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What About the Arabs?

A Visitor asks - Why do the Arabs and the Jews fight each other so much?

A lot of Bible prophecies say that God will eventually restore Israel to be a great kingdom, with Jesus ruling as their king.

Prophecies also say that Israel will eventually get all the land that God gave them. Yet much of this land is now occupied or claimed by Arabs.

Does all of this mean that God dislikes Arabs and is someday going to wipe them out?

Bible Bell's Response

The questioner raises two main points...

#1 - Does God dislike Arabs?
#2 - Will God someday destroy the Arabs?

In the discussions below, we will seek to...

Answer these two questions.
Summarize some of the Bible's main prophecies concerning the future of the Arabs.

#1 - Does God dislike Arabs?

Of course God does NOT dislike Arabs.

God loves all people, regardless of race or national origin.
God desires that ALL people should come to repentance.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3.16

(God is...) not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. 2 Pet 3.9

#2 - Will God someday destroy the Arabs?

God will NOT "wipe out" the Arabs.

There is nothing in God's promises to Israel that would require or even infer the need to destroy the Arabs.
In fact, God has promised future BLESSINGS to the Arabs.
To explain these statements, let's take a brief look at some Bible verses...

Descendants of Abraham

Abraham is "patriarch" of the Arabs AND the Jews...

Abraham's first son was Ishmael, born of Hagar.
So he (Abraham) went in to Hagar, and she conceived. Gen 16.4a

And the Angel of the Lord said to her (Hagar): "Behold, you are with child, and you shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, because the Lord has heard your affliction." Gen 16.11

Abraham's second son was Isaac, born of Sarah.
And Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him -- whom Sarah bore to him -- Isaac. Gen 21.3

Many Arabs are descended from Abraham's son, Ishmael.
The Jews are descended from Abraham's son, Isaac. (But some Arabs are ALSO descended from Isaac, as we shall see further down.)

God's Promises Concerning the Sons of Abraham

Promises concerning Isaac...

God promised that He would make His Covenant with Isaac.
This is the Covenant from whence ensued the Law, the land of Israel, the Bible, and the birth of the Savior, Jesus.
(God said...) "Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac. I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his descendants after him. Gen 17.19

Promises concerning Ishmael...

God promised that He would make Ishmael a great nation.
From this promise ensued what we see today - more than 20 Arab nations, occupying a vast area of oil-rich land.
God has indeed BLESSED the Arabs!
(God told Abraham...) "And as for Ishmael, I have heard you. 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 17.20

Other Arab Descendants of Abraham

Abraham married Keturah after his wife, Sarah, died...

Keturah bore Abraham six sons.
Many Arabs trace their genealogies to these six sons.
Accordingly, some Arabs are descended from Ishmael. Others are descended from the six sons of Keturah. ALL are descended from Abraham.
Abraham again took a wife, and her name was Keturah. And she bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. Gen 25.1-2

Arab Descendants of Isaac

Abraham's son, Isaac, had twin sons -- Jacob and Esau.

The descendants of Esau and his Canaanite wives are Arabs.
The descendants of Jacob and his four wives are Jews.
So when her (Isaac's wife, Rebekah) days were fulfilled for her to give birth, indeed there were twins in her womb. And the first came out red. He was like a hairy garment all over; so they called his name Esau. Afterward his brother came out, and his hand took hold of Esau's heel; so his name was called Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them. Gen 25.24-26

Arabs and Jews Are "Blood Relatives"

Arab's and Jews are descended from the same person -- Abraham.

Arabs and Jews are descended from half-brothers - Ishmael and Isaac.

Arabs and Jews are descended from twin brothers - Esau and Jacob.

NOW NOTICE THIS...

Family Feud!

The half-brothers, Ishmael and Isaac, did NOT get along with each other.
So the child (Isaac) grew and was weaned. And Abraham made a great feast on the same day that Isaac was weaned. And Sarah saw the son (Ishmael) of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, scoffing (mocking Isaac). Gen 21.8-9

The twin brothers, Esau and Jacob, did NOT get along with each other. 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.'' (because of Jacob's deceit) Gen 27.41

And today, the Arabs and Jews -- descendants of these two pairs of feuding brothers -- STILL do not get along together.

One might say that it's the longest family feud in history!

Prophecies Concerning the Arabs

The verses alongside show that Arabs and Jews will ultimately be LINKED TOGETHER, as a blessing from God in the midst of the land.

NOTE CONCERNING THE PROPHETIC BOOKS OF THE BIBLE: Egypt, Assyria, Edom, and Mount Seir are often used as symbolic terms for ALL Arab people. By the same token, Israel, Jacob, and Ephraim are often used as symbolic terms for ALL Jewish people.
In that day (the last days) there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian will come into Egypt and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians will serve with the Assyrians.

In that day Israel will be one of three with Egypt and Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land, whom the Lord of hosts shall bless, saying, "Blessed is Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel My inheritance.'' Isa 19.23-25 (see also Jer 12.14-17)

Finally, in the last days, the Arabs who live in Israel at that time will be allotted a share of the land, TOGETHER with the tribes of Israel...

God has decreed that the family feud between Arabs and Jews shall one day be ended.
In that day, Ishmael and Isaac shall at last embrace. And Esau and Jacob shall embrace.
And Arab and Jew -- as brothers should -- shall at long last EMBRACE one another.

No, God will NOT "wipe out" the Arabs. Neither will He allow ANY nation or force to wipe out the Jews.
It shall be that you (the Jews) will divide it (the land God gave Israel) by lot as an inheritance for yourselves, and for the strangers (Arabs) who sojourn among you and who bear children among you. They shall be to you as native-born among the children of Israel; they (the Arabs) shall have an inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel. Ezek 47.21-22

For the Lord will have mercy on Jacob, and will still choose Israel, and settle them (the Jews) in their own land. The strangers (Arabs) will be joined with them, and they will cling to the house of Jacob. Isa 14.1

Peace Like a River

And there shall be peace at last. World peace! LASTING peace...

Not by the efforts of humankind.
But by the settled decree of God Almighty! Amen.
For thus says the Lord: "Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream. then you shall feed; on her sides shall you be carried, and be dandled on her knees." Isa 66.12

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What About the Arabs?
A Visitor asks - Why do the Arabs and the Jews fight each other so much? A lot of Bible prophecies say that God will eventually restore Israel to be a great kingdom, with Jesus ruling as their king. Prophecies also say that Israel will eventually get all the land that God gave them. Yet much of this land is now occupied or claimed by Arabs. Does all of this mean that God dislikes Arabs and is someday going to wipe them out?
Bible Bell's Response
The questioner raises two main points... #1 - Does God dislike Arabs? #2 - Will God someday destroy the Arabs? In the discussions below, we will seek to... Answer these two questions. Summarize some of the Bible's main prophecies concerning the future of the Arabs.
#1 - Does God dislike Arabs? Of course God does NOT dislike Arabs. God loves all people, regardless of race or national origin. God desires that ALL people should come to repentance.		For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3.16 (God is...) not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. 2 Pet 3.9
#2 - Will God someday destroy the Arabs? God will NOT "wipe out" the Arabs. There is nothing in God's promises to Israel that would require or even infer the need to destroy the Arabs. In fact, God has promised future BLESSINGS to the Arabs. To explain these statements, let's take a brief look at some Bible verses...
Descendants of Abraham Abraham is "patriarch" of the Arabs AND the Jews... Abraham's first son was Ishmael, born of Hagar.		So he (Abraham) went in to Hagar, and she conceived. Gen 16.4a And the Angel of the Lord said to her (Hagar): "Behold, you are with child, and you shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, because the Lord has heard your affliction." Gen 16.11
Abraham's second son was Isaac, born of Sarah.		And Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him -- whom Sarah bore to him -- Isaac. Gen 21.3
Many Arabs are descended from Abraham's son, Ishmael. The Jews are descended from Abraham's son, Isaac. (But some Arabs are ALSO descended from Isaac, as we shall see further down.)
God's Promises Concerning the Sons of Abraham Promises concerning Isaac... God promised that He would make His Covenant with Isaac. This is the Covenant from whence ensued the Law, the land of Israel, the Bible, and the birth of the Savior, Jesus.		(God said...) "Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac. I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his descendants after him. Gen 17.19
Promises concerning Ishmael... God promised that He would make Ishmael a great nation. From this promise ensued what we see today - more than 20 Arab nations, occupying a vast area of oil-rich land. God has indeed BLESSED the Arabs!		(God told Abraham...) "And as for Ishmael, I have heard you. 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 17.20
Other Arab Descendants of Abraham Abraham married Keturah after his wife, Sarah, died... Keturah bore Abraham six sons. Many Arabs trace their genealogies to these six sons. Accordingly, some Arabs are descended from Ishmael. Others are descended from the six sons of Keturah. ALL are descended from Abraham.		Abraham again took a wife, and her name was Keturah. And she bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. Gen 25.1-2
Arab Descendants of Isaac Abraham's son, Isaac, had twin sons -- Jacob and Esau. The descendants of Esau and his Canaanite wives are Arabs. The descendants of Jacob and his four wives are Jews.		So when her (Isaac's wife, Rebekah) days were fulfilled for her to give birth, indeed there were twins in her womb. And the first came out red. He was like a hairy garment all over; so they called his name Esau. Afterward his brother came out, and his hand took hold of Esau's heel; so his name was called Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them. Gen 25.24-26
Arabs and Jews Are "Blood Relatives" Arab's and Jews are descended from the same person -- Abraham. Arabs and Jews are descended from half-brothers - Ishmael and Isaac. Arabs and Jews are descended from twin brothers - Esau and Jacob. NOW NOTICE THIS...
Family Feud! The half-brothers, Ishmael and Isaac, did NOT get along with each other.		So the child (Isaac) grew and was weaned. And Abraham made a great feast on the same day that Isaac was weaned. And Sarah saw the son (Ishmael) of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, scoffing (mocking Isaac). Gen 21.8-9
The twin brothers, Esau and Jacob, did NOT get along with each other.		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.'' (because of Jacob's deceit) Gen 27.41
And today, the Arabs and Jews -- descendants of these two pairs of feuding brothers -- STILL do not get along together. One might say that it's the longest family feud in history!
Prophecies Concerning the Arabs The verses alongside show that Arabs and Jews will ultimately be LINKED TOGETHER, as a blessing from God in the midst of the land. NOTE CONCERNING THE PROPHETIC BOOKS OF THE BIBLE: Egypt, Assyria, Edom, and Mount Seir are often used as symbolic terms for ALL Arab people. By the same token, Israel, Jacob, and Ephraim are often used as symbolic terms for ALL Jewish people.		In that day (the last days) there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian will come into Egypt and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians will serve with the Assyrians. In that day Israel will be one of three with Egypt and Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land, whom the Lord of hosts shall bless, saying, "Blessed is Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel My inheritance.'' Isa 19.23-25 (see also Jer 12.14-17)
Finally, in the last days, the Arabs who live in Israel at that time will be allotted a share of the land, TOGETHER with the tribes of Israel... God has decreed that the family feud between Arabs and Jews shall one day be ended. In that day, Ishmael and Isaac shall at last embrace. And Esau and Jacob shall embrace. And Arab and Jew -- as brothers should -- shall at long last EMBRACE one another. No, God will NOT "wipe out" the Arabs. Neither will He allow ANY nation or force to wipe out the Jews.		It shall be that you (the Jews) will divide it (the land God gave Israel) by lot as an inheritance for yourselves, and for the strangers (Arabs) who sojourn among you and who bear children among you. They shall be to you as native-born among the children of Israel; they (the Arabs) shall have an inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel. Ezek 47.21-22 For the Lord will have mercy on Jacob, and will still choose Israel, and settle them (the Jews) in their own land. The strangers (Arabs) will be joined with them, and they will cling to the house of Jacob. Isa 14.1
Peace Like a River And there shall be peace at last. World peace! LASTING peace... Not by the efforts of humankind. But by the settled decree of God Almighty! Amen.		For thus says the Lord: "Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream. then you shall feed; on her sides shall you be carried, and be dandled on her knees." Isa 66.12