The Promised Land? Promised to who? and why?

Transcript of “The Promised Land? Promised to who? and why?”

Israel re-established

God told Israel that if they did not obey all the Law, He would bring judgements, and He would scatter them throughout the world. Israel did not obey all the Law. History shows, they were scattered.

However, wherever God warned Israel, He followed with promises that, in the end, He would bring them back to the Promised Land.

The return to Zion began in the 1880's. After the holocaust of World War II, hundreds of thousands of Jews returned to what was then called Palestine.Seventy years ago, in May 1948, the State of Israel was declared. Israel was established, back in the Promised Land.

In the last chapter of Isaiah, there is a prophecy of the reformation of the State of Israel.

(Isaiah 66:7-9)
(7) “Before she travailed, she brought forth; Before her pain came, she gave birth to a male.
(8) Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Can a land be born in one day? Can a nation be brought forth all at once? As soon as she travailed Zion also brought forth her sons.
(9) Shall I bring to the point of birth and not give delivery?” says the LORD. “Or shall I who gives delivery restrain?” said your God.

On the screen are the words of these three verses in the original Hebrew (see pdf). (Hebrew is read from right to left.) Every letter of the Hebrew alphabet has a numeric value. Apply the numeric value of each letter and we come up with a value for each word.

Note: The first four words of verse 7 have a value of 251 plus 448 plus 49 plus 251. A total of 999. 9 – 9 - 9.

The second verse, verse 8, the first words have a value of 50 plus 410 plus 428. A total of 888. 8 - 8 - 8

We do not find the pattern in the first words of verse 9. But, if we take the first words of each of the three verses, we get 251 + 50 + 410 + 66. A total of 777. 7 – 7 - 7

And, there is a second occurrence of 999, starting with this word: 26 + 41 + 61 + 95 + 776 = 999.

That's remarkable, isn't it? 777, 888 and 999 twice. It looks like those letter combinations are there by design.

Now, what if we find that these numbers … 777, 888 and 999 repeated, are not only not accidental, but they are a code that was established in the first verse of the Bible, and they are the numeric value of word combinations that show up in the promises of the Land ... promises that God made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

The Scriptures we are going to look at have a plain meaning. That doesn't change. The promises of God are not hidden. Anyone can examine them. Anyone can choose to believe them.

The sceptic may dismiss what is written. An objection may be that they doubt that it was God who made the promises. Perhaps they wonder whether it was an idea of men.

The underlying numeric code in the original text of the Bible is not mysticism. It is simple, rational arithmetic. Anyone can check the calculations. And it leads a reasonable person to consider ... this must be something supernatural.

Genesis 1:1 and the code

Genesis is the first book of the Bible. Genesis is the “seed” book of the Bible. Genesis sets us up for everything that follows.

And Genesis chapter 1 verse 1 is the seed verse of the Bible. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth”. (see pdf).

Apply the numeric value of the Hebrew letters, and we come up with a value for each word.

Now, look at this ... The value of these two words is 999 (913 + 86 = 999).

The value of these three words is also 999 (203 + 401 + 395 = 999).

The value of these three words is 777 (86 + 395 + 296 = 777), and the value of these three words is 888 (86 + 395 + 407 = 888).

777, 888 and 999 twice. That's what we saw in the passage in Isaiah. The prophecy of the re-establishment of the State of Israel is linked to the underlying numeric code in Genesis 1:1.

Now, let's go to the verses where God promised the land to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob (who God renamed Israel).

Promises to Abram

About 4000 years ago, Abram entered the land of Canaan ... the place to which God had called him.

In Genesis chapter 12 verse 7 we read: “And the LORD appeared to Abram and He said: “To your seed I will give this land.” And he built an altar there to the LORD, who appeared to him.

On the screen is this verse in the original Hebrew. (see pdf)

Note: The value of these three words is: 296 + 413 + 68 = 777

The value of these five words is: 31 + 413 + 340 + 57 + 47 = 888

The value of these five words is: 217 + 31 + 243 + 451 + 57 = 999

The value of these six words is: 26 + 257 + 68 + 340 + 261 + 47 = 999

Here we are again ... the code. 777, 888, and 999 twice.

It doesn't affect the plain meaning of what is said. But, in case a person allows themselves to think that it's a device of man, or allows themselves to think that God doesn't mean what He says, then here is God's seal ... His watermark. No man contrived these things. It's God's idea, from first to last.

By the way, these verses, in English and in Hebrew, and the calculations, are freely available in notes on our website. Go to this website (www.thelivingword.org.au/land/), to the page where this video is embedded, and you can download the relevant PDFs.

Now we'll go from Genesis chapter 12 to Genesis chapter 13. Because of a famine, Abram had left the Promised Land and gone down to Egypt for a period. In chapter 13 we read that Abram returned to the Promised Land. Abram was accompanied by his relative, Lot, and they parted company to avoid conflict over pasture for their animals.

Then, in verses 14 and 15 we read: (14) And the LORD said to Abram, after Lot separated from his people, “Lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward; (15) because all the land which you see, to you I will give it, and to your seed, forever.”

God repeats the promise of the land to Abram and to his seed. And God adds an emphasis to the promise: it is forever.

On the screen, is the Hebrew text of Genesis chapter 13, verses 14 and 15 (see pdf). The words "ad olam" are the last words in this passage. "ad olam" means “forever, everlasting”. In fact, there are twelve times where the Bible states that the promise of the land to Abram and his seed is forever. And, yes, the code, the seal of God, is all over this text.

Here is the numeric value of each word. Obviously, verse 15 is the most important statement: (15) because all the land which you see, to you I will give it, and to your seed, forever.

The numeric value of these four opening words of the verse ... “because all the land”, (we'd translate into English), is 30 + 401 + 50 + 296 ... total = 777.

Using these two words (in English we'd say, “to you I will give it”): value 50 plus 506, and then adding the value of these two words ... 31 and 301, we get 888.

The value of these four words is 31 + 61 + 501 + 406 = 999

And the value of these words is 160 + 30 + 206 + 50 + 333 + 74 + 146 = 999

777 and 888 and 999 ... twice.

Actually, we find 777 repeated, starting with the phrase (in English) “And the LORD said to Abram”. 32 + 241 + 31 + 243 ... and adding the value of these words: 156 and 74. We get 777 again.

And we can arrive at 888 (again), by adding the value of these two words: 61 and 50.

And, we can find 999 two more times. 156 + 66 + 30 + 401 + 50 + 296 = 999. And 32 + 219 + 51 + 191 + 506 = 999.

777 twice. 888 twice. And 999 four times. A double seal, we might say.

God repeats His promise to Abram, and God emphasises that it is forever, and the watermark is given a double seal.

In chapter 15 of Genesis, God turns the promises into a covenant. God makes a blood covenant with Abram.

After the sacrifice of animals, we read: (Genesis 15:18) On that day the LORD made with Abram a covenant, to say: “To your seed I have given this land, from (the) river of Egypt as far as the great river, the river Euphrates.”

On the screen is the verse in Hebrew (see pdf). These four words add up to 777. These three words add up to 888. These four words add up to 999. And these four words add up to 999.

Not only does the Bible state twelve times that the promise of the land to Abram and his seed is forever, but fifty-five times (starting with this verse) the Bible states that this is a covenant, or that God Himself swears an oath on the matter. It would be hard to pick a more binding commitment that God makes over anything, than this promise of the land. And, to seal the matter, God shows us His “watermark” in the Bible verses.

We could say that with the revelation of this code, in the relevant Hebrew Scriptures, we are seeing God's “fingerprint”, His signature on the document, we might say.

Promise to Isaac

Abraham had a son, Ishmael, by his wife's handmaiden. Abraham wanted Ishmael to receive the blessing (see Genesis 17:18). However, God had a different plan.

(Genesis 17:19) And God said: “But Sarah your wife will bear to you a son and you shall call his name Isaac, and I will establish My covenant with him, unto a covenant everlasting to his seed after him.”

Abraham had his idea, but God's choice was that the promise of the blessing, and for the land, would be through Isaac. And, as we shall see, at the end of this video, it is because God has a purpose in making this promise.

The verse is on the screen in Hebrew (see pdf).

These four words add up to 777. These three words add up to 888. These three words add up to 999. And these seven words add up to 999.

By the way, God said He wouldn't overlook Ishmael. God said He would multiply Ishmael's descendants and would make him a great nation, and God has fulfilled that promise in the Arab peoples (see Genesis 17:20). “But,” God said, “I will establish My covenant with Isaac" (see Genesis 17:21). God restricted the promise, and the covenant of the land, to the line that would come through Isaac.

In Genesis chapter 26, verses 3 and 4, we read that God said to Isaac: (3) “Sojourn in this land and I am with you and I have blessed you, because to you and to your seed I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath which I swore to Abraham your father (4) and I will multiply your seed like (the) stars of the heavens, and I will give to your seed all these lands; and in your seed shall all nations of the earth be blessed.”

On the screen are the verses in Hebrew (see pdf). These six words add up to 777. These five words add up to 888. These four words add up to 999, and these three words add up to 999.

The family of faith was formed around Abraham, Isaac, and Isaac's son, Jacob.

Promise to Jacob

Isaac had two sons, twins. Jacob and Esau. Esau was the firstborn. Esau should have had the blessing. But Esau despised his birthright (see Genesis 25:34). Esau didn't believe. So Esau was rejected. The promise would come through Jacob. And God renamed Jacob, Israel (see Genesis 32:28 and Genesis 35:10).God again restricted the promise. The covenant of the land would come through the line of Isaac (not Ishmael), and would come through the line of Jacob (not Esau).

In Genesis, chapter 28, we read that Jacob was heading to Haran, to find a wife, and God spoke to him. Jacob had a dream. He saw a ladder between heaven and earth.

(Genesis 28:13) And behold, the LORD stood above it and He said: “I am the LORD, God of Abraham your father and God of Isaac; the land which you lay upon, to you I will give it, and to your seed.”

The promise is passed to Jacob ... to his line ... and not to Esau.

Here on the screen is the verse in Hebrew (see pdf). These nine words add up to 777. These six words add up to 888. These four words add up to 999, and these five words add up to 999.

There is one other occasion which we read about in Genesis chapter 35, where God repeats His promise to Jacob.

Jacob had returned to the land, with wives and children. God again says: “Your name will now be Israel” (see Genesis 35:10).

Then we read: (Genesis 35:11-12) (11) And God said to him, “I am God Almighty; be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall come from you, and kings from your loins shall come out of you. (12) And the land which I gave to Abraham and to Isaac, to you I will give it, and to your seed after you I will give the land.”

On the screen are the two verses in Hebrew (see pdf). These seven words add up to 777. These six words, starting with the phrase (translated into English) “God. I am God Almighty ...”, these six words add up to 888. These four words add up to 999 and these four words add up to 999.

God promises the land to Israel and to his seed. God seals the promise. Jacob had twelve sons ... the twelve tribes of Israel. The land is promised to them.

Why?

This is what the Bible says. Israel's exile will come to an end. They will be restored.

(Micah 2:12): “I will surely gather all of you, Jacob. (Note that word … “all”). I will surely join together the remnant of Israel. I will place them like sheep in a fold, like a flock in its pasture ...”

(Ezekiel 36:10): “And I will multiply men to you, all the house of Israel ... all of her.And the cities will be inhabited, and the ruins will be rebuilt.” (Do note that “all” is given a double emphasis in the Hebrew text.)

(Ezekiel 39:25): “... And I will restore the fortune of Jacob. And I will have compassion on all the house of Israel.”

(Ezekiel 39:27-28): “In My bringing them back from the peoples and My assembling of them from the lands of their enemies, I shall be sanctified in them in the sight of the multitude of nations. And they will know that I am the LORD their God, because I exiled them among the nations, and then gathered them to their own land. And I will leave none of them behind.”

The meaning of these verses is plain. God is going to bring all the Jews back to the Promised Land. And He is not going to leave even one behind. And the world will know that it is God who is doing it. And Israel will know that it is God who is doing it.

God is assembling Israel in one place, because there, all together, God is going to bring about their salvation.

(Ezekiel 20:40). “... in Israel,” declares the LORD God, “there all the house of Israel will serve Me. There, in the land I will accept them.”

(Hosea 1:10): And it will be that the number of the sons of Israel will be like the sand of the sea that cannot be measured and cannot be numbered. And it will be, in the place that He said to them: “You are not My people”, He will say to them: “You are Sons of the God of life.”

This last phrase is usually translated, “Sons of the Living God”, which is OK, I suppose. But the phrase in Hebrew is "b'nei El chai" ... literally, “Sons of (the) God of life.” B'nei: sons. El: God. Chai: life.

"Chai" is an important concept. And even an important word, in Jewish thought. So much so, that even the numeric value of the word is significant to Jews. CHET 8 ... YUD 10. 8 + 10 = 18. 18 is considered a “lucky” number. Don't underestimate how this number (18) speaks to Jewish minds and hearts.

Let's see how the numeric code we have been examining supports the plain reading of the Scriptures that state that Israel will be regathered and there, in the Promised Land, they will all come into salvation.

Genesis 1:1 is where we started. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” In Hebrew (see pdf): Seven words. There is a middle “block” of 5 words. There is a mid-word of 2 letters.

There are 8 letters in the two words to the right of the mid-word. And there are 8 letters in the two words to the left of the mid-word.

This means that we not only have a neat symmetry in this middle block of 5 words in Genesis 1:1, but there are also exactly 18 letters in the block of words. That is not an accident. 18 speaks to Jewish minds and hearts of “life”.

Now, recall, these three words in the middle block add up to 999. And these three words in the middle block add up to 888. Both word combinations are contained within the 18 letters.

Now, let's go back to the verses in Isaiah 66, that speak of the reformation of the State of Israel.

(7) “Before she travailed, she brought forth; Before her pain came, she gave birth to a male. (8) Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Can a land be born in one day? Can a nation be brought forth all at once? As soon as she travailed Zion also brought forth her sons.

Verse 8 is clearly about the reformation of the nation of Israel ... in the land. “Can a land be born in one day?” “Can a nation be brought forth all at once?” “As soon as she travailed Zion also brought forth her sons.” Zion equals Jerusalem ... which is same as speaking of the land of Israel.

And the first words of this verse, in Hebrew, add up to 888. 50 + 410 + 428 = 888.

888 seems to indicate something significant that is to occur in that State of Israel.

What about verse 7? “Before she travailed, she brought forth; Before her pain came, she gave birth to a male.”

That's a little cryptic, on first reading. "Before" her labour pains she gives birth. "Before" the pain of giving birth she (that's Israel) produces a male. (In Hebrew ... זכר ... “a male”.) You have to have a New Testament perspective to see that this speaks of Jesus.

Nearly 2000 years before the modern State of Israel was brought into being, Israel produced a male – the Jewish Messiah – Jesus.

Do note that the opening four words of verse 7 (in Hebrew) are (see pdf): "Before" she travailed she brought forth. "Before" (b'terem) ... before has a double emphasis in this phrase.

The numeric value of these four Hebrew words is: 251 + 448 + 49 + 251 = 999.

999 is the value of these three words in the middle block of 18 letters in Genesis 1:1. And 888 is the value of these three words in the middle block of 18 letters in Genesis 1:1.

And here is something to think about. The New Testament was written by Jews – Jews who had been with Jesus. Jews who had proclaimed Jesus to be the LORD.

The New Testament was written in Greek, because Greek was the most widely spoken language in the world at that time.

At the beginning of the New Testament, in the first chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, we read that the angel of the LORD appeared to Joseph, Mary's husband to be, and announced: (Matthew 1:20-21) “... a child has been conceived by the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, because He will save his people from their sins.”

Jesus. Well, that's how we say it in English (with our unique “J” sound). But, in the original Greek, it's “Iesous” ... ΙΗΣΟΥΣ.

Like Hebrew, every letter of the Greek alphabet has a numeric value. Iota = 10. Heta = 8. Sigma = 200. Omicron = 70. Upsilon = 400. Sigma = 200. Total: 888. (888: the numeric value of the name of Jesus)

Why is God arranging history in this way? Why wouldn't God offer salvation to Jews, as He does to everyone, wherever they are in the world? The answer is: He does.

But, there is also the truth that the Jews have been isolated in their communities all around the world – set apart through signs that God gave them – signs of circumcision (see Genesis 17:10-13) and Sabbath-observance (see Exodus 31:12-17). And Jews have been persecuted and reviled.

But when they are regathered in one place, they will stand as a testimony to something that God is doing. A testimony to the God who is faithful to His promises.

And when they, as an entire nation of people, come into the saving knowledge of their Messiah, it will be a further testimony to the world of God's way of righteousness; not through personal achievement, not through good deeds, but by faith in what the Saviour, Jesus, did through His blood sacrifice, in paying our debt.

An entire nation will turn and then all the world will know.

In the book of Ezekiel, the expression: and they “will know that I am the LORD”, occurs exactly 66 times. Of those 66 times, 41 times it is addressed to Israel. All Israel will understand what God is doing, and exactly who is “the LORD”.

And, of the total of 66 times that the expression and "they will know that I am the LORD” occurs, 25 times it refers to the nations of the world, coming to understand that it is God who is dealing with Israel, and coming to understand exactly who is the LORD.

This is a serious matter. This is not a question of man's notions of fairness, nor of political or social or national aspirations. It is something supernatural, something of eternal consequence, and something ... and someone ... who each person everywhere, Jew or Gentile, is offered a choice ... to believe in.

(Israel) will call on My name and I will answer them. I will say, “They are My people”, And they will say, “The LORD is my God.” (Zechariah 13:9)

All the house of Israel, like all who believe in Jesus, will be found in Him. “... all Israel will be saved … the Deliverer will come out of Zion ...” (Romans 11:26-27)

“... everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved ...” (Joel 2:32, Acts 2:21)