The document provides information on several topics: 1) It discusses the Sons of Ishmael and traces their lineage back to Abraham, noting that Ishmael fathered 12 sons who established territories in ancient Arabia. 2) It describes the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, the holiest site in Islam, which millions of Muslims travel to each year. 3) It previews upcoming articles on topics like a book review, astronomical events on New Year's Eve, the return of Jews to Israel, and debates over Palestinian origins and terrorist attacks in Israel.

2. INSIDE THIS ISSUE
The Sons of Ishmael ..... . 3
Mecca lies at the heart of the Arab world. It unites many middle-
eastern nations, surpassing national boundaries and political
differences. Are the Arabs genetically linked to Ishmael? Gary
Stearman researches the history of the Arab people and finds a
cornmon thread reaching back into antiquity. He answers the age-
old question, "What does the Bible tell of their fatc?" Read ahout
the holiest shrine in the Moslem world - the Kaaba. Learn about
the "black stone" worshiped by millions who travel to Mecca each
year. Every Christian needs to fully understand these "sons of
Ishmael" and their place in God's plan of the ages.
REVIEW of a Book and Video Set: The Stones Cry Out . . .. . . 7
Moon and Planets in Spectacular Grouping .. . ... 8
On New Years Eve, just after sunset, the two-day-old moon
could be seen with Mars to its side, Venus beneath and Jupiter
above. The dimly lit Neptune and Uranus were also tightly
snuggled near the moon - all in the constellation Capricorn. 1t
would have been impressive enough, had it occurred on any other
ordinary night, but the grouping on the evening of the New Year
seemed to offer a heavenly message - a sign in the heavens!
The "Receiving" of Israel ...... 10
The return of the Jew to his ancient homeland offers fascinating
prospects for the promised fulfillment of a verse written by the
Apostle Paul : "For if the casting away a/them [Israel] be the
reconciling oJthe world, what shalilhe receiving oJ them be. but
life from the dead!" (Romans II: 15). Is the resurrection near?
Page 10 ...
Canaanite Palestinia ns? Don't Believe It! ...... 18 The ''Receiving'' of Israel
Over the last few years, the Palestinian Liberation Organization By J. R Church
(PLO) has claimed that the Palestinian people are descendants of
the ancient Canaanites who lived in the land territory long before
Abraham arrived and, therefore, have a first-right to the land! Page 20 ...
The Perils ofVendyl Jones
Palestinian Terrorist Attacks Against Israel ...... 19 By J. R Chnrch
The Perils of Vendyl Jones . . . .•. 20
Vendyl Jones has led tcn teams of volunteers (1977-1992) to dig
in a cave near the ancient ruins of Qumran. He has been looking
for the ashes o f the Red Heifer. But the Israeli Antiquities Author-
ity refuses to issue another permit. Why will they not let him dig
again this year? Vendyl Jones tells us why.
Letters From Our Friends . ..... 23
Prophecy in the News

3. What does the Bible tell of their fate?
The Sons of Ishmael
By Gary Stearman
In these days of increasing discord in the
Middle East, we often hear remarks to the
effect that, "U Abraham hadn't mistakenly
brought Ishmael into the world, none o f this
Mideast conflict would be happening to-
day." There is the common belief that the
"sons of Ishmael" are the chief thom in
Israel's side. How true is th is assumption,
and how do Ishmael and his twelve sons
figure into the events surrounding present-
day Israel?
In the seventeenth chapter of Genesis,
during God's fifth
meeting wilhAbraham,
the patriarch was in-
formed thai he would
become the progenitor
of morc th an just a
single people. Follow-
ing the birth of Ishmael,
the Lord promised
Abraham that he would father mo re than
just a single nation.
"Asfor me, behold, my covel/alit is with t!ree,
and thou shalt be afa!herofmtllly nations.
"Neither shall thy name allY more be called
Abram, bUI thy IIame shall be Abraham; for
a father of /11ClllY /lations have I made thee.
"And I will make thee exceeding fruitful.
al/d I will make I/ations of l!ree, and kings
shall cOlne 0111 of thee" (Genesis 17:4-6).
A bit later in the encounter, in Genesis
17:20,Abmham was inronned that Ishmael
was destined to become a patriarch in his
own right.
"And asfor Ishmael, I have heard thee:
Behold, I have blessed him. alld will make
him fruitful. alld wil/lllllfliply hilll exceed-
ingly; twelve princes shall he beget, alld I
will make hi", a great lIatiOll. "
These twelve princes are named in Gen-
esis 25:12-18. The territory that would be
l
chosen by Ishmael's people is also named:
"Now these are the generations of
Ishmael, Abraham:f son, whom Hagar the
s
Egyptian. Sarah halldll/aid. bare wllO
Abraham:
"And these are the /lames of the SOliS of Mecca lies just east of the Red Sea port of Jidda in Saudi Arabia. It is the holiest
Ishma el. by rheir names, accol"liing 10 rheir of all Arab religious sites. The Koran, w hich Islamic Arabs regard with extreme
reverence, is filled with references about the founding of the holy shrine called the
gellerations; the firstborn of Ishma el. Kaaba. Many verses describe how Abraham and Ishmael sojourned there to lay the
Nebajoth; (Illd Kedar, alld Adbeel. alld foundation of what they term , the " holy house." Faithful Moslems make theIr
Mibsam. pilgrimage there, clad only In simple white cotton robes. They believe that through
"A nd Mis/lllla. and Dllmah, and Massa. Ishmael and Abraham, they will Inherit the promised land .
ProphtXy in lire News 3

4. "Hadar, and Tema, jetllt; Naphish, and
Kedemah:
" These are the sons of Ishmael, and
these are their names, by their towns, and
by their castles; twelve princes according
to their nations,
"And these are the years of the life of
ishmael, an hundred and thirty alld seven
years: and he gave liP the ghost and died;
alld was gathered IIllto his people.
"And they dwelt from Havilah IInto Shur,
that is before Egypt, as thOlI goest toward
Assyria: and he died in the presence of all
his brethren. "
Here, we find several tantalizing clues
that tell us much about Ishmael and the
domain of his offspring. As we analyze
them, we will attempt to discover the an-
swers to the questions raised al the open-
ing of this article.
Are the Modern Arab States
Ishmaelite?
The twelve sons of Ishmael apparently
staked out their claim to the territory, ''from
Havilah unto Shut; that is before Egypt, as
thou goest toward As~·yria. " These words
ring with the authority of a real estate ab-
stract. But what do they really mean?
In ancient Jewish commentaries, Havilah
is the general territory identified with
today's Arabia. On the east and west, it
would be bounded by the Persian Gulf and
the Red Sea. Although the exact boundaries
of ancient Havilah are unknown, authori-
ties agree that it is probably the region of
central Arabia. In other words, it is the an-
cient generic name for the vast deserts of
the Arabian Peninsula.
Shur is the general territory that lies at
the northern end of the Sinai Peninsula,
south of the Mediterranean Sea. Just as the Thous ands of Islamic pilgrims throng around the gate named for the tribal leader
text indicates, it is the land that lies before who founded modern Saudi Arabia in 1932. It is called, "The Gate of King Abdul-
Egypt, jf one approaches that land from the Aziz ai-Saud." Inside these walls lies the "Kaaba," named after the Arab word for
East. The Wilderness of Shur is an exten- "cube." This black-draped holy s hrine is built around a venerated rock, said to have
fallen from the heavens, then picked up by Abraham and Ishmael and laid as the
sion of the desert lands that lie in the dis- cornerstone. Inset: One pilgrim kisses the ancient black stone set in a silver socket.
tant East.
It seems that the sons of Ishmacl were more than that from north to south. The Ishmael; because the LORD halh heard thy
desert dwellers by choice. For the last four land of which we speak is huge ... nearly a affliction.
thousand years, the land from Shur through million square miles! Furthermore, it is "And he will be a wild man; his hand
Havilah to the Persian Gulf has been an uncharted. To this day, there are large tracts will be against every man, alld eve,y man s
uncharted wasteland of rock and sand, bro- of desert that are known only by bands of hand against him; alld he shall dwell ill
ken at rare intervals by an oasis or two. wandering Bedouins who share their inti- the presence of all his brethren "(Genesis
Finally, the phrase, "as thou goest to - mate knowledge of the land only with close 16: 11,12).
ward Assyria, " comes from a Hebrew ex - confidants. Given the history of the Arabs. this de-
pression that mean~, "toward Assyria," or Taking our cues from these indicators, it scription appears to verify everything we
"until Assy'ria." Since ancient Assyria was appears at first that Ishmael's offspring are have read about thei r untamed ways. Feu-
at the northeast end of the territory of indeed today's Arabs. And thi s view is dal infighting is the very hallmark of Arab
Huvilah. it appears that this establishes lhe solidified when we remember the angel's tribes. This view is confirmed in a quote
nonhemmost extent of Ishmael 's territory. words to Hagar concerning Ishmael: from Hini's book, HistOry oflhe Arabs:
Using these parameters , it is easy to see "And the allgel of the LORD said unto "Since the days of Ishmael, the Arabian's
that the land of Ishmael 's sons is over a hel; Behold, thou tIrt with child, and shalt hand has been against every man and ev-
thousand miles from east to west and a little bear a SOli. alld shalt call his /lame (Continued on Page 13)

5. MYsteries of the Hebrew Alphabet By j. R. ChI/fell alld Gary Stearlllan
For those 0(' us who betiel'e in the inspinltion of the Dible, this series represents conHnnmion that the Scriptum are 001 ooIy
I'erbally inspir'ro, but eu'l'J' li'tler was penned under the innuence ofille Holy SpiriL
J. R. Churth and Gary Steannan pMfnt the original me.,niugi of the letters, offering themes and designslhat tetlthc Gospel
slory, as IIl!U as the future.
In l':Iriy America, uniwrsilies retjuired rourst'S in Hebrew. Acentury ago, that requin:ment was lifted. As a re9Jtt, there was a
dramatic rise in mils. Every Christian should stril"e ror a working k/lOy.1edge of the Hebrell' letters. Four lltIf·hour programs are
included in each mlume!
(F.ach VIIS "Kjoo - 4 Programs. 90 minutes)
Item # V107 - $19.95 (Volume 1)
Item #V108 - $19.95 (Volume 2)
Item # V1 09 - $19.95 (Volume 3)
• Volume 1 presents !he meanings 01 the Hebtew letters and how they relate to Revelation, the O and th~ N.T.
.T.
• Volume 2 ~Is lhealphabetic dulgns of leviticus, Psalm 119, the Hebrew leiter Nun [l] and the Gospel of JohR.
• Volume 3 presents he alphabetic design of Psalms 1·22, Lamentations and the harmonics 01 Hebrew lenerl.
By Chuck Missler alld Mark Eastmall Book alld VNS Video by Hal Lilldsey
Are UFOs real? Are alil:'ns rtal? Are they hostile or The Prophet Daniel predicted thert would come a
friendly? Are Angels in~oh'rd? What about demOIl5? lime, just before Ihe I"I'turn rlthe Messiah, in whicb
Answers to these questions are nl:'n mort shocking man's knowledge would be gRatly increased.
than theel'ents thelll5d ~es. Behind Ihe hype, the hoaxes, Man)"sccrelsoftheunil"erst would bertnaled. That
nnd Ihe govp.rnment rlisinfonnalion lies an astonishing time is Dow-as predicted in lIal Undsey's best-selling
reality. Your personal destiny and that of your family book, "Tire Late Great Plallet Ear/h." In this riveting
may depend upon how you dcal with the strange cI'ents nnn-fiction book, Hal Lindsey cracks the "Apocalypse
Ihat may soon take pla~. (368 pages) Code" and deciphers long.hidden messages nOOut man's
Book: # B1739 - $14.95 future and the fate of the Earth. You will enjoy reading
On July 5th, 1997, at the 50th annh'crsary celebra· this important work. (31 1 pages)
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Chuck Missler and Mark Eastman held a UFO confer· In this VIIS "ideo, Hal tindsey lays out the eltidence
ence to gin' a Christian ptrspecti"e to an othrrwist secu· for the Bible's prophetic message. Mort than just a lec·
lar area of research and concern. This conference could ture, this presentation was scriptw and produccd in a
PrQI'e to be B beginning in exposing a deception coming studio. You will enjoy lIal's unniling of Dnnicl's an·
in the near fulurt.(Six Tapes - 6 1 hnurs running lime)
12 cient prtdictinn. (1 hour)
Six Audio-Tape-Set: # S801 - 534.95 VHS Video: # V565 - $19.95
The Pre-Trib Study Group
Book alld VIIS Video by Ralldall Price Lectures From the 1997 Dallas COllference
Wert Sodom and Gomorrah nal dlies, and wert they Tlrt Pre-Trib During December 10·12, 1997, a group of about sev-
reaUy di'Stroyed in catastrophic fire<;torms? Can In re· ent)" lop prophetic scholars frtm atrnssAmerica met in
spond to the historians who hal·t long claimed thai King dosed session stthe Radisson Inn on Ihe LHJ Parkway
Oavid llaS only a mythical figure? in north Dallas.
In recent6cavations, archaeologists have unearthed Theycame together for their fifth annual meeting to
both surprising and substantial allSwers 10 these ques· discuss ''DispenSlltional Prtmillcnniali5m. Some of the
tions. Pottery shards, stone inscriptions, ancicnt scrolls, speakers WCrt Dr. Tommy Ice, Director, Or. Tim Lalbye,
and other fascinating artifacts hHC shed new light on Dr. Ed Hindson, Dr. Mal Couch, Dr. John A. Walvoord,
the pC{lple and e,'ents nfthe Hible- bringing them from Dr. Dwight I'entecosl, Dr. R3ndall Price, Chuck Missler,
the 1'Il~lm or mydcry to Ihe world of fact. (417 Pll gM) andJ.R.Churrh.
Book: # B1741 - 511.95 Ten outstanding messages, delil'ered atlhe confer-
Tn this companion "ideo, Dr. !-'rice takes )·ou to the ence are offered in Ihis fil'NaS§elle audio tape sel. In
lIoly Land to show the manelous evidence of history. addition to thf Dallas Conference lectures, we are in·
lie sune)"s the newt'St finds snd gi"t'S you a greater ap· cludinga BONUS tape witb twolectu rcsby j. R. Church.
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6. By J. R. Church
The Psalms appt'ar to
teU the story of the 2mh
century. Compare Psalm
17 with 1917; or Psalm 48
with 1948; or Psalm 91
with 1991; or Psalm ~6
with i996!
II is one of th~ most
incl'l'dible discOYeries of
propheticsignificance ~e
ha'e e·eruncovered. The
Psalms appear to deliver
i:~~:~:;~;rii,;~:~~r'~'~modern
I Zionist MOI'cmenl at the
Israel- from
-!'''','''~t ~, holocaust
By J. R. Churcll
& Gary Stearmall
What is the secret
the Jewish Menornh (the
sC"cn golden candlc·
sticks) and what prophecy
does it hold for us today?
lias God encoded II.
secret message m~~.',"'!"
fi'e books of the Bible?
What Divine design has
been uncovered in the
book orRel'elation? You will be absolutely amazed
as we obscrl'e thefingerprint of God on the Hebrew
Alphabet and the Menornh designs found in the
''sevens'' or the Bible-from Genesis to RHelation.
(304 pages)
Item # 81302 - S11 .95
The Mystery of the Menorah
The resu rrection of
Jesus Christ On "the
morning of the Ihird day"
ofTersa distinct prophetic
view of IIis promised
relurn. Throughout the
Bible, prophetic passages
on the subject of the
Second Coming continu-
ally refer to dawn. In Ihis
remarkable presentation,
J. R. Church explains
each passage and suggests
to tbe dawning of the seventh
will enjoy Ihe breath-laking
of Ihe Uoly Land as the
Ii . And yo u will be cominced
thot soon Christ will ret urn. (VIISIideo-45 minutes)
Item#V121-S19.95

7. The Stones Cry Out
mous " House of David" inscription which
Author: Randall Price may provide the only physical evidence,
Review by Bob Ulrich outside of the Bible, that King David actu-
ally existed. This is a controversial discov-
Randal! Price remembers a trip he made ery that you will want to read fo r yourself.
to the land of Egypf some years ago. As he The conti nuing excavations at Q umran
began to climb the multitude of blocks that are explored at length, with several new
fonn the Great Pyramid , he was awestruck spectacular si tes on the horizon.
by their massive size. His respect for Ihis Nothing could be more ironic than the
ancient wonder was only surpassed by the new discovery of the tomb of Herod the
view when he reached the top. Great, the Idumean appointed king over
T hose stones were there duri ng the fiow - Judea during the time of Jesus' birth.
ering and fall of the Egyptian empire. They Herod built several magnificent build-
were already 1,000 years old when Abra- ings, many of which are still standing to-
ham passed through. They were a symbol day in Israel and Jordan . One of lhem is
of refuge in the days of Joseph when he the Herod ium, Herod 's mou ntain-sized
brought his father and brothers to settle in customized retreat, used for getting away
its shadow. The pyramids were there dur- from the pressures of everyday life - in-
ing the oppression of the Israelites and the cluding assassination attempts. Herod's
Exodus under Moses. If only those stones who spend much of their time trying to use palace was a marvelous fortre ss which was
could speak, what SIOries they would tell! archeology to disprove the Bible. Accord- near Bethlehem, a three or fou r hour walk
For thousands of years, those stones have ing to Price, they have had no success. I'm from Jerusalem.
developed their own method of communi- sure you're not surprised. Hebrew University 's Ehud Netzer be-
cation and they continue to corroborate the Recent discoveries have been made that lieves that he has found the royal mauso-
historical accuracy of the Bible in new and rely upon the use of ground penetrating leum whi ch ho lds Herod 's body. How
d ifferent ways. radar and satellite imagery. In fact, the en- ironic that the man who tried to kill Jesus
Discoveries are being unearthe d as tire route of the Exodus appears to have lived ill the lap of luxury just a few shorl
quickly as the media can report the news. been discovered by satellite analyst George minutes away from the stable where our
Just recently, a hidden chamber was di s- Stephen. This technology can isolate trails Savior was born.
covered in Luxor, Egypt in the King's Val- in the desert sands that may be thousands Theologian B. B. Warfield said it best:
ley, that may be the burial p lace oCthe sons of years old by capturing heat patterns left "Many who study the stones see only the
of Rameses II. Many believe he was the in the Earth. Stephen claims that he is able to glassy side of history. To sec beyond to a
Pharaoh of the Exodus and that his first- see lhe evidence of ancient tracks made by a world determined by the God of the proph-
born son died when he would not let the massive number of people, leading from the ets, one must view each ani fact through
Israeli tes leave Egypt. Nile, straight south past the Gulf of Suez and the lens of Scripture. Those who have done
Thousands of artifacts from the years around the tip of the Sinai Peninsula! so have discovered a new world - a world
670-30 B.C.lay beneath the waves off the Price will take you to many excavated that adds the excitement of expectation to
coast of Alexandria. Among them, the re- si tes - historic places like Jericho, where every new archeological discovery. No
mains of one of the seven wonders of the archeologists found a city destroyed by fire longer are they pieces of an impersonal
a ncient world, th e Pharos Lighthouse (Joshua 6:24), a ci ty where the walls had history, but fragments of fulfillment of a
which was destroyed in 1375 - some 622 collapsed at the time of its destruction (Joshua supernatural story in which the conclusion
years ago. 6:20), and where no onc had time to nee- bears a personal promise to the person who
Randall Price's new book, Th e Stones as evidenced by lhe remnants offood remain- has faith ."
Cry Out, contains 437 pages of discover- ing (Joshua 6: I). Can archeology prove lhe The Slolles Cry Out is also available in
ies made in rccent years by arc heologists. trustworthiness o f the Bible? Thecity of Jeri- video format and features a good deal of
Price has studied archaeology at the He- cho says yes! material not found in the book. Visits with
brew University of Jerusalem and has been Sodom and Gomorrah is the next stop top archeologists, trips to several dig sites
involved in several major digs, including on the tour of antiquity where we find many in Israel, alld the latest up-to-date informa-
Qumran, the site of the Dead Sea Scrolls. of the homes with their roofs collapsed and tion on the world of biblical archeology.
He has written several other books in- burned from the inside out! Maybe a little I know you' ll enjoy watching God find
cluding, In Search of Temple Trea.wres fire and brimstone just happened to drop new and differe nt ways to prove to man-
(Item II B 1413 - $12.95), The Secrels oflh~ in on the people who lived there! kind that He is the ROCK of Ages! You
Dead Sea Scrolls (Item # B 1633 - $ 12.95). The trip continues through the Exodus will be delighted with both the book and
The study of archeology has fascinated in hopes of proving that ancient Israel re- its compan ion video.
students o f the Bible for centuries. Of ally did exist. Book: # B1741 - $11.95
course, there are many secular scienti sts T hen on to King David and the now fa - VHS Video : # V566 - $19.95
Proph«y in the News 7

8. New Year's Eve
Moon and Planets in
Spectacular Grouping
By J . R. Church
I left the office just after sundown on
December 31. Walking across the parking
lot toward my car, I glanced up into the
clear western sky and saw the "almosl" new
moon (second day) with Mars just to its
s ide, Venus be low and Jupi ter above.
. in the evening sky was Saturn.
Though I could not sec
Uranus and Neptune.
they were there, dimly lit
- all clustered arou nd
the moon. A month ear-
lier Me rc ury had been
there, but on thi s night it
was below the horizon.
As r left the parking lot
and headed for home, I kept glancing up at
the moon and planets and wondering if God
had a New Year's message for 1998 -
"sig ns in the heavens." A few days later.
Gary Stearman and I were discussi ng the
phe nomenon - a rare heavenly event.
That's when Gary mentioned that the as-
tronomical apparition took place in the This scene is a computer program ca lled " Voyager." Note the sun is below the
constellation Capricorn . southwestern horizon. The moon is two days old . Mars sits beside it, Venus below
and Jupiter above. Neptune and Uranus are included In the constellation Capricorn.
For those of you who may have suspi-
The actua l view in the evening sky on December 31 , 1997 was spectacular.
cions that we are d abbling in astrology, let
me put your mi nd at ease. Astrology, as God be announc ing that 1998 is " the year and exhibits the head of a dyi ng goat with
developed at the Tower of Babel , became of the redeemed'''? the lively body of a fish. This is the story
the "idolatry" of the Old Testament. How- of the "blessi ngs procured." The goal rep-
ever, for 2,500 years - from the creation Twelve Mnjor Constellntions resents Christ as the head of the church.
o f Adam to Moses - the stars offered Bullinger di vides the twe lve majo r con- The body of the fi sh portrays the church
God's only form of communication with stellations into three "books." which is the body of Christ. This strange
mankind. Before Moses wrote Genesis, Book One: Redeemer's First Coming composite-creature becomes quite si mple
God had placed the Gospel message in the Virgo, Libra, Scorpio and Sagittarius to understand o nce you know the story.
constellations. From Vi rgo (a prophecy of Book 1'0 : The Redeemed Aquarius, the water bearer typifies the
the birth of Christ) to Leo (a prophecy of Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces and Aries pouring o ut of the Holy Spirit on the day
His return), twelve constellations deliver Book T hree: Redeemer's Second Coming of Pentecost - the "blessi ngs e nsured."
God's original message. E. W. Bullinger 's Taurus, Gemini, Cancer and Leo Pisces, two fis h with the ir tail s lied to-
Tile Witness of tile Stars is available for The fi rst book begins with Virgo, a nd gether, represent the "blessings in abey-
your further study (see ad on page 27). tells the story of the virgi n who gives birth ance." We must await the rapture and res-
Bullinger e ntilled his c hapter on Cap- to the Son of God. Libra explains His urrection to receive the full blessings of
ricorn " The Redeemed." For five plan- "atonin g work," Scorpio speaks o f His eternal bliss. Aries, the Passover Lamb is
e ts and the moon to be clu stered together "connict" and Sagittarius tells of His "tri- shown with its foot in control of the band
in Capricorn as the c lock introdu ced umph" over the serpent. that unites the two fish. He represents the
January I , 1998 seems fascinating. Could T he second book begins with Capricorn "blessings consummated and enjoyed."
8 Prophecy in till: News

9. The third book opens with Taurus as the help to tell the story of Capricorn - Sag- but living in its afterpart - fa ll ing as an
coming Judge of all the earth. The story of itta (the arrow), Aquila (the eagle) and eagle pierced and wounded by the arrow
Christ's second coming continues in Gemini, Delphinus (the dolphin). These sidereal of death, but springing up fro m the dark
the Bridegroom Who comes for His bride - sidepieces offer furth er insight into the waves with the matchless vigor and beauty
a view of the rapture. Cancer tells the story symbolism of the sea goat. of the dolphin - sinking under sin's con-
of resurrection. Finally, Leo, the lion, con- demnation, but rising again as sin's con-
cludes the heavenly story by destroyi ng Hy- Sagitta queror - developing new life out of death,
dra, the many-headed serpent. Sagitta (the arrow) represents God's ar- and heralding a new springtime out of
row that pierces the sacrificia l goat. l b e December' s long dreary nights - was
Capricorn oldest book in the Bible (Job) demonstrates framed by no blind chance of man. The
In this article, we shall tuke a close look the divine nature of the arrow: story which it tells is the old, old story on
al Capricorn. Here, Bull inger explains the "The arrows of the Almighty are within which hangs the only avai ling hope that
"result of the Redeemer's suffering. " He me" (J ob 6:4). ever came ... to Adam 's mce. In that dying
wri tes, " It is most noteworthy that this Sec- The psalmist also makes a reference to Seed of the woman we must see our sin-
ond Book opens with the Goat, and closes Sagitta: bearer and the atonement for our guilt, or
with the Ram: two animals of sacrifice; "Thine arrows slick/asl ill me, and thy die ourselves unpardoned and unsanctified,
while the two middle chapters are both hand presselh me sore" (Psalm 38: 2). Through Hi s death and bloodshedding we
connected with fis hes." The goat was the Christ was not actuall y stricken by men, must fin d [eternal] life" (p. 7 1).
sacrifi ce of choice for Yom Kippur - the though they were the instrumcnts of His
Day of Atoneme nt. On the other hand, the crucifix ion. It was God Who sacri ficed His Days of Noah?
Ram was the sacri fice of choice for Pass- Son fo r us. Isaiah writes: The cluster of planets in Capricorn on
over. Both draw a portrait of Jesus Chris!. "He was stricken, smitten of God and New Year's Eve lifts our hopes that this
The Passover lamb represented a sacrifice afflicted, He was wounded fo r our trans- coming year just might be the year of the
for a single family while the Yom Kippur gressions" (I saiah 53:4,5). redeemed. As we have earlier stated, the
goat covered the si ns of Ihe whole nalion. The arrow, pictured in mid-heaven, shot Hebrew calendar date 5758 is spelled nllVn
Yet, John the Baptist introduced Jesus as from an unseen bow (with no origin in with the Hebrew letters tahv n , shin !V, 111111
"... the Lnmb of God who raketh away lhe view), shows that Ihe atonement was com- 3 and chel n, and can be pronou nced
sill of the world" (John I :29). Both the pletely of God. The Hebrew name of the ta'shalloach, "you shall res!."
symbol of the goal and ram arc combincd minor constellation is Sham, meaning "de· Its fi nal two letters, 111111 and chet, are the
in the "sign" of Capricorn . straying," or "desolate." spell ing for the Hebrew proper nou n,
In the goat, we have the atoning sacri- Noach. In English, we read this word as
fice and in the fi sh, we have the people for Aquila " Noah." the name of the man chosen by
whom the atonement is made. "'Ibe goal is Aquila (the eagle) represents "the smit- God to bring humanity across the flood.
bowing its head as though fall ing down in ten one falling."' The constellation is rep- His name is the Hebrew word fo r "rest."
death . The ri ght leg is folded underneath resented by a pierced. wounded and fall- Symbolically, he is the man who rode
the body. and he seems unable to rise with ingeagle, gasping in its dying struggle, The out the rough waters ofGoo's judgmcnt and
the left. The tail of the fi sh, on the olher brightest star a [alpha] in the eagles neck brought humani ty to its rest. Intere,tingly,
hand . seems to be fu ll of vigor and life" is Al Tair (Ambic), meaning "the wound- Psa lm 98 :7-9, seems to incorporate th is
(Bullinger). ing." Another star E [epsilon] in the tail is very message :
Capricorn is the modern Latin name of Al Okal, meaning "wounded in the heel." "Le t th e sea roar, and the / ullnesl'
the constell ation . The He brew name is It can be none other than Chri st Whose heel lhereof; the world, and they tha! dwell
"Gedi " - the "kid ." [t al so means "cut off" was to be wounded: {herein.
a reference to sacrifice. The largest and "Alld I will pllt enmity belweell lhee alld " Let the floods clap their hands: let tile
most prominent a [alpha] star in the "sea the woman, alld betweelJ Ihy seed alld her hills be joyful together
goat" is Al Gedi, an Arabic term meaning seed; it shall bruil'e Ihy head, and Iho u "Before the LORD; fo r he cometh 10
"the kid" or "goaL" The P[beta] star in the shalt brllise his heel" (Genesis 3: 15). judge Ihe earlh: wilh righteousness shall
constellation is Deneb AI Gedi, meaning he judge the world, and the people with
"the sacrifice cometh ." Delphinus equity. "
On the Day of Atonement, two goats Delphinus (the dolphin) represents "the Wililsmel find rest in 5758? Will those
were chosen. Lots were chosen to deter- dead one rising again." The peculiar char- of us who are safe in Christ find the ulti-
mine which goat would be sacrificed in the acteristk of the dolphin is its rising up, mate "rest " of the "blessed hope ?"
Temple courtyard. Its blood was presented leaping and spri nging fonh out of the sea. Paul expressed the same thought in II
in the Holy of Holies. The other goat was This origi nal "Flipper" can be seen as if it Thessalonians 1:7, "And to you '.ho are
choscn as the scapegoat to be taken out inlo is walking on the water! Bullinger writes: troubled rest with us, whell tire Lord Jesus
the wilderness of Judea. The sins of the "When we compare this with the dying goat shall be revealed from heavell wilh his
nation were symbolically placed on the and fa lling eagle, what concl usion can we mighty angels. "
head of the scapegoat and sent into the come to but that we have here the filli ng in Is 1998 destined to be the "year of rest"
wildemess, never to be remembered again. of the picrure ... set forth in Capricorn? fo r the "redeemed"? The heavenly appari-
The two goats represcnt death and resur- Jesus died and rose again! Apart from His tion occurred, not on just any night of the
rection - both fulfil led in Jesus Christ. resurrection His death is wi thoul resu ll." year, but on the very introductory night to
Joseph Seiss, author of The Gospel ill the the New Year. Well, we do not know the
Sidereal Sidepieces Stars, writes: future, but we can hope ! We can pray,
There are three minor constcllations that "This strange goat-fish, dying in ils head, "Even so, come, Lord Jesus!" .
Prophecy In the NfJWS 9

10. The "Receiving" of Israel
By J. R. Church
Two-thousand years ago, religious Juda-
is m was, to use the termino logy of the
Bible. "cast away. " But in the same verse,
there was a prophecy promising that one
day they would be received again:
" For if the casting away of them be the
reconciling of the world, what shall the re-
ceiving of them be, but lifefrom the dead?"
(Ro mans 11: 15),
Here is a prophecy, part of which has
been fu lfilled over the pasl2,OOO years. We
have only to review history to know that
nalional Israel was cast away. In A.D. 70
the Temple was destroyed. By the year 135,
Hadrian the Roman, deported the Jews to
the slave markets of the world. The land
was empt ied of its people. For the next
1,8 13 years the wandering Jew remained
without a homeland, without a king, with-
out a Temple, and without a sacrifice -
and as a result of their being "cast away, "
Christianity took on a Genti le flavor. The
Gospel of Christ was spread throughout the
world, taking root in Europe and the west-
ern hemisphere. The "castillg away" of
Israel brought the predicted "recollciling
0/ the world. "
But the Jew has not been cast away per-
manently. God has not fo rever forsaken
them for, in the same verse, He promised
that one day He would "receive them"
again. When that prophecy is fulfi lled, his-
tory will reach its most momentous period.
The "blessed hope" will become a reality.
Don' t miss thi s great prophecy - when
Israel is received again. there will be a rap-
ture and resurrection.
The Fall and Rising Again "And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon;
"And he came by the Spirit Into the temple: and when the parents brought In the
To begin the story of this two-thousand child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,
year enigma wherein national Israel has " Then took he him up In his arms, and blessed God, and said,
been cast away, we must go back to the in- "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart In peace, according to thy word:
fan cy of Jesus - to the day when Joseph "For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
and Mary brought Him to the Temple. You "And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child Is
may recall . Simeon took the Baby in his set for the falf and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shalf be
spoken against" (Luke 2:25,27-30,34).
arms and gave a prophecy to His mother:
" Behold, this child is set/or the/all and spoken agaillst. " Jesus preached that the kingdom of heaven
rising again of many in Israel; alld for a The rust part of this prophecy came true. was at hand. But in Matthew 13, Jesus
sigll which shall be spoken against" (Luke Israel rell. The hierarchy of religious Ju- turned from offering the kingdom and set
2,34). daism rejected Jesus as Messiah. He was Hi s sights on Calvary, citing a prophecy
Here is a prediction that Israel would fall nailed to the cross of Calvary. They offi- by Isaiah:
as a result of the first advent of Christ. But, cially rejecled His promise to establish the "And in them is fulfilled the prophecy 0/
he said that some day Israel wi ll rise again, kingdom of heaven. Isaiah, which saith. By hearing ye shall
and Ihis shall be ''jar a sign which ~}lllll be During the first half of His ministry, hear, and shall not understand; and .~ee-
10 Prophecy ill the News

11. ing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
"For this peoples heart is w(Ued gross,
alld their ears are dull ofhearing, and their
eyes they have closed; lest at any time they
should see wirh fhe;" eyes, alld hear with
rheir ears, and should undersIalld wirh
fheir heart, and shoilld be converted, and
I should heal them" (Matthew 13:14,15).
This marks the fulfillment of a proph-
ecy in Isaiah 6:9- 10 that Israel would not
understand and believe. From that point,
the ministry of Christ turned toward Cal-
vary. In the opening chapter of the book of
Acts, the disciples expressed an eagerness
to convince the Jews of their Messiah. They
asked the Savior if now at last He could
set up the kingdom:
"When they therefore were come to-
gether, they asked ofhim, saying. Lord wilt
thou at this time restore agaillthe killgdom
to Israel? (Acts 1:6).
To this Jesus replied:
" II is not for ),011 to knoll' the limes or
the seasons, which the Father hath put ill
his OWII power" (v. 7).
At this point, Jesus did not tell His dis-
ciples it would be another 2.000 years be-
fo re Israel could be restored. He gave them
the opportuni ty to convince the Jews of His
messianic claims. Had they been success-
fu l in convincing the Jews to rum 10 Christ.
who knows, He might have returned at that
time and set up the ki ngdom. You may re-
cal1, during His early ministry, Jesus told
the disciples to go only to the lost sheep of
the house of Israel. I-Ie said to avoid the
Samaritans and Gentiles. However, in the
firs t chapter of Acts. Jesus said that the dis-
ciples should be witnesses not only in
Judea, but also in Samaria and to the utter- During the first half of His ministry, Jesus preached that the kingdom of heaven
most parts of the earth. The message of the was at hand. But in Matthew 13, Jesus turned from offering the kingdom and set His
disci ples throughout the book of Acts was Sights on Calvary, citing a prophecy by Isaiah: "And in them is fulfilled the prophecy
of Isaiah, which ssith, By hearing ya shall hear, and shall not understand: and seeing
given to the Jews firs t, but also to the Gen- ye shall see, and shall not perceive" (Matthew 13:14).
tiles.
However, when we come to the last " For the heart of this people is waxed who held the infant Jesus in his arms and
chapter in the book of Acts, we reach a turn- gross, and their ears are dull ofhearing, and said to Mary, "This child is set for the fall
ing point of history. The apostle Paul goes their eyes have they closed; lest they should alld risillg again of mOllY in Israel. " The
to Rome and meets with the elders of the see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, first part of the prophecy was fulfilled.
synagogue for one last effort to convince and understand wirh their hearr, and should After the 28th chapter of Acts, the casting
the Jews of Jesus the Messiah. This event be cOllvened, alld I should heal them. away of Israel became official. Seven years
appears to mark the final "casting away" "Be it knowII therefore unto you, that the later the Temple in Jerusalem was burned
of Israel. Paul spent the day trying to per- salvation of God is sent unto the Gellliles, to the ground.
suade them "concerning Jeslls, bOlh Ollt of and that they will hear it" (Acts 28:25-28). Today, after some 2000 yenrs, the ques-
the Law of Mo.~es alld out of the prophets" Paul quoted the same prophecy in Isaiah tion is, have we reached that point in his-
(v. 23). Yet, they were not able to agree which was invoked by Jesus in Mauhew tory when national Israel should be "re-
that Jesus was the Messiah: 13. Paul said, " I'm going to the Gentiles. ceived again"? I believe we have been
"And when they agreed not anwng them- They will listen." From that day, God building toward that point since the birth
selves, they departed, after that Paul had turned His back on national Israel for one of Israel in 1948. May I remind you that
spoken olle word, Well spake the Holy Ghost purpose; there was a world full of Gentiles Paul addressed his remarks to the Jewish
by Isaiah lhe prophet unto our fathers, out there who needed the Gospel of Jesus elders in Rome. Later, in his epistle to the
"Saying, Go unto this people, alld say,Hear- Christ. Like old Jonah , the religious Jews Romans, he continued this theme:
illg ye shall hear, and shall not understand; refused to believe and carry the message. "Israel hath IIOt obtained that which he
alld seeillg ye shalf see, alld /lot perceive: Thus was fulfil led the prophecy of Simeon, seekethfor; but the election hath obtained
Prophtcy in thl! NtwS 11

12. it, and the rest were blinded, urrected. That child over whom you wept ren, hearken unto me:
when you laid its little body beneath the
"(According as it is written, God hath given "Simeon hath declared how God at theftrsl
them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they ground will be resurrected. did visit the Gentiles, 10 lake out of them a
should not see, and ears that they should not If dull matter lives forever, people for his name" (Acts IS: 3,14).
hear:) unto this day" (Romans 11:7,8). why not mind and love so true? Cornelius marked the beginning of Gen-
Paul refers to Isaiah's prediction con- Surely these are things diviner tile Christianity. Up unti l that time, all be-
cerning the spiritual understanding of Is- than all else within the blue. lievers in Jesus Christ were Jews. When
raeL He repeated the same prophecy in- Ever and forever singing, the council in Jerusalem took place, most
voked by Jesus Christ in Matthew 13 and rhey go ali their happy way; of the believers were sti ll Jews. Very few
again to the Jewish elders in Rome. Israel and shall love, God's best reflection, Gentiles had received the Gospel message.
is officially "cast away." The olive branch have its part within a day? However, Peter, along with Paul and
has been broken off from the tree so that All the spheres and all the ages, Barnabas and the others, realized that in
you and I, as wild olive branches, might all the powers in the height the generations to come there would be
be grafted in. But will the Jew be foreve r tell us naught ere came to ruin multiplied millions of Gentile converts to
forsaken? Paul explains: save the wrongs that yield to right. the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This was a new
"I say then, Have they stumbled that they Beauty, pleamre, mirth, and rapture, thing God was doing. He was reaching out
shouldfall? Godforbid: but rather through are they what they seem to be? beyond the Jewish nation to a world of
their fall salvation is come unto the Gen- Faith alld hope and love Gentiles and giving them the opportunity
tiles, for /0 provoke them to jealousy. thatflgures in our life so constamly; to receive etemallife. When would this age
"Now if the fall oj them be the riches of surely these willlastJorever, of Gentile conversion come to a close?That
the world, and the diminishing of them the for we biow it should be so, was the subject addressed in the following
riches ofthe Gentiles; how much more their and what ought to be is certain verses. Beginning in v. 15 :
fullness?" while the cycles of the ages onward go. "And to this agree the words of the
"For if the casting away oj them be the Oh. what a promise we have in Christ. prophets; as il is written,
reconciling oj the world, what shall the re- What a Blessed Hope! Perhaps you have "After this I will return, and will build
ceiving of them be, but life from the dead?" felt like the one who said, "Oh, for the again the tabernacle oj David, which is
" ... blindness in part is happened to Is- touch of a vanished hand, and for the sound fallen down; and I will build again rhe ru-
rael, umil the fullness oj the Gellliles be of a voice that is still." WelJ, I have good ins thereof. and I will set it up:
come in" (Romans 11:11,12,15,25). news for you . Resurrection is coming. "For "That the residue of men mighl seek after
For the past 2.000 years religious Juda- if the t.:Gsting away of them (Israel) be the the Lord, alld all the Gentiles, upon whom
ism has refused the message of Christ. reconciling of the world (Gentiles), what my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth
Christianity has become a Gentile religion. shall the receiving of them be but life from all these things" (Acts 15: 15-17).
But the Bible says that it will not always the dead?" When will the age of Gentile Christian-
be that way. There will come a day when Though we are told by the apostle Paul ily come to a close? What will mark the
the last Gentile will be saved, when the that Israel would be cast away, we are not ''fullness of the Gentiles"? According to
"fullness of the Gentiles be come in." told the manner in which they will be re- these verses, the momentous event could
When that happens, Israel will be received ceived again. We know the final. official be the restoration of the Tabernacle of
again. And what shall we look for when casting away took place in Rome when David. T hat is why I am very interested in
Israel is restored to God's favor? Verse 15 Paul spoke to the elders of the synagogue. Jewish efforts to restore Temple worship.
promises, " ... lifeJrom the dead." That is That was the final act in a series of events In recent years groups of religious Jews
the rapture and resurrection. That is the which began in Matthew 13. It is possible have been requesting a place for worship
blessed hope. This is the reason Gospel that the steps for the reconciliation of Is- on the Temple Mount. The Jerusalem
ministers are preaching about the soon rael might be a reversal of those earlier Temple Foundation has been busy recon-
comi ng of Christ. Th is is why the resur- events. Israel ceased to be a nation at the structing implements for Temple service
rection is becoming such a popular subject end of the first century, being dispersed to since 1984. The rabbinical council in Jerusa-
for sermons. That historic day could come the nations. But at the beginning of the 20th lem has made plans for building a Jewish
in this generation. The Jews are returning century, a reversal of the trend was under- synagogue on the Temple Mount and even
to their homeland. way. The Jews were going back to their launched a fund raising for the project.
The next major prophecy to be fulfilled homeland, and half a century later, in 1948, The prophecy in Acts 15 says that on the
following the "receiving again" of national the nation was born. occasion of the raising of David's Taber-
Israel is the resurrection . Can you imagine For the biblical view of what will hap- nacle, a remnant of the Jews will have a
what that means? Generations of born pen, we can turn to Acts 15. A council met great prayer effort wherein they will "seek
again believers are awaiting resurrection. at Jerusalem to discuss the conversion of after the Lord." But the prophecy goes on
Soon, all the Christians in your family tree Gentiles. This was a new thing never be- to say that it will be attended by Gentiles
will be resurrected. Oh, how many of us fore experienced by the Jews. Gentiles from around the world "upon whom the
have followed a casket out to a grave site were receiving Jesus as Savior. At the meet- Lord's name is called. "That is a reference
and felt that emptiness and loneliness. We ing, Paul and Barnabas testified about their to Gentile Christianity and should mark the
have come away with only a blessed hope Gentile converts, and Simon Peter told fulfillment of the prophecy. At this point,
that one day we shall see them again. Well, about the conversion of a Roman centu- Gentile Christianity is still on earth. The
that day may be fast approaching. The joy rion, Cornelius. After much discussion, a resurrection and rapture have not yet taken
of family reunion may soon be realized. decision was reached: place. However, immediately after the Tab-
That father or mother you have missed for "And after they had held their peace, ernacle of David is set up, be ready for the
these oh-so-many years may soon be res- James answered, saying, Men and breth- rapture and resurrection . •
12 Propll«y Itt tile News

13. (Continued From Page 4) idea of the southern Arabs being of the and because of thy bondworru:m; ill allthlll
cry man's hand against him ... in desert posterity of Ishmael is entirely without Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her
land, where the fighting mood is a chronic foundation, and seems to have originated voice;for in Isaac shall thy seed be called
mental condition, raiding is one of the few in the tradition invented by Arab vanity that "And al.fO of the son of the bondworru11I
manly occupations. they, as well as the Jews, are the seed of will I make a nation, because he is thy seed"
"The poet al-Qutami of the early Umay- Abraham - a vanity which, besides dis- (Genesis 21 :9-13).
yad period has given expression to the figuring and falsifying the whole history Here, God is seen reassuring Abraham
guiding principle of such life in two verses: of the pauiarch and his son Ishmael, has that Ishmael WOUld, himself, become a na-
'Our business is to make raids on the en- transferred the scene of it from Palestine tion. Still, God takes this opportunity to
emy, on our neighbor and on our brother, to Mecca. reinforce His intention that the Messianic
in case we find none to raid but a brother: "The vast tracts of country known to us line would come only through the offspring
According to the rules of the game - and under the name of Arabia gradually be- of Isaac. In the light of biblical prophecy,
ghazw [the law of blood revenge] is a SOrt came peopled by a variety of tribes of dif~ this means that the Messiah's Throne will
of national sport - no blood should be ferent lineage." be established in the land God showed to
shed except in cases of extreme necessity In its complete exclusion of Ishmael Abraham.
... These ideas of ghazw and its tenninol- from the lineage of modem Arabia, this Furthermore, it means lhal Isaac's de-
ogy were handed over by the Arabians into view seems extreme. In panicular, it com- scendants arc the ones given the authority
the Islamic conquests." pletely overlooks the fact that the Bible to administer that land. Therefore, the battle
In the Arab peoples, ishmael 's proph- clearly states where Ishmael wou ld live. fo r primacy is based upon a claim to the
esied wild streak, as well as his close alle- However, it is no doubt the case that other real estate contract given in God'scovenam
giance to his brother tribesmen can clearly genealogies have crept into the area over with Abraham. Thi s being true of all the
be observed. His style of li fe is ancient and the four-thousand years since the angel of tribes outside the direct succession of
ingrained in the myriad social mores and the Lord made Hi s declaration to Hagar. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
customs that are an unintelligible maze to Nevertheless, the Arabian Mecca just hap- Ishmael was also accompanied by other
outsiders. pens to be located in the ancient terri tory sons of the desert. They were fathered by
Hitti 's concluding observation about of Havilah. This is precisely where the Lord Abraham through Keturah:
blood revenge is quite noteworthy. Much said the sons of Ishmael would live. "Then again Abraham took a wife, alld
of pre-Islamic Arabian tribalism was re- her name was Keturah.
tained and formalized in the religion Sons of the Desert "And she bare him Zimran, and lokshan,
founded by Mohammed in the seventh cen- Genesis 25, wh ich we quoted earlier to and Medan, and Midiall, and Ishbak., and
tury. The barbarous aspects of life on the document the prophesied dwelling place of Shuah
ancient Arabian desert arc now an inte- Ishmael's twelve sons, is one of the Bible's "And lokshan begat Sheba, and Dedan.
gral part of the Islamic faith and culture. more amazing chapters. Tt is dedicated not And the sons of Dedan we~ Asshurim, and
only to the history of Ishmael, but also to Letushim, and Leummim.
The Picture Becomes Complex the origin of Abraham's sons through "Alld lhe SOIlS of Midiall; Epllllh, alld
There is no doubt a great deal of truth in Keturah. Epher, alld Hallocli, andAbidah, andEldaah
the simple view of Ishmael's progeny as It concludes with the story of Esau's Allihese were the children of Kemrah
the warring nomads of the desert, whose birth, and the sale of his birthright for a "Alld Abraham gave all that he had unlO
sheiks have risen in the twentieth century bowl of red stew. Esau, of course, is the Isaac.
to great, oil-fed prosperity. But in reality, father of the Edomite nation. Thus, this "Bur mUO tile sons of lhe concubines,
the picture is much more complex than that. chapter is virtually a chronicle of conten- which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts,
Some deny that Ishmael fa thered the mod- tion . The birth of Esau was accomplished alld sent them away from Isaac his son,
em Arabs at all . in the legendary prenatal struggle with his while Ire yet lived. eastward, unto the east
One extreme dissenting view is ex - tw in brother, Jacob. Later, we will also country" (Genesis 25: 1-6).
pressed in McClintock and Strong's ency- examine the legacy of Edam. Here, we see that Abraham was eager to
clopedia of rel igion , as quoted by Dr. Rob- As we look back at the origin of this avoid the previously-cited sort of quarrel
ert Morey in The Islamic /lIl'asioll: struggle, we are reminded of the earlier over inheritance. Lest they argue over the
"T here is the prevalent notion that the contention between Ish mael and Isaac . estate and lay claim to the land, Abraham
Arabs, both of the south and north, arc de- From the very first , an enduring jealousy awarded them substantial gifts and sent
scended from Ishmael; and the passage in seems to haunt the offspring of Ishmael, in them away, while he was still alive. Note
Gen. xvi: 12 [quoted above] is often cited their realization that it was Isaac's progeny that they were sent to the "ea$1 country."
as if it were a prediction of that nalional who received the promise of the covenant. As one continues eastward trom Israel, one
independence which, upon the whole, the "And Saralr saw the son of Hagar the arrives in Arabia.
Arabs have maintained more than any other Egyptian. which she had born ullloAbraham, The Jewish view of verse six is that all
people. But this supposition ( in so far as mocking. of Abraham's consorts, except for Sarah,
the true meaning of the text quoted is con- "Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast would be included in the general category
cerned) is founded on a misconception of out this bondwomall and Mr son:for the SOli of "concubine." Traditional commentary
the original Hebrew. ofthis bon(/woman shallllOl be heir with my also regards Keturah as a conCUbine, even
''These prophecies found their accom- son, even wilh Isaac. though she is called a "wife." Naturally,
plishment in the face of the sons of Ishmael "And tire tiring was very grievous in Hagar and any others who might have been
being located, generally speaki ng, to the Abraham's sight because of his son. betrothed without a ketubah. or acrnaJ mar-
cast of the other descendants of Abraham "An(/ God said unto Abmham, Let it flat riage contract, would be in the same category.
whether by Sarah or by Keturah. But the be grievous ill thy sight because of the lad, It is interesting thal when Abraham died,
Prophtcy in th~ Nncs 13

14. as given in Genesis 25:9, he was buried in "By the end of the sixth century, a great ary, (say ing): Take as your place of wor-
the cave of Machpelah by both Isaac and gulf had erupted in Meccan society be- ship the place where Abraham stood (10
Tshmael. This supplies a very important tween the ethical system of the Bedouins pray). And We imposed a duty u(Xln Abraham
clue as to the dispersion of his offspring. and the wealth and decadence that gripped and T shmael, (saying): Purify My house for
The sons of the concubines were sent away Mecca itself. especially its ruling classes. those who go around and those who medi-
with presents from the house of their fa- The fa ir at Ukaz characterized the decline tate therein and those who bow down and
ther in(QArabia. Among them, only Ishmael in the values prized by the desert Arab and prostrate themselves (in worship).
was acknowledged by God as Abraham 's the ascendancy of the new age of materi- "126. And when Abraham prayed: My
son through the special blessing seen in alism. In pursuit of wealth, the tribal sys- Lord! Make this a region of security and
Genesis 17:20.Although excluded from the tem had broken down into clans, all war- bestow upon its people fruits, such of them
blessings of the covenant God made with ring against one another. Life was a cycle as believe in Allah and the Last Day, He
Abraham, Ishmael was promised national- of vengeance, as an attack on any clan answered: As for him who disbelieveth, I
ity. No doubt, this also included a tract of member was viewed as an attack on all; shall leave him in contentment for a while,
land. Il is named in thc Bible as the Ara- and every act of reprisal was followed by then I shall compel him to the doom of fire
bian Peninsula. yet another act of revenge. Into this social - a hapless journey's end]
disruption Abdulqas im Mohammed ibn " 127. And when Abraham and Ishmael
The Koran Abdullah ibn Abd al-Muttalib ibn Hashim were raising the foundations of the House
Down through the ages the desert tribes, was born in A.D. 570 or 571. Orphaned at (Abraham prayed): Our Lord! Accept from
descended from Abraham, developed cit- the age of six, he passed to the care of his us (th is duty). Lo! Thou, only Thou, art the .
ies and legendary routes of trade. But in grandfather, the respected custodian of the Hearer, the Knower."
the seventh cenlUry A.D., a revolutionary Kaaba, who claimed to be a descendent of In thesc ve rses, both Abraham and
change occurred. In her documentary book Ishmael, the SOil of Abraham and Hagar." Ishmael are shown as the founders of wor-
entitled, The Saudis, author Sandra Mackey When he was about forty, he began a ship in Mecca, on the Arabian Peninsula.
describes it this way: series of desert retreats, where he reput- They arc even depicted as having built the
" Islam was born in the seventh century edly meditated upon the shortcomings of house known as the "Kaaba." Arab pilgrims
A.D. in Mecca. The religion emerged from Meccan society. In these meditations, he must travel there at least once in their lives,
a period of conflict within Meccan society claimed that God was revealing a new re- circling around the house dressed in
that was remarkably similar to the stress ligion to him. It is said that he never learned humble clothing, as referenced in v. 125.
now tearing at Saudi Arabia - new wealth to read and write, and therefore that his We have shown Ishmael's name in bold
versus traditional values. Located halfway followers had to write down the revela- type, to emphasize that Arabs believe that
down Saudi Arabia's west coaSt, forty-eight tions. Soon , the writings were collected he acted with his father as co-founder of
miles inland from the Red Sea, Mecca was into the Koran, and his followers spread the religion of Allah .
a convenient stopping place for the fabled the new fou nd faith throughout Ihe Ara- Of course, there is no record of Abraham
camel caravans that transported goods from bian Peninsula, and finally, from Persia to ever having traveled to Mecca with
India and Central Africa to Egypt and Pal- Spain and North Africa. Ishmael. Nor wou ld Abraham - a man
estine, where they were fed into the pipe- The Koran contains several references who conversed seven times with the living
line of trade to the Mediterranean and the to the patriarchal period. No doubt apoc- God - have prayed for the sanctification
crumbling Roman Empire. The merchants ryphal, they nevertheless reveal the think- of believers in Allah, and the establishment
of Mecca thrived from this trade. To pro- ing of the seventh-century Arab mind. And of his rule at the last day.
mote business, Ihey formed joint stock significantly, they form the basis for mod- But the faithful in Islam repeat these
companies and dominated an annual trade ern Arab thought, since the values alld cul- words endlessly, professing bel ief in their
fa ir at Ukaz, near Mecca. In stark contrast ture of Mohammed's Arab world are SlfUC- expressed truth. Another verse in this sec-
to the a ustere life of the desert people tured into the very fabric of Islamic reli- tion includes Jacob as a participant in the
around Mecca, Ukaz brought together hun- gion and thought. Millions of Moslems establishment of Islam:
dreds of merchants, actors, gamblers, pros- pray to Allah daily, reciti ng the words of "133. Or were ye present when death came
titutes, and poets in a great festival of vice the Koran. A few selected verses from it to Jacob, when he said unto his sons: What
for the sale purpose of promoling business. will quickly demonstrate the liberties its will ye worship afterme?They said: We shall
"Removed from the influences of urban words will take with history. worship thy God, thc God of thy fathers,
areas like Mecca, the desert Arab stil l clung We quote from The Meaning oflhe Glo- Abraham, and L~ hmael and Isaac, One God,
to the old values of desert life: honor, brav- rious Koran, by Mohammed Mannaduke and unto Him we have surrendered."
ery, hospitality, and the sacredness offam- Pickthall, an English Moslem who tried to The context in which this verse appears
ily and tribe. Haunted by a primitive reli- convey the style and meaning of its verses. makes it quite clear that the "One God" is
gion, the Bedouin was engulfed by a swann Virtually all Arabs, as well as Pickthall Allah, and that Jacob was one of his fol -
of spirits or jim!. Responding sporadically himself, say that translation of the Koran lowers. Wi thout a doubt, Moslems consider
to ill-defi ned rituals, he worshipped the jinn is impossible. themselves to be followers of the religion
at a series of places containing sacred It will be noticed that throughout ils texts, of Abraham and Ishmael:
stones. The center of this stone worship was there arc continuous references to "we," or "135. And they say: Be Jews or Chris-
in Mecca, controlled, as was trade, by the "us." Apparently, these are the "angels" who tians, then ye will be rightly guided. Say
city's merchants. But as intimidated as he dictated the Koran to Mohammed. We quote (unto them, 0 Muhammed): Nay, but (we
was by thejinll, the Bedouin's real religion from the consecutively-numbered verses of follow) the religion of Abraham, the up-
was his belief in the immortality of the tribe Surah [Section] n : right, and he was not of the idolaters.
and the near spiritual affinity and protec- "125. And when we made the house (at "136. Say (0 Muslims): We believe in
tion it spread over its members. Mecca) a resort for mankind and a sanctu- Allah and thai which is revealed unto us
14 Prophecy In the News

15. and that wh ich was revealed unto Adbeel and Mibsam are difficult to trace, in the country of the Edornites. Shuah has
Abraham , and Ishma el , and Isaac, and but Mishma has been associated by some also been placed in the territory adjacent
Jacob, and the tribes and that which Moses as the Maisaimaneis, mentioned by Ptolemy to ancient Edom.
and Jesus received, and that which the [vi., 7, 21]. They were desert dwellers who Of the sons of Jokshan, Sheba has been
Prophets received from their Lord. We lived to the nOltheast of Medina. Mecca and connected with the Arabian Sabcans, men-
make no distinction between any of them, Medina are the cities which later became tioned in Job 6:19. Dedan was the father
and unto Him we have surrendered." the focus of Islam. They lie six-hundred- of a tribe of Arab traders, mentioned in
There are many simi lar verses that ex- plUS miles southeast of Israel, on the west Jeremiah 25:23. Both tribes are mentioned
press the same idea: Islam was given coast of the Arabian Peninsula. in Ezekiel 38. Some have linked them to
through Abraham and Ishmael. One final In the location of tribal place names, today 's wealthy Arab oil sheikhdoms.
quotation from Surah XIV, called many sources arc quoted by Keil and The tribes descended from the Asshurim,
"Abraham," makes the patriarch the literal DeIitzsch. The name Dumah has been re- Letushim and Leummim have been asso-
founder of Islam: tained in the place name "Dumat el lendeI." ciated with ancient warring tribes that
"35. And when Abraham said: My Lord! To the northeast of Dumah, lies Massa. ranged in the vicinity of modem Baghdad.
Make safe this territory, and preserve me Hadad lor Hadar] lies on the Arabian east Historical traces of the sons of Midian,
and my sons from serving idols. coast, belween Bahrain and Oman. Ephah and Epher are uncertain. But Hanoch
"36. My Lord! Lo! they have led many The tribal name of Tema is preserved in has been identified with a village north of
of mankind astray. but whoso followeth the modem town of Taima rTayma], which Medina. Abidah and Eldaah are said to have
me , he verily is of me. And whoso lies almost due north of Mecca. been wanderers in central Arabia.
disobeyeth me - Still Thou art Forgiv- letur and Naphish lived in the territory
ing, Mercifu l. east of the Jordan River. From Jetur came Esau's Hatred or His Own People
"37. Our Lord! Lo! I have settled some of the Hureans, who lived in the mountainous We mentioned earlier that Genesis 25
my posterity in an uncultivable valley near highlands of southeastern Syria. They may also tells the story ofEsau, who so despised
unto Thy holy House. our Lord! that they be the progenitors of the modern Druse. his blessed birthright that he sold it to his
may establish proper worship; so incline Kedemah '5 offspring are said to be untrace- twin brother, Jacob, for a bowl of red stew.
some hearts of men that they may yearn to- able, but they certainly dwelt in the Ara· He is remembered as the father of Edom,
ward them, and provide Thou them with bian Peninsula. the Hebrew word for "red," symbol of
fruits in order that they may be thankful. Genesis 25: 16 uses the phrase, "... by blood and war. It must be remembered that
"38. Our Lord! Lo! Thou knowesl that their tOWIIS, alld by their castles."' We have the birthright fell to Jacob in the wake of
which we hide and that which we proclaim. traced some of their towns. The term, classic sibling rivalry. It began in Rebecca's
Nothing in the earth or in the heaven is "castles" is translated from a Hebrew word womb and continued throughout the lives
hidden from Allah. that means. "an encircled arrangement of of both men. Their ongoing contention is
"39. Praise be to Allah Who hath given tents," or a "tent city." This word aptly de- in perfect accord wilh the Arab tradition
me, in myoId age, Ishmael and Isaac! Lo! scribes the tent villages of the Bedouin of the blood feud.
my Lord is indeed the Hearer of Prayer." tribes, who for millennia have wandered the Jacob was a quiet man who loved the
Here. Abraham is shown referring to the desert in trading caravans. It seems a vir- indoor life, even to the point ofleaming to
"holy House" - Mecca - as the place tual certainty that many of them carry the cook. Esau was a skilled hunter and
where some of his posterity were sent. blood of Ishmael to this day. outdoorsman who provided meat for the
From the Islamic point of view, this was table. When Esau took his birthright lightly,
his primary activity in life. Isaac is cer- The Geography of Keturah 's Sons it revealed a grave lack of spiritual discern-
tainly mentioned, but Ishmael is the pri- Are any of Keturah's descendants still ment on his part. For him. life was a mat-
mary recipient of the blessing. alive in the region, today? Certainly, it ter of success in the hunt. He valued the
seems highly unlikely that the bloodlines work of his own hands. Jacob , while
Where Did They Go '! from patriarchal days have entirely perished spiritually immature, is pictured in Scripture
Referring back to the names ofTshmael's from the scene, as some content. Rather. it as a man who fought for - and attained-
sons, as given in Genesis 25: 12-18, we can seems more likely that they have become both the birthright and the blessing that came
make several historical connections . The mingled with the genealogies from sojourn- through Abraham and Isaac. Later, his quest
first two sons, Nabajoth and Kedar are ers of millennia past. Centuries of trade and was rewarded with great maturity of spirit.
mentioned in Isaiah 60:7 as wealthy shep- travel have certainly diluted the purity of When it finally dawned on Esau that
herds, blessed of the Lord. Certain com- tribal lineages. But even though thinned, Jacob had taken both treasures from him,
mentators have said that they are the same the original bloodlines are undoubtedly still he tearfully begged Isaac to give him a
as the "Nabatoei el Cedrei"of the histo- present in the area. blessing, anyway. But his father 's conso-
rian Pliny. In other words, the Nabateans In the case of the sons of Keturah, given lalion was thin indeed:
were the vaunted possessors of Petra. It in Genesis 25: I and following, attempts to "And Isaac hisfatheranswered and said
was their capital, but their territory ex- trace them are questionable, at best. But unto him, Behold, thy dwelling shall be the
tended to the south, as well as the north- some have said that her first son. Zimran, fatness of the earth, and of the dew of
east, probably as far as Babylon. has historical traces thai tie him 10 a royal heaven from above;
Keil and Delitzsch write, "The name city west of Mecca, on the Red Sea. "A nd by thy sword shalt thou live, and
[Nabataeans) was afterwards transferred to Jokshan has been linked with the Jakish shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come
all the uibes to the east of the Jordan, and in tribe of southern Arabia. to pass when thou shalt have Ihe domin-
the Nabataean writings became a common Medan and Midian have been tentatively ion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off
name for Chaideans (ancient Babylonians), identified with cities on the Persian Gulf. thy neck.
Syrians, Canaanites, and others." Ishmak has been identified with Shobeck, "And Esau hated Jacob because of the
Prophecy In the News 15

16. blessing wherewith his f ather blessed him: Why hatred? Esau's pride caused him of Israel may be no more in remembrance,
and £sau said in his heart, The days of to spurn his birthright, then to attempt to "For they have consulted togeth£r with one
mournillgformyfatherareat halld; then will regain it by destroying Jacob (and the Is- consent: they are confederate against rhee:
I slay my brother Jacob " (Genesis 27:39-41). rael of his posterity), Hi s posterity are still "The tabernacles of Edam, alld the
And from history, we know that Esau trying to do it today. Various cooperating Ishmaelites; of Moab, alld the Hagarenes;
lived out this prophecy. His reputation for groups among the Arab League take turns "Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; the
the sword is characteristic of everything we in attempting to drive Israel into the sea, Philistines with the inhabitants ofTyre;
learn about A I <:Iu cuilurt;: ill gt:ut:ntL is it a Whether by chicanery or outright attack, "AS,fUr also is joined with them: they
coincidence that today's Saudi Arabian flag they intend to regain the losl birthright. have holpen the childrell of Lot. Selah"
bears the image of the sword? One might In R omans, Paul quotes the prophet (Psalm 83:1-8),
objeel Ihal the Edomiles are not the Arabs. Malachi, who points to God's latter-day Here, in one compact statement, is the
But after three millennia of intermarriage. judgment of Esau and Edom; conclusion of the maUer. This prayer cries
loday 's Arabs certainly carry at least a part "I have loved yOII, saith the LORD. Yet o ut to God for j ustice. Yet, to the present
of the Edomite bloodline. ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was day, it has not been fu lfilled. l n fact, it will
Isaac's prophecy states that Edam would not Esau Jacob's brother? saith the LORD: not be fUlly answered until the Day of the
dwell near "thefamessoft/le earth." Some yet I lOlled Jacob, Lord. It anticipates the fi ery destruction
have pointed out that in Hebrew, this pas- "And 1 hated Esau, and laid his moun- that will clear the way for God's earthly
sage li terall y means, " the oil of the tains and his heritage wa.uefor the drag- Kingdom.
ground." T hey have wondered aloud ons of the wi/demess. Under Islam, the ancient tribes who have
whether this might be a reference to latter- "Whereas Edolll saith, We are impover- for centuries been Israel's enemies, arc unitell
day Arab o il wealth. Certainly, this could ished, but we will retum and build the deso- around a single objective: e liminate the Zi-
be the case. lale places: thus saith the LORD of hosts, onist cause; make Israel cease to exist.
But Esau (and hence Edom). was lold They shall build, bur I will throw dowlI; In this psalm, we see the sons of Esau,
by Isaac that he would serve Jacob. Esau and they shall call them, The border of Ishmae l, KelUrah and Hagar. Even the na-
immediately and fo rever rejected this no- wickedlless, alld, Th e people against whom tion of Gebal- the ancient inhabitants of
tion, and hi s heart burned with hatred for the LORD hath indignation for ever. Lebanon - enter tl!e fray. Ammon , the
the wily Jacob. He vowed to kill his schem- "Alld yOUT eyes .flrafl see, and ye shall tribes east of the Jordan and Amalek the
ing twin brother, but was never successful say, Th e LORD will be magnifiedfrom the son of Esau also joins the general pact to
in this determination. Nevertheless, his lust border of Israel" (Malachi 1:2-5). destroy Israel.
for blood revenge set the tone for Edom, Once, Edom was greal, even in its alli- The Phil istines - the ancient peoples of
past, present and future. ance with Rome in the Herooian dynasty the Mediterranean Sea - and the lalter-
Such is God's abhorrence for Edo m that of the first century. To the disgust of the day legion of those gathered under the ban-
an e ntire book of the Old Testament is de- Jews, the Edomite eagle was even placed ner of the Palestine Liberation Organ il'.a-
voted to prophesying its doom. The prophet upon the Temple mount. Then, like Rome, tion, clamo rs for Israel's dem ise, eve n
Obadiah was given this task. He points to it fe ll into disrepute, and the bloodline of while pretending to make peace.
the sin of Edom's pride, dwelling as he its leadership fi ltered into the Mjddle East Today, the "inhabitants of Tyre" are
does, "in the clefts of the rock, " which and throughout the nations. comprised of a loose gathering of terror-
many have seen as Petra , home of the But, just as Malachi prophesied, they ists and gang-lords, reveling under the pro-
Edomites. Even the Edomite symbol, the have returned to rebuild the desolate places. tection of Iran and Syria. Their specialty is
eagle, is witnessed by Obadiah, as he Its people are part of the United Arab Re- coward ly hit-and-run g uerri lla warfare.
writes, "Though thou exalt thyself like the public, which sees itself as poised on the They, too, have accepted the myth of the
eagle, and though thou set thy lIe."t among verge of a golden age, in which power will ancient covenant , .. one which says that il
the stars, thence willI bring thee down, once again now back into a glorious Arab was Ishmae l who, along with Abraham,
saith the Lord" (Obadiah 1:4). union that controls the e ntire Middle EasL founded their religious cause at Mecca.
In this and other prophecies, Edom is People of the Islamic fa ith believe they are Assur [Assyria] no longer exists as a dis-
seen as being judged in the Day of the Lord. carrying out the blessing that God bestowed crete nation. Yet, its progeny thrive. They
This means that in God's eyes, the nation upon Abraham thro ugh Ishmael. But, as comprise the peoples of the Mesopotamian
of Edom is still in existence. And so it is, warned by Malachi and others, they will find valley ... Syria, Iraq and Jordan.
among the blood-feuding sons of the desert. themselves the objects of God's wrath. And fin all y, there are the "children of
T illustrating the difference between
n Lot," It will be remembered that Lot's two
God 's natural posterity and His spi ritual A Prophetic Psalm daughters were impregnated by their fa ther.
c hildre n, the Apostle Paul wrote; The 83rd psalm is a prayer for victory The eldest bore a son whom she named
"And nOl only this; but when Rebecca against God's enemies, It perfectly depicts Moab , Th e son of the yo unges t was
also had conceived by Olle, even by our the pres e nt-day alignment of Edom , Ammon. Their respective countries were
father Isaac; Ishmael and the offspring of Keturah: loosely interconnected with the nonhwest-
"(For the childrell being not yet hom, lIei- " Keep not thou silence. 0 God: hold nor ern region of the Arabian Peninsul a. It was
ther having done any good or evil, lhat lhe thy peace, and be not still, 0 God. through these te rritories that the o utcast
purpose of God accordillg to election might "For, 1 thine enemies makea tumult: and
0, sons of Abraham passed on their way to
stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) they that hate thee have lifted up the head, the heart of Ihe vast Arabian desert.
"It was said unto her, The elder shall "They have tal<en crafty COWlSei against thy Today, these disinherited children cry out
serve the younger. people, and consulted againslihy hidden ones. for revenge and dominance in the Middle
"As it is written, Jacob have I loved, bur "They have said, Come, and let liS cut EasL They demand by force the land which
Esall have I hated" (Romans 9: 10- 13). them offfrom being a nation; that the name God gave by covenant to Abraham.
16 Prophecy in the News