Topical Bible: Holy Land: Promised to Isaac

◄ Holy Land: Promised to Isaac ►

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The concept of the Holy Land, particularly as it pertains to the promise made to Isaac, is a central theme in the biblical narrative, reflecting God's covenantal faithfulness and the unfolding of His divine plan. The land promised to Isaac is part of the broader Abrahamic Covenant, which is foundational to the understanding of God's relationship with His chosen people.

The Abrahamic Covenant

The promise of the land to Isaac is rooted in the covenant God made with Abraham, Isaac's father. In Genesis 12:1-3, God calls Abraham to leave his country and promises to make him a great nation. This promise is further expanded in Genesis 15:18-21, where God delineates the specific boundaries of the land that Abraham's descendants will inherit: "On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, 'To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates.'"

Isaac as the Heir of the Promise

Isaac, the son of Abraham and Sarah, is the child of promise through whom God's covenantal promises are to be fulfilled. In Genesis 17:19, God explicitly states that Sarah will bear a son, Isaac, and that He will establish His covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. This establishes Isaac as the rightful heir to the promises made to Abraham, including the promise of the land.

Reaffirmation of the Promise to Isaac

The promise of the land is reaffirmed directly to Isaac in Genesis 26:2-5. During a time of famine, the LORD appears to Isaac and instructs him not to go down to Egypt but to stay in the land He will show him. God reiterates the promise made to Abraham, saying, "I will give all these lands to you and your offspring, and I will confirm the oath I swore to your father Abraham." This reaffirmation underscores the continuity of God's covenantal promise through the generations.

Significance of the Land

The land promised to Isaac is not merely a geographical territory but a symbol of God's faithfulness and the fulfillment of His promises. It represents a place where God's people can dwell in relationship with Him, living according to His statutes and experiencing His blessings. The land is integral to the identity and mission of the people of Israel, serving as a tangible expression of God's covenantal love and provision.

Isaac's Role in the Covenant

Isaac's role as the recipient of the promise is crucial in the biblical narrative. He serves as a link between Abraham and Jacob, ensuring the transmission of the covenantal promises. Isaac's life, marked by obedience and faith, exemplifies the appropriate response to God's promises. His experiences, including the reaffirmation of the land promise, highlight the importance of trust in God's faithfulness and the assurance that His promises will be fulfilled in His timing.

Conclusion

The promise of the Holy Land to Isaac is a testament to God's unwavering commitment to His covenant and His people. It is a promise that not only shaped the history of Israel but also continues to hold theological significance for understanding God's redemptive plan for humanity. Through Isaac, the promise of the land is preserved and passed on, serving as a foundation for the unfolding account of God's salvation history.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Genesis 26:3
Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you, and will bless you; for to you, and to your seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I swore to Abraham your father;
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Our Inheritance
... our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; the ... twofold nature: the promised
seed, and the promised land. Isaac was the literal fulfillment of the promised ...
//christianbookshelf.org/byers/sanctification/chapter v our inheritance.htm

How the Love of God Has Dominion Over Other Loves.
... it be not poured into our hearts by the Holy Ghost ... of promise, since in virtue of
it heaven is promised to man ... Faith points out the way to the land of promise as ...
/.../francis/treatise on the love of god/chapter vi how the love.htm

The Gospel Feast
... we live amid wonders; in the promised land, because we ... think that so great a gift
as Holy Communion would ... When Abraham said to Isaac, "God will provide Himself ...
/.../newman/parochial and plain sermons vol vii/sermon xii the gospel feast.htm

Letter Xlii. To Chilo, his Disciple.
... received the law, and so came into the land of promise ... my heart, that I may win what
has been promised to Christ's ... on, and to the Father and to the Holy Ghost. ...
/.../basil/basil letters and select works/letter xlii to chilo his.htm

The Marvels of Holy Scripture, --Moral and Physical. --Jael's Deed ...
... who yet were not extinguished,)"the Sacrifice of Isaac, (who yet ... and behold the beauty
of the promised Land, and see ... by what you read in Holy Scripture: and ...
/.../burgon/inspiration and interpretation/sermon vii the marvels of.htm

The Land and the People.
... of the great deliverance from the land of bondage ... He was called "the gentle, the
holy, the scholar of Ezra ... a heathen came to Rabbi Shammai and promised to become ...
/.../schaff/history of the christian church volume i/section 17 the land and.htm

Of the Meaning of the Sacrifice Abraham was Commanded to Offer ...
... when she asked this, she was told, "The Holy Ghost shall ... seed shall be a stranger
in a land not theirs ... from this time, when these things were promised to Abraham ...
//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/city of god/chapter 24 of the meaning of.htm

Joseph's Faith
... God, he expects a future because God has promised it, and ... the 'King in His beauty,
and the land that is ... angels for their guard; and if these holy wayfarers enter ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/josephs 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

The General Service of the Holy Fathers, in Remembrance of ...
... as ye are and bless you, as He hath promised you ... of the Fathers in 6. The work of
the holy and ecumenical ... depths of the sea as if upon dry land, Israel, seeing ...
/.../anonymous/the general menaion/chapter v1 the general service.htm