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The Root of the Hatred
In Part 1, we've discussed Sarah and Hagar so I'll only briefly review that tension in Part 2.
Gen 16:4-5 So he [Abraham, father of the Jews] went in to Hagar [Egyptian], and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress [Sarah, mother of the Jews] became despised [little, lightly esteemed] in her [Hagar's] eyes. Then Sarah said to Abram, “My wrong be upon you! I gave my maid into your embrace; and when she saw that she had conceived, I became despised in her eyes. The LORD judge between you and me.”
God had promised Abraham a son through whom a multitude of descendants would follow (Gen 12:2-3). Abraham's wife, Sarah, possessed a barren womb so she suggested that Abraham take her handmaiden (Hagar) to give them children in order to kickstart the Abrahamic Covenant (Gen 16:2-3).
“In the legal custom of that day a barren woman could give her maid to her husband as a wife, and the child born of that union was regarded as the first wife’s child. If the husband said to the slave-wife’s son, ‘You are my son,’ then he was the adopted son and heir. So Sarah’s suggestion was unobjectionable according to the customs of that time.” (Bible Knowledge Commentary, Old Testament)
Remember Abraham laughing at God (Gen 17:17)? He, also thought it would be impossible for Sarah to conceive so he was in agreement concerning Hagar. Hagar would become the surrogate mother for Abraham and Sarah and Hagar was to forfeit her son to them upon birth.
Hagar, no doubt understood the implications of the covenant God had made with Abraham... there was a lot at stake with this soon to be born child, Ishmael. Abraham was promised a land, a nation, and the most prominent stature among men through this child and Abraham's descendants.
When Sarah saw that she became "less significant" in Hagar's eyes she realized that this was trouble and so she dealt harshly with Hagar (Gen 16:6) and Hagar ran off.
Considering the above, it's easy to see how this incident could easily contributed to the olam ebah.
Scripture tells us that Hagar returned, in submission to Sarah, but no doubt the animosity still existed between the two.
Scripture also tells us that Abraham loved Ishmael and raised him as his son. However, there is no mention of Abraham ever considering Ishmael as the heir to the covenant.
Before moving on, I wanted to make one more point that some of you may not be aware of:
Ishmael is considered to be the patriarch of Islam. Muhammad even claims to be a descendant of Ishmael. According to Islamic tradition, Ishmael and his mother, Hagar are buried next to the kaaba in Mecca. In fact, within the koran Ishmael is mentioned as standing alongside Abraham in their attempt to setup the kaaba in Mecca as a place of monotheistic pilgrimage (koran 2:127-129). There are many mentions of Ishmael throughout Islamic literature and he is a central figure of Islam.
While we may consider Sarah and Hagar as the beginning of this hatred we must notice first the real reason... the Abrahamic covenant. This was the desired prize and all of the notoriety associated with it... the land and prominent stature.
Isaac versus Ishmael
As God had promised, Sarah becomes pregnant in her old age.
Gen 21:3 Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore to him, Isaac.
When a child becomes old enough to move from the mother's milk to solid food, a celebratory feast was given.
Gen 21:8 The child [Isaac] grew and was weaned, and Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned.
Ishmael was present at this feast and was seen scoffing, by Sarah.
Gen 21:9 Now Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, mocking.
No doubt, the eldest son, Ishmael, was wondering how such a tiny lad such as little helpless Isaac would become a great father of nations. Unbelief, envy, pride and carnal superiority were no doubt part of Ishmael's sentiment towards Isaac.
Paul referred to this "mocking" as persecution:
Gal 4:29 But as at that time he [Ishmael] who was born according to the flesh persecuted him [Isaac] who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now also.
Upon seeing this, Sarah has Hagar and Ishmael sent away.
Gal 4:30-31 But what does the Scripture say?
"Cast out the bondwoman [Hagar] and her son [Ishmael], for the son of the bondwoman shall not be an heir with the son [Isaac] of the free woman [Sarah]."
So then, brethren, we are not children of a bondwoman, but of the free woman. (see also Gen 21:10)
Isaac became the first "true" heir of Abraham which disqualified Ishmael from the promises of the Covenant.
Legally, or traditionally, Ishmael was in fact Abraham's first son and, according to the legal custom of the day, was seen as the apparent heir.
However, Sarah had them driven out. She recognized the spite and jealousy that had been passed down from Hagar to Ishmael when he "scoffed" at Isaac.
Gen 21:11-12 The matter distressed Abraham greatly because of his son [Ishmael]. But God said to Abraham, "Do not be distressed because of the lad and your maid; whatever Sarah tells you, listen to her, for through Isaac your descendants shall be named.
God's plan involved Abraham and Sarah conceiving Isaac. No way around that... still, Hagar and Ishmael had a sort of elevated status due to their relationship with Abraham and their blessing on Ishmael from God.
God told Abraham:
Gen 21:13 And of the son [Ishmael] of the maid I will make a nation also, because he is your descendant.
Abraham sends Hagar and Ishmael away after living with them and being a part of their family, along with Abraham's stature and power all these years.
Hagar exhibited envy towards Sarah, and Sarah viewed Ishmael as her mistake for attempting to meddle with God's covenant with Abraham. Ishmael was caught in the middle of this at the age of fourteen. Abraham raised and loved the boy yet Ishmael scoffed at the weaning of Isaac enough so that they were driven from the family.
One day Ishmael and his mother Hagar are imagining their great future, and the next... they are homeless.
The hatred existed and would be spread through Egypt as God had promised Ishmael to become a great nation in his own right.
Ishmael went on to father twelve sons and they all predominately settled in the Arabian territories. They became known as Ishmaelites (Psa 83:6). If you'll recall, these Ishmaelites are also the ones who bought Joseph (coat of many colors) and took him to Egypt, when his Joseph's brothers tried to get rid of him.
The arguments against the rightful heir and the contents of the covenant were reaching foreign soil. After all Hagar and Ishmael could proudly boast that they were also involved in a covenant of their own personal interest. Ishmael was to become a "great nation".
Gen 16:10-12 Then the Angel of the LORD said to her, "I will multiply your [Hagar] descendants exceedingly, so that they shall be too many to be counted." And the Angel of the LORD said to her: "Behold, you are with child, And you shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, Because the LORD has heard your affliction.
He shall be a wild man; His hand shall be against every man, And every man’s hand against him. And he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren."
Gen 17:20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard you [Abraham]. Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall beget twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation.
Gen 21:17-18 And God heard the voice of the lad [Ishmael]. Then the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said to her, "What ails you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is. Arise, lift up the lad and hold him with your hand, for I will make him a great nation."
Jacob versus Esau
The hatred above is about to continue in the very next generation.
Ishmael had taken an Egyptian wife, and Isaac was also eventually married to Rebecca and had twin boys... Esau and Jacob. By this time, Ishmaelites were becoming a force in the Middle East.
Again, a blessing comes into play - the blessing of Isaac upon Jacob. Jacob acquired this blessing from Esau (the firstborn twin).
Gen 27:41 So Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father blessed him [Jacob], and Esau said in his heart, "The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then I will kill my brother Jacob."
"Esau hated Jacob".
We can see this attitude prevailing as passed down from Esau's uncle [Ishmael] and step-grandmother [Hagar].
Once again, a coveting of the covenant comes into play. As the firstborn, it was Esau's birthright to become heir of the Abrahamic covenant. In Esau's eyes, the line should have been Abraham, Isaac, and Esau.
It didn't work out that way as that was not God's plan.
Esau comes in from the field and is tired and hungry to the point of total exhaustion. Jacob has a red dish of lentils cooking. Esau sees it, and asks for some of the stew and because of this Esau was called Edom [H123 - edom, red].
Jacob agrees to give Esau the food for the price of Esau's birthright... Esau regarded the red stew more than his birthright and agreed to Jacob's terms (Gen 25:29-34).
Esau gave up his birthright for a piece of bread and some lentil bean stew. At the time, Esau held no regard towards the significance of the Abrahamic Covenant, which evidenced his lack of reverence for the God of his father Isaac, and his grandfather Abraham (Heb 12:16-17).
Esau’s disrespect for the contents of the covenant was an ultimate display of his disregard for God and mankind, its benefactor. As a consequence, the prophets Jeremiah and Obadiah would prophecy centuries later that the descendants of Esau (Edomites) would likewise (in the same manner in which he despised the covenant) be despised by men.
Jer 49:15 For indeed, I will make you [Edom] small among nations, despised [H959 - bazah] among men.
Oba 1:2 Behold, I will make you [Edom] small among the nations; You shall be greatly despised [H959 - bazah].
Oba 1:8-10 & Oba 1:15 Will I not on that day, declares the LORD, destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of Mount Esau? And your mighty men shall be dismayed, O Teman, so that every man from Mount Esau will be cut off by slaughter. Because of the violence done to your brother Jacob, shame shall cover you, and you shall be cut off forever … For the day of the LORD is near upon all the nations. As you have done, it shall be done to you; your deeds shall return on your own head.
Eze 25:12-17 Thus says the Lord GOD: Because Edom acted revengefully against the house of Judah and has grievously offended in taking vengeance on them, therefore thus says the Lord GOD, I will stretch out my hand against Edom and cut off from it man and beast. And I will make it desolate; from Teman even to Dedan [northern Saudi Arabia] they shall fall by the sword. And I will lay my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel, and they shall do in Edom according to my anger and according to my wrath, and they shall know my vengeance, declares the Lord GOD. Thus says the Lord GOD: Because the Philistines acted revengefully and took vengeance with malice of soul to destroy in never-ending enmity, therefore thus says the Lord GOD, Behold, I will stretch out my hand against the Philistines [Palestinian territories], and I will cut off the Cherethites [Gaza] and destroy the rest of the seacoast. I will execute great vengeance on them with wrathful rebukes. Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I lay my vengeance upon them.
Things go from bad to worse as the story goes regarding these brothers; before we study further it is important to preface the next event with the understanding that not only was Esau the firstborn, he was the preferred son of Isaac.
Gen 25:27-28 So the boys grew. And Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field; but Jacob was a mild man, dwelling in tents. And Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.
This favoritism being displayed by Isaac toward Esau was in conflict with a prophecy that Rebekah had received from God. Rebekah realized that Jacob was destined to be the heir to the Abrahamic Covenant.
Gen 25:22-23 But the children [Jacob and Esau twins] struggled together within her; and she said, "If all is well, why am I like this?" So she went to inquire of the LORD. And the LORD said to her: "Two nations are in your womb, Two peoples shall be separated from your body; One people shall be stronger than the other, And the older [Esau] shall serve the younger [Jacob]."
As Isaac’s death drew near he was about to mistakenly pass on the blessings of the Abrahamic covenant to his firstborn Esau, rather than the appropriate recipient, Jacob.
Gen 27:1-4 Now it came to pass, when Isaac was old and his eyes were so dim that he could not see, that he called Esau his older son and said to him, "My son." And he answered him, "Here I am." Then he said, "Behold now, I am old. I do not know the day of my death. Now therefore, please take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field and hunt game for me. And make me savory food, such as I love, and bring it to me that I may eat, that my soul may bless you before I die."
However, Rebekah convinced Jacob to deceive Isaac by impersonating Esau. It was her intent that the blessings would flow through Jacob, which was in line with the prophecy she had received from God that "the older shall serve the younger." Genesis 27 records the details of their conspiracy.
Isaac was about to make a huge mistake as he preferred Esau over Jacob. God used Rebecca to straighten out Isaac in accordance to His own will:
Mal 1:1-3 The burden of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi. "I have loved you," says the LORD, "yet you say, 'In what way have You loved us?' Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?" Says the LORD. "Yet Jacob I have loved; But Esau I have hated, and laid waste his mountains and his heritage for the jackals of the wilderness."
Rebecca and Jacob were successful and the Covenant was passed down to Jacob. Thus, "Esau hated Jacob" and sought to kill him because of the blessing (Gen 27:41) which ended with:
Gen 27:29 Let peoples serve you [Jacob], And nations bow down to you. Be master over your brethren, and let your mother’s sons [including Esau] bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be those who bless you!
When Esau had heard that the blessing had been pronounced over Jacob:
Gen 27:34 When Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with an exceedingly great and bitter cry, and said to his father, "Bless me - me also, O my father!"
At this point we see Esau begin to covet the contents of the covenant:
Gen 27:37-41 Then Isaac answered and said to Esau, "Indeed I have made him [Jacob] your master, and all his brethren I have given to him as servants; with grain and wine I have sustained him. What shall I do now for you, my son?"
And Esau said to his father, "Have you only one blessing, my father? Bless me - me also, O my father!" And Esau lifted up his voice and wept.
Then Isaac his father answered and said to him: "Behold, your dwelling shall be of the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above. By your sword you shall live, And you shall serve your brother [Jacob]; and it shall come to pass, when you become restless, that you shall break his yoke from your neck."
So Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father blessed him, and Esau said in his heart, "The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then I will kill my brother Jacob."
Isaac tries to tell Esau to serve his brother Jacob - what's done is done. Esau in his bitter rage left and joined the clan of Ishmael. Esau married a daughter of Ishmael named Mahalath (Gen 28:9). Esau had joined up with the hostile family of Ishmael's clan.
Esau, like Ishmael, was also a big name on the Middle Eastern scene at the time. In accordance with the prophecy given to his mother Rebekah "two nations are in your womb", a nation arose out from him, also (Gen 25:23).
Modern-day Southern Jordan, was formerly called Edom. This was the territory settled by Esau, and Edom became the nation that grew out of him (Gen 36:1).
Jacob, as heir to the Abrahamic Covenant which also promised the rise of a nation, became the nation Israel.
Now at this point we have three family members settling in the same general area and establishing their nations. Ishmael (Saudi Arabia), Esau (Edom, southern Jordan) and the one they both hate, a hatred they will pass down through generations, in Jacob (Israel).
Two sets of brothers are the link to the time of Jacob's Trouble (which I will cover in Part 3).
Isaac and Jacob both carried on God's promises made to Abraham.
Ishmael and Esau, both the older brothers, lost their birthrights and their inheritance.
The ancestors of these four men the Ishmaelites and Edomites still struggle with the descendants of Jacob (later renamed Israel) to this day.
Moab versus Ammon
The Children of Abraham versus The Children of Lot
Remember Lot from Part 1 who settled near Sodom?
Gen 19:36-38 Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father [Lot]. And the firstborn bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day. And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Ben Ammi: the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day.
Though the lives of Moab and Ammon paralleled Ishmael and Isaac on the timeline, most of the adversarial activities between the Moabites and Ammonites in relationship to the Jews were manifested through their descendant’s centuries after the deaths of Moab and Ammon. They are not noted to have had any negative personal encounter with either Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob.
Six Presumptions Concerning Moab and Ammon:
[1] They were familiar with the land boundaries Abraham appropriated to their father Lot.
[2] They were familiar with the Abrahamic Covenant.
[3] They were familiar with their kinship with Ishmael and Isaac, and knew them, or at least knew of them personally.
[4] They had heard of the rivalries between Hagar and Sarah and Ishmael and Isaac.
[5] They were familiar with the hatred (ebah) developing in the entire region.
[6] They were also notable characters on the world scene during their time.
Interactions between the Moabites and Ammonites against the Jews often depict a dispute over the possession of certain parts of the Promised Land (Amo 1:13, Jer 49:1).
In time, the ancient hatred permeated into the Moabite and Ammonite cultures, and in Psa 83:6-7 we are told that their descendants ultimately align themselves with the final Islamic confederacy to be formed in the future against Israel. We're also told that Assyria has joined them (Psa 83:8).
Considering the presumptions above, the historical Biblical accounts, and the Psalm 83 prophecy, it's time to examine the development of the region in relationship to the land appropriated to Lot, which later formed into the territories named after his children, Moab and Ammon.
The tribal boundaries of Israel were established approximately four to five hundred years after the territories of Moab and Ammon became settled. These tribal boundaries of Israel penetrated eastward of the Jordan River, and abutted up to the previously established borders of Moab and Ammon.
The initial conveyance of the Land was to Abraham, and it was recorded in the Abrahamic Covenant.
Gen 12:1-3 Now the LORD had said to Abraham: "Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the Earth shall be blessed."
The land in question at this point lacked explicit description.
Abraham, then known as Abram, moved in the direction of Canaan, which gives us our first clue as to the vicinity of the land promised to him (Gen 12:4-5). Ultimately it was identified as the land between the River of Egypt and the River Euphrates (Gen 15:18).
However, beforehand, while the land was yet generally unidentified, a significant dispute, which is recorded in Gen 13:5-7, arose regarding the land between the herdsmen of Abram and the herdsmen of Lot, Abram’s Nephew (Gen 11:27).
Gen 13:8-11 So Abram said to Lot, "Please let there be no strife between you and me, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are brethren. Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me. If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or, if you go to the right, then I will go to the left."
And Lot lifted his eyes and saw all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere [before God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah] like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt as you go toward Zoar.
Then Lot chose for himself all the plain of Jordan, and Lot journeyed east. And they separated from each other.
Abraham granted Lot the area eastward of Canaan, referred to in the above passages as the plain of Jordan. This land later came to be known as Moab, and Ammon, named after the direct descendants of Lot. Today this territory best represents modern day Central and Northern Jordan.
Gen 13:12-15 Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent even as far as Sodom. But the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the LORD. And the LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: "Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are - northward, southward, eastward, and westward; for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever."
God told Abram to lift his eyes and look about him, and that all the surrounding land would become his and his descendants forever.
Lot, apparently possessing the same panoramic view as Abram also lifted his eyes, and turned his focus to the fertile soil to the east of where they stood.
This land, also in the scope of Abram’s view, was thus Abram’s to keep for himself or to give. Abram opted to appropriate this land to Lot and his herdsmen.
The territories that today best represent most of modern-day Israel and Northern and Central Jordan were then available at the discretion of Abram to be distributed. This ability of Abram to distribute the land evidenced that at least those subject portions were part of the Promised Land; otherwise, he would have lacked the ability to convey appropriately the title between the two of them.
So it was that Abraham settled west of the Jordan River (Israel), and Lot settled east of the Jordan (Northern and Central Jordan). Southern Jordan was eventually developed by Abraham’s grandson Esau and became known as Edom.
Historically, Central Jordan was territorially developed by the descendants of Moab, Lot’s firstborn son, and Northern Jordan likewise developed by the descendants of his second son Ben Ammi (Gen 19:37-38)... this territory was identified as Ammon.
The children of Lot are better known Biblically as Moab and Ammon.
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The second encounter of significance was between the Hebrews and the Moabites, whereby the Jews were making their way out of Egypt back into the Promised Land via the Exodus route through Edom, Moab, and Ammon (modern-day Jordan).
The Moabites were concerned that the Hebrews would overtake the territory of Moab and reclaim it back into their Promised Land (Num 22:2-4).
By this point, it was understood that this land, which was situated between the River of Egypt and the river Euphrates, had in Gen 15:18 (over four hundred years prior) been given by God to Abraham and his Hebrew descendants.
This meant the Hebrews returning to their Promised Land could rightfully reclaim Moab and Ammon.
When the Hebrews left Egypt, the leadership in Moab desired to curse them because of this fear of losing their land (Num 22:6). Early on, the descendants of Moab show their hostility towards the descendants of Abraham.
The people of Moab harbored hatred toward the Jews, and the Jews were taught early on that they were not to harm the land appropriated to the descendants of Lot.
This respect for the land chosen by Lot caused the Hebrews to remember their history. They would be responsible to recall the dispute between the herdsmen of Abraham, and herdsmen of Lot, which eventuated in the separation of the land (Gen 13:5-16).
Deu 2:9 Then the LORD said to me [Moses], "Do not harass Moab, nor contend with them in battle, for I will not give you any of their land as a possession, because I have given Ar to the descendants of Lot as a possession."
Deu 2:19 And when you come near the people of Ammon, do not harass them or meddle with them, for I will not give you any of the land of the people of Ammon as a possession, because I have given it to the descendants of Lot as a possession."
The next historical interaction between the children of Lot and the children of Israel was also a story of conflict.
Moab and Ammon confederated in war against Israel and defeated it. Israel was under the sovereignty of Moab for approximately eighteen years (Jdg 3:12-14).
Israel later regained their own sovereignty by defeating Moab, their enemy, killing about 10,000 of the stout men of Moab (Jdg 3:28-30).
Moab and Ammon continued through history (and the Bible) fighting with Israel, displaying this same seeded hatred of their forefathers.
As you can see, the olam ebah engulfed the region and was easily embraced by the Philistines of Philistia, which today is generally synonymous with the Gaza Strip.
Eze 25:15 ... the Philistines dealt vengefully and took vengeance with a spiteful heart, to destroy because of the old [olam] hatred [ebah].
Hagar of Egypt, Ishmael patriarch of Saudi Arabia, Esau founder of Southern Jordan, Moab patriarch of Central Jordan, and Ammon patriarch of Northern Jordan and ancient Philistia now surround Israel to this day.
Also contributing to the ancient hatred in the region were the plagues that came against Egypt. This devastating period in Egyptian history eventually led to the Hebrew Exodus out of Egypt and into the Promised Land. These plagues cemented the ancient hatred firmly in place in Egypt. The Egyptians were already prone to hate their Hebrew slaves from the disposition Hagar had introduced to them about five hundred years prior.
Israel is held hostage by the ancient hatred, which comes at them from all sides. In the present day nothing has changed, the Middle East conflict pinning Arab against Jew, is an echo out of the annals of history.
Eze 35:5-7 "Because you have had an ancient [olam] hatred [ebah], and have shed the blood of the children of Israel by the power of the sword at the time of their calamity, when their iniquity came to an end, therefore, as I live," says the LORD GOD, "I will prepare you for blood, and blood shall pursue you; since you have not hated blood, therefore blood shall pursue you. Thus I will make Mount Seir most desolate, and cut off from it the one who leaves and the one who returns."
This prophecy of Ezekiel tells the story. It points out that when the iniquity of the Jewish people had run its due course, those who harbored the ancient hatred still persisted in shedding Jewish blood. For this, those who persisted in the shedding of Jewish blood well beyond that point in time when the Jewish "iniquity came to an end" will see their own blood shed.
The iniquity of the Jews was the rejection of Jesus, the Christ; this is now seen in their total apostasy as the chosen nation of their God Jehovah, "My people Israel".
Subsequently, in 70 AD they were scattered out of Israel into the nations of the world at large.
After the Holocaust, the Jewish people began to make their way back to their homeland Israel, and immediately met with "the power of the sword" upon their return.
This hostile welcoming committee exhibited the "ancient hatred". It was not part of the prophetic program that upon the restoration of the nation Israel, whereby the Jewish people would return into their homeland, that the Arabs should shed Jewish blood.
Therefore, in accordance with the curse for curse in kind clause contained within the Gen 12:3 clause of the Abrahamic Covenant, these Arabs will experience the shedding of their own blood.
Though the Arabs who harbor the "ancient hatred" have made several confederate attempts in modern history to destroy the restored nation Israel, the one that issues the final farewell is described in Psalm 83... the ten toes of Nebuchadnezzar's statue, and the ten horns of the Beast (Antichrist).
The confederate effort, expected to occur in the not-so-distant future, will finally provoke God to judge the "ancient hatred".
So, in essence, all of this olam ebah can be related back to, and summarized at the very beginning... in the Garden of Eden. Here is the true origin of the ancient hatred beginning with Satan:
Gen 3:15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel.
Eve, the mother of all humanity, sinned, and God declared that from that day forward there would be hostility between herself and Satan.
Beyond this, Satan’s "seed", or followers, would be at enmity with the offspring of Eve, those who are not followers of Satan. But even more important, Satan’s seed would be at war with the "Seed" which is the Messiah, and His followers.
According to this ancient prophecy, history would be the story of the people of Satan in conflict with the people of God.
Satan hates the Jewish people and has been trying to destroy them since the beginning as all of mankind's redemption is found in their line. Satan hates those that God loves, and even refers to as the "apple of His eye" (Zec 2:8).
Then comes the glorious promise that although Satan would merely bruise the heel of the Messiah, in the end, the Messiah will crush the skull of Satan as well as his followers.
From the very beginning of mankind’s long history, God declared that Eve’s "Seed", the Messiah, will make right all of the damage done. In a single verse, in one brief declaration, we have a synopsis of redemptive history.
It is the restitiution of all creation, precisely what the apostle Peter meant when he spoke of "the times of restitution of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began" (Act 3:21).
Islam plays an important role in all of this.
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Let's take a look at Jacob's Trouble in Part 3.
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The Root of the Hatred
In Part 1, we've discussed Sarah and Hagar so I'll only briefly review that tension in Part 2.
Gen 16:4-5 So he [Abraham, father of the Jews] went in to Hagar [Egyptian], and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress [Sarah, mother of the Jews] became despised [little, lightly esteemed] in her [Hagar's] eyes. Then Sarah said to Abram, “My wrong be upon you! I gave my maid into your embrace; and when she saw that she had conceived, I became despised in her eyes. The LORD judge between you and me.”
God had promised Abraham a son through whom a multitude of descendants would follow (Gen 12:2-3). Abraham's wife, Sarah, possessed a barren womb so she suggested that Abraham take her handmaiden (Hagar) to give them children in order to kickstart the Abrahamic Covenant (Gen 16:2-3).
“In the legal custom of that day a barren woman could give her maid to her husband as a wife, and the child born of that union was regarded as the first wife’s child. If the husband said to the slave-wife’s son, ‘You are my son,’ then he was the adopted son and heir. So Sarah’s suggestion was unobjectionable according to the customs of that time.” (Bible Knowledge Commentary, Old Testament)
Remember Abraham laughing at God (Gen 17:17)? He, also thought it would be impossible for Sarah to conceive so he was in agreement concerning Hagar. Hagar would become the surrogate mother for Abraham and Sarah and Hagar was to forfeit her son to them upon birth.
Hagar, no doubt understood the implications of the covenant God had made with Abraham... there was a lot at stake with this soon to be born child, Ishmael. Abraham was promised a land, a nation, and the most prominent stature among men through this child and Abraham's descendants.
When Sarah saw that she became "less significant" in Hagar's eyes she realized that this was trouble and so she dealt harshly with Hagar (Gen 16:6) and Hagar ran off.
Considering the above, it's easy to see how this incident could easily contributed to the olam ebah.
Scripture tells us that Hagar returned, in submission to Sarah, but no doubt the animosity still existed between the two.
Scripture also tells us that Abraham loved Ishmael and raised him as his son. However, there is no mention of Abraham ever considering Ishmael as the heir to the covenant.
Before moving on, I wanted to make one more point that some of you may not be aware of:
Ishmael is considered to be the patriarch of Islam. Muhammad even claims to be a descendant of Ishmael. According to Islamic tradition, Ishmael and his mother, Hagar are buried next to the kaaba in Mecca. In fact, within the koran Ishmael is mentioned as standing alongside Abraham in their attempt to setup the kaaba in Mecca as a place of monotheistic pilgrimage (koran 2:127-129). There are many mentions of Ishmael throughout Islamic literature and he is a central figure of Islam.
While we may consider Sarah and Hagar as the beginning of this hatred we must notice first the real reason... the Abrahamic covenant. This was the desired prize and all of the notoriety associated with it... the land and prominent stature.
Isaac versus Ishmael
As God had promised, Sarah becomes pregnant in her old age.
Gen 21:3 Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore to him, Isaac.
When a child becomes old enough to move from the mother's milk to solid food, a celebratory feast was given.
Gen 21:8 The child [Isaac] grew and was weaned, and Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned.
Ishmael was present at this feast and was seen scoffing, by Sarah.
Gen 21:9 Now Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, mocking.
No doubt, the eldest son, Ishmael, was wondering how such a tiny lad such as little helpless Isaac would become a great father of nations. Unbelief, envy, pride and carnal superiority were no doubt part of Ishmael's sentiment towards Isaac.
Paul referred to this "mocking" as persecution:
Gal 4:29 But as at that time he [Ishmael] who was born according to the flesh persecuted him [Isaac] who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now also.
Upon seeing this, Sarah has Hagar and Ishmael sent away.
Gal 4:30-31 But what does the Scripture say?
"Cast out the bondwoman [Hagar] and her son [Ishmael], for the son of the bondwoman shall not be an heir with the son [Isaac] of the free woman [Sarah]."
So then, brethren, we are not children of a bondwoman, but of the free woman. (see also Gen 21:10)
Isaac became the first "true" heir of Abraham which disqualified Ishmael from the promises of the Covenant.
Legally, or traditionally, Ishmael was in fact Abraham's first son and, according to the legal custom of the day, was seen as the apparent heir.
However, Sarah had them driven out. She recognized the spite and jealousy that had been passed down from Hagar to Ishmael when he "scoffed" at Isaac.
Gen 21:11-12 The matter distressed Abraham greatly because of his son [Ishmael]. But God said to Abraham, "Do not be distressed because of the lad and your maid; whatever Sarah tells you, listen to her, for through Isaac your descendants shall be named.
God's plan involved Abraham and Sarah conceiving Isaac. No way around that... still, Hagar and Ishmael had a sort of elevated status due to their relationship with Abraham and their blessing on Ishmael from God.
God told Abraham:
Gen 21:13 And of the son [Ishmael] of the maid I will make a nation also, because he is your descendant.
Abraham sends Hagar and Ishmael away after living with them and being a part of their family, along with Abraham's stature and power all these years.
Hagar exhibited envy towards Sarah, and Sarah viewed Ishmael as her mistake for attempting to meddle with God's covenant with Abraham. Ishmael was caught in the middle of this at the age of fourteen. Abraham raised and loved the boy yet Ishmael scoffed at the weaning of Isaac enough so that they were driven from the family.
One day Ishmael and his mother Hagar are imagining their great future, and the next... they are homeless.
The hatred existed and would be spread through Egypt as God had promised Ishmael to become a great nation in his own right.
Ishmael went on to father twelve sons and they all predominately settled in the Arabian territories. They became known as Ishmaelites (Psa 83:6). If you'll recall, these Ishmaelites are also the ones who bought Joseph (coat of many colors) and took him to Egypt, when his Joseph's brothers tried to get rid of him.
The arguments against the rightful heir and the contents of the covenant were reaching foreign soil. After all Hagar and Ishmael could proudly boast that they were also involved in a covenant of their own personal interest. Ishmael was to become a "great nation".
Gen 16:10-12 Then the Angel of the LORD said to her, "I will multiply your [Hagar] descendants exceedingly, so that they shall be too many to be counted." And the Angel of the LORD said to her: "Behold, you are with child, And you shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, Because the LORD has heard your affliction.
He shall be a wild man; His hand shall be against every man, And every man’s hand against him. And he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren."
Gen 17:20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard you [Abraham]. Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall beget twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation.
Gen 21:17-18 And God heard the voice of the lad [Ishmael]. Then the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said to her, "What ails you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is. Arise, lift up the lad and hold him with your hand, for I will make him a great nation."
Jacob versus Esau
The hatred above is about to continue in the very next generation.
Ishmael had taken an Egyptian wife, and Isaac was also eventually married to Rebecca and had twin boys... Esau and Jacob. By this time, Ishmaelites were becoming a force in the Middle East.
Again, a blessing comes into play - the blessing of Isaac upon Jacob. Jacob acquired this blessing from Esau (the firstborn twin).
Gen 27:41 So Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father blessed him [Jacob], and Esau said in his heart, "The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then I will kill my brother Jacob."
"Esau hated Jacob".
We can see this attitude prevailing as passed down from Esau's uncle [Ishmael] and step-grandmother [Hagar].
Once again, a coveting of the covenant comes into play. As the firstborn, it was Esau's birthright to become heir of the Abrahamic covenant. In Esau's eyes, the line should have been Abraham, Isaac, and Esau.
It didn't work out that way as that was not God's plan.
Esau comes in from the field and is tired and hungry to the point of total exhaustion. Jacob has a red dish of lentils cooking. Esau sees it, and asks for some of the stew and because of this Esau was called Edom [H123 - edom, red].
Jacob agrees to give Esau the food for the price of Esau's birthright... Esau regarded the red stew more than his birthright and agreed to Jacob's terms (Gen 25:29-34).
Esau gave up his birthright for a piece of bread and some lentil bean stew. At the time, Esau held no regard towards the significance of the Abrahamic Covenant, which evidenced his lack of reverence for the God of his father Isaac, and his grandfather Abraham (Heb 12:16-17).
Esau’s disrespect for the contents of the covenant was an ultimate display of his disregard for God and mankind, its benefactor. As a consequence, the prophets Jeremiah and Obadiah would prophecy centuries later that the descendants of Esau (Edomites) would likewise (in the same manner in which he despised the covenant) be despised by men.
Jer 49:15 For indeed, I will make you [Edom] small among nations, despised [H959 - bazah] among men.
Oba 1:2 Behold, I will make you [Edom] small among the nations; You shall be greatly despised [H959 - bazah].
Oba 1:8-10 & Oba 1:15 Will I not on that day, declares the LORD, destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of Mount Esau? And your mighty men shall be dismayed, O Teman, so that every man from Mount Esau will be cut off by slaughter. Because of the violence done to your brother Jacob, shame shall cover you, and you shall be cut off forever … For the day of the LORD is near upon all the nations. As you have done, it shall be done to you; your deeds shall return on your own head.
Eze 25:12-17 Thus says the Lord GOD: Because Edom acted revengefully against the house of Judah and has grievously offended in taking vengeance on them, therefore thus says the Lord GOD, I will stretch out my hand against Edom and cut off from it man and beast. And I will make it desolate; from Teman even to Dedan [northern Saudi Arabia] they shall fall by the sword. And I will lay my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel, and they shall do in Edom according to my anger and according to my wrath, and they shall know my vengeance, declares the Lord GOD. Thus says the Lord GOD: Because the Philistines acted revengefully and took vengeance with malice of soul to destroy in never-ending enmity, therefore thus says the Lord GOD, Behold, I will stretch out my hand against the Philistines [Palestinian territories], and I will cut off the Cherethites [Gaza] and destroy the rest of the seacoast. I will execute great vengeance on them with wrathful rebukes. Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I lay my vengeance upon them.
Things go from bad to worse as the story goes regarding these brothers; before we study further it is important to preface the next event with the understanding that not only was Esau the firstborn, he was the preferred son of Isaac.
Gen 25:27-28 So the boys grew. And Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field; but Jacob was a mild man, dwelling in tents. And Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.
This favoritism being displayed by Isaac toward Esau was in conflict with a prophecy that Rebekah had received from God. Rebekah realized that Jacob was destined to be the heir to the Abrahamic Covenant.
Gen 25:22-23 But the children [Jacob and Esau twins] struggled together within her; and she said, "If all is well, why am I like this?" So she went to inquire of the LORD. And the LORD said to her: "Two nations are in your womb, Two peoples shall be separated from your body; One people shall be stronger than the other, And the older [Esau] shall serve the younger [Jacob]."
As Isaac’s death drew near he was about to mistakenly pass on the blessings of the Abrahamic covenant to his firstborn Esau, rather than the appropriate recipient, Jacob.
Gen 27:1-4 Now it came to pass, when Isaac was old and his eyes were so dim that he could not see, that he called Esau his older son and said to him, "My son." And he answered him, "Here I am." Then he said, "Behold now, I am old. I do not know the day of my death. Now therefore, please take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field and hunt game for me. And make me savory food, such as I love, and bring it to me that I may eat, that my soul may bless you before I die."
However, Rebekah convinced Jacob to deceive Isaac by impersonating Esau. It was her intent that the blessings would flow through Jacob, which was in line with the prophecy she had received from God that "the older shall serve the younger." Genesis 27 records the details of their conspiracy.
Isaac was about to make a huge mistake as he preferred Esau over Jacob. God used Rebecca to straighten out Isaac in accordance to His own will:
Mal 1:1-3 The burden of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi. "I have loved you," says the LORD, "yet you say, 'In what way have You loved us?' Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?" Says the LORD. "Yet Jacob I have loved; But Esau I have hated, and laid waste his mountains and his heritage for the jackals of the wilderness."
Rebecca and Jacob were successful and the Covenant was passed down to Jacob. Thus, "Esau hated Jacob" and sought to kill him because of the blessing (Gen 27:41) which ended with:
Gen 27:29 Let peoples serve you [Jacob], And nations bow down to you. Be master over your brethren, and let your mother’s sons [including Esau] bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be those who bless you!
When Esau had heard that the blessing had been pronounced over Jacob:
Gen 27:34 When Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with an exceedingly great and bitter cry, and said to his father, "Bless me - me also, O my father!"
At this point we see Esau begin to covet the contents of the covenant:
Gen 27:37-41 Then Isaac answered and said to Esau, "Indeed I have made him [Jacob] your master, and all his brethren I have given to him as servants; with grain and wine I have sustained him. What shall I do now for you, my son?"
And Esau said to his father, "Have you only one blessing, my father? Bless me - me also, O my father!" And Esau lifted up his voice and wept.
Then Isaac his father answered and said to him: "Behold, your dwelling shall be of the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above. By your sword you shall live, And you shall serve your brother [Jacob]; and it shall come to pass, when you become restless, that you shall break his yoke from your neck."
So Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father blessed him, and Esau said in his heart, "The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then I will kill my brother Jacob."
Isaac tries to tell Esau to serve his brother Jacob - what's done is done. Esau in his bitter rage left and joined the clan of Ishmael. Esau married a daughter of Ishmael named Mahalath (Gen 28:9). Esau had joined up with the hostile family of Ishmael's clan.
Esau, like Ishmael, was also a big name on the Middle Eastern scene at the time. In accordance with the prophecy given to his mother Rebekah "two nations are in your womb", a nation arose out from him, also (Gen 25:23).
Modern-day Southern Jordan, was formerly called Edom. This was the territory settled by Esau, and Edom became the nation that grew out of him (Gen 36:1).
Jacob, as heir to the Abrahamic Covenant which also promised the rise of a nation, became the nation Israel.
Now at this point we have three family members settling in the same general area and establishing their nations. Ishmael (Saudi Arabia), Esau (Edom, southern Jordan) and the one they both hate, a hatred they will pass down through generations, in Jacob (Israel).
Two sets of brothers are the link to the time of Jacob's Trouble (which I will cover in Part 3).
Isaac and Jacob both carried on God's promises made to Abraham.
Ishmael and Esau, both the older brothers, lost their birthrights and their inheritance.
The ancestors of these four men the Ishmaelites and Edomites still struggle with the descendants of Jacob (later renamed Israel) to this day.
Moab versus Ammon
The Children of Abraham versus The Children of Lot
Remember Lot from Part 1 who settled near Sodom?
Gen 19:36-38 Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father [Lot]. And the firstborn bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day. And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Ben Ammi: the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day.
Though the lives of Moab and Ammon paralleled Ishmael and Isaac on the timeline, most of the adversarial activities between the Moabites and Ammonites in relationship to the Jews were manifested through their descendant’s centuries after the deaths of Moab and Ammon. They are not noted to have had any negative personal encounter with either Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob.
Six Presumptions Concerning Moab and Ammon:
[1] They were familiar with the land boundaries Abraham appropriated to their father Lot.
[2] They were familiar with the Abrahamic Covenant.
[3] They were familiar with their kinship with Ishmael and Isaac, and knew them, or at least knew of them personally.
[4] They had heard of the rivalries between Hagar and Sarah and Ishmael and Isaac.
[5] They were familiar with the hatred (ebah) developing in the entire region.
[6] They were also notable characters on the world scene during their time.
Interactions between the Moabites and Ammonites against the Jews often depict a dispute over the possession of certain parts of the Promised Land (Amo 1:13, Jer 49:1).
In time, the ancient hatred permeated into the Moabite and Ammonite cultures, and in Psa 83:6-7 we are told that their descendants ultimately align themselves with the final Islamic confederacy to be formed in the future against Israel. We're also told that Assyria has joined them (Psa 83:8).
Considering the presumptions above, the historical Biblical accounts, and the Psalm 83 prophecy, it's time to examine the development of the region in relationship to the land appropriated to Lot, which later formed into the territories named after his children, Moab and Ammon.
The tribal boundaries of Israel were established approximately four to five hundred years after the territories of Moab and Ammon became settled. These tribal boundaries of Israel penetrated eastward of the Jordan River, and abutted up to the previously established borders of Moab and Ammon.
The initial conveyance of the Land was to Abraham, and it was recorded in the Abrahamic Covenant.
Gen 12:1-3 Now the LORD had said to Abraham: "Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the Earth shall be blessed."
The land in question at this point lacked explicit description.
Abraham, then known as Abram, moved in the direction of Canaan, which gives us our first clue as to the vicinity of the land promised to him (Gen 12:4-5). Ultimately it was identified as the land between the River of Egypt and the River Euphrates (Gen 15:18).
However, beforehand, while the land was yet generally unidentified, a significant dispute, which is recorded in Gen 13:5-7, arose regarding the land between the herdsmen of Abram and the herdsmen of Lot, Abram’s Nephew (Gen 11:27).
Gen 13:8-11 So Abram said to Lot, "Please let there be no strife between you and me, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are brethren. Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me. If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or, if you go to the right, then I will go to the left."
And Lot lifted his eyes and saw all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere [before God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah] like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt as you go toward Zoar.
Then Lot chose for himself all the plain of Jordan, and Lot journeyed east. And they separated from each other.
Abraham granted Lot the area eastward of Canaan, referred to in the above passages as the plain of Jordan. This land later came to be known as Moab, and Ammon, named after the direct descendants of Lot. Today this territory best represents modern day Central and Northern Jordan.
Gen 13:12-15 Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent even as far as Sodom. But the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the LORD. And the LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: "Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are - northward, southward, eastward, and westward; for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever."
God told Abram to lift his eyes and look about him, and that all the surrounding land would become his and his descendants forever.
Lot, apparently possessing the same panoramic view as Abram also lifted his eyes, and turned his focus to the fertile soil to the east of where they stood.
This land, also in the scope of Abram’s view, was thus Abram’s to keep for himself or to give. Abram opted to appropriate this land to Lot and his herdsmen.
The territories that today best represent most of modern-day Israel and Northern and Central Jordan were then available at the discretion of Abram to be distributed. This ability of Abram to distribute the land evidenced that at least those subject portions were part of the Promised Land; otherwise, he would have lacked the ability to convey appropriately the title between the two of them.
So it was that Abraham settled west of the Jordan River (Israel), and Lot settled east of the Jordan (Northern and Central Jordan). Southern Jordan was eventually developed by Abraham’s grandson Esau and became known as Edom.
Historically, Central Jordan was territorially developed by the descendants of Moab, Lot’s firstborn son, and Northern Jordan likewise developed by the descendants of his second son Ben Ammi (Gen 19:37-38)... this territory was identified as Ammon.
The children of Lot are better known Biblically as Moab and Ammon.
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The second encounter of significance was between the Hebrews and the Moabites, whereby the Jews were making their way out of Egypt back into the Promised Land via the Exodus route through Edom, Moab, and Ammon (modern-day Jordan).
The Moabites were concerned that the Hebrews would overtake the territory of Moab and reclaim it back into their Promised Land (Num 22:2-4).
By this point, it was understood that this land, which was situated between the River of Egypt and the river Euphrates, had in Gen 15:18 (over four hundred years prior) been given by God to Abraham and his Hebrew descendants.
This meant the Hebrews returning to their Promised Land could rightfully reclaim Moab and Ammon.
When the Hebrews left Egypt, the leadership in Moab desired to curse them because of this fear of losing their land (Num 22:6). Early on, the descendants of Moab show their hostility towards the descendants of Abraham.
The people of Moab harbored hatred toward the Jews, and the Jews were taught early on that they were not to harm the land appropriated to the descendants of Lot.
This respect for the land chosen by Lot caused the Hebrews to remember their history. They would be responsible to recall the dispute between the herdsmen of Abraham, and herdsmen of Lot, which eventuated in the separation of the land (Gen 13:5-16).
Deu 2:9 Then the LORD said to me [Moses], "Do not harass Moab, nor contend with them in battle, for I will not give you any of their land as a possession, because I have given Ar to the descendants of Lot as a possession."
Deu 2:19 And when you come near the people of Ammon, do not harass them or meddle with them, for I will not give you any of the land of the people of Ammon as a possession, because I have given it to the descendants of Lot as a possession."
The next historical interaction between the children of Lot and the children of Israel was also a story of conflict.
Moab and Ammon confederated in war against Israel and defeated it. Israel was under the sovereignty of Moab for approximately eighteen years (Jdg 3:12-14).
Israel later regained their own sovereignty by defeating Moab, their enemy, killing about 10,000 of the stout men of Moab (Jdg 3:28-30).
Moab and Ammon continued through history (and the Bible) fighting with Israel, displaying this same seeded hatred of their forefathers.
As you can see, the olam ebah engulfed the region and was easily embraced by the Philistines of Philistia, which today is generally synonymous with the Gaza Strip.
Eze 25:15 ... the Philistines dealt vengefully and took vengeance with a spiteful heart, to destroy because of the old [olam] hatred [ebah].
Hagar of Egypt, Ishmael patriarch of Saudi Arabia, Esau founder of Southern Jordan, Moab patriarch of Central Jordan, and Ammon patriarch of Northern Jordan and ancient Philistia now surround Israel to this day.
Also contributing to the ancient hatred in the region were the plagues that came against Egypt. This devastating period in Egyptian history eventually led to the Hebrew Exodus out of Egypt and into the Promised Land. These plagues cemented the ancient hatred firmly in place in Egypt. The Egyptians were already prone to hate their Hebrew slaves from the disposition Hagar had introduced to them about five hundred years prior.
Israel is held hostage by the ancient hatred, which comes at them from all sides. In the present day nothing has changed, the Middle East conflict pinning Arab against Jew, is an echo out of the annals of history.
Eze 35:5-7 "Because you have had an ancient [olam] hatred [ebah], and have shed the blood of the children of Israel by the power of the sword at the time of their calamity, when their iniquity came to an end, therefore, as I live," says the LORD GOD, "I will prepare you for blood, and blood shall pursue you; since you have not hated blood, therefore blood shall pursue you. Thus I will make Mount Seir most desolate, and cut off from it the one who leaves and the one who returns."
This prophecy of Ezekiel tells the story. It points out that when the iniquity of the Jewish people had run its due course, those who harbored the ancient hatred still persisted in shedding Jewish blood. For this, those who persisted in the shedding of Jewish blood well beyond that point in time when the Jewish "iniquity came to an end" will see their own blood shed.
The iniquity of the Jews was the rejection of Jesus, the Christ; this is now seen in their total apostasy as the chosen nation of their God Jehovah, "My people Israel".
Subsequently, in 70 AD they were scattered out of Israel into the nations of the world at large.
After the Holocaust, the Jewish people began to make their way back to their homeland Israel, and immediately met with "the power of the sword" upon their return.
This hostile welcoming committee exhibited the "ancient hatred". It was not part of the prophetic program that upon the restoration of the nation Israel, whereby the Jewish people would return into their homeland, that the Arabs should shed Jewish blood.
Therefore, in accordance with the curse for curse in kind clause contained within the Gen 12:3 clause of the Abrahamic Covenant, these Arabs will experience the shedding of their own blood.
Though the Arabs who harbor the "ancient hatred" have made several confederate attempts in modern history to destroy the restored nation Israel, the one that issues the final farewell is described in Psalm 83... the ten toes of Nebuchadnezzar's statue, and the ten horns of the Beast (Antichrist).
The confederate effort, expected to occur in the not-so-distant future, will finally provoke God to judge the "ancient hatred".
So, in essence, all of this olam ebah can be related back to, and summarized at the very beginning... in the Garden of Eden. Here is the true origin of the ancient hatred beginning with Satan:
Gen 3:15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel.
Eve, the mother of all humanity, sinned, and God declared that from that day forward there would be hostility between herself and Satan.
Beyond this, Satan’s "seed", or followers, would be at enmity with the offspring of Eve, those who are not followers of Satan. But even more important, Satan’s seed would be at war with the "Seed" which is the Messiah, and His followers.
According to this ancient prophecy, history would be the story of the people of Satan in conflict with the people of God.
Satan hates the Jewish people and has been trying to destroy them since the beginning as all of mankind's redemption is found in their line. Satan hates those that God loves, and even refers to as the "apple of His eye" (Zec 2:8).
Then comes the glorious promise that although Satan would merely bruise the heel of the Messiah, in the end, the Messiah will crush the skull of Satan as well as his followers.
From the very beginning of mankind’s long history, God declared that Eve’s "Seed", the Messiah, will make right all of the damage done. In a single verse, in one brief declaration, we have a synopsis of redemptive history.
It is the restitiution of all creation, precisely what the apostle Peter meant when he spoke of "the times of restitution of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began" (Act 3:21).
Islam plays an important role in all of this.
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Let's take a look at Jacob's Trouble in Part 3.
Some of these excerpts are from my personal notes copied from 30+ years of studying... some of these notes are direct copies of various sources - I do not claim to have authored every word of this... it's just a mass collection I've tucked away over the years for my own personal studies... I didn't consider a bibliography at the time I directly copied small excerpts from various authors. Also, any emphasis (underlines, bold text, all CAPS, etc.) noted above was only meant to capture my personal attention as I studied...
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