“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!“See! Your house is left to you desolate; “for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’” Matthew 23:37-39 NKJV
As a watcher of many years, I have often found it curious when individuals talk about the many signs of the end that we should be looking for yet consistently fail to mention what I believe will be one of the most overlooked signs. As many understand, the punishment for rejecting Jesus as their messiah was the fall of Jerusalem to the Romans in 70 AD and the scattering of the Jews throughout the world in what has become known as the diaspora.
Diaspora: noun
The dispersion of the Jews among the Gentiles after the Captivity.
Any similar dispersion.
A group so dispersed, especially Jews outside of the land of Israel.
https://www.wordnik.com/words/diaspora
According to Pew Research, in 2020, 46% of the worlds Jews lived in Israel while 39% lived in the United States. That leaves only 15% living in all the other countries around the world, so obviously the majority of Jews not living in Israel reside in the United States. In the passage above we see Jesus use the analogy of a mother hen wanting to gather her chicks close to her to nurture them and keep them safe, yet the Jews rejected that offer. As we watch the rise of antisemitism around the world it’s not surprising that we see many Jews making the decision to move back to Israel where they feel safe. The choice to return to their homeland is called “Aliyah”, a Hebrew word meaning ascent.
Aliyah: (US: /ˌæliˈɑː/, UK: /ˌɑː-/; Hebrew: עֲלִיָּה, romanized: ălīyyā, lit. 'ascent') is the immigration of Jews from the diaspora to, historically, the geographical Land of Israel or the Palestine region, where (in the 20th century) the State of Israel was established. Traditionally described as "the act of going up" (namely, toward the Jewish holy city of Jerusalem), moving to the Land of Israel or "making aliyah" is one of the most basic tenets of Zionism. The opposite action—emigration by Jews from the Land of Israel—is referred to in the Hebrew language as yerida (lit. 'descent').[1] The Law of Return that was passed by the Israeli parliament in 1950 gives all diaspora Jews, as well as their children and grandchildren, the right to relocate to Israel and acquire Israeli citizenship on the basis of connecting to their Jewish identity. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aliyah#External_links
While the desire to return to Israel is increasing, obviously there is still a very sizable population of Jews living in the United States. This brings me to the subject of the overlooked sign that is so often either ignored or many are simply unaware of. Although God scattered the Jews throughout the world, a time is coming when He chooses to regather them all back to Israel in what I believe will be a massive and unmistakeable sign of the approaching tribulation. He will fulfill His desire from the passage above and gather His people to Himself just as a mother hen gathers her chicks.
“When I have brought them back from the peoples and gathered them out of their enemies’ lands, and I am hallowed in them in the sight of many nations,‘then they shall know that I am the LORD their God, who sent them into captivity among the nations, but also brought them back to their land, and left none of them captive any longer.‘And I will not hide My face from them anymore; for I shall have poured out My Spirit on the house of Israel,’ says the Lord GOD.” Ezekiel 39:27-29. NKJV
There are approximately 6.3 million Jews living in the United States at the present time. When God decides to fulfill this prophecy from Ezekiel and bring the Jews back to Israel, it will be the largest relocation of a population in the history of the world. If we are, in fact, as close to the start of the tribulation period as many believe, there exists a very short time in which this prophetic Aliyah must take place. Many, if not most scholars believe that the Ezekiel 38-39 war occurs just before the start of the tribulation, and if that is indeed the case then we are looking at what could be an extremely short window of time for millions of people to leave this country.
“Then the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides children.” Exodus 12:37. NKJV
As this passage reveals, approximately 600,000 men left Egypt during the Exodus. Since this is only the number of men, estimates of the total number of people including women and children would range from somewhere between two to three million. A modern day exodus from the United States would easily double that figure and I find it difficult to understand logistically just how that would be accomplished as well as wondering exactly how God plans to do it.
“For the LORD of hosts has purposed, And who will annul it? His hand is stretched out, And who will turn it back?” Isaiah 14:27. NKJV
There is no question in my mind that this is going to happen just as God has prophecied, yet I would be lying if I claimed to know just how God is going to pull this off. So many different scenarios have occurred to me, yet all seem almost inconceivable to produce an exodus of over six million Jews leaving the United States en masse. I would also have to add that absolutely none of those scenarios are pleasant to consider. I am very much afraid that whatever it is that occurs which prompts such a move by such a great number of people is going to be horrendous.
While I believe this will occur before the start of the tribulation, I have no idea when it will occur in relation to the rapture of the Church. Although this is, in my opinion, an overlooked sign of the end, I certainly would not wait to see it before I made a decision that will affect my life in eternity. If you are reading this today and have never made the decision to allow Jesus Christ to come into your heart, and accept the free gift of eternal life He has offered you, I urge you to do so right now. You can do that by simply praying this prayer and accepting the gift of eternal life God has offered all of us by the death and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ.
Dear Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner and I believe You died for my sins. Right now, I turn from my sins and open the door of my heart and life to you. I confess You as my personal Lord and Savior. Thank you for saving me. Amen.
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