Press of the BeComingOne Church

[Taken from the Prophecy Papers  by Walter R. Dolen
 Copyright © 1977-2003 by Walter R. Dolen and/or BeComingOne Church]

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PR1: Seed Paper

Physical Promises to Israel
Spiritual Promises to Israel
Ur of the Chaldeans

Promises and Prophecies

Concerning Mankind and Israel

pr1» In the first book of the Bible God gave the patriarchs of Israel (Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob) certain promises that He would perform through their children. We will examine these promises in two ways -- physically and Spiritually, for these promises are dual. Each promise given to the patriarchs has a typical and an antitypical fulfillment for the Bible is dual in meaning. The Bible has its physical and Spiritual fulfillment. It is the physical that prefigures the Spiritual.

pr2» Among other things, in examining the scriptures on the promises given to the patriarchs we will be able to ascertain where the Real Israel is today. We will deal with the physical promises first, then in part two we will cover the Spiritual promises. Both the physical and Spiritual promises are important and must be understood correctly.

 

Physical Promises to Israel

Abraham

pr3» God called Abram, whose name was later changed to Abraham, in the land of Ur of the Chaldees (Acts 7:2-4). God asked Abram to go out of his land and from his nativity "unto a land that I will show you."

[Gen 12:1; Abram or Abraham was born in the "Ur of the Chaldeans" in northwestern Mesopotamia in today's northern Syria and southeastern Turkey. See Notes, "Ur of the Chaldeans"]

pr4» And God said: "I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing: and I will bless them that bless you, and curse them that curse you: and in you shall all families of the earth be blessed" ( Gen 12:2-3). Abram departed Ur and went to Haran. When Abram's father died he departed Haran: "So Abram departed ... And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sichem, unto the plain of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land. And the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto your SEED will I give this land."(Gen 12:4, 6-7)

pr5» Therefore, the first promises to Abraham (Abram) were:

  • of him God would make a great nation (Gen 12:2)
  • in him would all the families of the earth be blessed (Gen 12:3)
  • his seed (offspring) would inherit the land of Canaan (Gen 12:6-7)

pr6» Next Abraham (Abram) was promised that his seed would have this land in the Middle East (Canaan) for a distance as far as he could see to the north, south, east, and west (Gen 13:14-15). He said his seed would obtain the land for an agelasting period, not "for ever" as it is mistranslated in most Bibles (See "Age Paper" [NM 7]). Therefore for an age of unknown length Abraham's seed (offspring) would have this land of the Middle East.

pr7» At this same time God promised, "I will make your SEED as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall your seed also be numbered"(Gen 13:16). Therefore the offspring of Abraham would be a great number of people. This promise of a great number of offspring is reiterated in Genesis 15:5; 22:17; 26:4; etc. (as the stars of heaven), and in Genesis 22:17; 32:12 (as the sand of the sea). And in Genesis 24:60 it says the number of offspring would be thousands of myriads (KJV, "millions"). Hence we see Abraham's children would become a great nation that would have a great population, and that all families (nations) of the earth would be blessed therein: "in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed" ( Gen 12:3).

pr8» When God changed Abram's name ("exalted father") to Abraham ("father of a multitude") He said, "my covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations ... and I will make you exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come out of you" ( Gen 17:4,6). Therefore Abraham's offspring would be rich (fruitful) and kings would come out of them.

pr9» Also note in Genesis 17:8 that the possession of the Middle East is for an AGE (KJV, "everlasting"), not everlasting. As it turned out they only did possess this land for a certain age although this promise is a dual one and later we will explain this better.

pr10» Next as a token of this covenant between God and Abraham, "Every man child among you shall be circumcised" ( Gen 17:10-11). This was an AGElasting covenant, not "everlasting" as it is mistranslated (Gen 17:13). As it turned out this token of the covenant did only last for an age, for physical circumcision was cut off as a requirement when Spiritual circumcision was installed through Christ (Col 2:11-12; Acts 15:5-29).

Isaac

pr11» Next we see this covenant between Abraham and God was passed on to the son of Sarah -- Isaac (Gen 17:19,21). It is through Isaac that the SEED of Abraham would be called (Gen 21:12).

pr12» After Abraham obeyed God to the point of attempting to sacrifice his son Isaac (Gen 22:1-14), God again reiterated the promises to Abraham (Gen 22:16-18):

  • to multiply his SEED as the stars of heaven;
  • that in his SEED the nations would be blessed;
  • and that his SEED would possess the cities (KJV, "gates" as in "city gates"; see Septuagint and cf. Deut 12:21; Mic 1:9 of his enemies.)

pr13» Later God again promised the same thing, but this time directly to Isaac, "I will make your seed [offspring] to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto your seed all these countries [or lands or cities of his enemies -- the Canaanites]; and in your seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws" ( Gen 26:5). Notice the reason Abraham's seed was given these promises is because Abraham followed the directions of God. Again God appeared to Isaac and said, "I am with you, and will bless you, and multiply your seed for my servant Abraham's sake" ( Gen 26:24). Abraham's faith was proven through his deeds (Rom 4:13-16; James 2:17-24, see "Proof Paper" [NM 10]). Therefore what God promised to Abraham was passed on to Isaac.

Jacob (Israel)

pr14» Isaac's blessing in turn was passed on to Jacob. Isaac's wife Rebekah had twins -- Esau and Jacob (Gen 25:21-26). Now Esau was the first born of the twins, thus the rights of Isaac was passed on to Esau. But Jacob got Esau to sell his birthright to him (Gen 25:29-33). So the rights that went with being first born was passed on to Jacob. Thus, Jacob was the seed of Isaac in whom God would bestow his promises.

pr15» Further, Jacob took the blessing Isaac wanted to give Esau -- his first born -- whose right it was to have these blessings. Yet Esau sold his birthright and God told Rebekah that her younger child (Jacob) would become the greater nation than the elder (Esau), and that Esau would serve Jacob (Gen 25:23). Genesis 27:1-36 shows how Jacob took the blessing away from Esau. Genesis 27:27-29 pictures the blessing given to Jacob in the form of a prophecy, "Therefore God give you of the dew of heaven [good weather], and fatness of the earth [good land], and plenty of corn and wine [good crops]: let people serve you and nations bow down to you [thus other nations would serve Jacob's prophesied nation in one way or another]...."

pr16» Again God promises Jacob what he promised to Abraham and Isaac, "your seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south; and in you and in your seed shall ALL the families of the earth be blessed" ( Gen 28:14). Hence, the whole world would benefit from Jacob's SEED (cf. Acts 3:25). To the four corners of the earth Jacob's SEED would physically bless the world.

Jacob's Name Changed

pr17» "And God appeared unto Jacob again ... and God said unto him, your name is Jacob: Your name shall not be called any more Jacob ['supplanter'] but Israel ['ruling with God'] shall be your name: and he called his name Israel. And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of you, and kings shall come out of your loins; and the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to you I will give it, and to your seed after you I give the land" ( Gen 35:9-12). This confirms again that the promises of Abraham was passed on to Jacob whose name was changed to Israel. Thus every time one sees Jacob or Israel in the prophecies he knows it speaks of the same nation or nations who grew up out of Jacob. A list of Jacob's children to whom the promises were passed on is in Genesis 35:23-26. Some of the blessings that were passed on to these children are noted in Genesis 49:1-28.

Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh

pr18» Joseph, one of the sons of Israel (Jacob), was sold by his brothers and was brought into Egypt. Joseph became a great leader under the Pharaoh. Jacob moved over into Egypt because there was a famine in the earth, and Joseph in Egypt promised Jacob his father and his sons food and land in Egypt (Gen 45:17-20). In Egypt "Jacob [Israel] said unto Joseph, God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me, and said unto me, 'Behold, I will make you fruitful, and multiply you, and I will make of you a multitude of people; and will give this land to your seed after you, for an agelasting [KJV. 'ever-lasting'] possession. And now your [Joseph's] sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, which were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came unto you into Egypt, ARE MINE; as Reuben and Simeon, they [Ephraim and Manasseh] shall be MINE. And your issue [children], which you begettest after them [Ephraim and Manasseh], shall be yours..." ( Gen 48:3-6).

pr19» Notice that Jacob called Joseph's two children, Ephraim and Manasseh, his -- he adopted them as his own children (V.5). BUT the rest of Joseph's children are Joseph's children (V.6).

pr20» Next Jacob blessed Ephraim and Manasseh, "and let my name [Israel or Jacob] be named on them and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow up into a multitude [a great population] in the midst of the earth" ( Gen 48:16). Notice that ABRAHAM and ISAAC names would be on Ephraim and Manasseh. Further Jacob qualified this blessing by saying that Manasseh would become "a people, and he also shall be great . . " ( Gen 48:19). But he added "truly his younger brother [EPHRAIM] shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations" ( Gen 48:19). This is a very important qualification of God's promises.

pr21» God had promised to make of Abraham's offspring a great nation (Gen 12:2; 18:18; 35:11) AND a company or multitude or congregation of nations (Gen 17:4; 35:11; 48:4). Now this promise is qualified: Manasseh is to become a great nation ('people'); and Ephraim is to become a company or multitude of nationS.

pr22» Further notice something about Jacob's blessing, "And he blessed them [Joseph's sons -- Manasseh and Ephraim] that day, saying In you [Manasseh and Ephraim] shall Israel be blessed..." (Gen 48:20; see Septuagint). So Israel will be blessed through Joseph's sons.

pr23» Judah. Let's notice a few more promises made to the children of Israel. Judah, one of Jacob's sons was promised that "the scepter [the right of rulership] shall not depart from Judah ... until Shiloh [CHRIST, see Young's Analytical Concordance] come" ( Gen 49:10). And, "Now the sons of Reuben the first-born of Israel [Jacob], (for he was the first-born; but, forasmuch as he defiled his father's bed, his birthright was given unto the sons of Joseph the son of Israel ... for Judah prevailed above his brethren, and of him the chief ruler; but the birthright was Joseph's)" ( 1 Chron 5:1-2). So we see the chief ruler would come from Judah, and that the birthright was given to Joseph's sons -- Ephraim and Manasseh. And we see the scepter, or the right of rulership in Israel, would not depart from Judah until Christ comes.

Now let's show the physical fulfillments of these promises of God to the children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob -- the children of Israel.

Fulfillment of Physical Promises

pr24» After Jacob had brought his family into Egypt because of the lack of food elsewhere, Israel (his children) grew into a nation of about two or three million people (cf Num.1:46; notice that this number included only men, not their wives and children).

Moses & Joshua

pr25» Moses brought Israel out of Egypt. God gave his commandments of the covenant to Moses who passed it on to the children of Israel. Moses was leading Israel into the promised land of Canaan. It took 40 years for Israel to enter the land of Canaan. Moses did not bring Israel into this land but Joshua did. God showed the land to Moses before he died of old age, and God "buried him in a valley in the land of Moab ... But no man knows of his sepulcher unto this day" ( Deut 34:6, l-7). The movement of Israel into the promised land under Moses and Joshua is shown in the books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, and Joshua. Moses appointed judges to judge Israel (Exo 18:13-27; Deut 1:9-18; 16:18-20).

Judges

pr26» After the death of Joshua, judges were set up to rule the people under the chief judge -- God (Judges 2:16; 3:9-10). The whole theme of the book of Judges is that, "every man did that which was right in his own eyes" (Jud 17:6; 21:25), not in the eyes of God. In other words the people did as they pleased, not what God pleased. "In those days there was no king in Israel every man did that which was right in his own eyes" ( Judges 21:25). But, "there is a way that seems right unto a man; but the end thereof are the ways of death" (Prov.16:25). The people of Israel were following the ways of death during the time the judges ruled Israel.

Samuel, "Make us a King"

pr27» Samuel was a judge in Israel "and it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.... And his sons walked not in the ways [of God], but turned aside after money, and took brides, and perverted judgement. Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah, and said unto him, Behold, you are old, and your sons walk not in the ways [of God]: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations" ( 1 Sam 8:1, 3-5). Thus the elders of Israel were asking Samuel, the head judge, to make them a king to rule Israel.

pr28» Samuel was greatly displeased by the elders request, "and Samuel prayed unto the Lord. And the Lord said unto Samuel, Listen unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto you: for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them" ( 1 Sam 8:6-7).

pr29» God told Samuel to listen to the people and make them a human king. It was God they rejected not Samuel. God was the king of Israel up to this time. Notice that when Solomon sat on the throne of David he actually was sitting on God's throne (cf 1 Chron 29:23; 2 Chron 9:8). God was considered king up to this time when the elders of Israel asked Samuel to make them a human king.

pr30» After Samuel was told to let the people have their way, God asked Samuel to also warn the people of the effects of having a human king instead of God as king. For such a king would take their sons for soldiers and civil servants, and would levy great taxes and generally oppress the people (1 Sam 8:9-18).

pr31» "Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us; that we also may be like the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles ... And the Lord said to Samuel, Listen unto their voice, and make them a king..." ( 1 Sam 8:19-22).

Saul

pr32» Saul was anointed Israel's first king (1 Sam.10:1). Saul was a Benjamite and physically impressive (1 Sam 9:1-2). But Saul did not follow in the ways of God, thus Saul was rejected by God (1 Sam 13:1-14; 15:1-26; 16:1). Samuel was sent to Saul, "And Samuel said to Saul, You have done foolishly; you have not kept the commandment of the Lord thy God, which He commanded you; for now would the Lord have established the kingdom upon Israel, for agelasting. But now your kingdom shall not continue: the Lord has sought him a man after his own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be captain over His people, because you have not kept that which the Lord commanded you" ( 1 Sam 13:13-14).

David

pr33» The man God appointed to take Saul's place as king was David. (1 Sam 16:1, 13 & 2 Sam 2:4, 5:3) Although Saul was physically impressive he was a bad leader, for "he feared the people, and obeyed their voice: instead of God's" ( 1 Sam 15:24). "The Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his [Saul's] countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord sees not as a man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart" ( 1 Sam 16:7). Although David made mistakes when he was made king after Saul died, he had the right attitude in his mind (2 Sam chap. 11 & 12). When David's mistakes were pointed out to him he would acknowledge them and turn away from them (2 Sam 12:9-13). Read of David's attitude in Psalm's 51. The Bible projects to us, by using the physical David as an example (1 Cor 10:11), the heart or attitude that God wants in everyone (note: 1 Kings 11:4,6). And that attitude is one of admitting mistakes and correcting these mistakes when ascertained. Read all the scripture on David to see this attitude in action (also note: Job 33:27-28; Prov 28:13; Luke 15:21-24; 1 John 1:9).

pr34» David was anointed king over Judah after Saul's death (2 Sam 2:4), then later he was anointed king over Israel (2 Sam 5:3). In all he reigned over Judah 7 and l/2 years, and 33 years over Israel and Judah together (2 Sam 5:5). Notice that here the Bible deals with Judah and Israel separately.

Solomon

pr35» The next king over Israel was David's son -- Solomon, "then Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord as king instead of David his father, and prospered, and all Israel obeyed him.... And the Lord magnified Solomon exceedingly in the sight of all Israel, and bestowed upon him such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him in Israel" ( 1 Chron. 29:23,25). So Solomon actually sat on the throne of God in the nation of Israel and had great wealth.

pr36» To see what happened next in Israel's history let's quote directly from the Bible:

  • "King Solomon was a lover of women, and besides Pharaoh's daughter he married many foreign women, Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite, from the nations with whom the Lord had forbidden the Israelites to intermarry, 'because,' he said, 'they will entice you to serve their gods.' But Solomon was devoted to them and loved them dearly. He had seven hundred wives, who were princesses, and three hundred concubines, and they turned his heart from the truth. When he grew old, his wives turned his heart to follow other gods, and he did not remain wholly loyal to the Lord his God as his father David had been. He followed Ashtoreth, goddess of the Sidonians, and Milcom, the loathsome god of the Ammonites. Thus Solomon did what was wrong in the eyes of the Lord and was not loyal to the Lord like his father David. He built a hill-shrine for Chemosh, the loathsome god of Moab, on the height to the east of Jerusalem, and for Molech, the loathsome god of the Ammonites. Thus he did for the gods to which all his foreign wives burnt offerings and made sacrifices.
  • The Lord was angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the Lord the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice and had strictly commanded him not to follow other gods; but he disobeyed the Lord's command. The Lord therefore said to Solomon, 'Because you have done this and have not kept my covenant and my statutes as I commanded you, I will tear the kingdom from you and give it to your servant. Nevertheless, for the sake of your father David I will not do this in your day; I will tear it out of your son's hand. Even so not the whole kingdom; I will leave him one tribe for the sake of my servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, my chosen city.'" (1 Kings 11:1-13, NEB)

pr37» So because of the wrongs of Solomon, his kingdom was to depart from him, but because of a promise to David his father the kingdom would depart from only Solomon's son, not Solomon himself. Yet not all the kingdom would be taken from his son.

pr38» Now God said he would give the kingdom to one of his servants (1 Kings 11:11), and Jeroboam was that servant:

Jeroboam

pr39» "Jeroboam son of Nebat, one of Solomon's courtiers, an Ephrathite from Zereda, whose widowed mother was named Zeruah, rebelled against the king. And this is the story of his rebellion. Solomon had built the Millo and closed the breach in the wall of the city of his father David. Now this Jeroboam was a man of great energy; and Solomon, seeing how the young man worked, had put him in charge of all the labour-gangs in the tribal district of Joseph. On one occasion Jeroboam had left Jerusalem, and the prophet Ahijah from Shiloh met him on the road. The prophet was wrapped in a new cloak, and the two of them were alone in the open country. Then Ahijah took hold of the new cloak he was wearing, tore it into twelve pieces and said to Jeroboam, Take ten pieces, for this is the work of the Lord and God of Israel: I am going to tear the kingdom from the hand of Solomon and give you ten tribes. But one tribe will remain his, for the sake of my servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel. I have done this because Solomon has forsaken me; he has prostrated himself before Ashtoreth goddess of the Sidonians, Kemosh god of Moab, and Milcom god of the Ammonites, and has not conformed to my ways. He has not done what is right in my eyes or observed my statutes and judgments as David his father did. Nevertheless I will not take the whole kingdom from him, but will maintain his rule as long as he lives, for the sake of my chosen servant David, who did observe my commandments and statutes. But I will take the kingdom, that is the ten tribes, from his son and give it to you. One tribe I will give to his son, that my servant David may always have a flame burning before me in Jerusalem, the city which I chose to receive my name" ( 1 Kings 11:26-36, NEB).

pr40» "After this Solomon sought to kill Jeroboam, but he fled to King Shishak in Egypt and remained there till Solomon's death" ( 1 Kings 11:40, NEB).

Israel and Judah Split

pr41» Notice carefully that ten tribes were given to Jeroboam (1 Kings 11:31,35). Only one tribe was given to Solomon sons (V.32, 36, 13). Jeroboam was given the kingdom of Israel (1 Kings 11:37) -- ten tribes of it.

pr42» So after Solomon died his son Rehoboam ruled. Then Jeroboam came back out of Egypt where he had fled from Solomon and joined in a revolt against Rehoboam -- Solomon's son (1 Kings 12:1-18). "So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day" ( V.19). Then Israel made Jeroboam "king over all Israel: there was none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only" ( V.20). Only the tribe of Judah followed Solomon's son "with the tribe of Benjamin" who lived near Judah (V.21). It was the tribe of Judah (with Benjamin's tribe) that was not torn from Solomon's son and that did not revolt against the kingship of Solomon's son, Rehoboam.

pr43» Right after this revolt by the ten tribes of Israel, Solomon's son, Rehoboam, "assembled all the house of Judah, with the tribe of Benjamin ... to fight against the house of Israel..." ( 1 Kings 12:21). Notice the Bible calls the ten tribes under Jeroboam -- the house of Israel.

pr44» Judah with the tribe of Benjamin under Rehoboam is called collectively, Judah: "Speak unto Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, KING OF JUDAH . . " ( V.23). From this point on the tribes of Judah (Jews) and Benjamin were a separate nation from Israel.

pr45» The kingdom of Israel and Judah fought wars against each other from this point of separation and onward (cf. 2 Kings 16:1-6; 2 Chron. 16:1; etc.). In 2 Chronicles chapters 11 to 36, it shows the separate history of Judah as a distinctive nation apart from the nation of Israel. 1 Kings chapter 12 to 2 Kings chapter 25, shows each nation's history. These books of the Bible treat Judah and Israel as separate nations from the time of Solomon's death onward. (Note Ezek 37:19-22)

Israel Scattered

pr46» Now right after Jeroboam was made king of Israel, he began to change the laws of God to satisfy his own purpose. He made two calves of gold and said, "behold your gods, O Israel" ( 1 Kings 12:28). He changed the feast of tabernacles from the seventh month to the eighth month.

pr47» God then sent a prophet to Jeroboam (through his wife) telling him that because he did not keep His laws (for he changed a festival from the seventh month to the eighth month; etc.), and because he made molten images, and so on; that God would cut off Jeroboam's offspring (1 Kings 14:5-10) and "the Lord shall smite Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water, and he shall root up Israel out of his good land ... and shall scatter them beyond the river, because they have made their groves, provoking the Lord to anger. And he shall give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, who did sin, and who made Israel to sin" ( 1 Kings 14:15-16).

pr48» Finally, after many years, "the king of Assyria took Samaria and carried Israel into Assyria" ( 2 Kings 17:5-6). Because of Israel's sins, Israel was taken captive into Assyria (2 Kings 17:7-8). In verses 9-17 it lists some of the wrong things that Israel did. "Therefore the Lord was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of his sight: there was none left but the tribe of Judah only" ( V. 18). Only Judah (the Jews) was left with the tribe of Benjamin who dwelled with them in the land of Israel.

pr49» Because Israel followed in the ways of Jeroboam, they were removed to Assyria (V. 21-23). Then the king of Assyria brought in other peoples to fill up Samaria and they learned the ways of Jeroboam from one of the priests who was carried away but who returned to Samaria (2 Kings 17:24-34).

Judah Scattered

pr50» Next Judah was warned that it too would be going into captivity if it didn't turn away from its sin (see 2 Kings 21:1-14). Actually Judah sinned even more than Israel (Jer 3:6-11). "And the Lord said, I will remove Judah also out of my sight, as I have removed Israel, and will cast off this city Jerusalem which I have chosen, and the house of which I said, My name shall be there" ( 2 Kings 23:27).

pr51» And thus Judah went into captivity by the kingdom of Babylon (2 Kings 24 & 25). Now this fulfills Moses prophecy, "I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that you shall soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto you go over Jordan to possess it; you shall not prolong your days upon it, but shall utterly be destroyed. And the Lord shall scatter you among the nations, and you shall be left few in number among the heathen, whither the Lord shall lead you" ( Deut 4:26-27). All twelve tribes thus went into captivity. The ten tribes of the kingdom of Israel were taken captive by Assyria, and the kingdom of Judah (with the tribe of Benjamin) went into captivity by Babylon.

Promises That Did and Did Not Come True

pr52» Now let's look at what promises of God came true up to the Babylonian captivity:

  • Israel did possess the land of Canaan (the Middle East) for an agelasting time as promised in Genesis 13:15 and 17:8. For over 900 years they possessed this land before being driven out (note Joshua 21:43).
  • Israel did have kings as the seed of Abraham was prophesied to have in Genesis 17:16 and 35:11.
  • Israel did grow to a great population: "Your fathers went down into Egypt with threescore and ten persons; and now the Lord your God has made you as the stars of heaven for multitude" ( Deut 10:22; 26:5; 1:10, see Neh chapter 9).
  • Abraham's SEED was to possess the gates or cities of its enemies (Gen 22:17; 24:60) and that nations would bow down to it (Gen 27:29), and that it would spread out to the west, east, north, and south (Gen 28:14). This being typically fulfilled by David when he took the Philistines (west), and the Moabites (east), and Hadadezer - king of Zobah (north), and the land of Edom (2 Sam 8:1-3, 13-14). Also Solomon was paid tribute (1 Kings 10:25).
  • That Israel did become a great nation with great glory could have been said to come true (relative to that time) in the reigns of David and Solomon, but only in a typical sense.
  • That in Israel all families of the earth were blessed was only very typically true through the era of David and Solomon (note 1 Kings, chapter 10; Matt 6:29).
  •  

pr53» All these "fulfillments" were typical and only imperfectly represent the true fulfillment. We as Christians are to look to the higher meaning of scripture (see "Duality Paper" [BP4]).

 

Spiritual Promises of God

pr54» We have just seen in the first part of this paper the physical promises of God to Israel. These promises were typically fulfilled. These promises prefigured the real or intended promises.

pr55» But an antitypical fulfillment of prophecy will happen, "the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is a householder, which brings forth out of his treasure things new [Spiritual] and old [the physical]" ( Matt 13:52). The kingdom of God will be set up on earth at Christ the God's physical return. This kingdom will bring in the old (the old physical blessings) and the new (the Spiritual blessings of God's Spirit).

Seed

pr56» In most of the promises given to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the promises were pertaining to their "seed." This can and does mean their children. But the Bible uses the word "seed" in another and special way: "Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He does not say, and to seeds, as of many; but as of one, and to your seed, which is Christ ... And if you be Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise" ( Gal 3:16, 29). Hence Spiritually speaking Christ is the seed, and those of Christ are heirs according to the promise, they are counted as the seed of Abraham and they are the Spiritual Israel (cf Gal 6:16). And other scripture indicates one does not have to be a physical Israelite to become a Spiritual Israelite, for through being Spiritually baptized into Christ one becomes the real seed of Abraham (Gal 3:27-29, 16):

  • "and if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."

Thus, all the promises made in the Bible to the physical seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Israel) will come true to anyone Spiritually baptized into Christ's body. That is, will come true in a Spiritual sense.

pr57» Let me in outline form list many of the promises made to the "seed" of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel (Jacob). We now know from the just mentioned scriptures that all these promises pertain to all people in Christ through Spiritual baptism. These promises will be fulfilled in the truest sense beginning at Christ the God's physical return.

Promises To The Seed

pr58»

  • The land of the Middle East is the Seed's. [Gen 12:7; 15:18; 17:8]
  • The seed have the land for an agelasting time. [Gen 13:15; 17:8]

(But the new age will never end unlike the ages before it. See "Age Paper" [NM 7].)

  • The seed is to be the heir of Abraham's promises (note Gal 3:29). [Gen 15:3-4]
  • The seed is to be numbered as the stars. [Gen 15:5; 22:17; 26:4; Ex 32:13]

(Stars are symbolic of angels, Rev 1:20. The seed will equal the number of angels. See the God Papers, GP6, to understand this.)

  • The seed is to be Spiritually circumcised. [Gen 17:9-14]

(That is Spiritually fulfilled in Spiritual baptism, Col 2:11-12; Phil 3:3.)

  • In the seed all the nations will be blessed (cf Acts 3:25). You are in the seed when you are in Christ, for Christ is the seed. [Gen 22:18; 26:4; 28:14]
  • The promises were given to Abraham because he kept God's ways; the same with the seed (Christians). One must follow Abraham's ways, which are God's ways to be the seed of Abraham (cf John 8:37-40). [Gen 26:5; 22:18]
  • The seed will spread around the world, that is to the east, west, north, and south. [Gen 28:14; 13:14]

(The seed, the Christians, will be heirs of the kingdom of God that will spread around the world after Christ returns (cf Isa 2:2; Dan 2:44; 7:14, 27; Rev 11:15).

  • The seed are to be kings. [Gen 17:6; 35:11]

(And the resurrected Christians, the seed, will be kings after Christ comes [cf Rev 1:6; 5:10; 20:4].)

  • Israel, the seed, are to become a holy nation and a kingdom of priests. [Ex 19:5-6]

(Christians are now typically this (l Per 2:9). Later they will antitypically be a holy kingdom of priests [Rev 5:10; 1:6].)

  • The seed are and were chosen. [Deut 4:37; 10:15; Psa 105:6; 1 Chron 16:13; Isa 44:1]

(Christians are thus chosen [Eph 1:4].)

  • The seed are to be circumcised in heart (mind, attitude). [Deut 30:6]

(Christians are Spiritually circumcised. They have the New Mind through Spiritual baptism [Phil 3:3; Col 2:11-12].)

  • The seed will not pass through the fire to Molech. [Lev 18:21]

(This pictures that Christians will not pass through the lake of fire as Satan and his children will. Christians will not be dead during the 1000 year lake of fire [see "Thousand Years" paper (NM 15)].)

  • The seed are shown mercy. [2 Sam 22:51]

(Hence Christians are the vessels of mercy. [Rom 9:23, see "Predestination Paper" (NM 8)])

  • The seed is to inherit the earth.

(Thus the Christians (the meek), who are the seed, will inherit the earth [Matt 5:5].) [Psalm 25:13]

  • The seed will have a throne for an agelasting period. [Psalm 89:4, 29, 36]

(The Christians have their throne for an agelasting time. The Christian throne is the Spiritual throne -- the Spirit or New Mind. See Mew Mind Papers. But God's age does not end like other ages [See the "Reward" Paper" (NM 11), and "Age Paper" (NM 7)].)

  • The seed will "rain" on the earth at Christ's coming. [Isaiah 30:23]

(The coming of Christ the God with the resurrected saints is symbolically pictured as rain [cf Isa 45:8; Ho 10:12; Isa 32:15]. This is the "early rain" [James 5:7]. The "latter rain" is at the true end of creation.)

  • The seed, the Christians, are God's friends (John 15:14). [Isaiah 41:8]
  • The seed will be gathered at Christ's return. [Isaiah 43:5-6]

(Thus Christians will be gathered from the graves of the earth at Christ's return [cf Matt 24:31].)

  • The seed will inherit the Gentiles, all nations. [Isaiah 54:3]

(This is pictured in Revelation 11:15; Dan 7:27; etc.)

  • Christ, the Seed, His Seed, and Seed's Seed. God's word will not depart out of Christ, who is the seed, or Christ's seed (Christians), or the seed's seed. [Isaiah 59:21]

(The Christians are to be a Spiritual wife and mother [Isa 54:1-17, 13; Gal 4:27; Rev 19:7; 21:2, 9] while Christ will be a Spiritual husband and father [Isa 54:5; Isa 9:6; 22:21] in the kingdom of God. Together they will Spiritually have children [Isa 54:13; 44:3 and 65:23; 61:9; 59:21; Psa 102:28; etc.]. These children are those who are Spiritually begotten and/or born of God's Spirit [New Mind] in the new age [after the 1000 years].)

Other Promises

pr59» We have just seen through the outlined scripture that the promises to Abraham's children (his seed), are Spiritually the same promises given to Christians. Christians are of the seed of Abraham through Christ, Who is the seed of Abraham. But how are Christians the seed of Abraham through Christ? And what about the promises that David would "forever" have someone sitting on his throne (2 Sam 7:10-16), and what about the promise that the chief ruler would come from Judah (1 Chron 5:2), and what about the promise that the scepter (rulership) would not depart from Judah until Christ comes? (Gen 49:10) Let's examine these items in some detail.

Judah and the Scepter

pr60» As 1 Chronicles 5:2 said, the chief ruler would be of the tribe of Judah: He would be a Jew. And the chief ruler did come out of Judah, He was and is Christ. Christ will be King of kings when He returns to earth (Rev 19:16). And Christ was a Jew, for He was a seed of David who was a Jew of the tribe of Judah (Rom 1:3; Luke 3:33, 31, 23).

pr61» In Genesis 49:10 it says, "the scepter shall not depart from Judah ... until Shiloh [Christ] come." Notice the right of rulership for Israel would not depart from Judah. Christ has already come; thus for Genesis 49:10 to come true, the scepter need only be with Judah until the first coming of Christ. Today the scepter of physical Judah need not exist on earth for Genesis 49:10 to be fulfilled. So if we can trace this scepter to Christ's time, then we have established the fulfillment of another prophecy. Thus we will trace the scepter up to Christ for this reason, but more importantly we will trace this to understand how one in Christ is a seed of Abraham.

pr62» Also the Spiritual scepter of Christ will still exist and will exist up to Christ's physical return: "I am with you always, even unto the end of the age" ( Matt 28:20). This speaks of Christ's Spirit being with the Spiritual Church until the end of the old age.

Promises to David

pr63» Now let us examine the scripture concerning the promise to David that his seed would "forever" rule on the throne of Israel. First we will list some of these promises, then we will try to trace the physical fulfillment. We will ascertain herein that these physical or typical fulfillments didn't come true perfectly. As with all typical or physical Biblical fulfillments of God's word, they never come perfectly true. God is a Spirit and speaks Spiritually to us. The Spiritual or antitypical or second fulfillment of prophecy always comes true perfectly. Thus the promises to David will come true perfectly antitypically, but only imperfectly true typically.

pr64» "I will set up your seed after you, which shall proceed out of your bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my [God's] name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for agelasting" ( 2 Sam 7:12-13).

[Here we see where David's seed will establish the kingdom, and build God's house (the Church) and establish the throne for an agelasting period. Notice not "forever," but an agelasting throne. A throne is the symbol of ruling power. Solomon, David's son (his seed), established the kingdom for an age as a type of the antitypical agelasting kingdom of God under Christ, who is the true seed of David. But of course the New Age will not end. See "Age Paper" [NM 7].]

pr65» "I [God] will be his [the seed's] father, and he will be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men" ( 2 Sam 7:14).

[Here Solomon fulfills this, yet Christ the true seed of David was God's son in a truer sense than Solomon. Solomon is the typical Christ, yet Christ as the antitypical seed of David fulfills this position much better than Solomon. Although Christ didn't commit iniquity, God has "made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin ... and he was numbered with the transgressors" ( 2 Cor 5:21; Isa 53:12). ]

pr66» "And your house and your kingdom shall be established for agelasting before you: your throne shall be established for agelasting" ( 2 Sam 7:16).

[Again we see this kingdom will last for an age. Solomon's kingdom did last for an age, but Christ the true seed's kingdom will last for an age of 1000 years under him as king of kings, and last beyond the 1000 years because his kingdom has no end, unlike previous ages (Luke 1:33, see "Age Paper" [NM 7]). Christ is the true SEED of David Who will rule over the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (note Jer 33:15). ]

Also notice these promises reiterated in Psalm 89:

  • "Your seed will I establish agelasting" ( V.4).

[Christ, the seed, will be established for the great age.]

pr67» When one reads about Solomon, one can see that Solomon is a physical type of Christ. He prefigures Christ. Solomon did many things typically and physically that Christ did/is/will-do Spiritually and antitypically. For example, Solomon built God's physical temple and established a rich, but small, kingdom for Israel. Christ the God is now building the Church, the true temple (l Cor 3:16), and will establish the true kingdom of happiness and wealth beginning at his physical return.

Conditions

pr68» Solomon was the imperfect, typical seed. He didn't establish the great kingdom, because he didn't fulfill the conditions that were needed to be the leader of this great kingdom: "Hear the word of the Lord, O king of Judah, that sits upon the throne of David, you, and your servants, and your people that enter in by these gates: Thus says the Lord; Execute judgment and righteousness, and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor: and do no wrong, do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, nor the widow, neither shed innocent blood in this place. For if you do this thing indeed, then shall there enter in by the gates of this house kings sitting upon the throne of David, riding .... But if you will not hear these words, I swear by myself, says the Lord, that this house [Judah, verse l] shall become a desolation" ( Jer 22:2-5).

pr69» Notice these conditions, "do no wrong, do no violence." There has only been one person who ever lived that never did any violence, and that person was Christ: "he had done no violence" ( Isa 53:9 with 2 Cor 5:21). It was Christ who only fulfilled these conditions for sitting on the throne of David, which is also God's throne (1 Chron 29:23; 2 Chron 9:8).

pr70» Notice other reiterations of this condition: 1 Kings 2:4; 6:12-13; 8:25; 9:4-7; 2 Kings 21:8; 1 Chron 22:13; 2 Chron 6:16. And as Jeremiah 22:5 said, the house of Judah would be desolate unless these conditions were fulfilled.

pr71» Notice because these conditions were never fulfilled by Solomon, his kingdom was taken away, for he didn't perfectly fulfill these conditions (1 Kings 11:6-12). "Howbeit I will not rip away all the kingdom; but will give one tribe to your son for David my servant's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake which I have chosen" ( 1 Kings 11:13). This last verse refers to the promise made to David that his seed (Christ) would establish the kingdom. In verse 36 it says what verse 13 did say, but in a different way: "And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a light all the days before me in Jerusalem ...."

pr72» Notice this verse didn't say that this "light" would all of the days rule in Jerusalem, but would be there in Jerusalem. Christ was physically born as a seed of David (Rom 1:3). This "light" (physical) in Jerusalem was the ancestors of Christ who lived in and around Jerusalem up to Christ's time, thus enabling Christ, the true seed, to be born of the physical seed of David. Even though most of Israel was scattered throughout the earth, a remnant lived in and around Jerusalem thus enabling Christ the true seed of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and David to be born as a seed of them (Luke 3:23-38).

Branch

pr73» Notice the prophecy concerning a person who would fulfill the conditions needed to establish the kingdom: "Behold, the days come, says the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a king shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth .... And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots; and the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord; and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears" ( Jer 23:5; Isa 11:1-3).

Christ: The Branch, The King, The Savior

pr74» Christ is this king; Christ is this Branch of Jesse; Christ is the seed of David. Therefore Christ fulfills or will fulfill the promises of God to David, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

pr75» God promised David that Christ would sit on His throne (Acts 2:30). Typically, Solomon fulfilled this, but Christ is the true and intended king who was to sit on David's throne as Acts 2:30 and as Luke 1:31-33 prove: "and, behold, you shall conceive in your womb, and bring forth a son, and shall call his name Jesus [Savior]. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: and he shall reign over the house of Jacob into the ages; and of his kingdom there shall be no end."

pr76» Christ was born to be king (John 18:37). Speaking about Christ, "for unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the mighty God, the duration Father, the Prince of peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth [from his birth, Isa 9:6; Luke 1:31-33] and for olam [the great age]" ( Isa 9:6-7). It is Christ, not Solomon, who is the SEED to establish the kingdom; He was and is establishing it from His birth and onward. At His physical return He will take the kingdom of this world and make it His (Dan 7:9-14, 27).

Christ versus Satan; David versus Saul

pr77» Christ was even a king of Israel when he was only a human (John 1:49-50). But like David who was anointed king of Israel, Christ must wait until Satan's kingdom destroys itself much as David had to wait for Saul to destroy himself (1 Sam 16:1-3, 13 to 31:6). Christ was born to be king (John 18:33, 36-37).

pr78» After Christ's death and resurrection Paul tells us Christ is now "crowned with glory and honor" ( Heb 2:9). Christ is now sitting on the throne of his father (Rev 3:21). This is dual: Christ is on his physical father's (David's) throne (Luke 1:32) which is also his Spiritual Father's throne or God's throne (note, 1 Chron 29:23; Rev 3:21). But as with David, who was appointed to be king of Israel, who had to wait for the anointed Saul to kill himself before he could take over the throne and rule, so too with Christ, He must wait until Satan, the anointed cherub (Ezek 28:14), destroys himself.

pr79» Satan who rules the world now is the antitypical of Saul. As Saul destroyed himself (1 Sam 31:1-6), so too will Satan and his kingdom destroy themselves in the Last War (see "Last War and God's Wrath" paper [PR5]). As David took over rulership of the kingdom after Saul destroyed himself, so too will Christ take over rulership when Satan destroys himself at the appointed time.

pr80» Although Christ is now the anointed king, He can't take over until Satan destroys himself. The typical example is Saul and David. Christ now has the throne, but is waiting for the end of Satan's kingdom. Christ received this right of rulership through being the seed of David's, and because he fulfilled the conditions of the right of rulership.

Spiritual Seed of Abraham

pr81» Today those in Christ are also the seed of Abraham because Christ is the seed of Abraham, and when we have Christ's Spirit (which is God's), then we are a part of Him. If Christ is a seed of Abraham, then so are we. As this paper clearly shows, Christ is the true SEED of Abraham, thus we are of that true SEED when we are in Jesus Christ.

Spiritual Jews

pr82» Today, those in Christ are also Jews because Jesus who came from the physical tribe of the Jews (through David) was a Jew. When we have Christ's Spirit, then we are part of him, we are in Him. We are Spiritual Jews. Thus, Paul writes: "For he is not a Jew that is one outwardly ... but he is a Jew that is one inwardly" ( Rom 2:28, 29). Here Paul tells us that a physical Jew ("one outwardly") is not a real Jew, but the Spiritual Jew ("one inwardly") is a real Jew. A Spiritual Jew is a real Christian. Thus in the book of Revelation when it speaks of a "Jew," Spiritually it speaks of a real Christian (note Rev 2:9; 3:9; 7:5ff).

Spiritual Virgins

pr83» Jesus Christ was a sexual virgin: He never married, he kept all the laws of God, thus he never had sexual intercourse outside of marriage. He died a sexual virgin. Thus, following the logic above, those Spiritually in Christ are also considered Spiritual virgins. Therefore the "virgins" mentioned in the book of Revelation are real Christians (note Rev 14:4).

Christ The Mediator

pr84» Christ is the mediator between God and man. Christ is part man (son of man), and part God (son of God). He has both the physical and Spiritual essences in Himself (see the God Papers). If we have Christ's Spirit, since He is both Spirit and flesh, then we also have His flesh, we are both a son of Abraham, and a son of Christ the God when we have His Spirit.

Summarize: Jews and Israelites = Christians

By studying the above and scripture, after Christ's resurrection the only real Jews or Israelites were/are Christians. When you are in Christ, you are a Jew, you are an Israelite. Because the Jews did not bring forth the fruit required of them, their kingdom and their identity were in a sense taken from them and given to another people who will bring forth fruit required of them (Mat 3:10;7:17-19;12:33;13:8;21:19-21;21:34 [in context];John 15:4-8;Gal 5:22; etc.). But the Christians receive their fruit of good works through the Spirit of Christ: they are in Christ. Whatever Christ fulfilled, Christians will fulfill because they are in Christ. What this means is that the truest sense of the Old Testament prophecy will come true through Christians (the real Jews), not through physical Jews.

 

Notes for PR1

Three Orders/Divisions

pr85» The three orders or divisions of mankind can be seen typically in Joseph and his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. Joseph, the one set apart from his brethren (Deut 33:16), represents Jesus Christ, who was the first to be born of God (1 Cor 15:22-28). Manasseh, the one that was to become a great nation, represents the second group to be born of God, which are the Christians who lived in the old age. Ephraim, the one that was to become a multitude of nations, represents the third group to be born of God, which are the multitudes of peoples who will be born of God at the end of creation. They at that time will also become Christians -- they will go into the Spiritual Body of Christ.

pr86» In these three groups will the great promises of God be Truly fulfilled. The promises to Israel are the promises that will be fulfilled to all of mankind through Jesus Christ our Lord, who has the name of God -- the BeComingOne. (see in the New Mind Papers the "All Saved" paper [NM 13] and also "Three Orders of Creation" in "God's Appointed Times and Seasons" paper [NM 16])

 

Ur of the Chaldeans

pr87» Abraham (Abram) came from the "Ur of the Chaldeans" ( Gen 11:31). The "Ur of the Chaldeans" mentioned in the Bible is not the city identified as "Ur" by many today. The contemporary "Ur" is hundreds of miles southeast of Haran and Ebla on this side of the Euphrates river. That is, on the side (this side) of the Euphrates river nearest Jerusalem. But the Biblical "Ur of the Chaldeans" was across the river Euphrates in northwestern Mesopotamia somewhere near Haran. Archeological finds and Biblical proof indicate this.

pr88» This "Ur of the Chaldeans" is most likely the same Ur that is mentioned to be "in the territory of Haran" in the Ebla Clay tablets discovered in 1975, not the Ur on this side of the river Euphrates southeast of the Mesopotamia region. The contemporary "Ur" is located in the southeastern territory of the Sumero-Akkadian Empire and had a different culture and language than Abraham's.

Biblical Proof

pr89» There is Biblical proof that the city of "Ur" that Abraham came from was near Haran:

  • Abram, Lot, and Terah "went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there" ( Gen 11:31).
  • "Thus says the Lord God of Israel, your fathers dwelt on the other side of the river [Euphrates] in old time ... and I took your father Abraham from the other side of the river [Euphrates]" ( Joshua 24:2, 3).

pr90» Thus, Abraham came from the other side of the river (from Jerusalem's viewpoint). That river being the Euphrates. But the contemporary so-called "Ur of Chaldeans" is on this side of the river (from Jerusalem's viewpoint).

  • "The God of Glory appeared unto Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran" ( Acts 7:2).

pr91» Abraham came from Mesopotamia. The word Mesopotamia means "the country between the rivers" ( Unger's Bible Dict., "Mesopotamia"). These rivers being the Euphrates and Tigris. But the contemporary "Ur" is not located between the rivers. Originally the word "mesopotamia" stood only for the northwestern region between the rivers Euphrates and Tigris (Unger's Bible Dict., 3rd Ed., "Mesopotamia"). Albert Clay mistakenly wrote in 1907:

  • "In former years Urfa, not far from Harran, was identified as the ancestral city of the patriarch [Abraham], but it is now [1907] fifty years since Rawlinson identified the mounds known as Mugayyar, in the southern part of the valley, as the home of Abraham. Ur is a very ancient city" ( Light on the Old Testament from Babel, by Albert T. Clay, pub. 1907).

The former identification of Urfa as the area where the old Ur was located is much closer than the new and wrong identification of Ur.

pr92» Abraham came "out of the land of the Chaldeans" ( Acts 7:4). This is what Genesis 11:31 and other verses say:

  • "And they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees" ( Gen 11:31).
  • "You the Lord God, who did choose Abram, and brought him forth out of Ur of the Chaldees, and gave him the name of Abraham" ( Neh 9:7).
  • "I am the Lord that brought you out of Ur of the Chaldees" ( Gen 15:7).
  • "The land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar . . " ( Ezek 1:3).

pr93» In Abraham's time the Biblical land of the Chaldeans where Ur was located was northwestern Mesopotamia. It was close to the Armenians (Ramses II and His Time, by I. Velikovsky, pp. 170, 168ff; note Gurney, Hittites, Chap VI; see endnote). The Biblical Chaldean language was the Aramean or Syriac language (Dan 2:4). The Biblical river Chebar was "in the land of the Chaldeans" ( Ezek 1:3). This river Chebar may be the present day river Khabor in northeast Syria near Haran and Urfa and south of Armenia in Turkey. Later the Chaldeans moved southward to Babylon and were known in Ezekiel's time as the "Babylonians of Chaldea, the land of their nativity" ( Ezek 23:15). But in contemporary literature the "Ur of Chaldeans" is located hundreds of miles in a southeastern direction from the Chaldeans' northwestern Mesopotamian homeland.

pr94» The real Ur of the Chaldeans was the land of Abraham's nativity or birth:

  • God told Abraham in Mesopotamia to "get you out of your country, and from your kindred" ( Acts 7:3).
  • Haran was a brother of Abram [Gen 11:27], and Haran died "in the land of his nativity [Hebrew, "his (place of) birth"], in Ur of the Chaldees" ( Gen 11:28).
  • When Abram went out of Ur he was told by God, "get out of your country, and from your kindred [Hebrew, "your (place of) birth"]" ( Gen 12:1). And "get you out of your country, and from your kindred [Greek, "relations"]" ( Acts 7:3).
  • "The Lord ... took me from my father's house [family], and from the land of my kindred [Hebrew, '(place of) birth']" ( Gen 24:7).

pr95» Abraham's birthplace, his nativity, was in northwestern Mesopotamia in the land of Syria or Aram or Padan-Aram (rivers of Aram):

  • "And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house ... you shall go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac ... and the servant took ten camels ... and went to Mesopotamia unto the city of Nahor [the name of Abraham's brother] ... and Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padan-Aram, the sister to Laban the Syrian [Hebrew -- "Aramite"]" ( Gen 24:2, 4, 10; 25:20).

pr96» Syrians are Aramites or Arameans who lived between the rivers (Euphrates & Tigris), in the land of Aram, northwestern Mesopotamia. This area was Abraham's birthplace. Abraham was called a Hebrew (Gen 14:13). Abraham the Hebrew came from across the Euphrates river. One of the fathers or patriarchs of Moses was Jacob (Israel) who was perishing from famine in Palestine before he went down to Egypt (Gen chap 42ff). Thus, Moses said, "My father was a perishing Aramean, and he went down to Egypt" ( Deut 26:5, see Hebrew text).

pr97» Review. Abraham went forth out of Ur of the Chaldeans "to go unto the land of Canaan, and they came unto Haran and dwelt there" ( Gen 11:31). This "Ur" was his homeland, his birthplace. He was born there with his brother Haran (Gen 11:27-28). When God spoke to Abraham in Ur of the Chaldeans, in Mesopotamia, he told Abraham to move away from his birthplace, his relatives, his kindred, and from his fathers house (family) (Gen 12:1; Acts 7:2-4, see above). Because Abraham spoke in a Semitic tongue, because his own country was the Ur of Chaldeans, because one of the Chaldeans' languages was a Semitic tongue (Dan 2:4 -- "Syriac" or "Aramaic"), this is one reason why we can say that the real "Ur of Chaldeans" was located in northwestern Mesopotamia near Ebla and Haran (the name of Abraham's brother). It was not the southeastern "Ur" with its different language and culture. This southeastern "Ur" is actually spelled, "Urim" not Ur (The Sumerians, S. N. Kramer, pp. 28 & 298). But the "Ur of the Chaldeans" was probably the "Ur" mentioned in the Ebla tablets that was located "in the territory of Haran" ( Ebla Tablets, p. 42; Ebla, by Bermant and Weitzman, 1979, p. 190; Riv. Bibl. [1977], p. 236).

Ebla Tablets

pr98» A Professor Paolo Matthiae of the Rome University has been excavating the Tell Mardikh (Ebla) since 1964. In 1968 he discovered a statue bearing the name Ibbit-Lim, a king of Ebla. The kingdom of Ebla was known to a few because Ebla is mentioned in Sumerian, Akkadian, and Egyptian texts (Ebla Tablets, pp. 11-12). Professor Giovanni Pettinato, University of Rome, is the epigrapher working on the tablets. He has written the book, The Archives of Ebla (1981) and wrote in such journals as Biblical Archaeologist (May, 1976).

pr99» The reports on the Ebla tablets reveal that the culture of Ebla had a Semitic language, "a forerunner of all the Canaanite dialects, which include Ugaritic, Phoenician, and Hebrew" ( National Geographic, Dec, 1978, p. 749; The Archives of Ebla, by Giovanni Pettinato, 1981, pp. 56, 65). Many of the personal names in the Ebla tablets closely resemble Hebrew names: Abramu (Abraham), Esaum (Esau), and Saulum (Saul) (Nat. Geo. Dec, 1978, p. 736). The old city state of Ebla with its Semitic language was only about 100 miles from Haran, while the other and more southern "Ur" (Urim) with its different language was about 600 miles away -- a large distance in those days. Along with the Biblical proof, we conclude that Abram, who spoke in a Semitic tongue, came from the "Ur of Chaldeans" which was much closer to Haran and Ebla than the southeastern "Ur." It was in this northwestern area where a Semitic culture existed. It was from this area that Abraham came.

pr100» Clifford Wilson in his paperback book called Ebla Tablets writes of his disappointment on finding "a city of Ur is referred to in the trade tablets. It is described as being 'in the territory of Haran.'" (p. 42) Not only does the Ebla tablets mention Ur, but they say it is in the territory or locality of Haran. This is further proof that Abraham's city of Ur was near Haran in northwestern Mesopotamia, not the contemporary "Ur" hundreds of miles southeast of Haran and Ebla.

pr101» But Mr. Wilson was "somewhat disappointed." Why was he disappointed? "I am the producer of a number of audio-visuals on Bible backgrounds, and one of them is based on Sir Leonard Wooley's findings at the city of Ur" (Wilson, p. 42; and see C.L. Woolley, Ur of the Chaldees, 1929). It was the southeastern "Ur," first identified by Henry Rawlinson in the middle 1800's, that Wooley helped to popularize as being the "Ur of Chaldeans." Instead of Mr. Wilson seeing that he made a mistake, instead of reviewing the Biblical data as we have, Wilson comes up with a weak excuse to retain the contemporary "Ur" as the Ur of Abraham (p. 44).

Chaldeans Language

pr102» At one time the so-called "Syriac" language (dan 2:4) or the "Aramaic" language was called Chaldee. Notice "Chaldee" in such books as The New Englishman's Hebrew and Chaldee Concordance, or the Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon by Gesenius. Before the mistaken identification of the southeastern "Ur" for the Biblical "Ur of Chaldeans," the Aramaic tongue was identified with the Chaldeans. "It [Aramaic] was formerly inaccurately called Chaldee (Chaldaic) because spoken by the Chaldeans of the book of Daniel (2:4-7:28). But since the Chaldeans are known to have generally spoken Akkadian, the term Chaldee has been abandoned" ( Unger's Bible Dict., "Aramaic").

pr103» Unger calls the former identification inaccurate because of the contemporary identification of the southern "Ur" as being the Biblical "Ur of Chaldeans." But this contemporary identification was mistaken as this paper makes clear. Outside of the Ebla evidence, the internal evidence of the Bible should have made it plain to Sir Leonard Woolley and the others that the "Ur of Chaldeans" was not some foreign culture to the Semitic Abraham, but Abraham's own culture and homeland.

pr104» It is of interest to note that the Chaldeans used at least two languages: the language used in Babylon was Akkadian-Babylonian, and the Syriac or Aramean language (Ramses II, p. 171 & Dan 2:4ff). The city state of Ebla also used two or more languages in their writings: the Semitic Paleo-Canaanite language, and the "Sumerian script, with Sumerian logograms adapted to represent Akkadian words and syllables" ( Ebla Tablets, p. 24). "The schematic presentation of the verbal, nominal, and pronominal systems warrants classifying Eblaite in the West Semitic group .... For this reason I prefer to classify Eblaite as a Canaanite Language, thanks to its close relationship with Ugaritic, Phoenician, and Biblical Hebrew .... Eblaite becomes a chronological companion of Old Akkadian of the East Semitic group" ( Pettinato, ...Ebla, p.65). But "the bilingualism of the tablets is only apparent. Though 80 percent of the words are Sumerian and only 20 percent are Eblaite, all of them were read as Eblaite. The Sumerian terms are in reality logograms which the scribes translated without difficulty into their own language when they read them" (... Ebla, by Pettinato, p. 57). It should be noted that there is no recorded evidence that the southeastern "Ur" had a Semitic culture or wrote with a Semitic script. Although one must be careful. The famous H.C. Rawlinson in about the 1850's mistakenly designated the Sumerian language as the "Akkadian" or "Scythian or Turanian" language (The Sumerians, p. 20). So you must be careful when studying old writings concerning the Sumerian language.

pr105» Summarize. The above Biblical evidence clearly indicates that the real "Ur of Chaldeans" was the Semitic speaking one, located in northwestern Mesopotamia. This "Ur" is mentioned in the Ebla tablets as being near Haran. The Ebla culture used a Semitic language and had similar names as the ones used by the Hebrews. The culture of Ebla was located near the city of Haran and near northwestern Mesopotamia at approximately the same time as Abraham lived. It was Abraham, a Semitic speaking Hebrew, who left his own homeland, where his relatives lived so as to go into the land of Cannan. Abraham's homeland was the "Ur of Chaldees" which is also close to or the same as Padan-Aram, located in northern Mesopotamia. From his homeland, Abraham went to Cannan, by first going through and living in Haran for a while. But the contemporary "Ur" is located far from northwestern Mesopotamia; it had a different culture than Abraham's. Thus, this southern Ur (Urim) is not Abraham's own country.

A Note

pr106» Velikovsky tries to connect the Babylonians with the Hittites (Ramses II, chapters IV ff). Gurney in his book, The Hittites, may in someway connect them:

  • "Akkadian. This is the name now universally given to the well-known Semitic language of Babylonia and Assyria; to the Hittites, however, it was known as 'Babylonian'. It was widely used in the Near East for diplomatic correspondence and documents of an international character, and the Hittite kings followed this custom when dealing with their southern and eastern neighbours. Many Hittite treaties and letters are therefore wholly in Akkadian and were available in translation long before the great bulk of the archive of Boghazkoy had been deciphered. In addition, as mentioned above, Akkadian words are common in texts written in Hittite, but it is generally held that this is a form of allography .... Two languages only -- Hittite and Akkadian -- were used by the Hittite kings for their official documents . . " ( Chap VI, pp. 125, 117).

 

 

 

 

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