A) INTRODUCTION.

B) THE GAZA STRIP.

C) THE GOLAN HEIGHTS.

D) THE WEST BANK.

E) JERUSALEM.

F) TODAY’S DEMONS.

 

 

A) INTRODUCTION

 

 

According to Genesis 15:18, Israel was to own the land promised to Abraham.  Had Israel kicked out all of the tribes they were instructed to remove in the Book of Judges (see also Genesis, Chapter 15 & Deuteronomy, Chapter 7, and others) from their land promised to them by God, it would not have looked like it does today.

 

The same wicked spirits that plagued Israel back in the Book of Judges are the same spirits that are active today in giving Israel trouble in these territories.

 

 

B) THE GAZA STRIP

 

 

Judges 1:27:  “Neither did Manasseh drive out the inhabitants of Bethshean and her towns, nor Taanach and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Dor and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Ibleam and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Megiddo and her towns:  but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.”

 

In the Bible, “The Gaza Strip” was inhabited by the Philistines.  It was originally a Canaanite settlement, conquered by ancient Egypt, then by the Philistines.  Bethshean is situated at the strategic junction of the Harod and Jordan Valleys.  Jewish sages to say, “If the Garden of Eden is in the land of Israel, then its gate is Beth Shean.”

 

The Philistines were whipped out in B.C. 586 by the Babylonians.  See Amos 1:8.  It was the two Jewish revolts in the first and second centuries that caused the Romans to put down these revolts and rename the area as Palestine.  Therefore, Palestinians of today did not really come from the Philistines.  They are just Arabs that have constantly taken advantage of Jewish generosity in order to maintain peace.  How well has that worked for them?  The only peace the Arabs want is Jewish analyzation.  “From the river to the sea."

 

Today, “The Gaza Strip” is a self-governing Palestinian territory on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, which borders Egypt on the Southwest.  Both “Gaza” and the “West Bank” are claimed by the State of Palestine.  Both fell under the jurisdiction of the Palestinian Authority since June of 2007.  They are governed by “Hamas.”  Still waiting on a 2023-2025 war which would have not taken place had Israel obeyed her Lord.

 

 

C) THE GOLAN HEIGHTS

 

 

Judges 1:29-33:  “[29] Neither did Ephraim drive out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer; but the Canaanites dwelt in Gezer among them. [30] Neither did Zebulun drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, nor the inhabitants of Nahalol; but the Canaanites dwelt among them, and became tributaries. [31] Neither did Asher drive out the inhabitants of Accho, nor the inhabitants of Zidon, nor of Ahlab, nor of Achzib, nor of Helbah, nor of Aphik, nor of Rehob: [32] But the Asherites dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land:  for they did not drive them out. [33] Neither did Naphtali drive out the inhabitants of Bethshemesh, nor the inhabitants of Bethanath; but he dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land:  nevertheless the inhabitants of Bethshemesh and of Bethanath became tributaries unto them.”

 

In Biblical times the “Golan Heights” was referred to as “Bashan.”   Its main city was “Astaroth in Edrei,” Deuteronomy 1:4.  This is where the goddess “Astarte,” the equivalent of the Babylonian goddess “Ishtar,” was worshiped.

 

The first occupants of Syria appear to have been of Hamitic descent -- the Hittites, Jebusites, Amorites, etcetera.  Damascus has been its main capital city throughout history.  Had they been destroyed as Commanded by God, king David would not have had to deal with them later on (2Sa. 8:3-4 & 13).  And further still, possibly to this day.

 

The “Golan Heights” is a rocky plateau at the southern end of the Anti-Lebanon Mountains, and straddles the borders of Syria and Israel.  Israel currently occupies about two-thirds of the territory, which it seized in the 1967 Six-Day War and annexed in 1981.  However, Syria still holds the remaining one-third.  Changing all the time at this writing.

 

 

D) THE WEST BANK

 

 

Judges 1:19:  “And the LORD was with Judah; and he drave out the inhabitants of the mountain; but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron.”

 

The “West Bank” is historically known as Judea and Samaria.  Before the Arab -- Israeli war of 1967, the “West Bank” belonged to Jordan in the eyes of the world; when Jordan captured it in the war of independence in 1948.  When, in 1967, Israel re-captured it and annexed it to Israel again, most nations saw this as an unapproved action, and to this day they don’t recognize the “West Bank” as belonging to Israel.

 

The capital of the Amorites was Jericho (or “Beth Yerah,” the house of the “moon god”), which lies in the “West Bank” territories.  The headquarters of the PLO (Palestinian Liberation Army) today is Jericho.

 

 

E) JERUSALEM

 

 

Judges 1:21:  “And the children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites that inhabited Jerusalem; but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Benjamin in Jerusalem unto this day.”

 

Joshua 17:12:  “Yet the children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.”  The Canaanites (descendants of Canaan) were people who lived in the land of Canaan, an area which included parts of modern-day Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan.

 

The “Jebusites” were one of the Amorite tribes who were placed under judgment by God for their wickedness (Genesis 15:16).  God described their pagan worship as abominable practices (Deuteronomy 20:18), which included child sacrifices; with Jerusalem being one of their key cities (Judges 19:10-11).

 

Daniel 11:41 lists “Edom, and Moab, and. . . Ammon,” which today we know as being Jordan.

 

The Palestinian Authority still claims Jerusalem as their capital today.  And still today, West Jerusalem was captured and later annexed by Israel during the 1948 Arab -- Israeli War.  While East Jerusalem, including the Old City, was captured and later annexed by Jordan.

 

 

F) TODAY’S DEMON’S

 

 

If you do not conquer your demon’s today, you will not reach your promised land (Heaven) tomorrow.  Had Israel obeyed in the first place, who knows how Israel would look today.

 

In a side note.  Israel didn’t even have to fight with these nations.  For according to (Exo. 23:28) God:  “I will send hornets before thee, which shall drive out the” all the people groups inhabiting the land promised to Israel had they been obedient.