Misconception #1

1948 marked the fulfillment of all ‘return-to-the-land’ biblical prophecies and signaled the beginning of the end!

One huge problem: the immediate historical settings for the literal fulfillment of all “return-to-the-land” prophecies were one of two returns of the Jews from either Assyrian or Babylonian exile/captivity in the 8th and 6th/5th Centuries B.C., respectively. Why? Because all return prophecies were given prior to or during those exile periods:

Pre-exilic return prophecies – Isa. 11:11-12; 14:1-2; 27:12-13;
Jer. 16:15; 23:3,7-8; 29:10,14; 32:28, 37-44; 50:4-5;
Amos 9:11, 14-15; Zeph. 3:19-20.
Mid-exilic return prophecies – Dan. 9:25; Isa. 43:5-7; 49:8;
Ezek. 11:16-18; 20:41-42; 34:12-13; 36:8, 24; 37:12, 21-23;
39:28; Zech. 2:6; 8:7-8; 9:12; 10:8-12]

Objection – “Then wasn’t the Jews pouring into Israel from all over the world, prior to and circa 1948, another return fulfillment?”

No, it wasn’t! God’s promised and covenantal blessings for both dwelling in the Promised Land and returning to it after being scattered were contingent upon Israel’s faith and obedience to the Law. A return in unbelief was never promised or prophesied, nor would it qualify as return fulfillment. As far back as Abraham, God issued his command for keeping covenant (Gen. 17:9). In the Mosaic covenant, He made dwelling in the land and returning to it conditional (Deut. 4:25-31; 28:15-68; 30:1-5; 31:16-17; also Jer. 29:10-14; 50:4-5; Ezek. 5:8-12). God’s conditions of faith and covenant obedience were met prior to return from Assyrian and Babylonian exiles. The return of the Jews to Palestine in unbelief and un-repentance, during the 1800s through 1948 and afterwards, does not fulfill these spiritual requirements.

Hence, 1948 did not signal the beginning of the end or the start of God’s prophetic time clock ticking into a countdown, “last days” mode. After all, the time period termed the “last days” was biblically affixed to the 1st century (Heb. 1:2; 1 Pet. 1:5, 20; 1 John 2:18). (See again, “Last Days”)

Source:

1 The Israel Illusion (future book – est. 2016) by John Noe