Tracing Israel's Land Promise Through Scripture

By Stan Feldsine - www.tojesusbeallglory.com

Introduction

Israel was promised both spiritual and physical promises in the Abrahamic Covenant. Gentiles became partakers and sharers in Israel's spiritual promises (Rom 15:27, Eph 1:3). This article traces the explicit nature of scripture with regards to Israel's sole inheritance of the land of Canaan.

Rom 15:27 They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews' spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings.

Eph 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.

The Promise of Land - The Promise

The source of the land promise in the Abrahamic Covenant is found in Gen 12:7.

Gen 12:7 The LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your offspring I will give this land." So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him.

The Promise of Land - The Recipients

There arises a question among certain Christian groups as to exactly who the "offspring" are to whom the land is given. This is answered in Gen 15:3-4, and we are told the term refers to "flesh and blood". In other words, Eliezer of Damascus (Gen 15:2) would not be considered Abraham's offspring for the purpose of inheritance (Pro 17:2), but someone who was Abraham's own flesh and blood would be.

Gen 15:3-4 And Abram said, "You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir." (4) Then the word of the LORD came to him: "This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir."

The "flesh and blood" relationship to the land promise is confirmed in Gen 17:18-19. God makes it clear that Isaac is the son that will receive the inheritance of the land, not Ishmael.

Gen 17:18-19 And Abraham said to God, "If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!" (19) Then God said, "Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.

The Promise of Land - To One Offspring, or Many Offspring

Another assertion brought up by certain Christian groups is that "the offspring" refers to only one person, Jesus. The claim is that the land was not promised to multiple offspring, but to one offspring who is Jesus. It is claimed that since the land was promised to Jesus, then on the basis of being "in Christ" all of the world becomes the recipient of the land of Canaan by association. This assertion comes from Gal 3:16.

Gal 3:16 The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say "and to seeds," meaning many people, but "and to your seed," meaning one person, who is Christ.

There are two things that address this. First, the context of Gal 3 is spiritual blessing, not physical blessing. When Paul is speaking of "The promises" to the Galatians, he is speaking of our shared spiritual blessing, not the physical land blessing. A detailed treatment of this is covered in the following article:

Abraham's Physical vs. Spiritual Blessings

https://www.tojesusbeallglory.com/2021/05/abrahamsphysical-vs.html

Secondly, it is clear from multiple passages that the context of "the offspring" in Gen 12:7 is multiple people who will inherit the land, not a single individual. In keeping with the context of the Abrahamic Covenant, and the promises, it is Abraham's physical flesh and blood that are considered his offspring, or descendants.

Exo 32:13 Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, to whom you swore by your own self: 'I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and I will give your descendants all this land I promised them, and it will be their inheritance forever.'"

The Promise of Land - Fulfillment of Innumerable Offspring

There is some confusion about who the innumerable offspring are. Some claim that when scripture talks about a people "as numerous as the stars in the sky", "as the sand of the sea" or "as the dust of the earth", it is talking about Abraham's "spiritual" offspring.

While it is true that Abraham's "spiritual" offspring can be considered as numerous as the stars in the sky etc., in the context of Old Testament passages with regards to Israel's physical blessings including the land, the "stars of the sky" etc. are referring to physical Israel.

Understanding this context will avoid the confusion of whether or not the land promise was to be given to Israel alone, or to all of Abraham's "spiritual" offspring including the Gentiles on the basis of being "in Christ". The following passages show that regarding Israel, the predictions that they would become "as numerous as the stars in the sky" was fulfilled during their time in Egypt.

Exo 1:7 but the Israelites were exceedingly fruitful; they multiplied greatly, increased in numbers and became so numerous that the land was filled with them.

Deu 1:10 The LORD your God has increased your numbers so that today you are as numerous as the stars in the sky.

Deu 10:22 Your ancestors who went down into Egypt were seventy in all, and now the LORD your God has made you as numerous as the stars in the sky.

Deu 28:62 You who were as numerous as the stars in the sky will be left but few in number, because you did not obey the LORD your God.

1Ki 3:8 Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number.

Nehe 9:23 You made their children as numerous as the stars in the sky, and you brought them into the land that you told their parents to enter and possess.

Heb 11:12 And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.

The Promise of Land Confirmed to Abraham

Throughout the Old Testament as well as the New Testament, scripture reaffirms over and over again God's intent to provide Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their flesh and blood offspring with the land of Canaan. Here we will review scriptures that confirm the promise of land to Abraham.

Gen 15:18-21 On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram and said, "To your descendants I give this land, from the Wadi of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates-- (19) the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, (20) Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, (21) Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites."

Gen 17:7-8 I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. (8) The whole land of Canaan, where you now reside as a foreigner, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God."

Gen 18:19 For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, so that the LORD will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him."

Gen 22:16-18 and said, "I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, (17) I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, (18) and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me."

The Promise of Land Confirmed to Isaac

The promise of the land is now traced to Isaac. Isaac is the recipient of the promise, not Ishmael.

Gen 21:12 But God said to him, "Do not be so distressed about the boy and your slave woman. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.

Gen 26:2-5 The LORD appeared to Isaac and said, "Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land where I tell you to live. (3) Stay in this land for a while, and I will be with you and will bless you. For to you and your descendants I will give all these lands and will confirm the oath I swore to your father Abraham. (4) I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and will give them all these lands, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, (5) because Abraham obeyed me and did everything I required of him, keeping my commands, my decrees and my instructions."

The Promise of Land Confirmed to Jacob

The promise of the land is now traced to Jacob. Jacob is the recipient of the promise, not Esau.

Gen 28:1-4 Isaac called for Jacob and blessed him. Then he commanded him: "Do not marry a Canaanite woman. (2) Go at once to Paddan Aram, to the house of your mother's father Bethuel. Take a wife for yourself there, from among the daughters of Laban, your mother's brother. (3) May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and increase your numbers until you become a community of peoples. (4) May he give you and your descendants the blessing given to Abraham, so that you may take possession of the land where you now reside as a foreigner, the land God gave to Abraham."

In the aforementioned pericope, the "community of peoples" in vs. 3 is a reference to the twelve tribes of Israel.

Gen 28:12-14 He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. (13) There above it stood the LORD, and he said: "I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. (14) Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.

Gen 35:12 The land I gave to Abraham and Isaac I also give to you, and I will give this land to your descendants after you."

The Promise of Land Confirmed to Joseph

The promise of the land is now traced to Jacob's son Joseph, one of the 12 sons. The other 11 sons along with Joseph are the recipients of the land promise, not anyone else. Jacob and the 12 sons are told to go to Egypt, but that the Lord "will surely bring [them] back again".

Gen 46:3-4 "I am God, the God of your father," he said. "Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. (4) I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again. And Joseph's own hand will close your eyes."

Gen 48:2-4 When Jacob was told, "Your son Joseph has come to you," Israel rallied his strength and sat up on the bed. (3) Jacob said to Joseph, "God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and there he blessed me (4) and said to me, 'I am going to make you fruitful and increase your numbers. I will make you a community of peoples, and I will give this land as an everlasting possession to your descendants after you.'

The Land Promise Confirmed to the Offspring

Gen 50:24-25 Then Joseph said to his brothers, "I am about to die. But God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob." (25) And Joseph made the Israelites swear an oath and said, "God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up from this place."

Exo 3:6-8 Then he said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob." At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God. (7) The LORD said, "I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. (8) So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey--the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.

Exo 3:17 And I have promised to bring you up out of your misery in Egypt into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites--a land flowing with milk and honey.'

Exo 6:7-8 I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. (8) And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the LORD.'"

Exo 32:13 Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, to whom you swore by your own self: 'I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and I will give your descendants all this land I promised them, and it will be their inheritance forever.'"

The Land Promise Confirmed By David

1Ch 16:15-18 He remembers his covenant forever, the promise he made, for a thousand generations, (16) the covenant he made with Abraham, the oath he swore to Isaac. (17) He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree, to Israel as an everlasting covenant: (18) "To you I will give the land of Canaan as the portion you will inherit."

Psa 105:8-11 He remembers his covenant forever, the promise he made, for a thousand generations, (9) the covenant he made with Abraham, the oath he swore to Isaac. (10) He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree, to Israel as an everlasting covenant: (11) "To you I will give the land of Canaan as the portion you will inherit."

The Land Promise in the New Testament

It is important to notice when reading these New Testament passages regarding the promise of the land that remains the inheritance of Abraham's "flesh and blood", and not "spiritual" offspring. No previous scripture has ever redefined who the offspring are. The promises are "irrevocable" as written.

Luk 1:69-73 He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David (70) (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago), (71) salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us-- (72) to show mercy to our ancestors and to remember his holy covenant, (73) the oath he swore to our father Abraham:

Rom 11:28-29 As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies for your sake; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, (29) for God's gifts and his call are irrevocable.

Written in the 60's AD, years after Israel's rejection of Messiah. The writer to the Hebrews reminds us of the unchanging nature of the Abrahamic Covenant and the heirs.

Heb 6:13-17 When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, (14) saying, "I will surely bless you and give you many descendants." (15) And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised. (16) People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. (17) Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath.

The Claim That the Land Promise Is Fulfilled

Covenant Theologians will point out that the promise of the land to Israel has been fulfilled. It was supposedly fulfilled at the time that Joshua completed the conquest of the land of Canaan, and the land had been divided up in to the 12 tribes.

The basis for this claim is Jos 21:43-45.

Jos 21:43-45 So the LORD gave Israel all the land he had sworn to give their ancestors, and they took possession of it and settled there. (44) The LORD gave them rest on every side, just as he had sworn to their ancestors. Not one of their enemies withstood them; the LORD gave all their enemies into their hands. (45) Not one of all the LORD's good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.

One of the reasons that this cannot be the fulfillment of the land promise is that Amos shows that the land promised is an eternal promise, meaning that Israel, once settled in the land, will never be run out of it again.

Amo 9:14-15 and I will bring my people Israel back from exile. "They will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit. (15) I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them," says the LORD your God.

Indeed, it was after this alleged fulfillment that Israel and Judah were led into captivity in Assyria and Babylon, then later run out of the land again in 70 AD, an exile that has lasted nearly 2000 years.

Additionally, other passages redefine the land area that makes up the promised land.

Num 34:2-25 with the final plot delineated in Eze 47:13-23.

The following is an informative article on the subject of whether or not Jos 21:43-45 fulfills the land promise.

Did God Fulfill Every Good Promise? Towards a Biblical Understanding

https://tms.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/tmsj23d.pdf

The Claim That the Land Promise Is Conditional

God made it clear that the promise of the land to Israel was without condition. It did not matter that Israel was and would become an idolatrous disobedient nation undeserving of the land. God would keep His promise of the land to Israel for the sake of His name. The land had been given with a unilateral covenant in perpetuity with an oath. Should God fail to deliver on this promise, His name would be profaned.

God is going to restore Israel to their land for the sake of His name. The restoration of Israel is not only for their benefit, but it is to show the holiness of His great name.

Eze 36:22-24 "Therefore say to the Israelites, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: It is not for your sake, people of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone. (23) I will show the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the Sovereign LORD, when I am proved holy through you before their eyes. (24) "'For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land.

The following are answers to a question I posed on a couple eschatology groups on Facebook. The question was:

"Covenant Theology seems to state that Israel forfeited their right to the land promised in Gen 12:7. On what scriptural basis does Covenant Theology arrive at this conclusion?"

1) Galatians 3:16 - The Promise to one Seed

BM - "the promise in Gen 12:KJV"

"And the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the Lord, who appeared unto him."

"Gal 3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

the promise is to Messiah and His people, not rebellious people of any ethnicity"

2) Deuteronomy 28:21 - Israel Would be Removed From the Land

DD - I think the Messiah makes it quite clear Himself in His parables. Don't throw us under the bus because you disagree with Him.

Stan Feldsine - I was under the impression that it had something to do with Israel's failure to keep the conditions required to keep the land and that they had lost it permanently at some point? Something to do with Deu 28 or around there?

DD - I agree with that as well. If we are going to hold God to His word, we need to hold Him to verses 15-68 too, not just the good stuff.

Stan Feldsine - Is there a specific set of verses in there? I can't find anything that says they will forfeit the land, just that they will be removed from it and or have trouble in it.

DD - I see. You think God's primary concern is the land? Let's say for argument's sake, I don't have a rebuttal for you as it relates to chapter 28; however, can you then tell me that 1948 was providential? If they haven't been obedient and faithful, then how can you biblically explain this using Deut. chapter 28?

Stan Feldsine - I don't think God's primary concern is the land, that's just what I'm asking about at the moment. I'm just trying to figure out what passages CT uses scripturally to support and validate that Israel forfeited the land.

DD - Actually, v. 21 (ESV) "The Lord will make the pestilence stick to you until he has consumed you OFF THE LAND." But let's just think about the question you are asking for a moment. After reading the balance of that chapter where there are 68 verses with 14 about blessings and the other 54 are curses, do you really think after everything was said and done, they just collectively shrugged their shoulders... "Well, at least we get to keep the land?"

Stan Feldsine - Am I correct that CT folks who are using Deu 28 to support Israel's permanent loss of the land are basing it on v.21?

Deu 28:21 The LORD will plague you with diseases until he has destroyed you from the land you are entering to possess.

DD - In as much as God chose Moses to go into Egypt and rescue them from slavery and deliver them to the promise land, Jesus did the same for us, so we are no longer a slave to sin. That's it. That is the story of redemption. One day He will return and bring true Israel into the promise land. Your fixation on literal land really has you "wondering in the wilderness" of you will.

3) 1 Kings 9:6-7 - I Will Cut Off Israel From the Land

WN - “BUT IF you or your descendants turn away from Me and do not observe the commands and decrees I have given you and go off to serve other gods and worship them, then I WILL CUT OFF ISRAEL FROM THE LAND I have given them and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name. ISRAEL will then become a saying and an OBJECT of DERISION among ALL PEOPLES."

Matt 21:33-46 - PARABLE of the VINEYARD and the VINEDRESSERS

Vineyard = Israel

Landowner = God

Son/heir = Jesus

Vinedressers = Jews

Servants = Prophets/apostles

Matthew 21:33-46

“HEAR ANOTHER PARABLE: "There was a Certain Landowner who planted a Vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower, and He leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country.

Now when vintage-time drew near He sent His servants to the vinedressers that they might receive its fruit. And the vinedressers took His servants, BEAT ONE, KILLED ONE, and STONED another. Again He sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them. Then last of all He sent His SON to them, saying, 'They will respect My SON.' But when the vinedressers saw the SON, they said amongst themselves, 'This is the heir. Come, let us KILL HIM and seize His inheritance.' So they took Him and cast Him out of the vineyard and KILLED Him. Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will He do to those vinedressers?" They said to Him, "He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease His vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to Him the fruits in their seasons..." Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures: 'The Stone which the builders rejected has become the Chief Cornerstone. This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes'? "Therefore I say to you, the KINGDOM OF GOD WILL BE TAKEN FROM YOU and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. And whoever falls on this Stone will be broken, but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder." Now when the chief priests and the Pharisees heard His parables, they perceived that He was speaking of them. But when they sought to lay hands on Him, they feared the multitudes, because they took Him for a prophet."

Psa 2:7 - CHRIST'S INHERITANCE

Psalms 2:7 - "You are My Son, today I have begotten you. Ask of Me, and I will give You THE NATIONS FOR YOUR INHERITANCE, and the ends of the earth for Your possession."

4) Ezekiel 39:21-24 - The all Fell by the Sword

WN - YES GOD BRINGS THEM BACK– THEN ALL OF ISRAEL FALLS BY THE SWORD:

Ezekiel 39:21-24

“All the nations shall see My judgment which I have executed, and My hand which I have laid on them. So the house of ISRAEL shall know that I am the Lord their God from that day forward. The Gentiles shall know that the house of ISRAEL went into captivity for their iniquity, because they were unfaithful to Me, therefore I hid My face from them. I GAVE THEM INTO THE HAND OF THEIR ENEMIES, and THEY ALL FELL BY THE SWORD. According to their uncleanness and according to their transgressions I have dealt with them, and hidden My face from them.”

5) Hebrews Chapter 4 - No Land Passages in the NT

LP - The fact that you never see anybody ever mention a land promise in the New Testament, including Jesus. And the only time the land promise is ever mentioned is in Hebrews chapter 4, and it says we now enter the rest in the promised land through Christ, which is 2 fold. We first enter that rest now

6Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, (the promised land rest) and those to whom it was first preached did not enter (the physical land) because of disobedience, 7again He designates a certain day, saying in David, “Today

So the promised land is now spiritually fulfilled through Christ while we’re alive and we enter the promise of his rest through faith. And the ultimate rest of the promised land is when we die because we’re looking for a heavenly country..

And when Christ returns the whole earth will be the promised land for the meek shall inherit the Earth.

6) This is a followup to the question I asked.

Stan Feldsine - What are the CT's thoughts regarding final disposition of the literal land? Do we all go to heaven and the physical land is no more? Or does the nation of Israel get absorbed into the Arab nations around it and no longer exists as an Israeli identity?

DD - In reverse order, Israel's "identity" has always been covenantal. It isn't national nor is it ethnic. Abraham was Chaldean. Hebrew was a name given to the semitic language they spoke as it meant "one who travels or traverses." //Do we all go to heaven and the physical land is no more?// Is the land really your greatest concern? Do you think we all go to heaven? Who cares about the disposition of the literal land? Shouldn't your main concern be about their spiritual future and so much less their physical? What lasts longer, the physical things or spiritual?

7) Joshua 21:43-45 - Prior Fulfillment of the Land Promise

LI - Covenant theology also believes God when he says, “The Land Promise Was Fulfilled”, as written in Joshua 21: “So the Lord gave to Israel all the land of which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they took possession of it and dwelt in it. The Lord gave them rest all around, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers. And not a man of all their enemies stood against them; the Lord delivered all their enemies into their hand. Not a word failed of any good thing which the Lord had spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass.”

‭‭— Joshua‬ ‭21‬:‭43‬-‭45‬

Stan Feldsine - Thanks. I am aware of this passage. The next question I would ask is if the land promise was fulfilled in Joshua's day, why does Ezekiel redefine it in Eze 47?

Stan Feldsine - Linda Ireland Interested in your thoughts re: Ezekiel 47. This was long after Joshua passed.

LI - We need to take God at His word and believe what He says is true. I do not believe Ezekiel 47 redefines any of the promises that God said he fulfilled in Joshua 21. Ezekiel 47 is symbolic vision and it refers to spiritual realities which are to come. All of which are fulfilled in Christ Jesus.

I’m very tired and I don’t have the energy to go beyond this. Perhaps someone else who is awake can jump in and add to what I’ve said. God bless!

8) Romans 4:13 - The Land Promise Increased

Stan Feldsine - Is Romans 4:13 a passage that CT uses to support the permanent forfeiture of the land by Israel?

BM - rom 4:13 increases the land promise to true israel. there is no promise to the ones who broke covenant (ex 19: 5 Now IF you OBEY me fully and KEEP my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, 6 you[a] will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”

9) True Israel Inherits the Land

JR - True Isre-l will inherit all the land and forever. "blessed are the meak, they shall inherit the earth"....... Disp'm resists the Messianic Kingdom, they certainly aren't gatekeepers of it, whatever genocide they are supporting next. We are talking about 2 different Kingdoms. One of the world in the domain of darkness (that takes one home at a time from others, spits on Christians and genocides semites) and one manifested from above that brings the fruit of the Holy Spirit. There has been no forfeit,, disp'sts are just stuck like the Pharisees were in an expectation (according to the view of the superiority of the flesh, which is pride) that they would receive something over their earthly enemies. Christ came for us to surrender in our sins to HIs Righteousness. One is a type, one is the anitype. One is of Christ. One is AntiChrist. One is forever. One is temporary.

10) Promise Fullfilled in Christ

PM - I don’t think anyone is saying Israel forfeited their right to the land promise.

I don’t understand how some can’t see that the unconditional land promise was fulfilled IN CHRIST (also Joshua). 2 corn 1:20 For ALL the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our amen to God.

In this text, it appears Paul is attempting to reassure them that he is not two-faced. It appears to be the charge that some of Paul's critics in Corinth had leveled against him. Why? They were being influenced by false teachers. Just as there are presuppositions today.

What are these promises?

~Abraham was promised the blessing of a people, along with a place of blessing, in Jesus that promise was fully and finally fulfilled, since only through Jesus will a new people from “all the families of the earth” experience eternal blessing in the new heavens and new earth.

~Moses was promised God's pardon and presence through obedience, in Jesus that promise was fully and finally fulfilled... through the perfect obedience.

~David was promised an eternal throne, an everlasting kingdom, in Jesus that promise was fully and finally fulfilled, as Jesus, the Son of David, rose again from the dead on the 3rd day

“God's people” were promised a new covenant, that IN CHRIST ALL God’s promises was fully and finally fulfilled.

11) No New Testament Passage Describes Israel's Return to the Land

JW - To William Nichols - What you put in your comment is exactly what God did. He cut off Israel from the land for 2000 years. But, what you leave out is God promised to bring them back. Some of the exile had to do with the Gentiles needing time to take the Gospel to the whole world.

MG - show a new testament scripture saying he will bring them back.

Stan Feldsine - Mat 24:31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.

The evidence that this is in reference to Israel being brought back to the land is shown in the fact that Jesus is quoting Isaiah.

Isa 27:12-13 In that day the LORD will thresh from the flowing Euphrates to the Wadi of Egypt, and you, Israel, will be gathered up one by one. (13) And in that day a great trumpet will sound. Those who were perishing in Assyria and those who were exiled in Egypt will come and worship the LORD on the holy mountain in Jerusalem.

Conclusion

The Abrahamic Covenant provided land for Israel. Israel are the blood and flesh offspring of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Nowhere throughout the history of the Abrahamic Covenant has there ever been an amendment made to change the heirs of the land promise. Today, as it was in the days of Abraham, the land of Canaan still belongs to Israel, even though at times they were banished from the use of that land.

Israel's full inheritance of the land awaits future fulfillment. They will once again by pushed from the land during the Great Tribulation. But at the end of the Tribulation, when they repent and turn to the Lord as a nation, the land will come under their use once again as the Millennial Kingdom begins and lasts for 1000 years.