Restore the fortunes

Artfuldodger

Senior Member
Many verses about God restoring the fortunes of Israel. Once upon a time Israel was exiled and lead back home by Moses. Later there was a Jewish diaspora cause by the Romans. Well God using the Romans.

In reading about the restoration of fortunes in Zephaniah it is also interpreted as "reverse your captivity" or "reverse your fate."

19 "Behold, I am going to deal at that time With all your oppressors, I will save the lame And gather the outcast, And I will turn their shame into praise and renown In all the earth. 20 "At that time I will bring you in, Even at the time when I gather you together; Indeed, I will give you renown and praise Among all the peoples of the earth, When I restore your fortunes before your eyes," Says the LORD.

In this account the restoration of fortunes happens after the destruction of other nations and after the removal of Jerusalem's bad inhabitants. I'm wondering if other scriptural accounts or a restoration are also at this same time or of the same event?
 
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Artfuldodger

Senior Member
Amos 9:14-15
14 "Also I will restore the captivity of My people Israel, And they will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them; They will also plant vineyards and drink their wine, And make gardens and eat their fruit. 15 "I will also plant them on their land, And they will not again be rooted out from their land Which I have given them," Says the LORD your God.

After this restoration Israel will "never" be rooted out from their land. How long is never?
 

Artfuldodger

Senior Member
2 Samuel 7:10
And I will make a resting-place for my people Israel, planting them there, so that they may be living in the place which is theirs, and never again be moved; and never again will they be troubled by evil men as they were at the first,

Never?

Joel 3:20
But Judah will be inhabited forever And Jerusalem for all generations.

Forever?

Apocalyptic language?
 
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gordon 2

Senior Member
Your gaining ground. :cool:
 

Artfuldodger

Senior Member
Am I dispersed?

A couple of things came to my attention. Well actually about 50. Anyway, restore your fortunes sounds like a far cry from "reverse your fate." which raises another question in itself. How can God reverse their fate? Must be a bad interpretation also.

Next question is in this restored Israel, the people will never be exiled or moved again. They won't ever be messed with by foreigners again.

Is this Apocalyptic language that means something other than
the way it sounds?
 

gordon 2

Senior Member
Right after reading Zephaniah I read Revelations 21 next. It is just as if the latter continues from the former:

And I say a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God ...


3.... behold the tabernacle of God is with men....

4 And God shall wipe away all tears for their eyes; ... no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, ... neither... any more pain: for the former thing are passed away.

5 And he that sat on the Throne said, Behold, I make all things new.
.............

(I have to wonder if John had not just finished reading Zephaniah before penning these verses?)

----

Verse 27: And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: But they which are written in the book of life.

(I'm doing more than wondering for this verse! I am near settled.)

Chapter 22 verse 3-4 And there shall be no more curse: ( this has Zephaniah to a T.) and this is what Christianity adds to Zephaniah's prophecy>>>>> But the throne of God and that the Lamb shall be in it: and his servants shall serve him: 4 And they shall see his face;...
 
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Artfuldodger

Senior Member
Revelations 21, when did this happen? After God forgave Israel, filled Jerusalem with a remnant and grafted in Gentiles, brought the dispersed home, and destroyed her enemies?

Then living in spiritual Jerusalem after God does all of this is the answer to the Jews never having to leave their promised land, never having fear, and no more enemies? Physical Jerusalem is destroyed and replaced with a Spiritual Jerusalem? The Jews, which we are now grafted into, will live in this new Jerusalem?

That explains things a bit better than a Spiritual Jerusalem in heaven while we still have a physical Jerusalem on the earth that will never be destroyed again. I don't believe we'll ever have two Jerusalem's at the same time.

I thought maybe Revelation 21 was apocalyptic language and this new Jerusalem was a glorified old Jerusalem using our own bodies as examples.

The earth and Jerusalem never destroyed but glorified or made holy.

Zephaniah 3:20
On that day I will gather you together and bring you home again. I will give you a good name, a name of distinction, among all the nations of the earth, as I restore your fortunes before their very eyes. I, the LORD, have spoken!"

It sounds like God is going to bring all of the dispersed home "again." It sounds like the same Jerusalem, not a new one.

If this includes Gentiles, I have never lived in Old Jerusalem.

" I will make you renowned and praised among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes,”

That sounds earthly to me. God is going to give Israel a good name of distinction and all of the earth will see them and honor them.

How could they do that in a spiritual Jerusalem?
 

Artfuldodger

Senior Member
Now where does one go when he dies before this New Jerusalem replaces the Old Jerusalem?

A future end times destruction of Jerusalem being replaced by a New Spiritual Jerusalem makes me wonder. Where to the dead dwell waiting on this New Jerusalem to come? Where do they live without fear? Where do they live after their punishment is forgiven? Where do they live waiting on their fortune?

Unless you are saying this New Jerusalem comes down from Heaven and replaces the Old Jerusalem. If that's the case it's a glorified old Jerusalem made New and Holy.

If in the future though, it still doesn't explain where the dead saints dwell until this New Jerusalem replaces the old.
 
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