When I read Joshua 1:4 this week, I was struck by how powerful and clear it is for today. In the middle of all the noise about “Palestinian territory,” college protests, and political battles, God’s Word cuts straight through the confusion.
Joshua 1:4 makes it clear that God Himself defined Israel’s borders. For Christians who believe Scripture, the debate over Palestinian land is already settled — because God, not politics, decides what belongs to Israel.
I know that sounds bold in a culture where everyone has an opinion, but I don’t deal in opinions. I deal in facts and in God’s Word — and both line up on this issue.
Scripture Defines Israel’s Borders
Here’s the verse again:
“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.” (Joshua 1:4)
There’s no ambiguity here. God isn’t speaking in metaphors. He’s naming real geographic landmarks that we can still identify today:
– The wilderness — the Sinai and Negev desert regions
– This Lebanon — the Lebanon mountain range, directly north of Israel
– The great river Euphrates — stretching through Syria and Iraq
– The great sea — the Mediterranean
Those four anchor points create a clear outline of the Promised Land. And here’s the shocking reality: modern Israel doesn’t even come close to filling that space.
Modern Israel vs. God’s Promised Land
Look at a map. Israel today is a narrow strip along the Mediterranean, a sliver surrounded by hostile nations. But the Promised Land described in Joshua 1:4 stretches much farther:
– South into the Sinai wilderness
– North into Lebanon
– East across Jordan and Syria, all the way to the Euphrates River
– West to the Mediterranean
That means Israel today controls only a fraction of the land God gave them. So when people talk about “occupied Palestinian land,” it’s a complete inversion of truth. Israel hasn’t taken too much land. They’ve lived with far less than God promised.
Why Didn’t Israel Receive All the Promised Land in 1948?
Some people ask, “If God promised Israel the land in Joshua 1:4, why don’t they have all of it today? Didn’t they only get a small strip of land in 1948?”
That’s an important question. The answer is simple: the borders Israel has today came from politics and war, not from God’s covenant.
After World War II, the United Nations voted to partition the land into two states — one Jewish, one Arab — with Jerusalem as an international city. The Jewish leadership accepted this compromise because survival was their top priority after the Holocaust. The Arab leadership rejected it completely and launched attacks.
When Israel declared independence in 1948, they only gained the territory they were able to hold through war and ceasefire agreements. The result was the small, narrow borders we see today — far less than what God promised in Joshua 1:4.
This shows us something crucial: man’s plans are not the same as God’s plans. Israel’s survival and rebirth in 1948 was a miracle, but the full Promised Land is still part of God’s future covenant fulfillment. What we see today is only a fraction of what He declared would belong to His people.
The Palestinian Land Claim vs. God’s Word
This is where Scripture collides with today’s narrative. The modern world argues constantly about Palestinian territory — who owns it, who should control it, whether Israel is in the wrong. But God already settled that.
According to Joshua 1:4, the land belongs to Israel. Not because of politics. Not because of war. Not because of history. But because of God’s eternal covenant.
That doesn’t mean we ignore the plight of people who live in the region. I’ll get to that. But it does mean that as Christians, we cannot be swayed by headlines, social pressure, or even emotional appeals. The Palestinian land claim collapses under the weight of God’s Word.
For a deeper dive into why Christians should support Israel, I’ve already written about that here: Should Christians Support Israel?
Compassion Without Compromise
Now, let me be clear: I have compassion for ordinary Palestinians. I’m not talking about Hamas — they are an evil terrorist group, and their actions are the root of so much suffering. I’m talking about regular men, women, and children who just want to live.
Christians can and should care about them. But compassion does not mean compromise. And here’s the hard truth: much of their suffering is caused not by Israel, but by Hamas.
– Israel allows humanitarian aid into Gaza — food, medicine, even fuel.
– Hamas intercepts and hoards it, storing supplies in tunnels for fighters.
– Hamas places military bases in schools and hospitals, ensuring civilian casualties.
– Hamas thrives on civilian suffering because it fuels propaganda against Israel.
So yes, there are innocent Palestinians caught in the crossfire. And yes, innocent lives have been lost. But that doesn’t negate what God’s Word says about the land. Compassion for people does not change God’s covenant.
The Scary Rise of Pro-Palestinian Support
What really alarms me today is the cultural tide I’m seeing in America and the West. I’ve watched videos of college students waving Palestinian flags, chanting against Israel, and even celebrating Hamas’s attacks. I’ve seen protests where thousands march in support of “Palestine” while barely anyone stands for Israel.
Reuters has documented this reality: Protesters march in major cities to demand Gaza ceasefire. It’s not just a few isolated rallies — it’s a growing global movement.
That terrifies me, not because protests change God’s truth — they don’t — but because it reveals how deceived this younger generation has become. They’ve been indoctrinated by universities and media to see Israel as the “oppressor” and Palestinians as the “oppressed.”
It’s a simplistic, false narrative. They don’t understand the history, the Scripture, or the reality of Hamas’s control. They see suffering and assume Israel is the cause. And too many Christians are being swept into that wave because they don’t know what the Bible says.
The entire Palestinian land claim collapses when you hold it up against Joshua 1:4, where God Himself defined Israel’s borders. That’s why this blog matters. If you are a Christian, you cannot let culture rewrite what God has already made clear. For more cultural commentary, I’ve also written Israel Under Attack by the Left.
Israel’s Right to Defend Itself
Let’s also deal with another fact. Israel has the right — and the responsibility — to defend itself. That’s not up for debate. No nation on earth would tolerate rockets raining down on its cities or terrorists butchering its families.
Does that mean innocent Palestinians have been killed in the crossfire? Yes. War is tragic, and collateral damage is real. But intent matters. Israel does not target civilians. Hamas does. Israel seeks to protect life. Hamas seeks to destroy it.
So while critics scream about Israel killing innocents, the deeper truth is that Hamas bears responsibility by hiding behind its own people. That’s a fact, and facts matter.
Truth That Ends the Debate
At the end of the day, the debate over Palestinian land isn’t ultimately political. It’s biblical. And for Christians, that should settle it.
– God promised the land to Israel.
– God defined the borders clearly in Joshua 1:4.
– Israel today holds less than God gave them, not more.
– Compassion for Palestinians does not erase God’s covenant.
In the end, God’s Word already resolves the Palestinian land question once and for all.
So yes, you can love Palestinians and care for their suffering. But you must also stand firm on God’s Word. The Palestinian land claim may dominate protests and headlines, but in the light of Scripture, it vanishes.
Arch Kennedy
Bold, Unfiltered, and Unafraid
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Amen! Thank you, Arch, for this clear & concise message!