The Threads of Abraham
...’s promise is fulfilled, and Sarah gives birth to Isaac. Hagar’s son, Ishmael, was 13 years old at the birth of Isaac. Jealousy arose between Ishmael and Isaac and Abraham casts Ishmael and Hagar out into the wilderness. Sarah dies at the age of 127, and Abraham marries Keturah and fathers another six sons. Before Abraham’s death, he gives gifts to his sons of his concubines and sends them away. He then leaves all he has then to Isaac. At the age of 175 years old Abraham dies. It reads in Genesis, “And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field in which Abraham purchased of the sons of Heth; there was Abraham buried and Sarah his wife” (Holy Bible, Genesis 25:9). Today this cave is known as the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron. This passage is important because it names Isaac and Ishmael together burying their father. It also tells the reader that Ishmael survives the wilderness. God had blessed Abraham and Sarah with many blessings before their deaths. God chose Isaac instead of Ishmael to be the heir of Abraham. The everlasting covenant is promised to Isaac and to all his generations. God also blessed Abraham’s son, Ishmael. The fulfillment of these blessings is the foundation of the three monotheistic religions. Ishmael was the first born son to Abraham by his wife’s servant Hagar. It was custom during that time for a man to take another woman, or concubine to produce an heir. Ishmael being the first born son was not recognized in God’s eyes as Abraham’s heir. God does although bless Ishmael with the following two blessing, “And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren” (Holy Bible, Genesis 16:12). With the second blessing God says, “And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee; Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation” (Holy Bible, Genesis 17:20). God’s promise to Ishmael to send twelve princes to him is fulfilled in the following verse: And these are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their generations: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebajoth; and Kendar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam, and Mishma, and Dumah, and Massa, Hadar, and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah: These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their towns, and by their castles; twelve princes according to their nations. (Holy Bible, Genesis 25:13-16). As God promised a great nation arose from Ishmael, from each son came a great tribe. These tribes made up the nations from Havilah to Shur and from Egypt to Assyria, with the others settling in South Arabia. These descendants were referred to as nomads. Evidence shows that the descendants of Ishmael largely made up a nation we call today the Arab nation which consists of such countries as Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Sudan, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Yemen, and South Yemen (Morris 5). Out of the Arab nation, through the prophet Mohammad came a great religion, the religion of Islam. Mohammad was born in Mecca, Arabia. His father died months before he was born, thus making him a dependant of his uncle. Traveling in merchant caravans, Mohammad became introduced to Khadijah. Mohammad began working for her, later married her, and had four daughters. According to Mohammad’s biography, one night the arch angel Gabriel revealed to Mohammad the two major tenets of the new faith of Islam. The first one was that there was but one God. The second one was that Mohammad, the merchant, was his apostle or prophet (“Muhammad” 2). This was the first of many revelations Mohammad would have over the next twenty years. Mohammad began converting people in his family and neighboring tribes. Followers of Mohammad were now called Muslims, and their religion became Islam. Mohammad spent his life spreading his faith and converting people to the Islam religion. Islam is the only one of the world’s greatest religions to have been founded on the Sword as well as the Word. Mohammad fought to rid the land of the Jewish clan and the Meccans. Mohammad’s final revelation was that all idolaters should be converted, by force if necessary. After his death his disciples recorded his teaching to form the Islam bible called the Koran. The Koran is the word of God for Muslims. Muslims believe that one God created the universe, that Christ was born of a virgin, but is not the son of God. They also believe that Christ rose to heaven, but not by the way of the cross. God is also referred to as Allah in the Koran. The Koran provided a new moral code, being rich and powerful people were not enough. The message that Mohammad provided, enabled the Arab society to resolve their differences, unite, and eventually become a world power. Through the Koran every Muslim believes he is in contact with divine reality. The origins of the Islamic religion can therefore be traced backwards from the Arab prophet Mohammed, to the development of the Arab nation, to the twelve tribes of Ishmael, to Ishmael, and finally to Abraham. This fulfills Gods promise to Ishmael in promising to make a great nation from him. Isaac was the son of Abraham and Sarah. God’s covenant to Abraham was fulfilled in the birth of Isaac, in which God also makes a covenant with. Isaac grew righteous with God and was blessed. He married Rebekah and had twin sons, Esau and Jacob. Jacob died at the age of 180 years old. He was buried in the same cave as his father Abraham (“Abraham” 4). Before Isaac was born God made his covenant with him. God explains his promise for Isaac to Abraham, “And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with is seed after him” (Holy Bible, Genesis 17:19). This covenant promises Isaac and all who are descendants of Isaac that they will be blessed by God, it will be a blessing that will last forever and ever. Esau and Jacob were twin sons of Isaac and Rebekah. Esau was the first born and was to be heir of Isaac. Esau foolishly sold his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of stew. God honored this and Jacob becomes the heir of Isaac’s covenant with God. Jacob married Rachel and Leah, which were sisters. It was custom for the oldest daughter to marry first. Rachel, whom Jacob loved, was the younger sister. Therefore, Jacob married Leah, who he did not like, and then one week later, Rachel who he loved. Jacob also had two concubines, Bilhah and Zilpah. The first generation of Jacob is as follows: Rachel, Jacob’s favorite wife, had two sons. Their names were Joseph and Benjamin. Bilhah, Jacob’s concubine, had two sons. Their names were Dan and Naphtali. Zillpah, Jacob’s concubine, had two sons also. Their names were Gad and Asher. Leah, Jacob’s wife and Rachel’s sister, had six sons and one daughter. Her sons are Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. Her daughter was named Dinah. (Holy Bible, Genesis 35:23). Jacob’s sons from these four women are now referred to as “The Twelve Tribes”. These twelve tribes an...