Palestine vs. Israel as the Name of the Holy Land – by Thomas S. McCall

Published by Peter J Gordon on July 8th, 2011

Palestine vs. Israel as the Name of the Holy Land – by Thomas S. McCall, Th.D. – www.levitt.com

During the last few centuries, the world, Christians included, has fallen into a bad habit. We have bought into some early Roman propaganda. We have used the name Palestine, which Roman Emperor Hadrian placed on the country of Israel in 135 A.D., for so long that it has become common usage. This would be as incorrect as calling the Russia of today the “Soviet Union” or referring to Berlin as “East Germany.” The thoughts below by our ministry’s senior theologian, Dr. Thomas S. McCall, completely explore the subject. If you know somebody who’s fallen into this habit, please share this article with them.

Current Propaganda’s Use of Palestine

There is a propaganda war going on now with regard to the term “Palestine.” At one time it might have been argued that Palestine was an innocuous designation of the Middle Eastern area, that is generally thought of as the Holy Land. During the last few decades, however, the term Palestine has been adopted by Arabs living in Israel in the area west of the Jordan River. It is specifically employed to avoid the use of the name Israel, and must be considered an anti-Israel term. In all Arab maps published in Jordan, Egypt, etc., the area west of the Jordan River is called Palestine, without any reference to Israel. Palestine is the term now used by those who want to deny the legitimate existence of Israel as a genuine nation among the family of nations.

The term now adopted by the political entity within Israel that is gradually obtaining more and more pockets of territory through the “peace process,” is “the PA (Palestinian Authority). Although it must deal daily with Israeli officials, the PA hates to use the term Israel in any of its communications.

Palestine, therefore, must now be considered a political propaganda term with massive anti-Israel implications. The world press uses the term to question the legitimacy of modern Israel. Christians also have used the term Palestine for centuries in referring to the Holy Land. In earlier times this might have been excused (although biblically questionable) because of its common usage. In light of the current propaganda war against Israel, however, Christians must now re-evaluate the term Palestine and consider whether it is biblically, theologically or prophetically accurate.

Biblical Use of Palestine

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. It 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.

In the New Testament, the term Palestine is never used. 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:

Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead who sought the young child’s life. And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. (Matt. 2:20-21)

But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say to you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man shall have come. (Matt. 10:23)

The first passage is when Joseph, Mary and Jesus returned from Egypt to Israel, and the second has reference 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.

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, and, at worst, are a conscious denial of the biblical name of Israel.

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”? One of the guides we use in our tours to Israel is Zvi Rivai, an Israeli Messianic believer, who has done considerable research on this subject. Zvi informs us that 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 struck a coin with the phrase “Judea Capta,” meaning Judea has been captured. The term Palestine was never used in the early Roman designations.

It was not until the Romans crushed the second Jewish revolt against Rome in 135 A.D. under Bar Kochba 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 Capitalina, 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, Latinized 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.

Christian Adoption of 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 Capitalina, 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.

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 I, though, 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 evangelical Christians who believe in the future of Israel have used the term Palestine. The New Scofield Reference Edition of the Bible has maps in the back entitled “Palestine under the Herods.” 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 MacArthur Study Bible published just last year 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.

Proper Designation of the Land

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 Christ, 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 think not.

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 Christ, we should understand that Satan’s fury against the Church and Israel will grow exponentially. 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 Christ’s earthly headquarters. The only term we should use for the Land is Israel, or its subdivisions of Judea, Samaria, and Galilee. We should make every effort to remove the term Palestine from our Bible maps and textbooks, and use only biblical terms with reference to the Holy Land of Israel.


What will the impact be if Jerusalem is divided?

Published by Peter J Gordon on July 1st, 2011
What will the impact be if Jerusalem is divided?www.allaboutyeshua.wordpress.com
Some of God’s people are being led to believe that creating a separate ‘Palestinian State’ within Israel will lead to peace, but perhaps the scripture verse in Ezekiel 13 shows that we are living in the End-Times and that nothing will bring peace to Israel until Messiah Yeshua (Jesus) returns.
When the Partition Wall went up the world cried out that Israel was creating Apartheid, but all they were doing was keeping the terrorist suicide bombers out of Israel.
Now that’s it been a number of years, it seems the Partition Wall in some ways has helped people visualize the “Palestinians” having their own State.
“…because they have seduced My people saying ‘peace!’ when there is no peace –and one builds a wall, and they plaster it with untempered mortar – say to those who plaster it with untempered mortar, that it will fall.” (Ezekiel 13:10)
Many are questioning what will happen this coming September if the United Nations decides in favor of what is being called the ‘Two State Solution’. Basically, it would mean that the Palestinians would be given the official right to declare their own separate state in the Land of Israel, with a return to the pre-1967 borders of Israel.
Perhaps a more important question for people outside Israel, besides ‘what will happen?’ is, “So what…!”
In other words, why should people in the “nations” even care what happens in this tiny, far off, Middle Eastern Country? So what if Jerusalem is divided again between the Jews and the Arabs, like it was prior to 1967?
In order to answer this question, we need to review a bit of history.
In 1967, due to an amazing military triumph, the entire city of Jerusalem came into Jewish hands for the first time in thousands of years!
The Arabs were stunned at the stupendous Israeli victory.
The tiny David once again slew the mighty giant, Goliath (all the surrounding Arab nations)!
Hardened Israeli soldiers wept unashamedly as they reached and reclaimed the Western Wall and the country was in a state of Euphoria!
Many exclaimed, “The days of Messiah have come!”
Anyone who has studied Jewish history will admit that the survival and restoration of the nation of Israel has been a result of miracle after miracle after miracle.
Those who have come against Israel have been either destroyed or their power significantly decreased, proving the truth of God’s word, “I will bless those who bless you and those who curse you I will curse.” (Genesis 12:3)
The British Empire had opportunity to bless Israel but they missed it.
In 1917, Britain declared a homeland in Palestine for the Jewish people; however they subsequently went back on their word, giving 76% of the territory to the Jordanians, and further dividing up what was left.
In the British White Paper, only 75,000 Jews per year were allowed to immigrate to Palestine and after 1944, only those whom the Arabs would allow.
Many, many Jewish people who could have been saved by finding refuge in Palestine instead perished in Hitler’s ovens due to Britain’s restrictive policies.
For this sin, this same Britain, of which was said, “The sun never sets on the British Empire,” was reduced after World War II, to a mere shadow of its former glory.
They had missed their greatest opportunity to bless Israel and had placed themselves under God’s curse instead by breaking their word to Israel and turning their back on her in her time of need.
So enough of the history lesson – the question remains – what relevance does this have for the nations of the world today?
The future of the nations may depend upon their decision with regards to dividing up Israel this coming September 2011.
The Lord promises to enter into judgment with all those nations who attempt to divide up His Land. (Joel 3:2) It is not actually Israel who owns this tiny piece of land, but God Himself.
We have no right to sell, or divide, or give away any portion of this Land, for God Himself holds the title deed. (Leviticus 25:23)
Right now, Arab young people are protesting in Egypt and all over the Middle East.
The majority of Egyptians want to break the peace treaty with Israel. Islam carries on the theology of Hitler; the President of Iran speaks for the same hatred towards the Jews that Hitler spoke.
Anti- Semitism is rising all over the earth. Islam is spreading like a cancerous spirit of death across the nations.
Sure there are many Muslim moderates because those people are secular, just like there are moderate Christians who are not religious. However there is a huge population of radical religious Muslims who are out to conquer, and this is a spiritual battle.
Its desire is to destroy not only Israel and the Jews, but also Christians and the Western nations, including the United states. In fact their mandate is to annihilate all those who will not bow their knee to Allah.
And yet, God’s word promises that any nation of kingdom who will not serve Israel will perish and their nation shall be utterly ruined. (Isaiah 60: 12)
Let’s put this in Scripture Context:
Isaiah 60
The Glory of Zion
1 “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.
2 See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the LORD rises upon you and his glory appears over you.
3 Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
4 “Lift up your eyes and look about you: All assemble and come to you; your sons come from afar, and your daughters are carried on the hip.
5 Then you will look and be radiant, your heart will throb and swell with joy; the wealth on the seas will be brought to you, to you the riches of the nations will come.
6 Herds of camels will cover your land, young camels of Midian and Ephah. And all from Sheba will come, bearing gold and incense and proclaiming the praise of the LORD.
7 All Kedar’s flocks will be gathered to you, the rams of Nebaioth will serve you; they will be accepted as offerings on my altar, and I will adorn my glorious temple.
8 “Who are these that fly along like clouds, like doves to their nests?
9 Surely the islands look to me; in the lead are the ships of Tarshish, bringing your children from afar, with their silver and gold, to the honor of the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendor.
10 “Foreigners will rebuild your walls, and their kings will serve you. Though in anger I struck you, in favor I will show you compassion.
11 Your gates will always stand open, they will never be shut, day or night, so that people may bring you the wealth of the nations—their kings led in triumphal procession.
12 For the nation or kingdom that will not serve you will perish; it will be utterly ruined.
It is a hard word, but only the truth will set us free. Look what happened to England. And here are more reasons why the nations, especially the Arab nations will come against Israel.
The London-based World Energy Council says Israel’s Shfela Basin, a half-hour drive south of Jerusalem, holds 250 billion barrels of recoverable shale oil, possibly making the energy-vulnerable country (as expressed by The Wall Street Journal) “the world’s newest energy giant.”
With reserves of 260 billion barrels, Saudi Arabia would remain the world’s No. 1 oil country – though not, perhaps, for long. Howard Jonas, CEO of U.S.-based IDT Corp., the company that owns the Shfela Basin concession, says there is much more oil under Israel than under Saudi Arabia: Perhaps, he says, twice as much.
This will make Israel the third-largest holder of shale reserves in the world. Israel should be pumping oil within three or four years. Also on board is Shell Oil’s remarkable top scientist, Harold Vinegar, who says the Shfela oil is not only abundant but premium quality as well: “The equivalent of Saudi extra-light.”
Israel will be able to free its long-time friend the United States from needing to deal with tyrants who control the oil of the world.
Back to our Scriptural opinion piece… we don’t do the enemies of Israel any favors by allowing them to remain in deception. What will happen to the nations who come against Israel will only be disaster, it is holy to the Lord, Israel is His firstborn.
“Israel was holiness to the Lord, the firstfruits of His increase. All that devour him will offend; Disaster will come upon them,” says the Lord.” Jeremiah 2:3
Believers around the world need to pray for their leaders to stand with Israel. They need to be warned not to join with the rebels who come against Jerusalem.
God will make Jerusalem like a cup of trembling to all the surrounding nations who lay siege to Judah. Jerusalem will be like a very heavy stone to all the people, and all those who try to heave it away will be shredded into pieces by the Holy One of Israel (Zechariah 12:3)
Those who dare to war against the ‘apple of God’s eye’ will be ashamed, disgraced, and brought to nothing: “All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced; those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish. Though you earch for your enemies, you will not find them. Those who wage war against you will be as nothing at all.” Isaiah 41:11-12
Perhaps the best question to ask ourselves is, “Where will I stand when this outrage actually begins to take place?”
Will I join with the rebels, the enemies of Israel and share in their destruction? Or will I count the cost and decide to stand with Israel until the very end?
Understand that it isn’t easy to live here in Israel. We don’t agree with all of our government’s policies. They make it very hard for us Believers in Yeshua (Jesus) here, taxes are very high, etc… However the Bible is clear about the Land of Israel.
What is the solution for the Palestinians?
There is no political solution, but only the hope of their salvation through accepting Yeshua Hamashiach ( the Messiah).
Only when the Arabs receive the Jewish Messiah and read the Bible do they come to know the truth, repent for their hatred of Israel and come to love the Jewish people.
The Israel government, knowing this, even encourages Christian Missionary work amongst Arabs. What is it like for the average Israeli – to be pressed on every side?
The two greatest pressures that Israel faces are:
1) Iran – speaking just like Hitler did before the Holocaust
2) United Nations – predominantly Muslim and anti-Israel
The United Nations includes the Arab League of Nations comprised of 50 Arab nations and 70-80 other nations which are partially or wholly Muslim, therefore the U.N. is overwhelmingly influenced by Islam. Whichever direction these oil-rich countries determine, most of the other nations will just follow along.
This September, the United Nations is planning to declare a Palestinian state in the nation of Israel without her approval or consent.
Here is the basis of the conflict: Israel asks for only two concessions:
1) Recognize Israel’s right to exist
2) Stop all terrorism
To both these requests, the Arabs shout No! They plan to declare their state, even if the U.N. does not agree.
What will happen if the United States does not use its veto power to stop this U.N. anti-Israel resolution from passing?
The nations that comes against Israel, who fail to bless and stand with Israel, who agree to divide up her land, will see unprecedented tragedy such as never has been seen before!
What is the only solution? Believe in the Lord Yeshua and come under the shelter of His wings. Time is speeding up.
We are in the hour of the end times. We must share the Good News of the Kingdom of Heaven, Yeshua, and salvation with as many people as possible – to the Jew first and also to the Gentile. (Romans 1:16) “I will grant salvation to Zion, my splendor to Israel.” Isaiah 46:13
God temporarily blinded the eyes of the Jewish people to their own Messiah in order that salvation could come to the Gentiles. What will it mean for the Christian Church when the people of Israel say, Baruch Haba B’shem Adonai” “Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord”? LIFE FROM THE DEAD!
“For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance
be but life from the dead?” Romans 11:15

What does Abbas really want? – Douglas M. Bloomfield

Published by Peter J Gordon on June 30th, 2011
What does Abbas really want? – Douglas M. Bloomfield – www.jpost.com
Washington Watch: The PA president needs the world’s help to get down from the tree he climbed up.
Mahmoud Abbas inspired great hope that peace was finally possible when he succeeded Yasser Arafat as president of the Palestinian Authority. Because the gap between those expectations and his performance keeps growing, along with his penchant for finding excuses instead of opportunities, he is arguably an even bigger disappointment than the unrepentant old terrorist.
Few expected Arafat would ever make a real peace, but not so Abbas, who earned respect as the only PLO leader to stand up to Arafat and oppose violence as a negotiating tool.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu hailed him as his “partner for peace,” as did his two predecessors. Under Abbas’s leadership, the PA instituted economic and political reforms, won praise for security cooperation with Israel, made a serious effort to clean up the Arafat-era corruption, and began building the institutions of statehood.
Abbas had a very willing collaborator in prime minister Ehud Olmert, but walked away from the best deal ever tabled by an Israeli leader, saying it wasn’t enough, even though he knew that a more conservative government could come in and withdraw the offer.
This is precisely what happened with the election of Netanyahu, who did not share his predecessor’s enthusiasm for peace-making and preferred a slow, drawn-out approach.
By the time Abbas was finally ready to discuss Olmert’s offer, it was too late; his insistence that Netanyahu resume talks where they’d left off was a non-starter. All he achieved was to prove the axiom about Palestinians missing opportunities (Israelis aren’t immune, but are not in the Palestinians’ league).
As noted in an earlier column, Abbas has a penchant for climbing out on limbs – sometimes with President Barack Obama’s encouragement.
Making matters worse, when opportunities to come down come along, he tends to climb even higher.
The latest example is this week’s formal announcement – reportedly to the surprise of some of his own colleagues – that he will seek UN membership in September. He claims this will enhance efforts to renew negotiations with Israel, but knows it is more likely to have the opposite effect.
It’s just his latest blunder. He claimed his power-sharing deal with Hamas would also advance chances for peace, although it is backfiring. In the past he had demanded an Israeli settlement freeze. Netanyahu, under US pressure, reluctantly agreed to a limited, 10-month construction halt, but Abbas dithered for nine months and then walked out when Netanyahu wouldn’t extend the freeze.
Abbas makes no secret of his disdain for Netanyahu, but it’s hard to understand why he seems so persistent in undermining his critical relationship with the United States, which is essential to any peace deal.
OBAMA, WHO seems to want peace more than the parties themselves, is strongly opposed to both Abbas initiatives, and is personally lobbying foreign leaders to his side. He has threatened to veto the unilateral statehood bid when it comes before the Security Council, and his UN ambassador, Susan Rice, has warned there is “no greater threat” to US support and funding for the UN than its endorsement of the Palestinian move.
Moreover, the Hamas deal – if it is ever consummated – could land the PA on the State Department terror list, where Hamas is already ensconced.
A report by the Congressional Research Service, noting that the US has approved more than $4 billion in aid for the Palestinians, said the Hamas power-sharing agreement could lead to a cutoff of all such aid.
Some Abbas aides have been saying that Abbas would like to climb down from all those limbs, but can’t figure out how to do so without looking weak.
At various times he has described his moves – settlement freeze, Hamas deal, UN strategy – as ways of putting pressure on Israel to come to the peace table, but they appear to be having the opposite effect.
Abbas, however, is not alone in missing opportunities.
Netanyahu’s commitment to peace is also questionable. He may say he wants unconditional talks, but has presented his own conditions.
He has taken Jerusalem off the table, which is a deal killer; insists that Abbas publicly declare his acceptance of the Jewish State, which the Palestinian leader bluntly refuses to do; rejects the 1967 lines as a reference point for talks, and demands an indefinite Israeli security presence in the Jordan valley.
Obama may be able to get the two sides to temporarily resume talks in order to head off the UN collision, but without fundamental changes by either leader, it is likely to be nothing more than a face-saving way for Abbas to climb down from his limb.
But what sent him up there in the first place? Does he really want to make peace or does he, like Arafat, desire to appear to be a peacemaker while seeking a way to avoid going down in history as the Palestinian leader who made peace with Israel and gave up all claims to all parts of Palestine?

Betrayal of Israel – By Dr. David R. Reagan – www.lamblion.com

Published by Peter J Gordon on June 30th, 2011
Betrayal of Israel - By Dr. David R. Reagan – www.lamblion.com
Our nation’s betrayal of Israel began in 1990 when the Communist government of Russia decided to open its doors to allow Jews to immigrate to Israel. During the year that followed, 3,000 Russian Jews arrived each day in Israel, forcing the nation to absorb a population equivalent to the United States absorbing the entire population of France in one year’s time! Needless to say, the tiny nation of Israel was overwhelmed.
Israel’s Prime Minister, Yitzhak Shamir, applied to the World Bank for a loan of $10 billion to cope with the needs of the refugees. He was told that the loan would be granted only if the United States would guarantee it. When he then turned to the first Bush Administration, he was told that the guarantee would be supplied only if he agreed to start negotiating with the Palestinians. This resulted in the Madrid Conference in October of 1991. In short, we forced Israel to start down the suicidal path of trading land for peace.
President Clinton pursued the same policy of trying to force Israel to give up its heartland of Judea and Samaria. He almost succeeded at the Camp David Summit in July of 2000 when he pressured the most liberal Prime Minister in Israeli history, Ehud Barack, to surrender the West Bank. But Yasser Arafat wanted much more, so he walked out of the negotiations.
The second Bush Administration continued the intense pressure on Israel resulting in the so-called “Road Map to Peace” in 2002 when President George W. Bush became the first president to call for the establishment of a Palestinian state. He also engineered the disastrous Israeli pull-out from the Gaza Strip in August of 2005.
In May of this year, America’s betrayal of Israel reached a new level when President Obama called for the establishment of a Palestinian state based on the pre-1967 lines. The implementation of those lines would render Israel indefensible since it would be only 9 to 11 miles wide in the Tel Aviv area.
President Obama is begging for the wrath of God to be poured out on himself, his administration, and this nation.
I will bless those who bless you [Israel], and the one who curses you I will curse. – Genesis 12:3
I will gather all the nations, and bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat. Then I will enter into judgment with them there on behalf of My people and My inheritance, Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations; and they have divided up My land. – Joel 3:2
. . . he who touches you [Israel], touches the apple of His [God’s] eye. – Zechariah 2:8