Diving In Session 4 Covenant 6 The Land Covenant

Posted on By
Print 🖨 PDF 📄 eBook 📱

The Biblical Covenants form the unifying thread of God’s saving action through Scripture, from their conceptual introduction in Genesis to their eschatological fulfilment in Revelation

The terms of God’s covenants with Israel are not changeable. That is, one may not shape or reshape covenantal terms and their meanings in keeping with later hermeneutical or theological ideals.

“At the time they were written, all Old Testament predictions obviously pertained to the future. By what logic or authority, then, does one take some of their fulfilments to be literal and others to be only figurative?”

“Eschatology, rightly understood, leads not to division but to doxology” David Dockery

The Land Covenant READ Deut. 29:1, 12-15; 30:1-6

For the lack of a better name, this covenant is commonly known as the Palestinian Covenant, for it largely concerns the land known for centuries as Palestine. This is now an unfortunate term for two reasons.

  • First: it was a name given to the land by the Roman Emperor Hadrian after the Second Jewish Revolt under Bar Cochba (A.D. 132-135). His purpose was to erase any Jewish remembrance of the Land as part of his policy to “de judaize” the Land.
  • Second: due to the historical events in the Middle East in the history of modern Israel, the name is associated more with Arabs than with Jews. Perhaps a better title for this covenant would have been the “Land Covenant” since “Palestine” is not a biblical designation anyway. Thus, this study will refer to it as the Land Covenant, but it should be noted that this is the same as that which is called the “Palestinian Covenant” in many books.
Arnold Fruchtenbaum The Eight Covenants of the Bible

This is very timely for us to be looking at, as people want to discount Israel’s right to the land, and thereby delegitimise Israel’s right to exist. I’ve heard it said that Israel’s existence is an historical anomaly and it only exists because some evangelical Christians influenced politicians in the 20th century to facilitate their view of prophecy. That viewpoint completely ignores:

  • the Jewish immigration into Palestine in the 19th century
  • the Jewish “Palestine National Fund” raising millions of dollars in the late 19th and early 20th centuries to purchase lands from absentee Turkish landlords (which the Ottoman rulers ultimately outlawed)
  • the then emergent Jewish Zionist movement
  • the fact that it was a Jewish chemist, Chaim Weizmann, a Zionist from the earliest days of the movement, who ‘influenced’ the British Government of 1917 to issue the famous Balfour Declaration (as a ‘thank you’ for his invention of an artificial way of creating cordite, which helped Britain to win WWI when ammunition was running short as Germany controlled all the natural sources of Cordite).[1]

It also doesn’t explain why, in 1947, Russia voted in favour of the partition of the land of Palestine to create a Jewish state!

This covenant primarily guarantees the final restoration and conversion of Israel. I haven’t found any mention of this by Covenant Theologians, probably due to their position that the Church has replaced Israel, and they may just see it as part of the Sinai Covenant (and therefore conditional), whereas Deut. 29:1 specifically says that this in addition to the Covenant God made with the nation of Israel at Sinai (Horeb). It is effectively the Title Deeds to the land promised to Abraham and to which the Israelites were on their way and were to possess as Leaseholders. It covers dispersion from the land due to disobedience and God’s covenant promise to regather the nation to the land and for their regeneration.

Now, I’ve heard it said by those who think that the church has replaced Israel, that we shouldn’t use the Bible as a sort of Land Registry or title deed to justify Israel’s possession of the land of Canaan in the present day. In his book, “The Destiny of Israel and the Church”, Derek Prince lists 47 Scriptures where God swears on oath to give the land to Abraham and his descendants, and in case, we’re not sure if that still applies, three times it is said to be for ever or everlasting (remember how we defined that a few weeks ago) and three times it is connected with His Covenant which He said He will never break:

  • Ex. 32:13 all this land that I have promised, and it shall be their inheritance forever
  • Judges 2:1 I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land that I had promised to your fathers, and I said, ‘I will never break My covenant with you’.
  • 1 Chron. 16:16-18, Psa. 105:9-11 the covenant He made with Abraham, and the oath He swore to Isaac. He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree, to Israel as an everlasting covenant: ‘I will give you the land of Canaan as the portion of your inheritance’.

The Lord also says that He will “rejoice in doing them good, and I will faithfully plant them in this land with all My heart and with all My soul.” (Jer. 32:41). Something that God is totally committed to! Given that the Covenant God made with Israel is likened to a marriage covenant, we had better remember Jesus’ words in Mark 10:9 “What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.”! He will enter into judgement with the nations for their treatment of Israel – scattering them and dividing up the land (Joel 3:2; Matt. 25:33)

But, people argue, that’s all Old Testament. The Land promises are not mentioned in the New Testament. Maybe not specifically, but Paul says in Romans 15:8 “I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs”. This is contrasted with the blessing of the Gentiles in the next verse “and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God”.

So what promises were made to the patriarchs, which this verse tells us was confirmed by Jesus? Those which God covenanted by oath for ever, for a start! In summary:

  • A great nation, and blessing for them and for the other nations (Gen. 12:2-3)
  • A piece of real estate in the Middle East (Gen. 15:18-20)
    both repeated to Isaac and Jacob as we have seen (Psa. 105:9-11)
  • Rom. 15:12 points forward to a Ruler who will arise from the family of Jesse who will rule the nations (2 Sam. 7:12-13; Isa. 11:1,10; Rev. 22:16 we’ll look at this when we come to the Davidic Covenant).

Should anyone ask “Why?” Mary and Zechariah provide answers (Luke 1:54-55, 68-75). As Paul confirms in Rom. 11:28 “as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers.”

Which land?

Schofield: The Land (Palestinian) Covenant gives the conditions under which Israel entered the land of promise. It is important to see that the nation has never as yet taken the land under the unconditional Abrahamic Covenant, nor has it ever possessed the whole land (cf. Gen. 15:18; Num. 34:1-12).

  • Land promised in Gen. 15 outlined in purple, the Land actually possessed by Joshua and the 12 tribes shaded green
  • David & Solomon ruled over the green area plus Lebanon and the part of Syria adjacent

Taking other descriptions of the land (e.g. Num. 34; Ezek. 48), and taking ‘from the River Euphrates to the river of Egypt’ literally gives …

The Palestinian Covenant is in seven parts.

  • (1) Dispersion for disobedience, Deut. 30:1; Deut. 28:63-68 (See Scofield on Gen. 15:18).
  • (2) The future repentance of Israel while in the dispersion, Deut. 30:2.
  • (3) The return of the Lord, Deut. 30:3; Amos 9:9-14; Acts 15:14-17.
  • (4) Restoration to the land, Deut. 30:5; Isa. 11:11-12; Jer. 23:3-8; Ezek. 37:21-25
  • (5) National conversion, Deut. 30:6; Rom. 11:26; Rom. 11:27; Hos. 2:14-16
  • (6) The judgment of Israel’s oppressors, Deut. 30:7; Isa. 14:1; Isa. 14:2; Joel 3:1-8; Matt. 25:31-46
  • (7) National prosperity, Deut. 30:9; Amos 9:11-14

Fruchtenbaum makes it eight by splitting no. 4 into two parts – regathering in order to possess the Land.

NOTE — The gift of the land is modified by prophecies of three dispossessions and restorations Gen. 15:13-16 (wandering in Canaan 215 years, then in Egypt 215 years); Jer. 25:11-12 (in Babylon 70 years); Deut. 28:62-65; Deut. 30:1-3 (looking to the end times). Two dispossessions and restorations (Egyptian slavery and Babylonian Captivity) have been accomplished. Israel is now in the third dispersion, from which she is being, and will be fully, restored (Isa. 11:11) at the return of the Lord as King under the Davidic Covenant; Deut. 30:3; Jer. 23:5-8; Ezek. 37:21-25; Luke 1:30-33; Acts 15:16 (We’ll look at what the Scriptures say about the timing of the third dispersion and recovery later in this study).

A. Scriptures

  • Deuteronomy 29:1-30:20 The Covenant
  • Gen. 15:18; The extent of the land covered by the Covenant.
  • Lev. 26 & Deut. 28 The blessings and curses
  • Note fulfilment of these, e.g.:
  • Ezekiel 16:1-59; 20:27-39; 36:16-23 curses fulfilled
  • Ezekiel 16:60-63; 20:40-44; 36:24-38 restoration promised

B. The Participants in the Covenant Deut. 29:1, 9-15

  1. God and Israel, as in the Mosaic Covenant v.1
  2. The Tribes in their assembled order v.10-11
  3. All who were standing there that day, and all who were not there that day – the future Israel v. 14-15

C. The Recitation of God’s Protection of the Nation as the basis of the Covenant Deut. 29:2-8

  • Deliverance from Egypt
  • Provision of food and clothing during the trials and tribulations of desert life
  • Defeat of their enemies and their land allocated to the two and a half tribes

Confirmed with God’s Oath Deut. 29:12, Based on His oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob Deut. 29:13

D. The Provisions of the Covenant Deut. 29:16 onwards

  • Provided for Israel’s tenancy in the land promised to Abraham
  • Dependent on their obedience to the Mosaic Law (walking in “The Way of the Lord”), with curses and blessings elaborated in Deut. 28 in some detail
  • Disobedience would lead to expulsion Lev. 18:24-28; Jer. 24:8-10
  • Provided for repentance and regathering Jer. 31:10-12, 16; 32:14; Ezek. 20:33-38; 36:24

E. The Importance of the Covenant.

The special importance of the Land Covenant is that it reaffirms the title deed to the Land as belonging to Israel. Although she would prove unfaithful and disobedient, the right to the Land would never be taken from her. Furthermore, it shows that the conditional Mosaic Covenant did not lay aside the unconditional Abrahamic Covenant. It might be taken by some that the Mosaic Covenant displaced the Abrahamic Covenant, but the Land Covenant shows that this is not true. The Land Covenant is an enlargement of the original Abrahamic Covenant. It amplifies the Land aspect and emphasizes the promise of the Land to God’s earthly Jewish people in spite of their unbelief. The Abrahamic Covenant teaches that ownership for the Land is unconditional while the Land Covenant teaches that the enjoyment of the Land is conditioned on obedience.

F. The Confirmation of the Covenant

The Land Covenant received its confirmation centuries later in Ezekiel 16:1-63. In this very important passage concerning God’s relationship to Israel, God recounts His love of Israel in her infancy (vv. 1-7). Later, Israel was chosen by God and became related to Jehovah by marriage and hence became the Wife of Jehovah (vv. 8-14). However, Israel played the harlot and was guilty of spiritual adultery by means of idolatry (vv. 15-34); therefore, it was necessary to punish her by means of dispersion (vv. 35-52). However, this dispersion is not final, for there would be a future restoration on the basis of the Land Covenant (vv. 53-63). They were guilty of violating the Mosaic Covenant (vv. 53-59), but God will remember the covenant made with Israel in her youth (v. 60a) and will establish an everlasting covenant, the New Covenant (v. 60b) and this will result in Israel’s salvation (vv. 61-63).

G. The Status of the Covenant

  • Duration       Until Israel is regathered for the final time and saved, and then blessing in the Land for as long as Israel endures (Jer. 31:36)
  • Conditional?            No
  • Type               Royal Grant
  • Promise         Restore the nation to the Land
  • Applies to     All Israel and those who dwell amongst them
  • Faith               Repentance
  • Grace             The Lord’s Compassion and blessing
  • Righteousness         Circumcision of heart
  • Sanction        Exile from the land for disobedience
  • Blood sacrifice         None (although possibly figuratively in circumcision?)
  • Jesus              Establishes the Promises and is the Messiah returning and reigning

Duration of the Exile

430 years in total Ezek. 4:4-6

Two parallel judgements

  • they shall serve the King of Babylon – known as ‘the servitude of the nation’, started in 606BC with the first captives (Jer. 29:10) ; ended 536BC with the decree of Cyrus permitting their return
  • Jerusalem shall be laid desolate – started in 586BC with the sacking of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar; known as ‘the desolations of Jerusalem’, Jerusalem was ‘trodden down by the nations from that time forward until … ?

The first 70 years has been fulfilled in actual years (Dan. 9:2), but what about the 360 years left? There are no historical parallels for the 360 years so we must look elsewhere for an explanation. Lev. 26:14-20 may help us. In vv. 14-1, it predicts an exile and if they do not hearken to the Lord, He will multiply the time of the punishment by 7 (v. 18).

Only a small remnant returned to the land at the decree of Cyrus after the first 70 years (and an even smaller remnant among them ‘hearkened’ to the Lord!) and if we multiply the remaining 360 years, we arrive at 2520 years (remember a day for a year Ezek. 4:6).

Prophecy seems to unfold in lunar years of 360 days (we are told in Revelation that three and a half years, or 42 months, is 1260 days). Converting the 2520 years into solar days gives 907,200 days (which is 2483 years, 9 months and 21 days in solar time).

So what happens if we project forward from the start of the servitude of the nation in 606 BC? We end up in 1948 (arguably on 14th May 1948 if Nebuchadnezzar started the deportation on 9th Ab).

What happens if we project forward from the destruction of the Temple (which we know was 9th Ab 586BC), which was the start of the ‘times of the Gentiles’ – gentile domination of Jerusalem? We end up on 7th June 1967, the day Jerusalem and the Temple Mount were taken back by the Israeli Army!

Very unlikely to be ‘just a coincidence’!

Jesus said that the generation that saw the Gentile domination of Jerusalem ended, would be the generation that saw His return (Luke 21:24, 32). If we project 2520 years from the decree of Artaxerxes for the rebuilding of Jerusalem under Nehemiah (a date which triggers the 70 weeks, or 490 years, prophesied in Daniel 9 which culminate in the restoration of Israel and the city of Jerusalem at the coming of Messiah), we end up somewhere around 2037 – 70 years after Israel took back Jerusalem. (According to Psa. 90, 70 years is the normal human lifespan.)

If we’re that close to the Second Coming – how much closer to the Rapture!?!

[1] The story goes that, when Balfour offered Uganda to the Zionists for their homeland, Weizmann asked Balfour, “Would you give up London to live in Saskatchewan?” When Balfour replied that the British had always lived in London, Weizmann responded, “Yes, and we lived in Jerusalem when London was still a marsh.”

0
Covenant, Diving In!, The Land Covenant

Leave a Reply