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Boundaries of the Promised Land

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Here is the thread that is being demanded by multitudes (well, at least 2).
Not all Christians agree (imagine that) on the geographical boundaries of the land God promised Israel would belong to them. Those boundaries can include the Nile River, the Sinai Peninsula and large parts of present day Iraq and even Iran. What is posted below is what I believe is supported in the OT as the promised land. Please feel free to make your own case if you disagree but it should be supported by scripture and map that are generally accepted by scholars.
http://www.differentspirit.org/articles/boundaries.php

Boundaries of the Promised Land

I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them”
~ Amos 9:15

Some 3,500 years ago the Canaanites inhabited the land that God promised to give to the offspring of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (see Timeline). God promised that He would give the land of Israel to the Jewish people as an eternal possession. The promise was unconditional. God confirmed it at least 55 times with an oath and stated at least 12 times that the covenant was everlasting (see Bible References).

God did bring the Israelites into the Promised Land forty years after the Exodus from Egypt. Israel reached the peak of her power some 500 years later under King Solomon.

The map shows the area that Israel controlled at that time. It almost matched the boundaries of the land that God had promised. Gaza was not taken from the Philistines in Solomon’s day, and the land of the Canaanites promised to Abraham included the coastal strip all the way to Sidon – the city of Canaan’s first-born son.
[1 Chronicles 1:13, Genesis 10:19]

Areas of Moab, Ammon and Edom, east of the Dead Sea, were occupied by King Solomon but were not part of the Promised Land. This is part of modern-day Jordan.



promised_land2.jpg

Israel entered the Promised Land and hundreds of years later, under King Solomon, they occupied a large part, but not all, of the territory which God had promised to them. Israel was required to obey the Law of Moses and, when they failed, God thrust them out of the land. However, God’s promise that they will inherit the land still stands. We see the Jews being brought back to the Promised Land in our day. We expect that God’s word will be fulfilled and that they will enter their full inheritance. The next question is: What are the boundaries of the Promised Land as described in the Bible?

Scripture indicates that the boundaries of the Promised Land are as follows:
South:
From the Red Sea, in the region of Eilat today, to the Sea of the Philistines which would be the Mediterranean Sea near Gaza. This southern line was to a point called the River of Egypt, or the wadi of Egypt (which was certainly not the Nile River) on the Great Sea – another name for the Mediterranean. [Exodus 23:31; Ezekiel 47:19; Genesis 15:18].



The Red Sea
and the coast road of the Sinai Peninsula just south of Eilat.

sinai_coast.jpg

West:
The coastline of the Mediterranean – called, in those days, the Great Sea [Numbers 34:6; Ezekiel 47:20].



Mediterranean coastline
at Caesarea.

caesarea.jpg

North:
From the Great Sea, or Western Sea – other names for the Mediterranean – through what is Lebanon and Syria today to the Euphrates River in the north [Genesis 15:18; Deuteronomy 11:24; Ezekiel 47:17; Joshua 1:4].

The mountains of Lebanon
seen from the Hula Valley in Israel’s north.

hula_valley.jpg





East:
From the Euphrates River in the north, extending south, past Damascus, along the slopes on the eastern side of the Sea of Kinnereth, what we know as the Golan Heights today. The Kinnereth is also called the Eastern Sea in Scripture and is what we know as the Sea of Galilee.

The Sea of Galilee
– the Bible calls this the Sea of Kinnereth or the Eastern Sea.

galilee.jpg

The Jordan River rises in the mountains of Lebanon and runs south to the Sea of Galilee. At the southern end of the Sea of Galilee the Jordan River flows out and along the Jordan Valley to enter the Dead Sea. The eastern side of the Jordan River, south of the Golan Heights, represents the boundary of the Promised Land [Numbers 34:11-12; Ezekiel 47:18].

The Dead Sea
or Salt Sea as it is called in the Bible.

dead_sea2.jpg



Although some of the geographical reference points mentioned in Scripture are difficult for us to identify, God knows the full area into which He is going to bring Israel. We know enough to be sure that Israel is not in her full inheritance yet.

The Bible refers to significant points that we can identify – the Sea of Kinnereth being the Sea of Galilee; the Salt Sea being the Dead Sea; and places such as Gaza and Sidon, where there is no doubt about the ancient location. Archaeology has given us proof.

What we can say is that the Promised Land stretches from the Red Sea, around Eilat, as a southern boundary, to the Mediterranean at a point south of Gaza and extending from there up the coastline at least as far north as Sidon in Lebanon, to form the western boundary, then north to the Euphrates River, to form the northern boundary, and down the line of the Jordan River to form the eastern boundary.

This area would encompass the Palestinian territories of the West Bank, also called Judea and Samaria, and Gaza. Certain world leaders may be looking for the establishment of a Palestinian state separate from Israel, but God’s Word makes a different judgment. God says that this is the land that He promised to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Scripture shows that God has a dispute with those who are involved in “dividing up My land” [Joel 3:1-2].
 
Genesis 13 is the basis for my argument.

I believe that translational difficulties have corrupted the original intent from what is written.

The word "look" is also synonymous with "consider"... Meaning all the places that Abraham had traveled... including from his starting point to the Southern area of the Egyptian Wadi.
 
The land promised to the decendants of Abraham was all the land between the river nile and the eupraties river and the entire arabian peninsular.. Eventually they will be given that land in the future.. The Hebrews only occupied a portion of that land during the times of Solomon..
 
Being this is the Theology Forum please cite scripture to support a position per forum rules......
Agreed.

Now according to Genesis 13
The whole land that Abraham was promised to him had another name a few chapters before...Eden.
Eden had a "garden" that Adam and Eve tended to. In that garden EVERY tree that was pleasant and good for food was there. In the midst of this garden was the Tree of Life. Somehow located right on the Temple Mount.

So...this is a case of symbolism being represented by a reality. The whole Fertile Crescent was thought at that time to be the whole Earth that was livable. Water was life except for the sea.

After the flood the names of the lands were changed...and no one recognizes the swap. But Abram when told "Go to a land I will show you" it was told to him by his family's leader...which was Noah's son Shem. Shem didn't die till Abram was about 75 years old. More than enough time for the two to discuss things. (Most of this couched in Hebrew literary devices...they are very frustrating)

So,
To me the whole world and access to God was promised to Abraham and his descendants... AKA the Seed of the woman who would crush the head of the serpent. And indeed the only access to God was the Temple and that Seed. (Galatians 3:16).
 
Being this is the Theology Forum please cite scripture to support a position per forum rules......

No worries :)
Genesis 15: KJV
18 "In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates: {19} The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, {20} And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims, {21} And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites."
 
18 "In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt
The problem with this, assuming 'river of Egypt' is the Nile river, is the Jews would not have had to leave Egypt to begin taking possession of the promised land. They would have started by conquering Egypt itself.....at least the eastern portion.
 
The problem with this, assuming 'river of Egypt' is the Nile river, is the Jews would not have had to leave Egypt to begin taking possession of the promised land. They would have started by conquering Egypt itself.....at least the eastern portion.

There is no problem with scriptures.. The promised land promised to Abraham's seed has not yet been given.. It is the mellenial kingdom that will be established when Jesus returns to earth...

Not it says Abrahams seed as in singular seed.. Meaning the LORD Jesus Christ....
 
Since the " promised land " uses a word that has many other meanings, it helps to use word studies

:)


ארץ 'erets {eh'-rets}
from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; TWOT - 167; n f AV - land 1543, earth 712, country 140, ground 98, world 4, way 3, common 1, field 1, nations 1, wilderness + 04057 1; 2504 1) land, earth 1a) earth 1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part) 1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven) 1a3) earth (inhabitants) 1b) land 1b1) country, territory 1b2) district, region 1b3) tribal territory 1b4) piece of ground 1b5) land of Canaan, Israel 1b6) inhabitants of land 1b7) Sheol, land without return, (under) world 1b8) city (-state) 1c) ground, surface of the earth 1c1) ground 1c2) soil 1d) (in phrases) 1d1) people of the land 1d2) space or distance of country (in measurements of distance) 1d3) level or plain country 1d4) land of the living 1d5) end(s) of the earth 1e) (almost wholly late in usage) 1e1) lands, countries 1e1a) often in contrast to Canaan

כנען Kena`an {ken-ah'-an} from 03665; TWOT - 1002,1002b; AV - Canaan 89, merchant 3, traffick 1, traffickers 1; 94 Canaan = "lowland" n pr m 1) the 4th son of Ham and the progenitor of the Phoenicians and of the various nations who peopled the seacoast of Palestine n pr loc 2) the land west of the Jordan peopled by the descendants of Canaan and subsequently conquered by the Israelites under Joshua n m 3) merchant, trader

כנעה kin`ah {kin-aw'} from 03665 in the sense of folding [compare 03664]; TWOT - 1001a; n f AV - wares 1; 1 1) bundle, bag, pack

כנע kana` {kaw-nah'} a primitive root; TWOT - 1001; v AV - humble 18, subdue 11, bring low 2, bring down 3, subjection 1, misc 1; 36 1) to be humble, be humbled, be subdued, be brought down, be low, be under, be brought into subjection 1a) (Niphal) 1a1) to humble oneself 1a2) to be humbled, be subdued 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to humble 1b2) to subdue

3665

כנס kanac {kaw-nas'} a primitive root; TWOT - 1000; v AV - gather 5, gather together 4, heap up 1, wrap 1; 11 1) to gather, collect, wrap 1a) (Qal) to gather 1b) (Piel) to gather 1c) (Hithpael) to gather together, wrap oneself up



You know, how the 144,000 are gathered in Israel in the " End times "

Thanks for posting !

:)
 
There is no problem with scriptures..
No, there is no problem with scripture but no where does scripture state that the Promised land is the simply the millennial kingdom. The Jews physically settled on much of the promised land. However, due to their constant apostasy never came into full possession of it. Now if you want to say that the millennial kingdom is the "Promised Land" for all believers I'm OK with that but the Promised Land of the OT was a physical place specifically for the Jews.

This is a good article but long. The 3 most important parts as apply to this discussion: The Land as Promise, Boundaries of the Land, and The Land as the Gift of God, pages 302-308.
https://faculty.gordon.edu/hu/bi/te...t/articles-books/kaiser_promisedland_bsac.pdf
 
The Kingdom of Jesus will be for all believers... But i still stand on the OT Israel not being the fulfillment of the promise of God to Abraham i quoted in Genesis.. The promised land that Moses lead the Hebrews to was no where near as big as the Land promised to Abraham's seed..
 

BIBLE MAPS
ISRAEL'S EXODUS FROM EGYPT AND ENTRY INTO CANAAN





Who can really say what is is not what was meant to be? An 11 day trek of 250 miles actually took the Israelite's 40 years.
Exodus 13:17 – When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near. For God said, “Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt.” 18But God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea.

Also, God wanted to teach His people about Himself and his laws. This also took up time. But as referred to above, the major delay by far was because they doubted God’s power and showed cowardice.”

The promised land is where God said it was. Maybe the boundaries extend as the consciousness of Messiah's sovereignty in the region does.
 
Moses was not allowed to enter the Promised Land so that would seem to exclude any land that Moses walked on prior to his death in Moab near the Jordan river. He was only allowed to view the Promised Land from the top of a mountain before he died.
Deu 34:1 Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho. And the LORD showed him all the land, Gilead as far as Dan,
Deu 34:2 all Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the western sea,
Deu 34:3 the Negeb, and the Plain, that is, the Valley of Jericho the city of palm trees, as far as Zoar.
Deu 34:4 And the LORD said to him, “This is the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, ‘I will give it to your offspring.’ I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not go over there.”
Deu 34:5 So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD,
Deu 34:6 and he buried him in the valley in the land of Moab opposite Beth-peor; but no one knows the place of his burial to this day. ESV
 
The land promised to the seed of Abraham was different from the land that the LORD promised to give to the Hebrews in bondage in Egypt.. God is talking about two different lands.. The one He declared to Moses is within the one promised to Abrahams seed.. But they are not the same land / promise..

Exodus 3: KJV
7"¶ And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; {8} And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites."


Genisis 15: KJV
18 "In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates: {19} The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, {20} And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims, {21} And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites."
 
Both verses are describing the same land as these people lived in the same area the Jews conquered millennia ago and they occupy today.
maxresdefault.jpg

As I pointed out earlier if the part of Egypt east of the Nile River had been included in the Promised Land why would God have told them to leave and instead begin the conquest there? That makes no sense.
 
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