell us that Israel’s enemies will be cursed and not be blessed. This racial separation is always present. Provision is also made for those of Israel who deny YEHOVAH God, to be cursed instead of being blessed. Being born an Israelite is no guarantee of eternal life. Each must come through The Door. The Messiah says "I am The Door of the sheep" (John 10:7). The Messiah does NOT say that he is the door for races other than the sheep. The Messiah gave His Life for the sheep! But, it is NOT recorded that he gave his life for goats or anyone else. Israel is often spoken of as being the sheep of his pasture.

From here we go on to find the very same message that the Apostle Paul teaches in Romans 10:5-13 that is so often quoted in religious gospel preaching. Paul is addressing Israelites ONLY who are stated to be “brethren” (kinsmen of the womb). These were of the same kin and of the House of Israel who Paul said also knew the Law (Romans 3:19 and 7:1-4). The Law was given to Israel only.

1 Chronicles 16:35-36: "And say ye, Save us, O God of our [Israel’s] salvation, and gather us together, and deliver us from the heathen, that we may give thanks to thy holy Name…Blessed be the LORD God of Israel for ever and ever ..."

This is an early use of the word “gather”, but it shows one objective or purpose of such a gathering. This purpose is often enough expressed in the final re-gathering to the land promised to the Fathers. In all these verses, kindly take note of the separation or identification that is made by the pronouns. See just who the "gather us" refers to and understand how this cannot ever be extended to include others. Note YEHOVAH God is always stated to be The LORD God of Israel.

In this song of David, we find the prayer for Israel’s gathering together, prayed by David on behalf of Israel. This final re-gathering has not yet happened. In the New Testament, the Messiah taught Israelites to pray, "Thy Kingdom come." This is the hope of Israel, under both covenants. It is NEVER presented as being the hope of all races -- even in the New Testament.

Any suggestion of “gather them from thence” flies in the face of any suggestion of the USA being Zion.

Where is the place where “I have chosen to place my name there”? We are not lacking verses such as, 2 Chronicles 22:7, “In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever”.

Some might like to argue that this refers only to those of the House of Judah who returned to Jerusalem from Babylon. But, the original promise was made to the whole nation, and in this verse, the gathering is from “nations” in the plural. Again, the action relates to the redemption of Israel. It is through the Redeemer OF ISRAEL, the Messiah, who was born to save his Father's people from their sins. The PLACE is always a specified place; it is not a condition as many New Testament teachers suggest, but a physical place that YEHOVAH God has chosen on Earth. It is the “land which your fathers possessed”.

Psalm 102:21, 22: "To declare the name of the LORD in Zion, and His praise in Jerusalem; when the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms [of Israel] to serve the LORD."

Psalm 106:47: "Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us, from among the heathen, to give thanks unto thy holy Name,…"

Psalm 105:42, 43: "For He remembered His holy promise, and Abraham His servant. And He brought forth His people with joy, and His chosen with gladness."

What are these things? Are they not to do with Israel and her gathering? Would it be improper to suggest that if we do not observe these things we must therefore be lacking in understanding? The Messiah pointed out the same thing in John 3:12, "If I have told you earthly things and you believe not, how shall you believe if I tell you heavenly things?" The Messiah was talking to Nicodemus, a Master in Israel about knowing these things. It is absolutely necessary to understand the earthly things about Israel as a racial entity before we can ever understand heavenly things. The facts concerning the gathering of Israel are most important! Where they are gathered “from” is likewise important as is where they are gathered “to”.

Isaiah is telling us a basic fact about the House of Israel that is at enmity against the House of Judah until the time of the re-gathering of all Israel (Isaiah 11). These two Houses (or parts of Israel) must exist today as specific entities. The gathering is clearly spoken of as being of two parts that come from among (not of) all nations in the four corners of the earth. If Israel has now been “taken over” by the Church, how ever could this prophecy be fulfilled? We will see a lot more about this separation between Israel and Judah as we go along. What do the end-of-age teachers say about this matter? Nothing! If we take this literally, we see the route Israel is to take back to the promised land, as well as the timing. So far men do not go dry-shod over the Egyptian sea (verse 15). A highway expressed in verse 16 as being from Assyria is not presently manifest either. The time of in that day is the time of the latter days when the Messiah comes to "smite the earth with the rod of his mouth" (Isaiah 11:4). And too, where would the USA come into this?

Some like to say that this applies to the Messiah’s time, but YEHOVAH God did not reign and prosper as a King on the earth when the Messiah was alive.

It must be noted that this is after Israel had been driven out of Palestine, and the gathering is only of the seed of Israel, that is, the Children (descendants) of Israel. Also, the return is from the North Country (singular) where Israel is to be found, AS WELL AS FROM “ALL COUNTRIES”.

We can now examine the full passage above to see if today’s prophets are equally profane in not believing what YEHOVAH God says about the gathering of His people Israel. This is the context in which Jeremiah is speaking. Should we feel as bad about it as Jeremiah did? These Pastors and Teachers with the universalist all-races doctrines are the pastors who are said to be destroying the sheep of YEHOVAH’s pasture (verse 1). These are hard words and YEHOVAH God pronounces woe on all and every one of these pastors who will not teach what Jeremiah is saying about the gathering of Israel and Judah. It is time for a personal check up on what we believe about this, to avoid this woe! It is time to check up where Israel is gathered from.

• Those re-gathered are a very small remnant of the two Houses (all Israel) ONLY. (Zephaniah 2:9; Micah 2:2; Ezekiel 14:22; Jeremiah 6:9, 23:3, 31:7; Isaiah 1:9, 4:3, 11:16, 37:4; Romans 11:5, 9:27)

• They are ONLY from YEHOVAH God’s flock (Israel).

• Israel as a whole is gathered from out of all countries where YEHOVAH God had driven them. (But Israel is not of the racial content of the races of those countries).

• The timing is in the days of the Righteous Branch. This is NOT the First Advent time, because the Messiah does not yet sit on David’s present throne on earth. He is yet to return to David’s throne (over Israel).

• Judah and Israel are separate entities until this time. Their present enmity has been stated clearly (Isaiah 11:11-13). Do we believe this?

It is in his days that the two entities re-unite. The middle wall of partition between Israel and Judah that the Apostle Paul talks of is then broken down under the New Testament that is made with Israel and Judah alone (Hebrews 8:8). And then, Paul says, all Israel shall be saved. In prophecy, the two parties are NEVER other than Israel and Judah, they are NEVER “Jews and Gentiles” in the way that is commonly presented. There is no line of Old Testament prophecy that the popular teachings could be shown to fulfill.

• The people concerned are always the seed (genetic) of the House of Israel (verse 8).

• The “Land” is that which was given to their Fathers (genetic). There are not two promised lands, nor is this promised land a place to which “saints” are raptured to before the Millennium. Israel is to dwell in their own land; the same one that was given unto their fathers. They are gathered from out of nations on Earth, and not from some place outside of earth from where they supposedly might have been raptured.

• Are we those upon whom YEHOVAH God says He will bring evil (verse 12)?

• Are we those who cause "My people Israel" to err (verse 13)?

• Do we speak a vision out of our own heart and not out of the mouth of the LORD (verse 16)?

• Do we say to our people, or think, no evil shall come upon you (verse 17)?

• Have we yet marked His word and heard it (verse 18)? Indeed, look at the rest of this chapter of Jeremiah about teachers and pastors who carry on "stealing My words every one from his neighbour."

• Is what we teach or believe just what we learned at Bible College or at church?

• Will we yet continue not to accept what YEHOVAH God is saying through His prophets about the gathering of Israel?

• Will we continue to ignore the present separation of Israel and Judah?

• Will we continue to ignore the time when Israel is gathered and confess that this is NOT what is happening in the Israeli State? If we do not yet do so, we still have the rest of the prophetical books to contend with and be convinced, for all tell the same story.

Jeremiah 31:8-11: "Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the coasts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child, together: a great company shall return thither. And they shall come with weeping, and with supplications I will lead them:…He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd does his flock. For the LORD has redeemed Jacob.…"

What land? Who, and who only, are planted in “this land”? Israel can never be spiritualized away as a church in the modern concept. Jeremiah 31:35-37 and 33:17 tells us that Israel will always be A PEOPLE in the same way Peter does in the New Testament. This is to be so as long as the stars are shining and the moon can be seen. So Israel is still an individual two-part racial entity today, consisting of the House of Israel and the House of Judah! Jeremiah also tells us about the House of Israel always having a monarch over them (Jeremiah 33:17), and so this part of Israel must contain a monarch today. (Note again the separation of Israel and Judah in this chapter and that King Trump does not fit…he is not on the Throne of David!).

Jeremiah 50:4, 5, 19: "In those days, and in that time, saith the LORD, the children of Israel shall come, they and the children of Judah together, going and weeping: and they shall go, and seek the LORD their God. They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherwood,…And I will bring Israel again to his habitation,…"

Would they be asking the way to Zion if they were already in the USA as Zion? What does “and in that time” refer to. Have a good look!

It is always Israel and Judah only! Again they are mentioned separately as seeking YEHOVAH God together. There is not one drop of a stream of prophecy to the contrary! This verse is certainly not being fulfilled in the Israeli State today, or in the USA. Some would say that “Zion” is a figure of speech, or that the prophecy concerns the return of Judah to the Land under Ezra and Nehemiah. But here it is both houses, not just Judah, who are mentioned as separate entities making up all Israel as being brought to his habitation.

Israel will be sanctified in the eyes of all the other races when YEHOVAH God gathers His people…"then shall they dwell in THEIR LAND that I have given unto My servant JACOB…" (Jeremiah 28:24-26). The word “Jacob” can NEVER include other races. There are a lot of other races in the USA! Again then, where is “their land”?

Ezekiel 11:17: "…Thus saith the LORD God, I will even gather you [Israel] from the people, and assemble you out of the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel."

Is the USA the “land of Israel”? Ezekiel tells the same story as Jeremiah! He makes the same complaint about the pastors and prophets who ignore the national message of the Bible and who have not made up the hedge for the House of Israel. He says that their teaching is prophecy out of their own hearts (Ezekiel 13:1-16). The rest of this chapter tells how their teaching seduces Israel. Today the modern teachers see visions of peace for Jerusalem (verse 16) and they think that the Israeli State is the start of the fulfillment. Some think the USA is the fulfillment. But, there will be no peace in Jerusalem until Edom is destroyed and the Prince of Peace brings the righteous remnant back to enjoy the abundance of peace they alone are promised. This gathering is after Esau’s descendants have been destroyed in "The Land" by a complete and utter destruction.

Ezekiel 6:60: "Nevertheless, I will remember my covenant with thee [Israel]:…and I will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant."

But, the gathering of Israel, from among the countries “wherein you were scattered”, is with fury, purging and judgment (Ezekiel 20:34-38). "All flesh shall know that I the LORD have drawn my sword" (Ezekiel 21:5). Can we perceive the sword sharpened as Ezekiel did (Ezekiel 21:8-17)? Or do we prophesy lies saying YEHOVAH’s people shall be raptured away out of it? YEHOVAH’s principle is always, “the unrighteous shall be severed from among the just” (Matthew 13:49). How dare our teachers reverse what YEHOVAH God and the Messiah say. They teach that the righteous are raptured away from wicked. These teachers must face their judgment! In the parable of the Tares and the Wheat, is it not the Tares who are FIRST burned? We must have a good think about this!

Ezekiel 34:30, 31, 33: "Thus shall they know that I the LORD their God am with them, and that they, even the House of Israel are My people, saith the LORD God. And you My flock, the flock of My pasture, are men and I am your God,…"

“Sheep” and “flock” are the people who personally belong to YEHOVAH God. Israel is bought back for a price and “found”. The "bring" (verse 13) and "seeketh out" (verse 12) parallel the "bought" and "found" through the New Testament parables. The new heart is a promise made to the House of Israel. You will look in vain for the new heart to be put in anyone else but Israel (Ezekiel 36:21-38).

What is the timing? We must look at this timing and see if this is what we have been taught. And with this, note the desolation that is yet to come upon the land before Israel returns. Other prophets write about this too, but you will not find our modern teachers ever mentioning it. They are too busy prophesying smooth things about the Israeli State – and some about the USA! These are the false prophets. These are the ones with the dangerous doctrines, every one of them.

Ezekiel 37:14: "…and I shall place you in your own land…"

Even the Jehovah Witnesses have a play on this one. However, the Bible states the one stick represents Judah and the other represents Israel. They are companions…(verse 16)…or fellows…(verse 19). The sticks become joined together. This is a picture of the gathering together of all Israel. It includes no one else! It is not “Jews and Gentiles” in the popular context. The prophet goes on to say:

Ezekiel 37:21-23: "…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 [the Messiah] shall be king unto them all; and they shall no more be two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms anymore at all."

Note this well, Israel is to be brought back from “whence they be gone”. “Whence they be gone” thus cannot be the final end point. It cannot be the USA that is the end point!

Anyone who denies that Israel is made up of just these two peoples has a serious problem. If they are not prepared to believe this earthly thing, the Messiah says they cannot ever believe heavenly things (John 3:12). At present Israel could not possibly be a singular “church” as some teach. The two parties could not possibly be “Jews and Gentiles” as is commonly taught. All the kosmos (or order) of Israel that the Messiah is talking about is changed by our teachers to be all the races on the Earth.

Ezekiel 37:24: "And David my servant shall be king over them [under the Messiah]; and they all shall have one Shepherd…"

Ezekiel 37:25: "And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob My servant…and My servant David shall be their Prince [under King Messiah], for ever."

This “land” is a defined area on earth, being that given to Jacob. There is both racial separation and place separation. Where do we read about the USA being given to Jacob?

In these verses we see two groups, “the heathen” and “Israel”; they are two completely separated identities.

Ezekiel 39:21: "And I will set My [Shekinah] Glory among the heathen, and all the heathen shall see My judgment that I have executed, and My hand that I have laid upon them."

Verse 22, 23: "So the house of Israel shall know that I am the LORD their God from that day and forward…and the heathen shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity…"

Verse 25: "Thus saith the LORD God; Now I will bring again the captivity of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and will be jealous for My holy Name."

Verse 27: "…and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations;"

Verse 28: "Then shall they know that I am the LORD their God, which caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen, but I have gathered them [Israel] unto their own land…"

Verse 29: "Neither will I hide My face any more from them: for I have poured out My spirit unto the house of Israel."

Note here the segregation of Israel from the other nations. Note that they come back out of captivity. “Their own land” as defined is not the USA. The mercy upon Israel is in the sight of many nations, so Israel and these many nations coexist, but are separate. On whom do the prophets say the spirit is poured out? Do the prophets say it is poured out upon all races? From Joel 2:28 (and from the New Testament) we have been taught that all flesh is not limited to Israel’s sons and daughters, even if Israel are the people being addressed. But all flesh is almost always the all flesh of Israel.

The important thing to note in connection with the gathering of Israel, is that Israel is still a separate racial entity from the other nations, not only at this late stage of this present age, but into the next age. It is impossible that Israel has become a multi-racial “church”. There is no prophecy at all about any portion for anyone of any race other than the Twelve Tribes. YEHOVAH God’s sanctuary (Temple) is stated to be in the midst of Israel and NOT in the midst of the heathen nations or races.

At the end of Ezekiel, we find listed the apportioning of the land that is divided according to the Tribes of Israel. All those who want to continue to call the Tribes of Israel “The Church” will continue to blur what is on the pages of the Bible in black and white. The more this subject is examined, the more impossible the popular evangelical teachings become.

Daniel 7:13, 14: "…one like the Son of man [the Messiah] came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days [YEHOVAH God], and they brought him near before Him. And there was given him [the Messiah] dominion, and glory, and A kingdom [singular], that all people, nations and languages [of Israel], should serve him:…and his kingdom [over Israel] is that which shall not be destroyed."

Yet again, this kingdom is separate from other peoples and nations. The other peoples are servants to Israel. The LORD of Hosts, the LORD of the armies of Israel, has the whole Earth and all the other peoples in subjection. At the end of this book of Daniel, "the archangel Michael standeth for the children of thy [Daniel’s] people" (Daniel 12:1). Daniel’s people were Israel. The limitation is specific! Again, there is no suggestion of a “church” in the way it is presented today.

Hosea 1:10: "Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God. Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head,…"

Hosea 8:10: "Yea, though they [Israel] have hired among the nations, now I will gather them…"

When reading this article please do not let the emphasized word “gather” escape you. Here YEHOVAH God says He will then be as the dew to Israel (Hosea 14:5). But note, none of these things are said to anyone of any other race. Israel is scattered “among” the other nations before this.

In those days of the pouring out, the blood and fire, the pillars of smoke and the sun being turned into darkness with the moon into blood, Mount Zion and Jerusalem shall be delivered. This is the time when YEHOVAH God says He will be jealous for His land and pity His people. YEHOVAH’s people, expressed as being Israel, are still that entity. The land is still the same area. The other races are still separate.

Joel 3:1, 2: "In those days…and will plead with them there for My people and for My heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted My land."

YEHOVAH God says that His heritage is still the unchanged nation of Israel who are My people. It is not the Church in the common concept. “My land” is still parted today. Israelites are still “scattered among the nations”. The remnant left of YEHOVAH’s people are NOT raptured away from this time of trouble. They are very much present. Joel points out that at that time, the LORD will be the hope of His people and the strength of the Children of Israel (Joel 3:16, 17). The Children of Israel are not multi-racial non-Israelites. No strangers will pass through Jerusalem any more (verse 17). Note this well. This means that such must be passing through Jerusalem up to this time! We can see that this passing through of strangers is not YEHOVAH’s intention and the effect of the mixed multitude within Israel is always to Israel’s detriment.

This prophet speaks about the grievous judgments upon Israel. He reminds us of the terror of these days and of the sun going down at noon and of the destruction in “The Land”. But of those of Israel who are left, he says:

Amos 9:11-15: "In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof, and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old: That they may possess the remnant of Edom…And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall rebuild the waste cities…And I will plant them upon their own land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God."

What then is “the captivity of my people Israel”? Where are these “waste cities”? Could it refer to the USA? Here we have reference to the time when Israel will never again be rooted out of their Land. This is a precise time when the Tabernacle of David is raised up.

Amos did not prophesy about any rapture! The planting is still, “upon their own land”. Our modern teachers like to take an expression like rebuild the waste cities and then say this is what is happening in the Israeli State today. Cities are being rebuilt, but the tabernacle of David is not raised up; neither has the sun gone down at noon-day. The cities of the Land have never been devastated so much that there is not a person, a blade of grass or even a fish (Zephaniah 1:2, 3). This must came to pass before the notable day of the LORD, and before Israel returns to the Land. This level of destruction has never happened yet to what is commonly called the “Holy Land”. Nor has it happened in the USA! The wasted cities will then be rebuilt by Israel, but not before this time. That which is being built now in Palestine, must be something other than what the prophets are talking about concerning Israel. And so must be that which is built in the USA!

We will see that the reference to the remnant of Edom in verse 12 is confirmed when we quote from Obadiah. These peoples falsely calling themselves “Jews” will be exterminated and:

Obadiah 1:17: "…and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions."

This is the time when Israel displaces Edom. The “House of Jacob” never means all races. Neither was Obadiah a believer in a multi-racial church!

Micah 2:12: "I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee, I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together…"

This is the time when YEHOVAH God and the Messiah rule, with Israel, over the nations with a rod of iron. The nations shall see and be confounded at thy might (Micah 7:16). Metaphorically, the other nations are to lick the dust (Micah 7:17). For the duration of the millennium, there is no more war among the nations, all of whom are still separate from Israel. Israel is described as a “nation”, as are the others. Other nations and Israel are always separate peoples in Scripture. All the prophets agree.

Micah 5:7, 8: "And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the LORD…And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles [nations] in the midst of many peoples as a lion among the beasts of the forest,…"

What was sworn “unto our fathers” about the Land? Despite what all the prophets have to say about this subject, it is ignored, or spiritualized, by almost all of today’s teachers.

This prophet’s message on this subject is often missed because the word for “gather” is translated as “turned away” (KJV) or “restore” (NIV).

Nahum 2:2: "For the LORD hath turned away [gathered] the excellency of Jacob, as the excellency of Israel:…"

Habakkuk is the prophet who declares that the vision is for an appointed time and that it will surely come (Habakkuk 2:3 and Habakkuk 3:13 -- "You went forth for the salvation of Thy people, the salvation of Thy anointed.") To call Israel YEHOVAH’s anointed is never taught today. It could not possibly be taught together with popular concepts. When we consider the time factor of chapter three when the LORD goes forth for the salvation of His people, this is at the time of the future Kingdom (Habakkuk 3:3-6). It is at a time of judgment (verse 9-12).

Zephaniah 3:17, 18, 20: "The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; He will save, He will rejoice over thee with joy;…I will gather them that are sorrowful…At that time I will gather you again…for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes,…"

Haggai 2:5: "According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, so My spirit remaineth among you:…"

This latter phrase definitely is not taught in our churches. Israel is the people of the covenant that are mentioned above. They are children of the ones YEHOVAH God brought out of Egypt. This identifies them as Israelites. These are whom YEHOVAH’s spirit remains upon, so the prophet says. Haggai goes on to speak of the heaven and the earth shaking and then of the glory of the new Temple. This speaks of the time surrounding the end of this age.

Zechariah 8:7, 8: "…Behold I will save My people…and I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be My people…"

Never do we find any other race than Israel being termed YEHOVAH’s People. These ALONE are brought (gathered) to Jerusalem. Once again, it is the House of Israel together with the House of Judah that are gathered (Zechariah 8:13 and 9:1), as is also shown in the verse below. The word “Joseph” indicates the leadership of the House of Israel.

Zechariah 10:6: "And I will strengthen the house of Judah and will save the house of Joseph, and will bring them again to place them; for I have mercy upon them: and they shall be as though I had not cast them off…"

Malachi’s burden of the Word of YEHOVAH God was to Israel (not to others). Here we find the expression, "Yet I loved Jacob, and I hated Esau." This our universalists cannot accept with their interpretation of go into all the world, making this phrase mean the inhabited Earth (oikoumene) whereas it is kosmos which means the kosmos of Israel, in that context.

• To be fulfilled in ONLY one people, Israel, as all the prophets specify.

• To involve a specific place, that is, "the land which I gave to your fathers."

• Brought about by YEHOVAH God who does the gathering.

• For a people, Israel, who are gathered are out of all nations, NOT of all nations. (Not one of the prophets is a racial universalist).

• For a nation, Israel, who remain racially separate from the other races, even after YEHOVAH God and His Messiah appear in the future. (Jewry, commonly called “Jews” are not Israel).

• For two houses, the House of Israel and the House of Judah, who remain two separate parts of Israel, until the present enmity between them is broken under the New Covenant.

• Not completed in this present age. The gathering is either concurrent with the Messiah's future appearance, or shortly thereafter. (This is directly contrary to most of the current popular teachings).

Matthew 1:21: "…Thou shall call his name JESUS [YESHUA]: for he shall save his people from their sins."

Matthew 2:6: "…That shall rule my people Israel."

The expression, "his people" is specific. Throughout the Old Testament, “His People” describes Israel ONLY. John the Baptist declares that this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah and John the Baptist goes on to the first New Testament mention of a gathering of the Lord’s people. In many verses below, look for the word "gather" and verify for yourself who is being gathered.

Matthew 3:12: "…he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."

Without one word further, we are given a time when the re-gathering from the “four winds” takes place. Thus it cannot refer to a USA-Zion.

The language is similar to that seen in the Old Testament where the prophets say Israel will be gathered out of the other nations where they had been scattered. Israel was scattered to the “four winds” and are re-gathered from the same place. Once again, we see that the gathering of His elect nation is before YEHOVAH God descends upon the Mount of Olives, thus confirming what all the prophets say. We can again see the consistency of the message through both Testaments that contradicts the popular teaching that says the Israeli State or the USA represents the fulfillment of prophecy. Some of the above things that have to happen before the gathering of Israel simply just have not yet happened. So much for the Israeli State! And so much for the USA!

In John’s gospel there is an interesting prophecy made by Caiaphas in his capacity as High Priest. It is recorded that he spoke not of himself:

John 11:50-52: "Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not…and not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad."

The traditionalists would like to say that this gathering "in one" refers to Jews and Gentiles (supposedly meaning Israelites and non-Israelites) being gathered together. But Caiaphas isolated the whole nation and their position as "children of God." In this passage we see that the Messiah would not die for the House of Judah only, but for the children of YEHOVAH God, inclusive of the House of Israel, who were then scattered abroad. This confirms what the prophets say about the “gathering together”.

The witness "unto Me" is to be taken to the uttermost part of the earth where Israel had been scattered among the nations. The racial universalists say the uttermost part of the earth means the inclusion of every race upon earth. But the Messiah says, "You shall not have gone over ‘THE CITIES OF ISRAEL’ before the Son of Man be come" (Matthew 10:23). They were to go only to the lost sheep of the House of Israel (Matthew 10:6). It may be demonstrated that the instruction to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature was to go unto all the kosmos of Israel and proclaim it in every ktizo or place where Israelites dwelt.

The question was asked, “Wilt thou, at this time, restore the Kingdom to Israel”? In this restoration time the apostles were told that they would sit on twelve thrones judging the Twelve Tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:28). No mention is ever made of other peoples. There is NO suggestion of a multi-racial church ever taking the place of Israel as a people. This message of the restoration of the Kingdom to Israel is a message that is not proclaimed any more. If there were a multi-racial “church”, it would not be a case of restoration to something that was manifest previously, but something altogether new. This we do not find.

Here are those “four winds” again. At this trump of YEHOVAH God, the dead in “christ” (an anointed people) are raised (1 Corinthians 15:52 and 1 Thessalonians 4:16). This refers to the elect as opposed to the final steps in the re-gathering of Israel, but both events occur in the era of the future appearance of YEHOVAH God and His Messiah. Therefore, it is a bit hard to imagine that this trumpet’s reverberation has already happened -- especially if any want to continue to say that the Israeli State today, or the USA, represents this gathering together of Israel. Matthew says that this is immediately after the tribulation of those days (Matthew 24:29), so it cannot be pre-tribulation.

Hebrews 9:28: "…unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation."

The present Israeli State was formed through Zionist political determination together with political alliances, military might and violence. Because this is contrary to the weight of prophecy showing repentance, trust in YEHOVAH God alone, and a totally different manner and attitude at the time of the re-gathering, the Israeli State has no “Divine right” as claimed to the inheritance land. Yet, this is the common assumption of most denominational churches. Those calling themselves Jews have fooled them, but who are NOT Jews through their use of the name “Israel”. It is this Israeli State who call themselves Jews. These are abiding in unbelief and in hatred towards the Redeemer of Israel. The Messiah says that these wicked husbandmen will be destroyed when he appears to take his Kingdom. This has not yet happened in the USA or the State of Israel.

There are those who teach that the Abrahamic Covenant has been fulfilled, declaring: “The promise to Abraham concerning territory was fulfilled when David established his dominion from the Euphrates to the Nile [1 Chronicles 18:3, 2 Samuel 8:3] and confirmed with Solomon [1 Kings 8:65, 2 Chronicles 7:8]”.

If any statement about the Seed of Abraham being the “seed of Jesus” was true, then the present separate identities of Israel and Judah could not also be true. This argument about the seed of Abraham has raged for centuries, but the conclusion presented is the straight forward answer to what has been made into a complex matter. Israel remains exclusive; what all the nations being blessed in Abraham means is far from how it is interpreted. The King will return and he will take his Kingdom with its territory (the covenant land) and the forever of the Abrahamic Covenant will be fulfilled. Those elect overcomers, and the Sons of YEHOVAH God, resurrected at the future appearance of YEHOVAH God and His Messiah, will reign with the Messiah over Israel here on this Earth.

Revelation 11:15: "…The Kingdoms [singular in the original] of this world [kosmos: order] are become the kingdoms of our LORD [YEHOVAH], and of His Christ, and He [YEHOVAH God] shall reign for ever and ever."

• Israel cast out of the promised land.

• Israel sojourning outside of that land

• Israel re-gathered to the land promised to the fathers.

Thus it is wrong to claim that YEHOVAH God has finished with Israel’s Promised Land, for all time.

In emails that have been “raging” about on the USA-ZION topic, other issues have been raised to support the theory. One of these is the use of phrases such as “Daughter of Jerusalem” and “Daughter of Zion”. These, of course, only have any relevance to the argument if the USA were in fact the end-point and because this is an invalid proposition; it is rather pointless bringing this in as a side issue here.

Note these four geographical directions, because they come up again many times. The word “seest” here is Qal stem in Hebrew that is used in some tenses in the sense of perception. If had the meaning of “to be visible by eyesight”, as is claimed, it would be Nilpal or Hiphel stem. The participle active mood is used of present, and future, so any idea that the passage is limited to what Abram could see when standing just on one spot could not be valid. It refers that what Abram would see when he came to walk through the total length and breadth of that particular land (‘eretz) of this context, from boundary to boundary. If Abraham were told to “walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it”, it would have been out of character for him not to do it, because we are told about his obedience.

The place where Abram was then standing was between Bethel and Hai. And then, when YEHOVAH God directed Abram to relocate to Hebron, Abram could not physically “see” one place from the other, even if both were within the total land-promise area. But first, from the logic point of view, compare, “the land which thou seest” and “the land on which thou liest”. If the first were only seventy miles long, then the latter Promised Land would be only an area of about only seven feet by two feet!!! (The grammar and the forms are the same).

In the phrase, “to see it with thine eyes” is in Hiphil stem here, not Qual stem, and thus is about what Moses could physically see from the top of Mt. Nebo. One can certainly see a very long way from up there. But Moses could not see the total that was promised to Abraham’s seed, that is, “Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates” (Genesis 15:18).

So therefore reference to “immediate territory” seems to be wrong on these two counts. What Moses saw was given to the seed of Jacob alone as an inheritance, and not to all the other seed of Abraham.

"Thus saith the LORD GOD; This shall be the border, whereby ye shall inherit the land according to the twelve tribes of Israel: Joseph shall have two portions. And ye shall inherit it, one as well as another: concerning the which I lifted up Mine hand to give it unto your fathers: and this land shall fall unto you for inheritance. And this shall be the border of the land toward the north side, from the great sea, the way of Hethlon, as men go to Zedad; Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim, which is between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath; Hazarhatticon, which is by the coast of Hauran. And the border from the sea shall be Hazarenan, the border of Damascus, and the north northward, and the border of Hamath. And this is the north side. And the east side ye shall measure from Hauran, and from Damascus, and from Gilead, and from the land of Israel by Jordan, from the border unto the east sea. And this is the east side. And the south side southward, from Tamar even to the waters of strife in Kadesh, the river to the great sea. And this is the south side southward. The west side also shall be the great sea from the border, till a man come over against Hamath. This is the west side. So shall ye divide this land unto you according to the tribes of Israel. And it shall come to pass, that ye shall divide it by lot for an inheritance unto you…”

We have even more confirmation than that. There are all the references, “Even from Dan to Beersheba”, such as 1 Samuel 3:30, “And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the LORD”. This even continued into the time of King Solomon -- yes it did!! And Solomon “sat upon the Throne of the LORD over Israel”.

1 Kings, 4:25: “And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon”

We cannot view “from Dan to Beersheba” as being “from Egypt to the Euphrates”, can we? Now we can go back to Abraham and look again at land areas. We do have record of Abram walking in Bethel and in Hebron, etc, but that does not determine that this is at all about, “Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it”. Abram literally could not “see” the all the description as given by Moses and others from where he was, or even a 70-mile distance. If these other authorities are right, Abraham must have put his feet upon an extended area. But the land region that was promised to Abraham is much greater than that given as an inheritance to the seed of Jacob.

Because of the two different covenant land promises, (a) To Abram’s seed and (b) Jacob’s seed, there is room for Ishmael’s seed in the big difference between the two areas, mainly in the South and East. The two areas add up to the total land promised to Abraham and his seed. Thus what is said about Ishmael and the promises made to him can fit in here, and thus Ishmael could have title deeds to his land part, but that is not within the boundaries of those title deeds given as a covenant to Jacob’s seed. So yes, Ishmael was “within the camp” -- he was within the total area promised to the seed of Abraham. Ishmael never had title deeds for the area allocated to Jacob.

Abraham was given, “all the Land of Canaan” indeed but there is no specific area detail given under that title, but it appears to refer to the total area promised to Abram’s total seed. We may not be able to trust Bible dictionaries about this.

The word “wilderness” where Ishmael went to is a word sometimes translated as the “South”, and it is not indicative of the cities within the confines of Jacob’s inheritance area. Ishmael does possess territory and this involves Paran.

All this then conditions what we believe about the property rights to both Jacob and Ishmael. In my view, they have separate areas within the total land promised to Abram’s seed.

Thus there is no need for any adjustment of land rights ever and if we say so then YEHOVAH God would not be faithful to His covenant promises. Because He is faithful, neither of the land-title rights could ever be “adjusted by God several times”, as is claimed by the USA-ZION advocates.

From this side of the argument, we can go on to look at the “place” where Israel is re-gathered. That determines that YEHOVAH God has NOT finished with the Land of Palestine!

…it is not right or fair for anyone to stop short of the 15th verse as USA-ZION advocates do, simply because it tells us that the statement, “there are no words that assure this land is to be Jacob’s in perpetuity”, is not valid. We have to separate, “Jacob’s occupation” or “Jacob’s inheritance”. The fifteenth verse says that YEHOVAH God will bring Jacob’s seed back again. So this indicates a fact of departure and a later return. The “land on which thou liest will I give it” is in the imperfect mood, and thus is to be completed. This takes place after Jacob’s seed has spread abroad to the West, East, North, and South, the compass points where YEHOVAH God says He will gather His people from.

In the Genesis 35:11-12 quote, there is reference to both the land given to Abraham and also that given to Isaac, and this seems as if they are both identical, but because of other statements elsewhere, I believe it means “the land given to Jacob within the land given to Abraham”. I am not sure whether or not we have a Hebrew idiom or other figure here, but if both were identical, then why would both be listed? We have to distinguish between “forever”, “forever and ever” and for “all generations”. I will give just one example here; when Jonah said, “I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever”, so is Jonah still there? The word owlam is not always used in the sense of how we use “everlasting” today. “Possession” or “occupation” is always given on the conditionality of obedience, whereas land title-deed rights are not.

Jacob/Israel never have had “this land” as an “everlasting possession” in the sense of “This people shall dwell alone”. That is in the future when the tares and the “unclean” are removed and burned. The promises of YEHOVAH God are in perpetuity, but non-possession of the land does not mean title deeds do not exist. If I owned a house but was imprisoned for twenty years, for those twenty years I might well still have the title deeds, even if I were not living in that house. Likewise, the Israelites were spewed out of their promised land for their iniquity, but they still hold the title deeds, e.g.:

“And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.”

Thus if Israel was removed from the Land, and if members of Israel arrived in the USA for the period when the Land of Israel could enjoy her Sabbaths, this does not make the USA into the promised land, even if YEHOVAH God is keeping, or watching over, them there. Israel is away from the Land for a purpose…so that the covenant Land could enjoy her Sabbaths! “The land” is not a different land such as the USA as a final destination.

Leviticus 26:32: "And I will bring the land into desolation: and your enemies which dwell therein shall be astonished at it. And I will scatter you among the heathen, and will draw out a sword after you: and your land shall be desolate, and your cities waste. Then shall the land enjoy her sabbaths, as long as it lieth desolate, and ye be in your enemies’ land; even then shall the land rest, and enjoy her sabbaths. As long as it lieth desolate it shall rest; because it did not rest in your sabbaths, when ye dwelt upon it."

What this could be is the making of the USA into a part of the prepared place for (some) Israelites to dwell or be scattered in, “until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory” (Ephesians 1:14). So in the interim we have a story about Israel being scattered away from the covenant land. In no way does this cancel the land-title covenant as far as Israel is concerned. We must note that this does not involve Ishmael being scattered and Ishmael has remained in the area.

Deuteronomy 28:64-66: "And the LORD shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known, even wood and stone. And among these nations shalt thou find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest: but the LORD shall give thee there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind: And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee; and thou shalt fear day and night, and shalt have none assurance of thy life”.

This is part of the curse upon disobedience. Yes, we have the story about foreigners getting high in authority and wealth, but that is not the end of the story. The conclusion is often told in Scripture, and can be summarized in the, “And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of”. The “whither thou goest” phrase says the Israelites would be going to places elsewhere away from the land-title place for punishment times!

Remember Judah and 70 years in Babylon? YEHOVAH God did bring Judahites “again” to this land -- they did come back to Jerusalem, but only for a time! They were thrown out again! Where is Israel to be restored to? Is it not to the land promised to the Fathers of Israel? Do we not find this spoken of over and over again? Is it not to the “land on which thou liest” that was spoken to Jacob? (A bit more that the 7-foot by 2-foot area). Could the USA ever answer this description (or any of the others?). But the “land of un-walled villages” may describe what is an interim place.

USA-Zion advocates say “There is no definitive statement about ownership in perpetuity”, what is fact is it should read, “There is no definitive statement about occupation in perpetuity”. That is, there is no statement about there being any “possession” in perpetuity, from the time the promise was made until the re-gathering of Israel to the land promised to Israel. “Title deeds” and “possession” are differing things.

Thus, when Israel went to Egypt, the land-grant promises to Abraham might appear to end, but they did NOT in fact. So any later similar appearances of relocation in chastisement likewise do not bring land-title promises to an end. It is not that the title deeds are taken away. What is taken away is the right to dwell in the covenant land, and if Israel has been away from that land for centuries, that does not change the title deeds, as is suggested. Yes, there was one time when Israel occupied the land again, as per Joshua 21:44-45, but this does not insist that they would remain there if they started sinning against YEHOVAH God again. YEHOVAH’s conditions for the right to occupy the Promised Land still stand.

A look through the word, “inheritance,” as found in the New Testament, shows that there is a Land title right:

Matthew 21:38: “But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him."

Considering “inheritance”, what then is the phrase, “inherit the (that) earth” about in Psalm 37:9-11, 22, Psalm 25:3 and Matthew 5:5 about? Which “earth” is it? It is the Promised Land earth. Now we can begin to see how Galatians 3:18, “For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise”, is abused by the churches.

Joshua 1:44 is claimed to be a final fulfillment? We find indeed that Israel was removed again after this, but in no wise do we find a thread saying the land covenant title deeds would be cancelled. It was after (note “after” please) Joshua 21 that YEHOVAH God said in 2 Samuel 7:10, the, “Moreover I will appoint a place for My people Israel” and great stress is placed wrongly upon the “and shall move no more”, but “move” = ragaz is about trembling no more; it has exactly nothing to do with not relocating any more. It is a fulfillment rather of “And I will be with you wherever thou goest”.

It is right to say that the final possession does not occur until the people of Israel agree with what YEHOVAH God demands of them. By this is it not being admitted there is a final possession of the Land to come? It has been claimed that the eventual homeland for Israel “was still far away in the future” inferring that it is outside of Palestine. 2 Kings 23:27 does indeed say, “And will cast off this city Jerusalem which I have chosen, and the house of which I said, My name shall be there”, but it is a presumption to claim “cast off” meaning a final action. There are 76 usages we can look at, and ma’ac is in Qual stem indicating that it is something that happened as a casual action at that time. It is something that could happen again! Did it not happen again?

The Messiah likewise rejected Jerusalem, did he not, saying, “Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the LORD”? Does this “till” say it will never happen? (or that it has happened for all time in the past). Likewise, in Jeremiah 19:10, “Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Even so will I break this people and this city, as one breaketh a potter’s vessel, that cannot be made whole again”, the word “break” is imperfect in mood. If it were a completed action, it would be perfect in mood. But, “made whole” is Niphal stem that is the passive of the Qal stem. In other words, Israel cannot make it whole by themselves, and about this we read elsewhere that YEHOVAH God will do it for Israel.

The fact of Jeremiah 26:18, “Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Zion shall be plowed like a field, and Jerusalem shall become “heaps”, and the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest”, does not say this is for all future times. Look what Jeremiah says about this through the Book of Lamentations. And too, look at Psalms such as Psalm 79 where Jerusalem is reduced to “heaps”, and ask yourself too, “does YEHOVAH’s anger burn forever”? How many times has Jerusalem been invaded? Titus reduced Jerusalem to a heap too in A.D. 70. Does that make void the land-title issue that YEHOVAH God made an oath about? Is not YEHOVAH’s oath worth something?

Yes, Peter does say, “To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time”. But where is “heaven” to be for those who will reign on earth? And to which of the seven heavens is it to be? It is the time of the “third Heaven”, the one Paul had a glimpse of! This is the time of, “In that day” we read so much about in prophecy. It is, “In the last time”.

Zechariah presents the end-time picture and note again that YEHOVAH God has not finished with Zion and Jerusalem. As ALWAYS we are told of the remnant of Israel’s return:

Zechariah 8:3: “Thus saith the LORD; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the LORD of hosts the holy mountain. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age. And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof.”

“Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country; And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness”.

The “New Jerusalem” is “new” in form but this does not say the place is anywhere different. Zechariah 12:6 tells us, “And Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem”. We know the right people do not inhabit it at present and the present occupants will be destroyed, “at the brightness of His coming”.

Zechariah 2:12: “ And the LORD shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy land, and shall choose Jerusalem again”.

And we are given geographical boundaries for the foursquare “New Jerusalem” that are within Palestine!! In this regard, we are told that what happened in the former days will be finished in respect to punishing the small remnant of Israel when the conditions are finally met.

These “many people” as ‘am are Israelites and the USA is a strong nation. Remember too that Israel was to be made a “great nation” whilst in Egypt when away from the Promised Land.

Genesis 28:13-14 says nothing about the four points of the compass becoming Jacob’s inheritance land. It merely says it is “where thou goest”. To say that, “We can see that God did not intend that Israel was to remain in Canaan or Palestine”, says nothing at all about Palestine not being the inheritance land. It says nothing about land title deeds. Israel was thrown out….And will yet be re-gathered to where all the prophets specify!

This first time it was not in chastisement, as it was later. So Israel then left the Land they had title to. Why did they go back? It was because they had land title! But Israel came back to the Land from Egypt in YEHOVAH’s time. So will they again from, “the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt” (Revelation 11:8).

Thus the USA is a temporary encampment. But we read, “And Jacob will be saved out of it”, but have a look at the whole passage:

Jeremiah 30:3-9: "For lo, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will bring again the captivity of My people Israel and Judah, saith the LORD: and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it. And these are the words that the LORD spake concerning Israel and concerning Judah. For thus saith the LORD; We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace. Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness? Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it. For it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off thy neck, and will burst thy bonds, and strangers shall no more serve themselves of him: But they shall serve the LORD their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them."

It is verse seven that contains the words “he shall be saved out of it." The passage says Israel is in captivity. Israelites are in captivity wherever they are encamped outside of their Covenant land! What happens when Israel becomes saved out of their captivity? Yes, “And I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it. And these are the words that the LORD spake concerning Israel and concerning Judah”.

If Jerusalem was now in the USA, how could this happen? Was the USA ever the “place of which thou liest” as was said to Jacob?

Zechariah 2:6-9: “Ho, ho, come forth, and flee from the land of the north, saith the LORD: for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven, saith the LORD. Deliver thyself, O Zion, that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon. For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye. For, behold, I will shake mine hand upon them, and they shall be a spoil to their servants: and ye shall know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me”.

Note here about the “four winds”, because it comes up shortly again. So Zion dwells with Babylon at present -- does it not say this? If this were not so the instruction, “come out of her my people” would have no meaning!

The “And I will bring thee again into this land”, as prophesied in the time of the patriarchs, continues on by the later prophets whose prophesies look into the future.

There is much more about “gathering” in the New Testament, such as:

Matthew 3:12: “He will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire”.

Matthew 24:31: “...and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other."

In the latter verse, Israel is gathered from the “North, South East and West” exactly from the identical directions they “spread abroad” in Genesis 28. (We find lexicon reference to “winds” being associated with these directions in the Old Testament….i.e., the “four winds” agree with this). This then is in agreement with Isaiah 11:12, “And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth”.

It is found in the Psalms too, “Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from among the heathen, to give thanks unto thy holy Name, and to triumph in thy praise” (Psalm 106:47).

-- Edited by John D. Keyser.

 

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