We live in a time that is filled with unrest, especially in the Middle East. Even non-believers wonder what is happening. As always, Scripture can answer this question.
God’s promise to Abraham in Genesis 15, of descendants as numerous as the stars, was extraordinary considering the age of Abraham and Sarah. The elderly couple, tired of waiting on God, decided to help the plan along (Gen 16). This impatience caused them to use the Egyptian servant, Hagar, as a surrogate. Abraham conceived a son with Hagar, named Ishmael. This was not the son of promise.
After Abraham and Sarah had Isaac, contention arose between Hagar and Sarah, regarding Ishmael and Isaac, as to the question of the blessing and covenant of the firstborn of Abraham. Who would be the child of promise? As a result, Hagar and Ishmael were sent away, settling in the wilderness of Paran.
Ishmael returned as Abraham was nearing death. He received a blessing from Abraham which was prophetic. Genesis 16 tells us that Ishmael will be a wild donkey of a man, against everyone and everyone against him. This was fulfilled, but there is another piece of the puzzle.
Another dispute arose when Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of stew. Their mother, Rebekah, and Jacob then conspired to steal Esau’s blessing , fooling Isaac in the process. As a result, a bitter Esau moved away and married the daughter of Ishmael, His half uncle. This is a double whammy of bitterness and resentment toward Abraham and his descendants. Both Ishmael and Esau had a problem with the Hebrews. Ishmael did father 12 tribes who became the Arabs. See Genesis 28:8-9.
The prophecy of Ishmael, a wild donkey of a man, his hand against his brothers, and everyone against Ishmael, is an ongoing prophecy which we see today.
Now, in 2017, we see the fruit of trying to interfere in GOD’s promises. The Arab nations are on fire. They can’t get along with each other. Nor do they get along with Jews and Christians. For sure there are some who do try and assimilate and join with others in friendship. But those aren’t the ones driving the prophetic timeline forward. It’s Ishmael and Esau’s grudge in the 21st century.