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Facts About Israel's History - Part 1
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John Henry
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Mar 25, 2005 21:58 PST
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40 Significant Facts About Israel's History
By Clarence H. Wagner, Jr.
PART ONE
The Jewish people have had an inseparable relationship with the Land of
Israel - the Land of the Bible, for the past 4,000 years since the days of
Abraham.
There have been ebbs and flows in Jewish habitation of the land.
However, to be sure, at no period since the days of Joshua have all of the
Jewish people been exiled from the Land of Israel. Some Jews have always
remained in the Land, in greater or lesser numbers.
While their exiles under the Assyrians and Babylonians were relatively
short lived, the last greater exile by the Romans lasted almost 1,800
years. Nevertheless, God said He would restore His people Israel to their
land in one final and great return and restoration. There are a multitude
of biblical prophecies concerning the regathering of the Jewish people from
around the world to a barren land that would be restored to its former
glory. This began to unfold in the late 1800s. Events leading to the
establishment of the modern State of Israel began during the period when
the Ottoman (Turkish) Empire controlled the region, then called Palestine.
The chronology of past invaders who ruled in the land of Israel reads like
a Who's Who of World Empires. The Land of Israel was a choice fruit that
everyone wanted to pluck for their own ends. Those characteristics that
made this land desirable enough to be chosen by the Lord as "His Land,"
also made it the focus of empires who wanted to rule the world. In some
cases, they just wanted to overrule the Jewish people, because they were
the people of God and some of these world powers were opposed to the things
of God. Israel and the Jewish people are some of those important "things"
of God.
In this Israel Teaching Letter, I want to traverse the significant facts of
over 4,000 years of Israel's history so that we have a foundation to
validate the Jewish claim to this land.
Fact #1
According to many scholars, the Patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, were
active in Canaan between 2100-1875 BC. The birthright to the covenant
established with Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3 was passed on from Abraham to
Isaac (not Ishmael or the other sons of Abraham), to Jacob (not Esau), and
through Jacob's twelve sons who became known as the Twelve Tribes of Israel.
The twelve sons of Jacob were Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Zebulun,
Issachar, Dan, Gad, Asher, Napthtali, Joseph and Benjamin. God withdrew
Levi from the list of tribes to use the Levites in the transport and care
of the tabernacle and its service (Num. 1:47-53). Why Joseph was withdrawn
from the list, we are not told, but his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh (two
half tribes), were selected to make up the number of twelve. Some suggest
it was an expression of the double portion of inheritance to a firstborn
son, showing that Joseph's dream was, in fact, true.
After Jacob's son, Joseph, was sold into slavery and eventually became the
Prime Minister of Egypt, the rest of the family found refuge there from a
regional famine. They remained in Egypt, and the Hebrews ultimately became
slaves under a Pharaoh "that knew not Joseph."
Fact #2
As promised, about 400 years after Joseph first came to Egypt, a redeemer
was raised up to bring the Children of Israel out of the land of Egypt in a
great Exodus. His name was Moses. It was God's intention for the Children
of Israel to move into the Promised Land directly, but they chose to stay
in the desert after receiving the report of the twelve spies that the
people of the land were powerful and their cities fortified. Despite the
fact the Joshua and Caleb brought examples of the produce of the land -
grapes, figs and pomegranates - the people chose not to enter. Not
violating their freewill, God kept them in the desert for 40 years, so that
the second generation was the one to move into and conquer the Promised Land.
Even though the first generation of Hebrews who left Egypt in the Exodus
showed a lack of faith in God, choosing not to enter the Promised Land
immediately, God was still with them. He provided shelter, food (manna and
quail), shoes that would not wear out, and showed Himself in a pillar of
cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. He still loved them even though
they disobeyed Him. He protected them so that their children could fulfill
His calling to enter into His land.
Fact #3
After God brought Joshua and the Israelites into the Promised Land, it took
hundreds of years to conquer the land, just as God had said:
"And the LORD thy God will put out those nations before thee by little and
little: thou mayest not consume them at once, lest the beasts of the field
increase upon thee. But the LORD thy God shall deliver them unto thee, and
shall destroy them with a mighty destruction, until they be destroyed. And
he shall deliver their kings into thine hand, and thou shalt destroy their
name from under heaven: there shall no man be able to stand before thee,
until thou have destroyed them. The graven images of their gods shall ye
burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them,
nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein: for it is an
abomination to the LORD thy God." (Deut. 7:22-25).
The Bible is very specific as to where the Twelve Tribes of Israel were
settled in the land, describing their territorial claims in great detail.
With a Bible and current map of Israel, you can still trace the borders of
these tribal regions. Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh were
settled on the east side of the Jordan River (Num. 32:33). The other nine
and one-half tribes were settled west of the Jordan as recorded in Joshua
15-19.
Fact #4
Saul became Israel's first king in about 1050 BC. However, only under Kings
David and Solomon, Israel second and third kings, did the nation fully
consolidate into the Davidic (1010-970 BC) and Solomonic (970-930 BC)
empires. Solomon's empire incorporated all the land from the Sinai desert
up to the Euphrates River, but not the totality of what God had promised to
Israel. Prophetically, this will come to pass in a day to come.
Fact #5
In 1004 BC, Jerusalem became the capital of a United Israel, by God's
choice. It was specially located to be the administrative and spiritual
center of the kingdom, on the border between the tribal area of Judah and
Benjamin. It was not located on any major trade route, nor a major waterway
or seaport, or near an economic or agricultural resource. Jerusalem's only
main attraction was the Temple of the Lord and His Presence, even in the
past. Other empires and religions only wanted to conquer Jerusalem because
of its spiritual identity and importance in the Bible.
David conquered the city and bought the threshing floor of Araunah for
fifty shekels of silver for the House of the Lord. Eventually Solomon built
the Temple (II Chr. 3:1), and to this day, the only recorded deed for this
land is in the Bible. However, instead of there being a Jewish Temple to
the Lord there today, there are several Moslem mosques on this site and
religious Jews and Christians are forbidden to pray on this Temple Mount.
Yet, according to the Bible and history, it is a sacred area that does not
belong to the Moslems, but to the Jews. It is also the site for the Third
Temple that is yet to be built (Eze. 40-44), so one day its status will
change.
Fact #6
After Solomon's death in 930 BC, the United Kingdom was divided into a
northern kingdom (Israel), with its capital in Samaria, and a southern
kingdom (Judah), with its capital in Jerusalem.
The major kings of the northern kingdom (Israel) were: Jeroboam I (928-907
BC), Nadah (907-906), Baasha (906-883), Omri (882-871), Ahab (871-852),
Joram (852-842), Jehu (842-814), Jehoahaz (814-800), Jehoash (800-784),
Jeroboam II (784-748), Menahem (747-737), Pekahiah (737-735), Pekah
(735-733), and Hoshea (733-724). The line ended with the Assyrian Captivity
in 722 BC.
The major kings of the southern kingdom (Judah) were: Rehoboam (928-911
BC), Abijah (911-908), Asa (908-867), Jehoshaphat (867-846), Jehoram
(846-843), Athaliah (842-836), Joash (836-798), Amaziah (798-769), Uzziah
(769-733), Jotham (750-735), Ahaz (733-727), Hezekiah (727-698), Manasseh
(698-642), Joshiah (639-609), Jehoiakim (608-598) and Zedekiah (596-586).
The line ended with the Babylonian Captivity in 586 BC.
The major prophets of the northern kingdom (Israel) were: Elijah (875-848
BC), Elisha (848-797), Jonah (785-775), Amos (760-750), and Hosea (750-715).
The major prophets of the southern kingdom (Judah) were: Obadiah (855-
c.840), Isaiah (740-681), Jeremiah (626-585) and Ezekiel (593-571). After
the exile, we find Daniel (605-530), Zechariah (520-480), and Malachi
(440-430).
Fact #7
In 722 BC, judgment came upon the northern kingdom when Sennacherib, King
of Assyria, conquered it, but unsuccessfully laid siege to Jerusalem. King
Hezekiah built the underground water tunnel that emptied into the Pool of
Siloam so that the people had water inside the city walls. The angel of God
killed Sennacherib's army on the hills around Jerusalem and he went home in
shame (II Kgs. 19). In the record of his life, Sennacherib recorded the
event just as it is told in the Bible.
In 586 BC, the southern kingdom of Judah eventually fell to Nebuchadnezzer,
King of Babylon, who captured and destroyed Jerusalem, dismantling the
First Temple of God. The Ark of the Covenant disappeared at this time. Many
speculate on where it is, but no one has made such a discovery public.
Judah was taken into captivity in Babylon (II Kgs. 25).
Fact #8
In 539-537 BC, following a decree by the Persian King Cyrus who had
conquered Babylonia, some Jews returned to Israel. An estimated 50,000
embarked on their First Return, led by Zerubbabel, a descendant of the
House of David. The first thing the people did was to reestablish the
Temple of the Lord, as recorded in the book of Ezra. Less than a century
later, in 445 BC, a Second Return was led by Ezra the Scribe and Nehemiah.
They undertook a massive reconstruction and fortification of the city walls
and the further development of the Temple of the Lord, as recorded in the
Book of Nehemiah. The establishment of this Second Temple was ultimately
enlarged and beautified by Herod the Great, 500 years later.
The repatriation of the Jews, Ezra's inspired leadership, the building of
the Second Temple, the refortification of Jerusalem's walls and the
establishment of the Knesset HaGedolah (Great Assembly), which was the
supreme religious and judicial body of the Jewish people, marked the
beginning of the Second Commonwealth (Second Temple Period). Within the
confines of the Persian Empire, Judah was a nation centered in Jerusalem,
whose leadership was no longer under a king, but entrusted to the High
Priest and the Council of Elders.
Fact #9
In 350 BC, the Persians captured Jerusalem. This was closely followed by
the Greeks under the leadership of Alexander the Great in 332 BC. After
Alexander died, the region was divided up among his three chief generals.
In 313 BC, Ptolemy I of Egypt ruled Jerusalem. Then, in 170 BC, the
Seleucid king, Antiochus Epiphanes IV, King of Syria, plundered Jerusalem
and forced the Jews to stop worshipping the God of Israel, and to worship
the pagan gods of the Greeks. During this time, many Jews followed Greek
customs and became Hellenized.
When Antiochus Epiphanes IV desecrated the Temple by sacrificing a pig on
the altar of God and forced the Jewish people in the towns and villages to
do the same, this was too much for some religious Jews. In 167-4 BC the
Hasmoneans revolted, led at first by Mattathias of the priestly Hasmonean
family, and upon his death by his son Judas, known as the Maccabee
(hammer). The terms Hasmoneans or Maccabeans can be used interchangeably.
On the 25th of Kislev, 165 BC, the Hasmoneans captured the Temple, which
they purified for proper worship. However, they only had enough sacramental
oil for the Temple lampstand for one day. Yet, God allowed it to burn for
eight days until enough new oil could be prepared. From this miracle, we
get the holiday of Hannukah that is still celebrated today. Jesus also
celebrated this holiday, also known as the Feast of Dedication, "And it was
at Jerusalem the Feast of the Dedication, and it was winter" (Jn. 10:22).
The Hasmonean Empire was quite successful and achieved independence from
the Seleucids. The Hasmonean rulers became hereditary kings and regained
boundaries not far short of Solomon's kingdom. During the period of the
Hasmonean dynasty, which lasted about 80 years (142-63 BC), political
consolidation under Jewish rule was attained and Jewish life flourished
again in Israel and Jerusalem.
Fact #10
In 63 BC, the Romans invaded the region, led by Pompeii. They granted the
Hasmonean king, Hyrcanus II, limited authority under the Roman governor of
Damascus. The Jews did not accept the Roman rule well, as evidenced by
numerous insurrections. The last attempt to restore the former glory of the
Hasmonean dynasty was made by Mattathias Antigonus in 40 BC. His defeat and
death three years later at the hands of the Romans brought Hasmonean rule
to an end, and the land became a vassal state of the Roman Empire.
In 37 BC, Herod, son of an advisor to King Hyrcanus II and married to his
daughter, was appointed King of Judea by the Romans. Although he had no
authority in foreign policy, he was granted almost unlimited autonomy in
the country's internal affairs and became one of the most powerful monarchs
in the eastern part of the Roman Empire. The main regional names for the
area can be found in the New Testament, which are: Judea, Samaria, and
Galilee west of the Jordan River, and the Decapolis and Perea east of the
Jordan River. The name Palestine is not found anywhere in the Bible and is
a name given to the land by the Romans 100 years after the death and
resurrection of Jesus.
Herod was known as a master builder and built a huge port city in Caesarea
(named after Caesar), and fortifications: the Herodian (southeast of
Bethlehem), Sabastia in the mountains of Samaria, and Masada on the western
shore of the Dead Sea.
Jerusalem, however, was Herod's crown jewel where his building programs
went on for decades as he made this city one of the wonders of the world.
In 20 BC, Herod began the expansion and beautification of the Temple, which
must have been a site to behold from the Mount of Olives, as the pilgrims
came from the Jordan Valley up to Jerusalem.
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