S. Michael Houdmann Supporter Got Questions Ministries

First, it is important to understand that not all Arabs are Muslims, and not all Muslims are Arabs. While a majority of Arabs are Muslims, there are many non-Muslim Arabs. Further, there are signif...

Login or Sign Up to view the rest of this answer.

July 01 2013 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jeremiah Kaaya Pastor at Springs of Power Church, Teacher by professional

There is surely a high degree of enmity between the Israelites and the Arabs to date. However, much as it can be said to be a historical matter, it can equally be looked at in spiritual terms. We should therefore be in position to understand that whatever there is, as Christians, we should first understand it from a spiritual perspective. Israel usually represents the side of God and whoever fights Israel represents the dark forces. By that, much as it could appear as though Israel is the aggressor, spiritually it could be a different thing altogether. The forces of darkness are only in search of an opportunity where the God of the Israelites could look weak and defeated.
In historical terms, the following factors can count

1 The rivalry between Sarah and Hagar which extends to their sons Ishmael and Isaac.
2 Israel being the nation chosen by God
3 The superiority of Israel over the rest
4 The disappearance and the reemergence of Israel as a nation.

The rivalry between Sarah and Hagar which extends to their sons Ishmael and Isaac.

Sarah who was also the matrimonial wife of Abraham had not had a child for Abraham for a long time. In a desperate fight to have a child (Genesis 16:1-5), she asked Abraham to go in to her maid so as the maid could conceive and deliver on the laps of Sarah thereby counting the child as one of Sarah. Hagar bore the child who was named Ishmael. In Genesis 21:2, Sarah conceived and bore a child who was named Isaac. In Genesis 21:821, both lads are grown and can play together. The elder child who is also Ishmael began to mock Isaac the child of Sarah. It is on this account that Sarah asked Abraham to send away the child. The sending away and the subsequent suffering of the child and the mother (Hagar) is the primary source of the rivalry between the descendants of the two boys. However though, we must also understand that this is to have much spiritual significance.

Israel being the nation chosen by God

In Genesis 12 God asks Abraham to leave his father’s house and go to a land where God would lead him. Abraham bore Isaac; Isaac bore Jacob from whom the nation of Israel emerges. Remember that much as Ishmael was equally counted as a child of Abraham, Isaac was the chosen one from whom God’s chosen people Israel would emerge (Genesis 21:12-13), (Deut 7:6), (1Chronicles 16:13), (Psalms 33:12, 105:6), (Isaiah 48:12), (Daniel 11:15). This has never gone down well with many. Many of us go on to ask what is special about Israel, of course out of jealous. It simply leads to hatred against them.

The superiority of Israel over the rest

In real terms, Israel is superior in many areas. Biblically, God presents them as superior to the rest (Deut 7:6-26). The rest of the world is to learn from Israel (Deut 4:6-9), (Deut 26:18-19). All the credible ancient prophets are from Israel, whatever civilization is from Israel. They are superior in technology, engineering (all forms), farming (turning a desert into farmland), war, commerce. All such are the reasons why Israel faces wrath not only from the Arabs, but the Germans, if you can remember WW2. Everything a Jew touches will divinely automatically be blessed to prosper.

The disappearance and the reemergence of Israel as a nation.

After the death and resurrection of Jesus, and as had been prophesied, Israel disappeared as a nation. They ended up in many parts of the world. The Israelites were so proactive in WW2, after which they were asked how best they could be rewarded. They chose to be reestablished as a nation. However, all the land had been occupied by the Arabs and other tribes. It required driving them out which was done. The temple of the Lord had already been replaced with a mosque (the Dome of rocks) to date. Such only created more hatred.

In conclusive terms, I can’t envisage a scenario when this enmity has vanished. For it is equally a spiritual matter which only God can handle. Nothing we can do? All we can do is pray and be spiritually alert.

August 08 2014 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report