of the Patriarchal Period. The expression “over against his brethren” sig nifies two things. That the original Hebrew reads “ to the east of” is not to be doubted but more seems to be implied. The extreme independence and sepa ration of the Arab people is set forth. History con firms such separation, from the descendants of Abraham especially, and one can imagine that Ish mael long carried in his heart a rebellious hurt for the mistreatment that he and his mother had re ceived because of Isaac. It is almost with surprise that we read that Ishmael came back to help Isaac with the burial of their father (Gen. 25:9). Per haps it can only be explained by the reflection of his father’s love in Ishmael. But Ishmael was no ordinary Arab. God had promised Abraham He would bless the lad and so we read in 21:20 that “God was with the lad.” The prosperity of earthly blessing was to be with Ish mael while Isaac enjoyed the spiritual birthright. “ He dwelt in the wilderness, and became, as he grew up, an archer,” (Gen. 21:20). Paran was his home and his mother obviously dwelt with him for Scripture records that she “ took him a wife out o f the land of Egypt.” This would make the chil dren o f Ishmael one-fourth Jewish and three- fourths Egyptian. Aside from the burial o f his father, the life o f Ishmael is mentioned twice more: one in Genesis 28:9 when Esau takes a daughter o f Ishmael to be his wife; again in Genesis 36:3 where the reference is again to Esau. The current Middle East conflict is but another evidence of the historic warfare described in the above paragraphs. The Israelites possess the land between the Euphrates and the Red Sea overspread ing into North Africa and Southern Asia. Cain the United Nations solve a 4,000-year-old blood hatred or will the turmoil continue until the promised Messiah comes to deliver Isaaic’s seed from the hand of the son of the bondwoman? One additional emphasis must be given. The promises to Issac, as unconditional and sure as their fulfillment is, in no way negate the right of the Arabs to hear the gospel in this age of grace. God will some day gather His people nationally; but until that day, “ His people” consists o f the universal Church composed o f white, black, red, brown, British, African, Jew, and Arab — with out respect to rank. The great interest in Jewish evangelism is com mendable, but evangelicals tend to over-emphasize with such missionary efforts to the exclusion, or at least minimization, of gospel witness among the Arab peoples — now over 100 million strong! God has put away His people for a season to bring the Gentile nations into the kingdom of grace. There is no Biblical curse upon the Arabs which keeps them from participating in the grace of Christ’s cross . . . the “whosoever” of John 3:16 includes the seed o f Ishmael. EE 15
princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation” (Gen. 17:20). Calvin makes an interesting application o f the difference of the blessings to the two sons. “ For God liberally and profusely promises to Ishmeal whatever is desirable with respect to this earthly life: and yet he accounts as nothing all the gifts He confers on him, in comparison with the covenant which was to be established in Isaac. It therefore follows, that neither wealth nor power, nor any other temporal gift, is promised to the sons of the Spirit, but an eternal blessing which is possessed only by hope, in this world.” Did God keep His promise concerning Ishmael? The number of Arabs today is as the sand o f the desert on which they live. A great nation they surely are, and all coming from the twelve desert princes of Ishmael recorded in Genesis 25:12-16. Twelve nations headed by twelve princes mock by their very existence the twelve tribes of Israel. The birth o f Isaac is promised just one year from the time o f Ishmael’s circumcision. Just one year to have the preeminence in the house of his father! It'was an eventful year in the life of the lad; the visit of the angels, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, the visit to Gerar and the centennial birthday celebration o f Abraham all occurred. It is hard to determine how much he knew of his rejection and how much o f God’s plan had been kept from the lad. At any rate, when the child of promise was bom, friction began in the tent of Abraham. The common jealousy of an older child for a newly-welcomed baby was heightened by the friction between the mothers. At the feast o f wean ing, the older boy was seen “mocking” the three- year-old Isaac. Ishmael was then seventeen years of age. Much speculation has been given to exactly what went on between the boys at this time. The term “mocking” is open to various interpretations and the Apostle Paul adopts a severe one by his statement, “He that was bom after the flesh per secuted him that was bom after the Spirit” (Gal. 4:29). In Lightfoot’s outstanding commentary on Galatians, he concludes, “ at all events, the word seems to mean ‘mocking,’ ‘jeering.’ . . .” Another position declares that Ishmael may have been se verely mistreating the child, indeed, almost killing him. Immediately Sarah demands the expulsion of both mother and son. Jehovah told Hagar her son would become as a wild ass, that he would be continually in warfare, and that he would dwell “ over against all his breth ren.” The Bedouin love of freedom has character ized the hardy, frugal life o f Arab tribes through out history. Such was the life o f Ishmael . . . a life of constant feud as he led marauding bands of desert warriors in fast moving attacks on villages and traveling caravans. No doubt many men knew well the name o f Ishmael as the great “ desert fox” AUGUST, 1968
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