Response--Hagar and Ishmael

I will use this week's blog entry to respond to a question posed by Steve S a couple of blog entries back, and a very good question it was. The question had to do with Hagar and her son Ishmael being cast away from the family because Ishmael was not the child of promise (Isaac was) and there was great dissension between Sarah, Abraham's wife, and Hagar, the handmaiden. The question had to do with the fact that God saved Ishmael who went on to be the father of the Arab nation. Restated, the question asks if we then should be tolerant of the Islamic faith since God is responsible for creation of the Arab nation.

The Bible is very clear on some points that relate to this:

1. It is true that God played a key role in Ishmael's reestablishment (Gen. 21:17) and growth as a nation (Gen. 21:18).

2. Ishmael was promised 12 princes (Gen. 17:20). This compares to the 12 tribes of Israel.

3. The descendants of Ishmael settled into the areas that we now refer to as the Arab world.

4. Galatians 4 uses this story in a symbolic way to compare bondage (Hagar) under the Jewish law to freedom (Sarah) that we find in Jesus Christ. Galatians 5:1 says, "Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage."

Here are what I consider to be necessary conclusions to all of this:

1. God never encouraged anyone to form a separate faith, and certainly did not do so with Ishmael. God saved him, sent him off to form a separate nation, but never wanted them to form a new faith and never gave any support to the Islamic faith. Ishmael was the father of the Arab nations, but the Islamic faith followed of their own creation.

2. God is no longer "tolerant" of the Jewish faith, nor should we be. Galatians chapter 3 gives a good summary of the God's plan through the Bible, how the Promise was given to Abraham, then the Law to the Jews and finally Faith came through Jesus. Note Gal. 3:24 on, "Therefore the law (Jewish) was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith (in Jesus) has come, we are not longer under a tutor. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek...." The Jewish age is over, and the Bible is clear on that. Acts 2:36 says, "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ." We now must follow Jesus.

Finally, I would like to state that "tolerance" sounds like a beautiful word and is practiced widely in our country today. But the Bible never condoned tolerance in regard to various religions that man creates. The world is full of various religions that fit the desires of man but do not follow the teachings of God. We need to be kind to one another for sure, but not tolerant. Revelation 22:16 says, "I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star." And vs 18, "If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the Book of Life." The only way is through Jesus..........On a brave day you might mess with Texas, but don't mess with God. See you next week.