Is Modern-Day Israel Really the “Promised Land” According to the Bible?
by Brian Shilhavy
In a previous article that I published last week, I wrote about how the Book of Hebrews in the New Testament section of the Bible is a book written specifically to the Hebrew people living during the First Century when Jesus walked the earth, and that it was the best book to define the New Covenant, which has now replaced the Old Covenant.
The book of Hebrews in the New Testament section of the Bible, is perhaps the best treatise on the full meaning of the New Covenant, and all of its implications in Jesus Christ.
Because this book is not a letter written to a specific group of people in a specific location like the apostle Paul’s other writings, but resembles more of a writing like a “dissertation” or research article, there has been some conjecture as to whether or not Paul wrote Hebrews, but the evidence is very strong that Paul wrote this, even though he did not sign his name to it.
It was written to “Hebrews” in general, the Jewish believers in Jesus Christ living during the First Century, as opposed to the Gentile believers.
The purpose of Hebrews is to more fully explain the differences between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant.
It is therefore, the best section of the New Testament portion of the Bible to refute the cultist beliefs of Zionism, because Paul and the other Jewish believers were dealing with many of the same issues facing us today by the Satanic Jews, who wanted to keep the Jewish religion of the Old Covenant going, even though it ended with Jesus Christ, and his death and subsequent resurrection from the dead. (Full article.)
Hebrews shows how Jesus Christ has now become the High Priest, replacing the Old Covenant Levitical priesthood and the temple worship from the Old Covenant.
In this article, I want to look at chapter 11 in Hebrews, which clearly explains how the “Promised Land” is no longer a place on earth called “Israel”, and in fact never really was.
Many Zionist Christians today believe that when modern-day Israel became a nation again after WWII in 1948, that this was a fulfillment of prophecy.
But it was most certainly not a fulfillment of any prophecy in the New Testament portion of the Bible, and in fact it was an act of war and genocide against the people who already lived there. See:
1948 State of Israel was NOT a Fulfillment of Prophecy – It was an Ethnic Cleansing Massacre (Nakba)
In most Christian groups the 11th chapter of Hebrews is known as the “Faith Chapter”, as many heroes of The Faith are referenced in this chapter.
And while it is certainly a chapter that defines and illustrates “faith,” in its context within the book of Hebrews, it is much more than just that.
This chapter in Hebrews clearly explains that the “Promised Land” never was about the physical land of Israel, but about the ultimate fulfillment of the promises made to Abraham, which are spiritual, available to everyone through Jesus Christ, regardless of ethnicity or religion, and that our final resting place in the “Promised Land” is our permanent home in Heaven.
Here is the entire chapter of Hebrews 11. Bold emphasis is mine.
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
For by it the people of old received their commendation.
By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.
By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.
By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God.
And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.
By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise.
For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.
By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised.
Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.
These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.
For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return.
But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one.
Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.
By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.”
He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.
By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff.
By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.
By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.
By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.
By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them.
By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned.
By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.
And what more shall I say?
For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.
Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life.
Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword.
They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect. (Hebrews 11:1-40)
This a record of human history documenting The Faith. To learn more about what The Faith is, see:
There is Only “One Faith” – Who will “Fight the Good Fight” for “The Faith” in these Evil Last Days?
It is not a record of the history of religion, not the Jewish religion, not the Christian religion, and not the Muslim religion.
It is a record of the history of The Faith, which began at the time of Creation and understanding that there is a Creator, and the first human being mentioned was Abel, who was killed by his brother Cain, thousands of years before Abraham and the Hebrew people.
Abraham did receive the promise for his people to inherit the land of Israel, which is where the Messiah Jesus was born, and then executed.
But it was not the ultimate fulfillment of the “Promised Land.” All of the people of faith and all of the descendants of Abraham, died in faith, NOT receiving the ultimate promises.
They were “strangers and aliens” on the earth, and because of their faith they were persecuted by those outside of The Faith, the servants of Satan.
The ultimate fulfillment of their faith, and ours today, lies in the future, outside of this world, and has nothing at all to do with a piece of land in the Middle East today called “Israel.”
That is the clear message of Hebrews chapter 11, and many of the First Century believers gave up their lives defending this Faith and this message, starting with Stephen in Acts chapter 7.
These believers were Godly, faithful Jews, being attacked and murdered by Satanic Jews.
Not much has changed throughout the course of history, including today.
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