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Hmmm, aren't the Jews and the Christians considered the children of Abraham? What's going on here? How is it that the three great faiths could all be children of Abraham? And why are we all fighting in the Middle East?
I can only speak as a Christian, and I think we should consider: If a person believes that the Bible is the literal Word, then how to understand the current crisis between Jews, Christians and Muslims? Bluntly, a true Believer would go back to the Bible.
So let's go back to the beginnings of the Great Faiths.
OK, not all the way back, we'll start with God's covenant with Abraham. I've paraphrased and condensed the verses, you can go back to your Bible to read the full text. Don't take my word for this, go back and read it for yourself!
In the Old Testament, God made a Covenant with Abraham, saying that his seed would be numbered as the stars in the heavens. Genesis 14:5
Now, Abraham was old at this point, he and his wife Sarah had no children. If you read Genesis carefully, they weren't always the nicest people, but they believed in God. That was their strength, they were Believers.
So when God said Abraham would have descendants, they Believed in God's Word. Over time, however, Sarah decided that if she couldn't provide an heir, Abraham WOULD have an heir.
As was the custom of that era, Sarah gave her handmaid, Hagar, to Abraham as a second wife, hoping for an heir. Hagar was also a follower of God, and in the midst of the turmoil that was caused between Abraham, Sarah, and herself, an angel of God spoke to her, ordering her to submit to Sarah. By her submission, God forged a covenant with Hagar, promising her that her seed would also be too many to count. Genesis 16:9-10
Then, when Abraham was 100 years old and Sarah was 90, God again spoke to Abraham, promising them a son. God told Abraham that his first son, Ishmael would have many children, a great nation. Yet Abraham’s heir would be Sarah’s son, Isaac. Genesis 17:16, 20-21
Thus, despite her old age, Sarah had a son, Isaac. As was the custom, the son of the first wife is the heir, even if the other wife's child was the oldest. And unfortunately, human nature wins out over compassion. Sarah was jealous of Hagar and Ishmael. In today's words, she felt that they "didn't know their place".
After Isaac was born, Sarah demanded that Abraham put Hagar and Ishmael out. God reassured him that both sons would lead great nations, so Abraham did as his wife demanded. Genesis 21:10-13
DANG, Abraham put his own child out into the wilderness because his wife demanded it? That is some messed up stuff, now isn't it? Even if God reassured me about my child's destiny, I don't know that I have enough Faith to do such a thing. But then again, I'm a mom, not an old man with a big problem.
Hagar and Ishmael were cast out into the wilderness. Hagar was in despair, believing that they would die. Yet God heard her cries and His angel again reassured her that Ishmael would father a great nation. She opened her eyes and saw a well of water. They were saved. Genesis 21:14-21
Fast forward to the present:
Many Christians now accept that the Jewish peoples still have a covenant with God. Jesus said himself that he didn't come to set aside the law.
Now, if Isaac’s descendants are the Jewish people, then who are the followers of Islam? We already know that genetically, the Jews and the Arabs of the middle east are related peoples.
If we believe that the Arabic peoples are also descended of Abraham, then are they actually the descendants of the elder brother, Ishmael?
More than that, if the Arabic peoples are the descendants of Ishmael, then they are the brothers and sisters of the Jews (and Christians). According to Bible, Hagar and Ishmael also have a covenant with God, separate from Isaac's Promise.
Therefore, since all three great faiths of the world, according to their own beliefs, are descended from Abraham, the conflict today is far worse than the secular world understands.
From the ancient days, right to the present, the descendants of Abraham are still fighting over their place in God's Kingdom.
There is NOTHING worse than a family fight -- especially a family fight over an inheritance.
It's no wonder that the Middle East is such a mess. None of us can fully comprehend the good and the evil that happen when men believe that they are the single heir of God. God didn't tell Abraham, Sarah or Hagar any such thing, God said that both of Abraham's sons would father great nations. Ouch. Yes, one is "the heir" but the other also has a Promise. Ouch again.
Honestly, Sarah shouldn't have taken matters into her own hands, she should have left it up to God. That's what happens when we decide to push things along, instead of waiting on God's Time. But at this point, those thoughts are way too late. We can't change the past, we can only look to the future.
What future do we have if we continue to battle each other?
God has a covenant with each of the great religions. Yet we deny that. We deny our own Brothers and Sisters in Faith.
There is evil out there in the world that twists everything and everyone, until it seems that what's right is wrong and what's wrong is right. So, we actually assist the evil one.
When will we learn Lord? When will we learn the lessons You try to teach us? How long must Abraham's children pay for the sins of the father?
How many more years will we fight over God?
Until we stop fighting each other and begin to grow and accept that all of God's children, all of Abraham's children, have a place in the Kingdom, the world will remain in conflict. The Middle East will remain divided, torn by wars, as it has been through history.
How much longer must we suffer?
Until we stop letting the extremists reign.
Until we listen to the Father.
Until we follow His Word.
Until we have a family reunion.
Then we will find Peace.
Links:
Science Daily - http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2000/05/000509003653.htm
The Scribe - http://www.dangoor.com/73page25.html
BeliefNet - http://www.beliefnet.com/story/136/story_13658_1.html
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