Zeev's Turnips Talk Politics (ZTTP)

[mlsoft]

webster...

Partially right. Abraham did listen to Sarah and cast Ishmael out, but only because God specifically told him to do so. God promised Abraham that He would protect and bless Ismael and make him the father of a great nation (the arabs), but that the original Abrahamic Covenant promise of a land, a seed, and the other covenant blessings would come only through the line of Isaac, through Jacob (Israel).

God did not have to rescue Ishmael because of circumstances, but because of His promises to Abraham -- God never has to do anything but to be true to His own perfect nature.

Scripture leaves no question that the covenant promises of God to Abraham are passed down through Isaac and Jacob. Ismael was never in that picture, but God, in an act of grace to Abraham, promised to make Ismael a great nation also. Scripture also prophesied that there would always be enmity between the descendents of Ismael and the descendents of Abraham through Isaac and Jacob.

mlsoft