In the context of the Bible, the term "occupiers" can refer to those who inhabit or take possession of a land or territory. This concept is significant throughout the biblical narrative, as it often involves themes of divine promise, judgment, and the fulfillment of God's covenant with His people.

Old Testament Context

1. Canaanite Occupation: The land of Canaan, promised by God to Abraham and his descendants, was initially occupied by various Canaanite tribes. In Genesis 15:18-21, God delineates the boundaries of the land promised to Abraham, which was then occupied by the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites. The presence of these occupiers set the stage for the Israelites' eventual conquest and settlement.

2. Israelite Conquest: The Book of Joshua details the Israelites' divinely sanctioned conquest of Canaan. Joshua 1:3-4 states, "I have given you every place where the sole of your foot will tread, just as I promised to Moses. Your territory shall extend from the wilderness and Lebanon to the great river Euphrates—all the land of the Hittites—and west as far as the Great Sea." The Israelites, under Joshua's leadership, were to displace the current occupiers as part of God's fulfillment of His promise to the patriarchs.

3. Divine Judgment and Occupation: The occupation of lands in the Old Testament is often portrayed as an act of divine judgment. In Deuteronomy 9:4-5 , God warns the Israelites, "Do not say in your heart, when the LORD your God has driven them out before you, 'Because of my righteousness the LORD has brought me in to possess this land.' It is not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart that you are going in to possess their land, but because of the wickedness of these nations the LORD your God is driving them out before you."

New Testament Context

1. Roman Occupation: During the New Testament period, the land of Israel was under Roman occupation. This political reality is evident in the Gospels, where Roman authority is a backdrop to the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. The Roman occupiers are often depicted as oppressive rulers, exemplified by figures such as Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor who presided over Jesus' trial (John 18:28-40).

2. Spiritual Occupation: The New Testament also introduces the concept of spiritual occupation. In Ephesians 6:12 , Paul writes, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world's darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." Here, the focus shifts from physical occupation to the spiritual realm, where believers are called to stand firm against spiritual occupiers.

Theological Implications

The theme of occupation in the Bible underscores God's sovereignty over nations and lands. It highlights the tension between human authority and divine will, as well as the moral and spiritual dimensions of occupation. The biblical narrative consistently points to God's ultimate authority in determining the rise and fall of nations and the rightful occupation of lands. This theme serves as a reminder of God's faithfulness to His promises and His righteous judgment upon nations.

Ezekiel's Discourse
... Thy riches, and thy wares, thy merchandise, thy mariners, and thy pilots, thy calkers,
and the occupiers of thy merchandise, and all thy men of war, that are ...
/.../various/select masterpieces of biblical literature/vii ezekiels discourse.htm

But we Need no Longer Show in this Narrow Way the Drawback of this ...
... claims equal participation; as each is capable each has this noble longing satisfied,
while the wealth of virtues in those who are already occupiers [1360] is ...
/.../gregory/gregory of nyssa dogmatic treatises etc/chapter iv but we need.htm

Abram and the Life of Faith
... The revelation put a further strain on faith, for the present occupiers of the land
were many and strong; but it matters not how formidably and firmly rooted ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/abram and the life of.htm

Port of Spain
... Some are mere wooden sheds of one or two rooms, comfortable enough in that climate,
where a sleeping-place is all that is needed"if the occupiers would but ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/at last/chapter iv port of spain.htm

Robert Nelson, his Friends, and Church Principles.
... the argument that it was schism of the worst order to side with bishops who had
been intruded by mere lay authority into sees which had other rightful occupiers ...
/.../the english church in the eighteenth century/chapter ii robert nelson his.htm

The Bitterness and Blessedness of the Brevity of Life
... by the Mosaic law, there was no absolute sale of land in Israel, but that every
half century the whole returned to the descendants of the original occupiers. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture j/the bitterness and blessedness of.htm

The Genuine Acts of Peter.
... to my pastoral care; to thee, I say, I with prayers commend it, who are approved
as the author and guardian of all preceding and subsequent occupiers of this ...
/.../peter/the writings of peter of alexandria/the genuine acts of peter.htm

Matt. xvi. 24
... Since they also, who at the first were instructed by the apostles, though they dwelt
in cities, yet showed forth the piety of the occupiers of the deserts: and ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on the gospel of saint matthew/homily lv matt xvi 24.htm

Syria at the Beginning of the Egyptian Conquest
History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 4. <. ...
/.../chapter iisyria at the beginning.htm

Occupiers (1 Occurrence)
... Multi-Version Concordance Occupiers (1 Occurrence). Ezekiel 27:27 Thy riches,
and thy fairs, thy merchandise, thy mariners, and thy ...
/o/occupiers.htm - 6k

Occupied (32 Occurrences)

/o/occupied.htm - 16k

Occupies (1 Occurrence)

/o/occupies.htm - 6k

Waste (668 Occurrences)
... paper. 3. (a.) Lost for want of occupiers or use; superfluous. 4. (v.)
To bring to ruin; to devastate; to desolate; to destroy. ...
/w/waste.htm - 37k

Fairs (6 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel 27:27 Thy riches, and thy fairs, thy merchandise, thy mariners, and thy
pilots, thy calkers, and the occupiers of thy merchandise, and all thy men of ...
/f/fairs.htm - 9k

Trade (33 Occurrences)
... Standard Revised Version, with "dealers," margin "exchangers," in 27:27 (the King
James Version and the English Revised Version have "occupy," "occupiers"). ...
/t/trade.htm - 40k

Calkers (2 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel 27:27 Thy riches, and thy fairs, thy merchandise, thy mariners, and thy
pilots, thy calkers, and the occupiers of thy merchandise, and all thy men of ...
/c/calkers.htm - 7k

Military (44 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel 27:27 Thy riches, and thy fairs, thy merchandise, thy mariners, and thy
pilots, thy calkers, and the occupiers of thy merchandise, and all thy military ...
/m/military.htm - 21k

House (20110 Occurrences)
... The sinking was shallow and the headroom low but sufficient for the undersized
troglodites who were the occupiers. II. Stone-built and Mud/brick-built Houses. ...
/h/house.htm - 39k

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