Reading Hosea chapter 3 I feel I’m reading a synopsis, a summary of the book itself. Clearly, we see a return promised here in vs. 5: “…Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days.”
So many believe that those living in the “Holy Land” today, right now, are not really the “returnees” promised here in Hosea 3, and in several other passages. Is the Israel today the “right” Israel?
First, let’s understand that Hosea 3:5 will not be completely fulfilled until the Millennium, Israel’s Kingdom Age, when the Lord Jesus, the son of David, will be their king. Israel is not a monarchy today, has not been one for 2600 years, and will not be one until the Lord returns to take His seat on the throne of David as promised to Mary before His birth (Luke 1:32-33).
The argument that the Jews in Israel today are not the right Jews, but are the descendants of European converts, is put forth primarily by those who dispute their right to the land. To hold this position they have to disregard the miraculous way in which Israel was reborn as a conspicuous fulfillment of Ezekiel 37:1-14. They also have to overlook the way Israel has been preserved in the land for 67 years against overwhelming odds.
It’s true, there are many descendants of European converts in Israel today. But there are also many descendants of the sons of Jacob there too. The regathering that began after WW2, and continues today, will not be complete until after the 2nd coming. At that time Hosea 3 and the dozens of other relevant prophecies will be completely fulfilled.
Isaiah 11:11 tells us the regathering of Israel will only happen twice. The first was following the Babylonian captivity after the nation had ceased to exist for 70 years. The second was officially recognized in 1948 after the nation had ceased to exist for nearly 2,000 years and continues to this day. There will be no third regathering.