HEBREW WORD STUDY – JEZREEL – יזרעאל
Hosea 1:11 Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land: for great [shall be] the day of Jezreel.
Jezreel is a compound word zara’ – seed, el – God, seed of God. This is a prophecy of the future of Israel when they will all be united after being scatter throughout the world. This scattering happened with the fall of Jerusalem to the Romans in 70 AD about 800 years after this prophecy was given and over 2,000 years and counting for the eventual reuniting of Israel unless we consider 1948 as the fulfillment of this prophecy.
Most Christian commentators will say that the name Jezreel is given to Israel to signify the reuniting of the faith but Jewish commentators have a different take on this. They see this idea of the seed of God – Jezreel as the planting of the seed of knowledge of God throughout the world when they were scattered after the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD. Indeed many religions which have popped up over the last 2,000 years shows some signs of Jewish teaching. Even Native Americans have symbols and teachings which reflect the teachings of Judaism. Rabbis Samson Hirsch says: “Many ideals of duty and lovingkindness, the search for truth and the quest for right, and even the invocation of God, became ideals which were gleaned by other faiths from the Law of the Teachings of Judaism and spread through the nations.”
Both Christianity starting in the first century and Islam in the eight century, the two major religions in the world, were birthed from Judaism. Religions such as Buddhism and Hinduism adopted many of the teachings of Judaism into their religion.
Truly Hosea’s prophecy has seen reality as the Jews have truly become Jezreel the planters of the seed of knowledge of God. Sure other religions have gone off on their own ideas and teachings but there is a seed there. It is a seed that is meant to grow. Missionaries for years have been watering that seed, that tiny bit of knowledge of God which the Holy Spirit can use to bring one to the true knowledge of Jehovah and His love and purpose for mankind.
The Jews are called the chosen people, not because they were created special, to be God’s special pet so to speak. They were chosen to keep the true knowledge of God and His love, the purity of the desire and will of God to share with the nations. I have studied the works of Judaism and the teachings of the rabbis and sages for over 45 years and nothing I have gleaned and incorporated into my personal faith has altered my fundamental beliefs in the slightest. I can still in good conscience sign the doctrinal statement of my alma mater Moody Bible Institute which is a center for conservative, evangelical Christianity.
Many comment on my expressions of a love for God and the love of God for us, my desire and longing for intimacy with God. I can truly say all of this is the result of Jezreel the seed of God that has been planted by God’s chosen people. We as Christians owe a great debt to Jezreel and their efforts and sacrifices throughout history to preserve the knowledge of God.
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