Israel: YHVH GOD’s Covenant Land and People

Genesis 12:1-4… Now the LORD had said to Abram:  “Get out of your country, From your kindred And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you.  I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing.  

I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” 

Those of us who have read the Holy Bible know that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (renamed by GOD- Israel) are the patriarchs of the Old Testament, who settled in the land promised by YHVH to Abraham.  Jacob’s twelve sons became the children of Israel in bondage in Egypt for 400 years, and were then brought out by a mighty deliverance of GOD through His servant Moses.  As the above map shows the land was fully inhabited by those who were of the seed of Abraham.

The nation of Israel as a modern reality was ‘reborn’ on May 14, 1948 and yet this tiny country that does not even fill its ancient borders is the primary subject of controversy in the Middle East.  This post will deal with the biblical and historical evidence for the Abrahamic Covenant of GOD that is an eternal covenant that will not be subverted by man… no matter who or what seeks to change it!  I will begin by citing a complete editorial from the December 2012 issue of the magazine “Israel My Glory”…

Moses’ Tabernacle in the Wilderness

Selling The Big Lie

“Explaining why she left her job, a reporter for a major organization in Washington, D.C., said recently, “I feel like I am, as a reporter in the Capitol, lied to every day, all day.”

Of course, not everyone in politics is a compulsive liar, but people who say we live in a “culture of lies” have a point.  Sometimes lying is frivolous or self-serving.  But when the objective is to inflict deliberate injury or destruction on others, lying is heinous, as well as sinful.

Nowhere can we find a better pack of heinous lies than in the Palestinian fabrication of history meant to destroy Israel and legitimize a mythological Arab state that has not one shred of evidence for its existence.  However, big lies told long enough will attract a following.

The late Arab terrorist Yasser Arafat counted on that fact when he began creating a preposterous revision of history that few thought would gain traction.  But it has, and from the halls of the U.N. to some of the courts of Europe and streets of the Western world, we hear lies passing for truth.

Dr. David Bukay’s recent piece in The Middle East Quarterly, “Founding National Myths: Fabricating Palestinian History,” provides a sharp, insightful look at the magnitude and seriousness of the Palestinian propaganda attack on Israel and the Jewish people- as well as the attack on Christianity.

According to the Palestinian Authority’s version of history, the Palestinians are direct descendants of the ancient Canaanites and Jebusites and have been in “Palestine” for more than 7000 years.  Some Palestinians claim they’ve been there since the beginning of creation.

Of course, not a speck of evidence exists to back up their claim.  In fact, Joan Peters, in her book From Time Immemorial,  documented the fact that most Arabs who claim to be “Palestinians” are not.  During the British Mandate over Palestine, the British government allowed thousands of Arabs to flood into the land illegally, while refusing access to Jews: 

“While the Jews were working furiously at clearing land that had been ignored or dismissed by Government “authorities” as “uncultivatable” and created places that Government insisted “did not exist,” those opened-up places… [were] expropriated by the Arab in-migrants and immigrant community- Syrians, Egyptians, Hauranis, Algerians, Hejazis, and others camouflaged as “natural indigenous Palestinian population since time immemorial.” 

A tiny nation surrounded by adversaries

Furthermore, Palestinians claim the world’s Jewish people are not Jewish at all, but transplants created by the Europeans who founded Zionist Israel as a means of  “stealing” Palestinian land and identity.  These so-called thieves, they say, co-opted virtually all Palestinian history by creating false names for towns, destroying communities through terror, and taking as their own everything they could steal- even down to music, falafel, and hummus.  In this bizarre scenario, all land under Israeli control is illegitimately “occupied territory”, and Israel must be erased from the map. [emphasis mine throughout-sg]

Arafat even claimed Jesus was a Palestinian freedom fighter.  The current refined version says Jesus was a Muslim martyr (shalid).  In His death, therefore, Jesus had the unique distinction of being, not a Savior sent from GOD to bear our sins, but the first Palestinian martyr tortured in “Palestinian” land.

Ironically, this reinvention of Christianity (which is not Christian at all) is, at the core, a Muslim version of Replacement Theology.  Yet it has a more violent application than the one used by pseudo-Christian Protestant theologians who promote the fiction that the church has replaced Israel and is now the sole beneficiary of the inheritance GOD has reserved for the Jewish people.  The difference is that Palestinians make Christianity Muslim, while Replacement theorists dump Israel into the trash bin and fabricate a new brand of biblical interpretation- one that denies all of GOD’s promises to His chosen nation. Clearly, in this new culture of lies, truth becomes a casualty, while chaos and uncertainty become the legacy of myths peddled and bought as reality.

The battle being waged is for truth- truth that for more than 70 years has been the foundation of the mission and message of Friends of Israel (foi.org)  As we prepare to celebrate the matchless Incarnation and thank GOD for all He has given us through His Son, [the LORD] Jesus Christ, we can assure you that our foundation will not change.  Jesus said, “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32).  We believe Him.”  [end of editorial]

Modern Israel- Struggles for Survival

From “The Covenants- The Key to GOD’s Relationship with Mankind” by Kevin J. Conner & Ken Malmin…

Excerpts from Chapter 5- The Abrahamic Covenant:

The Abrahamic Covenant is the Covenant GOD made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  It was made after the tower of Babel and the scattering of the descendants of Noah.  It involves National Israel, the Seed Messiah, and all believers of all nations.  It is the most comprehensive of all Old Testament Covenants.

… GOD foresaw that man’s unified rebellion would soon deserve universal judgment.  Thus, in judgment with a view to mercy, GOD stepped into the scene at Babel and brought man’s evil unity into confusion.  By confusing their languages, scattering them across the earth and dividing them into nations, GOD was setting the stage for the unfolding of His redemptive purpose among the nations (see Genesis 10:25; 31, 32; 11:5-9; Acts 17:26, 27; Deuteronomy 32:8).

While the families were developing into nations in their respective places GOD chose the next covenant man from the line of Shem.  It would be through Abram that GOD would bless all the nations of the earth (Genesis 11:10-32; 12:1-3).

The Promises of the Abrahamic Covenant comprehend the promises of the previous and also subsequent covenants   The Abrahamic Covenant enlarges upon the Edenic, Adamic, and Noahic Covenants.  It includes in itself the covenants relative to the chosen nation of Israel, which are the Mosaic, [Land], Davidic, and New Covenants (Romans 9:4-5).

GOD’s Promises Are Eternal

This covenant was not only made with Abraham, but its oath was given to Isaac and it was confirmed to Jacob and then all Israel after him (1 Chronicles 16:15-17).  These three fathers were together partakers of one covenant; even as the three persons in the eternal GODhead are partakers of one covenant (Exodus 2:24; 3:6, 15).

The covenant as given to the three fathers and to Israel is stated in the following major passages:

• To Abraham
  

Genesis 12:1-3; 13:14-18; 15:1-21; 17:1-27; 18:17-19; 21:12; 22:1-8.

• To Isaac

Genesis 24:60; 26:1-5, 24.

• To Jacob

Genesis 27:28-29; 28:1-4, 13-22; 32:12, 28; 35:10-12; 48:3-4.

• To the nation Israel

Deuteronomy 7:6-16; 1 Chronicles 16:15-22; Psalm 105:8-15; Micah 7:20; Exodus 3:15; 32:13; Hebrews 6:13-14.

Promised Blessing (Genesis 12:2) …GOD said to Abraham “I will bless thee” indicating GOD’s desire to bestow His favour upon Abraham himself.  This promise was confirmed to Isaac (Genesis 26:3), Jacob (Genesis 28:3) and to the nation Israel (Deuteronomy 28:1-8). 

This was fulfilled in the blessing of Melchisedek in the bread and the wine given to him (Genesis 14:19-20).  Also the blessing of material prosperity (Genesis 13:2; 24:1, 35).  And the blessing of physical well-being (Romans 4:17-21).  This blessing was also fulfilled in the lives of Isaac (Genesis 26:12-14), Jacob (Genesis 30) and in Israel the nation (Deuteronomy 8:18).

The Beauty of Modern Israel

GOD also said to Abraham “Thou shall be a blessing.”  GOD made it clear to Abraham that the purpose of being blessed was that he might be a blessing to others.  This promise was confirmed again to Isaac, Jacob and to Israel.

This was fulfilled in:

• The blessing of Abraham’s own household (Genesis 14:14; 18:19; 24:35).
• The blessing of Abraham’s benevolence to Lot in allowing his choice of the land and also in his rescue from Sodom’s destruction (Genesis 13:5-9; 14:1-16;18:16-33).
• … The blessing of covenantal relationship with a Gentile, King Abimelech of the Philistines (Genesis 20:17; Genesis 21:22-32).

We find the same promises of blessing fulfilled in the lives of Isaac and Jacob (Genesis 30:37) as well as the nation of Israel (Deuteronomy 28:1-14).

GOD also said to Abraham “I will bless them that bless thee.”  As a confirmation of His blessing, GOD promised to bless those who show favor to Abraham.  This promise was confirmed also to Isaac (Genesis 26:12-33), Jacob (Genesis 30:25-43) and Israel (Numbers 24:9)… This was also fulfilled in Isaac (Genesis 26), Jacob (Genesis 29, 30, 31) and the nation of Israel (Deuteronomy 27 & 28).

The Promised Messiah- 300 Prophecies Fulfilled!

The Messianic Blessing (Genesis 12:3; 22:17-18)

GOD also promised Abraham “in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”  This was the greatest promise of blessing, that through Abraham GOD would bestow His favor upon all the people of the earth.  This promise involved the birth of the Seed Messiah, [the LORD] Jesus Christ, and was fulfilled in the New Covenant.

It was confirmed to Isaac (Genesis 26:4), to Jacob (Genesis 28:14), to Judah (Genesis 49:8-12), to Israel (Numbers 24:17), and finally to David (2 Samuel 7; Psalms 89 & 132).  And this was fulfilled in the blessing of the Gospel of Christ, who is the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as well as of Judah through David (Galatians 3:8, 16, 29; Matthew 1:1; Romans 1:3; 16:20; Genesis 3:15).

… To Israel

• Israel was to be a holy nation (Exodus 19:6).
• Israel was to be multiplied because of GOD’s covenant (Leviticus 26:9).
• Israel was to multiply and be blessed above all people in relation to the fruit of the womb (Deuteronomy 7:12-14).
• Israel was to be as numberless as the sands of the seashore (Hosea 2:10).

All these promises of multiplicity of seed… find fulfillment [finally] in the holy nation, the Church, made up of believers out of every kindred, tongue, tribe, and nation (1 Peter 2:5-10; Revelation 5:9-10; Ephesians 2:12-21).  The Church is the true and spiritual Israel of GOD (Galatians 6:15-16; Romans 9:6-8).  The believing Gentiles and believing Israelites are grafted into the olive true and all together become one in “the commonwealth of Israel” (Romans 11; Ephesians 2:12).  In Christ there is neither Jew nor Gentile but all believers are now the seed of Abraham (Galatians 3:28-29).  Together they constitute the one new man and the body of Christ (Ephesians 3:1-9).

For Emphasis: The Church does not replace Israel, nor appropriate the promises that are exclusively for the nation and people of the Hebrew bloodline.  We are beneficiaries of the Covenants and promises as spiritual seed of Abraham… PRAISE THE LORD!

Jerusalem, Israel… soon to have a 3rd Temple

Blessing of The Land

GOD promised Abraham that his seed would also have a land to dwell in.  For Abraham to be the father of many nations there would have to be lands for that seed to dwell in.  God set the bounds of other nations according to the number of the children of Israel (Deuteronomy 32:8, 9; Acts 17:26).

These land promises find their fulfillment in Israel conquering Canaan (Joshua through to David; Joshua 1-24; 1 Kings 4:20-25; 2 Chronicles 9:26), in other lands for the seed of Abraham (Genesis 36:8, 9, 43; 2 Samuel 7:10-16), and also in Abraham being “heir of the world” (Romans 4:13).  The ultimate fulfillment is in the heavenly country of which Canaan was the earthly shadow (Hebrews 11:8-16).  As with all the promises of the Abrahamic Covenant there is both natural and spiritual fulfillment of the land promises… Canaan land was given to his seed for an everlasting possession (Genesis 48:3, 4).

End of quotations from the book “The Covenants”.

From the outstanding bi-monthly magazine, Israel My Glory Jan./Feb. 2013 issue… “Jesus the Palestinian” [NO!] by James A. Showers (excerpts as follows):

“In some Christian circles, the theological justification for gaining freedom from Israeli “occupation” is Christian Palestinianism, a form of liberation theology that emphasizes Jesus’ humanity and portrays Him as the great liberator of the poor and oppressed of this world.  It replaces the Jewish Messiah of the Bible with a Palestinian martyr…”

10 Errors of Christian Palestinianism

What’s wrong with Christian Palestinianism?  A great deal.  Here are ten of its most obvious errors:

1. It blames Israel for much of the conflict between Israel and the Arabs living in Israel and not only dismisses Islamic terrorists, but aligns with them in opposition to Israel.
2. It attacks Israeli sovereignty but ignores the fact that Israel came to control the land because of Arab wars that sought to eliminate Israel.  Its leaders fail to admit peace cannot be obtained by withdrawing from the West Bank; Palestinian Arabs must recognize Israel as a nation and promise to live peaceably with it.
3. It ignores the biblical names for Israel. In the Bible, the West Bank is called Samaria and Judea.  The biblical name for the entire land is Israel, not Palestine.  The Romans renamed the land Palestine after they squelched the second Jewish revolt in A.D. 135.  The renaming plays into the desire of Israel’s enemies who say, “Come and let us cut them off from being a nation, that the name of Israel may be remembered no more (Psalm 83:4).  Refusing to call the land Israel identifies one as an enemy of Israel and of GOD, according to Psalm 83.
4. It ignores the biblical people of the covenant.  There are no Palestinian people in Scripture.  There has never been a Palestinian nation in the Bible or in history.  However, Israel is reference from Genesis 12 through the end of the Bible as the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  These descendants are the recipients of GOD’s everlasting covenant promise of the land.
5. It manufactures a Palestinian history that does not exist, and it redefines Jesus as someone He was not.  In the process, it changes the purpose for which He truly came: to save the world from sin.
6. It is founded on a bias against Israel, rather than from a careful study of Scripture.  The fact that Christian-Palestinian scholars say difficult passages should be ignored and the Bible should be “de-Zionized” confirms this error.  GOD’s Word says, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of GOD, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness…” (2 Timothy 3:16).
7. It diminishes GOD and the authority of His Word.  Twisting Scripture to justify one’s position violates the basic rules of language.  Christian Palestinianism ignored context and literal meaning and selectively infuses its own meaning for some texts, while outright dismissing the meaning of other texts.  The apostle Paul warned his protege Timothy to be diligent in “rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).
8. It corrupts the understanding of what GOD is doing on Earth- His plan for the ages as revealed through His written Word- by redefining GOD’s purpose for history and for His Redeemer, Jesus Christ.  The Bible warns against preaching a gospel that differs from the true one. (Galatians 1:6-9).
9. It presents GOD as covenant breaker by stealing the promises He gave to Israel, as well as Christ’s promised earthly inheritance.
10. It greatly exaggerates the Christian-Zionist influence on U.S. foreign policy.  Christian-Zionists wish they had such power.  But in reality, it does not exist.

End of citations from Israel My Glory article.

The Current Conflict over The Land continues…

We are being propelled into a period of time when all the prophecies in the Bible that have yet to be fulfilled will be!  Israel will not lose any more land as the map above shows, but rather the nation will gain land expanding its borders until all the promised land is under the banner of the Star of David!  There will be a third temple built on the Temple Mount, where the Levitical sacrifices will be re-instituted.  This will set the stage for the Antichrist to fulfill both Daniel’s prophecy and that which was spoken by our LORD Jesus Christ concerning the abomination that makes desolate (see Matthew 24:15; Daniel 9:23-27).  It is truly a most glorious time to be alive!  Those who overcome to the end are promised to rule and reign with Christ during His Millennial Kingdom, and into Eternity Future after the 1000 years and the Great White Throne Judgment (study the Book of the Revelation in its entirety and receive the promised blessing of illumination). In defense of true Biblical Christianity please study deeply these two resources:

• The Messiah According to the Scriptures  The over three hundred prophecies given in the 39 books of the Old Testament concerning ‘the Messiah’ find their fulfillment in the historical person known as Jesus of Nazareth.  This clearly demonstrates that the LORD Jesus Christ truly is the Messiah, the Son of the Living GOD, and Savior of the world.
• Prepared to Answer by Rob van de Weghe (NOTE:  His Web Store page has resources that are beyond outstanding!  For those who desire to build their faith, I highly recommend the Illustra Media Intelligent Design 3-DVD set that is exhaustive in its remarkable evidence, thoroughly refuting Darwinian Evolution).

Stand with Israel as a Biblical Christian, and know  that according to Revelation Chapter 7 many of the children of Israel will come to recognize and receive the LORD Jesus Christ as their Messiah… Praise His Holy Name!

In order to be fully knowledgeable and not deceived by the regressive Left, study:

• The Jewish People & End Time Prophecy
• The Imminent “Psalm 83” War
• “America on a Collision Course with GOD (YHVH)”
• The Handshake That Never Brought Peace
• The Divine Purpose For The Temple
• An Incentive To Pray Fervently For Israel