We have parables in the Bible, we have poetry, certain things are symbolic, certain things are figuratively said, others things are to be taken literally. However you discern the difference is not the point. The point is a literal land was promised to Abraham with literal borders. It's not spiritual, it's literal. That was the point. Simple.
How we discern the difference is exactly the point, because unless and until we realize its role in light of, and subject to, the gospel message, that which is being spoken about has not been understood. Since scripture was written by God regarding Christ, there aren't any throw-away, or independent verses in it - all in some way pertain to Him. And that was my point regarding the larger overall context being as being as important to an understanding as the individual verses are- we should seek to understand the gospel by them, and they by the gospel. That is, spiritual context matters, but is not always evident. Nevertheless, God told us to compare spiritual with spiritual for a reason and it was not optional - He did not express it as a "you might want to do this...". So, it is not a good idea by our volition to ignore God's directions.
The land promised to Abraham represented an earthly picture of the eternal land of Israel (Canaan) to be given to his spiritual seed, just as the nation of Israel was intended to be representative of eternal, spiritual nation of Israel - the Israel of God. The physical land given to his physical seed, was a picture of salvation by works, retained by the keeping of the stipulations of the law, which, of course, they failed at, and thereby they lost the land - just as the keeping of law for salvation fails in obtaining spiritual Israel. Only by comparing the spiritual with spiritual and gaining understanding of it through the Holy Spirit, will that become evident to us, even though on the surface, doing so may appear unnecessary.
Okay, at this point, I think we are talking past each other given as we are both have fundamentally different perceptions of scripture, so I don't see any benefit in continuing.
Thanks for the discussion.
[Psa 40:7 KJV]
7 Then said I, Lo, I come:
in the volume of the book [it is] written of me,
[Gen 17:8 KJV]
8 And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the
land of Canaan, for an
everlasting possession; and I will be their God.
[Deu 8:20 KJV]
20 As the nations which the LORD destroyeth before your face,
so shall ye perish; because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the LORD your God.
[Jos 23:13 KJV]
13 Know for a certainty that the LORD your God will no more drive out [any of] these nations from before you; but they shall be snares and traps unto you, and scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until
ye perish from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you.
[Heb 11:10, 16 KJV]
10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker [is] God. ...
16 But now they desire a better [country], that is,
an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for
he hath prepared for them a city.