Topical Bible: Holy Land: Called: Palestine

◄ Holy Land: Called: Palestine ►

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Topical Encyclopedia

The term "Holy Land" refers to a geographical region of profound religious significance, particularly within Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. In the context of the Bible, this area is often synonymous with the land of Israel, Canaan, or Judea, and is historically and theologically significant as the setting for many biblical events. The name "Palestine" has been used historically to describe this region, although its usage and boundaries have varied over time.

Biblical Significance

The Holy Land is central to the biblical narrative, serving as the backdrop for the lives of the patriarchs, the exodus of the Israelites, the establishment of the kingdom of Israel, and the ministry of Jesus Christ. It is a land promised by God to Abraham and his descendants, as seen in Genesis 12:7 : "Then 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."

Historical Context

The name "Palestine" is believed to have originated from the Philistines, a people who inhabited the coastal regions of the area. The term was later adopted by the Romans following the Jewish revolts in the first and second centuries A.D. as a means to minimize Jewish identification with the land. Despite this, the biblical narrative consistently refers to the land as Israel or Canaan, emphasizing its covenantal significance to the Jewish people.

Geographical Boundaries

The boundaries of the Holy Land as described in the Bible are not always consistent, reflecting the changing political and tribal landscapes over time. In Numbers 34:1-12 , God provides Moses with specific boundaries for the land of Canaan, which the Israelites are to inherit. These boundaries encompass a region that includes modern-day Israel and parts of neighboring countries.

Religious Importance

For Christians, the Holy Land holds immense spiritual significance as the birthplace of Jesus Christ and the site of His ministry, crucifixion, and resurrection. Key locations such as Bethlehem, Nazareth, and Jerusalem are central to the Christian faith. Jerusalem, in particular, is revered as the city where Jesus was crucified and resurrected, fulfilling Old Testament prophecies and establishing the foundation of Christian belief.

Prophetic and Eschatological Views

The Holy Land is also significant in biblical prophecy and eschatology. Many Christians believe that the land will play a crucial role in the events of the end times, as foretold in books like Daniel and Revelation. The restoration of Israel and the return of the Jewish people to their ancestral homeland are seen by some as fulfillment of biblical prophecy, as suggested in passages like Ezekiel 37:21-22 : "I will take the Israelites out of the nations to which they have gone, and I will gather them from all around and bring them into their own land."

Cultural and Political Considerations

The term "Palestine" and its association with the Holy Land is a subject of considerable political and cultural debate. The modern political entity known as Palestine encompasses the West Bank and Gaza Strip, areas with complex historical and contemporary significance. The ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict adds layers of complexity to the understanding and use of the term "Palestine" in both historical and modern contexts.

In summary, the Holy Land, often referred to as Palestine, is a region of deep historical, religious, and cultural significance. Its biblical roots and prophetic implications continue to influence religious thought and geopolitical dynamics to this day.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Exodus 15:14
The people shall hear, and be afraid: sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestina.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Isaiah 14:29,31
Rejoice not you, whole Palestina, because the rod of him that smote you is broken: for out of the serpent's root shall come forth a cockatrice, and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent.
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

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

Palestine under Pagan Kings.
... They came forth when the king called them; and he ... the great invaders and conquerors
of Palestine, is equally ... kings of western Asia, also invaded the Holy Land. ...
/.../headley/half hours in bible lands volume 2/palestine under pagan kings.htm

Palestine Eighteen Centuries Ago
... of their principal cities was Caesarea Philippi (called after the ... Such was the political
division of Palestine. ... Samaria as belonging to the Holy Land, but as a ...
/.../sketches of jewish social life/chapter 1 palestine eighteen centuries.htm

Jews and Gentiles in "The Land"
... as Syria formed a kind of outer Palestine, holding an ... where the disciples were first
called Christians (Acts ... of foreign settlers, but the Holy Land itself was ...
/.../edersheim/sketches of jewish social life/chapter 2 jews and gentiles.htm

The Rejuvenation and Restoration of Israel.
... In other chapters we have called attention to some of ... aim the return of the Jews
to Palestine, and for its ultimate object the purchase of the Holy Land. ...
/.../pink/the redeemers return/8 the rejuvenation and restoration.htm

The Child Jesus Brought from Egypt to Nazareth.
... But when he heard [Joseph heard this on entering Palestine. ... the northern of the three
divisions of the Holy Land. ... came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth; ^c ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/xv the child jesus brought.htm

The Middle Ages.
... These wars were called Crusades ... After Godfrey's death, the Christians in Palestine
did not behave ... a Crusade; and they began to forsake the Holy Land, and leave ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/yonge/the chosen people/lesson xxxi the middle ages.htm

In the Darkest Ages of Romish Superstition, a Martial Spirit of ...
... land of Palestine, and the old earthly Jerusalem. These bloodthirsty expeditions
were called an holy war, because it was fighting for the holy land; they were ...
/.../address 179 0 0 in the darkest.htm

The Land and the People.
... Caesarea Philippi, formerly and now called Banias (or ... the northern termination of
the Holy Land and of the ... landscape, the most beautiful in Palestine, in full ...
/.../schaff/history of the christian church volume i/section 17 the land and.htm