Bible Question: Is the land promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and mentioned all through Genesis, Exodus, and in other books of the Bible the same land the jews occupy today--Israel? When did they take possession of it, and how do we know for sure that this is the "Promised Land" spoken of in the Bible? Someone asked me the other day why we should support the Israelis as opposed to the Palestinians in this war and I wanted to say because this land was given to them by God. But I didn't feel confident enough about how to answer the further questions that were sure to come. Can anybody help me? Thanks! |
Bible Answer: Ro 4:13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. Abraham was promised THE WHOLE WORLD so yes the land of Israel is the promised land but only as a type or lesson that God is going to give the saints THE WHOLE WORLD, for a thousand years and then A New Heaven and New Earth. Heb 11:40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. If you see that we (us the new testament saints) are to be included in the promises, then we know it is more than Geographical Isreal. In answer to your question Israel and Jerusalem is the very promised land of the Old testament and there is no question by anyone that it. Many of the geographical landmarks mentioned in the OT have never been mistaken for some other place in all of human history by those that live there. Some things are hard to identify such as the location of the tower of Babel, but they are fairly certain they have the base identified. But Jerusalem, mount Zion has never been in dispute. Yes God promised them the Land, but God had a greater purpose. Here is the Greater Truth. The promised land is your heart (your soul, your eternal being)Or the Promised Land are all the eternal promises of eternal Life with Christ, the Bodily Resurrection, The inheriting of the earth, the possessing of the literal kingdom, all of these promises not yet realized in full but possessed by faith is the Promised Land for us. And as they had to walk by faith to possess it so do we. Do a study on the enemies they had to drive out, they all have names that can be applied to the spiritual battles we face as christians in our walk of sanctification. He that endures unto the end shall be saved. we have to drive out the amorites as they did but we do it spiritually by repenting and fleeing from lusts that once kept us in bondage. You see them having problems by letting some enemies remain among them (as you see today) and we must learn from this and not allow any secret lusts or vices to remain in our hearts. God Bless you in your study of the Word. |