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The promises of the Land to Israel by God A Primer to what the Bible teaches The Bible is filled with these main promises and many others connected to Israel as a people and a nation. After the nation is formed and led out from Egypt by God and Moses. Deuteronomy 29:13: “to confirm you this day as his people, that he may be your God as he promised you and as he swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” Deut. 7:6-10: “For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth” (this is repeated in Exodus 19:5; Deut. 14:2; Ps 135:4-5). Is. 65:9 “I will bring forth descendants from Jacob, and from Judah those who will possess my mountains; my chosen people will inherit them, and there will my servants live.” Clearly the word ‘chosen’ is applied to the Hebrews (the Jewish people of the covenant), they did not apply this themselves. Deut. 4:6- 8. God said to Israel: “For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the LORD our God is to us, for whatever reason we may call upon Him?” And what great nation is there that has such statutes and righteous judgments as are all this law which I set before you this day?” 2 Samuel 7:23-24: “And who is like Your people, like Israel, the one nation on the earth whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people, to make for Himself a name-- and to do for Yourself great and awesome deeds for Your land-- before Your people whom You redeemed for Yourself from Egypt, the nations, and their gods?” The Hebrews knew the true God because of His special revelation to them that began with Abraham. The Hebrews were called to be a light to the other nations with the Truth because the other nations DID NOT have the truth of God or mankind’s history. Why are they chosen to inherit this small piece of land? Deut. 9:4: “it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD is driving them out from before you.” This is over 3,500 years ago. In Deut. 7:1-2 the Lord names seven greater nations that the Israelites were surrounded by: the Hittites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Canaanites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than you, “and when the LORD your God delivers them over to you, you shall conquer them and utterly destroy them” (also Deut. 31:3; Deut. 20:16-20). There were no Palestinian people among them then nor today. Israel who were released from Egypt as slaves were to trust in the Lord to fight those stronger than they were. They were told in Deut. 18:9-14: “When you come into the land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations.” The Jews were and are God’s chosen covenant people, unlike the other Gentile nations. However saying this we must understand that god is the God of those nations and peoples also. How the people and nations react to the Jews that God has chosen is crucial to their relationship to the only true God. God who is invisible gave visible representatives. God promised a Messiah from the Jewish people, a priest from the Melchezedik line (not a Levitical priest strictly for the Hebrews), one that is for the whole world. Gen. 12:3: “and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Gen. 18:18: “since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him. Because of Abraham, and through Israel, they were to be blessed by the future fulfillment—when the Messiah would come.” Gal. 3:14: “that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” Paul tells the Greeks in Acts 17:26-27 “And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings," so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us.” Paul is referring to Deut. 32:8-9: “When the Most High divided their inheritance to the nations, when He separated the sons of Adam, he set the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the children of Israel. For the LORD'S portion is His people; Jacob is the place of His inheritance.” From the time of Noah and his sons, in the days of Peleg, whose name means division (Gen. 10:25) God gave the nations their place (land) and ordained how far each should reach—east, west, north and south. He put boundaries in relation to the Jews to whom He would give his oracles to and through whom He brought salvation. Nowhere does the Bible teach that God gave each people group their nations, their customs, traditions or beliefs as He did to Israel. The Bible is very clear on this matter: If Israel obeys, “the LORD your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. (Deut. 28:1). However if they disobeyed, “Then the LORD will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other, and there you shall serve other gods, which neither you nor your fathers have known” (Deut. 28:64) They disobeyed. And God in his sovereignty scattered them to the north, east, south and west. Israel’s restoration In the last days God calls Israel back into their land of Promise. This began again officially when they became a nation again in their original land. Deut. 30:3: “the LORD your God will restore you from captivity, and have compassion on you, and will gather you again from all the peoples where the LORD your God has scattered you” v.5 “And the LORD your God will bring you into the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it.” (Lev. 25:38) Exod. 6:8: “And I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and I will give it to you as a heritage: I am the LORD.” There literally hundreds of Scriptures that say this promise in the Bible concerning God's covenant with Israel and their land, and what will take place in the latter times. Some even propose the people in the land of Israel are not Jews, then who is God calling back into the land from the 4 corners of the earth? Since the Israel was birthed in 1948 we know we are in the end of the last days that is on a course toward a Tribulation. To this day the nation has never enjoyed ALL of the Promised Land. We must distinguish between the promise of ownership of the Land on the basis of the Abrahamic Covenant and Land Covenant and the actual enjoyment of their being in the Land. This began when Jews entered the Land under Joshua after Moses. They will not enjoy all of the Land until they become a saved nation, at which point the Messiah will give it to them and be with them as king. The prophet Ezekiel predicted a restoration of Israel, “Then He said unto me, "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel; … I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel'" (Ezek. 37:11-12). They have been brought into the land (the ultimate fulfillment is at the resurrection for the Millennium). Ezek. 37:10: "an exceeding great army. V. 13 "And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves.” These verses are part of the prophecy of the restoration of Israel. Ezekiel chapters 36 and 37 deal with the restoration of Israel from the four corners of the earth. This prophecy could only come true if Israel is a nation restored to their original land. These verses to a certain extent have and are being fulfilled today! Israel is a nation in its land with a great army (Ez.38 is yet to take place). Scripture says Isaiah 66:8, in a day a nation will be born. May 15, 1948 the sovereign State of Israel the Jewish people was made - miraculously reborn as foretold by Bible prophecy for the last days in the same place they had always been. This cannot be explained away as insignificant? But still, over half the Jews in Israel are atheists. They are gathered into the land first in unbelief, preparing them for the day of repentance when they will know who their Messiah is and call upon Him (Zech. 12:10-12). “Thus saith the Lord God: Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the nations, to which they are gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land (Ezek. 37:21). Today we see Jews called from all four directions as Isa. 43:5-6 states. Jews living in Israel today have come from more than one hundred nations. For this reason we should have confidence that we are witnessing the Last-Days regathering of Israel as stated repeatedly in the Bible; with her enemies surrounding her exactly as the Bible foretold, naming the nations. Ez.38 has not happen, but all the ancient nations mentioned are the enemies of Israel today. Coincidence, I think not. Moses spoke of Israel's future disobedience to the Mosaic Law that would result in their scattering over all the world (Deut. 29:2-30:1). God promised Israel -- Neh. 1:8-9: “If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations,' but if you return to Me, and keep My commandments and do them, though some of you were cast out to the farthest part of the heavens, yet I will gather them from there, and bring them to the place which I have chosen as a dwelling for My name.' Israel has a history of leaving and then coming back to God. But God has always been willing to take her back and He has always protected her to a lesser or greater throughout her history of doing this. Isa. 54:6-10: “For the LORD has called you like a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, like a youthful wife when you were refused," says your God. "For a mere moment I have forsaken you, but with great mercies I will gather you. With a little wrath I hid My face from you for a moment; but with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you," says the LORD, your Redeemer. "For this is like the waters of Noah to Me; for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah would no longer cover the earth, so have I sworn that I would not be angry with you, nor rebuke you. For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed, but My kindness shall not depart from you, nor shall My covenant of peace be removed," says the LORD, who has mercy on you.” Ezek. 39:28 God declares: “I (God) ...caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen: but I have gathered them unto their own land, and have left none of them any more there.” This can only be the start of the gathering back to the promised land of Israel for what will end in final regathering in the Messiah’s Millennial reign. The overarching theme for Hitler was to exterminate the Jewish people,(as it still is today for others) instead God turned it around on its head and hands Hitler a defeat giving the Jews their old homeland and begins to fulfill what he had promised. Yet there are those who want us to believe that God does not care for Israel nor about his promises made to them. This is not just found in the worlds view -but some Christians also. God over 200 times calls Himself “the God of Israel” and has declared Israel his people- the apple of his eye. The title deed to this land is almost 4,000 years old, it’s the Bible. What is still in effect are his covenants Genesis 12:3: “And I will bless them that bless you and curse him that curses you.” Many have and are still learning the hard way what happens when you go against Israel you are going against God. Jesus said (Matthew 25:40) “Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren (the Jewish people), ye have done it unto me.” This is especially applied in how they are being treated by the Gentiles and believers in the tribulation period. The covenants Many church groups misunderstand scripture. You have the Dual covenant theory that teaches all of the Jews will be saved. the Episcopalians wrote of the Jews are in an eternal covenant with God, we renounce missionary efforts directed at converting Jews” (“A Sacred Obligation Rethinking Christian Faith in Relation to Judaism and the Jewish People,” September 1, 2002) This teaches that those Jews who live by the Torah have a relationship with God. Others, even some evangelicals believe they are already saved by the Old covenant. This is Salvation without Conversion? This is easily refuted by the Bible that says “for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:22-23) as Paul says the gospel is to the Jew first. Thus affirming they need to believe as anyone else. And the early Jews who believe recorded in Scripture affirm this. Jesus said to Nicodemus the teacher of Israel who snuck out at night to see him Most assuredly I say unto you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God. Nicodemus like all Jews were looking for a literal kingdom, but first Jesus had to establish his spiritual kingdom in the heart of his followers. The feast of Passover, he being the Passover lamb comes first. First a spiritual Kingdom is formed in us, as He prepares His people that will one day participate in a literal, physical kingdom under His leadership when He is physically present on earth. On the other-hand you have replacement teaching which says the Church is spiritual Israel and the nation of Israel is rejected, having nothing to do with Gods plan anymore. If you look this up, you’ll never find the term or concept of the Church called Israel or as Spiritual Israel in the Bible. The Promised Land was never given to the Church; she never occupied it as a “nation.” The church was never removed from the Promised Land because of her disobedience or taken captive into foreign lands to return to her homeland. The church is not a nation, nor a theocracy but is made up of people from every nation both Jews and Gentiles who believe in Jesus- this is the mystery hid from the beginning of the world according to Eph. 1:9-10, 3:6,9 and Col.1:26; Christ in you – the hope of Glory. Therefore the church could not have replaced Israel in prophecy. There is only one nation, one people whom God ever gave a land with specific perpetual promises to - the Jews (Hebrews) alone. How can this refer to the Church (ecclesia) that didn't even exist in Moses' or Joshua's day! Scripture says the Israel's land would be from the River of Egypt to the great River Euphrates. This land promise has never been fulfilled with Israel in the land enjoying this in her history. Why would all the prophets continue to write about the land and what would take place there in great detail if it already happened. And what of those that claim all or nearly all prophecy is fulfilled, we are to have dominion? If the Church is reigning for or as Christ why is the world in worse condition than ever before? Why are we powerless to influence the world the way we would like? Why does Scripture say that evil and lawlessness will become pervasive at the end, so how do we reign over them while they still are allowed to rule here and make the laws, or break laws? The UN Road Map for peace is actually setting up Israel for the final conflict, when all nations will gather against it to battle. ‘In that day I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it. … For I will gather all nations to battle against Jerusalem ’(Zechariah 12.3, 14.2.) God is at work fulfilling what he spoke in ancient days by the prophets. Jer.30:18, 31:8 “Behold I will bring them from the north country and gather them from the ends of the earth.” Isa.43:5: “I will bring your descendants from the east and gather you from the west...” Scripture clearly prophesies of dispersions and regatherings of the nation of Israel. Since two dispersions and one regathering have already occurred, the present regathering of Israel must be the second and final regathering in preparation for the Messiah's return to reign over the Millennial Kingdom. We can no longer say we do not know when this will occur. “My salvation shall not tarry; and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel, my glory (Isa. 46:3-5, 9-13). This has already taken place. There is national day of reconciliation prophesied for Israel, but that will also be an era when “the LORD shall be king over all the earth; that day shall there be one LORD and his name one” (Zech. 14:9). But this is contingent on Israel recognizing their own Messiah (Zech.12:9-14 to call upon him). Satan knows that prophecy depends on Israel being there for all the events to occur. Since God has brought them back into the land, and the enemy of God is doing everything he can to change this, using nations and a religion to oppose her. Satan has pulled out all his resources to prevent prophecy from taking place, even using the church to stop evangelism to Jews and keep them from the inheritance God has promised them. God says in Hosea 5:15: “I will return again to My place till they acknowledge their offense. Then they will seek My face; in their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.” God returned to his place, which is heaven which He left when He became the man Jesus. The offense Israel (Hebrews) need to confess is specific, resulting in their affliction in the tribulation period. Lev. 26:40-42: “But if they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers, with their unfaithfulness in which they were unfaithful to Me, and that they also have walked contrary to Me, and that I also have walked contrary to them and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if their uncircumcised hearts are humbled, and they accept their guilt-- then I will remember My covenant with Jacob, and My covenant with Isaac and My covenant with Abraham I will remember; I will remember the land.” Jesus told them Mt.23:37-39 “for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”’ Zech. 13:8-9 “And it shall come to pass in all the land," says the LORD, "That two-thirds in it shall be cut off and die, but one third shall be left in it: I will bring the one-third through the fire, will refine them as silver is refined, and test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, and I will answer them. I will say, 'This is My people'; and each one will say, 'The LORD is my God.'" One of the purposes of the Tribulation is to break the will of the Jewish nation that rejected their Messiah for a national regeneration. The day is coming when the nation will in unison repent and ask him to come back. The will mourn for him as stated in Zech. 12:10-11As he pours out his “Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they have pierced; they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.” This will be at the end in the tribulation period. They will understand the gospel message, the person of the gospel. And as Jesus prophesied “you shall not see Me until the time comes when you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!'" (Luke 13:35) We are told to Pray for the peace of Jerusalem- this will be answered by the Messiah coming back again. Only then will there be true peace for them and all the world. So praying this means you are asking from the return of the Messiah. Gen.12 is specific and still in effect. As far as Israel being God's chosen- you either accept the Bible and God's unchanging covenant or you are against it. If you do not accept it you have become an enemy of God, for God is for his people Israel. Psalm 129:5: “Let all those who hate Zion be put to shame and turned back.” “I will fix your boundary from the Red Sea to the sea of the Philistines, and from the wilderness to the River Euphrates” (Exodus 23:31). Therefore we must conclude that the entire Land of Israel, including Judea and Samaria (West Bank), Gaza, the Golan Heights, and all of Jerusalem. Isa. 46:12-13: “Listen to Me, you stubborn-hearted, who are far from righteousness: I bring My righteousness near, it shall not be far off; my salvation shall not linger. And I will place salvation in Zion, for Israel My glory.” As a Christian you need to stand with and support Israel as much as possible. For Israel gave us the Messiah Jesus, otherwise you are still in darkness. The “new covenant” (Jer. 31:31) was actually made to the house of Israel and Judah without conditions and this is the covenant all gentiles are grafted into as they become one in Christ, his body the Church (Rom.11). If it no longer sustains or is applicable to the Jews, how can it for the Gentiles? Matt. 12:21: “And in His name Gentiles will trust.” Luke 2:30-32: “For my eyes have seen Your salvation Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel.” Rom. 9:24-25: “even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? As He says also in Hosea: “I will call them My people, who were not My people, and her beloved, who was not beloved.”
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