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The Bible clearly says that God gave the Promised Land to the Jews forever. It’s even an undeniable fact of history that Jews have lived on the Promised Land for centuries. Even during the Babylonian and Roman dispersions there were still some Jews on the Promised Land. Nevertheless, it’s not uncommon to hear Church leaders in mainline denominations refer to major portions of the Promised Land as “occupied territory” because Jews live on it. These Church leaders claim to understand the Scriptures, but if they do they are making themselves willingly ignorant of what the Scriptures say.

GOD’S COVENANT WITH ABRAHAM

God asked Abraham to move to the Promised Land. After he moved, God said, “I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God” (Gen. 17:7-8).

A) God’s covenant with “thee” means with Abraham.

B) With “thy seed after thee” means with Abraham’s descendants after him.

C) In “their generations” means anytime Abraham has living descendants.

D) For an “everlasting covenant” means God’s covenant will last forever.

E) “I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land” means God gave the Promised Land to Abraham and his descendants (the Jews; see below).

F) “All the land of Canaan” means all (not part) of the Promised Land belongs to Abraham and his descendants (the Jews).

G) “For an everlasting possession” means all of the Promised Land belongs to Abraham and his descendants (the Jews) forever.

H) “I will be their God” means God made a covenant with Abraham to be Israel’s God.

THROUGH ISAAC NOT ISHMAEL

Some ask, “Does God’s covenant with Abraham go through Isaac, Ishmael or both?” God answered the question: “Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee! And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation. But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year” (Gen. 17:18-21). God said the covenant will go through Isaac not Ishmael.

This is not unfair. God loved Ishmael and promised: 1) to bless him, 2) To give him many descendants, and 3) to make him into a great nation. Ishmael now has about 300 million descendants. Ishmael’s descendants now rule in more than twenty Arab nations. God gave them billions of barrels of oil. But God didn’t give Ishmael’s descendants (the Arabs) the Promised Land. God said His covenant will go through Isaac.

The descendants of Isaac (not Ishmael) will eventually possess all of the Promised Land forever.

THROUGH JACOB NOT ESAU

The answer to this question is found in God’s covenant with Jacob. God told Jacob, “Thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel … And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land” (Gen. 35:10-12).

WHAT IF GOD DOESN’T KEEP HIS COVENANT

If God didn’t keep His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their descendants through Jacob, God would be a liar or the Bible is wrong. But God does not lie and the Bible is not wrong. All of the Promised Land belongs to Israel and none of the Promised Land belongs to the Arabs or Muslims.

WHAT IF THE NATIONS REJECT OR IGNORE GOD’S COVENANT

God’s Word is settled forever (Psa. 119:89). He won’t break His covenant. If the nations keep rejecting and ignoring God’s covenant by attacking Israel without His approval they will eventually wind up in a battle with God called the Tribulation Period and the Battle of Armageddon. Don’t forget that the covenant says God is Israel’s God. When we continue next week will begin with the Jew’s and sin. Please join us for the conclusion “ Israel cannot be destroyed again.”

(Editor’s note: The Rev. Kim Strickland can be reached at revkim@charter.net)