| The trouble in the Middle East is in the news again | | | | his little half brother. By this time, Sarah had |
| and with it all the fresh speculation and rhetoric | | | | already been disgusted with them for some time |
| about why it is happening. Some say it is over the | | | | and she demanded that Abraham throw them |
| land, others say it is the oil, others say it is religion. | | | | out of the household saying that the son of a |
| The fact of the matter is that the entire situation | | | | slave would not be an heir with her son, Isaac. |
| in the Middle East and the differences between | | | | Abraham was against this because he loved |
| Israel and the Muslim nations goes back thousands | | | | Ishmael even though he was an incredible pain to |
| of years to two brothers, one names Isaac and | | | | say the least. |
| one named Ishmael. | | | | God settled the argument by telling Abraham that |
| The story goes like this, Abraham and his wife | | | | he was to do as Sarah said and that he would |
| Sarah wanted a child all their lives and as they | | | | also make a nation from the seed of Ishmael as |
| were getting very old with he being 86 and Sarah | | | | well, but it would be through Isaac that his |
| at 76 and felt God wasn't going to keep the | | | | descendants, the Jews would be named. |
| promise to them, Abraham slept with Sarah's | | | | So, Hagar and Ishmael were sent away just as |
| servant Hagar by arrangement from Sarah and a | | | | God commanded but He kept His word regarding |
| child by the name of Ishmael was born from this. | | | | them as well. It is stated in Genesis 21 that God |
| God promised Abraham that he would establish a | | | | was with him and that as he grew in the |
| covenant with Isaac's descendants. | | | | wilderness he became an expert with a bow and |
| According to the Old Testament, in Genesis God | | | | that his mother brought him a wife from Egypt. |
| told Hagar that Ishmael would be a wild man with | | | | So why all the fighting? The Arab nations, |
| his hand against every man and every man's hand | | | | descendants of Ishmael have way more land than |
| against him. At a feast to celebrate the weaning | | | | does Israel, but for them it all goes back to the |
| of Isaac from his mother Sarah, some fourteen | | | | birthright. They still feel that Ishmael was the first |
| years later, Ishmael began to show the nature | | | | born child of Abraham and that as such they are |
| God said he would by mocking and making fun of | | | | entitled to everything. |