Topical Bible: Holy Land: Called: The Land

◄ Holy Land: Called: The Land ►

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Topical Encyclopedia

The term "The Land" in the Bible often refers to the geographical region known as the Holy Land, a significant area in biblical history and theology. This land is primarily associated with the ancient territories of Israel and Judah, encompassing modern-day Israel, Palestine, and parts of neighboring countries. It holds profound religious significance for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

Biblical Promises and Covenants

The concept of "The Land" is deeply rooted in the promises and covenants made by God to the patriarchs of Israel. In Genesis 12:1, God calls Abram (later Abraham) to leave his country and go to a land that He will show him: "The LORD said to Abram, 'Go from your country, your people and your father's household to the land I will show you.'" . This promise is reiterated and expanded in Genesis 15:18, where God makes a covenant with Abram, saying, "To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates."

The promise of the land is central to the Abrahamic Covenant, which is further confirmed to Isaac and Jacob. 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 I will confirm the oath I swore to your father Abraham." Similarly, in Genesis 28:13, 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 are lying."

The Exodus and Conquest

The narrative of the Exodus and the subsequent conquest of Canaan is a fulfillment of God's promise to give the land to the descendants of Abraham. In Exodus 3:8, God declares His intention to deliver the Israelites from Egypt and bring them "to a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey." The conquest of Canaan under Joshua's leadership marks the initial realization of this promise, as described in the Book of Joshua.

Joshua 1:2-3 records God's command to Joshua: "Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore arise, cross over this Jordan—you and all this people—to the land 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 successful conquest and settlement of the land are seen as acts of divine faithfulness to His covenant.

The Land in Prophetic Literature

The prophets of Israel frequently address the theme of the land, often in the context of judgment and restoration. The land is portrayed as a place of blessing when the people are faithful to God, but it becomes a place of exile and desolation when they turn away from Him. In Jeremiah 16:15, God promises a future restoration: "For I will restore them to the land I gave to their fathers."

Ezekiel 36:24-28 speaks of a future regathering and spiritual renewal: "For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean... You will live in the land that I gave to your forefathers; you will be My people, and I will be your God."

Theological Significance

The land holds theological significance as a symbol of God's faithfulness, provision, and the fulfillment of His promises. It serves as a tangible representation of the covenant relationship between God and His people. The land is not merely a physical territory but is imbued with spiritual meaning, reflecting the broader themes of redemption, inheritance, and divine sovereignty.

In the New Testament, the concept of the land is expanded to include the spiritual inheritance of believers. Hebrews 11:9-10 speaks of Abraham's faith in looking forward to a "city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God," indicating a heavenly inheritance that transcends the physical land.

Conclusion

The Holy Land, as "The Land," remains a central theme in biblical theology, representing God's enduring promises and the hope of ultimate restoration and fulfillment in His divine plan.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Leviticus 26:42
Then will I remember my covenant with Jacob, and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the land.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Luke 4:25
But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land;
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

Christians are the Holy People Promised to Abraham they have Been ...
... And He has called all of us by that voice, and we have left already ... inhabitants of
the earth; and along with Abraham we shall inherit the holy land, when we ...
/.../chapter cxix christians are the holy.htm

His Journey to Rome, Venice, Jerusalem, and the Holy Land
... From Cyprus they went to another port called Salinae, ten leagues distant ... providing
for his own Religious, and he intended to send some away from the Holy Land. ...
/.../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

Joshua was a Figure of Christ.
... Jesus (Joshua), as I have now frequently remarked, who was called Oshea, when he ...
came out from Egypt, he led the surviving people into the Holy Land; and as he ...
/.../chapter cxiii joshua was a figure.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

Ignatius Leaves his Native Land --What He did at Montserrat and at ...
... CHAPTER II IGNATIUS LEAVES HIS NATIVE LAND"WHAT HE DID AT ... or patience, for to obtain
these many holy men have ... a byway that led him to a town called Manresa. ...
/.../loyola/the autobiography of st ignatius/chapter ii ignatius leaves his.htm

The Story of St. Ursula
... And because of the mantle, they called her Ursula, 'Little Bear ... sea, that I may visit
the bodies of the Saints in Rome, and the blessed places of the Holy Land. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/ruskin/saint ursula/i the story of st.htm

The Child Jesus Brought from Egypt to Nazareth.
... of Galilee [It means "circuit." It is the northern of the three divisions of the
Holy Land. ... of Jud??a] , 23 and he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth; ^c ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/xv the child jesus brought.htm

The Scattering of the People
... shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land?' (Verse 4.). ... Never, never could
they forget the Holy City ... even in far-off heathen Babylon the Lord called men to ...
/.../duff/the bible in its making/chapter v the scattering of.htm