Is the Land of Israel Still a Special Place to God?

[Scripture More Accurately]

Even before the Israelites entered and possessed the land of Israel, that land was a special place to God:

Deuteronomy 11:11 But the land, whither ye go to possess it, is a land of hills and valleys, and drinketh water of the rain of heaven: 12 A land which the LORD thy God careth for: the eyes of the LORD thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year.

That land was not special to God because of the Israelites; it was special to Him because He made a sovereign choice that the land would be a special place to Him.

Some believe that the unfaithfulness of Israel means that land is now no longer special to God. What do you believe?

 

[Scripture More Accurately]

I am not interested in discussing amillennialism, postmillennialism, preterism, etc. in this thread. There are plenty of other threads that advocate for those faulty views.

I would like this thread to be specifically about God and His relationship to the physical land of Israel.

 

[Aaron]

The only dirt God is interested in is the dirt of which the Redeemed of the earth are made.

 

[Lodic]

I believe too many people get caught up in the land that God promised than in the God Who promised the land to Israel. There is only one people of God, which are those who place their faith in Christ Jesus. God didn't break their covenant, but Israel did.

 

[Scripture More Accurately]

I believe too many people get caught up in the land that God promised than in the God Who promised the land to Israel. There is only one people of God, which are those who place their faith in Christ Jesus. God didn't break their covenant, but Israel did.

If you deny that land was special to God completely aside from whether the Israelites were faithful to Him or not, you are not committed to saying what the Bible says.

 

[Lodic]

If you deny that land was special to God completely aside from whether the Israelites were faithful to Him or not, you are not committed to saying what the Bible says.

Is this one of those "do you still beat your wife" questions? What Christian denies the Word of God? Based on my understand of Scripture, I see no reason that the land of Israel is any more special to God than any other land.

 

[Scripture More Accurately]

Is this one of those "do you still beat your wife" questions? What Christian denies the Word of God? Based on my understand of Scripture, I see no reason that the land of Israel is any more special to God than any other land.

Maybe try reading the Scripture that I provide in my first post.

 

[asterisktom]

I am not interested in discussing amillennialism, postmillennialism, preterism, etc. in this thread. There are plenty of other threads that advocate for those faulty views.

I would like this thread to be specifically about God and His relationship to the physical land of Israel.

Now that is humorous. What you really want, it seems, is affirmation of your arrived conclusion on God and His relationship to the physical land of Israel. Real discussion on the topic allows for us to bring in one or other of those isms that you already nixed.

 

[37818]

Is this one of those "do you still beat your wife" questions?

As the openning question is posed, it is in any case a loaded question. Deuteronomy 11:11-12.

I would like this thread to be specifically about God and His relationship to the physical land of Israel.

 

[canadyjd]

It wasn’t the “land of Israel” before the Hebrew people took it. It was the land of Canaan.

Your question should be “is the land of Canaan still special to God”?

peace to you

 

[1689Dave]

Physical unbelieving Israel ceased to exist after the generation of the cross died off. When Christ abolished circumcision on the cross, nothing remained to make one a Jew in the biblical sense. It was always circumcision that made one a Jew or physical member of physical Israel. Today's "Israel" are gentiles under God's wrath until the end. With some, for the Father's sakes being grafted into Christ and true Israel, the Believers in Christ.

 

[Scripture More Accurately]

Now that is humorous. What you really want, it seems, is affirmation of your arrived conclusion on God and His relationship to the physical land of Israel. Real discussion on the topic allows for us to bring in one or other of those isms that you already nixed.

No, what I want is a discussion of a specific subject, which is not the subject that you and many others may want to discuss. If you have something of value to say that pertains directly to the question, great. If not, feel free to start other threads that talk about what you want to talk about.

 

[Scripture More Accurately]

Physical unbelieving Israel ceased to exist after the generation of the cross died off. When Christ abolished circumcision on the cross, nothing remained to make one a Jew in the biblical sense. It was always circumcision that made one a Jew or physical member of physical Israel. Today's "Israel" are gentiles under God's wrath until the end. With some, for the Father's sakes being grafted into Christ and true Israel, the Believers in Christ.

This is not the topic of this thread. The question is not whether there are people who are Jews, etc. The question is concerning whether the physical land of Israel is still special to God.

 

[Aaron]

If you deny that land was special to God completely aside from whether the Israelites were faithful to Him or not, you are not committed to saying what the Bible says.

Well, it was to be the birthplace of His Son, and also the stage of His murder. So, I couldn't say that the Father had no interest at all.

However, the end of that piece of real estate will be the same as that of Sodom and Gomorrah. It will be burned up. So I can't say He has any special interest in it now.

 

[Dave G]

What do you believe?

Given that we're not discussing prophecy, then the reason that the land is still special to Him cannot be stated without bringing in Zechariah 10 thru Zechariah 14, Micah 4, Daniel 9 thru Daniel 11, select chapters in Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, as well as Revelation 19 thru Revelation 20 and many more passages, including Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21.

But to summarize,
Yes, I believe that it is special to Him and will be special to Him until the new heavens and the new earth are created...

At which time it will be burned up with all the rest;
The earth will be wiped with fire and the land created again, just as Revelation 21 tells us.

 

[Two Wings]

It wasn’t the “land of Israel” before the Hebrew people took it.

Do you remember how that happened?

It wasn't by the strength of the Israelite army.

 

[Scripture More Accurately]

Genesis 14:18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.

Scripture reveals that Salem (Jerusalem) was a special place to God completely independently from anything having to do with any promises to anyone when it reveals to us that its king long before there were any Israelites was a priest of the most high God! Scripture does not reveal any such connection between God and any other city.

This revelation thus teaches us that Jerusalem was a place of the true worship of the one and only living and true God long before the Law was given to the Israelites.

Much later, as I have already cited in my opening post, God revealed just how special that land was to Him: "A land which the LORD thy God careth for: the eyes of the LORD thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year" (Deut. 11:12).

Remarkably, God said these things about that land even though it was the case that at that time in history horrifically wicked Canaanites were in control of that land!

Scripture definitively teaches through these two passages that the land (that later became the land) of Israel and the city of Salem were special to God apart from anything having to do with the Israelites and whether they would be faithful to Him or not.

 

[agedman]

Without reading other responses, for I have little time, I offer this opinion.

The land served a purpose to allow a dwelling place for the promised one.
The land served a purpose to allow a place for the crucifixion and resurrection.
Taking the future into account the land will again serve the purposes of God to bring a conclusion to time and space.

Other then that, dirt and dust are dirt and dust no matter where one roams.

It is a rather interesting question.

When I can, I want to return and read the posts from others

 

[Aaron]

Genesis 14:18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.

Scripture reveals that Salem (Jerusalem) was a special place to God completely independently from anything having to do with any promises to anyone when it reveals to us that its king long before there were any Israelites was a priest of the most high God! Scripture does not reveal any such connection between God and any other city.

This revelation thus teaches us that Jerusalem was a place of the true worship of the one and only living and true God long before the Law was given to the Israelites.

Much later, as I have already cited in my opening post, God revealed just how special that land was to Him: "A land which the LORD thy God careth for: the eyes of the LORD thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year" (Deut. 11:12).

Remarkably, God said these things about that land even though it was the case that at that time in history horrifically wicked Canaanites were in control of that land!

Scripture definitively teaches through these two passages that the land (that later became the land) of Israel and the city of Salem were special to God apart from anything having to do with the Israelites and whether they would be faithful to Him or not.

What do you think is or was special about it?

 

[Scripture More Accurately]

What do you think is or was special about it?

Ultimately, it has to do with God's sovereign choice of that land for His own glory. Beyond that overarching reality, I am studying Scripture to compile what it reveals about this subject.

Before later in the day yesterday, I had never seen the relevance of the revelation about Melchizedek to this subject. God's illumining that truth to me yesterday confirms to me that this is something that He wants me to study in-depth at this time and profit from greatly.