Israel’s land grant is clearly recorded in the Bible.  We’re going to study Israel’s land grant today. This will help us understand what belongs to Israel and when they can anticipate inhabiting their land.

Israel’s original land grant is the land of Canaan.  Gen 13:15, for all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.  Gen 17:8 And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.

But God intended for their land to expand to the Euphrates River.  Gen 15:18 In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates

Deut 11:24 Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours: from the wilderness and Lebanon, from the river, the river Euphrates, even unto the uttermost sea shall your coast be.

Jos 1:4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast.

Initially, Israel occupied the land of Canaan, east and west of the Jordan river.  The land was divided by tribes.  Deut 3:12-17, Jos 13:15-32 Gilead and Bashan went to Reuben, Gad, and half Manasseh.  Their inheritance in Canaan went to the other tribes less Levi, Num 34.  Judah Jos 15. Ephraim Jos 16.  Half Manasseh, Jos 17.  Benjamin, Jos 18:11-28.  Simeon, Jos 19:1-9, Zebulun, Jos 19:10-16, Issachar, Jos 19:17-23, Asher, Jos 19:24-31, Naphtali, Jos 19:32-39, Dan, Jos 19:40-48.

Reuben expanded his possession into the wilderness toward Euphrates. 1 Chr 5:9 and eastward he inhabited unto the entering in of the wilderness from the river Euphrates: because their cattle were multiplied in the land of Gilead.

In 1 Chr 18:1-6 David expanded into this territory and subdued the kings and the people there 1 Chr 18:3 And David smote Hadarezer king of Zobah unto Hamath, as he went to stablish his dominion by the river Euphrates.

But, Israel never solely occupied the land granted to them because of the nations they allowed to continue in the land of Canaan and because of the nations that surrounded them: the Egyptians, Philistines, Syrians, Assyrians, and Chaldeans.  Examples:

2 Ki 23:29 In his days Pharaoh-nechoh king of Egypt went up against the king of Assyria to the river Euphrates: and king Josiah went against him; and he slew him at Megiddo, when he had seen him.

2 Ki 24:7 And the king of Egypt came not again any more out of his land: for the king of Babylon had taken from the river of Egypt unto the river Euphrates all that pertained to the king of Egypt.

With the captivities of the 10 northern tribes and 2 southern tribes, the times of the Gentiles began.  The Assyrians took the Israel captive in 2 Ki 17 (see 2 Ki 17:6).  The Chaldeans took Judah captive in 2 Ki 25 (see 2 Ki 25:8-11).  Though the Gentiles began to rule over Israel and Judah years ago, the times of the Gentiles are still going on today, Rom 11:25.

So, anything happening in Israel right now is not in fulfillment of God’s promises to Israel.  The fulness of the Gentiles has not come in.  It won’t until the Deliverer shows up, Rom 11:26.  Then the fulfillment of the prophecies concerning Israel’s land grant will resume, Is 60:15-22.

Therefore, the current fight between Israel and the surrounding nations is not the fight prophesied in the Bible.  That fight will take place at the Second Coming of Jesus.

Jesus will fight for this land.  Jer 46:10 For this is the day of the Lord God of hosts, a day of vengeance, that he may avenge him of his adversaries: and the sword shall devour, and it shall be satiate and made drunk with their blood: for the Lord God of hosts hath a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates.

And after he destroys the antichrist and the nations gathered against Israel, Zech 14:1-3, Israel will again occupy Israel’s land grant, Ezek 47:13-21.  Jesus will be in Jerusalem, Ezek 48:35.  Thus, the promise to Abraham and the twelve tribes will then be fulfilled.   In Ezek 48 we find the tribal divisions between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, from north to south: Dan, Asher, Naphtali, Manasseh, Ephraim, Reuben, Judah, Benjamin, Simeon, Issachar, Zebulun, and Gad.

The term of Israel’s land grant is for ever, Gen 13:14-15, Ps 105:8-11.  Therefore, they are going to eventually get this land, but not by the means you are witnessing today.  To study the previous lesson in this series, see God’s Covenant with Abraham.  To study the next lesson, see Israel’s Government.