True Israel Now Restored
THE true Israel of God has been fully identified in the previous article, but some weighty questions still remain untouched. It is an important point, so often overlooked, the fact that neither of the two greatest Jewish prophets, Moses and Jesus, held out any hope of restoration to natural Israel. That nation was given the choice, either faithfulness and life or unfaithfulness and death. They chose the latter, and their house was abandoned. (Deut. 11:26-28; 30:15-19; Matt. 23:38, NW) The restoration promises so often quoted are found in the writings of such prophets as Ezekiel, Jeremiah and others. (Ezek. 34:1-31; 36:1-38; Jer. 32:27-42) But what were the circumstances under which these promises were made?
This is the special point to be noted. The promises that Jehovah would gather together and restore his covenant people Israel to their land were set forth prior to their going into captivity to Babylon in 607 B.C. Exactly on time, after the land of Judah had lain desolate for 70 years, a remnant of Israel returned to the task of rebuilding the temple and walls, and once more engaging in the pure worship of Jehovah.—Ezra 1:1-8; 3:1-13.
That return, however, was only a miniature fulfillment of the prophecies, only a picture or type or shadow of a much greater and more important return to follow. (1 Cor. 10:6, 11, NW, margin) So the question is: Was it a pattern or picture of the colonizing developments of natural Jews in Palestine today, or did it picture the restoration of spiritual Israel today?
Back there Jehovah God overthrew wicked Babylon and raised up Cyrus the Persian who promoted the return of the Jews. But the British Empire, exercising authority over Palestine from and after Turkish rule was broken in World War I, was no counterpart of Cyrus. Britain opposed the setting up of a Jewish state and failed to live up to her own Balfour Declaration. Not the first like Persia under Cyrus, Britain was the thirty-third nation to recognize the new Jewish state. Jehovah gave back to ancient Israel the land without a struggle, but modern Zionists fought a savage war, and what territory they did not win by conquest they purchased from Arab landlords.
In the pattern the Jewish captives returned to a desolate land uninhabited by man or beast, but the modern colonizers found Palestine inhabited; the city of Jerusalem was a thriving metropolis. In the picture, the Jews returned to rebuild the temple of Jehovah. The modern Jews found a Mohammedan mosque perched on the old temple site and they have made no effort to remove it. And even if they did, the Jews have no certified priesthood, none who can prove descent from Aaron. Not so with those who returned from Babylon.
ISRAEL NOT THEOCRATIC
The most conclusive evidence proving that the return of natural Jews to Palestine has nothing to do with Bible prophecy is the fact that the new state is not theocratic in any sense of the word. Her Constitution declares plainly that the “State of Israel is a . . . democratic republic”, not a theocracy. In every way it is very much a part of this world. Commercially, she does business on the same low level as the rest of the world. Socially and morally she is no better off than the other nations. Militarily, she trusts not in the arm of Jehovah; her chiefs of state enter huddles with military advisers of the Western powers. Religiously, she has her various sects and cults—Orthodox, Reform, Conservative, atheist—none of which can lay claim to being Jehovah’s witnesses. (Isa. 43:10-12, AS) Politically, she has her “left” and “right” and “center” parties which fight one another for the power to rule.
Israel asked the United Nations—that “disgusting thing that causes desolation” (Matt. 24:15, NW)—to “assist the Jewish people in the building of its state and to admit Israel into the family of nations”. This was done, and she became the fifty-ninth member on May 11, 1949, all in violation of God’s law that his covenant people were to make no league with other nations. (Deut. 7:2; Judg. 2:1, 2; Isa. 31:1, AS) If nineteen centuries ago Jerusalem was “in slavery with her children”, how much more so is Israel today in bondage to this Babylonish world! In every way Israel has made herself a part of this old world and is therefore doomed to destruction shortly at Armageddon, even as the Jewish prophet Daniel long ago foretold.—Gal. 4:25, NW; Dan. 2:44.
Is someone heard protesting against what is here said, claiming that the republic of Israel does have certain theocratic tendencies? Any such claims, however, prove invalid if put to the test. True, there is a minister of religion holding a cabinet post; there are strict dietary laws prescribing only kosher meat for the army; there are harsh Sabbath laws that practically bring civilian life to a standstill. But all of such things are purely of man-made order, and in absolutely no sense are they authorized by Jehovah God or his Messianic king. Writing in Harper’s magazine (Nov. 1950), William Zukerman, editor of the “Jewish Newsletter”, explained that such “theocratic” measures were only the tenets of a minority sect that happens to be in power. Visitors report the majority of the people irreligious. On May 31, 1951, the New York Times, under the headline “Theocratic State in Israel Barred”, said: “Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion of Israel asserted yesterday that in no circumstances would his nation become a theocratic state.”
While a few voices cry out for a reorganizing of the Sanhedrin (the ancient supreme court composed of rabbis), while some propose that a rabbinic hierarchy be set up in Jerusalem presumably modeled after the Vatican hierarchy, and while certain religious zealots who call themselves “Guardians of the City” terrorize the country in an effort to enforce orthodoxy, many, many others shout them down with the cry, ‘We want no theocratic rule over us!’ Dr. Abraham J. Feldman, president of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, “warned against an attempt to institute any form of theocracy in Israel.” Dr. William F. Rosemblum said, “It would be nothing short of an international calamity if the fanatic and extremist elements in Israel were to succeed in establishing a theocracy.” And under the headline, “Theocratic Rule Opposed in Israel,” the New York Times (Mar. 30, 1951) reported: “Moshe Shapiro, Israeli Minister of Interior, Health and Immigration, . . . asserted that all religious parties were strongly opposed to any theocratic tendencies in his country.” It is as it was three thousand years ago when “Jehovah said . . . they have rejected me, that I should not be king over them”. (1 Sam. 8:7, AS) And it is as it was nineteen centuries ago when they rejected the Messiah for worldly political rule: “We have no king but Caesar!”
GRAND RESTORATION OF TRUE ISRAEL
The evidence is conclusive, Jehovah is not dealing with natural Israel as a nation. Rather, it is the remnant of spiritual Israel that is restored to a wonderful position of favor in Jehovah’s service. This remnant of Jehovah’s witnesses during World War I were greatly reproached and persecuted and forcibly restrained by great antitypical Babylon, the Devil’s world organization. (Rev. 14:8; 16:19; 17:5–18:21) But in 1919 the Greater Cyrus, Christ Jesus, released them from their captivity and restored them to their heritage of pure worship and service.
Unlike the republic of Israel, this anointed remnant of spiritual Israel were separated from this old world and were made clean from selfish politics, greedy commerce and demonic religion, all of which make up the official elements of this world. (Isa. 52:11) Refusing to enter partnership with the abominable League of Nations or the United Nations, these devoted servants of God went forth, and are continuing to proclaim that God’s theocratic kingdom is the only hope for mankind. They hail God’s anointed king, Christ Jesus, announcing that he has now been enthroned and is reigning upon the heavenly Mount Zion. (Heb. 12:22-24) It is the time, therefore, when Zechariah’s prophecy, Zec chapter 8, verses 20 to 23, is being fulfilled.
In the face of the facts it is high time for all people of good will to awake to these truths. It is upon the skirts of these inward Jews who are really praising Jehovah that all men of good will are now taking hold, even as Zechariah foretold. As ‘ten men out of all languages and nations’ these are saying: “We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.” Therefore, let all natural Jews who want to live and praise Jehovah come along and associate with the remnant of spiritual Israel, the true seed of Abraham, and let them put their hope and trust in God’s Messianic kingdom rather than in the man-made republic of Israel. Let Jew and Gentile alike, out of all nations, hasten and say: “Let us go speedily to entreat the favor of Jehovah, and to seek Jehovah of hosts.” (Zech. 8:20-23, AS) This means everlasting life for them in the paradise new world of righteousness under glorious theocratic rule which will never end!
[Picture on page 565]
MOSQUE OF OMAR