Topical Bible: Holy Land: Promised to Abraham

◄ Holy Land: Promised to Abraham ►

Jump to: Torrey's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

The concept of the Holy Land as a divinely promised territory is deeply rooted in the biblical narrative, particularly in the covenantal promises made by God to Abraham. This promise is foundational to the understanding of the land's significance in biblical history and theology.

The Abrahamic Covenant

The promise of the land to Abraham is first articulated in Genesis 12:1-3, where God calls Abram (later named Abraham) to leave his country and go to a land that He will show him. This initial call is accompanied by a promise of blessing and the formation of a great nation. The specific promise of land is further detailed in Genesis 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 covenant is reiterated and expanded in Genesis 15:18-21, where God makes a formal covenant with Abram, saying, "To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great River Euphrates" . This passage outlines the geographical boundaries of the promised land, encompassing a vast territory that includes various peoples and regions.

The Significance of the Promise

The promise of the land is not merely a territorial grant but is deeply tied to the identity and mission of the people of Israel. It is a central component of the Abrahamic Covenant, which includes promises of numerous descendants and blessings to all nations through Abraham's seed. The land serves as a tangible sign of God's faithfulness and a place where His people are to live in accordance with His laws and purposes.

Fulfillment and Challenges

The fulfillment of the land promise is a recurring theme throughout the Old Testament. The narrative of the Israelites' journey from Egypt to Canaan, as recorded in the books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, is a testament to God's faithfulness in leading His people to the promised land. In Joshua 21:43-45, the fulfillment is affirmed: "So the LORD gave Israel all the land He had sworn to give their fathers, and they took possession of it and settled there" .

However, the possession of the land is not without challenges. The Israelites' faithfulness to the covenant is tested repeatedly, and their occupation of the land is contingent upon their obedience to God's commands. The cycles of disobedience, exile, and restoration throughout the historical books of the Old Testament highlight the conditional nature of the land promise.

Theological Implications

The promise of the land to Abraham holds significant theological implications. It underscores the sovereignty of God in history and His commitment to His covenantal promises. The land is seen as a place where God's presence dwells among His people, and it serves as a foretaste of the ultimate rest and inheritance promised to believers.

In the New Testament, the promise of the land is understood in a broader spiritual context. The physical land of Canaan becomes a symbol of the eternal inheritance promised to all who are in Christ, as seen in passages such as Hebrews 11:8-10, where Abraham's faith is commended as he looked forward to a city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

The promise of the Holy Land to Abraham remains a central theme in biblical theology, reflecting God's unchanging purpose and the hope of His people for a future fulfillment of His promises.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Genesis 12:7
And the LORD appeared to Abram, and said, To your seed will I give this land: and there built he an altar to the LORD, who appeared to him.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Genesis 13:15
For all the land which you see, to you will I give it, and to your seed for ever.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Genesis 17:8
And I will give to you, and to your seed after you, the land wherein you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Christians are the Holy People Promised to Abraham they have Been ...
... is that nation which God of old promised to Abraham ... like calling, telling him to
quit the land wherein he ... with Abraham we shall inherit the holy land, when we ...
/.../chapter cxix christians are the holy.htm

Of the Meaning of the Sacrifice Abraham was Commanded to Offer ...
... I know that I shall inherit it?" for the inheritance of that land was promised to
him ... And when she asked this, she was told, "The Holy Ghost shall come upon ...
//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/city of god/chapter 24 of the meaning of.htm

Sanctified by Faith
... We receive the pure heart and the Holy Spirit by ... who has not yet entered into this
promised land, let us ... the experience of the children of Abraham crossing the ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/byers/sanctification/chapter vi sanctified by faith.htm

In Process of Tithe, that is to Say, in the Tenth Generation after ...
... his seed should be a stranger in a land not their ... should return unto the place that
was promised to Abraham ... He bare witness unto him by the Holy Spirit, saying ...
/.../the demonstration of the apostolic preaching/chapter 24 in process of.htm

Abraham
... of the vale of Jordan, and plundered the whole land. ... men as it is now revealed to
his holy apostles and ... He has not promised me, as he promised Abraham, to make ...
/.../kingsley/the gospel of the pentateuch/sermon v abraham.htm

The Demonstration of the Apostolic Preaching
... Chapter 3 The Holy Spirit and the Incarnation of the Word.? ... Chapter 27 And when they
were near to the land, which God had promised to Abraham and? ...
//christianbookshelf.org/irenaeus/the demonstration of the apostolic preaching/

Abraham's Faith
... keeping him a stranger and a pilgrim in the very land which God had promised to
him ... have as yet said nothing of Christ, nothing of the Holy Spirit, nothing ...
/.../kingsley/twenty-five village sermons/sermon xii abrahams faith.htm

The Measure of Sin.
... SUBJECT."It seems plain from Holy Scripture that to each ... Canaan called the Amorites,
and God promised to Abraham that He would give their land to his ...
/.../the village pulpit volume ii trinity to advent/xliv the measure of sin.htm

Our Inheritance
... to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; the ... seed; Canaan, the literal
fulfillment of the promised land. ... fulfillment of the promises made to Abraham. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/byers/sanctification/chapter v our inheritance.htm

The Obedience of Faith
... is out of the question to go up and possess the land. ... In Christ and the Holy Spirit
He has made the most ... being fully persuaded that what He had promised He was ...
/.../murray/the school of obedience/vi the obedience of faith.htm