The Bible, Israel, and Antisemitism: Part 2: Israel & Her Promised Land
God promised a land to Abraham’s descendants (Genesis 12.1) and centuries later Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt and through the wilderness to the border of that land that eventually they made their own. Moses’ law several times reveals a pattern for the relationship between the Israelites and that land.
First, if Israel obeys God’s law she will enjoy blessing, prosperity, and peace in the land (Leviticus 26.1-13; Deuteronomy 4.1-14, 28.1-14).
Second, if Israel disobeys God’s law, God promises to discipline them with various miseries to lead them to repentance. If she continues in her rebellion, God will eventually drive her out of the land, scattering the people among the nations (Leviticus 26.14-39; Deuteronomy 4.15-28, 28.15-29.29). This second step is lengthy and detailed because God was (and is!) patient with rebellious people. He brings hardship to discipline them and turn them back from destructive ways, and He is willing to stretch that discipline out over a long period of time before the final step: driving His people out of the land and dispersing them among the nations.
Third (and finally), if, from the lands to which they are driven, they repent and return in obedience to the LORD, God promises to restore Israel to her land (Leviticus 26.40-46; Deuteronomy 4.29-31, 30.1-10).
The relationship between Israel and her land, then, serves as a sort of gauge of her spiritual health and her relationship with God.
Many who read messages in Israel’s prophets about Israel’s return to the land believe the prophets were predicting a certain return. This is a misunderstanding of the prophets, who were not predicting certainties but were reiterating God’s promises of hope for return to the land. No matter how badly His people had sinned, God continues to hold out His hands, willing to forgive and restore a repentant people and return them to their land.
I don’t see those promises of restoration to the land rescinded in either the Old OR the New Testament, nor do I see a biblical reason to doubt that God could, as a part of His design for the future, keep His promises in a literal way and restore Israel to her land.
How I believe the present state of Israel relates (or might relate) to these ancient promises I will detail in future blogs…
First, if Israel obeys God’s law she will enjoy blessing, prosperity, and peace in the land (Leviticus 26.1-13; Deuteronomy 4.1-14, 28.1-14).
Second, if Israel disobeys God’s law, God promises to discipline them with various miseries to lead them to repentance. If she continues in her rebellion, God will eventually drive her out of the land, scattering the people among the nations (Leviticus 26.14-39; Deuteronomy 4.15-28, 28.15-29.29). This second step is lengthy and detailed because God was (and is!) patient with rebellious people. He brings hardship to discipline them and turn them back from destructive ways, and He is willing to stretch that discipline out over a long period of time before the final step: driving His people out of the land and dispersing them among the nations.
Third (and finally), if, from the lands to which they are driven, they repent and return in obedience to the LORD, God promises to restore Israel to her land (Leviticus 26.40-46; Deuteronomy 4.29-31, 30.1-10).
The relationship between Israel and her land, then, serves as a sort of gauge of her spiritual health and her relationship with God.
Many who read messages in Israel’s prophets about Israel’s return to the land believe the prophets were predicting a certain return. This is a misunderstanding of the prophets, who were not predicting certainties but were reiterating God’s promises of hope for return to the land. No matter how badly His people had sinned, God continues to hold out His hands, willing to forgive and restore a repentant people and return them to their land.
I don’t see those promises of restoration to the land rescinded in either the Old OR the New Testament, nor do I see a biblical reason to doubt that God could, as a part of His design for the future, keep His promises in a literal way and restore Israel to her land.
How I believe the present state of Israel relates (or might relate) to these ancient promises I will detail in future blogs…