Jack the Bodiless

1. The Exodus.

2. The return from Babylon.
Massive irrigation projects, tree-planting etc.

Paradox

Please don't worry about offending me. If I come to this forum criticisizing Christians that come here then I ought to be able to take it when it's dished back.
You might find that I'd be quite aggressive in my defence, but don't take that as an indicator that I'm offended - it would simply be that I'm passionate about my position. Somewhere in my testimony you'll see that I was quite open to the suggestion that my approach to my faith was incorrect and was very willing to be corrected - that, for 12 years was usually my approach anway - that I somehow "missed it" when things didn't go right. However, nothing came up to convince me that I was wrong in the way I viewed my faith, therefore I reached the conclusion that Christianity itself was flawed. But fire away - I'm all ears, but it would have to be spectacular evidence indeed to convince me out of my current convictions.

You missed the point. Those in power had the opportunity to make the prophecy happen.

What? This is so vague it could be attributed to almost anything - the same with the other references you provided.

Jenn6162

The return from Babylon, doesn't qualify to me as the four corners of the earth. I know that your human wisdom, will argue with the four corners of the earth. So I will give that answer in advance, it was easy to understand for Isaiah. Those types of inaccuaracies aren't enough to cause me to question my faith.

The dispertion to the "four corners of the earth" happened after the holocaust.

As for your explanation for the desert bloom, still doesn't explain how Isaiah knew it would happen.

Jenn6162

I just wanted to be sure I wouldn't offend you personally. I want to read more of your testimony and eschatology pages before I comment. I appreciate passion. I am not trying to bring you back to Christianity, you would have to have faith. I can't give that to you. There is no clear cut evidence that would convince anyone that the Bible is the word of God.


You missed my point, I was paying attention to your point. I said how did Isaiah know it could happen in a day? I think that is a relevant question.


Well I tried. I could post more about Israel, but if you are all bored with the topic I will not.

Jack the Bodiless

It's reasonable to assume the Jews had been scattered all over the world known to Isaiah (the Middle-East). I doubt if the Babylonians were 100% effective at rounding up every one and keeping them in Babylon (and, IIRC, this only happened to one of the two Hebrew kingdoms anyhow).

I'm also fairly sure that scholars consider Isaiah to have been written over an extended period, by more than one author, and partly after the Babylonian exile.
Those who knew about the prophecy had the power to make it happen. However, there is still no good indication that 1948 was the return being referred to. The post-Babylonian exilic period was the second summons to Israel.

Amaleq13

What is it that you think happened in one day?

The process that resulted in the restoration of Israel certainly took longer than a day.

Wallener

"Took" is past tense. Israel is *still* not complete - in part because Jews have not been gathered home (twice as many Jews outside Israel as in) - and in part because there is a Mosque sitting on Temple Mount. There is no sense of "one day" which can logically be applied to the recreation of Israel.

Wallener

This is incorrect. The first dispersion happened roughly 700 years before the Second Temple was destroyed. A second dispersion, possibly even larger than the first, happened about 200 years later. By 150 BCE Jews were spread across most of the know/reachable world, as there are recorded settlements throughout the mediteranean basin, as far east as India, and as far north as (modern) Russia.

Jenn6162

THE DECLARATION OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL
May 14, 1948
On May 14, 1948, on the day in which the British Mandate over a Palestine expired, the Jewish People's Council gathered at the Tel Aviv Museum, and approved the following proclamation, declaring the establishment of the State of Israel. The new state was recognized that night by the United States.


In one day the nation of Israel was recognized by the US. I understand the criticism that the US was trying to fulfill the prophecy, but it was still fulfilled.

Paradox

Wise words, and thank you. Too many Christians have waded in with comments concerning my decision without fully understanding where I'm coming from. They ask questions which they should know the answer to if they had actually read through it all. However, I don't blame them, it is rather long! So, I thank you in advance for taking the time to do that.

You're right, I did miss your point. Apologies.
However, the fact that it happened in one day isn't remarkable. A day is a nice round figure that is often used in the Bible and it's no surprise that it took a day to actually make the decision really, is it?