4 - The Rise of Israel

Introduction

The nation of Israel has a chequered history; in parts it is rich and charming, other parts like the twin deportations to Assyria and Babylon, or dare I mention the holocaust, are a chilling reminder of the perils of her disobedience and rejection of God.

The Old Testament is saturated with account after account telling how the nation was formed through the call of one man, Abraham circa 2090 – 1900 BC. This fledgling nation eventually developed into the regional superpower of the day.

This culminated during the extended reigns of Saul, David and Solomon from circa 1050 - 900 BC. This is now referred to as Israel’s ‘Golden Age’. However, in the future, this ‘Golden Age’ will be surpassed in splendour and duration when Christ sets up his Millennial Kingdom on this earth.

The Lord Jesus Christ will reign on earth as King of kings and Lord of lords with his throne in Jerusalem and the people of Israel will be permanently restored to the Promised Land taking centre stage among the nations for 1000 years.

Mark 12 v 24-27

Jesus replied, “Are you not in error because you do not know the scriptures or the power of God? .... Now about the dead rising - have you not read in the book of Moses, in the account of the bush, how God said to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’. He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are badly mistaken!”

This is a key passage in the New Testament where Jesus confirms the authenticity of the Old Testament Scriptures and in particular, the writings of Moses and the historicity of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

The writings of Moses are the first five books of the bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy (The Pentateuch). It is in this section of the Bible that we read of the call of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and the subsequent forming of the Nation of Israel. 

The nation of Israel, like it or not, is central in the purposes of God throughout Scripture.

Regarding the Rise of Israel...

This timeline covers circa 6000 + years of human history and delves into a wide spectrum of subjects, some of which have proved to be controversial over many years. You might not agree with every detail.

It is my hope that you will be challenged to consider this subject and how it impacts your life both now and in the future. I hope that you will learn something new about 'The Rise of Israel' and perhaps be inspired to read the bible for yourself in order to shape your views on this interesting subject.

On this page we will discuss the following topics; Abraham, Isaac and Jacob - the forefathers of the nation of Israel. Slavery in Egypt. The Nation of Israel takes centre stage in the Middle East. God's promise to all nations through Israel.