Archive for October 2009
THE LAND OF ISRAEL AND THE JEWS
A CONCISE AND BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE LAND OF ISRAEL AND THE JEWS
Creation – 2091 BC
There were no Jews and the land was called Canaan. It was simply a region known by that name. The people living there were nomadic herders or members of small independent city states. There was no Canaanite state or nation.
2091 BC – 1446 BC
The call of Abraham. For his descendants it was the time of the patriarchs and the Egyptian captivity. Descendants of Abraham lived in the region of Canaan, but it was still not a Jewish nation nor any other nation.
1446 BC – 586 BC
The descendants of Abraham leave Egypt and are forged into the Jewish nation. They conquer the independent city states in Canaan and establish the nation of Israel. This is the first time the region of Canaan becomes a nation. For most of these years the nation of Israel is autonomous.
586 BC – 72 AD
The Jews are taken into the Babylonian captivity, but return to the land 70 years later and remain in the land until Rome finally destroys the nation in 72 AD. During this time the area is recognized as the nation of Israel, but the nation is weak, less autonomous and a vassal state for the ruling empires.
72 AD – 1948 AD
The Jews are dispersed throughout the world and the nation of Israel does not exist. Rome renames the region Palestina. During this time the region is ruled by seven different empires, but it is always a dependant territory. No empire or people ever annex the region and make it part of their country, nor is the land ever made a separate, autonomous country. There are always Jewish communities living in the land.
1948 AD – Present
The Jews reclaim the land and re-found the autonomous nation of Israel. Since creation the region has been known as Canaan, Israel and Palestina (Palestine). But, it has only ever been one country – Israel – and one homeland – for the Jews.
