by Ptr. Art Calaguas<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Shalom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\u2019s sons (Genesis 10:1).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\u2019s 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):<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u05d5\u05b7\u05d4\u05b2\u05e7\u05b4\u05de\u05b9\u05ea\u05b4\u05a8\u05d9 \u05d0\u05b6\u05ea\u05be\u05d1\u05b0\u05bc\u05e8\u05b4\u05d9\u05ea\u05b4\u059c\u05d9 \u05d1\u05b5\u05bc\u05d9\u05e0\u05b4\u05a3\u05d9 \u05d5\u05bc\u05d1\u05b5\u05d9\u05e0\u05b6\u0597\u05da\u05b8 \u05d5\u05bc\u05d1\u05b5\u05a8\u05d9\u05df \u05d6\u05b7\u05e8\u05b0\u05e2\u05b2\u05da\u05b8\u05a7 \u05d0\u05b7\u05d7\u05b2\u05e8\u05b6\u059b\u05d9\u05da\u05b8 \u05dc\u05b0\u05d3\u05b9\u05e8\u05b9\u05ea\u05b8\u0596\u05dd \u05dc\u05b4\u05d1\u05b0\u05e8\u05b4\u05a3\u05d9\u05ea<\/mark> \u05e2\u05b9\u05d5\u05dc\u05b8\u0591\u05dd<\/mark> \u05dc\u05b4\u05d4\u05b0\u05d9\u05b9\u05a4\u05d5\u05ea \u05dc\u05b0\u05da\u05b8\u0599 \u05dc\u05b5\u05bd\u05d0\u05dc\u05b9\u05d4\u05b4\u0594\u05d9\u05dd \u05d5\u05bc\u05bd\u05dc\u05b0\u05d6\u05b7\u05e8\u05b0\u05e2\u05b2\u05da\u05b8\u0596 \u05d0\u05b7\u05d7\u05b2\u05e8\u05b6\u05bd\u05d9\u05da\u05b8\u05c3 \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u05d5\u05b0\u05e0\u05b8\u05ea\u05b7\u05ea\u05b4\u05bc\u05a3\u05d9 \u05dc\u05b0\u05a0\u05da\u05b8 \u05d5\u05bc\u05dc\u05b0\u05d6\u05b7\u05e8\u05b0\u05e2\u05b2\u05da\u05b8\u05a8 \u05d0\u05b7\u05d7\u05b2\u05e8\u05b6\u059c\u05d9\u05da\u05b8 \u05d0\u05b5\u05a3\u05ea \u05c0 \u05d0\u05b6\u05a3\u05e8\u05b6\u05e5 \u05de\u05b0\u05d2\u05bb\u05e8\u05b6\u0597\u05d9\u05da\u05b8 \u05d0\u05b5\u059a\u05ea \u05db\u05b8\u05bc\u05dc\u05be\u05d0\u05b6\u05a3\u05e8\u05b6\u05e5 \u05db\u05b0\u05bc\u05e0\u05b7\u0594\u05e2\u05b7\u05df \u05dc\u05b7\u05d0\u05b2\u05d7\u05bb\u05d6\u05b7\u05bc\u0596\u05ea<\/mark> \u05e2\u05b9\u05d5\u05dc\u05b8\u0591\u05dd<\/mark> \u05d5\u05b0\u05d4\u05b8\u05d9\u05b4\u05a5\u05d9\u05ea\u05b4\u05d9 \u05dc\u05b8\u05d4\u05b6\u0596\u05dd \u05dc\u05b5\u05d0\u05dc\u05b9\u05d4\u05b4\u05bd\u05d9\u05dd\u05c3<\/p>\n\n\n\n The New King James Version (NKJV) translates these 2 verses this way (close to a word-for-word literal rendering):<\/p>\n\n\n\n 7<\/sup>And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting<\/mark> covenant<\/mark>, to be God to you and your descendants after you.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n 8<\/sup>Also 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<\/mark> possession<\/mark>; and I will be their God.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n The phrase for our interest here in Genesis 17:7 is color-highlighted above: \u05e2\u05d5\u05b9\u05dc\u05b8\u05dd<\/mark> \u05d1\u05b0\u05bc\u05e8\u05b4\u05d9\u05ea<\/mark> (\u201cbrith olam\u201d). The phrase is almost uniformly translated as \u201ceverlasting covenant\u201d in https:\/\/biblehub.com\/genesis\/17-7.htm<\/a>. Of the 32 different Bible translations included, 23 use \u201ceverlasting covenant;\u201d 3 use \u201cperpetual covenant;\u201d and we have 6 outliers using these terms: \u201cpermanent covenant,\u201d \u201ceternal inheritance,\u201d \u201ceverlasting promise,\u201d \u201ceternal covenant,\u201d and other phrases such as \u201calways keep the promise\u201d (Contemporary English Version) and \u201ccovenant age-during\u201d (Young\u2019s Literal Translation). But all these outliers seem to mean a permanent, perpetual, or eternal covenant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The next phrase found in Genesis 17:8, also color-coded above, uses the same word \u05e2\u05d5\u05b9\u05dc\u05b8\u05dd<\/mark> (\u201colam\u201d) we have just seen in the preceding verse and which means \u201ceverlasting,\u201d \u201cpermanent,\u201d \u201cperpetual\u201d or \u201ceternal.\u201d This word is now combined with the Hebrew word \u05d0\u05b2\u05d7\u05bb\u05d6\u05b7\u05bc\u0596\u05ea<\/mark> which comes from \u05d0\u05b2\u05d7\u05bb\u05d6\u05b8\u05bc\u05d4 (\u201cachuzzah\u201d) and is translated as \u201cpossession.\u201d Hence, the phrase \u05e2\u05d5\u05b9\u05dc\u05b8\u05dd<\/mark> \u05d0\u05b2\u05d7\u05bb\u05d6\u05b7\u05bc\u0596\u05ea<\/mark> (“achuzzat olam\u201d). It is translated in https:\/\/biblehub.com\/genesis\/17-8.htm<\/a> by 16 of the 32 Bible versions as \u201ceverlasting possession;\u201d 4 as \u201ceternal possession;\u201d another 4 as \u201cpermanent possession; and 8 outliers as \u201cpossession forever,\u201d \u201cto your family forever\u201d (Contemporary English Version), \u201cperpetual possession,\u201d \u201ccontinuous possession,\u201d \u201cperpetual holding,\u201d \u201cfor their generations\u201d (Aramaic Bible in Plain English), \u201cto your descendants forever\u201d (Good News Translation) and \u201cpossession age-during\u201d (Young\u2019s 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.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 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\u2019s promise that the righteous will inherit and dwell in the land forever. Here are the relevant verses from the New International Version (NIV):<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3<\/sup>Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n 9<\/sup>For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n 11<\/sup>But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n 18<\/sup>The days of the blameless are known to the LORD, and their inheritance will endure forever.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n 22<\/sup>those the LORD blesses will inherit the land, but those he curses will be cut off.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n 27<\/sup>Turn from evil and do good; then you will dwell in the land forever.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n 29<\/sup>the righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n 34<\/sup>Wait 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.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Undoubtedly, many will recall the Beatitudes and Matthew 5:5 in particular, when one reads verse 11.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Psalm 37:18 speaks of inheritance (\u201cheritage\u201d in other translations) which in the ancient Israelite pastoral and agricultural society speaks of land possessed. The Hebrew word \u05e0\u05b7\u05d7\u05b2\u05dc\u05b8\u05d4 (\u201cnachalah\u201d) meaning inheritance or heritage used here, is contextually applied to mean possession or property and thus, is a synonym of the word \u05d0\u05b2\u05d7\u05bb\u05d6\u05b8\u05bc\u05d4 (\u201cachuzzah\u201d) meaning possession or property, found in Genesis 17:8.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Psalm 37:27 does not actually have the Hebrew word for land but \u201cdwell forever\u201d (where forever is the translation for the same \u05e2\u05d5\u05b9\u05dc\u05b8\u05dd [\u201colam\u201d] used in Genesis 17:7-8) certainly hints back to the Abrahamic covenant which certainly includes the land grant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 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!<\/p>\n\n\n\n We will continue next time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n God bless us all.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" 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…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[6,7,9,8,5],"class_list":["post-398","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-ptr-art-calaguas","tag-church-of-the-risen-lord","tag-crl","tag-spiritual-refreshment-of-the-day","tag-upcemi","tag-upcrl"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/398","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=398"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/398\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":399,"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/398\/revisions\/399"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=398"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=398"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=398"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}