I’ve been doing some reading in Genesis and some other research and it sure does seem clear that peace in Israel will NOT be happening anytime soon. Let’s follow the outline of Genesis and see where the battle develops.
First, we have a promise to Abram (later called Abraham). To your offspring I will give you all this land.
6 Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. 7 The LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” Genesis 12:6-7
If we think about this, God proclaims that Abram’s firstborn should get the land. After all, this would be the custom of the day. God also adds that Abram’s offspring with be in the billions by the reference to the stars in heaven.
“Look up at the heavens and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Genesis 15:5
So, no big deal right? WRONG. After God promised Abram and Sarai (later Sarah) would have a son, Sarai gave up on the promise and had Abram conceive a child with the servant named Hagar. She conceived Ishmael, Abram’s firstborn. BUT……that was not God’s plan…
19 Then God said, “Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. 20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation. 21 But my covenant I will establish with Isaac… Genesis 17:19-21
So, now we have a problem. According to law, Ishmael should be the heir, but according to covenant, Isaac is the heir. Maybe you’re guessing where I’m going with this. Ishmael was banished along with Hagar. Their descendants are responsible for most of the Arab nations who are now Muslim. Isaac’s heirs can be tracked along to present day Jews.
So, the problem with peace, is that both people groups have a legitimate claim to the land of Israel. The Muslims because they are Ishmael’s descendants, he was the firstborn and God promised the land to Abraham’s offspring. The Jews because of the covenant God made with Abraham that the heir would be born of Sarah (not Hagar). Sooo, we have a problem that simply won’t go away with some peace talks and concessions for they both feel they should have it all, no questions asked…
I find the Bible really does help us understand the “whys” regarding history.
Sit back and watch it unfold.
~Jeff
P.S. If you like Biblical analysis, read THIS.
Filed under: Detailed Thoughts, Interesting Bible Insight, Religion, Short Thoughts | Tagged: Abraham, Christianity, covenant, God, history, Isaac, Ishmael, Israel, Jews, Middle East, Muslim, Study, Thoughts
This is indeed a family feud. Cousins at war!
The interesting thing here is the fact that Abraham was NOT Jewish, nor of course, was Isaac or Jacob. They were not even Christian. In the Islamic faith, Abraham is the one who named the Muslims “Muslims” since the word really means “Submitters” – as in submitting to the Will of God. This is what Abraham did himself.
The Quran states: remember the word Allah is the Arabic for God.
So why do they fight? Interesting, isn’t it?
ATW
ATW-
Thanks for the insight from the Quran’s perspective. I do find it amusing that it had to be clarified that Abraham was not a Christian. Since Jesus had not come yet, that is kind of obvious….no disrespect intended. As for Abraham being or not being a Jew, I guess I was under the impression that Abraham was a Hebrew and the name Jew came from Judah (aka Tribe of Judah)… I also understand that before the 12 tribes were formed they were all Hebrews then named Israelites…Since the scattering of Israel & Judah after the kingdom was “divided, conquered and exiled”, the kingdom was reformed later from remnants of all the tribes and the name Jew stuck. I would surmise this group is most definitely the last of the “Hebrews”, and hence Abraham’s people as well… The term Jew, as used today, would appropriately describe Abraham as well since it typically means any descendant of Abraham that was from the 12 tribes.