Answers about Israel

How did all the Israelites, 2-3 million, get through the tabernacle to make their personal sacrifices?

The total area of the tabernacle was 100 x 50 cubits (that is roughly 150 x 75 feet or 50 x 25 metres). This area was used to kill the sacrificial animals for the whole population. If you compare this with the size of a modern abattoir that is needed to process even a few [...]

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Who were the twelve patriarchs?

The word “patriarch” means a progenitor (an originator of a line of descent). The 12 Patriarchs are the 12 sons of Jacob: Genesis 35:22-26 Now the sons of Jacob were twelve.  (23)  The sons of Leah: Reuben (Jacob’s firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.  (24)  The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin.  (25)  The [...]

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Why did Jacob tell Joseph that Joseph’s first two sons, who were born while he was in Egypt, would be “called by his name”, but not the other sons?

The relevant passage is Genesis 48:5-6: And now your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, as Reuben and Simeon are.  (6)  And the children that you fathered after them shall be yours. They shall [...]

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How do we determine in the bible what refers to AD 70 and what is yet to be fulfilled in prophecy?

There are a lot of differing viewpoints about prophecies relating to AD70, so your question is a difficult one. A few points about interpreting prophecy: When interpreting prophecy, one should carefully compare scripture with scripture to get a clearer overall view. Read the prophecy very carefully, and keep in mind the context of the prophecy. [...]

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Why is there 144000 mentioned in Revelation 7:4?

And I heard the number of the sealed, 144,000, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel: 12,000 from the tribe of Judah were sealed, 12,000 from the tribe of Reuben, 12,000 from the tribe of Gad, 12,000 from the tribe of Asher, 12,000 from the tribe of Naphtali, 12,000 from the tribe of [...]

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Did God make a covenant with any nation other than Israel?

Israel were a special, chosen nation that God brought up out of slavery in the land of Egypt and then gave them the land of Israel to live in (Exodus 19:3 – 6).  He made a covenant with them, an agreement which meant that they would get the land that he had promised them, but [...]

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Why did Jesus say “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel”? (Mat. 15:24; cf. 10:6)

The Jews, the nation of Israel, have always been important to God because God made an agreement — a covenant — with one of their ancient ancestors, Abraham (Gen. 15:4-6). Because God loves Israel and is bound to her, he has, throughout history, sent prophets and brought saviours to help his people, Israel (e.g. 2 [...]

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How many years did the Israelites wander in the desert?

The Israelites wandered for approximately 40 years in the wilderness. Deut 1:3   In the fortieth year, on the first day of the eleventh month, Moses spoke to the people of Israel according to all that the LORD had given him in commandment to them, Deut 8:2   And you shall remember the whole way that the [...]

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Where or what is the “promised land” for New Testament believers?

The “promised land” as far as the believer is concerned, is the Kingdom of God on earth, with Jesus reigning from Jerusalem (Luke 1:32-33) with the help of his immortalised followers – the saints or believers.  (Rev 5:10) This is the gospel or good news of which we read, in Acts 8:12 – the good news of  [...]

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Who were the people to be defeated by Israel when they entered the Promised Land?

The following nations  are mentioned in the Bible as either to be driven out of the Promised Land by God or by the Israelites: Amorites Hittites Perizzites Canaanites Hivites Jebusites Girgashite See, e.g., Ex. 23:23; Deut. 7:1. Other territory and nations are mentioned in Joshua 13:2-6 (including the Philistines and the Sidonians). As it happens, [...]

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