God has spoken in His holiness: “I will rejoice; I will divide Shechem and measure out the Valley of Succoth. Gilead is Mine; Manasseh is Mine; Ephraim also is the helmet for My head … Moab is My washpot; over Edom I will cast My shoe; over Philistia I will triumph.” (Psalm 108:7-9)

It is well substantiated in Scripture that anything and anyone the Almighty has deemed to be His is exactly what the Adversary sets his sights on. In the Parable of the Wheat and Tares, a man sows good seed in his field in order to produce wheat. But as the wheat grows, an enemy comes under the cover of darkness to sow tares, indicating a deliberate attempt to sabotage the man’s efforts. I would also point out that it is implied there was a field where the tares grew but it’s owner was not content to let them remain there — he had to have what belonged to the other. Such is the mindset of the enemy of our soul.

It is recorded that Lucifer said, “I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation … I will be like the Most High” (Isaiah 14:13-14). Notice that he had a throne but wanted what belonged to God. That is his way and how he has operated from the beginning ever since he slithered into the garden to disrupt God’s plan for man. When God ordained that Jerusalem is where He would set His Name, Satan determined to have it, and as we know, it remains a contested city to this day. 

So what has this to do with the verses above? Everyone of the areas mentioned in this psalm are regions claimed by others throughout history and even to this very day. Shechem is currently known as Nablus, a center of Palestinian opposition to the Israelis. Much of the land of Ephraim is what the world calls the West Bank, and of course, the land of Philistia is present day Gaza — all regions the enemies of Israel claim as their own. Yet, the God of Israel says that all these enemies shall fall and He will reclaim what belongs to Him.

That brings me to this thought: if you are His, then there are certain promises given. I believe that one of those promises is the salvation of our households, including the prodigals — those who have known Him but have been hijacked by this world. There is a day of redemption coming when all that are His will be reclaimed. May it be that our loved ones, though presently “occupied” by our enemy, will be reclaimed by the Almighty. As He has said, “Your work shall be rewarded, says the Lord, and they shall come back from the land of the enemy. There is hope in your future, says the Lord, that your children shall come back to their own border” (Jeremiah 31:16-17). 

Blessings and Shalom,  

Bill