The Bible speaks about Israel's role?

The relevant Bible passage I find most interesting is from Genesis 49:10.

The scepter shall not depart from Judah,

Nor a lawgiver from between his feet,

Until Shiloh comes;

And to Him shall be the obedience of the people.

History records that once the Sanhedrin realized they had lost the right to execute capital punishment - that they covered themselves with sackcloth and ashes. The Babylonian Talmud, Chapter 4, folio 37 from the 1st Century records the following:

"Woe unto us for the scepter has departed from Judah and the Messiah has not come!"

Except that this was recorded in 7 A.D

To directly answer the question asked (sorry): If it is predicted in the Bible, then it's a predication coming from God, and God know exactly when any given event will occur. If He has a future event predicted in his guidebook, rest assured that it WILL happen. And taking metaphorical symbolic language into account, it will happen exactly as described.

The Jewish nation killed God's son. There could not be forgiven for that and as a nation were totally rejected by God. The Jews (and many modern day Christians) believe that there was NOTHING that they could do that would result in their permanent rejection by God; but God is not limited to human behaviour, he can, as Paul said raise up "jews" from stones if he wants to.

From that moment they no longer figured in God's purpose (please read Luke 13: 34, 35). So the actions of the modern day state of Israel has nothing to do with bible prophecy.

EDIT I answered the question.

The bible speaks about Israels role. => The bible spoke about the role of ANCIENT Israel. The modern day State of Israel does not figure in ANY biblical prophecy (above and beyond it is part of Satan's world that will eventually be destroyed along with all human governments - See Daniel 2:44)

** "How is it the Bible correctly predicted the Jews would again inhabit Israel?"

The bible DID NOT predict it at all. None of the bible prédictions for this modern age have anything to do with the State of Israel. They don't figure in modern day biblical prophecy at all.

*** But isn't Israel doing "quite well in our time"?

Yes but then again China's doing quite well too... neither has anything to do with God's blessing or with biblical prophecy (See Revelation 12: 9; 1 Jh 5:19)

You have it around the wrong way. The British knew what the bible says and used it as justification for giving Israel to the Jews. In fact, it has always been Palestinian land that was stolen by the Jews

But yet at this time there is no breath in them.

Ezekiel 37

1The hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones,2And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry.3And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord God, thou knowest.4Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.5Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live:6And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the Lord.7So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone.8And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them.9Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord God; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.

http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Eze&c=3...

Jeremiah 30:7

Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.

Matthew 24:21

For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.