Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael

Picture Courtesy of: Veggie Tales: Abe & the Amazing Promise

Question:

What was the name of Abraham's wife, and who was the young concubine who gave birth to his son, Ishmael?  Also, who was Ishmael's brother?

My Reply:

Abraham's wife was Sarah.  In Sarah's insecurities, she gave her husband her Egyptian slave girl, Hagar (as a wife...she wasn't a concubine. The scriptures say that Abraham married her…archaeological finds discovered that such was a common practice of the time.) to bear a son.  Hagar gave birth to Ishmael.  By the time that Sarah (finally) became pregnant with Isaac, Ishmael was 14.

So Isaac & Ishmael were 1/2 brothers, for they had the same dad, but different mom.  Technically speaking, Hagar was Isaac's step-mom, and Sarah was Ishmael's step-mom.

Ishmael was the first born son, and also very much loved by Abraham. But Ishmael was born out of Sarah’s impatience of having a child...Ishmael was not the son who God had "Promised" to Abraham. That's where the confusion often comes in with the Muslims.

Wanna see something neat though?  Esau (Jacob's brother, of Isaac's 2 sons) married Ishmael's daughter (his cousin). So if Jacob hadn't "tricked" Isaac into giving him the blessing, and Esau had gotten it instead, then by marrying Ishmael's daughter, Ishmael would've had a piece of the blessing after all.

---Pastor Andy

Why did Abraham make Judaism so hard?

If Abraham had made it a little easier to become Jewish, would Judaism be a great world-wide religion?

For example, if he had omitted the circumcision thing.

My Reply:

It wasn't Judaism back in the days of Abraham, but I know what you mean.

If Abe had omitted anything that God had commanded him to do, then he wouldn't be following God. Actually, Judaism as we know it today isn't anything like "it" was in the days of Abe.
For example, if you'll look at the Patriarchs, their connection with God was based on their relationship with God and faith in Him. The Apostle Paul tells us that God considered Abe righteous through the faith that he had in God, not in keeping with the Law. Granted, they didn't have the Law yet, but God did still require certain behaviors from them, and certain ones, such as circumcision, were more than requirements, they were covenants between God, Abe, and Abe's future children.
Today as Christians, many of us (me in particular) believe that Jesus brought it all around back to how it was in the days of the Patriarchs. We still have standards and expectations that we need to follow, but instead of trying to follow all the laws of Moses, we realize that when in a close relationship with God (through Jesus), we tend to take on (and WANT to take on) God's character and what it means to be His people (and His friends, as the Patriarchs were). 
Most of Judaism today focuses on works, deeds, and tradition. In fact, many get so caught up in all this and their heritage that they don't even believe in God. Orthodox Jews are so caught up in making sure they keep with the law's requirements that they often take God out of the equation, making righteousness fully on their own efforts. 

Heck, if anything, I'd say that "Judaism" in the days of Abe was a whole lot easier than the Judaism that we know today.

---Pastor Andy

Abraham's Children

Question:

In John 8:39-40, is Jesus defining who the chosen people, the Children of Abraham are?

Thank you very much in advance for your answer.

My Reply:

Sort of.
The men to whom Jesus is speaking are not only denying Jesus' deity, even after His signs confirmed who He is, but the fact that they want to kill Jesus shows who their real father (or real god) really is.

They're behaving like the devil, wanting to kill Him. But that's not all.  It's not that they don't see the miracles and proof, but they REFUSE to believe.  And the pride that they're holding to so dearly, which is what's preventing them from seeing, is also driving them to remove that which would humble them and actually set them free from their slavery by sin.

They think they're safe by being Abraham's descendants by birth.  Jesus is saying that such is not what makes them Abe's children, but it's by faith that they are related, and by whom they resemble in behavior...and their behavior shows that they are children of the Devil, not of God's people.

---Pastor Andy

Canaanite Reclaim Israel?

Question:
If I told the U.N. that I was a Canaanite and wanted my land back, do you think Israel would fork it over?

My Reply:
Well, according to the Bible, God told Abraham, Isaac, Jacob (A.K.A. "Israel"), Moses, and Joshua that the land that He was giving them was that of the Canaanites, and that they first needed to wipe out all the inhabitants in order for them to fully own it.  Although, instead of wiping them all out, the Israelites did to the remaining Canaanite natives what Egypt did to them...forced them to slave labor).
So to answer your question, if there is such a thing today as a Canaanite (and it is very well possible for you to be Canaanite), then you may want to keep low instead..

Picture courtesy of: http://www.katapi.org.uk/Maps/Canaan12t.htm