The world’s attention has been centered on Gaza lately,
as Israel and Hamas have been fighting. Gaza seems to be a source of contention,
and as we looked at Edom last week and the behaviors of the people, we have
another aspect to these conflicts to look at regarding Gaza. Noah divided the
land up among his three sons and their families in the days of Peleg. Each was
to have a portion of land. Noah then bound them with an oath and a curse. Yet
shortly after this, the sons of Ham moved into Shem’s portion. The inhabitants
of the various regions in Israel seem to have turned over rulership several
times. Gaza and Israel are both in that category. Yet it wasn’t all fighting,
there was a time when people actually got along. In fact in the times of
Abraham everyone lived peaceably. There is a promise of Zion being the Lord’s
dwelling and it will be His home in the millennial kingdom. Why is that? What
is so special about Zion? This is a spiritual battle that humans have been
caught up in for a long time. To start let’s look at the original parsing of
the land from Jubilees.
Jubilees 8:7. And she bare him a son in the fifth year
thereof, and he called his name Eber: and he took unto himself a wife, and
her name was ’Azûrâd the daughter of Nêbrôd, in
the thirty-second jubilee, in the seventh week, in the third year thereof. 8.
And in the sixth year thereof, she bare him a son, and he called his name
Peleg; for in the days when he was born the children of Noah began to divide
the earth amongst themselves: for this reason he called his name Peleg.
Notice in your Bible, Genesis
10:25, “And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg; for in his
days was the earth divided; and his brother's name was Joktan.” This is the
reason for Peleg’s name, not because there were continental shifts dividing the
land as some have said. They separated their families according to allotted portions,
divisions. Let’s continue.
Jubilees 8:9. And they divided (it) secretly amongst themselves, and told it to Noah. 10. And it came to
pass in the beginning of the thirty-third jubilee that they divided the earth
into three parts, for Shem and Ham and Japheth, according to the inheritance of
each, in the first year in the first week, when one of us, who
had been sent, was with them. 11. And he called his sons, and they drew nigh to
him, they and their children, and he divided the earth into the lots, which his
three sons were to take in possession, and they reached forth their hands, and
took the writing out of the bosom of Noah, their father. 12. And there came
forth on the writing as Shem's lot the middle of the
earth which he should take as an inheritance for
himself and for his sons for the generations of eternity, from the middle of
the mountain range of Râfâ, from the mouth of the water from the river
Tînâ. and his portion goeth towards the west
through the midst of this river, and it extendeth till it reacheth the water of
the abysses, out of which this river goeth forth and poureth its waters into
the sea Mê’at, and this river floweth into the great
sea. And all that is towards the north is Japheth's, and all that is towards
the south belongeth to Shem. 13. And it extendeth till it reacheth Kârâsô: this
is in the bosom of the tongue which looketh towards the south. 14. And his
portion extendeth along the great sea, and it extendeth in a straight line till
it reacheth the west of the tongue which looketh towards the south; for
this sea is named the tongue of the Egyptian Sea. 15.
And it turneth from here towards the south towards the mouth of the great
sea on the shore of (its) waters, and it extendeth to the west to
‘Afrâ and it extendeth till it reacheth the waters of
the river Gihon, and to the south of the waters of Gihon,
to the banks of this river. 16. And it extendeth towards the east, till it
reacheth the Garden of Eden, to the south thereof, [to the south] and from the
east of the whole land of Eden and of the whole cast, it turneth to the
†east,† and proceedeth till it reacheth the east of the mountain named
Râfâ, and it descendeth to the bank of the mouth of the river Tînâ. 17. This
portion came forth by lot for Shem and his sons, that they should possess it
for ever unto his generations for evermore.
First, we notice that they all had a good understanding
of geography. They knew where rivers and oceans were, and how much land there
was to the north and south. If you look at a world map, the entire Middle East
was to be Shem’s portion, from the Mediterranean Sea east to India. Northern
Europe, Asia, and the islands were Japeth’s portion, and Africa, southern Arabia,
and points east were Ham’s portion. Noah adds some details about Shem’s
portion.
Jubilees 8:18. And Noah rejoiced that this portion came
forth for Shem and for his sons, and he remembered all that he had spoken with
his mouth in prophecy; for he had said: Blessed be the Lord God of Shem, And
may the Lord dwell in the dwelling of Shem." 19.
And he knew that the Garden of Eden is the holy of holies, and the dwelling of
the Lord, and Mount Sinai the centre of the desert, and Mount Zion--the centre
of the navel of the earth: these three were created
as holy places facing each other. 20. And he blessed the God of gods, who had
put the word of the Lord into his mouth, and the Lord for evermore. 21. And he
knew that a blessed portion and a blessing had come to Shem and his sons unto
the generations for ever--the whole land of Eden and the whole land of the Red
Sea, and the whole land of the east, and India, and on the Red Sea and the
mountains thereof, and all the land of Bashan, and all the land of Lebanon and
the islands of Kaftûr, and all the mountains of
Sanîr and ’Amânâ, and the
mountains of Asshur in the north, and all the land of Elam, Asshur, and Bâbêl,
and Sûsân and Mâ‘ĕdâi and all the mountains of
Ararat, and all the region beyond the sea, which is beyond the mountains of
Asshur towards the north, a blessed and spacious land, and all that is in it is
very good.
Noah recognized the portion Shem received as the holy
places of God. Is it any wonder that the devil continually keeps that area in
turmoil? The devil uses lineage to keep contentions going. This is ridiculous
as all peoples in that region are mixed. Once the land was divided, it seems
that it took no time at all for the oath to be broken.
Jubilees 9:14. And thus the sons of Noah divided unto
their sons in the presence of Noah their father, and he bound them all by an
oath, imprecating a curse on every one that sought to seize the portion which
had not fallen (to him) by his lot. 15. And they all said, "So be it; so
be it," for themselves and their sons for ever throughout their
generations till the day of judgment, on which the Lord God shall judge them
with a sword and with fire, for all the unclean wickedness of their
errors, wherewith they have filled the earth with transgression and
uncleanness and fornication and sin.
Just two generations or so after this, we see Ham’s
descendants taking over parts of Shem’s portion. Nimrod took over Shem’s
portion in the east around Chaldea, and Canaan took over Shem’s portion of
Israel. Notice that the curse they took upon themselves is forever until the
Day of Judgment. If one wonders why there are still contentions in the Middle
East, here is the start of it all. No one can prosper if their descendants took
land that wasn’t theirs, because their ancestors agreed to an oath that was
bound by a curse. This allowed the devil free reign in their lives for
wrong-doing. Prosperity is not due to real estate, it is due to God’s blessings
for right living. If you are not prosperous, make an inquiry to the god you
serve; because the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob prospers his people who
live rightly. Shem lived among Hamites/Canaanites. They all got along even
though it was Shem’s portion of land, inhabited by Ham’s descendants. This is
why Abraham was promised this land for his descendants. Abraham knew the curse
would fall on the Canaanites, and even though he married a Canaanite, he warned
his seven sons to head south into the Arabian Peninsula. The Israel of today
was the land Isaac was supposed to inherit. This is also why the sons of Jacob
left Egypt to go to Canaan. It had been portioned to them by Noah. Joshua
portioned the land of Israel out to the twelve tribes and they all went into
battle to take back their land. Somehow we seem to think the twelve tribes were
bullies, taking what was not theirs and killing the inhabitants. Abraham knew
the land would be possessed by Jacob’s children, which is why his half
Canaanite sons left. In fact, Abraham’s seven sons don’t take any land in
Israel, they follow Abraham’s instructions.
Now we have to look at the belief systems of the people who
live in that area today. The Muslims believe Ishmael was the son that was
almost sacrificed and the one the land of Canaan was allotted to because Ishmael
was the first son of Abraham. If we keep a timeline perspective, the
Koran/Quran was revealed to Muhammad in the early 600’s A.D. This is far later
in history than when Moses wrote the Torah, just after leaving Egypt at or
around 1445 BC. So by simple overview, there are 632 years AD plus 1445 years
BC, equals 2077 years between the two sacred writings. While oral history
passed the stories of Muhammad around between tribes, we have to understand
that we are looking at the original division of land by Noah, done in the days
of Peleg. We are also looking at the time periods before Ishmael was born. I
can see how the seven sons of Abraham probably felt slighted because Isaac got a
better portion of Abraham’s inheritance while the seven received gifts. I can
also understand why the people reconciled their hardships by deciding (two
thousand years later) that the land of Israel was actually theirs. But again
prosperity does not come because one lives on a certain piece of earth,
prosperity comes from being blessed by God. If you are not blessed and you are
impoverished, it is not because of your land it is because of your god. One
cannot use the heredity argument here anymore than one can use it in Israel,
all of the people have been mixed. That is the propaganda the devil uses to
keep God hidden in Zion. You could be a descendant of Shem, but not Abraham,
and Israel would be your rightful portion as well. Therefore the only condition
left for living in Israel is belief systems, which are value systems, and
religious systems. Those are the things one can control.
The land and climate of Israel is harsh, but by ingenuity,
the people grow all kinds of fruits and vegetables, and can sustain themselves.
Abraham moved quite often because of drought and famine in the land. Today,
people simply can’t migrate whenever there is drought but have to work within
the conditions of the climate variations. Let’s take a 30,000 foot view. If the
Creator gives a gift to someone who abuses it, and also gives a gift to someone
who cares for it, it is not the fact that the Creator gave someone more or less,
or unfairly treated someone, it is the sole responsibility of the individuals’
to be good stewards of said gift. Another way to look at it is that the Creator
gave the stewardship of the earth to mankind. Some men take care of it and some
don’t. It is not the lack of earth that is the problem, it is the lack of
respect for the Creator and His creation that is the problem. Therefore the
argument that the Palestinians are sons of Ishmael and are entitled to the land
of Israel simply shows their disrespect to the Creator by not taking care of the
creation they have now. It is possible to take care of one’s surroundings and
live in peace.
People cluster together by values and ideals. Once a
group of people who believe alike live near each other they have a community. But
the land of Israel is not as much for people as it is the place God makes
himself known to the world. The inhabitants should be revealing God to the
world. The devil has hidden that, and it will take the apocalypse to reveal God
once and for all. The devil is a kleptomaniac who has stolen and hidden the
truth. The apocalypse is literally revealing what has been stolen and hidden by
a kleptomaniac. The area of Gaza was inhabited by Hamites, but Gaza was under
the land apportioned to Shem’s descendants. Technically, that was alright as
religious converts were welcome, but idolatry entered into Gaza. Gaza was taken
by Joshua to be under Judah’s control.
Josh 10:40-42 So Joshua smote all the country of the
hills, and of the south, and of the vale, and of the springs, and all their
kings: he left none remaining, but utterly destroyed all that breathed, as the
Lord God of Israel commanded.41 And Joshua smote them from Kadesh-barnea even
unto Gaza, and all the country of Goshen, even unto Gibeon.42 And all these
kings and their land did Joshua take at one time, because the Lord God of
Israel fought for Israel. KJV
Why would God fight for Jacob’s sons? Because that was
supposed to be their portion of land and they were supposed to be teaching the
world about God. Gaza (also known as Azzah) is coastal land which was a great
merchant city. But some other people moved into the area. The sons of Ham
living here were known as the Philistines. The Philistines, Anakims and
Canaanites were descendants of the Nephilim, when angels and humans produced
offspring. Remember the spies saw the Canaanites as very tall people. All the
people of that region were descended from the Nephilim and Ham combined, as
Genesis 6 tells us they were on the earth before and after the flood.
Josh 11:22 There was none of the Anakims left in the land
of the children of Israel: only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod, there
remained. KJV
The giants were never fully eradicated as Goliath was
from the same region. Judah pushed them into other regions but they eventually
came back. The Philistines were also known as the Phoenicians along with a few
other names. They were uncircumcised people who inhabited the land from Lebanon
to Gaza along the coast as well as Crete. They moved inland at times mixing
with the Canaanites and others. The people could have stayed in that land had
they agreed to rulership by Judah but the people did not want to be ruled by
Judah. That is a primary reason for the constant fighting during the period
from Joshua through the captivity of Judah.
Judg 1:17-19 And Judah went with Simeon his brother, and
they slew the Canaanites that inhabited Zephath, and utterly destroyed it. And
the name of the city was called Hormah.18 Also Judah took Gaza with the coast
thereof, and Askelon with the coast thereof, and Ekron with the coast
thereof.19 And the Lord was with Judah; and he drave out the inhabitants of the
mountain; but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they
had chariots of iron. KJV
Samson killed many Philistines from Gaza.
Judg 16:1 Then went Samson to Gaza, and saw there an
harlot, and went in unto her. KJV
Judg 16:21-25 But the Philistines took him, and put out
his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass;
and he did grind in the prison house.22 Howbeit the hair of his head began to
grow again after he was shaven.23 Then the lords of the Philistines gathered
them together for to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to
rejoice: for they said, Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our
hand.24 And when the people saw him, they praised their god: for they said, Our
god hath delivered into our hands our enemy, and the destroyer of our country,
which slew many of us.25 And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry,
that they said, Call for Samson, that he may make us sport. And they called for
Samson out of the prison house; and he made them sport: and they set him
between the pillars. KJV
God was with Samson.
Judg 16:26-30 And Samson said unto the lad that held him
by the hand, Suffer me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house
standeth, that I may lean upon them.27 Now the house was full of men and women;
and all the lords of the Philistines were there; and there were upon the roof
about three thousand men and women, that beheld while Samson made sport.28 And
Samson called unto the Lord, and said, O Lord God, remember me, I pray thee,
and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once
avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.29 And Samson took hold of the two
middle pillars upon which the house stood, and on which it was borne up, of the
one with his right hand, and of the other with his left.30 And Samson said, Let
me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with all his might; and the
house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. So the
dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life.
KJV
I’m sure this story caused quite a kerfuffle in Gaza. A
blind man killed many people all at once. The interesting thing is that Samson
had to be extra strong because the Philistines were very tall and strong. So we
see from the time of the Judges, that the Philistines had become well
established in the region again. Hezekiah also fought in Gaza.
2 Kings 18:1-8 Now it came to pass in the third year of
Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah
began to reign.2 Twenty and five years old was he when he began to reign; and
he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Abi,
the daughter of Zachariah.3 And he did that which was right in the sight of the
Lord, according to all that David his father did.4 He removed the high places,
and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen
serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did
burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan.5 He trusted in the Lord God of
Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor
any that were before him.6 For he clave to the Lord, and departed not from
following him, but kept his commandments, which the Lord commanded Moses.7 And
the Lord was with him; and he prospered whithersoever he went forth: and he
rebelled against the king of Assyria, and served him not.8 He smote the
Philistines, even unto Gaza, and the borders thereof, from the tower of the
watchmen to the fenced city. KJV
Hezekiah fought with the Assyrians and Philistines in
Gaza, cleaning out the idolatry in the land. However Noah’s oath was for
punishment on the Day of Judgment for those who take land that was not their
portion. The coast is a very profitable place to live, so we can see why the
people who live there fight for it. Jeremiah prophecies regarding Gaza.
Jer 47 God's Message to the prophet Jeremiah regarding
the Philistines just before Pharaoh attacked Gaza. 2 This is what God says:
"Look out! Water will rise in the north country, swelling like a river in
flood. The torrent will flood the land, washing away city and citizen. Men and
women will scream in terror, wails from every door and window, 3 As the thunder
from the hooves of the horses will be heard, the clatter of chariots, the
banging of wheels. Fathers, paralyzed by fear, won't even grab up their babies
4 Because it will be doomsday for Philistines, one and all, no hope of help for
Tyre and Sidon. God will finish off the Philistines, what's left of those from
the island of Crete. 5 Gaza will be shaved bald as an egg, Ashkelon struck dumb
as a post. You're on your last legs. How long will you keep flailing? 6
"Oh, Sword of God, how long will you keep this up? Return to your scabbard
.Haven't you had enough? Can't you call it quits? 7 "But how can it quit
when I, God, command the action? I've ordered it to cut down Ashkelon and the
seacoast." (from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by
Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved.)
Something we notice here is that no matter how many times
there has been a battle in Gaza, there still seems to be more contentious
people moving back into the area. There seems to be a stronghold of bad
behaviors that proceed from Gaza. Gaza wasn’t always fighting with Israel, we
will see shortly that the people in the region once got along with eachother.
Amos 1:6-8 God's Message: "Because of the three
great sins of Gaza— make that four — I'm not putting up with her any longer. he
deported whole towns and then sold the people to Edom. 7 For that, I'm burning
down the walls of Gaza, burning up all her forts. 8 I'll banish the crime king
from Ashdod, the vice boss from Ashkelon. I'll raise my fist against Ekron, and
what's left of the Philistines will die." God's Decree. (from THE MESSAGE:
The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights
reserved.)
Selling people is slave trading. Gaza is one of five
Philistine cities on the coast, and they dealt in human trade. This is
something we see also with Babylon, or the Babylonian economic system. Treating
people as commodities is one of the things Moses prophesied to the Israelites;
that if they didn’t keep his words they would be sold and go out on ships.
Israel didn’t sell themselves, other people sold Israelites and because the
coastal cities were dominated by the Philistines, they were some of the slave
traders of Israelites. Zephaniah has something interesting to say. First, he
speaks of repentance, then of judgment. The call to repentance is for everyone,
not just Judah, or Israel, or Gaza; it is for everyone. Today there are many
people who live in the Gaza area that are believers on Jesus as the Messiah.
This call to repentance holds a promise, during the destruction of the nations,
the repentant people will be safe. They will be hidden on the Day of the Lord.
Zeph 2:1-7 So get yourselves together. Shape up! You're a
nation without a clue about what it wants. 2 Do it before you're blown away
like leaves in a windstorm, Before God's Judgment-anger sweeps down on you,
Before God's Judgment Day wrath descends with full force. 3 Seek God, all you
quietly disciplined people who live by God's justice. Seek God's right ways.
Seek a quiet and disciplined life. Perhaps you'll be hidden on the Day of God's
anger. All Earth-Made Gods Will Blow Away 4 Gaza is scheduled for demolition, Ashdod
will be cleaned out by high noon, Ekron pulled out by the roots. 5 Doom to the
seaside people, the seafaring people from Crete! The Word of God is bad news
for you who settled Canaan, the Philistine country: "You're slated for
destruction — no survivors!" 6 The lands of the seafarers will become
pastureland, A country for shepherds and sheep.
7 What's left of the family of Judah will get it. Day after day they'll
pasture by the sea, and go home in the evening to Ashkelon to sleep. Their very
own God will look out for them. He'll make things as good as before. (from THE
MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All
rights reserved.)
When will the sea ports become pasture lands? During the
millennial reign of Christ. This isn’t going to happen until Jesus comes back
to rule from Zion. Then Judah’s people will move into the land.
Zech 9:2-8 That includes Hamath at the border, and Tyre
and Sidon, clever as they think they are. 3 Tyre has put together quite a
kingdom for herself; she has stacked up silver like cordwood, piled gold high
as haystacks. 4 But God will certainly bankrupt her; he will dump all that
wealth into the ocean and burn up what's left in a big fire. 5 Ashkelon will
see it and panic, Gaza will wring its hands, Ekron will face a dead end. Gaza's
king will die. Ashkelon will be emptied out, 6 And a villain will take over in
Ashdod. "I'll take proud Philistia down a peg: 7 I'll make him spit out
his bloody booty and abandon his vile ways." What's left will be all God's
— a core of survivors, a family brought together in Judah — But enemies like
Ekron will go the way of the Jebusites, into the dustbin of history. 8 "I
will set up camp in my home country and defend it against invaders. Nobody is
going to hurt my people ever again. I'm keeping my eye on them. (from THE
MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All
rights reserved.)
Into the dustbin of history the Philistines will go.
Jesus will keep his eye on the land and no one will hurt it again. This is a
millennial prophecy. The Philistines will go the way of the Jebusites. Who were
the Jebusites? And what is the big deal about the Lord reigning from Zion? Why
Zion? Why Jerusalem? What is so special about that city? The area of Jerusalem
was a Jebusite city at the time of Joshua, however prior to that, during the
time of Abraham, it was the city of Salem; hence the name Jeru-salem. The land
was a place the Canaanites lived as well as those who are Ham’s descendants.
The Canaanites dwelt from the northern coast of Lebanon to the south, Gaza, and
inland. Jubilees mentions that Canaan was warned not to live there or he and
his descendants would be wiped out forever. In later times the Philistines
lived along the coast from Lebanon to the southern area of the coast of Gaza,
and east to the Dead Sea, and Sodom, where Edom eventually took the area.
Gen 10:19 And the border of the Canaanites was from
Sidon, as thou comest to Gerar, unto Gaza; as thou goest, unto Sodom, and
Gomorrah, and Admah, and Zeboim, even unto Lasha. KJV
Let’s go further back into history. Shem lived in the
land that had been given to him and his descendants. He moved from the eastern
portion of his allotment to the western portion, to Salem. This was the place
that Shem (Melchizedek) taught others about God. There is another significant
point. The land he inherited by lot, bound by an oath and a curse, was a place Shem
used to teach about God. Shem and Eber have quite a history there. Remember,
Abraham grew up in Shem and Noah’s household until Abraham was 37 because he
was being hidden from Nimrod.
Jasher 16:11 And Adonizedek king of Jerusalem, the same
was Shem, went out with his men to meet Abram and his people, with bread and
wine, and they remained together in the valley of Melech. 12 And Adonizedek
blessed Abram, and Abram gave him a tenth from all that he had brought from the
spoil of his enemies, for Adonizedek was a priest before God.
Adonizedek
means “Lord of righteousness”. There was another man named Adoni-zedek later at
the time of Joshua, but that was a different person. Melchizedek is the same person
who is called Shem, priest of El Elyon, king of Salem, and also called Adonizedek.
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had a long history with Melchizedek.
Jasher 21:4 And the child grew up and he was weaned, and
Abraham made a great feast upon the day that Isaac was weaned.5 And Shem and
Eber and all the great people of the land, and Abimelech king of the
Philistines, and his servants, and Phicol, the captain of his host, came to eat
and drink and rejoice at the feast which Abraham made upon the day of his son
Isaac's being weaned.
It is interesting that early on the Philistines got along
quite well with Abraham. Abimelech attended Isaac’s weaning celebration and even
attends Sarah’s funeral.
Jasher 24:14 And Abraham buried Sarah with pomp as
observed at the interment of kings, and she was buried in very fine and
beautiful garments.15 And at her bier was Shem, his sons Eber and Abimelech,
together with Anar, Ashcol and Mamre, and all the grandees of the land followed
her bier.
Isaac learned about God from Shem and Eber, and lived in
Salem (Jerusalem) for three years.
Jasher 24:17 And when the days of their mourning passed
by Abraham sent away his son Isaac, and he went to the house of Shem and Eber,
to learn the ways of the Lord and his instructions, and Abraham remained there
three years.
It is interesting that Shem and Eber had lived among the
Canaanites without any wars or contentions. While it was Shem’s portion of
land, the Canaanites probably learned about God from Shem and Eber too. This is
an interesting point because Abraham married a Canaanite woman and their sons
knew the ways of the Lord, as Jethro the Midianite Priest was a descendant of
Abraham and became Moses’ father in law. Therefore, we see again that it is not
simply heredity or DNA that God is concerned with, but with behavior and
actions. Even when Abimelech died, Abraham‘s household comforted Abimelech’s
household. These people had a close relationship, even if Ham’s descendants
were living in a land not given to their family.
Jasher 24:19 And at the revolution of the year Abimelech
king of the Philistines died in that year; he was one hundred and ninety-three
years old at his death; and Abraham went with his people to the land of the
Philistines, and they comforted the whole household and all his servants, and
he then turned and went home.
It is evident, that long before the law, people were able
to be redeemed and live in peace together. Next, Jacob goes to Shem and Eber’s
house and is there for thirty two years.
Jasher 28:18 At that time Isaac sent his younger son
Jacob to the house of Shem and Eber, and he learned the instructions of the
Lord, and Jacob remained in the house of Shem and Eber for thirty-two years,
and Esau his brother did not go, for he was not willing to go, and he remained
in his father's house in the land of Canaan.
Here is the part about Jacob’s family that we have to
understand. No one was saved by the law and no one was in captivity. Romans
5:20 tells us, that by the law, sin abounds, but with sin came grace. People
were saved by their relationship to God, not by following rules and laws. Laws
made people sin. Today we live under an administration of grace, a time when we
don’t follow Mosaic Law, we follow Jesus. The difference between Jacob and Esau
was that Esau didn’t have a deep desire for learning about God, Jacob did.
Jasher 28:24 And it came to pass in those days, in the
hundred and tenth year of the life of Isaac, that is in the fiftieth year of the
life of Jacob, in that year died Shem the son of Noah; Shem was six hundred
years old at his death.
Shem lived from before the flood up to the time Jacob was
fifty. That is a long history, and God is faithful to those who are faithful to
him. We don’t know what Noah understood about the three holy places, Mount
Zion, Eden, and Mount Sinai, but we do know that those areas are allotted to
Shem. Here is a clue. Being surrounded by Ham on the south and Japeth on the
north meant that the knowledge of God would be central and move out from there.
God is established in Zion and Zion is Jerusalem. As soon as that information
was known, the devil did everything he could to trample those areas, even
making them areas of idolatry. Yet God is faithful to those who were faithful
to Him. We see that in David’s life, who was from the tribe of Judah, and took
Jerusalem back from the Jebusites.
2 Sam 5:4-10 David was thirty years old when he became
king, and ruled for forty years. 5 In Hebron he ruled Judah for seven and a
half years. In Jerusalem he ruled all Israel and Judah for thirty-three
years. 6 David and his men immediately
set out for Jerusalem to take on the Jebusites, who lived in that country. But
they said, "You might as well go home! Even the blind and the lame could
keep you out. You can't get in here!" They had convinced themselves that
David couldn't break through. 7 But David went right ahead and captured the
fortress of Zion, known ever since as the City of David. 8 That day David said,
"To get the best of these Jebusites, one must target the water system, not
to mention this so-called lame and blind bunch that David hates." (In
fact, he was so sick and tired of it, people coined the expression, "No
lame and blind allowed in the palace.")
9 David made the fortress city his home and named it "City of
David." He developed the city from the outside terraces inward. 10 David
proceeded with a longer stride, a larger embrace since the
God-of-the-Angel-Armies was with him.
(from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene
H. Peterson. All rights reserved.)
First, David was in Hebron, but then moved to Jerusalem.
Solomon built the Temple in Jerusalem. Then Solomon brought the Ark of the
Covenant to Jerusalem, Zion. This is fitting as it was the place Shem and Eber
taught people about God.
1 Kings 8:1 Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel,
and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of
Israel, unto King Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring up the ark of the
covenant of the Lord out of the city of David, which is Zion. KJV
We know that the glory of the Lord came upon the Temple,
fire fell and consumed the offerings, and the glory of the Lord remained in the
Temple for over three hundred years until the time of Ezekiel. There seems to
be places of spiritual significance on the earth, and the fire falling at the
dedication of the Temple would be one of those significant places. Today, we
see contention between Jews and Muslims because both religious systems consider
the Temple Mount a Holy Place, but for different reasons. Obviously, there has
been an evolution and progression of people’s beliefs. First, we see those
people getting along with Shem and Abraham’s people. Then we see the people of
Gaza not wanting to be under Judah’s rulership, probably because they already
had their own gods to worship and it was a prosperous region for trade. We then
see regular battles between Gaza and the Israelites that lead up to this day. Today
however, the reason given for this contention is the belief that Ishmael
inherited this area rather than Isaac. This was historically not a reason for
fighting but became one in modern times. The evolution of the explanations has
nothing to do with the truth. The region of Zion is God’s holy place, not for
God’s benefit, but for man’s benefit, so that man can learn about God. The
devil who is the god of this world wants people to worship him rather than the
Creator.
When Hezekiah prayed regarding Sennacherib, Isaiah prophesied.
Part of the prophecy is for the times when it was written, but also for the
future remnant.
2 Kings 19:31 For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a
remnant, and they that escape out of mount Zion: the zeal of the Lord of hosts
shall do this. KJV
The Psalms are songs, and many are in regards to the
millennial kingdom.
Ps 2:6-7 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of
Zion.7 I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son;
this day have I begotten thee. KJV
Ps 14:7 Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of
Zion! when the Lord bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice,
and Israel shall be glad. KJV
Asaph writes:
Ps 50:2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath
shined. KJV
In captivity, one song written remembers their homeland.
Ps 137:1-4 By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down,
yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.2 We hanged our harps upon the willows in
the midst thereof.3 For there they that carried us away captive required of us
a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of
the songs of Zion.4 How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land? KJV
Zion will be called the city of righteousness; remember Shem’s
name, Lord of righteousness. Jerusalem will have to be cleansed and purged.
Isa 1:24-28 Therefore saith the Lord, the Lord of hosts,
the mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me
of mine enemies:25 And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy
dross, and take away all thy tin:26 And I will restore thy judges as at the
first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called,
The city of righteousness, the faithful city.27 Zion shall be redeemed with
judgment, and her converts with righteousness.28 And the destruction of the
transgressors and of the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the
Lord shall be consumed. KJV
Isaiah’s words are interesting, ‘Zion will be redeemed
with judgment and her converts with righteousness’. Again, it is possible to be
redeemed and made righteous without a familial lineage. People can be converts
now, they don’t have to wait. After the final battle when Jesus comes back with
His armies to defeat the beast, the apocalypse, Zion will be the place of the
Lord’s house.
Isa 2:1-4 The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw
concerning Judah and Jerusalem.2 And it shall come to pass in the last days,
that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the
mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow
unto it.3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the
mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of
his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the
law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.4 And he shall judge among the
nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into
plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword
against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. KJV
During the millennial kingdom there will not be a need
for swords; the metal will be used for farming. Nations will not learn war
anymore. The Art of War by Sun Tzu
will become a lost art. There will not be a need to send thousands of missiles
into Israel to attempt to thwart the plans of God. God is God, and the devil is
not. The people that fight and contend to take this piece of land cannot stop
the plans of God. Those people are simply pawns of the devil, much like the
women and children Hamas uses as shields. Here is the invitation. There are
many people in the valley of decision, but the Day of the Lord is near.
Joel 3:14-21 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of
decision: for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.15 The sun
and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining.16
The Lord also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and
the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the Lord will be the hope of his
people, and the strength of the children of Israel.17 So shall ye know that I
am the Lord your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem
be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more.18 And it shall
come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the
hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters,
and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the Lord, and shall water the
valley of Shittim.19 Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate
wilderness, for the violence against the children of Judah, because they have
shed innocent blood in their land.20 But Judah shall dwell for ever, and
Jerusalem from generation to generation.21 For I will cleanse their blood that
I have not cleansed: for the Lord dwelleth in Zion. KJV
The Lord dwells in Zion. So what if the Israelis are not
a perfect example to the world; that was Jesus, he was the perfect example.
Today, Gaza is a place of contentions and hatred toward the home of the Lord.
What matters is whether people make Jesus Lord, which is how redemption works
today. Shem, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob believed on the Lord and knew Him. They
had a personal relationship with Him, the Aleph Tav, the beginning and the end,
the first and the last, the Alpha and Omega. It is not hard to see that a book
written in 600 AD does not hold as much weight as many books written from 2000
BC to 90 AD. It is easy to imagine an enemy of the Creator who uses people for
his own purposes. The proof is in the blessing or lack of blessing. While the
devil prospers his people, what we need to ask is, who is blessed? It is a
heart issue. The end of the story has already been written and we know that the
Day of the Lord is coming. The time to decide is now. The time to make an
allegiance with the Aleph Tav is now. Jesus will rule from Zion.
