Handbook:Israelites

From Door43

Israelites

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Article Sources:	ISBE (International Standard Bible Encyclopedia)

The Israelites are the people of the country of Israel. They are also called Jews. They are descendants of Abraham through his son Isaac and through Isaac's son Jacob. They are God's chosen people.

Their history begins with Abraham being called by God to leave his country and go to a place that God would show him. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob all lived in that new land, living in tents and serving the Lord God while surrounded by the sinful peoples who lived there. Jacob had 12 sons, and many descendants. After an incident when Jacob wrestled with an unknown man during the night, God changed his name to Israel, which means "he struggles with God" (Genesis 32:22-30). Thus, his descendants are called the Israelites.

During Jacob's later years of life, there was a great famine, and his sons went to Egypt to get food. Their brother Joseph had been sent there by God before them, and he was in charge of the country under Pharoah. Joseph brought his whole family to Egypt. The stayed in Egypt a long time, for 430 years! Eventually, they were made the slaves of the Egyptians.

God rescued the Israelites from this horrible life by great miracles and led them to the Promised Land, which is where God had led Abraham long ago. They lived there, had kings to lead them, and had a good life there. But they did not obey God. They worshiped the idols of the people who had lived in the land before them.

So, God sent Nebuchadnezzar, King of the Babylonians to take them as captives to his country. They were there 70 years. Then, the Persians took over the Babylonians and their first king, Cyrus let the Israelites go back to rebuild their cities and reestablish their country.

During New Testament times, the Israelites were living in their own land of Israel, but the Romans were the rulers.

Not many years after the New Testament was written, the Romans destroyed Jerusalem, the main city of the Israelites, and much of the country of Israel. It was not until nearly 2,000 years later that the country of Israel was reestablished once again. That was not long ago, and the country exists today, and is called Israel.