The story of Sarah's death in Genesis chapter 23 leads directly to the first of three very important contracts recorded for our benefit in the Bible.

 1)   Abraham bought the cave of Machpelah in Hebron for 400 shekels of silver   (Gen 23:16-20)

2)   Jacob (Israel) bought a field in Shechem for 100 pieces of money and built YHVH an altar and named it El, the Elohim of Israel (Genesis 33:19-20)

3)    David bought the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite (Arauna in II Samuel 24) for 600 shekels of gold (I Chronicles 21:25) and built an altar there. This is the spot where his son Solomon later built the first temple.

Is there a connection between these ancient contracts and modern time and what does this have to do with us today?

A lot in every respect, since the first contract was made by our father Abraham.  Rabbi Paul made it clear to us that Abraham was the father of us all. The father gives his property, his inheritance to his children and according to the Bible, we who believe are amongst these children.  We are the heirs of Abraham and all his property.  Therefore, we are obligated to take care of this property in every respect and we should care very much about what happens to it.

 Romans 4:16-17

Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all as it is written, "I have made you a father of many nations"

 Galatians 3:29

And if you are Messiah's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. 

Abrahams promises were basically connected to two physical blessings.  First, that his descendants will number as the sand of the sea and second, that he will inherit a specific land.

Abraham came into possession of the land not through stealing or occupation, not via murder or blackmail, but rather by a legal action.  He bought the land to bury his wife.  As his descendants it is important to know what happened to our inheritance.  What happened to this piece of land?

And what happened to the other two places, which were bought by  Abrahams descendants Jacob and David?  Shouldnt we be interested?  Both of the places were specific real estate bought to build an altar for our heavenly father.  The first altar was called El, Elohim of Israel. The second altar, built by David, stood on the same ground where later the first and second temples were erected.  It is the place where Abraham was prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac and where YHVH revealed himself as YHVH Yireh YHVH sees  (Genesis 22:14)

None of these three places were ever sold or given away.  Today, however, not one is in the hands of its rightful owners.  Lets take a look:

1)  The Machpelah Cave in Hebron is covered by a structure built by Herod the Great shortly before Yashua's birth.  Presently this building is called the Ibrahim Mosque.  Jews are allowed to enter only a small part of it for prayer.  The Palestinian Authority (PA) rules about 80% of Hebron.  Of 100,000 people living there, only 400 are Jewish.  In past centuries Jews were repeatedly massacred or cast out by Islamic mobs.

2)  About 300 years after Jacob bought the field in Shechem, when Joshua led Israel into the Promised Land, Jacob's son Joseph was buried there (Joshua 24:32).  Even though most of Jacob's descendants were physically absent for centuries, they were still recognized as the legal owners of the field.  Shechem, which was renamed Nablus by the Arab population, is presently inhabited solely by Arabs, most of whom are Muslims.  They have control over the tomb and the field of Israel (Jacob).  In October 2000 Muslim Arabs invaded the Tomb of Joseph, slaughtered a Rabbi, destroyed the tomb and erected another mosque at its place.  Even before this present conflict, the Muslims had been harassing and refusing entrance to Jewish visitors in violation of several signed agreements guaranteeing them free access.

3)  On the property of David's threshing floor, where the First and Second Temples later stood, the infamous Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa mosque stand today.  In control of this little piece of land in the heart of Jerusalem, is the Waqf, the fundamentalist Islamic group, which guards the property of 'holy' Islamic ground.  Every prayer of a non-Muslim on this piece of property is strictly forbidden and is terminated immediately if performed, if necessary with brutal force.  At the place where Yashua taught his disciples, the Dome of the Rock proclaims through a written statement in its sanctuary - Allah has no son. 
There is no religious freedom under Palestinian rule.

I do not believe that we are able to solve this complex situation politically, but I do believe that it is important for us who are believers in Messiah, to understand the spiritual connection between the land of Israel, the people of Israel and the present conflict and wave of Anti-Semitism around the world.  In this conflict, we as believers in Messiah, have to stand with the truth and nothing but the truth.

The truth is that the land of Israel belongs to Israel and to no one else.  YHVH gave it to his people for an eternal possession.  And to make his point clear, YHVH himself confirmed it by a document - the Bible.  It is a part of YHVHs covenant between him and Israel.  So this issue is fully spiritual and not natural or political.

When believers in Messiah stand against Israel, speaking against her and demonstrating against her, they stand against YHVH - - - not a good place to stand!

It is interesting to compare the story of the purchase of the Machpelah Cave with the story in I Kings chapter one.  At first look there seems to be no connection between these incidents, but a closer look and a comparison with modern time show many parallels with today.

I King 1 gives the account of Adonijah, the son of David, who took the position as the king in an illegitimate manner.   Reading this story, I was struck by how much truth this chapter contains for today, where the legitimate King Yashua is replaced by a false 'king' allah.

In the story the chosen king of Israel - Solomon - is ignored.  Solomon is a type of Messiah Yashua, who is initially passed over in  favour of another.  As with the anointing of Solomon, nobody recognized Yashua as King immediately when he first came.

Until the moment the real and anointed king takes his rightful place a false and illegitimate king sits on his throne.

Until Messiah's return to his rightful place on his throne on the Temple Mount, a false king will be reigning there.  Today allah sits at the place which rightfully belongs to Yashua alone.

In I Kings 1 the false king rejects the authority of the real King.  But the story ends when the real King sits on the throne in Jerusalem and the false king has to bow down in front of the legitimate sovereign.

Philippians 2:10-11

That at the name of Yashua every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Yashua the Messiah is YHVH, to the glory of Elohim the Father. 

Today it is easier to follow the false king and to give him glory.  With every invitation of a Muslim speaker to a church, with every demonstration against Israel, where Christians and Muslims are walking side by side, allah, the false god is honored.  It is easier to run with the masses and to reject the legal right of Israel to live and to posses her land than to listen to the Word of YHVH.

As followers of Yashua we should not be part of this evil, but stand with the truth.  Our most important task is to pray with a sincere heart:

your kingdom come, your will be done