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End-Time Judgment on Israel's Enemies - Bible Verse Handbook

Session #10 'End-Time Judgment on Israel's Enemies'

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Session 10 End-Time Judgment on Israel's Enemies (Joel 3:1-8)

1“For behold, in those days and at that time, when I bring back the captives of Judah and Jerusalem, 2I will also gather all nations, and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; and I will enter into judgment with them there on account of My people, My heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations; they have also divided up My land. 3They have cast lots for My people, have given a boy as payment for a harlot, and sold a girl for wine, that they may drink. 4Indeed, what have you to do with Me, O Tyre and Sidon, and all the coasts of Philistia? Will you retaliate against Me? But if you retaliate against Me, swiftly and speedily I will return your retaliation upon your own head; 5because you have taken My silver and My gold, and have carried into your temples My prized possessions. 6Also the people of Judah and the people of Jerusalem you have sold to the Greeks, that you may remove them far from their borders. 7Behold, I will raise them out of the place to which you have sold them, and will return your retaliation upon your own head. 8I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the people of Judah, and they will sell them to the Sabeans, to a people far off; for the LORD has spoken.”
(Joel 3:1-8)

I. THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS

B. Before Jesus returns, hostile anti-Semitic nations will once again take the Jewish people captive, even scattering some of them across the nations.

2For I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem; the city shall be taken, the houses rifled, and the women ravished. Half of the city shall go into captivity, but the remnant of the people shall not be cut off from the city. (Zech. 14:2)

C. Jesus prophesied that Israel would fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations.

24 They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. (Lk.21:24)

D. After the rapture, Jesus will march through these nations killing His enemies and liberating Jewish prisoners in death camps and healing the infirm (blind, lame, etc.)

5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
6 Then the lame shall leap like a deer,
And the tongue of the dumb sing.
For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness,
And streams in the desert. (Isa. 35:5-6)

1 “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me,
Because the Lord has anointed Me
To preach good tidings to the poor;
He has sent Me to [ a ] heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives,
And the opening of the prison to those who are bound; (Isa. 61:1)

6 “I, the Lord , have called You in righteousness,
And will hold Your hand;
I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people,
As a light to the Gentiles,
7 To open blind eyes,
To bring out prisoners from the prison,
Those who sit in darkness from the prison house.

16 I will bring the blind by a way they did not know;
I will lead them in paths they have not known.
I will make darkness light before them,
And crooked places straight.
These things I will do for them,
And not forsake them. (Isa. 42:6-7, 16)

6 “In that day,” says the Lord ,
“I will assemble the lame,
I will gather the outcast
And those whom I have afflicted; (Mic. 4:6)

F. When Jesus marches up through Edom ( Jordan) as declared in Isaiah.

1 Who is this who comes from Edom,
With dyed garments from Bozrah,
This One who is glorious in His apparel,
Traveling in the greatness of His strength?—

“I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save.”

2 Why is Your apparel red,
And Your garments like one who treads in the winepress?

3 “I have trodden the winepress alone,
And from the peoples no one was with Me.
For I have trodden them in My anger,
And trampled them in My fury;
Their blood is sprinkled upon My garments,
And I have stained all My robes.
4 For the day of vengeance is in My heart,
And the year of My redeemed has come.
5 I looked, but there was no one to help,
And I wondered
That there was no one to uphold;
Therefore My own arm brought salvation for Me;
And My own fury, it sustained Me.
6 I have trodden down the peoples in My anger,
Made them drunk in My fury,
And brought down their strength to the earth.” (Isaiah 63:1-6)

He will gather Israel as He opens prison doors and liberates Jews in prison camps

12 And it shall come to pass in that day
That the Lord will thresh,
From the channel of the River to the Brook of Egypt;
And you will be gathered one by one,
O you children of Israel.

13 So it shall be in that day:
The great trumpet will be blown;
They will come, who are about to perish in the land of Assyria,
And they who are outcasts in the land of Egypt,
And shall worship the Lord in the holy mount at Jerusalem.
(Isa. 27:12-13)

11 He will feed His flock like a shepherd;
He will gather the lambs with His arm,
And carry them in His bosom,
And gently lead those who are with young. (Isa. 40:11)

7 To open blind eyes,
To bring out prisoners from the prison,
Those who sit in darkness from the prison house.

22 But this is a people robbed and plundered;
All of them are snared in holes,
And they are hidden in prison houses;
They are for prey, and no one delivers;
For plunder, and no one says, “Restore!” (Isa. 42:7, 16, 22)

9 That You may say to the prisoners, ‘Go forth,'
To those who are in darkness, ‘Show yourselves.'

“They shall feed along the roads,
And their pastures shall be on all desolate heights.
10 They shall neither hunger nor thirst,
Neither heat nor sun shall strike them;
For He who has mercy on them will lead them,
Even by the springs of water He will guide them.
11 I will make each of My mountains a road,
And My highways shall be elevated.
12 Surely these shall come from afar;
Look! Those from the north and the west,
And these from the land of Sinim.”

21 Then you will say in your heart,
‘Who has begotten these for me,
Since I have lost my children and am desolate,
A captive, and wandering to and fro?
And who has brought these up?
There I was, left alone;
But these, where were they?' ”

Shall the prey be taken from the mighty,
Or the captives of the righteous be delivered?

25 But thus says the Lord :

“Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away,
And the prey of the terrible be delivered;
For I will contend with him who contends with you,
And I will save your children.
26 I will feed those who oppress you with their own flesh,
And they shall be drunk with their own blood as with sweet wine.
All flesh shall know
That I, the Lord , am your Savior,
And your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.”
(Isa. 49:9-12, 21, 24-26)

3 For 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.' ”

8 ‘For it shall come to pass in that day,' Says the Lord of hosts,
‘ That I will break his yoke from your neck, And will burst your bonds;
Foreigners shall no more enslave them.

10 ‘Therefore do not fear, O My servant Jacob,' says the Lord ,
‘Nor be dismayed, O Israel;
For behold, I will save you from afar,
And your seed from the land of their captivity.
Jacob shall return, have rest and be quiet,
And no one shall make him afraid.

17 For I will restore health to you
And heal you of your wounds,' says the Lord ,
‘Because they called you an outcast saying:
“This is Zion;
No one seeks her.” (Jer. 30:3, 8, 10, 17)

16 Thus says the Lord :

“Refrain your voice from weeping,
And your eyes from tears;
For your work shall be rewarded, says the Lord ,
And they shall come back from the land of the enemy.

23 Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: “They shall again use this speech in the land of Judah and in its cities, when I bring back their captivity: ‘The Lord bless you, O home of justice, and mountain of holiness!' (Jer. 31:16, 23)

23 The Gentiles shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity; because they were unfaithful to Me, therefore I hid My face from them. I gave them into the hand of their enemies, and they all fell by the sword. 24 According to their uncleanness and according to their transgressions I have dealt with them, and hidden My face from them.”

25 “Therefore thus says the Lord God : ‘Now I will bring back the captives of Jacob, and have mercy on the whole house of Israel; and I will be jealous for My holy name— 26 after they have borne their shame, and all their unfaithfulness in which they were unfaithful to Me, when they dwelt safely in their own land and no one made them afraid. 27 When I have brought them back from the peoples and gathered them out of their enemies' lands, and I am hallowed in them in the sight of many nations, 28 then they shall know that I am the Lord their God, who sent them into captivity among the nations, but also brought them back to their land, and left none of them [ k ] captive any longer. 29 And I will not hide My face from them anymore; for I shall have poured out My Spirit on the house of Israel,' says the Lord God .” (Ezek. 39:23-29)

1 “For behold, in those days and at that time,
When I bring back the captives of Judah and Jerusalem,
2 I will also gather all nations,
And bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat;
And I will enter into judgment with them there
On account of My people, My heritage Israel,
Whom they have scattered among the nations;
They have also divided up My land. (Joel 3:1-2)

14 I will bring back the captives of My people Israel;
They shall build the waste cities and inhabit them;
They shall plant vineyards and drink wine from them;
They shall also make gardens and eat fruit from them.
15 I will plant them in their land,
And no longer shall they be pulled up
From the land I have given them,”
Says the Lord your God. (Amos 9:14-15)

12 “I will surely assemble all of you, O Jacob,
I will surely gather the remnant of Israel;
I will put them together like sheep of the fold,
Like a flock in the midst of their pasture;
They shall make a loud noise because of so many people.
13 The one who breaks open will come up before them;
They will break out,
Pass through the gate,
And go out by it;
Their king will pass before them,
With the Lord at their head.” (Mic. 2:12-13)

19 Behold, at that time
I will deal with all who afflict you;
I will save the lame,
And gather those who were driven out;
I will appoint them for praise and fame
In every land where they were put to shame.
20 At that time I will bring you back,
Even at the time I gather you;
For I will give you fame and praise
Among all the peoples of the earth,
When I return your captives before your eyes,”
Says the Lord . (Zeph. 3:19-20)

11 “As for you also,
Because of the blood of your covenant,
I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.
12 Return to the stronghold,
You prisoners of hope.
Even today I declare
That I will restore double to you. (Zech. 9:11-12)

9 “I will sow them among the peoples,
And they shall remember Me in far countries;
They shall live, together with their children,
And they shall return.
10 I will also bring them back from the land of Egypt,
And gather them from Assyria.
I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon,
Until no more room is found for them.
11 He shall pass through the sea with affliction,
And strike the waves of the sea:
All the depths of the River shall dry up.
Then the pride of Assyria shall be brought down,
And the scepter of Egypt shall depart.

12 “So I will strengthen them in the Lord ,
And they shall walk up and down in His name,”
Says the Lord . (Zech. 10:9-12)

8 And it shall come to pass in all the land,”
Says the Lord , “ That two-thirds in it shall be cut off and die,
But one -third shall be left in it: (Zech. 13:8)

2 For I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem;
The city shall be taken,
The houses rifled,
And the women ravished.
Half of the city shall go into captivity,
But the remnant of the people shall not be cut off from the city.
(Zech. 14:2)

43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.' (Mt. 25:43)

24 And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. (Lk. 21:24)

G. Some of Israel will go into captivity in the end times

18 This will be written for the generation to come, t hat a people yet to be created may praise the Lord .
19 For He looked down from the height of His sanctuary; f rom heaven the Lord viewed the earth,
20 To hear the groaning of the prisoner, t o release those appointed to death, (Ps. 102:18-20)

Jesus will assemble the remnant and captives of Israel, especially from Egypt and Assyria—parts of Iraq, Syria, and Jordan

11 It shall come to pass in that day
That the Lord shall set His hand again the second time
To recover the remnant of His people who are left,
From Assyria and Egypt,
From Pathros and Cush,
From Elam and Shinar,
From Hamath and the islands of the sea.

12 He will set up a banner for the nations,
And will [ e ] assemble the outcasts of Israel,
And gather together the dispersed of Judah
From the four corners of the earth.

16 There will be a highway for the remnant of His people
Who will be left from Assyria, As it was for Israel
In the day that he came up from the land of Egypt. (Isa. 11:11-12, 16)

11 They shall come trembling like a bird from Egypt,
Like a dove from the land of Assyria.
And I will let them dwell in their houses,”
Says the Lord . (Hos. 11:11)

When the Assyrian comes into our land,
And when he treads in our palaces,
Then we will raise against him
Seven shepherds and eight princely men.
6 They shall waste with the sword the land of Assyria,
And the land of Nimrod at its entrances;
Thus He shall deliver us from the Assyrian,
When he comes into our land
And when he treads within our borders. (Mic. 5:5b-6)

11 In the day when your walls are to be built,
In that day the decree shall go far and wide.
12 In that day they shall come to you
From Assyria and the fortified cities,
From the fortress to the River,
From sea to sea,
And mountain to mountain.
13 Yet the land shall be desolate
Because of those who dwell in it,
And for the fruit of their deeds. (Mic. 7:11-13)

10 I will also bring them back from the land of Egypt,
And gather them from Assyria.
I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon,
Until no more room is found for them.
11 He shall pass through the sea with affliction,
And strike the waves of the sea:
All the depths of the River shall dry up.
Then the pride of Assyria shall be brought down,
And the scepter of Egypt shall depart. (Zech. 10:10-11)

Israel will suffer affliction and desolation

11 Then I said, “Lord, how long?”

And He answered:

“Until the cities are laid waste and without inhabitant,
The houses are without a man,
The land is utterly desolate,
12 The Lord has removed men far away,
And the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land.
(Isa. 6:11-12)

26 Moreover the light of the moon will be as the light of the sun,
And the light of the sun will be sevenfold,
As the light of seven days, i n the day that the Lord binds up the bruise of His people
And heals the stroke of their wound. (Isa. 30:26)

10 And the ransomed of the Lord shall return,
And come to Zion with singing,
With everlasting joy on their heads.
They shall obtain joy and gladness,
And sorrow and sighing shall flee away. (Isa. 35:10)

12 Those from among you
Shall build the old waste places;
You shall raise up the foundations of many generations;
And you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach,
The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In. (Isa. 58:12)

14 Also the sons of those who afflicted you
Shall come bowing to you,
And all those who despised you shall fall prostrate at the soles of your feet;
And they shall call you The City of the Lord ,
Zion of the Holy One of Israel.

15 “Whereas you have been forsaken and hated,
So that no one went through you,
I will make you an eternal excellence,
A joy of many generations.

18 Violence shall no longer be heard in your land,
Neither wasting nor destruction within your borders;
But you shall call your walls Salvation,
And your gates Praise. (Isa. 60:14-15, 18)

4 And they shall rebuild the old ruins,
They shall raise up the former desolations,
And they shall repair the ruined cities,
The desolations of many generations. (Isa. 61:4)

4 You shall no longer be termed Forsaken,
Nor shall your land any more be termed Desolate;
But you shall be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah;
For the Lord delights in you, And your land shall be married.
5 For as a young man marries a virgin, So shall your sons marry you; And as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, So shall your God rejoice over you. (Isa. 62:4-5)

17 Your sons shall make haste; Your destroyers and those who laid you waste
Shall go away from you.
18 Lift up your eyes, look around and see; All these gather together and come to you.
As I live,” says the Lord , “You shall surely clothe yourselves with them all as an ornament,
And bind them on you as a bride does. (Isa. 49:17-18)

4 Now these are the words that the Lord spoke concerning Israel and Judah.

5 “For thus says the Lord :

‘We have heard a voice of trembling,
Of fear, and not of peace.
6 Ask now, and see,
Whether a man is ever in labor with child?
So why do I see every man with his hands on his loins
Like a woman in labor,
And all faces turned pale?
7 Alas! For that day is great,
So that none is like it;
And it is the time of Jacob's trouble,
But he shall be saved out of it.

8 ‘For it shall come to pass in that day,'
Says the Lord of hosts,
‘ That I will break his yoke from your neck,
And will burst your bonds;
Foreigners shall no more enslave them. (Jer. 30:3-8)

33 ‘Thus says the Lord God : “On the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will also enable you to dwell in the cities, and the ruins shall be rebuilt. 34 The desolate land shall be tilled instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass by. 35 So they will say, ‘This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden; and the wasted, desolate, and ruined cities are now fortified and inhabited.' 36 Then the nations which are left all around you shall know that I, the Lord , have rebuilt the ruined places and planted what was desolate. I, the Lord , have spoken it, and I will do it. ”

37 ‘Thus says the Lord God : “I will also let the house of Israel inquire of Me to do this for them: I will increase their men like a flock. 38 Like a flock offered as holy sacrifices, like the flock at Jerusalem on its [ g ] feast days, so shall the ruined cities be filled with flocks of men. Then they shall know that I am the Lord .” (Ezek. 36:33-38)

12 “I will surely assemble all of you, O Jacob, I will surely gather the remnant of Israel;
I will put them together like sheep of the fold, Like a flock in the midst of their pasture;
They shall make a loud noise because of so many people.
13 The one who breaks open will come up before them; They will break out, Pass through the gate, And go out by it; Their king will pass before them,
With the Lord at their head.” (Mic. 2:12-13)

6 “In that day,” says the Lord , “I will assemble the lame,
I will gather the outcast And those whom I have afflicted; (Mic. 4:6)

Jesus will gather Israel

12 And it shall come to pass in that day
That the Lord will thresh,
From the channel of the River to the Brook of Egypt;
And you will be gathered one by one,
O you children of Israel. (Isa. 27:12)

11 He will feed His flock like a shepherd;
He will gather the lambs with His arm,
And carry them in His bosom,
And gently lead those who are with young. (Isa. 40:11)

9 That You may say to the prisoners, ‘Go forth,'
To those who are in darkness, ‘Show yourselves.'

12 “I will surely assemble all of you, O Jacob,
I will surely gather the remnant of Israel;
I will put them together like sheep of the fold,
Like a flock in the midst of their pasture;
They shall make a loud noise because of so many people.
13 The one who breaks open will come up before them;
They will break out, Pass through the gate, And go out by it;
Their king will pass before them, With the Lord at their head.”
(Mic. 2:12-13)

19 Behold, at that time I will deal with all who afflict you;
I will save the lame, a nd gather those who were driven out;
I will appoint them for praise and fame
In every land where they were put to shame.
20 At that time I will bring you back,
Even at the time I gather you;
For I will give you fame and praise
Among all the peoples of the earth,
When I return your captives before your eyes,”
Says the Lord . (Zeph. 3:19-20)

Israel will have captives

For the Lord will have mercy on Jacob, and will still choose Israel, and settle them in their own land. The strangers will be joined with them, and they will cling to the house of Jacob. 2 Then people will take them and bring them to their place, and the house of Israel will possess them for servants and maids in the land of the Lord ; they will take them captive whose captives they were, and rule over their oppressors.

3 It shall come to pass in the day the Lord gives you rest from your sorrow, and from your fear and the hard bondage in which you were made to serve, (Isa. 14:1-3)

12 He will set up a banner for the nations, And will assemble the outcasts of Israel,
And gather together the dispersed of Judah From the four corners of the earth.
13 Also the envy of Ephraim shall depart, And the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off;
Ephraim shall not envy Judah, And Judah shall not harass Ephraim.
14 But they shall fly down upon the shoulder of the Philistines toward the west;
Together they shall plunder the people of the East; They shall lay their hand on Edom and Moab;
And the people of Ammon shall obey them.
15 The Lord will utterly destroy the tongue of the Sea of Egypt;
With His mighty wind He will shake His fist over the River,
And strike it in the seven streams,
And make men cross over dry-shod.
16 There will be a highway for the remnant of His people
Who will be left from Assyria,
As it was for Israel
In the day that he came up from the land of Egypt. (Isa. 11:12-16)

23 In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian will come into Egypt and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians will serve with the Assyrians. (Isa. 19:23)

14 Thus says the Lord :

“The labor of Egypt and merchandise of Cush
And of the Sabeans, men of stature, s hall come over to you, and they shall be yours;
They shall walk behind you, t hey shall come over in chains;
And they shall bow down to you. T hey will make supplication to you, saying, ‘Surely God is in you,
And there is no other; t here is no other God.' (Isa. 45:14)

10 “The sons of foreigners shall build up your walls, a nd their kings shall minister to you;
For in My wrath I struck you, b ut in My favor I have had mercy on you.

12 For the nation and kingdom which will not serve you shall perish,
And those nations shall be utterly ruined.

II. WHY DO WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THIS?

B. As Israel repents, God will restore double to them

“Comfort, yes, comfort My people!”
Says your God.
2 “Speak comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her,
That her warfare is ended,
That her iniquity is pardoned;
For she has received from the Lord 's hand
Double for all her sins.” (Isa. 40:1-2)

7 Instead of your shame you shall have double honor,
And instead of confusion they shall rejoice in their portion.
Therefore in their land they shall possess double;
Everlasting joy shall be theirs. (Isa. 61:7)

III. FIVE DIFFERENT RESPONSES OF JEWISH PEOPLE IN THE LAND OF ISRAEL

C. Apostolic Israel: Some will remain in the land of Israel being protected by God

32 And it shall come to pass
That whoever calls on the name of the Lord
Shall be saved.
For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance,
As the Lord has said,
Among the remnant whom the Lord calls. (Joel 2:32)

16 The Lord also will roar from Zion,
And utter His voice from Jerusalem;
The heavens and earth will shake;
But the Lord will be a shelter for His people,
And the strength of the children of Israel. (Joel 3:16)

10 “And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.
(Zech. 12:10)

3 And it shall come to pass that he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy—everyone who is recorded among the living in Jerusalem. (Isa. 4:3)

Israel's Final Triumph

17 “But on Mount Zion there shall be deliverance,
And there shall be holiness;
The house of Jacob shall possess their possessions.
18 The house of Jacob shall be a fire,
And the house of Joseph a flame;
But the house of Esau shall be stubble;
They shall kindle them and devour them,
And no survivor shall remain of the house of Esau,”
For the Lord has spoken. (Obad. 17-18)

God will call some Jewish believers specifically to live in Israel throughout the Great Tribulation. Some will come and go, doing God's will with an apostolic anointing in the midst of great danger as a token of the grace described in Isaiah.

D. Israel in flight:

15 “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), 16 “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. (Mt. 24:15, 16)

E. Israel in prison:

The Day of the Lord

1 Behold, the day of the Lord is coming,
And your spoil will be divided in your midst.
2 For I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem;
The city shall be taken,
The houses rifled,
And the women ravished.
Half of the city shall go into captivity,
But the remnant of the people shall not be cut off from the city.
(Zech. 14:1-2)

7 To open blind eyes,
To bring out prisoners from the prison,
Those who sit in darkness from the prison house.

9 That You may say to the prisoners, ‘Go forth,'
To those who are in darkness, ‘Show yourselves.'

“They shall feed along the roads,
And their pastures shall be on all desolate heights.

24 Shall the prey be taken from the mighty,
Or the captives of the righteous be delivered?

25 But thus says the Lord :

“Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away,
And the prey of the terrible be delivered;
For I will contend with him who contends with you,
And I will save your children. (Isa. 49:9, 24-25)

24 And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. (Lk. 21:24)

F. Israel killed: Zechariah prophesied that two thirds of the nation will be killed

8 And it shall come to pass in all the land,”
Says the Lord , “ That two-thirds in it shall be cut off and die,
But one -third shall be left in it: (Zech. 13:8)

IV. JOEL PROPHESIED THE RETURN OF JEWISH CAPTIVES TO ISRAEL

1In those days and at that time, when I bring back the captives of Judah and Jerusalem… (Joel 3:1)

B. There will be five things that will happen simultaneously in this dramatic time period as seen in Joel 2:28-3:2.

First, there will be a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit

28 “And it shall come to pass afterward
That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your old men shall dream dreams,
Your young men shall see visions.
29 And also on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days. (Joel 2:28-29)

Second, there will be supernatural deliverance of the Jews who call out to the Lord

Third, there will be terrifying signs in the heavens

30 “And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth:
Blood and fire and pillars of smoke.
31 The sun shall be turned into darkness,
And the moon into blood,
Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.
(Joel 2:30-31)

Fourth, the liberation of Jews who were in prison camps

“For behold, in those days and at that time,
When I bring back the captives of Judah and Jerusalem, (Joel 3:1)

Fifth, God's judgment on the anti-Semitic nations

2 I will also gather all nations,
And bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat;
And I will enter into judgment with them there
On account of My people, My heritage Israel,
Whom they have scattered among the nations;
They have also divided up My land. (Joel 3:2)

E. Jesus said that the Lord anointed Him to preach good tidings to the poor, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and to open the prison for those who are bound

V. GATHERING ALL NATIONS

2“I will also gather all nations, and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; and I will enter into judgment with them there on account of My people, My heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations; they have also divided up My land.” (Joel 3:2)

A• The Lord will first gather all the nations together for judgment. He will bring them down into a specific geographic place—the Valley of Jehoshaphat.

12 “Let the nations be wakened, and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat;
For there I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations. (Joel 3:12)

There is no place in Israel with this name. Therefore, some see it as symbolic of God's judgment. I believe that the Valley of Jehoshaphat is the Valley of Berachah.

25When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away their spoil, they found…an abundance of valuables…more than they could carry away…26On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Berachah, for there they blessed the LORD… (2 Chr. 20:25-26)

VI. GOD'S JUDGMENT OF SOME NATIONS: THREE REASONS

2“I will also gather all nations…and I will enter into judgment with them there on account of My people, My heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations; they have also divided up My land. 3They have cast lots for My people, have given a boy as payment for a harlot, and sold a girl for wine, that they may drink.” (Joel 3:2-3)

C• Dividing up the land: God charges the Gentile nations for dividing His land and using it in ways contrary to His purpose. This is what the Antichrist will do when he sets up part of his headquarters in Israel

45 And he shall plant the tents of his palace between the seas and the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and no one will help him. (Dan. 11:45)

D• Enslaving the Israelites: God's third controversy with the Gentile nations is that they have, and will continue to, cast lots for the people of Israel. In other words, they have enslaved His people

6 Also the people of Judah and the people of Jerusalem
You have sold to the Greeks, that you may remove them far from their borders. (Joel 3:6)

G. Israel will face anti-Semitism that will be even more severe than what they encountered in Nazi Germany. It will be during the Tribulation, in a time that Jeremiah referred to as Jacob's Trouble

“At that time Michael shall stand up,
The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people;
And there shall be a time of trouble,
Such as never was since there was a nation,
Even to that time.
And at that time your people shall be delivered,
Every one who is found written in the book. (Dan. 12:1)

7 Alas! For that day is great,
So that none is like it;
And it is the time of Jacob's trouble,
But he shall be saved out of it. (Jer. 30:7)

VII. GOD'S CHALLENGE TO THE NATIONS

4“Indeed, what have you to do with Me, O Tyre and Sidon, and all the coasts of Philistia? Will you retaliate against Me? But if you retaliate against Me, swiftly and speedily I will return your retaliation upon your own head; 5because you have taken My silver and My gold, and have carried into your temples My prized possessions. 6Also the people of Judah and the people of Jerusalem you have sold to the Greeks, that you may remove them far from their borders. 7Behold, I will raise them out of the place to which you have sold them, and will return your retaliation upon your own head. 8I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the people of Judah, and they will sell them to the Sabeans, to a people far off; for the LORD has spoken.”
(Joel 3:4-8)

D. Through Ezekiel, the Lord tells us some of the reasons that the nations hate Israel.

11“Therefore, as I live,” says the Lord GOD, “I will do according to your anger and according to the envy which you showed in your hatred against them; and I will make Myself known among them when I judge you.” (Ezek. 35:11)

F. The Lord promises to swiftly and speedily judge them.

G. The Lord continues with His promises of judgment upon these nations.

7“Behold, I will raise them out of the place to which you have sold them, and will return your retaliation upon your own head.” (Joel 3:7)

VIII. GOD'S SOVEREIGNTY

A• God's sovereignty is the foundational premise behind the entire story of human history.

4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years. (Rev. 20:4-6)

B. God chose Zion, the city of Jerusalem

13 For the LORD has chosen Zion[Jerusalem]; He has desired it for His dwelling place: 14“This is My resting place forever; here I will dwell, for I have desired it.” (Ps. 132:13-14)

17At that time Jerusalem shall be called The Throne of the LORD, and all the nations shall be gathered to it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem. (Jer. 3:17)

14“I am zealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with great zeal.”
(Zech. 1:14)

C. God chose Israel and has orchestrated all history to reveal the glory of His name

22 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord God : “I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name's sake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went. (Ezek. 36:22).

IX. JESUS' ACTIVITY AT THE SECOND COMING IN THE OLD TESTAMENT PROPHETS

A. There are two often overlooked aspects. First, Israel being desolate in prison camps. Second, Jesus leading Jewish captives in an exodus-type journey back to Israel

14 “I have held My peace a long time,
I have been still and restrained Myself.
Now I will cry like a woman in labor,
I will pant and gasp at once.
15 I will lay waste the mountains and hills,
And dry up all their vegetation;
I will make the rivers coastlands,
And I will dry up the pools.
16 I will bring the blind by a way they did not know;
I will lead them in paths they have not known.
I will make darkness light before them,
And crooked places straight.
These things I will do for them,
And not forsake them.
17 They shall be turned back,
They shall be greatly ashamed,
Who trust in carved images,
Who say to the molded images,
‘You are our gods.' (Isa. 42:14-17)

B. An end-time theme emphasized in the Old Testament is that of Jesus releasing Jewish prisoners.

1“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me…He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison…” (Isa. 61:1)

6“I, the LORD…will give You as a covenant to the people…7to open blind eyes, to bring out prisoners from the prison, those who sit in darkness from the prison house.” (Isa. 42:6-7)

16“I will bring the blind by a way they did not know…22But this is a people [Israel] robbed and plundered; all of them are snared in holes, and they are hidden in prison houses; they are for prey, and no one delivers; for plunder, and no one says, ‘Restore!'” (Isa. 42:16, 22)

9That You [Jesus] may say to the prisoners, “Go forth,” to those who are in darkness, “Show yourselves.” (Isa. 49:9)

D. Israel is pictured as completely shattered in the end times.

7I heard the man clothed in linen…he held up his right hand and swore by Him who lives forever, that it shall be for a time, times, and half a time [3½ years]; and when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things shall be finished. (Dan. 12:7)

E. Micah and Jeremiah declared that the Lord is responsible for afflicting Israel in the end times.

6“In that day,” says the LORD, “… I will gather the outcast and those whom I have afflicted.” 7… the LORD will reign over them in Mount Zion from now on, even forever. (Mic. 4:6-7)

3I will gather the remnant of My flock out of all countries where I have driven them, and bring them back…8the LORD…who brought up and led…the house of Israel from the north country and from all the countries where I had driven them. (Jer. 23:3, 8)

F• Jesus releases prisoners

8Thus says the LORD: “… In the day of salvation…I will preserve You and give You as a covenant to the people, to restore the earth, to cause them to inherit the desolate heritages; 9that You may say to the prisoners, ‘Go forth,' to those who are in darkness, ‘Show yourselves.' They shall feed along the roads, and their pastures shall be on all desolate heights. 10They shall neither hunger nor thirst, neither heat nor sun shall strike them; for He who has mercy on them will lead them, even by the springs of water He will guide them.” (Isa. 49:8-10)

19 “For your waste and desolate places,
And the land of your destruction,
Will even now be too small for the inhabitants;
And those who swallowed you up will be far away.
20 The children you will have,
After you have lost the others,
Will say again in your ears,
‘The place is too small for me;
Give me a place where I may dwell.'
21 Then you will say in your heart,
‘Who has begotten these for me,
Since I have lost my children and am desolate,
A captive, and wandering to and fro?
And who has brought these up?
There I was, left alone;
But these, where were they?' ”

24 Shall the prey be taken from the mighty,
Or the captives of the righteous be delivered?

25 But thus says the Lord :

Then takes the captives to Israel

9 That You may say to the prisoners, ‘Go forth,'
To those who are in darkness, ‘Show yourselves.'

God gives Jesus as a covenant to the nations this results in restoring the earth from the curse of sin to its millennial glory.

6 “I, the Lord , have called You in righteousness,
And will hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people,
As a light to the Gentiles, (Isa. 42:6)

G. Jesus will take the captives on an exodus-type journey back to Israel.

9“They shall feed along the roads, and their pastures shall be on all desolate heights. 10They shall neither hunger nor thirst, neither heat nor sun shall strike them; for He who has mercy on them will lead them, even by the springs of water He will guide them. 11I will make each of My mountains a road, and My highways shall be elevated.”
(Isa. 49:9-11)

This is deliberately described in a way that is to be understood as a repeat of the exodus.

21 Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Pick out and take lambs for yourselves according to your families, and kill the Passover lamb. (Ex. 12:21)

Led them to water

6 Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink.” (Ex. 17:6)

7The parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water… (Isa. 35:7)

X. GOD WILL RESTORE ISRAEL (ISA. 49:17-26)

A. God promises to restore Israel after she has been laid waste during the Great Tribulation.

17“Your sons shall make haste [to return to Israel]; Your destroyers and those who laid you waste shall go away from you [be killed]. 18Lift up your eyes, look around and see; all these gather together and come to you.” (Isa. 49:17-18)

B• Jesus will gather Israel from the nations; causing her to be adorned with her children

11 So the ransomed of the Lord shall return,
And come to Zion with singing,
With everlasting joy on their heads.
They shall obtain joy and gladness;
Sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

16 And I have put My words in your mouth;
I have covered you with the shadow of My hand,
That I may plant the heavens,
Lay the foundations of the earth,
And say to Zion, ‘You are My people.' ”

18 There is no one to guide her
Among all the sons she has brought forth;
Nor is there any who takes her by the hand
Among all the sons she has brought up.
19 These two things have come to you;
Who will be sorry for you?—
Desolation and destruction, famine and sword—
By whom will I comfort you?
20 Your sons have fainted,
They lie at the head of all the streets,
Like an antelope in a net;
They are full of the fury of the Lord ,
The rebuke of your God. (Isa. 51:11, 16, 18-20)

Awake, awake!
Put on your strength, O Zion;
Put on your beautiful garments,
O Jerusalem, the holy city!
For the uncircumcised and the unclean
Shall no longer come to you. (Isa. 52:1)

“Sing, O barren,
You who have not borne!
Break forth into singing, and cry aloud,
You who have not labored with child!
For more are the children of the desolate
Than the children of the married woman,” says the Lord .
2 “Enlarge the place of your tent,
And let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings;
Do not spare;
Lengthen your cords,
And strengthen your stakes.
3 For you shall expand to the right and to the left,
And your descendants will inherit the nations,
And make the desolate cities inhabited.

4 “Do not fear, for you will not be ashamed;
Neither be disgraced, for you will not be put to shame;
For you will forget the shame of your youth,
And will not remember the reproach of your widowhood anymore.
5 For your Maker is your husband,
The Lord of hosts is His name;
And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel;
He is called the God of the whole earth.
6 For the Lord has called you
Like a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit,
Like a youthful wife when you were refused,”
Says your God.
7 “For a mere moment I have forsaken you,
But with great mercies I will gather you.
8 With a little wrath I hid My face from you for a moment;
But with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you,”
Says the Lord , your Redeemer. (Isa. 54:1-8)

7 “Before she was in labor, she gave birth;
Before her pain came,
She delivered a male child.
8 Who has heard such a thing?
Who has seen such things?
Shall the earth be made to give birth in one day?
Or shall a nation be born at once?
For as soon as Zion was in labor,
She gave birth to her children.
9 Shall I bring to the time of birth, and not cause delivery?” says the Lord .
“Shall I who cause delivery shut up the womb? ” says your God.
10 “Rejoice with Jerusalem,
And be glad with her, all you who love her;
Rejoice for joy with her, all you who mourn for her;
11 That you may feed and be satisfied
With the consolation of her bosom,
That you may drink deeply and be delighted
With the abundance of her glory.”

12 For thus says the Lord :

“Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river,
And the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream.
Then you shall feed;
On her sides shall you be carried, And be dandled on her knees.
13 As one whom his mother comforts,
So I will comfort you; And you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.”

14 When you see this, your heart shall rejoice,
And your bones shall flourish like grass;
The hand of the Lord shall be known to His servants,
And His indignation to His enemies. (Isa. 66:7-14)

Israel's children will be her glory

10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord ,
My soul shall be joyful in my God;
For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation,
He has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments,
And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. (Isa. 61:10)

16 The Lord their God will save them in that day,
As the flock of His people.
For they shall be like the jewels of a crown,
Lifted like a banner over His land— (Zech. 9:16)

C. God promises to restore Israel after her destruction during the Great Tribulation.

19“For your waste and desolate places, and the land of your destruction, will even now be too small for the inhabitants; and those who swallowed you up will be far away. 20The children you will have, after you have lost the others, will say again in your ears, ‘The place is too small for me; give me a place where I may dwell.'

21Then you will say in your heart, ‘Who has begotten these for me, since I have lost my children and am desolate, a captive, and wandering to and fro? And who has brought these up? There I was, left alone; but these, where were they?'” (Isa. 49:19-21)

D. Jesus, at the second coming, will raise up a royal standard to call Israel's children from the nations to come to Israel.

22“I will lift My hand in an oath to the nations, and set up My standard for the peoples [Gentiles]; they [Israel's former oppressors] shall bring your sons in their arms, and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders; 23kings shall be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers; they shall bow down to you with their faces to the earth, and lick up the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am the LORD, for they shall not be ashamed who wait for Me [who do not give up praying and expecting].” (Isa. 49:22-23)

1. Jesus made an oath that He will set up a standard (banner) that the nations will recognize as a call to bring the Jewish survivors back to Israel

12 He will set up a banner for the nations, And will assemble the outcasts of Israel,
And gather together the dispersed of Judah From the four corners of the earth. (Isa. 11:12)

10 Go through, Go through the gates!
Prepare the way for the people; Build up, Build up the highway!
Take out the stones, Lift up a banner for the peoples! (Isa. 62:10)

2. This oath includes Jesus personally leading captives to Israel from Egypt and Assyria. He will command Gentile kings to serve Him in this

12 He will set up a banner for the nations,
And will [ e ] assemble the outcasts of Israel,
And gather together the dispersed of Judah
From the four corners of the earth.
13 Also the envy of Ephraim shall depart,
And the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off;
Ephraim shall not envy Judah,
And Judah shall not harass Ephraim.
14 But they shall fly down upon the shoulder of the Philistines toward the west;
Together they shall plunder the people of the East;
They shall lay their hand on Edom and Moab;
And the people of Ammon shall obey them.
15 The Lord will utterly destroy the tongue of the Sea of Egypt;
With His mighty wind He will shake His fist over the River,
And strike it in the seven streams,
And make men cross over dry-shod.
16 There will be a highway for the remnant of His people
Who will be left from Assyria,
As it was for Israel
In the day that he came up from the land of Egypt. (Isa. 11:11-16)

22 Thus says the Lord God :

“Behold, I will lift My hand in an oath to the nations,
And set up My standard for the peoples;
They shall bring your sons in their arms,
And your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders;
23 Kings shall be your foster fathers,
And their queens your nursing mothers;
They shall bow down to you with their faces to the earth,
And lick up the dust of your feet.
Then you will know that I am the Lord ,
For they shall not be ashamed who wait for Me.” (Isa. 49:22-23)

3 The Gentiles shall come to your light, And kings to the brightness of your rising.

4 “Lift up your eyes all around, and see: They all gather together, they come to you;
Your sons shall come from afar, And your daughters shall be nursed at your side. (Isa. 60:3-4, 9)

He will also send Jews from Israel to lead Jewish survivors back to the land

18 “For I know their works and their thoughts. It shall be that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come and see My glory. 19 I will set a sign among them; and those among them who escape I will send to the nations: to Tarshish and Pul and Lud, who draw the bow, and Tubal and Javan, to the coastlands afar off who have not heard My fame nor seen My glory. And they shall declare My glory among the Gentiles. 20 Then they shall bring all your brethren for an offering to the Lord out of all nations, on horses and in chariots and in litters, on mules and on camels, to My holy mountain Jerusalem,” says the Lord , “as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the Lord . 21 And I will also take some of them for priests and Levites,” says the Lord . (Isa. 66:18-21)

3. Jesus will mandate that the top leadership of the nations help in this cause. He will command Gentile kings to provide for Jewish survivors to get home to Israel

12 He will set up a banner for the nations,
And will assemble the outcasts of Israel,
And gather together the dispersed of Judah
From the four corners of the earth.
13 Also the envy of Ephraim shall depart,
And the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off;
Ephraim shall not envy Judah,
And Judah shall not harass Ephraim.
14 But they shall fly down upon the shoulder of the Philistines toward the west;
Together they shall plunder the people of the East;
They shall lay their hand on Edom and Moab;
And the people of Ammon shall obey them.
15 The Lord will utterly destroy the tongue of the Sea of Egypt;
With His mighty wind He will shake His fist over the River,
And strike it in the seven streams,
And make men cross over dry-shod.
16 There will be a highway for the remnant of His people
Who will be left from Assyria,
As it was for Israel
In the day that he came up from the land of Egypt. (Isa. 11:11-16)

22 Thus says the Lord God :

“Behold, I will lift My hand in an oath to the nations, And set up My standard for the peoples;
They shall bring your sons in their arms, And your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders;
23 Kings shall be your foster fathers, And their queens your nursing mothers;
They shall bow down to you with their faces to the earth, And lick up the dust of your feet.
Then you will know that I am the Lord , For they shall not be ashamed who wait for Me.” (Isa. 49:22-23)

3 The Gentiles shall come to your light, And kings to the brightness of your rising.

4 “Lift up your eyes all around, and see: They all gather together, they come to you;
Your sons shall come from afar, And your daughters shall be nursed at your side.

9 Surely the coastlands shall wait for Me; And the ships of Tarshish will come first,
To bring your sons from afar, Their silver and their gold with them,
To the name of the Lord your God, And to the Holy One of Israel, Because He has glorified you. (Isa. 60:3-4, 9)

G• Isaiah describes the dramatic reversal of the attitude of the Gentile kings, who have no option but to embrace God's purpose for Israel.

11Your gates shall be open continually…that men may bring to you the wealth of the Gentiles, and their kings in procession. 12For the nation and kingdom which will not serve you shall perish, and those nations shall be utterly ruined… (Isa. 60:11-12)

H• Israel's condition just before Jesus' coming is as prey and captives of nations who are mighty and terrible, and who contend with and oppress Israel

24Shall the prey be taken from the mighty [Antichrist's system], or the captives of the righteous [awe-inspiring] be delivered?25“…Even the captives [of Israel] of the mighty [evil leaders] shall be taken away, and the prey [Israel] of the terrible [strong evil leaders] be delivered; for I will contend with him who contends with you, and I will save your children [orphaned].
26I will feed those who oppress you with their own flesh, and they shall be drunk with their blood…All flesh [Gentiles] shall know that I, the LORD, am your Savior, and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.” (Isa. 49:24-26)

2. Since slave labor is free labor, it is seen as a valuable resource to evil nations.

27 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.” (Mk. 10:27)

XI. JESUS WILL SET THE JEWISH CAPTIVES FREE IN EGYPT AND ASSYRIA

A. Jesus will assemble the captives of the remnant of Israel. The primary two nations in which this happens are Egypt and ancient Assyria (regions of modern-day Jordan, Syria, and Iraq were previously called Trans-Jordan.

11 It shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall set His hand again the second time
To recover the remnant of His people who are left,
From Assyria and Egypt,
From Pathros and Cush,
From Elam and Shinar,
From Hamath and the islands of the sea.

16 There will be a highway for the remnant of His people
Who will be left from Assyria, As it was for Israel
In the day that he came up from the land of Egypt. (Isa. 11:11;16)

11 They shall come trembling like a bird from Egypt,
Like a dove from the land of Assyria.
And I will let them dwell in their houses,”
Says the Lord . (Hos. 11:11)

12 In that day they shall come to you
From Assyria and the fortified cities,
From the fortress to the River,
From sea to sea,
And mountain to mountain. (Mic. 7:12)

B• A “highway” or road will be built up specifically for the return of the Jewish captives

23 In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian will come into Egypt and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians will serve with the Assyrians. (Isa. 19:23)

8 A highway shall be there, and a road,
And it shall be called the Highway of Holiness.
The unclean shall not pass over it,
But it shall be for others.
Whoever walks the road, although a fool,
Shall not go astray. (Isa. 35:8)

11 I will make each of My mountains a road,
And My highways shall be elevated. (Isa. 49:11)

10 Go through, Go through the gates!
Prepare the way for the people;
Build up, Build up the highway!
Take out the stones, Lift up a banner for the peoples! (Isa. 62:10)

The captives of Israel are called the outcasts and the dispersed ones

11It shall come to pass in that day that the LORD shall set His hand again the second time [the first time for 2,500 years was in 1948] to recover the remnant of His people who are left, from Assyria [Jordan, Syria, Iraq] and Egypt, from Pathros [island of Pathros near Nile Valley in Egypt] and Cush [Ethiopia], from Elam [Persia] and Shinar [southern Iraq], from Hamath [Syria] and the islands of the sea [Mediterranean]. 12He will set up a banner for the nations, and will assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth… 15The LORD will utterly destroy the tongue of the Sea of Egypt [Red Sea]; with His mighty wind He will shake His fist over the River [Euphrates at Assyria], and strike it in the seven streams, and make men cross over dry-shod. 16There will be a highway for the remnant of His people who will be left from Assyria, as it was for Israel in the day that he came up from the land of Egypt. (Isa. 11:11-16)

10 Behold, the Lord God shall come with a strong hand, And His arm shall rule for Him;
Behold, His reward is with Him, And His work before Him.
11 He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm,
And carry them in His bosom, And gently lead those who are with young. (Isa. 40:10-11)

10 “They shall walk after the Lord .
He will roar like a lion.
When He roars, then His sons shall come trembling from the west;
11 They shall come trembling like a bird from Egypt, like a dove from the land of Assyria.
And I will let them dwell in their houses,”
Says the Lord . (Hos. 11:10-11)

10 I will also bring them back from the land of Egypt, a nd gather them from Assyria.
I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon, Until no more room is found for them. (Zech. 10:10)

C. Jesus brings Jewish captives back from Egypt and gathers them from Assyria.

10“I will also bring them back from the land of Egypt, and gather them from Assyria. I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon, until no more room is found for them. 11He shall pass through the sea with affliction [power against the sea], and strike the waves of the sea: all the depths of the River shall dry up Then the pride of Assyria shall be brought down, and the scepter of Egypt shall depart.”
(Zech. 10:10-11)

12 Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared. (Rev. 16:12)

15 The Lord will utterly destroy the tongue of the Sea of Egypt;
With His mighty wind He will shake His fist over the River,
And strike it in the seven streams, And make men cross over dry-shod. (Isa. 11:15)

D.Jesus will thresh from the Euphrates River in Assyria to Egypt as He gathers, one by one, the Jewish outcasts (prisoners) in Egypt and Assyria who were about to perish.

23 So I say to you, let My son go that he may serve Me. But if you refuse to let him go, indeed I will kill your son, your firstborn.” (Ex. 4:23)

16 And you shall say to him, ‘The Lord God of the Hebrews has sent me to you, saying, “Let My people go, that they may serve Me in the wilderness”; but indeed, until now you would not hear! (Ex. 7:16)

And the Lord spoke to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord : “Let My people go, that they may serve Me. (Ex. 8:1)

12In that day that the LORD will thresh, from the channel of the River [Euphrates River in Assyria] to the Brook of Egypt; and you will be gathered one by one, O you children of Israel. 13So it shall be in that day: the great trumpet will be blown; they will come, who are about to perish in the land of Assyria, and they who are outcasts in the land of Egypt, and shall worship the LORD in the holy mount at Jerusalem. (Isa. 27:12-13)

E. The captives of Israel will come back from Egypt and Assyria.

10“They [Israel] shall walk after the LORD. He will roar like a lion. When He [Jesus] roars, then His sons shall come trembling from the west; 11they shall come trembling like a bird from Egypt, like a dove from the land of Assyria. And I will let them dwell in their houses,” says the LORD. (Hos. 11:10-11)

12In that day they [Jewish exiles] shall come to you from Assyria and the fortified cities [literally the cities of Egypt], from the fortress to the River, from sea to sea…13Yet the land shall be desolate because of those who dwell in it, and for the fruit of their deeds. 14Shepherd Your people with Your staff…as in days of old. 15As in the days when you came out of Egypt, I will show them wonders. (Mic. 7:12-15)

6They shall waste with the sword the land of Assyria…thus He shall deliver us from the Assyrian [Antichrist], when he comes into our land… (Mic. 5:6)

F. Jesus will use a strong hand (miracles) when He leads the captives to Jerusalem.

10The Lord shall come with a strong hand…11He will feed His flock…He will gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those who are with young. (Isa. 40:10-11)

H. Jesus will gather a large number of Jewish prisoners together as He marches them to Israel.

12“I will surely assemble all of you, O Jacob, I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together like sheep of the fold…they shall make a loud noise because of so many people. 13The One who breaks open [Jesus] will come up before them; they [Jewish captives] will break out [prison camps], pass through the gate, and go out by it; their King [Jesus] will pass before them, [even] with the LORD [Jesus] at their head.” (Mic. 2:12-13)

1• Jesus will gather a multitude of captive Jews like sheep in a pen.

6 “In that day,” says the Lord , “I will assemble the lame, I will gather the outcast
And those whom I have afflicted; 7 I will make the lame a remnant, And the outcast a strong nation; So the Lord will reign over them in Mount Zion from now on, even forever.
8 And you, O tower of the flock, t he stronghold of the daughter of Zion, t o you shall it come, e ven the former dominion shall come, t he kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem.” (Mic. 4:6-8)

2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
Though you are little among the thousands of Judah,
Yet out of you shall come forth to Me
The One to be Ruler in Israel,
Whose goings forth are from of old,
From everlasting.”

3 Therefore He shall give them up,
Until the time that she who is in labor has given birth;
Then the remnant of His brethren
Shall return to the children of Israel.
4 And He shall stand and feed His flock
In the strength of the Lord ,
In the majesty of the name of the Lord His God;
And they shall abide,
For now He shall be great
To the ends of the earth;
5 And this One shall be peace. (Mic. 5:2-5)

33 “ As I live,” says the Lord God , “surely with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, and with fury poured out, I will rule over you. 34 I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you are scattered, with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, and with fury poured out.

35 And I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will plead My case with you face to face. 36 Just as I pleaded My case with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will plead My case with you,” says the Lord God . (Ezek. 20:33-36)

9 “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation,
Lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.
10 I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim a nd the horse from Jerusalem;
The battle bow shall be cut off. He shall speak peace to the nations; His dominion shall be ‘from sea to sea, And from the River to the ends of the earth.' (Zech. 9:9-10)

11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. 12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. 13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. 15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:

KING OF KINGS AND
LORD OF LORDS.

(Rev. 19:11-16)

J. Micah declares the Lord is ultimately the One responsible for afflicting Israel at this time.

6“In that day,” says the LORD, “I will assemble the lame, I will gather the outcast and those whom I have afflicted.” 7…the LORD will reign over them in Mount Zion from now on, even forever. (Mic. 4:6-7)

22But this is a people [end-time Israel] robbed and plundered; all of them are snared in holes, and they are hidden in prison houses; They are for prey, and no one delivers…24 Who gave Jacob for plunder, and Israel to the robbers? Was it not the LORD, He against whom we have sinned? (Isa. 42:22-24)

21“I will set My glory among the nations; all the nations shall see My judgment which I have executed, and My hand which I have laid on them. 22So the house of Israel shall know that I am the LORD their God from that day forward. 23The Gentiles shall know that Israel went into captivity for their iniquity; because they were unfaithful to Me, therefore I hid My face from them. I gave them into the hand of their enemies…24According to their uncleanness and according to their transgressions I have dealt with them, and hidden My face from them. 25Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: ‘Now I will bring back the captives of Jacob, and have mercy on the whole house of Israel; and I will be jealous for My holy name—26after they have borne their shame, and all their unfaithfulness in which they were unfaithful to Me, when they dwelt safely in their own land and no one made them afraid.

27When I have brought them back from the peoples and gathered them out of their enemies' lands, and I am hallowed in them in the sight of many nations, 28then they shall know that I am the LORD their God, who sent them into captivity among the nations, but also brought them back to their own land, and left none of them captive any longer.'” (Ezek. 39:21-28)

K. The Lord will give up Israel until the time when the nation as a whole returns to the Lord.

3Therefore He shall give them up, until the time that she [Israel] who is in labor has given birth; then the remnant of His brethren shall return to the children of Israel. 4And He [Jesus] shall stand and feed His flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD His God…for now He shall be great to the ends of the earth…5When the Assyrian [Antichrist] comes into our land, and when he treads in our palaces, then we will raise against him…6thus He shall deliver us from the Assyrian, when he [Antichrist] comes into our land and when he treads within our borders. 7Then the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many peoples [nations]…8And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles, in the midst of many peoples, like a lion among the beasts of the forest. (Mic. 5:3-9)

L. The captives of Israel will return on horseback from the surrounding nations.

20“Then they shall bring all your brethren for an offering to the LORD out of all nations, on horses and in chariots and in litters, on mules and on camels, to My holy mountain Jerusalem,” says the LORD, “as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the LORD.” (Isa. 66:20)

XII. PROMISE OF DELIVERANCE FROM CAPTIVITY BY EZEKIEL

25“Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: ‘Now I will bring back the captives of Jacob, and have mercy on the whole house of Israel; and I will be jealous for My holy name—26after they have borne their shame, and all their unfaithfulness in which they were unfaithful to Me, when they dwelt safely in their own land and no one made them afraid. 27When I have brought them back from the peoples and gathered them out of their enemies' lands, and I am hallowed in them in the sight of many nations, 28then they shall know that I am the LORD their God, who sent them into captivity among the nations, but also brought them back to their own land, and left none of them captive any longer. 29And I will not hide My face from them anymore; for I shall have poured out My Spirit on the house of Israel,' says the Lord GOD.”
(Ezek. 39:25-29)

XIII. PROMISE OF DELIVERANCE FROM CAPTIVITY BY ZEPHANIAH

17“Behold, at that time I will deal with all who afflict you; I will save the lame, and gather those who were driven out; I will appoint them for praise and fame in every land where they were put to shame…20At that time I will bring you back, even at the time I gather you; for I will give you fame and praise among all the peoples of the earth, when I return your captives before your eyes…”
(Zeph. 3:17-20)

XIV. PROMISE OF DELIVERANCE FROM CAPTIVITY BY JEREMIAH

1“At the same time,” says the LORD, “I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be My people.” 2Thus says the LORD: “The people who survived the sword found grace in the wilderness—Israel, when I went to give him rest…

4Again I will build you, and you shall be rebuilt, O virgin of Israel…8Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the ends of the earth, among them the blind and the lame…a great throng shall return there. 9They shall come with weeping, and with supplications I will lead them. I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters, in a straight way in which they shall not stumble; for I am a Father to Israel…11For the LORD has redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of one stronger [Antichrist] than he…”15Thus says the LORD: “A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping, Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted for her children, because they are no more.” 16Thus says the LORD: “Refrain your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears…they shall come back from the land of the enemy. 17There is hope in your future, says the LORD, that your children shall come back to their own border…20Is Ephraim My dear son? Is he a pleasant child? For though I spoke against him, I earnestly remember him still; therefore My heart yearns for him; I will surely have mercy on him,” says the LORD. 21“Set up signposts, make landmarks; set your heart toward the highway, the way in which you went. Turn back, O virgin of Israel, turn back to these your cities…”23Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: “They shall again use this speech in the land of Judah and in its cities, when I bring back their captivity: ‘The LORD bless you, O home of justice, and mountain of holiness!'” (Jer. 31:1-23)

3“For 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.” 4Now these are the words that the LORD spoke concerning Israel and Judah. 5“For thus says the LORD: ‘We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace. 6Ask now, and see, whether a man is ever in labor with child? So why do I see every man with his hands on his loins like a woman in labor, and all faces turned pale?

7Alas! For that day is great, so that none is like it; And it is the time of Jacob's trouble, but he shall be saved out of it. 8‘For it shall come to pass in that day,' says the LORD of hosts, ‘That I will break his yoke from your neck, and will burst your bonds; foreigners shall no more enslave them. 9But they shall serve the LORD their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up for them.'” (Jer. 30:3-9)

XV. PROMISE OF DELIVERANCE FROM CAPTIVITY BY AMOS

8“Behold, the eyes of the Lord GOD are on the sinful kingdom [Antichrist kingdom in league with apostate Israel], and I will destroy it from the face of the earth; yet I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob,” says the LORD. 9“For surely I will command, and will sift the house of Israel among all nations, as grain is sifted in a sieve; yet not the smallest grain shall fall to the ground. 10All the sinners of My people shall die by the sword, who say, ‘The calamity shall not overtake nor confront us.' 11On that day I will raise up the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down…13Behold, the days are coming,” says the LORD, “When the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him who sows seed…14I will bring back the captives of My people Israel; they shall build the waste cities and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and drink wine from them; they shall also make gardens and eat fruit from them. 15I will plant them in their land, and no longer shall they be pulled up from the land I have given them,” says the LORD your God. (Amos 9:8-15)