The Astounding Prophetic Significance Of “Aliyah”
“Aliyah” is the Hebrew word for “ascent,” coming from the same Hebrew root as the word “la-alot” (“to ascend”) or “ma-alot,” as in the “Psalms of Ascent” (Psalms 120-134) which were recited by pilgrims on their way up to Jerusalem for the great feasts.
Today, in modern Hebrew, Aliyah is used to refer to Jewish persons returning home to their Promised Land in Israel from the nations where they have been scattered. He or she is going “Up to Zion,” fulfilling the many prophecies in God’s Word. A typical prophecy is found in Amos 9:14:
And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them.
Aliyah means the physical return of the Jews to their Land, the restoration of that Land and the rebuilding of the Jewish
nation in the Land of Israel (Aretz Israel).
When God repeats Himself and says something more than once, we want to take note, because it clearly concerns something of special importance to Him. God, in His Word, declared His intention to bring His people home from all the nations where they were scattered 64 TIMES!!!
If we look at the history of the last 2,000 years, from a Biblical perspective, clearly the event of the greatest historic and prophetic significance was the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Yeshua haMashiach). The second most significant event was surely what took place on the Day of Pentecost (Shavuot) when the Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh) fell on the disciples and the church (kehilah) was born. We believe the third most significant event has been the return of the Jewish people to their Land—Aliyah—foretold in God’s Word 64 times.
The modern movement of Aliyah began in 1881, accelerated with the First Zionist Congress in 1897 and the Balfour Declaration of 1917. It began to realize its full potential when the nation of Israel was reborn in 1948 and Jerusalem was re-united under Jewish control in 1967.
Today, over 1/3 of all the world’s Jews live in Israel, more than any other country in the world. In spite of incredible opposition, challenges and difficulties, Israel is today a strong and prosperous country. Aliyah continues today.
The 64 prophecies are being fulfilled before our very eyes. But much more is involved in Aliyah than the physical return of the Jews, the restoration of the Land and the rebirth of the nation. In the 64 passages of Scripture proclaiming God’s intention to bring His people home, 7 other amazing things are described which happen in conjunction with Aliyah.
1. SPIRITUAL RESTORATION OF
THE JEWISH PEOPLE
Will there be a “Great Jewish Revival” when “All Israel will be saved”? God’s Word says “YES!” and that it happens AFTER they return to the Land. For example we see in Ezekiel 36:24-26: 24 For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. 25 THEN will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. 26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
The restoration happens both in Israel and outside of Israel, in conjunction with Aliyah.
This theme is stated 14 times in Scripture: Jeremiah 23:3-6; Jeremiah 24:4-7; Jeremiah 32:37-41; Jeremiah 33:7-9; Jeremiah 50:1-5; Ezekiel 11:14-20; Ezekiel 20:40- 42; Ezekiel 28:25-26; Ezekiel 36:22-28; Ezekiel 37:21-28;
Ezekiel 39:25-29; Zechariah 8:7-8; Zechariah 10:8-12;
Joel 2:17-18, 27-32.
2. POURING OUT OF GOD’S SPIRIT
ON ISRAEL AND ON THE NATIONS
Will God pour out His Spirit on Israel and on all flesh? YES! and it happens in conjunction with the return of His people to their Land. We see an example in Joel 2:28-29; 3:1: 28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: 29 and also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit… 1 For, behold, in those days, and in that time, whenI shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem…
This theme is stated 4 times in Scripture: Ezekiel 37:5,6,8,9,10,14; Ezekiel 39:25-29; Zechariah 12:10; Joel 2:17-18, 2:27--3:2.
3. WORLDWIDE SPIRITUAL AWAKENING
Do God’s plans for the earth include a worldwide spiritual awakening? YES! And it comes as a response to Aliyah! For example, in Jeremiah 33:7, 9 we see: 7 And I will cause the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel to return, and will build them, as at the first....9 And it shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and an honour before all the nations of the earth, which shall hear all the good that I do unto them: and they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and for all the prosperity that I procure unto it.’
This theme is stated 8 times in Scripture: Jeremiah 33:7-9; Ezekiel 20:40-42; Ezekiel 28:25-26; Ezekiel 36:22- 29; Ezekiel 37:21-28; Ezekiel 39:25-29; Zephaniah 3:19- 20; Zechariah 8:20-23; See also Romans 11:1, 11-12, 15.
4. RETURN OF JESUS CHRIST
(YESHUA HAMASHIACH) TO EARTH
Is the very return to Earth of our Messiah preceded by Aliyah? Is the return of the people of Israel to their Promised Land a pre-condition to His return? YES! We see this theme developed clearly in Jeremiah 23:3, 5-6:
3 And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase… 5 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. 6 In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
This theme is stated 4 times in Scripture: Jeremiah 23:3-6; Ezekiel 37:21-28; Micah 2:12-13; Micah 4:6-7; see also Zechariah 12:1-2, 10 and Zechariah 14:2-4a, 5b.
5. ROLE OF THE GENTILES
Does God have a role for the Gentiles in this amazing prophetic process of Aliyah? YES! A clear example can be seen in Isaiah 49:22: Thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people: and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders.
This theme is stated 8 times in Scripture: Isaiah 11:11-12; Isaiah 14:1-2; Isaiah 43: 5-6; Isaiah 49:22- 23; Isaiah 60:4-5; Isaiah 60:8-9; Isaiah 61:4-7; Jeremiah 16:14-16.
6. JUDAH AND ISRAEL
Is God bringing back only the Jews (descendants of the southern Kingdom of Judah)? What about the Israelites (descendants from the northern Kingdom of Israel—the so-called “Lost Tribes”)? Whenever the names “Judah” and “Israel” appear side-by-side in Scripture, “Israel” refers to the northern kingdom. In many passages, the Lord indicates that He is also bringing back the Israelites (the true genealogical descendents of those northern tribes).
For example, in Jeremiah 3:18: In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given for an inheritance unto your fathers.
The tribes of Manassah and Dan have already started to return.
This theme is stated 12 times in Scripture: Isaiah 11:11-12; Jeremiah 3:14-18; Jeremiah 23:5-8; Jeremiah 30:1-3; Jeremiah 30:4-11; Jeremiah 31:8-9; Jeremiah 31:18-22; Jeremiah 33:7-9; Jeremiah 50:1-5; Jeremiah 50:17-20; Ezekiel 37:15-28; Zechariah 10:6-12.
7. THE VALLEY OF DRY BONES
In Ezekiel 37:1-14, the Lord takes the prophet into “the valley of dry bones” and has him pray over the dead bones. They are at first physically resurrected; then they are spiritually resurrected. We can’t help being reminded of the physical restoration of the people of Israel to their Promised Land, which is followed by a spiritual restoration. In verse 12, He says: Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. This is repeated again in verse 21. In fact, the whole of Ezekiel 37 is clearly about Aliyah!
This picture of Aliyah takes place in “THE valley”—a specific valley. Could it be the Jordan Valley? Historically, many of the building blocks of the nation of Israel began in the Jordan Valley, including the kibbutz, the moshav, the Histadrut (the labor organization which represented 85% of the workers and owned 25% of the industry), the first health fund, the first department store, the largest bank, the largest construction company and much, much, more. Also, many Biblical events took place in the Jordan Valley, including Moses’ looking into the Promised Land; the entry of Joshua and the children of Israel into the Land; the immersion of Jesus (Yeshua) and the start of His ministry; the center of Jesus’ (Yeshua’s) ministry and much more.
If so much happened here in Biblical times, and in a very real sense the modern physical restoration of the people and nation of Israel began here, is it possible that the Spiritual restoration—the great Jewish revival when “All Israel will be saved”—will also begin here?
THE 64 ‘ALIYAH’ SCRIPTURES
1. Deuteronomy 30:1-5
2. 2 Chronicles 30:6-9
3. Nehemiah 1:6-9
4. Psalms 14:7
5. Psalms 106:44-48
6. Psalms 107:2-3
7. Psalms 126:1
8. Psalms 147:2
9. Isaiah 11:11-12
10. Isaiah 14:1-2
11. Isaiah 27:12-13
12. Isaiah 35:10
13. Isaiah 41:8-10
14. Isaiah 43:5-6
15. Isaiah 49:11-12
16. Isaiah 49:22-23
17. Isaiah 51:11
18. Isaiah 52:7-9 (NKJV)
19. Isaiah 54:6-8
20. Isaiah 56:8
21. Isaiah 60:4-5
22. Isaiah 60:8-9
23. Isaiah 61:4-7
24. Isaiah 66:20-22
25. Jeremiah 3:14-18
26. Jeremiah 16:14-16
27. Jeremiah 23:3-4
28. Jeremiah 23:5-8
29. Jeremiah 24:4-7
30. Jeremiah 29:10-14
31. Jeremiah 30:1-3
32. Jeremiah 30:4-11
33. Jeremiah 31:8-9
34. Jeremiah 31:10-14
35. Jeremiah 31:15-17
36. Jeremiah 31:18-22
37. Jeremiah 31:23-25
38. Jeremiah 31:26-33
39. Jeremiah 32:37-41
40. Jeremiah 32:42-44
41. Jeremiah 33:7-9
42. Jeremiah 50:1-5
43. Jeremiah 50:17-20
44. Ezekiel 11:14-20
45. Ezekiel 20:34-38
46. Ezekiel 20:40-44
47. Ezekiel 28:25-26
48. Ezekiel 34:11-16
49. Ezekiel 36:7-12
50. Ezekiel 36:22-38
51. Ezekiel 37:1-14
52. Ezekiel 37:15-28
53. Ezekiel 38:8
54. Ezekiel 39:25-29
55. Hosea 11:10-11
56. Joel 2:32--3:2
57. Amos 9:14-15
58. Micah 2:12-13
59. Micah 4:6-7
60. Micah 4:10
61. Zephaniah 3:17-20
62. Zechariah 8:7-8
63. Zechariah 10:6-12
64. Zechariah 12:6-10