God promised Abraham and his descendants a real, physical territory stretching from the river of Egypt to the great river Euphrates.
In Genesis 15:18 God said, "Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates." Les Feldick emphasizes that this was not merely a small portion of land; God deeded the whole Middle East between the Mediterranean Sea and the Euphrates River to Abraham's descendants. Israel will fully inherit that entire territory when Christ returns and establishes His kingdom.
Genesis 15:18 — This verse directly names the exact boundaries of the land promised to Abraham's descendants.
Genesis 13:15 — God promised Abraham all the land he could see, to him and his seed forever.
In Genesis 13:14-15, after Lot separated from him, the LORD told Abram, "Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: for all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever." This promise was not limited to a small plot but to all the land Abram could see. In Genesis 15:18-21, the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, He said, "Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates." The passage then lists the tribes dwelling in that territory: the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaims, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites. Later, in Exodus 23:31, God said to Israel, "I will set thy bounds from the Red sea even unto the sea of the Philistines, and from the desert unto the river: for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand; and thou shalt drive them out before thee." This shows the promised territory included the land west of the Euphrates, down to the Red Sea and the Sea of the Philistines.
Les Feldick teaches that in Genesis 15 God gave Abraham a title deed to a literal piece of real estate. He explains that God "literally went through the rites of transferring title deed to Abraham" and then used the past tense: "Unto thy seed have I given this land" — not "I will give" [Clip 4, Clip 2]. According to Les, God deeded to Abraham everything between the Mediterranean Sea and the Euphrates River, extending from northern Lebanon/Mount Hermon down to the Red Sea and the river of Egypt [Clip 1, Clip 3, Clip 5, Clip 7]. Les also clarifies that the "river of Egypt" in Genesis 15 is probably not the Nile, but another river a little east of the Nile, although he says the precise location does not change the point [Clip 1, Clip 4, Clip 5]. He stresses that Israel has not yet possessed all of this land, but will receive the whole Middle East as its homeland when Christ returns to set up the Millennial Kingdom [Clip 5, Clip 7]. Until then, regardless of what Israel does with the land politically, the deed has already been given to Abraham's descendants [Clip 2].
The Bible names the river of Egypt as the southwest boundary and the great river Euphrates as the eastern boundary (Genesis 15:18). Exodus 23:31 adds, "I will set thy bounds from the Red sea even unto the sea of the Philistines, and from the desert unto the river." Les Feldick expands this by saying the territory runs from northern Lebanon/Mount Hermon down to the Red Sea, and from the river of Egypt across to the Euphrates — in other words, the whole Middle East.
Les teaches that God "literally went through the rites of transferring title deed to Abraham" in Genesis 15 [Clip 4]. He points to the past tense in Genesis 15:18: "Unto thy seed have I given this land" — God had already given it, not merely promised to give it [Clip 2]. For Les, this means the deed belongs to Abraham's descendants and cannot be canceled.
Les says Israel will not fully enjoy all the promised land now [Clip 5]. David and Solomon received part of it, but not all [Clip 7]. When Christ returns, however, the nation of Israel will have the whole Middle East as its homeland, all the way from the river of Egypt to the Euphrates [Clip 2, Clip 7]. According to Les, it doesn't matter whether Israel gives land back or fights for it; when Christ returns, they are going to possess it [Clip 2].
Les says he does not think the "river of Egypt" refers to the Nile. He says there was another river in antiquity a little east of the Nile that was called the river of Egypt, but he adds that it doesn't make much difference [Clip 1, Clip 4, Clip 5]. The key point is that the promised land extended all the way from that southwest river to the Euphrates.
The land in the Abrahamic covenant
Les introduces that in the Abrahamic covenant God will give Israel a literal piece of land, part of the earth's topography.
Boundaries and the deed
Les identifies the promised land as everything from the river of Egypt to the Euphrates, deeded to Abraham.
Past-tense deed and future possession
Les points to the 'have I given' wording and says Israel will have the whole Middle East when Christ returns.
Four-point boundary and the inhabitants
Les lays out the full extent of the promise, including the river of Egypt, Euphrates, Mount Hermon/Lebanon, and Red Sea, and quotes Exodus 23:31 about driving out inhabitants.
Title deed transfer ritual
Les explains that God went through the rites of transferring title deed to Abraham before naming the land.
Full inheritance in the Millennial Kingdom
Les says God deeded the whole region to Abraham, but Israel will enjoy it fully only when Christ returns to set up the Millennial Kingdom.
The promise to look in every direction
Les recounts God telling Abraham to look north, south, east, and west, and promising all that land to him and his seed forever.
Homeland in the Kingdom
Les repeats the boundary from the river of Egypt to the Euphrates and says David and Solomon only received part of it, so the full Middle East remains Israel's future homeland.
Genesis 15:18: In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:
This is the central verse naming the exact boundaries of the land promised to Abraham's descendants.
Genesis 13:15: For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.
God promised Abraham all the land he could see, confirming an everlasting gift to his seed.
Exodus 23:31: And I will set thy bounds from the Red sea even unto the sea of the Philistines, and from the desert unto the river: for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand; and thou shalt drive them out before thee.
God later restated the boundaries of the land Israel would inherit, showing the full extent of the promise.
God promised Abraham's descendants the land from the river of Egypt to the great river Euphrates (Genesis 15:18). Les Feldick explains that this includes the whole Middle East between the Mediterranean and the Euphrates, deeded to Abraham through the covenant.
No. According to Les, God deeded all the land between the Mediterranean and the Euphrates, from northern Lebanon/Mount Hermon to the Red Sea, to Abraham's descendants. Israel will only possess all of it when Christ returns to establish the Millennial Kingdom.
Scripture records the past-tense wording "Unto thy seed have I given this land" (Genesis 15:18). Les emphasizes that the deed was transferred to Abraham in Genesis 15, while the full possession awaits Christ's return.
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