Israel is celebrating its 73rd Independence Day today. With the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, Jerusalem became the capital of the Jewish state.
Jerusalem has now been the capital of the Jewish state for exactly as long as it was the capital during the undivided kingdom of Israel 3000 years ago.
King David made Jerusalem the capital of Israel (all 12 tribes) around 1000 B.C. He reigned in Jerusalem thirty-three years (I Kings 2:11). King David was followed by his son Solomon, who reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel for forty years (1 Kings 11:42). That makes 73 years.
After King Solomon, the Kingdom of Israel was divided into two (1 Kings 12:1-17). The southern kingdom was called Judah, and Jerusalem become the capital of the southern kingdom only, of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin.
The first capital of the northern state (called Israel and included the remaining 10 tribes) was Shechem. The second capital of the northern state was Tirzah and the third the city of Samaria.
Samaria, the last capital of Israel, surrendered to the Assyrian army after three years of siege in 722 B.C. It was the end of the northern state of Israel and the king of Assyria brought the northern tribes of Israel into captivity. As tribes they have still not returned to the land.
The division of Israel began 3000 years ago, after Jerusalem being the capital for 73 years. When the modern day Israel became independent 73 years ago, the reading of that Shabbat in the synagogues included verse 11 from Amos 9 (BSB). ”In that day I will restore the fallen tent of David.”
In the tent of David all the 12 tribes were present. The Bible has strong promises that all the tribes of Israel will come back to the land, and will be united again. The prophecy of Ezekiel speaks about it like this:
Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “And you, son of man, take a single stick and write on it: ‘Belonging to Judah and to the Israelites associated with him.’ Then take another stick and write on it: ‘Belonging to Joseph—the stick of Ephraim—and to all the house of Israel associated with him.’ Then join them together into one stick, so that they become one in your hand.
When your people ask you, ‘Won’t you explain to us what you mean by these?’ you are to tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel associated with him, and I will put them together with the stick of Judah. I will make them into a single stick, and they will become one in My hand.’
When the sticks on which you write are in your hand and in full view of the people, you are to tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘I will take the Israelites out of the nations to which they have gone, and I will gather them from all around and bring them into their own land.
I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel, and one king will rule over all of them. Then they will no longer be two nations and will never again be divided into two kingdoms.' (Ezek. 37:15-22 BSB)
After the second 73 years we will begin to see the reverse of what happened 3000 years ago; a development towards unity and complete fulfillment of these prophecies. The northern tribes will also be brought back to the land, and God will unite the house of Israel.
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