1S23-1: Why The Land Of Israel ONLY Prospers With Hebrew Inhabitants

Today we begin 1st Samuel Chapter 23.

For the Complete Jewish Bible, click HERE.

For the King James version, click HERE.

At this point, David was hiding out in a part of Judah called the Shephelah.

This long shoreline begins at the Mediterranean and spreads eastward until Judah’s foothills ascend.

David had most likely set up fort in the “Forest” or the “Woods” depending on how you want to translate the area.

Now here’s what’s interesting.

Scholars doubt this area ever existed.

Why?

Because for hundreds of years, there was no forest or heavily wooded area to be found in the region.

Okay, so right here, we run smack dab into a God principle we would be remiss to overlook.

God’s Holy Land ONLY PROSPERS when His People are living there.

It’s time for a little history lesson.

The area we’re talking about used to be filled with trees.

However, the trees were all deliberately chopped down when the area came under Muslim rule from the 8th century.

Why?

Because the Caliphate (a form of Islamic government) ordered a tax charged for every tree on the land.

Much of the land was owned by Muslim landlords who didn’t live there and couldn’t care less about how productive the land was or helping the Caliphate make money.

They ordered the trees to be cut down because no trees meant no taxes.

This caused large areas of forest to disappear.

Without trees, the soil eroded quickly.

Soon, the Holy Land lost most of its plants.

Only poor crops could grow because the topsoil blew away in the dry winds.

Eventually, the land became useless, turning into swamps or deserts.

The situation remained unchanged until God’s people returned.

They started planting trees, and then true to God’s Promise, the land resurrected back to life and became fertile and prosperous again.