It is time to summarise...
God promised land (Canaan) to Abraham's descendents.
The focus of this promise was about God dwelling on Zion in His Temple with His people such that the Nations would know Him.
His people were disobedient and were exiled from the land, God 'left' the Temple.
God promised to return to Zion and vindicate himself before Israel and the Nations - this would involve judgement and forgiveness and the pouring out of his Spirit.
Jesus (God and God's person) came to Zion (Jerusalem) and 'tore down the Temple'.
He was judged as Israel's (humankind's) representative and killed.
Jesus rebuilt the temple in His own body in Resurrection, he was declared by God to be Lord on Zion and of the entire world.
As promised forgiveness was offered to those who would turn to Jesus, and the Holy Spirit was poured out.
God was dwelling with his people in Jesus and by His Spirit in them. This involved a bringing together of different peoples in a new unified humanity, a work that was to continue...
Showing posts with label Promised land?. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Promised land?. Show all posts
Thursday, 28 June 2007
Tuesday, 19 June 2007
Pentecost - III
Pentecost is of also vital significance in understanding that there is something provisional about the overcoming of babel and dwelling of God with his people in our time.
This provisional state awaits a final consummation.
The apostle Paul explained,
“We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.” (Romans 8:22-25)
The coming of the Spirit, though it reminds of what remains in the future, is in itself the guarantee that this future will come to pass.
Again Paul,
“Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.” (2 Corinthians 1:21-22)
And thankfully, in this provisional state we find ourselves, the Spirit ministers assurance to us, enabling us to persevere;
“…we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” (Romans 5:2b-5),
“The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.” (Romans 8:16),
“…the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.” (Romans 8:26)
This provisional state awaits a final consummation.
The apostle Paul explained,
“We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.” (Romans 8:22-25)
The coming of the Spirit, though it reminds of what remains in the future, is in itself the guarantee that this future will come to pass.
Again Paul,
“Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.” (2 Corinthians 1:21-22)
And thankfully, in this provisional state we find ourselves, the Spirit ministers assurance to us, enabling us to persevere;
“…we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” (Romans 5:2b-5),
“The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.” (Romans 8:16),
“…the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.” (Romans 8:26)
Saturday, 26 May 2007
Pentecost - II
More needs to be said about the Spirit's descent. Not only is God now tabernacling with his people by the Spirit so that they know him. God has, by the Spirit, overcome the divisive effects of Babel.
You will remember the story from Genesis 11. People living together with one language make this decision,
"Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth."
In response God descends and confuses their language to scatter them and frustrate their efforts and to make what might have been possible (?) for them impossible.
The promise to Abraham that through him the whole world would be blessed occurs in the context of this dispersion and confusion.
At Pentecost we read,
All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues[a] as the Spirit enabled them.
Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!" Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?"
It is worth noting that people are not drawn back to one single language, but rather God speaks to them one message in their varied languages. Babel is not, in this sense, reversed, but overcome! The spirit acts so that people might be built together into a building, declaring the name of Jesus, gathered from every place on the face of the earth.
You will remember the story from Genesis 11. People living together with one language make this decision,
"Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth."
In response God descends and confuses their language to scatter them and frustrate their efforts and to make what might have been possible (?) for them impossible.
The promise to Abraham that through him the whole world would be blessed occurs in the context of this dispersion and confusion.
At Pentecost we read,
All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues[a] as the Spirit enabled them.
Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!" Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?"
It is worth noting that people are not drawn back to one single language, but rather God speaks to them one message in their varied languages. Babel is not, in this sense, reversed, but overcome! The spirit acts so that people might be built together into a building, declaring the name of Jesus, gathered from every place on the face of the earth.
Wednesday, 23 May 2007
Pentecost - I
In resurrection Jesus is declared to be Lord! As Lord he wants His land inhabited. In Acts 1:8, Jesus commissions His followers,
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
At Pentecost, the Spirit comes! In interpreting the event to those around, Peter quotes the prophet Joel (Acts 2:17ff. quoting Joel 2:28-32),
'In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams.
Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they will prophesy.
I will show wonders in the heaven above
and signs on the earth below,
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
And everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved.'
Peter clearly identifies the Pentecost event with the coming of the new age!
I believe two other passages help us to understand the nature of the Spirit in this new age.
Jeremiah 31:33-34
"This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel
after that time," declares the LORD.
"I will put my law in their minds
and write it on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
No longer will a man teach his neighbor,
or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,'
because they will all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest,"
declares the LORD.
Ephesians 2:19-22
"Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit."
God is no longer dwelling within Temple/Jerusalem but in Jesus/Church and his dwelling is by the Holy Spirit. Jesus has been definitively declared Lord in resurrection, and his Lordship is being worked out by the agency of the Holy Spirit in the people of God, the Church.
(see also 1 Cor 3:5-17 and 6:19)
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
At Pentecost, the Spirit comes! In interpreting the event to those around, Peter quotes the prophet Joel (Acts 2:17ff. quoting Joel 2:28-32),
'In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams.
Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they will prophesy.
I will show wonders in the heaven above
and signs on the earth below,
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
And everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved.'
Peter clearly identifies the Pentecost event with the coming of the new age!
I believe two other passages help us to understand the nature of the Spirit in this new age.
Jeremiah 31:33-34
"This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel
after that time," declares the LORD.
"I will put my law in their minds
and write it on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
No longer will a man teach his neighbor,
or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,'
because they will all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest,"
declares the LORD.
Ephesians 2:19-22
"Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit."
God is no longer dwelling within Temple/Jerusalem but in Jesus/Church and his dwelling is by the Holy Spirit. Jesus has been definitively declared Lord in resurrection, and his Lordship is being worked out by the agency of the Holy Spirit in the people of God, the Church.
(see also 1 Cor 3:5-17 and 6:19)
Saturday, 12 May 2007
All Authority
Resurrection is also rightly understood and as enthronement. It is the definitive declaration that Jesus is Lord. Having carried the weight of sin and evil on himself unto death, Jesus overcomes. He is risen!
The risen Jesus declares "All authority in heaven (God's place) and earth (our place) has been given to me..." The entire cosmos is rightfully his.
This truth comes with an imperative for Jesus people*, "Therefore go and make disciples of all people..." There is a sense in which the Jesus 'land' needs to be occupied.
Could it be that the God reigning in Zion is no longer localised as Temple/Jerusalem/Israel but has a different locus as Jesus/Church/World? I am getting ahead of myself though... Suffice it to say, I think that because of the Lordship of Jesus the promised land is, in a sense, rightfully understood as the whole world and the way there is discipleship to Jesus.
*I make the assumption here that this command does not exclusively apply to the disciples themselves, but is an enduring command to all Jesus people.
The risen Jesus declares "All authority in heaven (God's place) and earth (our place) has been given to me..." The entire cosmos is rightfully his.
This truth comes with an imperative for Jesus people*, "Therefore go and make disciples of all people..." There is a sense in which the Jesus 'land' needs to be occupied.
Could it be that the God reigning in Zion is no longer localised as Temple/Jerusalem/Israel but has a different locus as Jesus/Church/World? I am getting ahead of myself though... Suffice it to say, I think that because of the Lordship of Jesus the promised land is, in a sense, rightfully understood as the whole world and the way there is discipleship to Jesus.
*I make the assumption here that this command does not exclusively apply to the disciples themselves, but is an enduring command to all Jesus people.
Thursday, 3 May 2007
Golgotha and the empty tomb
I assume that Jesus and then subsequently his disciples thought of his work in both Isaianic and Zionistic terms.
On the basis of that we can say that Jesus died at Golgotha as Israel's representative and substitute, being crushed and bruised because of their disobedience and sin that brought curse under the law. This was an act of justice on God's behalf, for his promise in the law was to bring curse on the transgressors. It vindicated his covenant and promise, and the worth of his Glory expressed in that covenant. As justice is done, and God is vindicated, the cross also becomes the place of forgiveness for the transgressors.
We can also say that Jesus return to Jerusalem, clash with what the rebuilt (post-exilic) temple had become and resurrection was God's return to His people, and the reconstitution of God's dwelling place in the risen body of Jesus.
The place where the Creator God of Israel is to be met and honoured is through the death and in the risen person Jesus.
On the basis of that we can say that Jesus died at Golgotha as Israel's representative and substitute, being crushed and bruised because of their disobedience and sin that brought curse under the law. This was an act of justice on God's behalf, for his promise in the law was to bring curse on the transgressors. It vindicated his covenant and promise, and the worth of his Glory expressed in that covenant. As justice is done, and God is vindicated, the cross also becomes the place of forgiveness for the transgressors.
We can also say that Jesus return to Jerusalem, clash with what the rebuilt (post-exilic) temple had become and resurrection was God's return to His people, and the reconstitution of God's dwelling place in the risen body of Jesus.
The place where the Creator God of Israel is to be met and honoured is through the death and in the risen person Jesus.
Friday, 27 April 2007
The servant
We have talked about the way in which Jesus enacted the return of God to Zion, but there is more to Jesus' consciousness of what he was doing during those fateful days in Jerusalem.
There are extensive references made in the gospels to what have come to be called the servant songs in the second half of Isaiah (other parts of isaiah are referred to aswell of course!).
If one accepts that it is likely that Jesus and subsequently the gospel writers are not simply using snippets of Isaiah out of context with some other agenda in mind, but are referencing Isaiah to point to Jesus as fulfilling the totality of the work of the servant, it is worth reminding ourselves of who this servant is in the book of Isaiah.
The focal texts are Isaiah 42:1-7, Isaiah 49:1-6, Isaiah 50:4-9, Isaiah 52:13-53:12.
The title of 'servant' is used to speak about Israel as a whole, but also to one who is chosen out of Israel to represent them. This representative will be empowered by the Spirit of the Lord to bring justice, liberation and light. He will extend the Lord's favour to the Gentiles. He will display the Lord's glory, and bring salvation to the nations. He will be attentive and obedient to the Lord, but He will be mocked and charged with wrongdoing by men. He will be rejected by men, and also by God. He will receive the punishment due to wrongdoers (Israel? see Isaiah 51), he will bear their sin and so bring peace and healing. Though crushed by God he will be vindicated, he will prosper by the Lord's hand.
Could it be that this representative of Israel was none other than Jesus of Nazareth, and that as he returned to Jerusalem he understood the rejection and suffering he anticipated in terms of being this representative, the 'servant'?
There are extensive references made in the gospels to what have come to be called the servant songs in the second half of Isaiah (other parts of isaiah are referred to aswell of course!).
If one accepts that it is likely that Jesus and subsequently the gospel writers are not simply using snippets of Isaiah out of context with some other agenda in mind, but are referencing Isaiah to point to Jesus as fulfilling the totality of the work of the servant, it is worth reminding ourselves of who this servant is in the book of Isaiah.
The focal texts are Isaiah 42:1-7, Isaiah 49:1-6, Isaiah 50:4-9, Isaiah 52:13-53:12.
The title of 'servant' is used to speak about Israel as a whole, but also to one who is chosen out of Israel to represent them. This representative will be empowered by the Spirit of the Lord to bring justice, liberation and light. He will extend the Lord's favour to the Gentiles. He will display the Lord's glory, and bring salvation to the nations. He will be attentive and obedient to the Lord, but He will be mocked and charged with wrongdoing by men. He will be rejected by men, and also by God. He will receive the punishment due to wrongdoers (Israel? see Isaiah 51), he will bear their sin and so bring peace and healing. Though crushed by God he will be vindicated, he will prosper by the Lord's hand.
Could it be that this representative of Israel was none other than Jesus of Nazareth, and that as he returned to Jerusalem he understood the rejection and suffering he anticipated in terms of being this representative, the 'servant'?
Tuesday, 17 April 2007
Jerusalem and Temple
The promised land for Israel was and, in the belief of many, remains a geographically localised region in the middle east.
The promised land, however, was more than simply a place for Israel to settle (as opposed to being nomadic), or a place to live freely (as opposed to being slaves). It was the place in which Israel was to live as God's people, a place where he was to be their God before the Nations.
This reality finds its focus in the city of Jerusalem, and in the Temple. In particular we see it in action in the high point of Israel's inhabiting of the promised land, that is in the reign of King Solomon (1 Kings 4:20 - 10:9).
1 Kings 8:10-11 is noteworthy,
"When the priests withdrew from the holy place, the cloud filled the temple of the Lord. And the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, the glory of the Lord filled his temple."
The significance of the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple by the Babylonians that results from the disobedience of Israel (Its kings in particular) is realised in these terms. It is a rejection of Israel (within the covenant) as His people. It is removing His presence from them (Lamentations).
Prophetically (eschatologically) this focus of the promised land is spoken of as Mount Zion.
The Lord is enthroned on Zion (Ps 9:11, 50:2, 74:2, 76:2, 78:68, 99:2, 110:2, 132:13, 135:21, Is 8:18), Salvation/blessing was to come from/spread from Zion (Ps14:7, 20:2, 53:6, 133:3, 134:3, Is 2:3-4), It is the source of hope for the nations (Ps 48:2, Is 52:10).
In the context of exile, the return of God to Zion, and the re-establishment of his reign there is associated with the forgiveness of sin (Is 4:4, 59:20, Jer 31:34, Zeph 3:14), the making of things right (Ps 147:2ff, Is 61:3ff, 66), the vindication of God and his people (the establishment of righteousness)(Ps 102:15, 102:21, 126:2, Is 1:26-27, 14:32, 33:5, 34:8, 46:13, 62:11, Jer 51:10, Joe 2:23, 3:17ff, Ob 17), the judgement of evil (Is 24, 28:17, 31:4, 33:14, Jer 50:28, 51:24, Joe 2:3ff), the coming in of the Nations (Is 18:7, 56:7, Jer 3:17, Mic 2:4ff) and peace (Ps 147:12, Is 33:20, 35:10, 40:10, 51:3,11, Jer 31, Zech 8).
The result will be God dwelling again on Zion with His redeemed people.
The prophecy of Zechariah in chapter 9 is then so significant,
"Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion!
Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,
righteous and having salvation,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey."
Jesus is enacting this (consciously I think) on what we have come to call Palm sunday. He is the King, the Lord, God returning to Zion (the enormity of this reality is staggering!!!). It is then so significant that he 'clashes' with the Temple, and announces that he will tear it down and rebuild it in 3 days. John puts this together for us in ch 2:21-22.
Could it be that the Lord has returned to Zion bringing forgiveness, vindication and righteousness, judgement of evil and peace? Could it be that, unexpectedly, this had not happened at the end of time, but in the middle of time? Could it be that somehow a new age has been ushered in?
The promised land, however, was more than simply a place for Israel to settle (as opposed to being nomadic), or a place to live freely (as opposed to being slaves). It was the place in which Israel was to live as God's people, a place where he was to be their God before the Nations.
This reality finds its focus in the city of Jerusalem, and in the Temple. In particular we see it in action in the high point of Israel's inhabiting of the promised land, that is in the reign of King Solomon (1 Kings 4:20 - 10:9).
1 Kings 8:10-11 is noteworthy,
"When the priests withdrew from the holy place, the cloud filled the temple of the Lord. And the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, the glory of the Lord filled his temple."
The significance of the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple by the Babylonians that results from the disobedience of Israel (Its kings in particular) is realised in these terms. It is a rejection of Israel (within the covenant) as His people. It is removing His presence from them (Lamentations).
Prophetically (eschatologically) this focus of the promised land is spoken of as Mount Zion.
The Lord is enthroned on Zion (Ps 9:11, 50:2, 74:2, 76:2, 78:68, 99:2, 110:2, 132:13, 135:21, Is 8:18), Salvation/blessing was to come from/spread from Zion (Ps14:7, 20:2, 53:6, 133:3, 134:3, Is 2:3-4), It is the source of hope for the nations (Ps 48:2, Is 52:10).
In the context of exile, the return of God to Zion, and the re-establishment of his reign there is associated with the forgiveness of sin (Is 4:4, 59:20, Jer 31:34, Zeph 3:14), the making of things right (Ps 147:2ff, Is 61:3ff, 66), the vindication of God and his people (the establishment of righteousness)(Ps 102:15, 102:21, 126:2, Is 1:26-27, 14:32, 33:5, 34:8, 46:13, 62:11, Jer 51:10, Joe 2:23, 3:17ff, Ob 17), the judgement of evil (Is 24, 28:17, 31:4, 33:14, Jer 50:28, 51:24, Joe 2:3ff), the coming in of the Nations (Is 18:7, 56:7, Jer 3:17, Mic 2:4ff) and peace (Ps 147:12, Is 33:20, 35:10, 40:10, 51:3,11, Jer 31, Zech 8).
The result will be God dwelling again on Zion with His redeemed people.
The prophecy of Zechariah in chapter 9 is then so significant,
"Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion!
Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,
righteous and having salvation,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey."
Jesus is enacting this (consciously I think) on what we have come to call Palm sunday. He is the King, the Lord, God returning to Zion (the enormity of this reality is staggering!!!). It is then so significant that he 'clashes' with the Temple, and announces that he will tear it down and rebuild it in 3 days. John puts this together for us in ch 2:21-22.
Could it be that the Lord has returned to Zion bringing forgiveness, vindication and righteousness, judgement of evil and peace? Could it be that, unexpectedly, this had not happened at the end of time, but in the middle of time? Could it be that somehow a new age has been ushered in?
Tuesday, 10 April 2007
Canaan
You will have noted in the introductions section that one of the definitions given (again, not my own!) for the promised land was;
Canaan, the land promised by God to Abraham and his descendants. Gen. 12:7.
This is of course correct. You know the story well. God spoke to Abram the nomad promising him that his offspring would become a nation, that they would be given a land, that they would receive blessing and that they would be a blessing. God used Moses to bring Abraham's (God changed Abram's name) descendents out of Egypt and into Canaan, the land that God identified as the one promised. Of course Israel, abraham's 'nation', had to go on and inhabit this land, which they achieved with some questionable success in terms of obedience to God. The high point is Solomon, God's king to whom other nations came to seek wisdom and bring homage.
Several hundred years later Abraham's nation was exiled out of the land because of their disobedience to God (God had said he would do so!).
They came back (after some middle eastern regime change) under persian rule to re-establish their nationhood of sorts, but the glory days were behind them. Their destiny determined by whichever world power held sway at the time.
In Jesus day the Jewish people (Abraham's descendents by ethnicity) had various approaches to rationalising the way in which God's promise of land was being experienced in their time. Some were pragmatists, believing that they could have a kind of self rule and self determination by 'getting along' with the current world power (Rome). Some were political zealots, believing that the promise required them to rise up and take the back the land that was theirs by divine right. Some were religious zealots (humanists of a sort?), believing God would give them back the land if they could demonstrate a great enough devotion to him.Some were spiritualists, believing that land was not so significant anymore and that they were to carve out their identity in other ways (torah, teaching, wisdom).
Jewish people to this day fall into one of these, or a combination of these, categories.
As an aside I think the conservative political movements within the county of Israel today would best be categorised as Jewish political zealots, and you can maybe see why they are so militant in their ways, and how they might interpret the 'attacks' on their land.
But, is God's promise of land relevant to any of these groups anymore?
Canaan, the land promised by God to Abraham and his descendants. Gen. 12:7.
This is of course correct. You know the story well. God spoke to Abram the nomad promising him that his offspring would become a nation, that they would be given a land, that they would receive blessing and that they would be a blessing. God used Moses to bring Abraham's (God changed Abram's name) descendents out of Egypt and into Canaan, the land that God identified as the one promised. Of course Israel, abraham's 'nation', had to go on and inhabit this land, which they achieved with some questionable success in terms of obedience to God. The high point is Solomon, God's king to whom other nations came to seek wisdom and bring homage.
Several hundred years later Abraham's nation was exiled out of the land because of their disobedience to God (God had said he would do so!).
They came back (after some middle eastern regime change) under persian rule to re-establish their nationhood of sorts, but the glory days were behind them. Their destiny determined by whichever world power held sway at the time.
In Jesus day the Jewish people (Abraham's descendents by ethnicity) had various approaches to rationalising the way in which God's promise of land was being experienced in their time. Some were pragmatists, believing that they could have a kind of self rule and self determination by 'getting along' with the current world power (Rome). Some were political zealots, believing that the promise required them to rise up and take the back the land that was theirs by divine right. Some were religious zealots (humanists of a sort?), believing God would give them back the land if they could demonstrate a great enough devotion to him.Some were spiritualists, believing that land was not so significant anymore and that they were to carve out their identity in other ways (torah, teaching, wisdom).
Jewish people to this day fall into one of these, or a combination of these, categories.
As an aside I think the conservative political movements within the county of Israel today would best be categorised as Jewish political zealots, and you can maybe see why they are so militant in their ways, and how they might interpret the 'attacks' on their land.
But, is God's promise of land relevant to any of these groups anymore?
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