The Rise and Fall of Israel

Days THREE and FOUR in the Week of Millenniums

Day 3:

The third millennial day tells the story of the birth of the nation of Israel. Here the Bible story begins in earnest with God’s call to Abram.

The events of Day Three center on God’s covenants with Abraham, Moses, and King David. We read of the genesis of the tribes of Israel, and how Joseph led the Israelites into Egypt and Moses led them out of it. In the wilderness God gave his people laws to teach them how to live a holy and sanctified life. Joshua led a new generation across the Jordan River into the Promised Land. At first they were governed by a series of Judges. Their last judge, Samuel, anointed their first king, Saul. King David led Israel into unity and conquest. And as this millennial day drew to a close, David’s son Solomon conducted worship in the completed House of God in Jerusalem.

Day Three is especially notable for three everlasting covenants God made with and concerning his chosen people. First, in the Abrahamic covenant, God vowed to make Abraham “the father of a great nation” (Genesis 12:2). God made an unconditional promise to give him and his seed “all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession” (Genesis 17:8).

With the Mosaic covenant, God vowed that in Israel there would be an everlasting priesthood. This promise was also made without condition.

Numbers 25:13:
And he shall have it, and his seed after him, even the covenant of an everlasting priesthood; because he was zealous for his God, and made an atonement for the children of Israel.

With the Davidic covenant, God promised an everlasting house and kingdom. Again this promise was unconditional.

2 Samuel 7:16:
And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.

An everlasting seed, priesthood, house, and kingdom – these were never rewards of merit, but rather gifts of God’s amazing grace. But how should the people of God conduct themselves on earth? Through the Law, God showed that there are blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience. But many of the Israelites confused grace and works. Some tried to earn God’s favor by doing works of the flesh, a complete misinterpretation of the message.

Romans 9:32:
Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;

Others thought that since they had God’s favor, they were free to sin. Israel’s lack of faith, coupled with her rejection of holy law, prevented God from immediately fulfilling the covenants of Day Three. Those who believed would have to wait for a better day.

Day 4:

In the Bible there is more written about the fourth millennial day than any other era. Here we read of the fall of the nation of Israel, starting with the division of the kingdom and culminating with her rejection of her Messiah.

No gift of God negates his laws. When Solomon turned his heart to other gods, he reaped a terrible consequence for his nation. The kingdom, so recently united by his father David, was torn asunder. The ten northern tribes became a new political entity called Israel, governed by commoners who were not of David’s royal line. It was left to the two southern tribes to continue the House of David as the nation of Judah.

Day Four gave witness to some of the most renowned prophets and prophecies in the Bible. Sadly their words were rarely heeded. After about 200 years, the kingdom of Israel was defeated by the Assyrians. The ten tribes were so thoroughly assimilated into that pagan culture that within a short time they were no longer considered Jews. In fact, they were thought of as dogs. When a woman of Samaria asked Jesus for help (near the close of this millennial day), he told her, “It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs” (Matthew 15:26). Of course we know that in the end Jesus did help her.

The people of Judah fared little better. Within 350 years they were conquered by the Babylonians and scattered among the nations. But even as Jerusalem burned to the ground, God gave his people the New covenant in which he vowed to restore them. Once again this promise was unconditional.

Jeremiah 31:33:
...After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Nebuchadnezzar’s strange dream foretold the annexation of Jerusalem by five empires: Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome, and a fifth, mysterious kingdom. All but the final stages of this prophecy were fulfilled in the fourth millennium.

Cyrus of Persia conquered Babylon and allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem to rebuild her Temple and city walls. This story is told in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, chronologically the last books of the Old Testament. After this there is a 400 year gap in Bible testimony that resumes with the events surrounding the birth of Christ.

Alexander the Great became king of Macedonia in 337 BC, and for a time the Greeks reigned over Israel. In 168 BC, they were driven out by an army of Jewish dissidents called the Maccabees. This period of Israeli independence was short-lived, and by 63 BC, the Romans occupied the land of Judah. In 40 BC, the Roman Senate made Herod king of Judah. It was he who “slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men” (Matt. 2:16).

The fall of the nation of Israel was solidified by her rejection of her Messiah. The fourth millennial day closed upon Israel ike the stone that was rolled in front of the Lord’s sepulchre.

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The Times of the Gentiles