Palestine?

Hours before the opening of the US Embassy in Jerusalem according to sources in the Times of Israel, Jerusalem Post and Haaretz publications between 35,000-50,000 Palestinian Arabs were rioting along the Israel-Gaza border. So far 52 Palestinian Arabs have been killed and 1,200 wounded. While the UN are calling for the culpability of Israel’s in this matter the UN and the world by enlarge are ignoring the facts that it is Hamas that are behind these riots and dissent and that the IDF is defending and protecting Israeli citizens. When you consider the whole ‘Palestinian issue’ it is a situation that has been created by man and Satan but not by God. Does in fact the Bible teach that the Land of Israel is also called ‘Palestine?’ Is it even in the Bible? Let’s look at the term ‘Palestine’ or ‘Palestinian” and in doing this there are several things to consider…

Is ‘Palestine’ mentioned in the Bible?

The term Palestine is rarely used in the Old Testament, and when it is, it refers specifically to the southwestern coastal area of Israel occupied by the Philistines. Today this would be the Gaza Strip the home of Hamas. The term ‘Palestine’ is a translation of the Hebrew word “Pelesheth.” The term is never used to refer to the whole land occupied by Israel. Before Israel occupied the land, it would be generally accurate to say that the southwestern coastal area was called Philistia (the Way of the Philistines, or Palestine), while the central highlands were called Canaan. Both the Canaanites and the Philistines had disappeared as distinct peoples at least by the time of the Babylonian Captivity of Judea (586 B.C.), and they no longer exist today.

Is ‘Palestine’ ever used in the New Testament?

In the New Testament, the term Palestine is never used for the Land of Israel. The term Israel is primarily used to refer to the people of Israel, rather than the Land. However, in at least two passages, Israel is used to refer to the Land: In Matthews gospel we read; “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to THE LAND OF ISRAEL, for those who sought the young Child’s life are dead.” Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the LAND OF ISRAEL.” (Matthew 2:20-21) The Lord Jesus Himself referred to the Land as Israel when He said; “When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes. (Matt. 10:23). (CAPS added for emphasis) The first Bible reference is to when Joseph, Mary and Jesus returned from Egypt to Israel, and the second Bible reference is to the proclamation of the Gospel throughout the Land of Israel. Jesus, Matthew and the angel speaking to Joseph use the term Israel with reference to the Land, even though the term was not then recognized by the Roman authorities.

Does the Bible ever use the term ‘Palestine’ to refer to the Land of Israel?

It is clear, then, that the Bible never uses the term Palestine to refer to the Holy Land as a whole, and that Bible maps that refer to Palestine in the Old or New Testament are, at best, inaccurate in using the term Palestine, and, at worst, are a conscious denial of the biblical name of Israel.

What is the history of the term ‘Palestine’?

Where did the term Palestine originate from? How did the world and the church get into the habit of calling the land of Israel “Palestine”? Before 135 A.D., the Romans used the terms Judea and Galilee to refer to the Land of Israel. When Titus destroyed Jerusalem in 70 A.D., the Roman government minted a coin with the phrase “Judea Capta,” meaning Judea has been captured. The term ‘Palestine’ was never used in the early Roman designations for the Land of Israel. It was not until the Romans crushed the second Jewish revolt against Rome in 135 A.D. under Bar Kokhba that Emperor Hadrian applied the term Palestine to the Land of Israel. Hadrian, like many dictators since his time, realized the propaganda power of terms and symbols. He replaced the shrines of the Jewish Temple and the Sepulchre of Christ in Jerusalem with temples to pagan deities. He changed the name of Jerusalem to Aelia Capitolina, and changed the name of Israel and Judea to Palestine. Hadrian’s selection of Palestine was purposeful, not accidental. He took the name of the ancient enemies of Israel, the Philistines, Latinised it to Palestine, and applied it to the Land of Israel. He hoped to erase the name Israel from all memory. Thus, the term Palestine as applied to the Land of Israel was invented by the inveterate enemy of the Bible and the Jewish people, Emperor Hadrian. It is interesting to note that the original Philistines were not Middle Eastern at all. They were European peoples from the Adriatic Sea next to Greece. It may have pleased Hadrian to utilize this Hellenistic term for the Jewish land. In any case, the original “Palestinians” had nothing to do, whatsoever, with any Arabs.

When did Christians adopt the term ‘Palestine’?

One of the first Christian uses of the term Palestine is found in the works of the Church historian Eusebius, who lived in Caesarea. He wrote around 300 A.D., as the Roman persecution of Christians was ending and the Emperor Constantine began to accept Christianity as legal. Eusebius did not accept Hadrian’s designation of Jerusalem as Aelia Capitolina, but he did use Hadrian’s term Palestine. Eusebius considered himself to be one of the bishops of Palestine. Thus, the anti-Israel, anti-Christian name of Palestine was assimilated into the Church’s vocabulary as the Byzantine Empire was being established. Today with the rapid growth of replacement theology the use of the term Palestine is becoming ‘fashionable’ in many Church circles.

‘Palestinians?’

The Church has, since that time, broadly used the term Palestine in literature and in maps to refer to the Land of Israel. It should be noted, however, that the Crusaders called their land the Kingdom of Jerusalem. When the British received the mandate after World War they called the land on both sides of the Jordan River, Palestine. This became the accepted geo-political term for several decades, and those who lived in the land were called Palestinians, whether they were Jews, Arabs or Europeans.

Even in our Bibles!

Even evangelical Christians who believe in the future of Israel have used the term Palestine. Two examples are The New Scofield Reference Edition of the Bible that has maps in the back entitled “Palestine under the Herods.” Historically and Biblically there never was a Palestine under the Herods. This is a serious misidentification. It would be something like looking at a modern map of Texas and having it titled “Mexico in the Twentieth Century.” The second example is The MacArthur Study Bible which contains a map called “Palestine in Christ’s Time” There are numerous references in the notes to something called first-century Palestine. It appears that Bible-believing Christians have either knowingly or unwittingly followed the world, pagans and haters of Israel in calling Israel by the anti-Israel term Palestine. It is found throughout Bible maps, Bible commentaries and textbooks.

Israel forever!

The use of the term Palestine was biblically inaccurate and wrong throughout the Church age. However, it is more than just wrong, it is devastating in our time, when the term Palestine is the cornerstone of the propaganda war against Israel and the Jewish people. Do we want to use terms invented by those who hate the Lord Jesus, the Bible and Israel? Do we want to utilize terms used by the enemies of Israel who desire to accomplish nothing less than the destruction of the Jewish people? I don’t think so!

Stick to Biblical Terminology!

Bible believing Christians should use the terminology of the Bible wherever possible. Why not go back to the terms used in the New Testament? The Gospel writers used the term Israel to refer to the Land. Why should we use any other term when referring to the Land, especially now that the Jews are back in the Land and have re-established the nation of Israel among the family of nations? As we draw closer to the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus, we should understand that Satan’s fury against the Church and Israel will grow more intense and frequent. Satan hates the Gospel of the crucified and risen Messiah, and he hates the reality of the restoration of Israel as the nation that will ultimately receive Jesus as the Messiah at His return, and the nation that will be the Messiah’s earthly headquarters. The only term we should use for the Land is Israel, or its subdivisions of Judea, Samaria, and Galilee. Every effort should be made to remove the term Palestine from our Bible maps and textbooks, and use only biblical terms with reference to the Holy Land of Israel.

The Word of God is clear!

The Word of God is clear to Mahmoud Abbas and Co, to the leaders of Hamas, to the United Nations, the European Union and by enlarge to the bias media. The LORD has already passed sentence on those ‘Palestinians’ who would destroy Israel with lies, hate and with destructive demonic devastation of the Land and the people. Do you see Israelis strapping on suicide belts? Running people over with motor vehicles? Stabbing innocent Israelis? Stoning buses and Jewish rabbis or Arab mothers training their little children to be suicide bombers and remorseless killers for Allah? Some are even desecrating the Temple Mount? The LORD has spoken what He will do to establish Israel and He will perform it!

Tough times are ahead!

Israel has yet to pass through the time of Jacob’s Trouble and there are unprecedented storms and trials ahead for Israel and for the nations of the world. God is allowing Israel’s enemies to harass them, it is Satan’s work but God is permitting it in order to bring Israel as a nation back to Himself and to encounter their Messiah the Lord Jesus. After the LORD has refined the faithful Remnant, purifying the sons of Levi He will act swiftly and without delay. When He has completed His sanctifying work in Israel He will send the Lord Jesus the Anointed Messiah back to deliver Israel from all of her enemies, rapture and resurrect the saints, destroy Antichrist and his cohorts from hell and establish the Millennial Kingdom. Yes it will be a terrible time of trouble that lays ahead for Jacob but HE (ISRAEL) WILL BE SAVED OUT OF IT! (Jeremiah 30: Verses 1-6).

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem”

As it is also written; “Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, because He has come to His people and redeemed them. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David (as He said through his holy prophets of long ago), salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us – to show mercy to our ancestors and to remember His holy covenant, the oath He swore to our father Abraham: to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve Him without fear in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days”(Luke 1:68-75). As it is also written: “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee” (Psalm 122:6). The most important thing Bible believing Christians, who support Israel and love the Jewish people can do, is to pray that many more Israelis find salvation in the Lord Jesus the Anointed Messiah. To this end we should pray for the message of Salvation is “to the Jew first!” (Romans 1:16b)