Prayer: Father, may I communicate well Your position about Your nation and the land which You gave the Hebrew nation of Israel, Your covenant people. Amen.
Reading: Ezekiel 25 key: vs. 15-17 “Thus says Adonai Elohim: “Because the Philistines have acted in revenge and have taken severe vengeance with scornful soul, destroying in unending hatred, therefore thus says Adonai Elohim: ‘Behold, I will stretch out My hand over the Philistines. I will cut off the Cherethites, and destroy the remnant of the seacoast. I will execute severe vengeance upon them with furious punishments. So they will know that I am Adonai, when I lay My vengeance upon them.’” TLV
Attention: You are hearing a popular chant among pro-Palestinian protestor’s today, “From the River to the Sea.” They are meaning, they want the land west of the Jordan river to the Mediterranean Sea, claiming it is historically their land.
If that is true, I encourage you to do research regarding the region in dispute. Here is what the Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary declares about Palestine, the term, and the region. Palestine is a “geographical designation for the land of the Bible, particularly land west of the Jordan River that God allotted to Israel for an inheritance (Joshuaa 13-19). Various terms have been used to designate that small but significant land known in the early OT (Old Testament)) as “Canaan” (Genesis 12:5) and often referred to as the promised land (Deuteronomy 9:28). The area was designated “Israel” and “Judah” at the division of the kingdoms in 931 B.C. By NT (New Testament) times the land had been divided into provincial designations: Judea, Samaria, Gallilee, and others. Generally the region was considered to be a part of Syria. Palestine is derived from the name “Pelishtim” or “Philistines.” The Greeks, familiar primarily with the coastal area, applied the name “Palestine” to the entire southeastern Mediterranean region. Although the word “Palestine” (ot “Palestina”) is found four times in the KJV (King James Version) (Exodus 15:14; Isaiah 14:29,31; Joel 3:4), these are references to the territory of the Philistines and so properly designate only the strip of coastland occupied by the people (pages 1237-8).” Please note that I use TLV exclusively and they use the term Philistia to designate the coastal area of the Philistines.
So, if we embrace the biblical definition for the term Palestine as a region and not a state which is derived from the term and area for the former nation of the Philistines, we must accept Israels historical claim to the land. Beyond the historical dispute, the dispute about inheritance is answered in Genesis 12:2-3; 15:1-21; 17-18:1-15; and 21:1-7. Adonai made an “everlasting covenant” (Genesis 17:7-8) with Abraham regarding the promise of land to his progeny forever. The promise was through Isaac and Sarah (Genesis 17:20-22).
To not embrace Adonai’s (God’s) word, is to deny the Sovereignty of God and His word, the bible. It is a spiritual issue. Is God’s word true and everlasting? Is His covenant with Abraham and his people Israel, true and everlasting?
The truth of God’s word to Ezekiel in chapter 25 is this, none of the nations (including the Philistines) which He devastated exist today. They are only footnotes in history. God is speaking to us in His word. Are we listening?
Action: I choose to embrace the narrative of Adonai and His promised covenant with Abraham.
Yield: I submit to the authority and supremacy of Adonai.
Engage: I choose to engage with the Holy Spirit in spiritual warfare.
Relationship: I choose to live in holy, intimate, dependent relationship with Adonai.
Prayer: Father, Your word is true and everlasting. May the community of faith draw ever closer to You. May we declare Your narrative to the world so that many, Greek and Jew, come to the knowledge of the Sovereign and Holy Adonai. Amen.
Memory Verse: Genesis 17:20-22 “As for Ishmael, I have heard you. See, I have blessed him and I will make him fruitful, and I will multiply him very very much. He will father twelve princes and I will make him a great nation. But My covenant will I establish with Isaac whom Sarah will bear to you at this set time next year.” When He finished speaking with him, God went up from Abraham.” TLV
Music Video: Maverick City Music—Promises https://youtu.be/y0oqe-g3Iqo?si=5ugL8_wTrVzV17Rq
Remember, “Abide in Yeshua, today!”