by Ptr. Art Calaguas
Shalom.
Israel continues to seek out and finally destroy the remaining Hamas terrorist battalions, to recover the remaining hostages (alive and/or dead), and to ensure that Gaza will no longer pose a threat to Israel in the future. It now operationally controls the whole of the 14 km. Philadelphi Corridor running along the entire border between Egypt and Gaza. As a result, twenty (20) smuggling and resupply tunnels crossing from Rafah to Sinai, Egypt have been found by the IDF. This may hasten the end of the war as Hamas loses its pipelines to weapons, munitions and especially, rockets and rocket launchers resupply. It remains to be seen whether an end to the war in Gaza will bring about a corresponding cessation of hostilities with Iran’s proxy, Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. If so, perhaps the 60,000 internally displaced Israelis may be able to safely return to their homes and workplaces in northern Israel.
Meanwhile, some 125 hostages (80+ still alive?) composed of children, women, men, and the elderly are held in Rafah or somewhere in Gaza since the Hamas attack last October 7, 2023, nearly 8 months ago. Let us continue to pray for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages and for a just end to this war. Let us continue to stand with Israel and pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6-9).
From Genesis 12 – 50, the spotlight was on the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and the covenantal promises made by God with them. The 70 family members together with Joseph and the rest of the 12 sons of Jacob/Israel had now settled, multiplied and died in Egypt. After 430 years, the LORD was about to make another covenant with the descendants of the 12 tribes of Israel (while keeping the Abrahamic covenant) and bring them back into the land of Canaan originally promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. This part of Biblical history is narrated in the Book of Exodus. It is where we continue to explore the mention of the land promised to the patriarchs.
The first 2 chapters of Exodus recaps the names of the sons of Jacob/Israel who sojourned in Egypt with their households. In time, these 70 people multiplied and filled the land where they stayed. Then a Pharaoh “who did not know Joseph” came to the throne of Egypt and enslaved the Hebrews. Some scholars say that this Pharaoh was Amenhotep II (those interested may read the Associates for Biblical Research article at https://biblearchaeology.org/research/exodus-from-egypt/2455-amenhotep-ii-as-pharaoh-of-the-exodus and also the Armstrong Institute of Biblical Archaeology article at https://armstronginstitute.org/882-who-was-the-pharaoh-of-the-exodus). This Pharaoh also decreed that new-born male babies were to be drowned in the Nile River but the female babies would be allowed to live.
Chapter 2 of Exodus narrates the birth, rescue from death in the Nile, and then adoption of Moses by the Pharaoh’s daughter. Some identify “Pharaoh’s daughter” as Hatshepsut (those interested may read the Associates for Biblical Research article at https://biblearchaeology.org/research/exodus-from-egypt/3147-amenhotep-ii-and-the-historicity-of-the-exodus-pharaoh and also the same Armstrong Institute of Biblical Archaeology article cited above). When Moses was 40 years old (according to Stephen in Acts 7:23) he killed an Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew. When the Pharaoh wanted to execute Moses as justice demands, Moses fled as a fugitive into Midian (east of the Gulf of Aqaba, in northwest Arabia). He stayed there for another 40 years (according to Stephen in Acts 7:30) being content to dwell as a shepherd with a wife and son under the household of the priest of Midian. And then came the famous “Burning Bush” passage where God revealed his Name and mission for the liberation of the Hebrews, and the fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant to move them all back into the land of Canaan as promised, with Moses as his instrument.
The first mention of the specific land promised to the offspring of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is in Exodus chapter 3. The Hebrew verse of Exodus 3:8 is given below (read right to left, top down) with the salient clauses/phrases highlighted:
וָאֵרֵ֞ד לְהַצִּילֹ֣ו מִיַּ֣ד מִצְרַ֗יִם וּֽלְהַעֲלֹתֹו֮ מִן־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַהִוא֒ אֶל־אֶ֤רֶץ טֹובָה֙ וּרְחָבָ֔ה אֶל־אֶ֛רֶץ זָבַ֥ת חָלָ֖ב וּדְבָ֑שׁ אֶל־מְקֹ֤ום הַֽכְּנַעֲנִי֙ וְהַ֣חִתִּ֔י וְהָֽאֱמֹרִי֙ וְהַפְּרִזִּ֔י וְהַחִוִּ֖י וְהַיְבוּסִֽי׃
The English Standard Version (ESV) translation is given below for this verse:
8and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
This verse follows the famous “Burning Bush” encounter of Moses in verses 1-7 as he was tending sheep in Midian. The “angel of the LORD” had already himself this way in verse 6: “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” In verse 7 the LORD said that he knows the oppression and sorrows of “my people” (עַמִּ֖י “ami”) and have heard their cry.
As seen in the differently-colored highlights, Exodus 3:8 can be broken down to three (3) parts. The 1st part is a declaration of the LORD that he is coming down to deliver his people from the Egyptians to bring them out of that land. The 2nd part speaks for the first time, about a destination that is a good and spacious land, a fertile land “flowing with milk and honey.” Milk would naturally be associated with herds and flocks as its product and thus, points to a large bountiful land for pasture. Honey may probably be the syrup/nectar of dates, figs and grapes and not bees’ honey (according to The IVP Bible Background Commentary – Old Testament and The Jewish Study Bible – Tanakh Translation). The 3rd part mentions various people groups currently occupying Canaan, the land promised. Six (6) are enumerated here: Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. The Genesis accounts names the same or even more people groups (e.g., 10 in Genesis 15:18-21).
This 3-part declaration of the LORD is repeated for good measure in verse 17 of the same chapter, albeit in slightly shortened and different arrangement. The Hebrew verse of Exodus 3:17 is given below (read right to left, top down) also with color-highlighted parts:
וָאֹמַ֗ר אַעֲלֶ֣ה אֶתְכֶם֮ מֵעֳנִ֣י מִצְרַיִם֒ אֶל־אֶ֤רֶץ הַֽכְּנַעֲנִי֙ וְהַ֣חִתִּ֔י וְהָֽאֱמֹרִי֙ וְהַפְּרִזִּ֔י וְהַחִוִּ֖י וְהַיְבוּסִ֑י אֶל־אֶ֛רֶץ זָבַ֥ת חָלָ֖ב וּדְבָֽשׁ׃
The English Standard Version (ESV) translation is given below for this verse:
17and I promise that I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, a land flowing with milk and honey.
In comparison with verse 8, Exodus 3:17 has the 3rd part written ahead of the 2nd part. Only the phrase “a good and broad land” was omitted. Canaan once again includes the description as “a land flowing with milk and honey.”
We will continue next time.
God bless us all.