The Everlasting Hatred, as it was thousands of years ago so it is today. Abraham, considered the father the Jews, and his wife Sarah had no prodigy. So in keeping with the tradition of the day, Abraham went into Hagar, Sarah’s handmade, and impregnated her. Hagar would deliver her baby while sitting on Sarah’s lap so it would be considered to be her child. Hagar’s son Ishmael was much loved by his father but was not the son of promise. God said of Ishmael, Genesis 16:12, “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.” Several years later Sarah became pregnant by Abraham and had Isaac. Although Ishmael was the older son, the covenant between God and Abraham passed to Isaac.
To say that Ishmael was unhappy would be an understatement. A generation later Isaac’s wife Rebecca was pregnant with twins, Jacob and Esau, who were already fighting in the womb. Rebecca inquired of the Lord. Genesis 25:23, “And the Lord said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.” Years later, Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of porridge, demonstrating his disdain for it. Little wonder that we read in Romans 9:13, “As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.” later Jacob and his mother Rebecca fooled Isaac into giving Jacob his blessing rather than to Esau.
As an aside, sometime in the intervening years Sarah had passed away and Abraham married Keturah. Keturah had Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. Jokshan had sons Sheba and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim. And the sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abidah, and Eldaah.
To add to the mix, year’s earlier Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed after Abraham’s nephew Lot fled with his family. The two daughters of Lot got him drunk and he impregnated them. This incest resulted in the birth of two sons, Moab and Ammon whose descendants were and are the constant enemies of Israel.
So many male descendants, so many attempt to destroy the descendants of Isaac and Jacob. Psalm 83:5-8, “5 For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee: 6 The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarenes; 7 Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre; 8 Assur also is joined with them: they have holpen the children of Lot. Selah.”
The everlasting hatred against Israel has only strengthened over the eons. This one tiny country about the size of the state of New Jersey monopolizes world events. Zechariah 12:2-3, “2 Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. 3 And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.”
A cup of trembling, indeed Jerusalem was and is just that!
No comments:
Post a Comment