Episode 186: Why the Land of Israel Belongs to the Jews - The Biblical Viewpoint

There are passionate people on both sides, but the only side the matters is God's side,  Let's find out to whom the land of Israel really belongs

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:02):
Welcome to Words of Truth, the podcast that brings clarity
and encouragement from God's Word in a confusing world. I'm
your host, Mark Barrett, and today we're tackling and important
and often controversial topic. Why does the land of Israel
belong to the Jews. Now, there are passionate voices on

(00:25):
both sides, especially between Israelis and Palestinians. But as Bible
believe in Christians, our ultimate source of truth is God's word,
not the opinions of the world. So today, if you're
listening and you don't believe the Bible, well this teaching
probably is not going to be in agreement with you,

(00:49):
and it probably won't make much sense. But if you
are a Bible believing Christian, that is, you believe that
the Bible is authoritative word of God, then this is
going to make a lot of sense to you. So
let's take a clear look at the biblical basis for

(01:11):
Israel's right to the land and why it matters to
you and me. First of all, we need to understand
that the foundation of Israel's claim to the land is
not politics, but it's based on God's promise to his
people in Genesis chapter fifteen, verse eighteen. God made a

(01:32):
covenant with Abraham, and he said to your descendants, I
give this land from the river of Egypt to the
great river the Euphrates. And this was not a temporary agreement.
In Genesis chapter seventeen, verse eight God said, I will
give to you and to your offspring after you, all
of the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession. And

(01:58):
so this covenant was uncondition and God himself guaranteed it,
and that means it does not expire or depend on
human approval. Now, the Palestinians say they lived there for
centuries and were simply displaced in the War of nineteen
forty eight when Israel returned to the land. So they

(02:18):
view Israel's control as colonialism and unjust. And again, Israel's
right to the land is not a political one, but
it's based on God's promise to give them the land,
which he did when Israel was delivered from Egypt. But
also we need to see that God's covenant was very specific.

(02:41):
He didn't reaffirm it through Ishmael, Abraham's son by concubine,
whom God never recognized as the son of promise, but
through Isaac the son of Abraham and Sarah, and then
through Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel. The Palestinians

(03:02):
claim to be descendants through Ishmael, who again God never
recognized as a son, through whom he granted his promises.
Salm one hundred and five, verses eight to eleven says
he remembers his covenant forever, the promise he made. Abraham
confirmed it to Jacob as a statute to Israel as

(03:26):
an everlasting covenant, saying to you, I will give the
land of Canaan. So when people say Israel stole the land, well,
the Bible says that God gave it by name, boundary
and covenant to the Jews. And according to the Bible,
God's promises are irrevocable. The apostle Paul asks in Romans

(03:50):
chapter eleven, has God cast away his people, that is
the Jews? Certainly not? And then in verse twenty ninety said,
for the gifts in the colleg of God are irrevocable.
You see, even though Israel rebelled against God and faced judgment,
God never ever abandoned his promises. He's faithful even when

(04:13):
his people are not. And this matters to us because
it shows us that God doesn't break his word. If
he keeps his promise to Israel, he'll keep his promise
to us about salvation and forgiveness and eternal life. Furthermore,
we believe Israel's restoration fulfills prophecy. The Jewish returned to

(04:38):
the land in the twentieth century wasn't just political, it
was prophetic. Ezekiel Chapter thirty seven, verse twenty one says,
I will take the people of Israel from the nations
and bring them into their own land, their own land.
Amos chapter nine, verse fifteen says I will plant them

(05:00):
in their land, and no longer shall they be pulled up.
After nearly two thousand years of exile, the people returned
to the land and became a nation again in nineteen
forty eight. No other people in history have done this.
It's nothing short of a miracle and a fulfillment of

(05:21):
biblical prophecy. Here's another important thing to remember. The land
of Israel belongs to God's glory, not just Israel's identity.
Even in their exile, God promised to restore Israel not
for their sake, but for His holy name. Ezekiel chapter
thirty six, verses twenty two to twenty four says it

(05:44):
is not for your sake, but for the sake of
my holy name. I will take you from the nations
and bring you into your own land. You see, the
land isn't just about Jewish history. It's about God's reputation.
When he brings his people back, he shows that his
word is true and his promises stand. Now let's pause

(06:08):
and recognize that many Palestinians believe the land was taken
from them, especially during the events of nineteen forty eight,
known to them as the Nekba or the Catastrophe. They
feel displaced and believe they have a right to return.
As Christians, we should care about human suffering and treat

(06:30):
all people with compassion, But compassion must never replace biblical truth. God,
not the United Nations, not armies, not empires, gave the
land to the Jewish people. Palestinians claim may appeal emotionally
or politically, but it never overrides God's eternal covenant. Genesis

(06:55):
chapter twelve, verse three says I will bless those who
bless you, and I will curse those who curse you.
Psalm one hundred and twenty two, verse six says pray
for the peace of Jerusalem. May they prosper who love you.
You see, God isn't finished with Israel. Yet some people
claim the Church has replaced Israel. It's called the replacement theology.

(07:18):
But Romans chapter eleven makes it clear God is not
done with his people. You can go back and listen
to one of my podcasts on that. Yes, the Church
is grafted in, but the root is Israel. And in
the end, Christ is going to return to Jerusalem, not Rome,
not Washington, not New York. Israel is central to God's

(07:41):
redemptive story. So why do we believe that the land
of Israel belongs to the Jews. Well, first, because God
gave it to them. He gave it to them by covenant. Secondly,
it was confirmed through generations and the fulfilling of prophecy

(08:02):
before our very own eyes. Shows this that the land
belongs to Israel. The return of Israel to the land
is not a political accident. It's a divine declaration that
God's word is true and his purposes are unfolding. So
let's stand on that truth. Let's pray for peace. Let's

(08:25):
keep our eyes on the Lord who is preparing the
way for his return, and thank you for listening to
the words of Truth today. If this episode encourage you, well,
why don't you go ahead and share it with somebody
and for more faith building content, maybe you'd like to
subscribe and stay rooted in God's word until next time,
Keep standing for truth and keep looking up. God bless