- Diffused Image of “Sub-glorious” Return

Within the forest of glorific restoration prophecies are sprinkled prophetic evidences of Israel’s return which—perceived through an end times lens—run counter grain to the substance of the dominant glorious picture. Except for a significant section of Isaiah, these passages are largely scattered and isolated such that they do not easily form one clear cohesive body throughout the prophets.

These exceptional prophecies are also sketchier—more tentative and questionable in meaning. Their flavor contrary to the glorious picture may turn on mere nuances of interpretation or on the meaning of interpolated words that do not appear in the Hebrew. On a whole, they appear more closely aligned with Israel’s original sub-glorious return from Babylon in BC 538. Nevertheless, they carry an unmistakable scent of end time application. 

As a collection, several conditions mark the return described by these prophecies:

1)     Israel’s return is conducted in unbelief and marked by the fear of man (Isa 43:5-9; 51:12-13 );

2)     Israel is returned under a state of appeal in which both their renewed presence in the Land and the Lord’s blessings on it are offered them as a basis for that appeal. (Is. 29:13-14; 43:5-44:27; 45;18-25; 46:3-13;  Ezk 36:24-38);

3)     the return occurs on more or less negatively constrained terms in which Israel is described as being “hunted” and “fished” from the ends of the earth (Jer 16:16-17);

4)     Israel’s repentance occurs after and/or as a result of their return where they then remember all their evil (Jer. 31:21-23; Ezk. 11:18; 20:42-44);

5)     Though returned, the people are still subject to the possibility of judgment by the Lord (Jer 30:11-13; Ezk. 20:33-38);

6)     Israel’s return occurs via transit through unspecified wilderness experience(s), one of which is called the “wilderness of the peoples,” and includes the sense of affliction  (Isa. 43:1-4; 19-21; Jer. 31:2; Ezk. 20:34-38; Hos. 2:14-15; Zech. 10:10-12).

·        Isaiah 43-46: A Foundation for the Cross Current

If this collection could be said to have an anchor, it would be Isaiah’s prophetic exhortation in chapters 43 through 46. Beginning in 43:5-9, Isaiah describes the return of an unbelieving people from the ends of the earth: “Bring out the people who are blind, even though they have eyes, And the deaf, even though they have ears.”

From this start, the rest is an appeal to Israel—and all the nations—to acknowledge the Lord’s supremacy above all gods and the futility of idols. The appeal is set in context of a call for the assembling of all nations before the Lord as if in a courtroom—something certainly suggestive of the end times. 

·        Ezekiel’s Reverse Repentance Sequence

Where Isaiah 43-46 predicts an unbelieving return as a platform for the Lord’s appeal to Israel, scattered passages in Ezekiel appear to show that the return and its blessings are the means for producing (not resulting from) Israel’s repentance—exactly opposite to the portrait in the body of glorious passages. The basis for seeing a pre-repentance return in these verses is more open to subjective interpretation, but is still viable.

o       Ezekiel 11:18

Speaking of Israel’s return to the Land, Ezekiel 11:18 reads, “[When] they come there, they will remove all its detestable things and all its abominations from it.”  This can be interpreted to mean that, as a result of returning, Israel will see their need to repent, demonstrated by their removing of all the idols they worshipped there before. This hinges on interpreting the interpolated word “when” (which does not appear in the Hebrew) to mean “because.” The causality is interpretive, not translated.

The idea of “when” could as easily be interpreted to mean “at that time.”  In that case, the verse only says that at the time Israel returns, they will remove what remains of the idolatrous evidences from their former occupation. This does immediately harmonize with the main portrait in which repentance leads to restoration.

o       Ezekiel 36:24-38

24 "For I will take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands and bring you into your own land. 25 "[Then] I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 31 [Then] you will remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good, and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and your abominations. 38 Like the flock for sacrifices, like the flock at Jerusalem during her appointed feasts, so will the waste cities be filled with flocks of men. [Then] they will know that I am the LORD.” (Read the entire passage.)

The word “then” throughout this passage is compelling in showing a cause-effect relationship from restoration to repentance. But like 11:18, it is an interpolated word, being interpreted to mean “as a result of this.”  The cause-effect perception also assumes that the phrase “know that I am the Lord” refers to the saving knowledge of the Lord associated with repentance. 

o       Ezekiel 20:42-44

42 "’And you will know that I am the LORD, [when] I bring you into the land of Israel, into the land which I swore to give to your forefathers. 43 There you will remember your ways and all your deeds with which you have defiled yourselves; and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight for all the evil things that you have done. 44 [Then] you will know that I am the LORD [when] I have dealt with you for My name's sake, not according to your evil ways or according to your corrupt deeds, O house of Israel,’ declares the Lord GOD."

Again, the question of interpolated meaning remains. But verse 43 offers the strongest evidence that Ezekiel is indeed prophesying a pre-repentance return. This is reinforced by verses 33-39 which predict conditions of wilderness-like duress under which the Lord will bring Israel back to its Land “under the bond of the covenant” as a disciplinary action.

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·        The Crucible of Identity Separation

Within the heart of the sub-glorious portrait of Israel’s repatriation appears a yet deeper counter cross current. Framed by the faithless return with its hardships, the Lord nevertheless discerns further into the unbelieving national body to distinctly foresee and speak to those of his electing grace who through the hardships are destined to come forth as part of Eternal Israel in the true restoration.

Some verses deserve comment in this light:

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, nor will the flame burn you. Isa. 43:2

Therefore behold, I will allure her, Bring her into the wilderness, and speak kindly to her. Hos. 2:14

For thus says the Lord of hosts, “After glory he has sent me against the nations which plunder you, for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye.” Zech. 2:8

The context of all these and similar passages is the sub-glorious return in unbelief under adversity. It is not the return and restoration into permanent glory under unconditional favor. The waters, fire, wilderness and plunder by the nations in these verses all witness to this.

See this carefully. The prophets elsewhere declare that all these larger negative factors are applied by God against Israel’s incorrigible unbelievers to remove them as chaff and stubble. As such, the words of favor, hope and tenderness found within this context are not addressed to them nor apply to the nation as a whole in its state of unbelief.

They do apply though to the scattered elect hidden within the unbelieving nation who also have not yet come to restorative repentance, but—as the trials climax—will be protected through the judgments, coming to regenerative repentance through them, and will regroup as a transformed supra-national body to meet and be joined to Eternal Israel.