QT 9/3/2025 Gen 17:1-14, The land of Israel is an everlasting possession

Genesis 17:1–14 (ESV) —

1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, 2 that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly.” 3 Then Abram fell on his face. And God said to him, 4 “Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations. 5 No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. 6 I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings shall come from you. 7 And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. 8 And I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God.”

9 And God said to Abraham, “As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations. 10 This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised. 11 You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you. 12 He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised. Every male throughout your generations, whether born in your house or bought with your money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring, 13 both he who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money, shall surely be circumcised. So shall my covenant be in your flesh an everlasting covenant. 14 Any uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin shall be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.”

 

NOTE: In light of today's debate between Palestinians and Jews, the promise of verse 8 stands out, "for an everlasting possession." Later in the law, we will see in Deuteronomy "curses" if the people fail to abide by the law, to include being taken out of the land, but that does not revoke the promise of an everlasting possession. The land of Abraham's sojournings is Israel's for all of time. And that technically includes Gaza, the previous land that the Philistines took residence in. The Philistines have always been a thorn in the literal side of Israel. In another passage, God says that he allowed them to test Israel's faith, but it is not Philistine's land. It is all Israel's. And someday, in the millennial kingdom, Israel will take complete possession of the land.

 

What does this mean to us in this day? First, the land is Israel's. Second, Israel has a right to defend themselves and live in peace. Israel was not attacking Hamas, it has always been the terrorists attacking Israel. The world hates Israel for no reason other than they are "God's chosen people."

We do need to do something. We need to pray for both peoples. We can't stop from terrorists hiding among civilians, but we can pray that the people turn against terrorism.

 

PONDER:

1. Do I pray for Israel and their enemies to turn from violence?
2. Have I fallen for the arguments of the culture against Israel without researching the facts?

 

PRAYER: Father, I do pray for Israel and those who are living in Gaza. I pray they would turn to Jesus, our only hope for peace. I pray for their eyes to open to truth. I pray they would repent of their violence. I pray for the peace of Jerusalem.