This story begins 3,000 years before Jesus walked the earth. The man Abraham lived in a place called Canaan or Palestine. Abraham and his wife Sarah had no children but God promised Abraham and his wife that they would indeed have a son and it would be through his son that all nations would be blessed. But when no son came, his wife suggested that he take as his concubine her maid whose name was Hagar, an Egyptian woman. So, in the 86th year of his life, Abraham took Hagar and she conceived a son who he named Ishmael. But it was God’s intention that Sarah would be the mother of Abraham’s son, not Hagar. So God said to Hagar: “He (Ishmael) will be a wild man; his hand shall be against every man and every man’s hand against him….” (Genesis 16:12)
Thirteen years after the birth of Ishmael, Sarah bore a son who was named “Isaac.” In Hebrew, the name means “laughter.” This was because Sarah laughed at the idea that she could still bare a son in her old age. (Genesis 18:9 – 12) God told Abraham that because of Isaac, all the nations on earth would be blessed; and true to the prophecy, 3,000 years later, Jesus was born. It was through the birth of Jesus, that Christianity would take root and spread through-out the world.
Ishmael is the progenitor of all the Arab nations on earth today and as a result of this union; 3,500 years later Mohammed was born; the father of Islam. Let there be no mistake, Islam has been at war ever since with most, if not all the world’s nations; fulfilling God’s promise that he would be a wild man whose hand will be against every man.
Today, Israel’s right to exist is being challenged by Muslim extremists’ whose primary goal is to completely destroy this tiny nation of seven million people. Several years ago and just prior to his death, then PLO leader, Yasser Arafat boldly declared to the world that it was their intention to “eradicate the name of Israel from the earth.” This promise of Arafat’s fulfilled a prophecy given in Psalms: “They have said, ‘Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation, that the name of Israel may be remembered no more.” (Psalm 83:4)
At the moment though, Hamas will be content on just getting half of Jerusalem, along with Presidents Bush and Obama pushing for this kind of settlement. Hamas wants this portion of the holy city for their capitol. The question is; well they get it? The answer is a huge resounding yes; because prophecy demands it: “For I will gather the nations to battle against Jerusalem…Half of the city shall go into captivity, but the remnant of the people (the Jews) shall not be cut off from the city.” (Zechariah 14:2)
Today, Iran’s President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been breathing similar threats to destroy Israel. It is his intention as is most of the world of Islam, to “cut them off from being a nation, that the name of Israel may be remembered no more.” Ahmadinejad brings with his threat, nuclear weapons that he will use against Israel in a heartbeat and they are feverishly, along with Russian technicians, working toward the development of a delivery system.
Ezekiel 38 and 39 prophesies of a day when Russia, Iran and all the Muslim states will invade Israel to “utterly destroy her.” And the prophecy doesn’t end well either….If you’re Russia or Iran: “And this shall be the plague with which the Lord will strike all the people who fought against Jerusalem: ‘Their flesh shall dissolve while they stand on their feet, their eyes shall dissolve in their sockets, and their tongues shall dissolve in their mouth. (Zechariah 14:12)
This description is as close to describing the effects of nuclear weapons as you can get. At their own admission, Israel is in possession of many such neutron weapons. Neutron bombs do not contaminate like conventional nuclear weapons do; they only destroy living tissue. Yes, in that day the Ghost of Hagar will be put to rest for ever. You can mark my word on this, you will see the events as they unfold; nations will come and nations will go, but Jerusalem will live forever.
Don Kopp-Rapid City, SD
Thank you for great article. I had a very good time reading, and there were few things I was surprised by.
In a very real conversation with from the household Pakal Ahau, professionals him if i was prepared to acquire the problem related to 2012. His answer was a definitely no. He additional, ‘the Mayan prediction is really complicated in its understanding but we’re making
Just curious Don, are you a Baptist?
Great article!! but then I like everything Don writes, and talks about when he’s preaching!!! Keep up the good work!!!!
The Tanakh is more accurate Don, and it’s not intended to be taken literally. Neither is the other religious text worshipping the God of Abraham, the Koran. And the “New Testament” is certainly not intended to be interpretted literally. Men wrote the three Bibles and thus men have perverted the original message of God. Words can mean many different thing to many different people, and conflict is sure to erupt. Men eventually began killing each other in the name of “God,” although when they do so they are clearly not acting with God’s grace.
Nice article though, even if you have missed the original intent of religion and spiritual oneness.
Independent, man was inspired by God to write the Bible. And yes,the Word of God is to be taken literally. Yes there are spiritual meanings to a lot of the Bible and yes these things are taken spirituality. But over all the Bible is taken literally. God would not provide instructions for His people or prophesy for His people that were to be thrown by the way side and say this is n ot literal. If we refuse to heed God’s Word the end result will be literal eternal torment and if we follow His Word the end result is going to be literal eternal peace and joy and wholeness.