The promise of land in the Old Testament : a theological-ethical study of its nature, conditions, and purpose

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT:This research is a study of the promise of land in the Old Testament. Special emphasis is given towhat theological-ethical implications the nature, conditions, and purpose of the promise of landentail - what it meant to the Israelites and what it means to us today. The scope of this thesis isthe Old Testament in its final form (here the 39 books of the Protestant Bible). However, thestudy is mainly based on the narratives and prophetic literature, as the promise of land is mostlyfound in these texts. A careful study of the natures of the four land covenant texts of Genesis 15and 17 (Abrahamic covenant), Exodus 19-24 (Sinaitic covenant; cf. Dt 5:6-18; 12-16),2 Samuel7:5-29 (Davidic covenant), and Jeremiah 31:31-34 (new covenant) will show that Yahweh'spromise (gift) of land to Abraham and his descendants (the Israelites) in the Old Testament isconditional. Possession and continual possession of the promised land will depend on theIsraelites' observance of the stipulations of the land covenants. In order to possess andcontinually possess the land, the Israelites must worship Yahweh exclusively, live a holy life,pursue righteous and justice, share the land equally among themselves, and care for the landaccording to the will of the giver. Failure to observe these stipulations will result in losing theland (exile). Israel failed and was exiled. But that was not the end. The promise of land is alsothe promise of restoration (to the land) if the Israelites return to the Lord. Return, they did, andwere restored to the promised land. All these conditions apply (some of them analogously orlandmetaphorically) to us today as we live on this planet earth, God's creation-gift. The purpose ofthe promise of land is for blessing - both material blessing of wellbeing and spiritual blessing ofknowing and worshipping Yahweh God. This blessing is for both the Israelites and the wholeworld. By promising a land to the Israelites, God wants to use the promised land and its peopleas a standard measure for other lands and nations. In this way, the promise of land is not so mucha privilege as it is a responsibility. On the one hand, the promise of land gives the Israelites, forthat matter, other peoples as well, a spatial-ethnical identity, which entails the need to respectevery people's ethnic identity and their God-given land. On the other, the promised land is notexclusively for the Israelites, it is a place where other peoples (aliens) may also live (Eze 47:21-23). This inevitably challenges us to strive towards a peaceful coexistence and sharing ofresources including land regardless of color, creed, and language. The promised land, for thatmatter, the whole earth, is God's collective gift to the whole humanity. Therefore every humanhas a right to the land. The earth, God's creation-gift, if shared and managed according to thewill of the giver, is enough to provide a home to everyone and meet his or her needs.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University