Foreigners in Prophecy

18. What led to Israel’s return from Babylonian exile?

¹⁸ Turning back to the time when Israel was under the Law covenant but unfaithful to it, we find that God determined to let the Babylonians desolate Israel. In 607 B.C.E., Israel was taken into captivity for 70 years. Then God repurchased the nation. Under the leadership of Governor Zerubbabel, a remnant of natural Israel returned to their land. The rulers of the Medes and the Persians, who had overthrown Babylon, even aided the returning exiles with provisions. The book of Isaiah foretold these developments. (Isaiah 1:1-9; 3:1-26; 14:1-5; 44:21-28; 47:1-4) And Ezra gives us historical details about that return.​—Ezra 1:1-11; 2:1, 2.

19. In connection with Israel’s return, what prophetic indication was there that foreigners would be involved?

¹⁹ Still, in foretelling the repurchase and return of God’s people, Isaiah made this startling prophecy: “Nations will certainly go to your light, and kings to the brightness of your shining forth.” (Isaiah 59:20; 60:3) This means more than that individual foreigners were welcome, in line with Solomon’s prayer. Isaiah was pointing to an unusual change in status. “Nations” would serve with the sons of Israel: “Foreigners will actually build your walls, and their own kings will minister to you; for in my indignation I shall have struck you, but in my goodwill I shall certainly have mercy upon you.”​—Isaiah 60:10.

20, 21. (a) We find in modern times what parallel to the return of Israel from captivity? (b) How were ‘sons and daughters’ thereafter added to spiritual Israel?

²⁰ In many respects, Israel’s going into and returning from exile has found a parallel in modern times with spiritual Israel. Prior to World War I, the remnant of anointed Christians were not fully in line with God’s will; they held to some views and practices carried over from the churches of Christendom. Then, during the wartime hysteria and partially at the instigation of the clergy, leading ones among the remnant of spiritual Israel were unjustly imprisoned. After the war, in 1919 C.E., those anointed ones in literal prison were freed and exonerated. This evidenced that God’s people were released from captivity to Babylon the Great, the worldwide empire of false religion. His people went forth to build up and occupy a spiritual paradise.​—Isaiah 35:1-7; 65:13, 14.

²¹ This was indicated in Isaiah’s description: “They have all of them been collected together; they have come to you. From far away your own sons keep coming, and your daughters who will be taken care of on the flank. At that time you will see and certainly become radiant, and your heart will actually quiver and expand, because to you the wealthiness of the sea will direct itself; the very resources of the nations will come to you.” (Isaiah 60:4, 5) In the following decades, ‘sons and daughters’ continued to come in, being anointed with spirit to fill out final places in spiritual Israel.

22. How have “foreigners” come to work along with spiritual Israelites?

²² What about the ‘foreigners who will actually build your walls’? This too has occurred in our time. As the calling of the 144,000 was coming to completion, a great crowd out of all nations began flocking to worship with spiritual Israel. These newer ones have the Bible-based expectation of everlasting life on a paradise earth. Though the eventual location of their faithful service would be different, they were delighted to help the anointed remnant in preaching the good news of the Kingdom.​—Matthew 24:14.

23. To what extent have “foreigners” assisted the anointed?

²³ Today, over 4,000,000 who are “foreigners,” along with the remnant of those whose ‘citizenship is in heaven,’ are proving their devotion to Jehovah. Many of them, men and women, young and old, are serving in the full-time ministry as pioneers. In most of the over 66,000 congregations, such foreigners are carrying responsibilities as elders and ministerial servants. The remnant rejoice in this, seeing a fulfillment of Isaiah’s words: “Strangers will actually stand and shepherd the flocks of you people, and the foreigners will be your farmers and your vinedressers.”​—Isaiah 61:5.

24. Why can we be encouraged by God’s dealings with Israel and others in the past?

²⁴ So in whatever nation of earth you are a citizen, an immigrant, or a refugee, you have the grand opportunity to become a spiritual foreigner whom the Almighty heartily welcomes. His welcome includes the possibility of enjoying privileges in his service both now and into the everlasting future.

Israelites Return From Babylon

4, 5. (a) What Israelites returned from exile in Babylon? (b) In modern times, what corresponds to the Israelites’ return from exile?

⁴ Ezra and Nehemiah relate how a remnant of Israelites, led by Governor Zerubbabel, returned from Babylon to their land, to restore true worship. Both accounts report that these returnees totaled 42,360. Thousands of that number were “men of the people of Israel.” The accounts next list the priests. Then come about 350 Levites, including Levitical singers and gatekeepers. Ezra and Nehemiah write also of additional thousands who were apparently Israelites, maybe even priests, but who could not prove their genealogy.​—Ezra 1:1, 2; 2:2-42, 59-64; Nehemiah 7:7-45, 61-66.

⁵ This remnant of Israel taken into exile and who later returned to Jerusalem and to Judah displayed outstanding devotion to God and deep commitment to true worship. As noted, we see in modern times a fitting correspondency in the remnant of spiritual Israel who came out of captivity to Babylon the Great in 1919.

6. How has God used the spiritual Israelites in our time?

⁶ Since their release in 1919, the remnant of Christ’s anointed brothers have moved zealously forward in true worship. Jehovah has blessed their efforts to gather the final ones of the 144,000 making up “the Israel of God.” (Galatians 6:16; Revelation 7:3, 4) As a group, the anointed remnant constitute “the faithful and discreet slave” class used to provide an abundance of life-giving spiritual food, which they have worked hard to distribute earth wide.​—Matthew 24:45-47.