The Forming of Israel
The forming of the State of Israel was defined by several mandates that were enacted to bring about what we now see. In 1917, there was the British Belfour Declaration that called for a Jewish National Homeland for the Jewish people. This was preceded by the Zionist Congress in 1897 by Theodor Herzl, which sought to educate world leaders on the need for a Jewish homeland. In 1948, Ben Gurion made a declaration of statehood for Israel, which was supported by U.S. President Harry Truman and other national leaders. The U.N. has passed a number of resolutions for the partitioning of the land of Israel into two states since 1948 in seeking to assign lands to the Palestinians. American presidents have sought to negotiate peace in what has amounted to “trading land for peace accords,” such as the Oslo and Camp David Accords. None of these efforts have brought lasting peace.
Despite all of these attempts by man to break up the land of Israel for peace, the results are that the conflicts continue. Israel is faced with many challenges in looking at a lasting peace, such as security issues, what to do with past accords and mandates, and disagreements about boundaries. We are also reminded by Genesis that God, Himself, has a mandate for the land of Israel that needs to take priority when looking at establishing the Jewish state and a lasting peace.
God’s Mandate for Israel
God’s mandate for Israel is based on promises He made to Abraham and covenants He made with the Sons of Jacob when they entered Canaan. These covenants were established when covenant altars were put into place, and when sacrifices were made as an act of worship to affirm these covenants. These altars were based on God’s original promise made to Abraham.
“And I will make of you (Abraham) a great nation, and I will bless you and make you a blessing in the earth. And I will bless them who bless you and curse them who curse you. And in you all the families (nations) of the earth shall be blessed.” Genesis 12:2-3.
God would later make a covenant for the land given to Abraham and his descendants in Genesis. He told Abraham, “I am the Lord, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to inherit it.” (Genesis 15:7). After making a covenant by sacrifice, God made this promise to Abraham and his descendants:
“On the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying: to your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates.” (Genesis 15:18-21).
God’s Covenant Altars with Israel
The covenant God made with Abraham is later enacted by the Sons of Jacob (12-Tribes) when they enter Canaan by the making of covenant altars. These altars established their “God-given right” to be in the land and to claim the land.
God establishes blessings and curses regarding His promise to Abraham. Those who bless the promises made to Abraham and his descendants will be blessed, and those who curse or break the promises made to Abraham will be cursed. (Genesis 12:3). Many of these covenant altars are in what is now called the West Bank (Judea and Samaria). When America was involved in what was known as “Land for Peace” initiatives to establish peace with the Palestinian people, the result was judgments on America. For instance, when the last Jew left Gaza Strip, because of “land for peace agreements” to give this land to the Palestinians to be a part of their state, disaster followed. Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in America on August 29, 2005, as the last Jew was evicted from Gaza. This category – 5 hurricane caused one hundred twenty-five ($125,000,000,000) billion dollars in damage and one thousand eight hundred thirty-three (1,833) fatalities. A total of one thousand seven hundred (1,700) Jewish families were uprooted from Gaza and forced to leave, approximately the same number of deaths in New Orleans. The financial loss of homes in Gaza was at a cost of nearly nine hundred ($900,000,000) million dollars in losses. These losses are reflected in the Katrina judgment that hit America. The words God spoke so long ago come back to remind us, “Those who bless you and your descendants will be blessed, those who curse you or break My covenant with you, will be cursed or judged.” (Genesis 12:3).
Four Key Covenant Altars
There are four key covenant altars that God’s people specifically need to honor and pray for in Israel that are a part of the land given to Israel in the covenant. They are the Shechem Altar, the Beth El Altar, the Hebron Altar, and the Mt. Moriah (Jerusalem) Altar. In my view, not one in one hundred Christians understands the importance of these altars.
Altar of Shechem. The First Altar is in Biblical Shechem (Nablus).
This altar is in the so-called “West Bank” (Judea and Samaria) in the biblical town of Shechem. This area is what the scriptures call “Judea and Samaria,” which is the heartland of Israel. It now has an Arabic name, Nablus. This is the place the Lord appeared to Abraham and declared, “To your offspring, I will give this land.” (Genesis 12:7). Abraham built in Shechem his first Altar to the Lord for this land. The Lord reaffirmed this land to Jacob in Genesis 33:18. It was in Shechem that Joshua summoned all the elders, leaders, judges, and officials of Israel before the Lord. Then he issued this challenge:
“Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods of your forefathers worshiped in Egypt.” (Joshua 24:1-27).
Bible-believing Jews, Arabs, and Christians need to rise in faith and contend in prayer for this land and contend for this covenant. This contending begins with repentance and prayers claiming the promises of God made with the Jewish forefathers. The command God gave to Joshua following the death of Moses is now being given to those who will stand with Israel:
“Be strong and very courageous. Do not let the Book of the Law (promises made on this land) depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night. Then you will be prosperous. The Lord will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:1-11).
Altar of Beit El. The Second Altar
This is the altar where God told Abraham to lift his eyes and see the land that would be given to him and his descendants. (Genesis 13:14-17). The meaning of this name is “House of God.” This is the second altar established by Abraham. This promised land was later ratified by Jacob and his offspring. (Genesis 13:14-17). Later, Jacob would stop in Beit El to sleep and pray. Here he had a dream of a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven and angels of God ascending and descending on it. There at the head of the stairway stood the Lord, who said to Jacob,
“I will give to you and your descendants the land on which you are laying.” (Genesis 28:10-17). It is here at Beth El that God changed Jacob’s name to “Israel” making this site the birthplace of Israel. (Genesis 35:10-12).
It is not an accident that the Palestinian leaders have chosen this area of Beit El as their headquarters and renamed it “Ramallah” to be the capital of their Palestinian state. To trade this land for peace is to break the covenant God made with Israel. If we agree with the land for peace initiatives or support them, we may be bringing judgment on ourselves. But if we are indifferent to these actions, and we do not repent, pray, and stand on these covenants, are we not complicit to these actions and deserving of judgments? This land and city location in Israel was traded away for peace by agreements based on the Camp David Accords in 1978 and the Oslo Accords in 1993. These accords, led by U.S. leadership, agreed to the Palestinian government to have self-rule in the West Bank (Judea and Samaria), and the Gaza Strip, transferring many cities and areas to the Palestinians.
Most of the Covenant Altars, where God made a covenant with Abraham and his descendants, are in this West Bank territory (Judea and Samaria). When Israel agrees to give up these cities and territories, they may be breaking covenants with God and canceling their God-given right to be in this land. When America encourages this covenant-breaking, America is judged, as seen with Katrina hitting New Orleans following the giving up of the Gaza Strip. When we accept the efforts for establishing peace based on dividing God’s land, or when we are complicit by our silence, we may be standing in line to receive judgments like New Orleans. We remember the warning of God, “Those who bless Abraham and the promised land given him will be blessed, those who break or oppose this covenant will be cursed.” (Genesis 15:3).
The term “Jew” came from a person who originated from the Kingdom of Judah or Judea. How can settlements in this area be considered illegal when it is where the Jews originated from?
Altar of Hebron. The Third Altar
Abraham established this site as the burial place for his wife, Sarah, and his descendants. (Genesis 23:17-20). This covenant treaty altar represents fatherhood and friendship that produce “Inheritance.” This is the home of the fathers of Israel, who God made covenants with, to be a blessing to all nations. It is the place where Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob lived and were buried. Jewish tradition says that even Adam and Eve were buried in Hebron. (Isaiah 51:1-3). This is the place of the revelation of God’s heart to man. It was here that the Lord extended friendship with Abraham by visiting his tent to proclaim the birth of Isaac. (Genesis 18:1,2). Hebron was given to Caleb because of his faithfulness in giving a good report about the land of Canaan and God’s ability to fulfill his promises to give this promised land to the Jews. (Numbers 13:26, 30-32; 14:7-9). Hebron was the city where King David was anointed as king of Judea and, later, king of united Israel. Today, this land is claimed by the future Palestinian State, where over two hundred fifty-thousand (250,000) Arabs live and are hostile to any Jews living in this city. It has been included in the West Bank (Judea and Samaria) Accords.
Altar of Jerusalem (Mt. Moriah). The Fourth Altar
The blessing of Shalom, Peace, and salvation is declared from this mountain. It was to Mt. Moriah in Jerusalem that God told Abraham to take his son Isaac and offer him on the altar as a sacrifice. Abraham obeyed and put his beloved son on the altar, prepared to sacrifice him. At the last moment, God provided a ram to be a sacrifice, and his son’s life was spared. (Genesis 22:2-14). Abraham called the place, “The Lord will provide.” King David also established an altar on this mountain that turned back judgments in the land. It is at Mount Moriah that later the Jewish Temple would be established, and the presence of God would rest. (2 Samuel 24:16-23; 2 Chronicles 22:1; 3:1). The Palestinian leaders want to divide Jerusalem and claim her as its future capital of the Palestinian state. God declares in His Word His priority for Jerusalem.
“The Lord has chosen Jerusalem and will dwell there forever.” Psalm 132: 13-14). He has no plan to trade it for peace. He expressly calls upon God’s people to never forget Jerusalem and to “exalt it above their chief joy.” (Psalm 137:5-6).
In fact, God calls for watchmen to be established on the walls of Jerusalem who will cry out day and night for His promises given over this city to be fulfilled until it is a praise in the earth.” (Isaiah 62:6-7).
God’s final judgments to the nations are based on scattering the Jewish people from their land and dividing their lands. Listen to the prophet Joel as he describes a coming worldwide judgment:
“In those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I will gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will put them on trial for what they did to my inheritance, my people Israel, because they scattered my people among the nations and divided up my land.” (Joel 3:1-3)
I don’t want to be standing in line for this coming judgment. I want to be among those who cry out for the return of the tribes for their inheritance. Notice here in this passage God calls Israel “His inheritance.” Join with others who are following the biblical command God says we are to pray:
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee. Peace be within your walls, and prosperity within your palaces. Because the House of the Lord our God I will seek your good.” (Psalm 122:6)
Land for Peace Arguments
This effort presumes that the Palestinian leadership wants peace with Israel. History has demonstrated this is not the case. They want the land of Israel and the removal of the Jewish people. It seems there is no true partner for peace. Within the borders of Israel, the Arab people are citizens and have rights like others. They live at a higher standard than those who live in Gaza and other Arab towns. The experience of Gaza tells us a lot about what would happen if the efforts were realized of having a Palestinian state side by side with Israel. First, Palestinian leaders are made up of terrorists. Ariel Sharon, who was the Prime Minister, at the time Gaza was given back to the Palestinians, thought that this would be the beginning of a lasting peace. Soon after the transfer of this land, Hamas begin to train troops to raise up an army known as Hamas and Islamic Jihad. They have fired thousands of rockets at Israel and kidnapped Israeli citizens. Prime Minister Sharon didn’t live long enough to see the consequences of this land for peace effort. Gaza illustrates that wherever the Palestinians might set up a state, no Jews would likely be welcome in those lands, and they would be used to further attacks on Israel. It may be a fallacy to believe that giving away Israel’s covenant land, given to them by God, would result in peaceful coexistence between Israel and a Palestinian State. The control over the Temple Mount was given over to the Arabs, thinking this would make peace and everyone would have equal access to it. This is not the case. Jews and Christians are discouraged from praying on the Temple Mount, and visits by Jews are greatly restricted. In the final analysis, it appears that the Land for Peace Treaties do not work and do not lead to peace.
God’s Solution for Israel
God’s mandate for Israel sees a one-state solution that honors God’s covenant promises to the Sons of Jacob. As a democracy, Israel seeks to honor the rights of all her citizens and people groups in the land. The coexistence of these groups does not depend on having separate states for them. It depends on each having representation and a voice in the government, which is already the case.
For those of us who believe in the Abrahamic promise of “those who bless Israel will be blessed,” (Genesis 12:3) we must recognize that part of blessing Israel is to bless the covenant promises God made to Abraham and the Sons of Jacob. God has also given a mandate that promises that “All the families of the earth will be blessed by Abraham’s descendants.” (Genesis 12:3) Even when oppressed as a people, the blessing of the human race has come down through the Jews with great inventions and scientific contributions from the Jewish people before and since Israel became a state. Inventions have come through the Jews, such as television, Google, the internet, antibiotics, biochemistry, x-rays, the laser, genetic engineering, word processing computers, and mobile phones. Think about what more God will do through the Jewish people if they are allowed to fully have their inheritance. God’s mandate includes that “All the families of the earth will be blessed through them!”
The issues facing Israel with respect to its territories and settlements have been confused by the reporting of news agencies. They argue a false worldview of what Israel is entitled to occupy in the so-called West Bank. This view needs to be replaced by a Biblical World view. The Jews are from Judea. Therefore, the lands of Judea and Samaria belong to the Jews. Israel took this land back in the 1967 war. It doesn’t make sense to give this land back to the Arabs. Just as it wouldn’t make sense for America to give back Texas to Mexico when it was won in the Mexican-American War in 1848. When you win the land in times of war, you do not return it.
