There should be absolutely no doubt as to why there is war in the Middle East. The Bible (yeah that outdated and irrelevant book) has the answer.
Abraham received a promise: His seed would be as numerous as the sand of the seashore and stars in the sky.
Impatience drove he and Sarah to take matters into their own hands. Abraham + Hagar = Ishmael.
God’s promise comes true when Abraham is 100 and Sarah 89. Abraham + Sarah = Isaac.
Sarah despises Hagar. Ishmael despises Isaac.
Abraham bans both.
Ishmael = Arab nation.
Isaac = Jewish nation.
Case closed.
And who says the Bible is outdated and irrelevant? For further study check out Genesis 15-18:21; 21:1-21; Galatians 4:21-31
Imperfect people will always mess with God’s plan. The consequences (to quote Doc Brown) can be “disastrous.” And there is your History101 lesson for today. 🙂
Dropping Doc Brown? Well, that definitely brought the point home that our sin can bring about long-lasting, unintended consequences. Another interesting tidbit in this story is that Sarah, doubting God, encouraged old Abraham to “lie down” with Hagar.
Yeah, I dropped Doc Brown. 🙂 It is a good point to see Daniel about our sin. And yes, Sarah did encourage Abraham to lie with Hagar. Gotta wonder if she thought it would bear fruit.
Of course it is irrelevant. That’s why Christians have to keep repeating that it is relevant. To whom it is relevant is thankfully a shrinking population. What is going on in the Middle East is not Arabs against the Jews. Except maybe the Palestinian situation which is hardly a war.
Hopefully no school age children are being misinformed here. As for the adults I guess it doesn’t matter.
And what is God’s plan exactly?
You must not have caught my sarcasm jeff. History proves its relevance and this is one of those historical moments. The Arabs hate the Jews. The Jews hate the Arabs. That war has been going on and will continue doing so. God’s plan has always been Abraham’s seed (Jesus) would be the Savior of the world. Paul even makes the point in Galatians 3:16. The conflict back then and the ensuing conflict now is the result of sin (man taking things into his own hand). I beg to differ with you: the Bible is very relevant and i don’t have to keep repeating that to make it so.
There are some 40 or so savior God’s with differing seed stories etc. I am not sure that Arabs not liking Jews makes this one any more relevant than the others. Japanese hate Chinese, Whites hate Blacks, Whites hate Indians, Sunnis hate Shias, etc.
We have been around this barn before Jeff. I believe the biblical record and the consequences of sin and taking things into our own (Abraham and Sarah) hands. The Arabs will admit their lineage to Abraham as well.
I know you believe it Bill. It just amazes me as to how or why people believe it. My point was that no one is at war with the Jews. There is a lot more Muslims killing Muslims and trying to kill Westerners. I don’t think this is about Jews fighting Arabs.
It all goes back to that.
yep
I love history, of our country, of my family and most of all the history of the Bible. It clears up so much that is happening in this world today and will happen in the future which should help us live the present. It explains in detail who God is, who man is, what sin is and how life works. You will not find those truth in any other history book. Keep preaching, teaching, sharing the Word Bill…
i agree with all you say Betty. And i will continue doing exactly what you suggest. 🙂
Yeah, we have made a mess out of all He intended for us to be.
Praise God that He sent a Savior …
yes we have made a mess. And yes, I thank God for a Savior.
Yep! I’ve said that same thing to folks many times. It all goes back to the beginning . . .
Blessings, Bill!
Ditto on that Martha. Messed up beginning…messed up lives…need for a Savior.
My husband and I were just talking about this yesterday. It should be obvious to anyone who has read the book. – http://www.domesticgeekgirl.com
i wish it was that obvious Gingi. You can see by the comments that one doesn’t think so. 🙁
Hard to argue with physical and traceable facts.
A good reminder to all of us who tend to take matters into our own hands… and out of the One that gives us free will…