Palestine is the land promised by God to Abraham and his descendants and eventually the region where the Hebrews people lived. Palestine is a tiny land bridge between the continents of Asia, Africa, and Europe. The word itself originally identified the region as 'the land of the Philistines' a war-like tribe that inhabited much of the region alongside the Hebrew people. But the older name for Palestine was 'Canaan' the term used in the Old Testament. The Amarna Letters of the 14th century B.C. referred to 'the land of Canaan' applying the term to the coastal region inhabited by the 'Phoenicians.' After the Israelites took the land from the Canaanites, the entire country became known as the 'land of Israel' and the 'land of promise.'

God said to him, 'I am El Shaddai. Be fruitful and multiply. A nation, indeed, a group of nations shall descend from you. Even kings shall be numbered among your descendants. I give you this land, the land I gave to Abraham and to Isaac; and I will give this land to your descendants after you. Then God went up from him. - Gen. 35:11-13 - 1Sam. 13:19-20 -

After Herod's death, the angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, 'Get up, take the child and his mother with you and go back to the land of Israel, for those wanted to kill the child are dead.' - Matt. 2:19-20 -

It was by faith that Abraham obeyed the call to set out for a country that was the inheritance given to him and his descendants, and that he set out without knowing where he was going. By faith he arrived, as a foreigner, in the Promised land, and lived there as if in a strange country, with Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. - Heb. 11:8-9 -

The term Palestine as a name for the entire land of Canaan, beyond the coastal plains of the Phoenicians, was first used by the fifth century B.C. historian Herodotus. After the Jewish revolt of A.D. 135, the Romans replaced the Latin name Judea with the Latin Palestina as their name for this province. Although the prophet Zechariah referred to this region as the "Holy Land". - Zech. 2:12 - it was not until the Middle ages that this land became popularly known as the "Holy Land."

The medieval concept that Palestine was the center of the earth is not as far fetched as one might expect. This tiny strip of land not only unites the peoples and lands of Asia, Africa, and Europe but also the five seas known as the Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea, the Caspian Sea, the Red Sea, and the Persian Gulf. Palestine was sandwiched in between two dominant cultures of the ancient world - Egypt to the south and Babylon-Assyria-Persia between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers to the northeast.

Palestine is also the focal point of the three great world religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. It has been the land corridor for most of the world's armies and, according to the Book of Revelation, will be the scene of the final great conflict of history, the battle of Armageddon.

The sixth angel emptied his bowl over the great river Euphrates; all the water dried up so that a way was made for the kings of the East to come in. Then, from the jaws of dragon and beast and false prophet I saw three foul spirits come; they looked like frogs and in fact were demon spirits, able to work miracles, going all out to all kings of the world to call them together for the war of the Great Day of God the Almighty. This is how it will be: I shall come like a thief. Happy is the man who has stayed awake and not taken off his clothes so that he does not go out naked and expose his shame. They called the kings together at the place called, in Hebrew, Armageddon. - Rev. 16:10-16 -

The boundaries of Palestine were not clearly defined in ancient times - a problem which plagues the area even today. Generally, the Hebrews occupied the land bordered on the south by the Wadi el-Arish and Kadesh Barnea and on the north by the foothills of Mount Hermon. The Mediterranean Sea formed a natural western boundary and the Jordan River a natural eastern boundary, except that several of the Israelites tribes occupied the region known as 'Transjordan' the land east of the Jordan River.

At certain times in Israel's history, the territory they occupied was much larger. During the days of the United Monarchy under king David and Solomon, Israel controlled Hamath, Damascus, and the region beyond as far as the Euphrates River. They also held dominion over Ammon, Moab, and Edom, stretching the nation's borders from the mountains of Lebanon to the waters of the Red Sea.

The boundaries of the Promised Land defined in the book of Numbers chapter 34 - "Yahweh spoke to Moses and said, Give the sons of Israel this order: "When you go into the land (of Canaan) this is the territory that will be your inheritance. This is the land of Canaan defined by boundaries............" Num. 34:1-29 - as promised to Moses, were much more extensive than the region in which the Hebrews eventually settled. The southern boundary was placed at Kadesh Barnea and the northern boundary at 'the entrance of Hamath' - Num. 34:8 - which may either be the entrance to the Biqa Valley between the Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon Mountains or farther north near modern Lebweh, some 23 kilometers (14 miles) north of historic Baalbek.

It is also clear that the land promised to Abraham and his descendants for an everlasting possession included an area similar to that seen by Moses and greater than that area actually inhabited by the Israelites. This covenant promise to Abraham is the basis for the modern Israeli claim to Palestine. - Gen. 12:7, 28:4, 48:3-4 -

To the jet age traveler Palestine seems quite small. The expression 'from Dan to Beersheba' - 1Sam. 3:20 - refers to a north-south distance of only about 240 kilometers (150 miles). The width of the region is even less impressive. In the north, from Acco on the coast to the Sea of Galilee is a distance of only 45 kilometers (28 miles). In the broader south, from Gaza on the coast to the Dead Sea is a distance of only 88 kilometers (54 miles). The distance between Jaffa and Jericho is only 72 kilometers (45 miles); Nazareth to Jerusalem is only 98 kilometers (60 miles).

The land area from Dan to Beersheba in Cis-Jordan (the region west of the Jordan River) is approximately 6,000 square miles - a region smaller than Hawaii [USA]. If the area east of the Jordan River is included, the maximum total area of Palestine amounts to only 10,000 square miles - an area smaller than the state of Maryland [USA].

The history of Palestine is complicated by the many different cultures and civilizations that have flourished in the region. The first historical reference to the inhabitants of Canaan occurs in the book of Genesis chapter 10. Canaan, the son of Ham and the grandson of Noah - Gen. 5:32, 10:6 - is said to have fathered most of the inhabitants of the land. These include Sidon (the Phoenicians) Heth (the Hittites) and the Jebusites (who lived near Jerusalem) the Amorites (in the hill country) the Girgashites (unknown) the Hivites (peasants from the northern hills) the Arkites (from Arka in Phoenicia) the Sinites (from the northern coast of Lebanon) the Arvadites (from the island of Arvad) the Zemarites (from Sumra) and the Hamathies (from Hamath) - Gen. 10:15-18 -

The native inhabitants of Canaanwere tall, giant-like and stalwart races known as the Anakim - Josh. 11:21-22 - the Rephaim - Gen. 14:5 - the Emim, Zamzummim, and Horites. - Deut. 2:10-23 - They lived in the hill country, and traces of their primitive population continued as late as the days of the United Monarch under king David and king Solomon. - 2Sam. 21:16-22 - When Abraham arrived in the Promised Land it was almost entirely inhabited by the Canaanites, with a mixture of Edomites, Ammonites, and Moabites.

The history of Palestine gains its significance for the purpose of Bible study with the beginning of biblical period. But the region was inhabited by other cultures long before Abraham and his family arrived. As human race was scattered over the earth a number of cultures emerged. (Tower of Babel - 2000 B.C.) Small city-states began to be organized in Mesopotamia, the land between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. A Sumerian civilization (about 2800-2360 B.C.) was one of the earliest, classical civilization of the world. The Akkadians as well built their cities in the Tigris-Euphrates plain. Almost at the same time Egypt emerged as a unified nation. In the 29th century B.C. the kingdoms of Upper and Lower Egypt were united, and a world power was born. Palestine witnessed the same urban development and population increases during this period. The cities of Jericho, Megiddo, Beth Shan, Ai, Shechem, gezer, Lachish, and others were all in existence at this time.

About 2000 B.C. the patriarch Abraham arrived in Canaan from Ur of the Chaldees and found the land controlled by Amorites and Canaanites. Abraham lived for a while in Egypt, where he was exposed to this great culture of the ancient world. He saw the great pyramids of Egypt and eventually returned to Palestine, where the wealth and influence of his family and his descendants expanded through the land.

For 430 years the descendants of Abraham were in Egyptian bondage, but God raised up a champion in Moses to lead them back to the Land of Promise - Exodus chapter 3 - God strengthened the new leader of Israel, Joshua - Josh. 1:1-9 - and he led the people in successful campaigns to win control of Palestine. - Josh. 11:16-23 - The period of the judges which followed indicated the continuous struggle which Israel had with the peoples of the land. - Judges 2:16-23 -

With the rise of the United Monarchy under king David - 2Sam. 8:1-18 - and king Solomon - 1Kings 9:15-11:3 - the Hebrew people extended their influence over more of Palestine than ever before. But about 920 B.C. Israel was divided into two segments, the northern kingdom of Israel, and the southern kingdom of Judah. These were turbulent times in the history of the Jewish people. The Old Testament period came to an end with the fall of Samaria, the capital of Israel, in 721 B.C. The Assyrians took Israel into captivity and this nation ceased to exist. - 2Kings 17:-6 -

The influence of the Babylonians in the land of Palestine was swift and deadly. In 605 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, annihilated the Egyptian army, effectively controlling all of Palestine to the Egyptian border. In 597 B.C. Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians Jehoiachin the king was carried into captivity. Ten years later the city of Jerusalem was destroyed and nearly all the Jewish inhabitants of Palestine were carried away as captives to Babylon. - 2Kings 25:1-21 -

When Cyrus, the king of Persia, conquered Babylon, he allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem. In 536 B.C. the first group of Jews returned to Jerusalem under Sheshbazzar. - Ezra 1:1-11 - As a Persian province, the region was governed by regional rulers under Persian authority.

During this period, the Greek Period 332 to 167 B.C. Alexander the Great conquered Palestine. Upon his death the land fell to the Ptolemies of Egypt and the Seleucids of Syria. In 167 B.C. the Seleucid king Antiochus IV (Antiochus Epiphanes) polluted the Jewish Temple by offering swine on the altar and putting up a statue of a pagan god.

The Maccabean Period 167 to 63 B.C. - Under the leadership of the aged priest Mattahias and his sons, the Jewish people revolted against the Seleucids and enjoyed nearly 100 years of independence.

In the Roman Period 63 B.C. to A.D. 33. Pompey conquered Palestine for Rome in 63 B.C. From 37 B.C. until 4 B.C. Herod the Great ruled the land as the Roman king under the Caesars. During the reign of this Herod, Jesus was born in Bethlehem. During Roman rule also, Christianity was born. In A.D. 70 Jerusalem was destroyed by the Roman general Titus as he crushed a revolt by the Jewish people.

During the Pre-Modern Period A.D. 330 to 1917, Palestine was under the successive rules of the Byzantines (330-634) the Persians (607-29) the Arabs (634-1099) the Crusaders (1099-1263) the Mamelukes (1263-1516) and the Turks (1517-1917). The most important historical events during this period were Saladin's consolidation of his control of Egypt, Syria, Mesopotamia, and most of Palestine in A.D. 1187 by his victory over the crusader kingdom of Jerusalem and the establishment of the Turkish Ottoman Empire in A.D. 1517.

In 1917, the Modern Period, the Balfour Declaration liberated Palestine from Turkish rule and placed the land under the control of Great Britain. On May 14, 1948, the modern State of Israel was established, and the British withdrew. Almost immediately the Jews and Arabs began their struggle for control of the land of Palestine. The borders of Palestine have been in a state of flux ever since.

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Sunday, May 24, 2009

I have through years of reading, pondering, reflecting and contemplating, the 3 things that last; FAITH . HOPE . LOVE and I would like to made available my sharing from the many thinkers, authors, scholars and theologians whose ideas and thoughts I have borrowed. God be with them always. Amen!

I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.

HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-15 -