Posted on 08/07/2025 6:10:03 AM PDT by CondoleezzaProtege
God’s intention in the election of Israel had always been the blessing of the nations and the salvation of the world.
The Arabs, descended from Ishmael or not, compose part of that broader crowd of “all the families of the earth” that God intended to bless through Christ. “All” really means “all” here. If, by faith, Arabs or Palestinians are united to Christ, then in the body of Christ they “are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise” (Gal. 3:29) in the truest sense, because “there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:28).
At the wedding supper of the Lamb, when members of every “tribe, tongue, and nation” (Rev. 5:9; 7:9) gather to sing the praise of the King, those redeemed from the Arab peoples, descendants of Ishmael or not, will join in the same song, giving glory to Jesus in ways that draw on their particular ethnic and racial particularity—as Arabs and Palestinians. Viewing an entire group of people—one of the “families of the earth”—primarily as an obstacle to peace instead of as an object of God’s reconciling love in Christ is a sub-Christian view of God’s purposes for the nations in the drama of redemption.
The tangle of ethnicity, Middle East politics, and eschatology in American evangelicalism won’t be easily solved. But what concerns me—and ought to concern you—is whether we in the church have the proper zeal to carry the gospel, in word and deed, to all nations and peoples. Do we see all people as Abraham’s potential heirs? Even Ishmael’s alleged descendants?
I guess what I’m trying to say is, as a Palestinian Christian, I am not Abraham’s mistake. I am God’s choice in Christ.
(Excerpt) Read more at thegospelcoalition.org ...
I’m guessing the problem isn’t the “Christian” part of this persons self-labeling, but the politically-charged “Palestinian”.
One might suspect he is attempting to co-opt a particularly sensitive demographic.
You put Palestine in front of and above Christian. Drop the Palestine and just be a Christian and we’ll get along better. Just like African Americans, stop be8ng African and we’ll get along much better.
What many people miss, even those that study the Bible, is the fact that Isaac and Ishmael are NOT THE ONLY TWO DESCENDANTS OF ABRAHAM.
Genesis 15 - New International Version
The Lord’s Covenant With Abram
15 After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision:
“Do not be afraid, Abram.
I am your shield,[a]
your very great reward.[b]”
2 But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit[c] my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.”
4 Then the word of the Lord came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.” 5 He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring[d] be.”
6 Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
Genesis 25 - New International Version
The Death of Abraham
25 Abraham had taken another wife, whose name was Keturah. 2 She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak and Shuah. 3 Jokshan was the father of Sheba and Dedan; the descendants of Dedan were the Ashurites, the Letushites and the Leummites. 4 The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanok, Abida and Eldaah. All these were descendants of Keturah.
5 Abraham left everything he owned to Isaac. 6 But while he was still living, he gave gifts to the SONS of his concubines and sent them away from his son Isaac to the land of the east.
Fast forward to the New Testament and exploring what it means to fall under the broader umbrella of Gentile Christians:
And let the Israelis treat them as full brothers, equal citizens in the state.
Would you let a brother who has sworn to kill you , anywhere near you? Let alone treat him like a brother. That goes both ways, jew and Muslim.
As a Christian from the Levantine region including Judea and Samaria, you are most likely not descended from Ishmael.
Your ancestors were Arabized, either foecibly or over centuries of rule. Levantine Christians are mainly a mix of Jews, Israelites, Syriaca, Arameans,and other ancient Levantine groups along with possibly some Arab genes from Nabateans (who themselves were mixed), Greeks, Iranians, Indians, Egyptians etc etc
The Palestinians, both Christians and Muslims, were not always violent towards the Israelis. Notice how the Arabs in Israel proper, and who are full citizens, do not act like Hamas in Gaza. The Israelis have controlled the territories for over 60 years, denying the Arabs both Israeli citizenship and a state of their own. This cannot be left out of the dynamic of Israeli-Arab relationship. To put it bluntly, the Israelis have treated the Arabs in the territories as a non-people and the Arabs have responded in kind.
God will work everything out in the end and we will all be left humbled and awestruck. 🪽🌩️
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