THE HOLY LAND?
Sunday 22 September, 2024
Continued from AFRICA, “The Promised Land”
Sunday 16 June, 2024
THERE HAS BEEN MUCH DISCUSSION OF LATE ABOUT THE TRUE LOCATION OF “THE HOLY LAND?”
But why do we call the “Holy Land” the Holy Land? What do we mean by “Holy Land?”
ONLY ONE SCRIPTURE in the King James bible refers to “the holy land;” Zechariah 2:12, where we read:
“And the LORD shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy land, and shall choose Jerusalem again.”
In the other 17 verses where the word “holy” appears in the same verse as “land” (sometimes more than once); they do not designate a “holy land,” but more often than not refer to YAHUA and or His “holy habitation,” His “mountain,” or Jerusalem.
The eight verses where references are made in the book of Ezekiel: “holy mountain,” “holy places,” “holy name,” “holy portion of the land,” “most holy by the border of the Levites,” “firstfruits of the land…holy unto YAHUA;” make it clear that “land,” a “place,” area or location is only holy in relation to its proximity or connection to YAHUA – THE CREATOR and owner of ALL LAND!
So to speak of a “Holy Land” as if it is a distinct territory or country, is to misunderstand the biblical record; and it is yet another concept that arises from Christian “traditions.” When Yahusha walked the earth (whether it was in the Levant, in Alkebulan or elsewhere); He probably didn’t consider the land any more holy than He did the Pharisaical priesthood; but THE TEMPLE, where YAHUA had placed His Name: THAT HE TREATED AS HOLY! Even though Yahua no longer resided there; His Name sanctified His house of worship.
IT IS YAHUA WHO SANCTIFIES
So, we are used to hearing the expression “Holy Land;” and probably think we know where it is. We may even have been there. Yet in reality, The Holy Land doesn’t exist in the way we think of it. Because land is only holy when it is proximity to or designated as such by Yahua himself.This is true of any thing that He “sanctifies” or sets apart; from the vestments of the priesthood to His only begotten Son, Yahusha.
When Moshe had his first encounter with YHWH, he was told: “Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.” Exodus 3:5, KJV
What made the ground that Moshe was approaching holy, and is it still holy today? It’s proximity to the presence of the Creator of heaven and earth made the ground holy: but, as Yahua no longer resides on earth, among His chosen people; neither the land He once walked upon nor the people He once lived among is any longer holy; ACCEPT if it or they have been “set apart,” or sanctified by the Spirit of Yahua.
THE PROMISED LAND
There is scant evidence in the “canonical scriptures” that any territory or country is holy, apart from its connection to or the very presence of Yahua. Yahua placed His name upon His sanctuary; making the TEMPLE in Yerushalayim holy. But even though Yahusha walked up and down the lands inhabited by the remnant of Yahuda, Levi and Benyamin (and others who returned from Babylonian captivity with Zerubbabel) in the first century; the land, overrun by the Romans, was not holy!
By contrast, we have Yahua’s Holy days, which says are “My feasts!” They are holy because Yahua has sanctified them, forever!
Now we are used to hearing about “holy men?” And we are commanded to by Yahua to be holy, because He is holy; but no man IS holy, accept Yahusha Hamashiach: “for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of Elohim.” Even the High Priest had to make “atonement” for his sins, before performing sacrifices on behalf of the 12 tribes of Yashar’AL.
The presence of Yahusha didn’t sanctify the descendants of Yashar’AL or their land: however, Yahusha was to become the door to sanctification and everlasting salvation.
What is absolutely established in the scriptures is the existence of “the promised land!” There is 9 verses in the KJV that contain the words “the,” “promised” and “land.” Although none follows the same word order, the reference to a specific territory, region and expanse of land(s) is both concrete and undeniable; as in Deuteronomy 19:8:
“And if Yahua thy Elohim enlarge thy coast, as he hath sworn to thy fathers, and give thee all the land which he promised to give to thy fathers:”
The existence and location of the promised land is not contingent on the proximity or presence of Yahua (although He did dwell there); and has not changed over time. Furthermore, the bible and particularly the book of Jubilees (chapters 8 & 9) set out the borders of the promised lands; and lands belonging to other nations, or gentiles (non-Yashar’ALites).
WHERE IS THE PROMISED LAND?
So again, it is wrong to think of any land, country, individual or people as holy in the absence of Yahua or His spirit. Typically, what mankind has venerated as holy, Yahua describes as filthor unrighteousness:
“But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.”
(Isaiah 64:6, KJV)
Indeed, the main reason that the ancient Yashar’ALites were cast out of the promised land (in successive captivities) was because they had polluted it through their abominable sins:
“Therefore I poured out My fury on them for the blood they had shed on the land, and for their idols with which they had defiled it. So I scattered them among the nations, and they were dispersed throughout the countries; I judged them according to their ways and their deeds.”
(Ezekiel 36:18 – 19, NKJV)
In the days of Yahusha, a remnant remained in the Kingdom of Yahuda. He sent His disciple to preach the gospel of the Kingdom to “the lost sheep of the House of Yashar’AL.” From this, it has been inferred that there are “ten lost tribes;” (Yahuda, Benyamin and Levi remaining). But if the tribes were lost in the physical sense; where did the 70 disciples go, and how were they to find them? (Luke 10)
It is clear that the whole house of Yashar’AL and Yahuda was lost, spiritually; and it was a message of spiritual salvation that the disciples took throughout all twelve tribes Yashar’AL who were all equally, spiritually lost! To be clear: in Yeshua’s day, none of the tribes of Yashar’AL was geographically lost; He knew where they were; and He and His disciples preached among them.
What is perhaps overlooked is that following the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans; when the last vestiges of temple worship, monarchic and priestly government over the remnant of Yashar’AL was brutally swept aside; to all intents a purposes, the whole house of Yashar’AL became “lost” as a national entity. Over the centuries that followed, their descendent become more and more scattered; and we know, eventually (for so it was prophesied), many were dispersed to the four corners of earth.
However, wherever the Yashar’ALites are; the promised land remains the promised land. And it is to that same land that they (or their descendants, if they ever left) will be returned!
The forged histories, skewed “scholarship,” faked archaeologies and transplanted ruins, would have us believe that the land promised to Abram, Yitsack and Y’akobi (Jacob)is the thin, desert strip on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, in the Levant (where a fake nation is now busily letting the blood of its rightful and ancient, Arabian inhabitants). But over the past several decades, more and more biblical scholars of African descent are challenging the conventional view put forward by white, western colonial academics.
Having studied Biblical Theology for my second degree from 1980-83, at Ambassador College, Pasadena CA; I am well acquainted with both *Jewish and Christian traditional perspectives on the scriptures. However, it should be said; in the last seven years, I have had to unlearn a lot of what 40 years ago I accepted as “the gospel truth;” to arrive at a more holistic view of biblical history and theology. My understanding is helped, because books once deemed by protestants and other conservatives as anathema; such as 1 Enoch and Jubilees, have been restored to their rightful position in the “biblical canon.”
THE PROMISED LAND – SEVEN PERTINENT QUESTIONS
1) WHAT was promised (Genesis 12:1 – 3, KJV)
Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
Abram is promised: land, national greatness, blessings, “fame,” to be a source of blessings and pre-eminence among the families on earth; on condition that he leave his father’s house, land and country.
2) WHERE was it promised? (Genesis 11:31 – 32, KJV)
And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son’s son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram’s wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there. And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years: and Terah died in Haran.
According to the received wisdom; Terah (Abram’s father) left Ur in Chaldeaheading toward the land of Canaan, but settled in Haran in the region of ancient Mesopotamia; sites that have long been identified in modern day Iraq and Northern Syria.But black scholars, pawing over ancient maps, in some cases dating back almost 600 years; and who have studied the book of Jubilees; have found evidence of these key biblical locations on the African continent– Alkebulan!
The promise was first made to Abram when he was living with his father in Haran; with some scholars believing that the biblical narrative took place entirely on the African continent. Haran has been located in the region of the Sahara (a name derived from the conjunction of Sarah and Haran – as in Saharan Desert).
According to the received wisdom; Terah (Abram’s father) left Ur in Chaldea heading toward the land of Canaan, but settled in Haran in the region of ancient Mesopotamia; sites that have long been identified in modern day Iraq and Northern Syria.But black scholars, pawing over ancient maps, in some cases dating back almost 600 years; and who have studied the book of Jubilees; have found evidence of these key biblical locations on the African continent– Alkebulan!
The promise was first made to Abram when he was living with his father in Haran; with some scholars believing that the biblical narrative took place entirely on the African continent. Haran has been located in the region of the Sahara (a name derived from the conjunction of Sarah and Haran – as in Saharan Desert).
AFRICAN HISTORY IN BIBLE TIMES
(A typical example of the African Yashar’ALite thesis)
AFRIKAN EXODUS – The Real “Holy Land” According to the Book of Jubilees
A variety of presenters, using the same sources (notably the book of Jubilees), come to different conclusions about the “true locations” of the biblical sites on the continent of Africa. I take the view that; despite the certainty which some attach to their proofs; the actual sites will likely be found across the entire continent. Because of the monumental effort put into destroying these sites and evidence of them by European (Edomite) invaders; finding and proving without doubt the actual locations of biblical towns, cities, rivers and mountains will require careful and prolonged investigation; not to mention some “revelations.” However, there is I believe, a growing weight of evidence in its support; to my mind, the so-called African continent – ALKEBULAN, IS THE PROMISED LAND!
3) WHEN was it promised
Of course, the promise was made to Abram in Genesis 12:1…while he and his father’s family were living in Haran. But to understand the full, spiritual significance of the promises; we need to see it in its full historical context. And Jubilees provides the extra information that helps us to understand who Abram was, and why he was chosen.
Biblical scholars, like Henry Halley, date Abram’s period circa 2000 BC, following the flood circa 2400 BC (about 1600 years after creation). The flood destroyed all life on the surface of the earth, with the exception of Noah, his 3 sons and their 4 wives, 8 souls. They were charged with repopulating the earth; and it was in their day that the whole earth was divided among Noah’s sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth, and their sons listed in Genesis 10, the so called “table of nations,” about 70 in all.
The book of jubilees explains that under the supervision of angels; Noah’s sons drew lots to decide which portions of the earth each would inherit (Jubilees 8:10…). Noah rejoiced when the choicest land, containing 3 holy sites, Sinai, Mount Zion and the Garden of Eden “…came forth for by lot for Shem and his sons, that they should possess it unto his generations for evermore.” (vs 18) Ham’s land was to the right of the Garden of Eden and south towards “…all the mountains of fire (volcanos?). Japheth’s land is north of Shem’s, and extends north easterly to the whole region of Gog and to all the country east thereof.” (vss. 22-25)
Scholars draw different conclusions as to what portions of our modern map fell to whom (as some names and language in Jubilees is sometimes archaic or obscure); but to my mind, references to
“bosom of the tongue which looketh towards the south;” with rivers emptying into “great sea(s)”is a description of the whole African continent surrounded by the two great oceans and other seas.
Another important takeaway from Jubilees is found at the end of chapter 9; after Shem, Ham and Japheth divided their three territories among their own sons:
“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.”
(Jubilees IX, vs 14&15)
The sons and grandsons of Noah all took an oath: an oath with very serious and everlasting implications.
Now what Happens?
“And Ham and his sons went into the land which he was to occupy, which he acquired as his portion in the land of the south.
29. And Canaan saw the land of Lebanon to the river of Egypt that it was very good, and he went not into the land of his inheritance to the west (that is to) the sea, and he dwelt in the land of Lebanon, eastward and westward from the border of Jordan and from the border of the sea.
30. And Ham, his father, and Cush and Mizraim, his brothers, said unto him: “Thou hast settled in a land which. is not thine, and which did not fall to us by lot: do not do so; for if thou dost do so, thou and thy sons will fall in the land and (be) accursed through sedition; for by sedition ye have settled, and by sedition will thy children fall, and thou shalt be rooted out for ever.
31. Dwell not in the dwelling of Shem; for to Shem and to his sons did it come by their lot.
32. Cursed art thou, and cursed shalt thou be beyond all the sons of Noah, by the curse by which we bound ourselves by an oath in the presence of the holy judge, and in the presence of Noah our father.” “
(Jubilees X, vs 28 – 32)
Wherever we believe the inheritance of Shem to be; whether in Alkebulan, the Philippinesor in the Levant (where most, including R H Charles, the renowned translator of Jubilees from the Ethiopian, Ge’ez text, believed it to be); the original occupants, the Canaanites, from whom it took its name, SHOULD NEVER HAVE SETTLED THERE!
This knowledge explains a lot. Canaan and his descendents, who eventually interbred with Nephilim (sons of the watchers who survived the flood*), had occupied the land that fell by lot to Shem in the presence of the “holy judge.” He, through this action alone; against the protestation of his father, Ham, and his own brothers; and through the subsequent sins his family went on to commit which defiled “the promised land,” SEALED THEIR FATE.
In this context (scarcely covered by the received bible): the brutal and bloody conquest by the Children of Yashar’AL, led by Moshe and Yahusha (Joshua) now make sense! There is evidence in Jubilees, the bible and hidden historical records that point to Alkebulan being the promised land; not the Levant as R H Charles infers in his translation.
4) To WHOM is the promise
In the bible, the promise was first given to Abram (Genesis 12:1); then repeated to his son, Yitsack(Isaac); and again to Y’acobi (Jacob):
“And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar.
“And the LORD appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of:
Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father;
And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;
And Isaac dwelt in Gerar:”
(Genesis 26:1 – 6, KJV)
“And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran.
And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep.
And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.
And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed;
And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.
And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.”
(Genesis 28:10 – 15, KJV)
So the promises were repeated, often more than once, to Abram, Yitsack and Y’acobi “and to (their) seed;”while they were in the promised land as strangers and pilgrims!
After the death of the patriarchs, and the 12 (Patriarch) son so Y’acobi; and centuries (some believe two, others four) of slavery in Egypt; the promises were reiterated to “the seed,” descendants of Abram, Yitsack and Y’acobi, through Moshe repeatedly; from the establishment of the covenant at mount Sinai, to the final instructions through Moshe, 40 years later, before Yashar’AL entered the promised land:
“For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth.
“The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples;
“but because the LORD loves you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers, the LORD has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
“Therefore know that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments;
“and He repays those who hate Him to their face, to destroy them. He will not be slack with him who hates Him; He will repay him to his face
“Therefore you shall keep the commandment, the statutes, and the judgments which I command you today, to observe them.”
(Deuteronomy 7:6 – 11, KJV)
Promises BEFORE Abram
When we take into the account the “revelations” in the books of Jubilees and 1 Enoch; we will understand that “the promises” go back at least as far as Noah; and in fact back to Adam and Eve, the first parents. The Creator has determined to fulfill His purpose and promises, through a “chosen line!”
“Then said the Most High, the Holy and Great One spake, and sent Uriel to the son of Lamech, and said to him: 2. ‘〈Go to Noah〉and tell him in my name “Hide thyself!” and reveal to him the end that is approaching: that the whole earth will be destroyed, and a deluge is about to come upon the whole earth, and will destroy all that is on it. 3. And now instruct him that he may escape and his seed may be preserved for all the generations of the world.’”
(1 Enoch 10:1 – 3)
Enoch identifies himself as the son of Lamech, as the seventh from Adam; and says that his message (which is privileged information from the “heavenly tablets”) is a much for his forebears as it is for future generations. So “the promises” are in fact a reaffirmation of the promise given to Adam and Eve of Eternal Life and dominion over all creatures (including the serpent, Satan) in presence of The Creator in His kingdom to come; which He Himself will fulfill through a specific line of inheritance.
Canaan (Yahua determined) was not of that line; just as Esau and Ishmael, though descendants of Abram, Shem and Noah, are not the line of inheritance chosen by The Creator. Neither the promise nor the land was meant for them!
“I have loved you,” says the LORD.
“Yet you say, ‘In what way have You loved us?’
Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?”
Says the LORD.
“Yet Jacob I have loved;
But Esau I have hated,
And laid waste his mountains and his heritage
For the jackals of the wilderness.”
(Malachi 1:1 – 3, KJV)
TRUE LOCATION OF THE SCRIPTURAL DAMASCUS
5) WHY was it promised
Jubilees and the book of 1 Enoch have one thing in common: their opening chapters pretty much encapsulate the core message of their books as a whole; omitting most of the details, of course. It is 1 Enoch, chapter one that makes it evident WHY the promises that included not only land but national greatness and very many other blessings; blessing not only in this life, but in the life to come were given:
“The words of the blessing of Enoch, wherewith he blessed the elect ⌈⌈and⌉⌉ righteous, who will be living in the day of tribulation, when all the wicked ⌈⌈and godless⌉⌉ are to be removed.
2. And he took up his parable and said–Enoch a righteous man, whose eyes were opened by God, saw the vision of the Holy One in the heavens, ⌈which⌉ the angels showed me, and from them I heard everything, and from them I understood as I saw, but not for this generation, but for a remote one which is for to come.
3. Concerning the elect I said, and took up my parable concerning them: The Holy Great One will come forth from His dwelling,
4. And the eternal God will tread upon the earth, (even) on Mount Sinai,
⌈And appear from His camp⌉
And appear in the strength of His might from the heaven of heavens.
5. And all shall be smitten with fear
And the Watchers shall quake,
And great fear and trembling shall seize them unto the ends of the earth.
6. And the high mountains shall be shaken,
And the high hills shall be made low,
And shall melt like wax before the flame
7. And the earth shall be ⌈wholly⌉ rent in sunder,
And all that is upon the earth shall perish,
And there shall be a judgement upon all (men).
8. But with the righteous He will make peace. And will protect the elect, And mercy shall be upon them. And they shall all belong to God, And they shall be prospered, And they shall ⌈all⌉ be blessed. ⌈And He will help them all⌉, And light shall appear unto them, ⌈And He will make peace with them⌉.
9. And behold! He cometh with ten thousands of ⌈His⌉ holy ones To execute judgement upon all, And to destroy ⌈all⌉ the ungodly: And to convict all flesh Of all the works ⌈of their ungodliness⌉ which they have ungodly committed, And of all the hard things which ungodly sinners ⌈have spoken⌉ against Him.”
(1 Enoch, chapter one)
SO YAHUA, who declares the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10); publishes through Enoch, reputedly, the first man to write anything down; what the ultimate conclusion of His plans will lead to in the “remote (generation)… to come;” the reward for the righteous and punishment for the wicked. It is the “Endgame,” the final judgment of all who have lived that is being summarised here.
In this first chapter, we see several references to “the elect,” being protected, offered peace and blessed. This elect is Yahua’s “chosen;” and the chosen (we know)are from a long line beginning with Adam through Seth and Enoch, Noah, Shem, Abram, Yitsack, Y’akobi, the 12 tribes of Yashar’AL (and of course all those in between), and through Yahuda (Judah); to and through Yahusha Hamashiach.
This is YAHUA’S CHOSEN LINE – the elect.And, like the Father and “husbandman” He is; He plays an active role in directing His plans and purposes; through His messengers (angels), and even appearing or speaking directly to the patriarchs to direct them in the way that they should go!
THE PROMISES were given as incentives to His chosen; in the same way that a student or disciple is incentivised by the “promise” of a certificate or qualification at the conclusion of his studies. Even though we are always free to make our own choices; we have not been left to our own devices. Yahua’s interventions in the lives of His elect, chosen ones is critical to their (our) success; to achieve His ambitions for us and the whole of His creation!
6) Does “ISRAEL” Fit the Scriptures?
The majority of Bibles which I own (and I have a few), or have come across in reference libraries, have maps; usually at the back but sometimes interspersed between the books of the Bible; all invariably depicting modern ISRAEL/PALESTINE as the land of Canaan – The Promised, or “Holy Land.” And of course, there are countless numbers of Bible atlases, commentaries and dictionaries; all of which REINFORCE the belief promulgated by biblical scholars and mapmakers, that the land of the Bible is in the Levant.
Let’s leave aside for one moment, the mountain of biblical analysis, criticism and commentary advanced by Western scholars with a Eurocentric axe to grind; forget the maps, the “his-stories” and the movies that have shaped our view of the bible narratives over the past two centuries; and lets examine the scriptures alone against the physical geography of Mesopotamia and the Levant.
WITHOUT THE PRECONCEPTIONS imprinted in our minds by those who set themselves up as the authorities; WHAT DO THE SCRIPTURES ACTUALLY DESCRIBE?
We’ve already examined the testimony of Jubilees that describes in detail the distribution of all the land on earth, every continent; between the sons and grandsons of NOAH. It is the land allotted to SHEM that contains three (of the four) sacred sites to YAHUA, Mount Sinai, Zion and the Garden of Eden.
“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.
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 threewere 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.”
(1 Enoch, 8:11-21)
It is also a mountainous land:
“And at that time came Joshua, and cut off the Anakims from the mountains, from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab, and from all the mountains of Judah, and from all the mountains of Israel: Joshua destroyed them utterly with their cities.”
(Josh. 11:21, KJV);
and well watered:
“And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.”
(Gen. 13:10);
“flowing with milk and honey.”
“For when I shall have brought them into the land which I sware unto their fathers, that floweth with milk and honey; and they shall have eaten and filled themselves, and waxen fat; then will they turn unto other gods, and serve them, and provoke me, and break my covenant.”
(Deut. 31:20)
THE CASE FOR ISRAEL/PALESTINE?
SO, THE PROMISED LAND IS: “mountainous,” “a spacious land,” “was well watered everywhere,” and “flowing with milk and honey.” NOW LET’S LOOK AT THE LEVANT!
It might be argued by some, that in the past, The Levant, the region of modern Israel today, was a part of the “fertile crescent,” and close to the old silk and spice trade routes. But there is little we see in the past several centuries to indicate this; with much of Mesopotamia (modern Iran and Iraq) fighting back deserts and even the mighty River Euphrates drying up to reveal early buildings and small settlements that the course of the river has changed or been diverted?
Home to the Dead Sea (the lowest sea level on earth); modern Israelis have managed to bring significant areas of baron, infertile land into production; with ingenious desalination and irrigation technologies; but still, 50% of Israel’s territory is classified as desert today. Hardly reminiscent of a “well-watered” land “flowing with milk and honey.”
ISRAEL A MOUNTAINOUS LAND?
“At that time Joshua went and destroyed the Anakites from the hill country: from Hebron, Debir and Anab, from all the hill country of Judah, and from all the hill country of Israel. Joshua totally destroyed them and their towns.”
(Josh. 11:21, NIV)
The New International Version (or, Nearly Inspired Version, as some call it) of the Bible was was first published in 1978. In the quote from Joshua, chapter 11, above; reference is made to the “hill country” twice; and looking at the map of ISRAEL (above), it is certainly a more fitting description of the land in that region, as I have seen for myself.
But reading from the the King James Version of the Bible, translated in 1611; largely from the Greek, Septuagint (the earliest surviving copies of the original texts); we find Yeshua’s conquest of the land to be possessed by Yahuda described thus:
“And at that time came Joshua, and cut off the Anakims from the mountains, from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab, and from all the mountains of Judah, and from all the mountains of Israel: Joshua destroyed them utterly with their cities.”
(Joshua 11:21, KJV)
The king James Bible, published over 360 earlier than the NIV, describes a land covered in mountains, not hills!
The Douay Rheims Version, published in France in 1609, also makes clear that the land that the Yashar’ALites were taking possession off was not hilly, but mountainous:
“At that time Josue came and cut off the Enacims from the mountains, from Hebron, and Dabir, and Anab, and from all the mountain of Juda and Israel, and destroyed their cities”
(Joshua 11:21, DRV)
Yet, time after time, in modern, 20th century and more recent “translations;” (New Living Translation, Berean Study Bible, American & English Standard Bibles and the Amplified Bible; to name just a few) we see this verse describing the land as “hill country.”
It’s as if, post 1884 and the Berlin (Congo) Conference; following the “Scramble for Africa;” European powers who divided the “promised land” among themselves, did everything they could to cover their tracks; including re-writing the scriptures, re-drawing (or destroying) maps, and forging history!
The earliest translation of Yeshua 11:21-22, THE SYRIAC VERSION (published in the 2nd century, translated in Plain Text in 2018) makes it abundantly clear; the land that Yahua’s chosen people were inheriting was not just flowing with milk and honey, well watered and a spacious land; it was a mountainous land inhabited by GIANTS:
“And Yeshua came at that time and he destroyed the giants that were in the Mountain of Hermon and of Dabir and of Gebel and of every mountain of Yehuda, and Yeshua destroyed them out of every mountain of Israel with their cities. And no giant was left in the land of the children of Israel, except only in Aza, and in Geth and in Ashduud which were left”
(Joshua 11:21-22, Arabic Plain Text)
(Some may recall that it was on Mount Hermon that the “angles that sinned,” The Watchers, descended; with the aim of mating with “the daughters of men, from whom the giants would be born:
‘Come, let us choose us wives from among the children of men and beget us children.’ 3. And Semjâzâ, who was their leader, said unto them: ‘I fear ye will not indeed agree to do this deed, and I alone shall have to pay the penalty of a great sin.’ 4. And they all answered him and said: ‘Let us all swear an oath, and all bind ourselves by mutual imprecations not to abandon this plan but to do this thing.’ 5. Then sware they all together and bound themselves by mutual imprecations upon it. 6. And they were in all two hundred; who descended ⌈in the days⌉ of Jared on the summit of Mount Hermon, and they called it Mount Hermon, because they had sworn and bound themselves by mutual imprecations upon it. (1 Enoch VI: 1-6)
After the flood, some of the offspring of the Nephilim [sons of giants] had established themselves among the Canaanites. Yahua had long predetermined that their fate was to be utterly destroyed from the earth. The Anakims, living in the mountains in the land of Canaan, were descended from fallen angels!)
As for the Levant (modern Israel) being a spacious land: The total area of the State of Israel is 22,145 sq.km (8,630 sq. miles), of which 21,671 sq. km is land area. Israel is some 420 km in length and about 115 km across at the widest point; it is only a little larger than Wales (8,024 sq. miles).
By contrast: Africa’s total land area is approximately 11,724,000 square miles (30,365,000 square km), and the continent measures about 5,000 miles (8,000 km) from north to south and about 4,600 miles (7,400 km) from east to west. A land mass over 1,350 times greater than the Levant!
(Egypt has an area of 1,002,450 km2(387,050 sq mi). The longest straight-line distance in Egypt from north to south is 1,420 km (880 mi), while that from east to west measures 1,275 km (792 mi). So modern Egypt alone, Israel’s nearest neighbour on the African continent, has 45 times the land area of Israel today.
Of course, we don’t know what proportion of the continent was covered by ancient Egypt; but remember Pharaoh forced the Yashar’ALites into slavery, because he feared they would take over the country – how quickly then would they have filled the land available in the Levant? Remember, the descendants of Abram, Yitsack and Y’akobi were to become like the sand of the sea and the stars in the heavens! To thwart Yahua’s plans, the Europeans have employed the same, ruthless tactics as Egypt – killing millions of African children annually, one way or another!)
Of course, most African scholars advancing the idea of Alkebulan (Africa) being the promised land (or “holy land”); are not suggesting that the ancient “Hebrews” (Shemites, descended through Eber)or Yashar’ALites occupied the entire continent; they usually point to sub-Saharan, East, Central and/or Southern Africa.
Today there is a great deal of debate about where in Alkebulan (Africa) the kingdoms of Yashar’AL and Yahuda were/are.Some say in Sudan, Ethiopia and Kenya, while others are certain they are in Southern Africa.
I have to say at this point in time, I’m not at all sure. I’m still researching, looking at the evidence and visiting locations. But, what I am fairly confident about is (despite all the historical, scholarly and archaeological evidence allegedly supporting it) that the “promised land” was not and is not in the Levant or modern day Israel.
7) How will the promises be fulfilled?
To Be Continued…