Raise The Banner: Time of our departure?

The Regathering of the Israelites: A Biblical Prophetic Journey Toward Restoration

Throughout history, the Israelites have endured oppression, exile, and displacement under the control of powerful nations. Prophecies found in Ezekiel, Hosea, and Revelation offer a roadmap for understanding when and how the scattered Israelites will leave the lands of their enemies and return to their Promised Land.

Judgment on Nations and the Banner Signaling War

The decline of the nations that have oppressed the Israelites is a key sign that the regathering is drawing near. In Jeremiah 50:4-8, Yahuah declares, “In those days and at that time, the people of Israel and the people of Judah together will go in tears to seek Yahuah their Elohim. They will ask the way to Zion and turn their faces toward it. They will come and bind themselves to Yahuah in an everlasting covenant that will not be forgotten.” The call to flee Babylon is clear. In Jeremiah 50:28-34, we hear the fugitives declaring Yahuah's vengeance: “Listen to the fugitives and refugees from Babylon declaring in Zion how Yahuah our Elohim has taken vengeance, vengeance for his temple.” Jeremiah 51:6-10 emphasizes the urgency: “Flee from Babylon! Run for your lives! Do not be destroyed because of her sins. It is time for Yahuah's vengeance; he will repay her what she deserves.” Babylon is destined for destruction due to its oppression of Yahuah’s people.

The raising of a banner often represents a call to war and judgment. In Isaiah 13:2-4, Yahuah says, “Raise a banner on a bare hilltop, shout to them; beckon to them to enter the gates of the nobles. I have commanded those I prepared for battle; I have summoned my warriors to carry out my wrath—those who rejoice in my triumph. Listen, a noise on the mountains, like that of a great multitude! Listen, an uproar among the kingdoms, like nations massing together! Yahuah Almighty is mustering an army for war.” Here, the banner signals the gathering of armies against Babylon.

The banner also symbolizes a call to action for the Israelites to flee the nations of their captivity. This signal could be a major world event or a spiritual sign, indicating that judgment on these nations has begun. Declining economies, loss of influence, and increasing internal instability could all be early signs of divine judgment.

Ezekiel 20:33-38 states, “As surely as I live,” declares Yahuah, “I will reign over you with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with outpoured wrath. I will bring you from the nations and gather you from the countries where you have been scattered—with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with outpoured wrath. I will bring you into the wilderness of the nations and there, face to face, I will execute judgment upon you. As I judged your ancestors in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will judge you,” declares Yahuah. “I will take note of you as you pass under my rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant. I will purge you of those who revolt and rebel against me.”

This passage describes how Yahuah will gather His people from the nations with power and judgment, much like the Exodus from Egypt. This period of upheaval and judgment may coincide with major conflicts or global turmoil, during which the Israelites will be gathered out of their scattered lands. The banner signaling war could align with Yahuah’s judgment on these oppressive nations, prompting the departure of the Israelites.

The Wilderness Experience and the Purging of Rebels

Once gathered from the nations, Ezekiel 20 describes the Israelites being brought into the wilderness of the nations for judgment and purification, mirroring the wilderness experience of our ancestors during the Exodus. In Jeremiah 29:14, Yahuah promises, “I will be found by you, and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you, and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.” 

This suggests that the wilderness experience will likely occur on the African continent, probably along the West Coast of Africa, where many Israelites were taken into captivity.

In Hosea 2:14-15, Yahuah says, “Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the wilderness and speak tenderly to her. There I will give her back her vineyards and will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope. There she will respond as in the days of her youth, as in the day she came up out of Egypt.” Yahuah allures Israel into the wilderness to speak tenderly to them, signaling a time of restoration and reconciliation after their period of oppression.

The wilderness represents both a physical place and a spiritual state of transition. Physically, it could mean the Israelites will experience refugee status, leaving the nations of their captivity and moving through regions that serve as temporary places of safety and purification. Spiritually, the wilderness represents a time of confronting their identity and relationship with Yahuah. The purging of rebels, as mentioned in Ezekiel 20:38, ensures that only the faithful will enter the Promised Land.

In Revelation 12, the woman (representing Israel) flees into the wilderness to be protected from the dragon (Satan) for 1,260 days. This period of divine protection may align with the wilderness experience described in Ezekiel and Hosea, where Yahuah provides safety for His people while purging the rebellious and unfaithful. The wilderness serves as a period of refinement and preparation before the final restoration.

Yahuah as the True Shepherd and the Gathering of His Flock

In Ezekiel 34, Yahuah speaks against the false shepherds who failed to care for His people, leading to their scattering. He declares that He will become the true shepherd and personally gather His flock from the nations where they have been scattered. This direct intervention indicates a time when the scattered Israelites will no longer be under the rule of corrupt leaders or oppressive nations but will be gathered under Yahuah’s protection and leadership.

Ezekiel 34:13-14 states, “I will bring them out from the nations and gather them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land. I will pasture them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines and in all the settlements in the land. I will tend them in a good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in good grazing land, and there they will feed in a rich pasture on the mountains of Israel.” This speaks of Yahuah bringing the Israelites back to their own land and pasturing them on the mountains of Israel. This mirrors the promise in Isaiah 35, where it is written, “The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon; they will see the glory of Yahuah, the splendor of our Elohim”

The blossoming of the desert and the restoration of fertility to the land are signs that the return is imminent. The recent blooming of the Sahara Desert suggests that the land is being prepared for the Israelites' return, indicating that the time for leaving enemy lands is approaching. The desert blossoming is directly connected to these prophecies, as it symbolizes the renewal and restoration of the land, preparing it for the regathered people of Yahuah.

Spiritual Warfare and the Defeat of the Dragon

Revelation 12 presents a cosmic struggle between Michael and his angels and the dragon (Satan), which results in the dragon being cast down to earth. The dragon’s pursuit of the woman (Israel) represents continued oppression and persecution of the Israelites by world powers. However, the woman is given two wings of a great eagle to escape into the wilderness, where she is protected. Despite Satan’s efforts to prevent the fulfillment of Yahuah’s plan, the regathering and restoration of Israel will proceed under Yahuah’s protection.

The war in heaven and the casting down of the dragon represent the breaking of Satan’s influence over the nations, including those that have oppressed the Israelites. As the dragon’s power wanes, it creates an opportunity for the Israelites to be freed from their enemies. The earth helping the woman by swallowing the flood sent by the dragon symbolizes Yahuah’s intervention to protect His people from the chaos and destruction caused by their enemies.

When Will the Israelites Leave the Lands of Their Enemies?

The departure of the Israelites from the lands of their enemies appears to be closely tied to the judgment on those nations, the raising of the banner, and divine intervention described in these scriptures. The sequence of events seems to be as follows:

1. Judgment and Outpoured Wrath: The decline of oppressive nations and global upheaval may be early signs of Yahuah’s judgment. This period of wrath will likely coincide with a clear signal (the banner) for the Israelites to leave.

2. Fleeing to the Wilderness: The Israelites will then flee these nations, entering a wilderness experience where they will be tested, purified, and protected by Yahuah. This wilderness could be both a physical journey through unfamiliar lands and a spiritual journey of restoration.

3. Purging and Refinement: During this time, Yahuah will purge the rebels and refine His people, ensuring that only the faithful enter the Promised Land. This period may last for a significant time, as suggested by the 1,260 days in Revelation 12.

4. The Regathering and Restoration: After the wilderness period, Yahuah will regather His flock and bring them into the Promised Land. The blossoming of the desert and the renewal of the land are signs that this restoration is near. The desert blooming is an important prophetic sign, demonstrating that the land is ready to receive the returning Israelites.

While it is impossible to pinpoint an exact date, the current signs of economic instability, political unrest, and natural renewal in regions like the Sahara suggest that the time of departure from enemy lands may be approaching. The raising of the banner, whether it be a spiritual sign or a major world event, will be the signal for the Israelites to leave and begin their journey back to the land promised by Yahuah.

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