We must carefully consider three questions:
- What did the promise to Abraham say in its Biblical context?
- Was the promise unconditional? Do the promises and prophecies actually say what many Christians now assume they said?
- Did God actually do what some say he promised to do? What do the facts of history reveal about their fulfillment?
1. What did the promise to Abraham say in its Biblical context?
The Promise in the Context of the Mission of God
Following the plunge of humanity into sin and wickedness, God chose Abraham to be the father of a people through whom he would work out his plan to save the world. God made a three-part promise: Abraham’s descendants would become a great nation, they would be given the land of Canaan as their inheritance from God (what we call “the Promised Land”), and God would bless all the nations of the world through them (Genesis 12:1-7; 13:14-15; 15:5-21; 17:1-8; 22:15-18; 26:2-5, 24; 28:11-15).The story of God and his people is, to a great extent, the story of the fulfillment of that promise. Exodus and Deuteronomy tell how Israel became a nation. The stories of Joshua, the judges, Saul, and David tell how they conquer and settle the Promised Land. And the New Testament tells how all nations were blessed through Jesus, the promised offspring of Abraham. The promise to Abraham must be read in the context of that mission. The creation of the nation of Israel and their possession of the land were part of God’s mission to bless all people through them. Once that mission was accomplished in Christ, the New Testament speaks about the promise in different terms.
The idea of the “Chosen People” and the “Promised Land” became key themes in Scripture, but in the New Testament the language of God’s chosen people was expanded to include both Jews and Gentiles as part of the children of Abraham by faith in Christ (Romans 4:9-18; Galatians 3:7-9, 23-29; Ephesians 1:3-14; 1 Peter 2:9-10). The promised inheritance is no longer defined by a land for a particular people; rather, in Christ Gentiles now share in the inheritance of God’s holy people (Ephesians 1:18; 2:11-3:6; Colossians 1:11), and the Holy Spirit and heaven are our promised inheritance (Ephesians 1:13-23; 1 Peter 1:3-5).
The Promise to Aaron in the Same Context
Consider a related promise God made to Israel “forever.” When God established the priesthood of Aaron (part of the priestly tribe of Levi), he promised that Aaron’s descendants would be priests “forever” (Exodus 29:1, 9). That promise was made in the context of the creation of the nation of Israel as a holy nation on their way to the Promised Land. However, despite God’s promise to Aaron and his descendants, their priesthood came to an end in the Jewish revolts against Rome in 70 AD and 135 AD, when the temple was destroyed and the Jewish people were expelled from Jerusalem.Jesus had predicted that the city and temple would be destroyed, but Jesus said nothing about it ever being rebuilt (Luke 19:41-44; 22:5-24). Jesus also said that worship would no longer be required at the Jerusalem temple, but God would seek those who worship in spirit and truth (John 4:20-23). The author of Hebrews said that the Levitical priesthood was superseded by the better priesthood of Jesus, and that the old covenant with its sacrifices was about to pass away (7:1-10:18). Other New Testament authors viewed all believers in Jesus as priests (1 Peter 2:4-10; Revelation 1:5-6).
The promise to Aaron that his descendants would serve as priests forever was made in the context of the covenant with Israel at Sinai, a covenant that Christians believe was superseded by a new covenant in Christ. The New Testament clearly did not view the priesthood of Aaron’s descendants as continuing into the new covenant. Similarly the promise to Abraham that his descendants would inherit the land forever was made in the context of God’s mission to bless the world through Jesus and must be understood in that context.
2. Was the Promise Unconditional?
Prophecies and Promises Have Conditions
God told Abraham to look as far as he could see in every direction, “for all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever” (Genesis 13:14-15; see also Exodus 32:11-13). Many Jews and Christians today use that promise to say that the land still belongs to the Jewish people and the modern nation of Israel. However, it is important to remember (1) that the prophecies in the Old Testament had conditions, even if those conditions were not always made explicit, and (2) that the “forever” promises in the Old Testament were given in the context of a covenant relationship with God which had explicit conditions, even if those conditions weren’t explicitly named in every passage.God made it very clear to Jeremiah that God could and would change what he had said he would do concerning any nation depending on what that nation did. Prophecies to bless or punish a nation would not be fulfilled if that nation changed its conduct.
If at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it, and if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I intended to do to it. And if at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will build and plant it, and if it does evil in my sight, not listening to my voice, then I will relent of the good that I had intended to do to it. (Jeremiah 18:7-10)Implicit conditions are seen in God’s promise concerning David’s kingdom. God promised King David that he would establish David’s kingdom forever (2 Samuel 7:12-16), without mention of any conditions. However, later passages make it clear that the promise depended on whether David’s descendants obeyed God (1 Chronicles 28:6-9; 1 Kings 9:4-9). If David’s son, Solomon, or his heirs turned to idolatry, God would “cut off Israel from the land that I have given them” (1 Kings 9:7). As we will see, the kingdom of David ended in 586 BC, with only a brief revival around 100 BC. Despite the promise to David, his kingdom did not last forever.
“Forever” in such passages clearly does not mean “for all eternity no matter what.”
“Forever” could mean something like “for this age,” meaning until the Messiah comes and inaugurates his spiritual kingdom. When Jesus came as the “Son of David,” he did not expel the Romans and reestablish the earthly kingdom in Jerusalem, as Jews expected the Messiah to do. Rather, Jesus claimed that his kingdom was not of this world (John 18:36). In this sense, David’s kingdom continues, but clearly not in the sense of the original promise that David’s descendants would always rule in Jerusalem over the kingdom of Israel.
More importantly, implicit in such promises is the understood, but sometimes unstated, condition that the people keep their covenant with God. David’s descendants would continue to rule as long as they were faithful to God. We could compare the similar nature of promises made in a marriage covenant. People often make wedding vows to “love forever” or “as long as we both shall live.” No one makes a wedding vow to “love you forever, as long as you don’t run off with someone else or try to kill me to collect the life insurance”—but that is an unstated, though understood, condition of the promise!
The promise of the land of Canaan to Israel was in part an act of judgment for the evil of the Canaanites, and the inheritance of the promise by Israel was conditioned on whether or not they followed in the same path.
In Jeremiah’s famous sermon in the temple, he warned Jerusalem to look at what God did to Shiloh in the northern kingdom because of their sins. He told the people that if they would practice justice, not oppress the vulnerable, protect the innocent, and not worship other gods, then God would “let you dwell in this place, in the land that I gave of old to your fathers forever”; but if not, God would destroy Jerusalem as he did Shiloh (Jeremiah 7:5-15). The promise to live in the land forever was dependent on their faithfulness. When Israel was exiled, the prophets explained that it was because they had not listened to the prophets (Jeremiah 29:15-23; 35:15-17; Daniel 9:3-14). Even though the Israelites had been promised the land forever, they lost it, just as they had been warned.
When reading the prophecies, our focus should be on hearing what they called the people to do, rather than speculating on predictions and fulfillments. The most important message of the prophets for Israel today—and for America and any other nation—is the call to practice justice, mercy, and faith (see Isaiah 1:11-20; Jeremiah 7:1-15; 21:11-22:10; Ezekiel 16:44-52; Amos 2:6-16; 4:1-3; Micah 2:1-4; 3:9-12; 6:6-8). Many of the practices of the modern nation of Israel must be judged in the light of those prophecies.
To use questionable interpretations of predictions and prophecies to justify the modern nation of Israel, but ignore what those prophets actually demanded of God’s people, is to misuse Biblical prophecy.
More importantly, implicit in such promises is the understood, but sometimes unstated, condition that the people keep their covenant with God. David’s descendants would continue to rule as long as they were faithful to God. We could compare the similar nature of promises made in a marriage covenant. People often make wedding vows to “love forever” or “as long as we both shall live.” No one makes a wedding vow to “love you forever, as long as you don’t run off with someone else or try to kill me to collect the life insurance”—but that is an unstated, though understood, condition of the promise!
The Land Came with a Warning to Israel
The land of Canaan was inhabited by a number of tribal peoples generally called Canaanites or Amorites. God told Abraham that he may not possess the land yet; his descendants must wait 400 years until the inhabitants of the land become so completely wicked that God will act to destroy them (Genesis 15:13-16; Deuteronomy 9:4-5). When God finally did send the Israelites into the land of Canaan, he said that the Canaanites’ wickedness even included child sacrifice, and commands the Israelites not to follow in their ways (Deuteronomy 12:29-31). He warned that if the Israelites followed in their wickedness, the land would vomit out the Israelites as it did the Canaanites before them (Leviticus 18:24-30; 20:22-24).The promise of the land of Canaan to Israel was in part an act of judgment for the evil of the Canaanites, and the inheritance of the promise by Israel was conditioned on whether or not they followed in the same path.
Moses and the Prophets Predicted that Israel Could and Would Lose the Land
Despite the promises that Israel would inherit the land forever, a number of prophecies in the Bible made it clear that they could lose that inheritance. As they prepared to enter the Promised Land, Moses warned them of the consequences of rebellion against God. They would be given over to their enemies and “be plucked off the land that you are entering” (Deuteronomy 28:48, 63). Then Moses made a remarkable statement, warning that God “will bring you back in ships to Egypt, a journey that I promised that you should never make again” (28:68). Despite the fact that Moses once had promised they would never return to Egypt, he prophesied that it would happen anyway if they turned away from God. Clearly such promises were conditional.In Jeremiah’s famous sermon in the temple, he warned Jerusalem to look at what God did to Shiloh in the northern kingdom because of their sins. He told the people that if they would practice justice, not oppress the vulnerable, protect the innocent, and not worship other gods, then God would “let you dwell in this place, in the land that I gave of old to your fathers forever”; but if not, God would destroy Jerusalem as he did Shiloh (Jeremiah 7:5-15). The promise to live in the land forever was dependent on their faithfulness. When Israel was exiled, the prophets explained that it was because they had not listened to the prophets (Jeremiah 29:15-23; 35:15-17; Daniel 9:3-14). Even though the Israelites had been promised the land forever, they lost it, just as they had been warned.
When reading the prophecies, our focus should be on hearing what they called the people to do, rather than speculating on predictions and fulfillments. The most important message of the prophets for Israel today—and for America and any other nation—is the call to practice justice, mercy, and faith (see Isaiah 1:11-20; Jeremiah 7:1-15; 21:11-22:10; Ezekiel 16:44-52; Amos 2:6-16; 4:1-3; Micah 2:1-4; 3:9-12; 6:6-8). Many of the practices of the modern nation of Israel must be judged in the light of those prophecies.
To use questionable interpretations of predictions and prophecies to justify the modern nation of Israel, but ignore what those prophets actually demanded of God’s people, is to misuse Biblical prophecy.
3. Did God Actually Do What Some Claim He Promised to Do?
The Extent of the Promised Land
Abraham was promised the land of Canaan from the river of Egypt to the Euphrates River (Genesis 15:21). These borders have been the subject of some debate, but most scholars agree that they do not mean from the Nile River in the middle of Egypt across Arabia to the Euphrates in Mesopotamia, encompassing a huge area of the Middle East (territory that never seems to have been under consideration in the rest of the Bible as part of Israel’s land).
The “river of Egypt” referred either to the Wadi el-Arish, a brook at the border between Canaan and the Sinai; or, it referred to the eastern Pelusiac branch of the Nile that flows into the Mediterranean at the border between Egypt and the Sinai. So the territory may or may not have included the Sinai, but it did not extend into Egypt. The Euphrates River in this context did not refer to the southern portion of the river in the area of Chaldea (later called Babylonia), but to the northern portion of the river above Syria. The territory promised to Abraham extended northward beside the Mediterranean, not eastward across the Arabian Desert.
It is important to note that this promise was never completely fulfilled at any point in history.
Under David and Solomon (around 1000 BC), conquests and treaties brought most of the territory promised to Abraham under Israelite control for less than 100 years. This was the only time in history that most—though still not all—of that territory was under Israelite control. (If the promise referred to all of the much larger territory from the Nile River in Egypt across the desert to Mesopotamia, then most of that territory never came under Israelite control at any time in history.)
David’s descendants no longer ruled most of the land after the division of the kingdom in c. 940 BC. The northern kingdom was ruled by various other dynasties and immediately plunged into idolatry, never to return to God. This left only the smaller kingdom of Judah under the rule of David’s descendants for the next 350 years. The northern kingdom was carried into exile in 722 BC by the Assyrians, and in 587 BC, Judah was carried into exile by the Babylonians, ending Israelite control of any of the Promised Land.
From 587 BC to the present, an Israelite kingdom only existed for less than 100 years. Including the modern nation of Israel, the Jewish people have only controlled some of the Promised Land for less than 200 years out of the last 2,600 years.
It is important to note that this promise was never completely fulfilled at any point in history.
From Joshua to the Exile
When Joshua led the Israelites into Canaan (usually dated either about 1400 BC or about 1250 BC), they did not succeed in conquering all the land promised to them (Judges 1:16-3:5). They did not even gain complete control of what might be called the heart of the Promised Land (“from Dan to Beersheba”). Most, though not all, of the land from Dan to Beersheba did come under Israelite control from Joshua until the northern tribes were carried into exile by the Assyrians in 722 BC. So Israel controlled most of the heart of the Promised Land for about 500-600 years, but not the broader territory promised to Abraham.Under David and Solomon (around 1000 BC), conquests and treaties brought most of the territory promised to Abraham under Israelite control for less than 100 years. This was the only time in history that most—though still not all—of that territory was under Israelite control. (If the promise referred to all of the much larger territory from the Nile River in Egypt across the desert to Mesopotamia, then most of that territory never came under Israelite control at any time in history.)
David’s descendants no longer ruled most of the land after the division of the kingdom in c. 940 BC. The northern kingdom was ruled by various other dynasties and immediately plunged into idolatry, never to return to God. This left only the smaller kingdom of Judah under the rule of David’s descendants for the next 350 years. The northern kingdom was carried into exile in 722 BC by the Assyrians, and in 587 BC, Judah was carried into exile by the Babylonians, ending Israelite control of any of the Promised Land.
From the Exile to 1948 AD
As God had promised according to the prophets, some of the Israelites returned to Jerusalem from exile and rebuilt the temple (516 BC) and the city (444 BC). However, they were under the control of the Persian Empire and did not reestablish the kingdom with a descendant of David on the throne. When Alexander the Great conquered the region (c. 332 BC), the land of Israel came under the control of the Greeks. Around 142 BC, the Jews revolted against Greek rule and established an independent kingdom (known as the Hasmonean dynasty) in part of the Promised Land for a brief period of less than 100 years, until the Romans conquered the land in 63 BC. Unsuccessful Jewish revolts against Rome in 70 AD and 135 AD resulted in the destruction of Jerusalem and the expulsion of the Jews from the land.From 587 BC to the present, an Israelite kingdom only existed for less than 100 years. Including the modern nation of Israel, the Jewish people have only controlled some of the Promised Land for less than 200 years out of the last 2,600 years.
After the Romans, the land was controlled by various empires, including the Byzantines (who were Christian), various Muslim empires (some Arab, some Turkish), and finally the British. During the period of approximately 2,000 years from Roman to British rule, there was no independent nation in the land (Jewish or Arab), and there was only a relatively small number of Jews living in the land alongside an indigenous population of Muslims and Christians (mostly Arabs and Turks). During most of that period the land was known as Palestine. That was even the term used by the Jews in the late 19th and early 20th centuries who were campaigning to create a homeland for Jews in Palestine.
The modern nation of Israel was created in 1948 AD in part of the Promised Land. But it was established as a modern Western democracy, not a Biblical kingdom, and many of those who founded it were secular, non-religious Jews. Even today about half the Jews in Israel are non-religious. The faith of religious Jews is practiced in synagogues, as it has been for 2000 years, not in a temple with priests and sacrifices. It is difficult to see how the modern nation is a fulfillment of the promises and prophecies of the Old Testament.
For the past 2,000 years (until the rise of modern dispensationalism made popular 100 years ago by the Scofield Bible), Christians generally have believed that the promises to Israel concerning the land, the priesthood, and the kingdom were either negated by the coming of Jesus or were brought to fulfillment in Jesus. The idea that God still intends to create an earthly kingdom and temple in the land of Israel does not come from the teachings of Jesus or the apostles—it comes from a new and very questionable reading of the Old Testament.
To say that Jews today must be given the land because of the promise in Genesis ignores much of what is said in the rest of the Bible and ignores the evidence of history that God did not in fact give Israel the land forever.
The modern nation of Israel was created in 1948 AD in part of the Promised Land. But it was established as a modern Western democracy, not a Biblical kingdom, and many of those who founded it were secular, non-religious Jews. Even today about half the Jews in Israel are non-religious. The faith of religious Jews is practiced in synagogues, as it has been for 2000 years, not in a temple with priests and sacrifices. It is difficult to see how the modern nation is a fulfillment of the promises and prophecies of the Old Testament.
Conclusion
Even though God promised that the Israelites would “inherit the land forever,” they clearly did not. If the Jews have to be given a Jewish state in the land today because of the promise to Abraham, why did they not have to be given the land from 586 BC to 1948 AD (a period of over 2,500 years!), and why not the whole territory promised to Abraham?For the past 2,000 years (until the rise of modern dispensationalism made popular 100 years ago by the Scofield Bible), Christians generally have believed that the promises to Israel concerning the land, the priesthood, and the kingdom were either negated by the coming of Jesus or were brought to fulfillment in Jesus. The idea that God still intends to create an earthly kingdom and temple in the land of Israel does not come from the teachings of Jesus or the apostles—it comes from a new and very questionable reading of the Old Testament.
To say that Jews today must be given the land because of the promise in Genesis ignores much of what is said in the rest of the Bible and ignores the evidence of history that God did not in fact give Israel the land forever.
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