Following the first world war, Palestine became a mandated territory under Great Britain, the way opened for many Jews to return to that land. In 1948 the political state of Israel was brought forth. Did this not indicate that the Jews were in line for divine blessings? For many years, Jehovah's Witnesses believed that this was so. Thus, in 1925 they published a 128-page book, Comfort for the Jews. In 1929 they released an attractive 360-page book, volume, Life, designed to appeal to the Jews and dealing also with the Bible book of Job. Great efforts were made especially in New York City, to reach the Jews with this Messianic message. Happily, a few individuals responded, but the Jews by and large, like their forefathers of the first century, rejected the evidence of Messiah's presence.
It was obvious that Jewry, as a people and as a nation, was not the Israel described in Revelation 7:4-8 or other Bible prophecies related to the Lord's day. Following tradition, the Jews continued to avoid using the divine name. (Matthew15:1-3, 7-9) In discussing Jeremiah 31:31-34, the book Jehovah, published by the Watch Tower Society in 1934, stated conclusively: The covenant has nothing to do with natural descendants of Israel and with mankind in general, but . . . is limited to a spiritual Israel. "The Bible's restoration prophecies relate neither to the natural Jews nor to political Israel, which is a member of the United Nations and a part of the world that Jesus spoke of at John14:19, 30 and 18:36.
Next time: Chapter Nineteen/Sealing the Israel of God - The Israel of God Today - Conclusion
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