Tucker Carlson's (and Mike Huckabee's) Biblical Faceplant
- createdin2hisimage
- 4 days ago
- 4 min read
On February 21, 2026, Tucker Carlson interviewed Mike Huckabee, the American ambassador to Israel, to discuss America's relationship with Israel. Within this interview, concerning who has a right to the land of Israel, Tucker Carlson brought to Mike Huckabee's attention a statement in the Book of Genesis that revealed a greater area of land than what Israel currently occupies. The clip of this exchange is observed below.
Unfortunately, in this exchange, both Tucker Carlson and Mike Huckabee failed to explain what God meant when He said this to Abram. Tucker Carlson continued to press Mike Huckabee to provide an explanation for this specific Scripture, but did not explain what he believed it meant. Mike Huckabee also fell short as he just kept repeating that the modern state of Israel was not seeking this large piece of land. Either way, both men provided insufficient answers to what Genesis 15:17-18 means and how it applies to modern Israel. The text in question is outlined in the book of Genesis, which says the following,
"...On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, To your descendants I have given this land, From the river of Egypt as far as the great river, the river Euphrates..." (Genesis 15:18 NASB95)
In the immediate context, the LORD God appears to Abram (later named Abraham) in a vision and reaffirms that he will be given a physical descendant in his old age (vs. 1-4). God takes Abram outside, shows him the numerous stars in the sky, and tells him that his descendants will be like those stars (vs. 5-6). Abram is convinced by what God told him about the descendants, and this was accredited to Abram's righteousness before God (v.6). God had then reaffirmed once more that God would grant Abram's descendants the land of Canaan, and Abram inquired about the certainty of the possession of the land to the descendants (vs. 7-8). God had Abram bring several animals to sacrifice and cut them for God (vs. 9-11). After protecting the sacrifices that Abram gave to God, something very interesting happened in this historical account: Abram was placed in a deep sleep, and God told Abram about the future history of the Israelites that would be enslaved, but that God would deliver them and bring them into the land of Canaan (vs. 12-16). Then, as Abram was still in a deep sleep God (described as a "smoking oven and a flaming torch") passes through the slaughtered animals as a confirmation of this promise, which is described as a "covenant" (vs.17). God then described the border of the landthat He would give to Abram descendants (from the river of Egypt (i.e., the Nile River) as far as the Euphrates (this would include Jordan, part of Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and a portion of Turkey).
There are four things to consider concerning this large portion of land. First, the Hebrew word descendants in Genesis 15:17 is zera (זֶרַע). This Hebrew word occurs three times in this chapter, each describing Abram's physical lineage and how it will be given this land. Second, Abram was put into a deep sleep, and God made this covenant with Abram without Abram's participation. In other words, this covenant God made with Abraham is, seemingly, a unilateral covenant that God made with Himself concerning Abram. This covenant was not dependent on the will or activity of Abram or on the physical descendants who came from Abram, but on God's agreement with Himself to make good on the covenant. Third, God's word to Abram underscores His covenant to Abram that He will fulfill this Himself. Not only did God repeat this promise in several places (Genesis 12:1-3, 14:14-18), but when God told Abram who He was going to give the this land this verb is written in as a first person pronoun therefore it God who will make sure that this land will be given to Israel (v.17). Consequently, this also means that Israel will NEVER obtain all of this land by force or human will, since this covenant is associated with God's glory (or acknowledgement). Fourth, there has been no time in history when the nation of Israel, by its own will or force, has ever possessed the entirety of this land. So the question is: when will the nation of Israel receive all the land in Genesis 15:17? This promise within this covenant will be realized in the Messianic and Righteous reign of Christ, as the book of Ezekiel outlines in great detail. It is when Israel recognizes their Messiah and physically regathers them (Ezekiel 11:14-17), removes all of the idolatry from His national people (Ezekiel 11:18-21), reconstructs and completes the physical temple (Ezekiel chaps. 40-44:1-14), restores the Levitical priesthood (Ezekiel 44:15-31) and the twelve tribes of Israel (Ezekiel 47:13-21, 48:1-9). Only then, when Israel is completely restored by thier Messianic Ruler, will they be in a position to receive the land described in Genesis from God.
The negligence of both Tucker Carlson and Ambassador Mike Huckabee in discussing Genesis 15:17 in detail and in refusing to have a decent, thoughtful conversation about this very important statement is an opportunity missed. Mike Huckabee, who is a Christian Zionist, failed to provide an adequate explanation of why this passage of Scripture is in the Bible. Tucker Carlson, who is critical of Christian Zionism, failed to provide an explanation of this statement. The result may lead viewers to dismiss this statement entirely, or cause ambivalence and confusion, leading to apprehension about the promotion of Israel's future promises due to the lack of an adequate explanation.
It is the author's hope that these two things do not occur, but that the viewer may become curious of Geensis 15:17, and look at the text for themselves in its plain meaning, and see that the land has been gifted by Israel to God, not because Israel is so great, but because God is a faithful God who made promises to the forefathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob concerning this land, and God will make good on His promises, for His glory.
Until Next Time...
Soli Deo Gloria!
Dr. Smith
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