Though God promised the Jewish people a great inheritance of land in Scripture, Israel has never fully controlled all of that land completely. Why is this?
While this question has persisted for some time, it seems it is also a central focus in the argument for those who believe God is finished with Israel and there is no future for His Chosen People. But it’s also a very good question to ask and demands a thoughtful and biblical answer. In consideration of the question, other questions also arise: Did God change His mind about His covenant with Israel? Does Scripture contradict itself regarding Israel possessing the land? Will Israel ever possess the whole land?
The answers to these questions will never be satisfied in people’s arguments—either pro or con—but God’s Word is to be our first and most relevant source for discovering the answers.
Where It All Began
Genesis 12:1–3. This is, of course, the seminal passage that describes God’s call of Abram and the basis for the Abrahamic Covenant. In this text we find three essential elements: land (v. 1: “…to the land that I will show you”), offspring (v. 2 “I will make you a great nation”), and blessing (vv. 2–3 “I will bless you… and you shall be a blessing”). As noted, the first element of this covenant is the land. Literal land. This is verified in the next text.
The Abrahamic Covenant is unconditional and absolutely dependent upon God. He is taking full responsibility for its fulfillment.
Genesis 15:18. In the previous verses of chapter 15 we observe God making a covenant with Himself to fulfill the covenant He made with Abram. Because of this distinction, we understand the Abrahamic Covenant is unconditional and absolutely dependent upon God. He is taking full responsibility for its fulfillment. Note verse 18 in which He tells Abram, “To your descendants I have given this land from the river of Egypt as far as the great river, the river Euphrates.” Without a doubt, the land is a literal land—a piece of real estate and not to be allegorized or spiritualized in any manner. As we fast forward hundreds of years (following Israel’s 400 years in Egypt and the ensuing Exodus), we observe Joshua as the leader of the Israelites and God’s very specific words to him as they are about to enter the Promised Land.
Joshua 1:3, 6–7. “Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses… Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous…” (NASB; Note: Numbers 33:50-34:34 describes the extent of the land and how it was to be apportioned).
The above texts give us our starting point and verify that God intended His Chosen People to have a land of their own to possess. While this is indisputable biblical truth, the question and controversy lies in their actual possessing (or not) of all the land God had indeed promised.
Israel’s Possession of the Land
Joshua 11:23; 21:43–45. “So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the Lᴏʀᴅ had spoken to Moses, and Joshua gave it for an inheritance to Israel according to their divisions by their tribes. Thus the land had rest from war… So the Lᴏʀᴅ gave Israel all the land which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they possessed it and lived in it. And the Lᴏʀᴅ gave them rest on every side, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers, and no one of all their enemies stood before them; the Lᴏʀᴅ gave all their enemies into their hand. Not one of the good promises which the Lᴏʀᴅ had made to the house of Israel failed; all came to pass.”
By all indications, a literal reading of the text would lead us to believe and understand that Israel had taken full possession of the land that God had promised in the Abrahamic Covenant. However, there are other texts which tell us otherwise in order to answer our opening questions.
The following references are important to this discussion and need to be understood:
Joshua 13:1: “The Lᴏʀᴅ said to [Joshua], ‘You are old and advanced in years, and very much of the land remains to be possessed.’”
v. 13 “But the sons of Israel did not dispossess the Geshurites or the Maacathites.”
15:63; 16:10: “Now as for the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the sons of Judah could not drive them out. . . but they did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer.”
17:12 “But the sons of Manasseh could not take possession of these cities, because the Canannites persisted in living in that land.”
Throughout these texts, it is also to be noted that on several occasions, it also reads that those Israel could not drive out “live among Israel until this day.”
God’s Promise Never Fails
Did they really possess ALL the land? The simple answer is: No. But does not Scripture then contradict itself, and did God not really fulfill His promise to Israel?
While they took the land and lived in it, they never fully “dispossessed” the enemies from the land.
1. It is important to point out that the Israelites did indeed take the land God had promised and that God gave them the land (Josh. 11:23; 21:43–45). To take the land and have it given to them is to be differentiated from fully possessing the land. So while they took the land and lived in it, they never fully “dispossessed” the enemies from the land. To the writing of the book of Joshua, the enemies persisted until that time at least.
2. The fact that Israel “possessed and lived in the land” does not negate the fact that they might possess still more of it.
3. At the very time Scripture records Israel’s possession of the land (Josh. 21), their enemies (living among them) posed no threat. They had been subdued by Israel even though they were not completely driven out.
4. It wasn’t until the time of Solomon (not even David) that Israel’s borders came close to the parameters that God described in His Word. Israel’s borders extended to the border of Egypt (1 Kings 4:21) but not the river of Egypt mentioned in Genesis 15:18.
There are other distinctions that must be considered that help us understand the dilemma and controversy of Israel’s possession of the land.
First, there is an additional text relating to the Abrahamic Covenant where God is once again speaking to Abraham. Genesis 17:7–8 reads, “I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your descendants after you. I will give to you and to your descendants after you, the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.” “Everlasting” is the emphasis here, and without a doubt, Israel has NOT been in possession of the land in perpetuity. Throughout history, the Israelites have been exiled, taken captive, booted out (the Diaspora), and even to this day, the full extent of the land is NOT theirs. They have never been in full possession of all the land.
So, what gives? What could God possibly have meant in His covenant with Abraham? Amos 9:11–15 gives us insight that helps unravel the controversy and lingering questions:
“In that day [the future Millennial Kingdom]… Behold, days are coming… I will restore the captivity of My people Israel… I will also plant them on their land, and they will not again be rooted out from their land which I have given them,” says the Lᴏʀᴅ your God.”
One day, at the end of the Tribulation, all of surviving Israel will “look on Me whom they have pierced.”
Israel’s history of rebellion, idolatry, unfaithfulness, and rejection of Jesus Christ as their true Messiah has kept them from fully realizing the Abrahamic Covenant and fully possessing the land. One day, at the end of the Tribulation, all of surviving Israel will “look on Me whom they have pierced” (Zech. 12:10). Israel’s repentance will be complete, and they will inhabit the future kingdom over which Christ will reign as their Messiah. Then and only then will Israel fully possess the land promised to them. God is faithful to His Word—to Israel and to us!
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Comments 22
I have a question. There is a verse in the Bible that says all Israel will be saved. What is the interpretation of that? The remnant?
Would like to know !!
Romans 11:25-27 indicate the salvation of national Israel when the end if Gentile rule is completed. We believe that Israel’s salvation comes at the end of the seven year tribulation period when Christ returns to the earth (not the rapture). This is described in Zechariah 12:10. Its important to note that this refers to all Israel who is surviving at the end of the Tribulation. Such a good question… thank you for asking!
In that God did beget, Name thereof, Jesus (Yeshua, or Joshua in the history of the name, Jesus), that is Jesus of Nazareth.
God could have spared Him, the Messiah, simply has a synonym, the Christ, called rabbi that is teach, the only begotten Son of God, the Son of man, Jesus of Nazareth.
In record of historically valid is the text of history of the Garden of Gethsemane.
– Luke 22:39-46
– Psalm 41:9-13
It is noteworthy that, “walking in darkness” involves, of course, undeserved is unearned suffering.
In that the foretold that the Messiah is going to explain all things needed to know from the foundation of the world, of in Isaiah coincides with Matthew 13, both, ref Revelation 1-7, by the diadem, the Lion of the tribe of Judah of Jesus of Nazareth, the Suffering Servant of God, or termed the Lamb of God who *was* slain.
– Matthew 4:12-17
Every Word that is from the mouth of God, ref Deut 8:3, and Psalm 110, of has to be of God’s benevolent nature of all consuming fires of compassion flowing to embrace by grace the gift from God of God’s own merits, – that is the oils of gladness favor rests blessings from the goodwill of God for humanity, ref Luke 2, for example, in that the image and likeness of God has inherent thankfulness, in glad thanksgiving to God. Note that God’s Sent Angelic host of Angels, of having informed the shepherd in the field, in this regard, of Jesus of Nazareth in swaddling clothes, those Angels returned to Heaven.
– Hebrews 4:11-16
What would be the definition of Israel being in possession of the promised land? or any part of it? What would that condition be like? Would any gentiles still be in the land? Thanks for you response.
In the book of Romans the Paul Apostle says that they (Jewish) shall be all (the rest of Ysrael) saved !. This may be some connection with other books of bible (Ezekiel ; Isaiah , etc) I think it’s necessary to do a deep study of these books. But the first impression is that Jewish People and maybe Ysrael will going to have some special paper in the last days…..
Paul never uses the term Jewish. It isn’t in the Bible a single time. They were Judahites
Romans 11:26, And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Delivered will come from Zion, he will banish in godliness from Jacob.;”
Romans 11:14 “In order somehow to make my fellow Jews Jealous, and thus save some of them.”
It is my understanding, not all the Jews or the gentiles will be saved because not all have or will accept Jesus as their Saviour. Because they are of the lineage of Jacob doesn’t automatically save them or anyone, they must accept Jesus as their Saviour and many didn’t. Based on these Scriptures it clarifies that some or remnant will be saved. Remnant means what is left of a part of a whole.
Salvation is an action on the part of the sinner, they must accept the gift. It isn’t forced on them. Jesus stands at the door of their heart and knocks, we must open it. Blessings
Great thoughts!!
It means that as soon as this parenthetical “dispensation of grace” ends (once the fullness of the gentiles is added), the Lord will begin dealing again with His Covenant people resulting in the restoration and blessing of the nation… (Probably symbolized by the final of the 7 feasts: the Feast of the Tabernacles)
Thank you for your comments and insight. Symbolically the Promised Land can be seen to picture our salvation here in this life. Like the Israelites who have not yet fully possessed the land that God gave them neither have we as believers taken full possession of our salvation. As Christians we live surrounded by our enemy, sin. Psalm 23 says that the Lord prepares a table for us in the presence of our enemies. That’s what the psalmist is talking about. One day Israel will fully possess the land and one day we will be relieved from the presence of sin. Our salvation will be complete. What a day that will be!
A very inspiring observation, John (July 31, 2021). John 14: 1-4 implies the same assurance. Salvation is dependent upon our belief in Jesus and our possessing our place in glory, prepared by the Savior will be complete when He returns to establish His Kingdom. “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that, where I am there you may be also.” Hallelujah!!!
That is such a good picture of our lives as believers ! The Jews always surrounded by enemies in the land of Canaan and we as believers always surrounded by sin the world the flesh and the devil battling the enemies
Thanks Paul. Appreciated!
Very well written and interesting. Thanks!
Thank you. Very interesting. I enjoyed the study much.
It was not the rejection of Jesus, rather the name Jesus did not exist until around 1300 AD, when the English language was introduced by the United Kingdom. His Hebrew name Yeshua HaMashiach existed & thrived to even surpass the growth of Islam. God knew His plan would thrive, but survive the Christians, whose many sects & doctrines mimicked the Hebrews(Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, et al}. It was Yeshua, who said, “Follow me!”
I love this explanation it all makes sense and as I always understood that at the end of the tribulation in the millennial kingdom they would possess all the land thanks for clarifying.
Well said, Paul. I am praying we will in fact be able to have the Prophesy Up Close conference in Spokane, in September!
Thank you for this insightful answer. Looking forward to the Third Temple being built soon.
Where can I get a map of the “Promise Land”?
Right here: https://theisraelbible.com/biblical-boundaries-land-israel/