Caller: I believe that God made a covenant with Abraham giving him the land of Canaan. Based on my belief, I would like to know the relevance of the road map which says in 2005 a Palestinian state would be created in Israel.
Pastor Doug: That’s a good question. Keep in mind, when God gave Abraham the promised land, did he during his life ever actually inherit it? Let me read you a scripture in Hebrews 10 about Abraham: For he looked for a city that had foundations whose builder and maker is God. It says that Abraham was a stranger and a pilgrim, a sojourner. The land that God gave Abraham he will ultimately inherit when the New Jerusalem comes down from heaven on the Mount of Olives—in Revelation 21.
That New Jerusalem is so big that it is going to completely encompass the land of Israel. Abraham is going to literally have that city, whose builder and maker is God, it will cover the land that God promised to give him. He will literally and all who are children of Abraham inherit that land. In this life, territory is given and taken and wars are fought, and Jerusalem is anything but a city of peace. So, I’m not going to hold my breath and wait for the territory that was once given to Solomon, I’m not holding my breath and waiting for that to be restored to the Jewish people because that territory reached all the way to the Euphrates river. Right? So, ultimately that land will be reoccupied by God’s people in the New Earth.
The New Jerusalem will cover it. That’s why Hebrews 10 says he looked for a city that had foundations. He was looking beyond this life. One more text—in Hebrews 12:22But you are coming to mount Zion and the city of the living God. And Hebrews 13:14For here we have no continuing city not here but we seek one to come. That’s the verse I wanted. We are looking beyond. So everyone who is focusing on what’s happening in Israel now—I do believe God gave the land to the people of Israel—I’m Jewish and I believe that—but I’m not waiting for them to get the same territory that God promised to David and Solomon. That would reach all the way into Egypt and all the way into Iraq and that would really take some political changes.