The existence of Israel is debated because many denominational and political leaders see no connection between the present-day Jew and the Old Testament Jew, even though Scripture and God's covenant identify them as the same people.
Les Feldick teaches that the debate comes from religious leaders who say 'the present day Jew in Israel has nothing to do with the Jew of the Old Testament.' According to Les, the Jew in Israel tonight is the same Jew of the Bible, and the little nation is still God's covenant people. The biblical promises made to Abraham and confirmed in Scripture remain valid, so the debate is not based on what God has actually said.
Genesis 12:2 — Records God's promise to make Abraham a great nation, the starting point of the covenant promises to Israel.
Genesis 15:18 — Declares that God gave Abraham's seed the land from the river of Egypt to the Euphrates.
Joshua 1:3-4 — Restates the exact geographical boundaries of the land God gave to Israel.
In the covenant made with Abram, God declared that His seed would possess a specific land. 'Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates' (Genesis 15:18). Later, as Israel prepared to enter, God repeated the boundaries: 'Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you... From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates... shall be your coast' (Joshua 1:3-4). At the beginning of that covenant, God also said He would make of Abraham 'a great nation' (Genesis 12:2).
Les Feldick teaches that the existence of Israel is debated because many denominational leaders and political figures have lost sight of what Scripture says. He points out that the hierarchy of most mainline denominations is saying that the present-day Jew in Israel has nothing to do with the Jew of the Old Testament, and that most politicians and religious leaders see no connection between the nation of Israel and the Bible. Les, however, says the Jew in Israel tonight is the same Jew of the Bible, and the little nation is still God's covenant people, though temporarily set aside.
Les Feldick says the debate comes from leaders who 'are saying tonight that the present day Jew in Israel has nothing to do with the Jew of the Old Testament.' He says most denominational hierarchies see no connection between the little nation of Israel and the Bible, and many church members accept that. Les, however, says the Jew in Israel tonight is the same Jew of the Bible and has not lost a thing.
God's promise to Abraham includes a geographical territory. Les teaches that this is 'the sore spot of the whole Middle East tonight.' He says Israel may not yet possess everything God has deeded to them, but God's Word is sovereign and 'set in concrete.' In Genesis 15:18, Scripture says God gave Abram's seed the land from the river of Egypt to the Euphrates.
Les says that while God has set Israel aside and grafted in the Gentiles, He has not annulled His covenant with Abraham. When God turned to the Gentiles, He 'broke them off from the fatness of the root of Abraham,' but the covenant made in 2000 B.C. is still maintained. Les sees the Middle East as merely setting the stage for God to once again pick up His program with Israel, which is why their existence still matters.
Modern Jew and Old Testament Jew Are the Same
Les contrasts what denominational hierarchies say with what Scripture shows: the present-day Jew in Israel is the same Jew of the Bible and has not lost anything.
God's Land Grant Is Sovereign
Les says the rest of the world thinks Israel should give up territory for peace, but God has deeded the land to Israel, and Israel doesn't even have all that God granted.
Israel Is Still God's Covenant People
Les says most politicians and religious leaders see no connection between Israel and the Bible, but the little nation is still God's covenant people, though temporarily set aside.
Genesis 12 Origins
Les traces the biblical narrative from Genesis 12 onward to show that God made covenant promises to bring a nation into a specific land between the Mediterranean and the Jordan.
Setting Aside for Gentile Grafting
Les explains that God set Israel aside and grafted in the Gentiles, but this did not cancel Israel's place in the Abrahamic promises.
Covenant Still Maintained
Les says no matter what Israel does, God will maintain the covenant made with Abraham in 2000 B.C., and the Middle East is setting the stage for God to resume His program with Israel.
Land Is the Sore Spot
Les points out that the Abrahamic covenant includes a geographical land promise, and that piece of land is the sore spot of the entire Middle East today.
The Land Is Deeded to Israel
Les says the whole Middle East has been deeded to the nation of Israel, quoting Genesis 15:18 where God says 'Unto thy seed have I given this land.'
Genesis 12:2: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
This verse records God's foundational promise to make Abraham a great nation, the people through whom the land promise would be given.
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 explicit covenant text showing God's gift of the land to Abraham's seed.
Joshua 1:3: Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.
This verse repeats the land promise at the time Israel was about to enter the promised land.
Joshua 1:4: From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast.
This verse defines the specific geographical borders of the land God gave to Israel.
Yes. Scripture records God telling Abram, 'Unto thy seed have I given this land' (Genesis 15:18), and Joshua describes the boundaries. Les Feldick says God's word about the land is sovereign and the nations will not change it.
Les Feldick teaches that the present-day Jew in Israel is the same Jew of the Bible and that Israel is still God's covenant people, although God has temporarily set the nation aside.
Les says denominational hierarchies are saying the present-day Jew has nothing to do with the Old Testament Jew. He says they lose sight of the basic teachings of Scripture when they become wise in their own conceit.
No. Les says the covenant made with Abraham in 2000 B.C. is still maintained, and the Middle East is setting the stage for God to resume His program with Israel.
Watch the Teaching: God’s Plan for Israel vs. Gentiles: Understanding the Abrahamic Covenant