Topical Bible: Holy Land: Called: Land of Promise

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Topical Encyclopedia

The term "Land of Promise" refers to the geographical region that God promised to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This land, often identified with the modern-day region encompassing Israel and parts of its neighboring countries, holds significant theological and historical importance in the biblical narrative.

Biblical Promises and Covenants

The concept of the Land of Promise is deeply rooted in the covenants God made with the patriarchs of Israel. The initial promise is found in Genesis 12:1-3, where God calls Abram (later Abraham) to leave his country and go to a land that He would show him. In Genesis 12:7 , the Lord appears to Abram and declares, "To your offspring I will give this land." This promise is reiterated and expanded upon in Genesis 15:18-21, where God makes a covenant with Abram, specifying the boundaries of the land from the river of Egypt to the Euphrates.

The promise is reaffirmed to Isaac and Jacob, Abraham's son and grandson, respectively. In Genesis 26:3 , God tells Isaac, "Stay in this land for a while, and I will be with you and 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." Similarly, in Genesis 28:13-15 , God appears to Jacob in a dream, saying, "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 now lie."

Fulfillment and Significance

The fulfillment of the promise begins with the Exodus from Egypt and the subsequent conquest of Canaan under Joshua's leadership. In Joshua 1:2-4 , God commands Joshua, "Now therefore arise, cross over this Jordan—you and all the people—into the land that I am giving to the children of Israel. I have given you every place where the sole of your foot will tread, just as I promised to Moses."

The Land of Promise is not only a physical territory but also a symbol of God's faithfulness and the fulfillment of His promises. It represents a place of rest and blessing for the Israelites, as seen in Deuteronomy 6:10-11 , where Moses describes the land as "a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build, houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant."

Theological Implications

Theologically, the Land of Promise is a testament to God's covenantal relationship with His people. It serves as a tangible expression of His commitment to Abraham and his descendants. The land is also a foreshadowing of the ultimate rest and inheritance promised to believers, as articulated in the New Testament. Hebrews 11:9-10 reflects on Abraham's faith, stating, "By faith he dwelt in the promised land as a stranger in a foreign country. He lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God."

Contemporary Relevance

The Land of Promise continues to hold spiritual significance for Christians today. It is a reminder of God's unchanging nature and His faithfulness to fulfill His promises. The land serves as a historical and spiritual anchor, connecting believers to the biblical narrative and the unfolding of God's redemptive plan throughout history.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Hebrews 11:9
By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Why Jesus came to this World
... It was called the Land of Canaan at the first, then the Land of Promise, and then
the Land of Israel. But we call it the Holy Land, or Palestine. ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/anonymous/the good shepherd/chapter i why jesus came.htm

Next There Follows, "And in Christ Jesus, his Only Son, Our Lord. ...
... Therefore, both were called "Jesus," both the one who ... the wanderings of the wilderness,
into the land of promise ... Christ, being anointed with the Holy Spirit, as ...
/.../6 next there follows and.htm

The Mystery of the Tabernacles.
... he enter into the land of promise, because he ... Feast of Tabernacles come to the Holy
Land, setting out from those dwellings which are called tabernacles, until ...
/.../chapter v the mystery of the.htm

His Journey to Rome, Venice, Jerusalem, and the Holy Land
... Cyprus they went to another port called Salinae, ten ... he intended to send some away
from the Holy Land. ... Relying on this promise, Ignatius began to write letters ...
/.../loyola/the autobiography of st ignatius/chapter iv his journey to.htm

In Palestine - Jews and Gentiles in the Land' - their Mutual ...
... heathen, since the dedication of the so-called Terumoth, or ... brought from what had
grown on the holy soil itself ... Babylon took possession of, in the land of Israel ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter vii in palestine -.htm

The Land and the People.
... great and terrible wilderness" into the land of promise. ... Caesarea Philippi, formerly
and now called Banias (or ... the northern termination of the Holy Land and of ...
/.../schaff/history of the christian church volume i/section 17 the land and.htm

The Story of Israel Crossing Jordan under Joshua is Typical of ...
... out by what we find in the book called Joshua, [4938 ... For when they received the land
of promise God did not ... plain to him who thinks of the true holy land and of ...
/.../origen/origens commentary on the gospel of john/26 the story of israel.htm

The vineyard of the Lord
... Genesis 12:2. It was a high honor to which Abraham was called"that of ... as the tower
in the vineyard, God placed in the midst of the land His holy temple. ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/the vineyard of the lord.htm

Psalm LXXVI.
... Many of our holy fathers [3434] had both the circumcision of the ... of all the rest
unto whom the land was divided ... but C??sar." [3446] O ye who are called Jews and ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm lxxvi.htm

The Obedience of Faith
... This is not a land of promise we are called to enter ... God calls you indeed to a land
of promise ... himself the uttermost unto the ever-blessed and most holy will of ...
/.../murray/the school of obedience/vi the obedience of faith.htm