Israel, the Jews and the World: Pt. III

The Bible and the Qu'ran

Why does the Islamic world despise Israel and the Jews? Because Muslims believe that the Jews perverted the Bible. In what way? By elevating Abraham's son Isaac over his firstborn son Ishmael.

Ishmael was the son born to an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar while Isaac was the son born to Abraham's wife Sarah that God had promised the couple in their advanced age. Through Isaac came the 12 tribes of Israel and the Jewish Messiah Jesus Christ.

Muslims believe that when God promised Abraham that He would provide a special land for Abraham's descendants, (Genesis 12:1-3, Genesis 15:18-21, Genesis 17) He was referring to Ishmael's descendants rather than Isaac's. Therefore, for nearly 1,300 years, the Islamic world has believed that the land known today as Israel was promised to Ishmael's descendants and not to Isaac's.

Thus, according to that reasoning, Israel has no right to exist and the Jews have no right to live in that land or in any land controlled by Muslims. It is that ageless belief--that the Jews perverted the Bible by replacing Ishmael with Isaac--that foments the venomous hatred of the Jews and Israel today.

And so, do Muslims have a legitimate argument? No, they do not. But why not? Because no genealogy exists beyond the Bible's Book of Genesis that can adequately trace Ishmael's descendants. Those who claim to be Ishmael's descendants have no way to prove that. And remember that many modern Muslims are the descendants of ancient tribes that existed during and before the time of Abraham. 

However, Isaac's descendants can be traced all the way to Jesus Christ, and those who find that incredulous are encouraged to read the very first chapter of Matthew's gospel that lists the genealogy from Abraham to Christ.

Remember that the Jews rejected Christ as their Messiah 2,000 years ago, so if they acknowledge the genealogy in order to disprove the Islamic world's claims concerning Ishmael, then they're forced to either acknowledge Christ as the Messiah or they're forced to admit that they rejected Christ because they ignored God's prophets. 

If they refuse to recognize the genealogy because it leads to Christ, then they have no rational argument against Islam's claims. The genealogy recorded in Matthew's gospel settles the argument once and for all and it also proves Islam a false religion because God indeed blessed all the nations of the world through Christ who was descended from Isaac rather than from Ishmael.

Certainly, the Islamic world will claim that the genealogy listed in Matthew's gospel has been fabricated. But why would the Jews fabricate a genealogy that would lead to a messiah that they rejected? That makes no sense. If Christ isn't the Jewish Messiah, then Muslims have a legitimate argument because the world hasn't been blessed through Christ.  

But the world has indeed been blessed through Christ's death on the cross for the sins of mankind and His resurrection from the dead. And whether they admit it or not--and most Jews today still don't--Jesus Christ provides the ultimate proof that the world has been blessed through Isaac's descendants.

Thus, the land of Israel belongs to the Jews and to no one else. Still, the much of the world refuses to accept that. Those who reject the truth are under the power and influence of Satan who seeks to destroy Israel and annihilate the Jews. 

Why? Because without Israel, Jesus Christ cannot return and establish His eternal kingdom on earth. Satan knows that. And he knows that if he can destroy Israel, he can prevent his eternal doom. Satan knows that God's integrity is tied to Israel's existence.

And Satan also knows that God has promised to preserve and protect Israel. To the ancient prophet Amos (2,700 B.C.), God said this: "I will bring back my exiled people Israel; they will rebuild ruined cities and live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit. I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them." (Amos 9:14-15)

The Lord fulfilled his promise in 1948 when Israel became a sovereign nation once again after 1,800 years. But Satan seeks Israel's destruction so he can prove God a liar. 

However, Israel isn't going to be destroyed. Rather, the day is coming when those nations that seek Israel's destruction will be destroyed. (Zechariah 14) And in spectacular fashion.