As an Evangelical Christian, I see both the past history and future promise of Israel on display with the current war and tension in Israel over the land in the various parts of Israel. All of these tensions beg the question, “What is the Jewish claim to the lands of Israel?”
History of the Promised Land
When God originally sent the Jews into the land of Canaan (Israel), He did so with the promise that they would settle in this land assigned to each tribe and possess it. This mandate was the Word of the Lord to them, but they had to contend with those in possession of the land at that time. In some cases, this contention included war and coexisting with other people groups. Joshua expressed God’s question at the delay of the tribes taking the land, “How long will you neglect to go possess (take charge) of the land.” (Joshua 18:3).
In the latter days, God promised that the Jews would return to the lands originally given to their forefathers and once again inhabit the land. In other words, this land that was once given in covenant by God is to come back to the Jewish people or tribes. The Sons of Jacob are returning from the nations. A number of prophets foretold this return such as the prophet Ezekiel.
“Then say to them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: surely I will take the children of Israel from among the nations, wherever they have gone, and will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land.” (Ezekiel 37:21).
The term here “own land” is a reference to the land previously assigned to them. It is a covenant land promised to them. This promise of a return to the Promised Land is even more clear in Jeremiah 30:3.
“I will restore the fortunes of My people, Israel and Judah, says the Lord, and I will bring them back to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall take possession of it.” (Jeremiah 30:3).
As in the beginning, there will be a contending for the land with those peoples occupying the land. A good part of this land given to Israel has been in times past, assigned to be a part of the Palestinian State by the United Nations. This is covenant Promised Land and cannot be reassigned. The God of the Bible doesn’t recognize a two-state solution. In fact, He warns of a coming judgment for those nations who try to divide the land given to Israel in the Book of Joel, “I will also gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat: and I will enter into judgment with them there on account of My people, My heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations; they had also divided up My land.” (Joel 3:1-3). Notice here, that God calls it His land! God here makes it clear that those nations who participate in dividing up the lands given to Israel to reassign them, or who will remove the Jews from this land, are standing in line for judgment. Every nation will be judged in regard to what they have done to Israel and the position they have taken regarding her land.
When the Gaza Strip was given over to the Palestinians to be a part of a two-state solution, it was believed that this land for peace trade would result in peace. The opposite occurred.
The Entrance of Terrorism
Terrorist took control of this region and used it to attack Israel. Both Hamas and the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) are a part of the Muslim Brotherhood. This Organization’s charter in article two, states that the Jews must be obliterated. Destruction of the Jews is a part of their mandate.
The Muslim brotherhood and their members which include Hamas, Hezbollah and the PLO, have a saying, “From the river to the sea.” This expression means that all of Palestine will be Islamic, and they will have control over the entire territory of Israel’s boarders from Jordan to the Mediterranean Sea. This stated vision means the Jews will be removed. It is a statement committing to the genocide of the Jews. If Israel gives land for a Palestinian State, based on the boarders of the pre 1967 boarders, Israel will be surrounded on all sides by the same kind of terrorists we now see in Gaza. The organizations that would take power are all a part of the Muslim Brotherhood and hold the same vision for a Jewish free land where it is “Islamic from river to the sea.” The “two-state solution” would mean a death sentence for the Jews. It is not a solution for Israel, but it would be a death sentence for the Jewish state.
God’s Mandate of the Promised Land for Israel
There is no doubt war and bloodshed are an awful things to happen in the world. Is it possible that this current struggle, and contention for the land of Gaza, the West Bank (Judea and Samaria), and the Golan, are really about opening the way for the Jews to be drawn back to resettle the land given to their forefathers? This question is not up to the nations to determine. It is already settled by the Word of the Lord. The Jews are returning to their Promised Land by the mandate of Almighty God. It is not an accident that the wars of 1948, 1967 and 1973 gave greater access to the Jews to the land to settle in it. Unfortunately, following these wars, the land slipped away for the sake of appeasing other nations. This current war in Israel is not just about fighting against terrorists. There is a bigger stage in play. There is a greater view of this war that needs to be applied.
God will allow whatever struggles it takes with the nations for Israel to have what He promised to them. The prophets have sounded a trumpet declaring, “The Jews are returning to their own lands.” The Jews are returning! The return of the Jews to their covenant land is upon us according to the Word of the Lord. God is still asking the question, He expressed through Joshua, “Will you take passion of the land I gave to you?” (Joshua 18:3). It is time in these last days for the Jews to return to the covenant land of their fathers. Let us adjust our view as we look at the Middle East to see the bigger picture and stand with Israel and their right to the land God gave them!
