Lebanon in the Bible

September 10, 2006

• Lebanon is mentioned 9 times in the Bible as either part of the Promised Land or the northern boundary of the Promised Land.

• Both Temples were built with the cedars of Lebanon (1 Kings 5:15–24; Ezra 3:7)

• Solomon sent 30,000 workers to Lebanon, 10,000 per month, to obtain the cedar for the Temple (1 Kings 5:13–14).

• The “House of the Forest of Lebanon” was a public hall built by Solomon entirely of the cedars of Lebanon (1 Kings 7:2–5).

• In the Old Testament, the Targums, and the Qumran texts, Lebanon is symbolically associated with the Temple, probably because the cedars of Lebanon were used to build it.

• First-century Rabbi Yohanan ben Zakkai, the last survivor of the Great Sanhedrin, reported that 40 years prior to the Temple’s destruction in AD 70, the Temple doors opened by themselves. He related the incident to Zechariah 11:1–2, in which he saw Lebanon as a symbol of the Temple.

• Lebanon is mentioned 7 times in the Song of Solomon. The Beloved comes from Lebanon (4:8).

• In Hebrew, Lebanon and lebonah (incense) have the same root. Thus, could the words of Song of Solomon 4:11 refer to the fragrance of the believer’s (the bride’s) prayers to the Lord?

• The “cedars of Lebanon” is often used as a symbol of strength (Ps. 29:5).

• Ancient Tyre had inhabitants on the mainland, but most lived on an island not far offshore, which proved to be very hard for its enemies to conquer. It wasn’t totally destroyed until AD 1291.

• Yeshua (Jesus) ministered in Tyre and Sidon in Lebanon (Matt.15:21–28).

• In Yeshua’s day, Lebanon was called Phoenicia. Some early Christians moved there to flee persecution (Acts 11:19).

• Ezekiel 26 prophesies that Tyre will one day be destroyed forever, never to rise again, when “I shall bring up the deep over you and the great waters will cover you” (v.19).

• Zechariah prophesies that one of the places that God will bring back the scattered children of Israel will be to Lebanon (10:6–10). Will, then, Lebanon one day be part of Israel?

 

For more information, see “Lebanon in the Holy Scriptures,” by Cornelia B. Horn at www.mari.org/jms/january98.

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