by Ptr. Art Calaguas
Shalom.
After more than 6 months of the Israel-Hamas War since last October 7, 2023, the 134 kidnapped hostages composed of men, the elderly, 19 women, children and a baby, including 31 bodies of dead hostages are still held captive in Gaza. Negotiations are on-going. We should continue to pray for the immediate release of all hostages and for a just end to this war. Let us continue to pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6-9).
Earlier, we saw that in Genesis 15:18 the LORD God cut a covenant with Abram explicitly giving to his seed/offspring/descendants the land he was on as had been promised. The land and its inhabitants (Amorites, Girgashites, Jebusites, Canaanites, etc.) mentioned in Genesis 15:18-21 came from the descendants of Canaan, a son of Ham (Genesis 10:6, 15-19), one of Noah’s sons (Genesis 10:1).
The next significant part of the Old Testament (OT) that specifically deals with the land granted to Abram is in Genesis 17. Most people would rightly remember this part for the changing of Abram’s name to Abraham and the ensuing covenant of circumcision. At this point the LORD reiterates his promise to Abraham to be a father of many nations. Then, for the first time God tells Abraham that the covenant with him is an everlasting covenant and the land granted to him will be an everlasting possession to him and his descendants. These OT Hebrew verses are found in Genesis 17:7-8 as follows (read right to left, top down):
וַהֲקִמֹתִ֨י אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֜י בֵּינִ֣י וּבֵינֶ֗ךָ וּבֵ֨ין זַרְעֲךָ֧ אַחֲרֶ֛יךָ לְדֹרֹתָ֖ם לִבְרִ֣ית עֹולָ֑ם לִהְיֹ֤ות לְךָ֙ לֵֽאלֹהִ֔ים וּֽלְזַרְעֲךָ֖ אַחֲרֶֽיךָ׃
וְנָתַתִּ֣י לְ֠ךָ וּלְזַרְעֲךָ֨ אַחֲרֶ֜יךָ אֵ֣ת ׀ אֶ֣רֶץ מְגֻרֶ֗יךָ אֵ֚ת כָּל־אֶ֣רֶץ כְּנַ֔עַן לַאֲחֻזַּ֖ת עֹולָ֑ם וְהָיִ֥יתִי לָהֶ֖ם לֵאלֹהִֽים׃
The New King James Version (NKJV) translates these 2 verses this way (close to a word-for-word literal rendering):
7And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you.
8Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.”
The phrase for our interest here in Genesis 17:7 is color-highlighted above: עוֹלָם בְּרִית (“brith olam”). The phrase is almost uniformly translated as “everlasting covenant” in https://biblehub.com/genesis/17-7.htm. Of the 32 different Bible translations included, 23 use “everlasting covenant;” 3 use “perpetual covenant;” and we have 6 outliers using these terms: “permanent covenant,” “eternal inheritance,” “everlasting promise,” “eternal covenant,” and other phrases such as “always keep the promise” (Contemporary English Version) and “covenant age-during” (Young’s Literal Translation). But all these outliers seem to mean a permanent, perpetual, or eternal covenant.
The next phrase found in Genesis 17:8, also color-coded above, uses the same word עוֹלָם (“olam”) we have just seen in the preceding verse and which means “everlasting,” “permanent,” “perpetual” or “eternal.” This word is now combined with the Hebrew word אֲחֻזַּ֖ת which comes from אֲחֻזָּה (“achuzzah”) and is translated as “possession.” Hence, the phrase עוֹלָם אֲחֻזַּ֖ת (“achuzzat olam”). It is translated in https://biblehub.com/genesis/17-8.htm by 16 of the 32 Bible versions as “everlasting possession;” 4 as “eternal possession;” another 4 as “permanent possession; and 8 outliers as “possession forever,” “to your family forever” (Contemporary English Version), “perpetual possession,” “continuous possession,” “perpetual holding,” “for their generations” (Aramaic Bible in Plain English), “to your descendants forever” (Good News Translation) and “possession age-during” (Young’s Literal Translation). It is quite easy to discern that these various outliers essentially say and mean the same thing as the pack leaders. Canaan, the land granted to Abraham and his seed/offspring/descendants is an everlasting, eternal and permanent possession for them throughout all generations. The wording and the context makes it absolutely clear.
The repetitive words and the reiterations of the LORD regarding his covenant with Abraham and his descendants and heirs especially the land grant can also be found in Psalm 37.
Psalm 37 is attributed to King David and speaks about Wisdom like in Proverbs. Its main theme is about loyalty to God amidst the success and prosperity of the wicked, evildoers and godless people. The psalmist expresses the conviction that the LORD will ultimately judge between the godless and the faithful. So it is much better to stay on course with the LORD. An integral but a striking theme on its own, found in the Psalm as evidenced by its repeated mention, is the possession of land as a benefit of covenant loyalty. It emphasizes God’s promise that the righteous will inherit and dwell in the land forever. Here are the relevant verses from the New International Version (NIV):
3Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
9For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.
11But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace.
18The days of the blameless are known to the LORD, and their inheritance will endure forever.
22those the LORD blesses will inherit the land, but those he curses will be cut off.
27Turn from evil and do good; then you will dwell in the land forever.
29the righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever.
34Wait for the LORD and keep his way. He will exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are cut off, you will see it.
Undoubtedly, many will recall the Beatitudes and Matthew 5:5 in particular, when one reads verse 11.
Psalm 37:18 speaks of inheritance (“heritage” in other translations) which in the ancient Israelite pastoral and agricultural society speaks of land possessed. The Hebrew word נַחֲלָה (“nachalah”) meaning inheritance or heritage used here, is contextually applied to mean possession or property and thus, is a synonym of the word אֲחֻזָּה (“achuzzah”) meaning possession or property, found in Genesis 17:8.
Psalm 37:27 does not actually have the Hebrew word for land but “dwell forever” (where forever is the translation for the same עוֹלָם [“olam”] used in Genesis 17:7-8) certainly hints back to the Abrahamic covenant which certainly includes the land grant.
Praise the Lord! It has been 20 years since my coronary angioplasty procedure last March 27, 2004. The Lord Jesus saved and renewed my life. Thanks be to God!
We will continue next time.
God bless us all.