I titled this blog: “The Origins of Judah”. I know that will throw some of you off because there is no country in this world called Judah. However, most of the inhabitants in the nation called Israel are named Jews: יהודים. That does sound familiar to the biblical name Judah: יהודה. Huh, I wonder why David Ben-Gurion and the other founders of the modern state of Israel called it Israel instead of Judah. Even the Israeli Declaration of Independence makes a distinction between the people that inhabit the land, and the land itself.
“the Land of Israel, [Palestine] was the birthplace of the Jewish people.” --Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Israel
Yes, it’s true that Jews were tilling the ground since the early 20th century, and it’s also true that the Zionists were buying land from Arabs in Palestine during the early 20th century as well. However, Zionism wasn’t born in the land of Israel, but a Jewish nation was born in the land—it was born in ancient times. This nation (or, should I say: kingdom) was much older than Zionism. That kingdom was called the Kingdom of Judah; it was born in the land of Israel during the reign of King Rehoboam, son of Solomon. O reader, please understand that the land was already being cultivated by Israelities during the days of the Judges, Samuel, King Saul, King David, and King Solomon—before the kingdom of Judah ever existed! The land was given to Israel, and to his seed (keep that in mind), as a possession even before the days of Moses and Joshua—whom God instructed to lead the 12 tribes of Israel to the land flowing with milk and honey. Allow me to take you even further back in time to a place called Bethel.
Bethel was the place Jacob saw a vision of God, and this was the place Jacob’s anointed pillar stood—it still stands today. He was running from his brother, Esau, because Esau wanted to kill him for taking his blessing. In fact, Jacob supplanted Esau of the blessing of the first born: this blessing had to do with land possession. The first born receives the best land that God can offer. However, God told Rebekah:
“Two nations are in thy womb, and two peoples shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.”
If you know the story, the firstborn came out hairy and his name became Esau. Esau’s younger brother was holding onto his heel as he was coming out. He was named Jacob, which means supplanter.
It makes you wonder why Jacob had to hold on to Esau’s heel during the birth process. It did say in Genesis 25:22: “But the children struggled together within her;”. The two brothers struggled against each other inside Rebekah’s womb. Esau came out first, but, in my opinion, he tried to force his brother to not come out—they were wrestling to get out of the womb first. Jacob had to protect himself by holding on to Esau’s heel. This is my own theory. You determine if it’s true or not. However, what is true is this: the brothers have been wrestling each other since they came out of the womb. Their descendants are still fighting each other in like-manner today.
The Jews are descendants of Jacob: Judah, the 4th son of Jacob by Leah. The Palestinians are descendants of Esau: Amalek, the grandson of Esau. Ever since the State of Israel came out of the womb of the British Empire, the Jews and Palestinians have been wrestling each other for the Holy land. They were wrestling each other inside the womb ever since the Belfour Declaration in 1926. The Belfour Declaration was a document written by the British to give the Jews a homeland in Palestine—even though Jews were buying land from Arabs before the Belfour Declaration. However, it’s not the British that gave that land to Judah’s descendants, but God did. The proof is in Genesis 35: 10-12:
“10 And God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; your name shall not be called Jacob anymore, but Israel shall be your name.” So He called his name Israel. 11 Also God said to him: “I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall proceed from you, and kings shall come from your body. 12 The land which I gave Abraham and Isaac I give to you; and to your descendants after you I give this land.”
God gave the land of Israel (Palestine) to Jacob’s descendants. That land today belongs to the Jews because they are descendants of Jacob. The land does not belong to any other people unless you are descendants of Jacob/Israel—only to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob/Israel, and Jacob/Israel’s descendants does the land belong too. As a side note, most Americans are descendants of Jacob: Jacob had 12 sons by 4 wives. However, the point is this: the Holy land is God’s land, and He gives it to whomever He wishes to give it too. No man determines who receives the land or not—only God has that right. God gave it to the Jews and to other people descendant from Jacob/Israel, and no one else unless they become God’s people: God’s children.
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