Sunday, December 13, 2009

Beginning of the Feud Between Israel and Muslims

We all know that the Muslims and the Jews as well as the Christians have been fighting for at least as long as anyone can remember. However, do you know when the split began that has caused the bad blood for all that time? Let's take a look.

In Genesis Chapter 15 God came to Abram and told him that he was going to be the father to a nation. Abram, though a man of faith, had a hard time believing this news since he and his wife SA'rai were both very old and long past childbearing years, and had always been childless.

"And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir.” Then He brought him outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” Genesis 15:4&5.

When told, SA'rai didn't believe that she at her advanced age could possibly become pregnant, and thought maybe she could out think God. So SA'rai suggested that Abram have sex with her Egyptian maid HA'gar instead.

"Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. And she had an Egyptian maidservant whose name was Hagar. So Sarai said to Abram, “See now, the Lord has restrained me from bearing children. Please, go in to my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram heeded the voice of Sarai." 16:1&2

After HA'gar conceived SA'rai and HA'gar became jealous of each other, Abram not wanting to deal with it told SA'rai, she is your servant do with her as you please. She treated her so harshly that HA'gar ran away, but an angle of God came to her and convinced her to go back.

"And when Sarai dealt harshly with her, she fled from her presence. Now the Angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur. And He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where have you come from, and where are you going?” She said, “I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai.” The Angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hand.”

"Then the Angel of the Lord said to her, “I will multiply your descendants exceedingly, so that they shall not be counted for multitude.” And the Angel of the Lord said to her: “Behold, you are with child, and you shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, because the Lord has heard your affliction. He shall be a wild man; his hand shall be against every man, and every man’s hand against him. And he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.”

Did you see this: (He shall be a wild man; his hand shall be against every man, and every man’s hand against him. And he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.”)

God told Abram that he would be the father of nations and would no longer be known as Abram, but Abraham, and SA'rai would give birth and be the mother of a nation and her name will forever more be Sarah. Abraham still couldn't understand how SA'rai would have a child, and asked God to bless Ishmael, God answered him.

"Then God said: “No, Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his descendants after him. And as for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall beget twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation. But My covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this set time next year.” Then He finished talking with him, and God went up from Abraham."

After Sarah gave birth to Isaac she became jealous of HA'gar and Ishmael and didn't want them around, she didn't want Ishmael taking any of what she wanted to be Isaac's. So she ordered Abraham to cast them out.

8 The child grew and was weaned, and on the day Isaac was weaned Abraham held a great feast. 9 But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking, 10 and she said to Abraham, "Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that slave woman's son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac."
11 The matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son. 12 But God said to him, "Do not be so distressed about the boy and your maidservant. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring [b] will be reckoned. 13 I will make the son of the maidservant into a nation also, because he is your offspring."

14 Early the next morning Abraham took some food and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar. He set them on her shoulders and then sent her off with the boy. She went on her way and wandered in the desert of Beersheba.

15 When the water in the skin was gone, she put the boy under one of the bushes. 16 Then she went off and sat down nearby, about a bowshot away, for she thought, "I cannot watch the boy die." And as she sat there nearby, she [c] began to sob.

17 God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, "What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. 18 Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation."


There has been conflict between the children of those two brothers ever since.


Beginning of the Feud Between Israel and Muslims

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