By Melissa Martin

We are watching ancient biblical prophecy being fulfilled before our eyes, according to religious scholars and leaders, evangelists, pastors, priests, rabbis, and people of faith. And it’s exciting, but surreal. But what does it all mean? And what happens after the remaining Jews have returned to their homeland?  

First, a brief history. Israel is the birthplace of the Jewish people. God reestablished his covenant with Abraham, his son Isaac, and his grandson Jacob. The Lord changed Jacob’s name to Israel. And Israel had 12 sons whose children became the 12 families or 12 tribes of Israel. The Tribes of Israel are the traditional divisions of the ancient Jewish people: Reuben, Simeon, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Manasseh, Ephraim, Judah and Benjamin.  

Israel’s family eventually survived a famine by moving from the promised land to Egypt. There they multiplied and became a great nation. After many years Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt, and Joshua led them into the promised land. Eventually Israel divided into two nations—the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah. Visit https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org. 

Southern Kingdom. The Kingdom of Babylon invaded and destroyed Jerusalem and the temple in 587 B.C. The people of Judah were taken to Babylon as prisoners for fifty years.  

Northern Kingdom. The Assyrians invaded Israel and attacked the capital city of Samaria. In 722 B.C. the city was conquered and the Israelites were captured and taken away to Assyria as prisoners.  

The return to the homeland of the Jews to Israel in 1948 was an astounding event unprecedented in world history. On May 14, 1948, the United Nations officially recognized the State of Israel, with US president Harry Truman determining the deciding vote. Visit https://www.ifcj.org/news/fellowship-blog/the-miracle-of-the-jewish-peoples-return-to-israel. 

What is Aliyah? The term the Israeli government uses to describe Jewish immigration to Israel from the nations is referred to as making Aliyah. Visit https://firmisrael.org/learn/jewish-immigration-to-israel-biblical-meaning-aliyah/. 

Jews of Ukraine  

Ukraine is home to between 56,000 and 140,000 Jews, making it the fourth largest Jewish community in Europe and the eleventh largest in the world, according to a 2016 report from The World Jewish Congress. Visit https://www.worldjewishcongress.org/en/about/communities/UA. 

Over 300 Jewish immigrants from Ukraine arrived in Israel in March, 2022 in a joint operation led by the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration, The Jewish Agency for Israel and the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. Visit https://www.jewishagency.org/first-flights-of-ukrainian-jewish-immigrants-to-arrive-in-israel-on-sunday/. 

Jews of Ethiopia 

The contemporary Jewish community has accepted the religious group claiming to be descended from a lost tribe: the Beta Israel, or Jews from Ethiopia, who claim to trace their lineage to the tribe of Dan. Visit https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/ask-the-expert-lost-tribes/. 

Between 1979 and 1990, Israel organized several transport operations, bringing Ethiopian Jews to Israel via Sudan, according to a 2022 article in the Times of Israel. 

According to a 2022 article in the Jerusalem Post, “3,000 first-degree relatives of Ethiopian immigrants who have been waiting for years in camps in Ethiopia will be reunited with their families as part of the second stage of Operation Tzur Yisrael. The first stage of the operation ended last March, after 2,000 Ethiopian Jews were brought to Israel.” 

Bible Prophecy 

Is biblical prophecy being fulfilled with Jews returning to their homeland? Perry Stone, a well-known biblical scholar, wrote a series of books entitled Unusual Prophecies Being Fulfilled. Visit https://perrystone.org. 

“A predominant prophetic sign that we are in the “Time of the End” is the re-establishment of Israel, and Jerusalem returning to Jewish sovereignty. These major, and seemingly implausible, events for nearly 2,000 years have to occur before Yeshua’s return. According to the Bible, Yeshua is returning to Israel, and specifically to Jerusalem.” Visit https://www.jewishvoice.org/read/article/signs-times. 

“Yeshua” is the Hebrew word for “Jesus.” The name means “to rescue, to save, or to deliver.”  

“When He returns is not as important as the fact that we are ready for Him when He does return.” ― A.W. Tozer, “Preparing for Jesus’ Return: Daily Live the Blessed Hope” 

About the Author

Melissa Martin, Ph.D., is a syndicated opinion-editorial columnist. She lives in U.S.