The Role of Israel in End Times Prophecy

Israel stands at the center of biblical prophecy, serving as a key indicator of the end times. The nation’s history and future are deeply intertwined, offering a fascinating blend of past events and promises yet to come. This post will explore Israel’s historical journey, examine the prophecies surrounding its role, and explain why it remains critical to understanding the last days.

The History of Israel  

The story of Israel is well-documented in Scripture and confirmed by historical events. It begins with the Babylonian exile, a time when Israel was taken captive due to idolatry and rejecting God. Following this period, various empires ruled over the land. In 586 BC, King Cyrus of Persia issued a decree allowing the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple, which was completed by 516 BC. However, in 63 BC, the Romans seized control, and in 70 AD, Roman General Titus destroyed the Temple and exiled the Jews once more. This fulfilled a prophecy from Jesus in Luke 21:20-24 (NIV):  "When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near… 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."

For nearly 1900 years, the Jewish people were scattered across the nations. The land, later known as Israel, changed hands multiple times until the Ottoman Empire conquered it in 1513 AD, renaming it Palestine. This lasted until World War I, when the British government issued the Balfour Declaration in 1917, supporting a national home for Jews in Palestine. The British captured the region from the Ottomans and were granted mandatory power by the League of Nations in 1922. Rising tensions between Arabs and Jews, coupled with British colonial rule, led to Britain’s decision to end the Mandate in 1948.  

History has always been a passion of mine. This is why I find end-times teachings so compelling—they connect what has happened with what is still to come. Revelation 22:13 (NIV) states, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End." Similarly, Isaiah 46:10 (CSB) declares, "I declare the end from the beginning… my plan will take place, and I will do all my will." God’s plan spans time itself, and Israel is proof of that.

Prophecies Surrounding Israel  

As noted last week, a single generation—defined as 70 to 80 years in Psalm 90:10—will witness all the end-times signs. Israel is central to this timeline. Let’s examine key prophecies that reveal its role and show how it has literally come back to life as God’s super sign.

1. The Valley of Dry Bones  

Ezekiel 37:1-14 (NIV) provides a vivid image: "The Lord set me down in a valley full of bones… very dry… ‘Can these bones live?’… ‘Prophesy to these bones… I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live.’… The bones came together… flesh grew… breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army… ‘These bones are the whole house of Israel… I will bring you into the land of Israel.’"  

Consider the years 1939 to 1945 during World War II. The Nazis exterminated nearly 6 million Jews, leaving survivors in concentration camps as mere skeletons, barely clinging to life. They said, “Our bones are dry, our hope is lost,” yet God had a plan.

2. The Rebirth of Israel 

Before 1948, Palestine was under British control—a Muslim-majority area with only 3% Jews. After World War II, Britain began selling land as they prepared to withdraw. On May 14, 1948, one day after the Mandate ended, Israel was restored as a sovereign nation. This fulfilled Ezekiel 37:14 (NIV): "I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken it and performed it." Isaiah 11:11-12 (NIV) adds, "The Lord will reach out his hand a second time to reclaim the surviving remnant of his people… He will gather the exiles of Israel… from the four quarters of the earth." Israel is the only nation destroyed twice and reborn with the same name and people—a miracle signaling the end times.

3. Israel’s Army  

Ezekiel 37:10 (NIV) describes the bones becoming "an exceedingly great army." Israel hadn’t had a proper army since the Babylonian siege around 607 BC. But in 1948, they built one fast—despite no training—thanks to funds and arms from the U.S., supported by President Truman. When Arab nations attacked that year, Israel won. Today, their military, especially the air force, is top-notch, victorious in wars like the Six-Day War (1967) and Yom Kippur War (1973). Even now, amidst conflict with Hamas since October 7, 2023, they endure. Could this lead to the Gog and Magog war in Ezekiel 38? Some say it’s before the Rapture, others after—time will tell.

4. Israel Born in a Day

Isaiah 66:8 (NIV) asks, "Can a country be born in a day or a nation be brought forth in a moment? Yet no sooner is Zion in labor then she gives birth to her children." On May 14, 1948, David Ben-Gurion declared Israel a nation, and President Truman recognized it that same day—an instant birth.

5. Judah and Israel United

Ezekiel 37:15-22 (NIV) states, "Take a stick… ‘Belonging to Judah’… another… ‘Belonging to Joseph’… Join them together into one stick… I will make them one nation in the land… never again be two kingdoms." In 1948, God united Judah and Israel into one nation, never to split again.

6. Israel Hated  

The Antichrist will fuel global hatred toward Jews, and we’re seeing it now. Since the war with Hamas began, antisemitism has spiked—protests support Palestine, and Iran with Hezbollah spreading threats. Zechariah 12:2-3 (NIV) warns, "I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that sends all the surrounding peoples reeling… an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves." The UN condemns Israel more than any other country, pushing for land concessions, while Iran vows to destroy it. In 2018, 70 years after Israel’s birth, President Trump recognized Jerusalem as its capital, stirring outrage among Arab nations.

Israel’s Future Role  

Jerusalem remains a political hotspot, but God’s word stands firm. Daniel 9:27 (NIV) predicts, "He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’ In the middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation." This points to a Third Temple. The Temple Institute is preparing—ceremonies, sacrifices, and even five red heifers arrived in 2018 for cleansing (Numbers 19). Tradition says the tenth red heifer marks the Messianic Age.  

Israel’s story doesn’t end there. It was created by God, as seen in Genesis 12:1-3 (NIV): "The Lord said to Abram… ‘I will make you into a great nation… and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.’" It’s bound by an eternal covenant in Genesis 17:7-8 (NIV): "I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant… the whole land of Canaan, where you now reside as a foreigner, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants." Israel is a blessing to the nations (Genesis 12:3), giving us Jesus, the Bible, and the Church. The end times revolve around Israel—not the Church. Look for the Gog and Magog war (Ezekiel 38), a covenant with the Antichrist (Daniel 9:27), and the Third Temple’s construction. The Temple Institute has everything ready—on August 28, 2018, five red heifers landed in Israel, a big step since Numbers 19 requires their ashes for purification. Jewish tradition counts only nine red heifers since Moses; the tenth signals the Messianic Age. Israel is God’s super sign, showing us the clock is ticking.

What are your thoughts? How do you see Israel fitting into the end times? Share below.