Verse 4
The nations and their leaders will bring the disbursed Israelites back to their land as well (cf. Isaiah 11:12; Isaiah 49:18). They will also bring their wealth and give it to the Israelites (cf. Isaiah 60:11; Isaiah 61:6; Haggai 2:7-8; Zechariah 14:14). This will delight the Israelites, as well as surprise them, since throughout history the nations have taken from Israel.
These verses hardly found fulfillment in the return from Babylon (the regathering is worldwide), or in the church (the church goes to the world), though a foreview of fulfillment is unmistakable. Liberal interpreters favor the first option, and most Christian interpreters have favored the second. The second is the amillennial position. Unsaved people may be coming to Christians to learn about God now, but they are hardly exalting Christians in the world and making them rich to the extent envisioned here. The typical reaction to the preaching of the gospel now is rejection of it, and often persecution follows for its preachers (cf. 1 Timothy 4; 2 Timothy 3).
"In the end, God will keep his ancient promises in the land of Israel and there will demonstrate his rule within history." [Note: Oswalt, The Book . . . 40-66, p. 539.]
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