Note: I am no theologian, not a qualified Bible teacher, not even a student of biblical studies (at least not since 10th Grade). Like millions of “ordinary” Christians, I imbibe Scripture because I believe it to be the inerrant Word of God; I read it repeatedly, receiving and absorbing it prayerfully into my mind because I want to learn all I can from it.
Layered like an onion, the Living Word has innumerable facets to uncover, explore and apply to increase our knowledge of God and our understanding of His relationship with us. Speaking into our daily circumstances often with breathtaking incisiveness, the Bible directs our steps as we live our individual and corporate lives.
As with the entire Bible, there is much to study and much to learn from every verse and in every chapter of Genesis. However, as the title of this study makes clear, “The Bible on Israel” is intended to specifically discover more about why and how the Land and Nation of Israel features in Scripture.
I aim to stay focused on this. The myriad other lessons we could learn as we progress through the Hebrew Scriptures and New Testament will not be touched on here.
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 GENESIS 1 & 2 - God’s “Dream”
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth, out of nothing bringing into being this glowing jewel of a planet and sending it spinning in its setting of velvet black space with innumerable stars and multi-colored planets sprinkled around it, spread further than any eye can see.
After God made light and darkness, the atmosphere, the sea and the land, grass, herbs, trees and their fruit, lights in the heavens, sea creatures, birdlife, cattle, beasts and all “creeping” things, God made man and woman in His own likeness, gave them to one another, blessed them with the ability to procreate, placed them in a garden surrounded by rivers, and gave them dominion over all the earth.
Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. (Genesis 1:31)
This, then, was God’s idea, God’s concept, God’s dream: The creation of a beautiful world in the center of a stunning and immeasurable universe as a place of pleasure and joy for men and women made to reflect Him and freely fellowship with Him.
GENESIS 3 - The spoiler, and the Plan
God has an enemy - a mortal foe who lives solely to spoil and destroy everything that God made and called “good.” Disguised as a serpent, Satan slithered onto the scene to seduce man into sin and so steal his God-given dominion from him. Adam and Eve switched their allegiance from their Maker to the devil, and suffering and death came into the world.
God’s response was holy and just. It contained consequences, curses, punishment, and a plan. The consequences for Eve and Adam would be severe. Paradise was lost to them; they were banished from the Garden, an angel with flaming sword keeping them from being able to eat of the Tree of Life. Woman would bring forth children in pain and be ruled over by her husband; man would have to fight thorns and thistles in the now-accursed earth, feeding his family from bread earned in the sweat of his brow. All humanity would know sickness and death.
But there, right at the start, in the midst of His disappointment, anger and sorrow, even as He pronounced judgement, God had a plan. He revealed it in the curse spoken over the serpent:
“And I will put enmity
Between you and the woman,
And between your seed and her Seed;
He shall bruise your head,
And you shall bruise His heel.”
(Genesis 3:15)
So what, you may be wondering, does this have to do with Israel? After all, I did promise to stay focused.
It has everything to do with Israel. For, as I believe we shall see, God never gave up on His dream, not even for a second.
After being so sorely betrayed by the creatures He loves, and having His creation spoiled by the one who hates Him with every fiber of his being, God put into process a perfect plan to restore men and women in their relationship to Himself, and to restore all things back to the perfect unspoiled way in which He made it at the first.
Israel is the agent through which God destined this restoration and redemption to take place. The Land of Israel - God’s Holy Land (Zechariah 2:12) - was designated the stage upon which the main act in this drama would be played out. The People of Israel - God’s Chosen People (Deuteronomy 7:6) - were consecrated as the cast at the center of the play.
In this Land, through this nation, God’s plan is unfolding as He determined it should.
And in the end, when Israel has done everything it has been called to do, Creation will be remade as it was at the start, and God will again see that “it is very good.” As will we.
Perhaps you don’t quite see it that way? That’s okay. Post your comments, feel free to respond to one another, and let’s move on.
The journey begins….
Great start, Stan! Keep going….. ;-D
Everything that was planned was spoiled in the garden by the interplay of Adam, Eve, and the serpent. Everything will be repaired by a descendent of Abraham, in the land of Israel, in the city of Jerusalem by the Lord Jesus Christ. Wait and see. The shedding of precious blood covered the sins of a universe. A King is on the way.
Genesis 12
The Call of Abram
1 The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.
2 “I will make you into a great nation
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you *********************************************This Journey of man starts with disobedience and ends with disobedience and ALL PEOPLES ON EARTH WILL BE BLESSED THRU YOU………. means the world even now …………..what happened to the covenant with Noah??
Yeah Stan. Loving this start & Journey, Count me in ..
It has everything to do with Israel. From the beginning there was hatred between the enemy and Israel, the woman in Gen 3:15. The woman’s “seed” is singular in the Hebrew– denoting Messiah. Messiah shall mortally wound the enemy, satan, but the enemy shall only bruise the heel of Messiah. Death could not hold Messiah. The light swallowed up the darkness. Hallelujah. From before the founding of the world, the Father has loved Israel. This prophetic plan was in place before creation. Israel would bring forth Messiah, who would bless, not only them, but the whole world.
Amen and Amen. You tell it so well Stan.
Nancy, Noah’s not till Chapter 7, so let’s see what is to come!
Gen 3:22 YHVH Elohim (God) made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them
Garments of skin came from animal(s). The first blood shed to ‘cover’ sin! Could this slain animal be seen as a covenant sacrifice?
And let us recognise that Adam’s own blood was shed to create Eve (2:21) - the covenant of marriage began with shed blood.
Sherry, do you use a color for “Covenant”. May we find it on every page!
Deep thanks, Stan, and prayers for us all.
Wonderful beginning…. reading right along beside you.
Israel is G-d’s time piece and also his battle axe, keep messin around with G-d’s land and his people and you will deal with G-d direcly!!!
Jim,
Your post gave me the H.S. bumps.
“HE IS COMING, IN HIS GLORY”
Stan, Now you are thinking and speaking with the mind of Christ.
It all comes down to these truths.
Just don’t get ahead of Him.
Thank you for sharing the word of God! I too love His holy and most precious and life giving words and I am inspired by it as all who choose to read it will be nurtured and filled with this life giving food that will sustain them through all things. As we feast on the Word of God let us remember to give thanks to our Creator in everything and for allowing us this opportunity to share His love with others and all for His glory and His kingdom to come! God bless all of you and may His peace be with you to overflowing as you go forth in service to our Lord! Sincerely, with respect and love through Jesus Christ, Carol Ann
Stan
I am really looking forward to your comments. Bring them on…..
AMEN……….Come Lord Jesus–Yeshua…….come!!!!!
COUNT ME IN TO , I LOVE TO STUDY THE SCRIPTURES, LOVE IT
Henei ma tov uma nayim shevet achim gam yachad
Behold how good and how pleasant it is,for brothers to dwell together
as we journey on ….. to victory ….baruch Hashem !
Blessings Stan
Dear Stan,
I appreciate your mailings, and I think it is a good idea to see in the whole bible what is written about Israel and the land. Yet I believe that Genesis 3:15 is realized by Israel and the Messiah of Israel, Yeshua HaMashiach, but not necessarily! I mean, Gods plan was to redempt our world by His Son, Yeshua, but the exact way was still open in Genesis 3. Because of the behaviour of mankind, the flood, and the call of Abraham, Israel has become the means to redempt the world, Israel will be a blessing for the whole world, and thia is possible by the Messiah of Israel. But God has filled in His plan from about Genesis 12.
A journey, indeed, Stan…. I have packed my canteen and have on my hiking boots. I’m with you all the way…..
You are so right on……G-d will take care of His people Israel and many of us out here are right there with you. Tell them to “keep building” so more can come back home before His return!
Stan, this study is so crucial to our times. As a trained Holocaust educator who has studied at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum and with educators from Yad Vashem, I know , and have known, numerous Holocaust survivors as well as professionals from all over the world who have spent their lives studying, and writing about, and teaching the Holocaust. In all my years of working with non-Jewish adults and students regarding the Holocaust, one thing is outrageously clear to me: that there is an complete disconnect between most Christians and Church-related accountability having to do with the successful implementation of the Final Solution. I can only conclude that this is due to Christianity’s identity crisis based upon its own internal disconnect with the concepts of olive tree theology and the commonwealth concept in Ephesians 2. Whether facilitating Q&A with an adult Christian audience after a survivor speaking event or answering questions from secondary students, it is apparent that the Jewish people are “them” and that they are not even distantly related to “us” as Christians. The Jewish people were the unfortunate “other” that was victimized by the Nazi machine; it was a long time ago; and it has nothing to do with the Bible or us. If a stranger and your brother were drowning, who would you save first? If you saw your blood brother being violently assaulted, what would go on in your heart and mind prior to throwing yourself into complete intervening action? The Church was so disconnected from the Jewish people, that is, from the very source of their very own identity, that in 1930’s Germany and Eastern Europe it and the institutions that bureaucratized them did not see their own brothers and sisters as being systematically persecuted. They saw strangers being persecuted. Otherwise, had the fraternal awareness been active, it would have risen up with one collective fist and the Final Solution may have never occurred, at least to the extent that it did. At least, that’s my attempt to understand the failure of the Church and why I teach at my Church and in our study group, as well as write, from a Jewish roots perspective, especially as the Fourth Reich assembles and gains power in the Middle East and Eurabia and with the blessing of the UN (that helped establish the state of Israel way back when). With the exception of a few voices, and one that has been somewhat discredited, there is still a haunting silence emanating from Christendom as the Islamic Jihadist movement gains power and confidence, all with repeated public announcements of genocidal intent. Perhaps we have too few pastors who see Israel as the agent of their own inheritance and their own future home. I am trying to understand…. One thing I know is that I am so grateful for your teaching and pray that the identity crisis that exists within the collective mindset of Western Christianity, that its non-awareness of who it is and where it came from, is in some way mitigated by your voice crying out in the wilderness as the enemies of Israel gather strength and confidence and we seem to be repeating the mind-numbing circumstances of 1930’s Germany, this time on a global scale. God will protect Israel, but wouldn’t it be awesome for we, as citizens of the commonwealth of Israel who share in the promises because of Israel, were there in their hour of need this time?
Baruch ha ba va Shem ADONAI. . . Dan
Wonderful start Stan. I can hardly wait to read the next chapter.
My comment is this:-)
Who is Isra’el? Who is the Sar shalom, Prince with EL? Who is the Original Isra’el? Well it is Messiah, so anyone who comes to YHWH via Messiah is a part
of Isra’el, some people are called to come into Judah, some are called to come in
to the 10 Tribes. Any way you look at it ALL ISRA’EL will be joined together as in
Ezek 37:15-28 The stick of Judah/Isra’el & the stick of Ephaim/Isra’el are all
players on the stage of life. Judah has one part to play, Ephraim another & Gentiles another. Isra’el was in the heart of YHWH right from the beginning.
ALL ISRA’EL must be saved as the promises made to, Adam, Noah,Abraham,
Isaac, Jacob, David & others become null & void, that cannot happen, YHWH has
made promises binding on Himself & Messiah.
I am making a comment here about the holocaust, I am half Jewish, I in no way
condone what happened, I am trying to see things from all sides, what was done
was totally & absolutely evil & demonic. BUT i have to wonder as a Messianic
Beleiver why nothing is said of the 30 million others ie; Russians & christians that
were killed & its only about the 6 million Jews. The way I see it that makes 36 mill
people who were killed in the holocaust & that figure represents ALL ISRA’EL.
DEUT 29: 10-15 Parties of the Covenant made at Sinai.
ALL of you who stand here today before YHWH your Eloah, your leaders your tribes
& your elders, your officers, ALL men of Isra’el, your little ones & your wives, the
Strangers in your camp, from the one who cuts wood to the one who draws water,
that you may enter into covenant with YHWH your Eloah, & into His oath, which He
makes with you today. That He may establish you as a people today for himself,
just as He has spoken to you & just as He has sworn to your fathers, to Abraham,
Isaac, Jacob.
” I make this covenant & this oath, not with you ALONE, BUT also with him who
stands with us today, before YHWH our Eloah, as well as with him who is not
with us today.”
So from this I see that ISRA’EL is a much bigger concept that we realize & involves
a whole lot more than just JUDAH, who were chosen to protect the Word/Torah &
to bring forth Messiah. ALL Isra’el is included & as a partly Jewish person & part
Gentile/Ephraim, I feel the tension between the two & both sides cannot be denied
or excluded from the covenant. THE LAND BELONGS TO ISRA’EL & He will divide
it as HE Chooses.
In Genesis the Sabbath was given to Adam & Eve so are they Isra’el, this same
Covenant is given to Isra’el in Exodus 20 forever, so how long is forever & when
did forever begin, was it Genesis or was it Exodus?
So much to be answered & it all begins in Bereishis.
Wonderful Stan - am looking forward to this journey with you and so many others of like heart and mind.
Great..!! Our God’s promises are Yes and Amen. World is going to see the Great Warrior fighting for his Israel. God has shown enough of being their Savior for the gentiles . The days are at hand He is not going to see his chosen go decay.
Now Arise O Lord.
Awesome! I feel a great study book coming out of this! This work will need to be published!
I am looking forward to the study of the Holy Scriptures with Gods eye on Israel. Man has gotten so far away from the truth of Gods word. The church had it’s beginning with the Jew, but few people know that the early Jew followed the way of the church because the church had it’s beginning in Gen3:15,16&17 .which is the first book of the Torah!. The church is a people called out to,” live by faith”. By faith Abel offered the firstlings of his flock without blemish and gave it unto God as a sacrifical offering and God excepted Abels faith offering. Cain who was of unbelief offered up a sacrifice not pleasing or exceptable unto God. It wasn’t the offering God had asked for, it has always been “Gods people must live by faith”. It was by faith Enoch walked with God and pleased God. This is the way we please God today, the same way all the God fearing people of old followed God, by faith. God has given them to us to be an example on how to live to please God and receive His blessings or curses.. And He has clearly stated ” ‘Bless Isarel and you will be blessed, curse Israel and you will be cursed”!!.
Hello Stan I am new to this so please excuse my spelling and wording I am bless by your teaching on Israel and the word I am checking your stories and news to keep me happy till iget back to Israel I was blessed to go with my church who support Israel and as a church gone about 37 times 2006 was my first for everything airplane ride and all and I am Israel home sick I loved it so keep teaching and showing picture where you at I’ll keep reading you are on my Yahoo G-d Bless shalom
Absolutely!!!We owe EVERYTHING to the Jewish people,and as a Gentile I am eternally grateful!!The world will one be ruled from Jerusalem by the Messiah-His holy feet will touch the Mount of Olives just as it says in Zechariah!As Gentiles,we must pray for,love and support the “apple of God’s eye!”Come quickly Messiah!!Shalom!!!
MORE excited! Everyone’s comments just make me more excited about this journey!
In reading and re-reading “In the Beginning…†I am struck with how steeped in Replacement Theology we are – even those of us who don’t embrace it. This mindset underlies so much of what we have been taught. When are we ever taught that the Jews are part and parcel of God’s Plan of Redemption? We’re not – not really. Somehow things always skip from “In the beginning God created…†to….“and the Word became flesh and dwelt among usâ€. And somehow the “us†is always mysteriously translated as being Gentile and not Jew. And so Stan, I love how you bring out the clear fact that “Israel is the agent through which God destined this restoration and redemption to take place.â€
Also your comment “The People of Israel – God’s Chosen People – were consecrated to comprise the primary players†in this drama, opened the door to a new realization for me… Yesterday morning, as part of our church service, we had communion, and when our pastor referred to the great cost of our salvation – the very life of God’s Son – it’s like a camera flash went off in my head, and in that moment, I realized something I had never quite realized before. Not only did our salvation cost the life - the shed blood - of Yeshua, but because God’s Chosen People were “conscripted†and consecrated to comprise the primary players in this drama of redemption, our salvation has cost, and continues to cost, the lives of countless Jews. Every Jew that has ever been slaughtered – in all the pogroms throughout all the centuries – in the horror of the Holocaust – in every war that Israel has fought – in every act of terror that claims a Jewish life – all of them have died because, and so, Salvation could come to the world! It is because of the great cost of our salvation - Yeshua’s blood - that the enemy so hates the Jewish People and seeks so hard to annihilate them from the face of the earth. And so, although their shed blood cannot purchase our salvation – only Yeshua’s blood can do that - none-the-less, their blood has been shed as a result of God’s great Plan. What a great debt we owe them! I don’t think I will ever be able to take communion again without thanking God, not only for Yeshua’s shed blood, but also thanking Him and weeping afresh for the countless Jewish lives that have been given, so that I could stand covered in Yeshua’s cleansing blood!
Oh, Father! What an awful price has been paid for, and because of, the Salvation of the world! Now, please – open the eyes of your Beloved, Israel. Give them eyes to see. Give them ears to hear. Exchange their heart of stone for a heart of flesh. And cause their lips to cry forth the long-awaited words, “Baruch Haba B’shem Adonai!†That their pain might be forever removed, and that your Name might at last be made hallowed in them, in the sight of all nations! Hallelujah!