Topical Bible: Holy Land: Promised to Given by Covenant to Israel

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The term "Holy Land" refers to the geographical region that holds significant religious importance in the Judeo-Christian tradition. This land, often identified with modern-day Israel and Palestine, is central to biblical narratives and is considered sacred due to its association with the divine promises made to the patriarchs of Israel.

Divine Promise to the Patriarchs

The concept of the Holy Land as a promised inheritance originates in the covenantal promises made by God to the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. In Genesis 12:1-3, God calls Abram (later Abraham) to leave his homeland and promises to make him a great nation. The promise of land is explicitly stated in Genesis 12:7: "The LORD appeared to Abram and said, 'To your offspring I will give this land.'" This promise is reiterated and expanded 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 in Genesis 26:3-4, where God tells him, "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, Jacob receives the promise in Genesis 28:13-15, where God declares, "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."

Covenant Fulfillment and Israel's Inheritance

The fulfillment of the land promise is a central theme in the narrative of the Exodus and the conquest of Canaan. In Exodus 3:8, God speaks to Moses from the burning bush, saying, "I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey." This promise is reiterated throughout the journey of the Israelites from Egypt to the Promised Land.

The book of Joshua details the conquest and division of the land among the tribes of Israel. Joshua 21:43-45 summarizes the fulfillment of God's promise: "So the LORD gave Israel all the land He had sworn to give their fathers, and they took possession of it and settled there. The LORD gave them rest on every side, just as He had sworn to their fathers. Not one of their enemies withstood them; the LORD delivered all their enemies into their hands. Not one of all the LORD’s good promises to the house of Israel failed; everything was fulfilled."

Theological Significance

The Holy Land holds profound theological significance as the physical manifestation of God's covenantal faithfulness. It serves as a tangible reminder of God's promises and His ongoing relationship with His chosen people, Israel. The land is not merely a geographical location but a symbol of divine blessing, provision, and the fulfillment of God's redemptive plan.

Throughout the Old Testament, the land is a focal point of Israel's identity and spiritual heritage. It is the setting for the unfolding of God's salvation history, from the patriarchs to the establishment of the monarchy, the prophetic ministries, and the eventual exile and return of the Jewish people.

New Testament Perspective

In the New Testament, the Holy Land continues to hold significance as the backdrop for the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. The land serves as the stage for the fulfillment of messianic prophecies and the inauguration of the New Covenant. While the New Testament shifts the focus from a physical land to a spiritual kingdom, the Holy Land remains a place of pilgrimage and reverence for Christians worldwide.

The promise of the Holy Land to Israel, as given by covenant, remains a foundational element of biblical theology, underscoring the faithfulness of God to His word and His people.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Exodus 6:4
And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Millennium in Relation to Israel.
... Joshua, Israel entered into possession of the Promised Land, but it ... of the Lord,
The Zion of the Holy One of ... all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever ...
/.../pink/the redeemers return/4 the millennium in relation.htm

Covenanting Enforced by the Grant of Covenant Signs and Seals.
... is foretold, regard to them as a people in covenant is promised. ... of Israel, all of
them in the land, serve me ... fruits of your oblations, with all your holy things ...
/.../cunningham/the ordinance of covenanting/chapter xi covenanting enforced by.htm

The Census of Israel
... care about temporals, for their bread was given them, and ... Joshua by faith entered
into the land promised to the ... that of the world; for the Holy Spirit abides ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 37 1891/the census of israel.htm

"Destroyed for Lack of Knowledge"
... in the days of their loyalty to Him in the Promised Land. ... the day when she came up
out of the land of Egypt ... shall stay upon the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 24 destroyed for lack.htm

Hope for the Heathen
... years that followed the occupation of the Promised Land, the beneficent ... To the prophet
was given a revelation of the ... when He should make "bare His holy arm in ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 31 hope for the.htm

The vineyard of the Lord
... to be His peculiar people, as He hath promised thee, and ... their fellow men of religious
guidance and a holy example ... yet after their return to the Land of Promise ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/the vineyard of the lord.htm

Covenanting Provided for in the Everlasting Covenant.
... The cities of refuge[412]"Kedesh, a holy place: Hebron, society, friendship, the
end of a covenant ... Canaan, a land of inheritance promised in covenant ...
/.../cunningham/the ordinance of covenanting/chapter vi covenanting provided for.htm

The Holy Nation
... 'For Mine holy name' (v ... So the inhabitants of the land then shall all yield themselves
to God ... inquired of by the house of Israel.' The blessings promised do not ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture a/the holy nation.htm

From Sinai to Kadesh.
... This is given in the form of ten commandments (Ex ... only doomed not to be allowed to
enter this promised land but were ... about God: (a) He is shown to be a Holy God ...
/.../tidwell/the bible period by period/chapter vi from sinai to.htm

Light through Darkness
... Only as a reverence for God's Holy Word was cherished in ... upon them all the good that
I have promised them ... And fields shall be bought in this land, whereof ye say ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 38 light through darkness.htm