by Ptr. Art Calaguas
Shalom.
After more than 150 days of the Israel-Hamas War since last October 7, 2023, hope is fading that a hostage-prisoner exchange will happen before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan commences on March 10. There are still 134 hostages in Gaza captivity composed of men, women, elderly, children and a baby kidnapped during the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack; including 31 corpses of hostages. Rafah is the last remaining Hamas military stronghold and Israel aims to finally destroy Hamas there. On the other hand, the Israel-Hezbollah conflict continues to threaten to expand as a full-blown war in Lebanon. US Special Envoy Amos Hochstein is working for a truce even as Israel has reportedly set a March 15 ultimatum to Hezbollah.
A recent UN Report has found “clear and convincing information” that Israeli women were repeatedly raped, gang-raped, then killed last October 7, 2023. There is evidence also of women’s corpses being sexually abused. The same report also finds that “rape, sexualized torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment has been committed against captives” of Hamas in Gaza. The UN Report also said that they have “reasonable grounds to believe” that such violence may still be ongoing. UN Special Envoy Pramilla Patten gave the televised report to the press and the abbreviated videos can be accessed from a number of YouTube media sites and the full presentation from the UN (https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/03/1147217). The UN also published the full report: https://www.un.org/sexualviolenceinconflict/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/report/mission-report-official-visit-of-the-office-of-the-srsg-svc-to-israel-and-the-occupied-west-bank-29-january-14-february-2024/20240304-Israel-oWB-CRSV-report.pdf. Also, for International Women’s Day, CBN News Jerusalem Dateline featured an interview with Orit Sulitzeanu, Executive Director of the Association of Rape Crisis Centers in Israel. She said their NGO gave detailed documentation to Pramilla Patten’s UN team about the systematic rape and sexual violence committed on Israeli women by Hamas, Islamic Jihad, etc., last October 7 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEzCMl1aShE).
Christians around the world should persist in praying for the immediate release of all hostages, a just end to this war and for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6-7).
We continue to explore the various Old Testament (OT) Scripture verses regarding the grant of land as promised by the LORD God to Abram and his descendants. Last time, we recognized the progression of divine moves. In Genesis 12:1-3, God said that he would show the land and promised a great nation would come from Abram in the land together with blessings and protection. Furthermore, in Genesis 12:7, the LORD explicitly says the land will be given to Abram and his progeny. Then in Genesis 13:14-17, the length and breadth of the land is shown to Abram with the assurance that the land is to be given forever (עַד־עֹולָֽם “ad olam”) to his offspring/descendants.
Genesis 15:7 is the next verse that explicitly reiterates the land grant promise to Abram. In context, chapter 14 narrates that Abram had just led a rescue force for his nephew Lot and his possessions against Chedorlaomer, king of Elam and the kings who attacked and kidnapped Lot and other people from Sodom and Gomorrah. In the beginning of chapter 15, the LORD gave a vision to Abram and told him of his very great reward. But Abram laments that he would die childless and the heir of all his possessions was to be Eliezer of Damascus, a (hired) member of his household. The LORD reassured him that his very own son would be his heir and that his descendants would be as many as the stars in heaven. In verse 6 it says that Abram believed the LORD and his faith was reckoned as righteousness. This verse is treated as a key foundation of the belief in justification by faith as it is quoted in Romans 4:3, 22; Galatians 3:6; and James 2:23 as stated in the ESV Global Study Bible. It is tantamount to completely and profoundly trusting the word (i.e., promise) of God despite the lack of evidence. Then follows the word of the LORD to Abram in verse 7:
7He also said to him, “I am the LORD, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to take possession of it.” (NIV)
7Then He said to him, “I am the LORD who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to inherit it.” (NKJV)
7And he said to him, “I am the LORD who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess.” (ESV)
7And He said to him, “I am the [same] LORD who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land as an inheritance.” (Amplified Bible)
The infinitive form of the Hebrew verb יָרַשׁ “yarash” means to take possession of, to inherit, or to dispossess. Hence the various translations render it as “to possess” or “to inherit” or variations thereof, in context. It is a common word occurring more than 230 times in the OT in various forms.
This is just another one of the many assurances and reiteration of the promise of the unconditional land grant to Abram from the LORD. Furthermore, we should note that the call of Abram to proceed to Canaan from Ur of the Chaldeans in Mesopotamia is reckoned to be c. 2091, in the Third Millennium BC. This is very early in the history of the Levant. In the succeeding passages, the Bible reveals a record of an ancient practice of suzerain-vassal covenant making. It is also found in ancient Mesopotamian records according to The Jewish Study Bible. And it was initiated by the LORD when Abram asked how he was to know if he will truly possess the land in verse 8. Abram trusted God’s word, but he honestly asked for proof.
We will continue next time.
God bless us all.