Skip to main content

Ishmael’s Rage

The Danish cartoons depicting the image of the Muslim Prophet Mohammad is just the latest ignition switch for the rage of the Muslim world against seemingly everyone else. However, as you read or hear the headlines about the daily torchings and fire-bombing of Western Embassies by Muslim mobs, do not fail to note the prediction of an all-knowing God about these latter day events during His creation of the Muslim lineage outlined in the first Book of the Bible: The angel of the LORD also said to her (Hagar - Abram’s wife's maidservant): "You are now with child and you will have a son. You shall name him Ishmael, for the LORD has heard of your misery. He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone's hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers." (Genesis 16:11-12; italics mine) So Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram gave the name Ishmael to the son she had borne. (Genesis 16:15)

Ishmael through Abram (who’s name God later changed to Abraham), was the father of today’s Muslim community.

It is with these next verses of scripture however, that the stage was being set by God, for the history of conflict that is continuing today to be played out in hostility all over the world: …And Abraham said to God, "If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!" (Genesis 17:18); Here is God's reply:…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. But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you by this time next year." When he had finished speaking with Abraham, God went up from him. (Genesis 17:20-22) God chose not to establish His covenant with the line of Ishmael despite Abraham’s understandable request for his first-born. God instead established His covenant with Isaac (the father of Israel through Abraham). Hence the centuries-old blood war between the Arabs and the Jews, through whom God sent the Savior of mankind – Jesus Christ.

A perfect brew of hostility through which Satan (Jesus’ paramount enemy) has worked, to bring the world to the brink of total destruction. However, read your Bible, there is so much more to come.

(All scripture courtesy of the NIV Bible)
Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

Ignore God and Decrease Your Birth Rates

I read a very interesting article yesterday in the New York Times on the topic of the shrinking birth rate in Europe over the past few decades. The article outlines the demographic danger facing Europe with the high likelihood that several countries (Italy, Spain and Germany among others) will see their native populations decrease by up to 40% by 2050. According to the article, the replacement birth rate necessary to maintain an equal population size from generation to generation is 2.1 children born to each woman. In Europe according to the article the rate is well below 2.0, with some countries closer to 1.5 and dropping. It is a lengthy and very interesting read that sheds some light on a phenomenon that in all likelihood will reshape the face of Western Europe within 100 years. The interesting thing about the article is that it was published after extensive research and interviews with many experts and it offers various possible explanations for why this situation has developed.
Read more

Mother Jesus?

The Episcopal Church USA continues to stake out their territory as a “church unto itself” as opposed to a part of Christ’s body of believers with such decisions as 2003’s approval of the New Hampshire Diocese's election of V. Gene Robinson, as the organization’s first openly gay bishop. This year the “church” elected liberal Katherine Jefferts Schori as their leader. Along comes this not surprising bit of information about Ms. Schori courtesy of Newsbusters.org . Most recently, she irritated some conservatives by speaking about "Mother Jesus" in a sermon....the website then goes on to quote Washington Post reporter Alan Cooperman who stated: To those who accuse her of heresy for referring to a female Jesus, she responds with a typically learned disquisition on medieval mystics and saints who used similar language, including Julian of Norwich and St. Teresa of Avila. "I was trying to say that the work of the cross was in some ways like giving birth to a new creation,
Read more

Funerals for the Unsaved or Unbelievers

I am not a leader of a church, but I oftentimes wonder how does one lead a funeral service for someone who dies without knowing Jesus Christ as Lord ? Admittedly I have not been to many funerals in my lifetime, though they are appearing to come more frequently lately, but the fact is that funerals are held daily throughout the world and as such this is a pertinent question to someone just about every day.   I’ve been to the funeral where the person lived a fairly routine life, taking care of their families and other responsibilities as best they could, paying taxes and doing the average things that we as human beings do on a consistent basis. They however had no visible relationship with God through His son Jesus Christ. When this person dies, the surviving family members are oftentimes left scrambling trying to find a person and a place to officiate the funeral services – generally because the deceased did not have a regular church that they attended. Funeral homes sometimes serve thi
Read more