The Arabs

Keypoints on this page
	Abraham is the common ancestor of both Jews and Arabs.
	The Bible has lots of information about the history of the Jewish and Arab nations.
	There are also prophecies in the Bible about Jews, Arabs, and current events in the Middle East.

A dictionary defines ‘Arab’ as ‘One of the Semitic people inhabiting Arabia and neighbouring countries’ [Chambers dictionary].  

This immediately links the Arabs as being both descendants of Shem (one of the three patriarchal lines from Noah identified in the Bible) and also near neighbours of the other Semitic people of the Bible, the Hebrews (later the Jews).  The Bible is interested in the Arab peoples because they are also descendants of Abraham and his near relatives.

The whole history of the problems in the Middle East in the last 100 years has its roots in the ‘family’ relationships between Arabs and Jews that can be traced back to the earliest Old Testament writings.  These family relationships can be better understood by exploring the historical books of the Bible.

Abraham - the ancestor
In Genesis, the first book of the Bible, we are told of the call of Abraham from the ancient city of Ur (in present-day Iraq).  Abraham obeyed God’s call to move to a land of future prosperity and blessing.  Such was Abraham’s faith and trust in God that God rewarded him - with promises concerning a future reward in the ‘promised land’ that he never actually possessed.  

These promises also concerned his descendants, but Abraham had to wait a long time (25 years) for one ‘special’ descendant to be born.  Meanwhile, his childless wife Sarai attempted to build a family by means of her slave, an Egyptian maidservant called Hagar [Genesis 16.1-4].  After mistreatment by her mistress, the pregnant Hagar ran away but was found by an angel of God who gave her a promise:

‘Go back to your mistress and submit to her…I will so increase your descendants that they will be too numerous to count’ [Genesis 16.9,10 NIV]. 

Furthermore, the messenger of God instructed her to name the male child, when born, ‘Ishmael’, which has the meaning ‘God hears’.  Even before his birth, the angelic messenger described his characteristics in these words: 

‘You are now with child and you will have a son.  You shall name him Ishmael, for the LORD has heard of your misery. He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone’s hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers’ [Genesis 16. 11,12 NIV]. 

Ishmael
To Abraham, God said:

‘And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation’ [Genesis 17. 20 NIV]. 

When the boy Ishmael was about 14 years old, Abraham’s wife finally gave birth to the ‘promised son’ Isaac.  After family tension, she sent Hagar and Ishmael away.  Again, God intervened in their lives, gave them water in the desert, and told Hagar:

‘Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation’ [Genesis 21.18 NIV]. 

At the time of Abraham’s death, Ishmael and Isaac were re-united as they buried their father in the cave that the patriarch had purchased, since God’s promise to give him the land had not yet been fulfilled.  In Genesis, we are told that Ishmael died at 137 years of age.  He had 12 sons, tribal rulers whose names were Nebaioth, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah [Genesis 25.13-17].    

We are able to trace these names in the Old Testament and see prophetic connections to them as people or the areas where they lived.  The most memorable event that followed was when Joseph was sold to travelling Ishmaelites, who sold him into Egypt [Genesis 37.27,28].  These people descended from Abraham, had developed into a recognisable population, travelling and trading spices, balm and myrrh throughout the area of the Middle East, known as ‘the fertile crescent’, with camels as their means of transport and livestock as their livelihood.   

Historical links to the descendants of Ishmael
As well as the sons mentioned above, Ishmael also had a daughter, Basemath, who married Esau the grandson of Abraham and brother of Jacob.  Esau became Edom, meaning ‘red', and inhabited the hill country of Seir towards the Arabian Peninsula and the great Arabian Desert.  Another of the grandsons of Esau was Amalek, whose descendants are remembered as the first tribe to attack the Israelites after their release from Egypt.   

Other sons of Abraham, by his wife Keturah, were given gifts by Abraham and sent away into the east country where they prospered [Genesis 25.2,6].  The Midianites became a thorn in the side of Israel after they had entered the land of Canaan from Egypt.  Such was the oppressive nature of their occupation that the Israelites were forced to flee their homes and lived in caves and mountains.  The Midianites carried everything before them that could be taken as food.  In the Old Testament book of Judges we read: 

‘Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples invaded the country.  They camped on the land and ruined the crops all the way to Gaza and did not spare a living thing for Israel, neither sheep nor cattle nor donkeys. They came up with their livestock and their tents like swarms of locusts.  It was impossible to count the men and their camels; they invaded the land to ravage it. Midian so impoverished the Israelites that they cried out to the LORD for help’ [Judges 6.3– 6 NIV].  

Growing together
The account of the deliverance under Gideon is one of many that God accomplished to demonstrate His purpose with Israel.  He said:

‘Because this nation ( Israel) has violated the covenant that I laid down for their forefathers and has not listened to me, I will no longer drive out before them any of the nations Joshua left when he died.  I will use them to test Israel and see whether they will keep the way of the LORD and walk in it as their forefathers did’ [Judges 2. 20–22 NIV].  

This time of the Judges finds many parallels with the situation in Israel today.  We see tribes or nations having a common ancestry, growing up alongside each other, and competing for the best land and resources under the overall direction of God’s purpose.  Great promises had been given to the Israelites, but that brought a great responsibility both to serve God and to keep separate from the surrounding peoples.  Peace was only achieved under kings like David and Solomon.  

Later prophecies about Ishmael's descendants
The name of Ishmael’s firstborn was Nebaioth, meaning ‘fruitfulness.’  Later in Israel’s history, at the time of King Hezekiah (around 700 BC), the prophet foretold the future glory of Zion ( Jerusalem – the city of peace) which has yet to be fulfilled: 

‘…the riches of the nations will come. Herds of camels will cover your land, young camels of Midian and Ephah. And all from Sheba will come, bearing gold and incense and proclaiming the praise of the LORD.  All Kedar’s flocks will be gathered to you, the rams of Nebaioth will serve you; they will be accepted as offerings on my altar, and I will adorn my glorious temple’ [Isaiah 60. 5-7 NIV].  

The names highlighted in this passage are all descendants of Abraham listed in Genesis chapter 25.  This prophecy of Isaiah looks forward to a time when the non-Jewish, Abrahamic nations will acknowledge God and come and worship at the temple in Jerusalem.  In order to do this, they must still exist, and the nation of Israel must be restored to the land of promise.  From these verses alone we see the futures of these nations inextricably linked.  The outcome will be peace:  

‘No longer will violence be heard in your land, nor ruin or destruction within your borders, but you will call your walls Salvation and your gates Praise… for the LORD will be your everlasting light’ [Isaiah 60. 18,19 NIV]. 

Arabia by name
There are two specific prophecies in the Old Testament concerning Edom. The first of these in Isaiah is enigmatic but calls Edom by the name ‘Dumah’, a word play on the name meaning ‘stillness’.   This is a reference to the future decimation of many of its inhabitants [Isaiah 21.11,12].  In Ezekiel’s prophecy, God promised a wasting vengeance on Edom because they took revenge on Judah [Ezekiel 25.12-14].  This covers Teman and Dedan, names we have seen from Genesis.  In the book of Isaiah we find this prophecy about Arabia:

‘…You caravans of Dedanites, who camp in the thickets of Arabia, bring water for the thirsty; you who live in Tema, bring food for the fugitives.  They flee from the sword, from the drawn sword, from the bent bow and from the heat of battle. This is what the LORD says to me: “within one year, as a servant bound by contract would count it, all the pomp of Kedar will come to an end. The survivors of the bow men, the warriors of Kedar, will be few.”  The LORD, the God of Israel, has spoken’ [Isaiah 21. 13-17 NIV].

This prophecy is so specific - it had a time-limited fulfilment.  Yet perhaps it also explains why, for a good few hundred years until the middle of the first millennium AD, the Arabs were mainly confined to the Arabian peninsula until the great flowering of Arabian culture which expanded throughout the Mediterranean region with the spread of Islam. 

But to be quite clear, God did not single out these nations.  Many more are included as well as his own ‘special’ nation of Israel, who were supposed to be an example of a God-fearing people.  However they were ultimately so wayward as to put their Messiah to death and so seal their expulsion from Jerusalem for nigh on 2,000 years.

Promises because of faith
It is clear from the Bible that God called Abraham and promised him eternal possession of the land of Canaan.  This promise has yet to be fulfilled.  The descendants of Abraham, notwithstanding their genetic links, need to show faith in God to please him and so receive that inheritance in the future kingdom of God.  The apostle, writing in the letter to the Hebrews (Abraham’s descendants!), says that even Abraham is still waiting for his reward: 

‘By faith he (Abraham) made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God…All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance…’[Hebrews 11. 9,10,13 NIV]. 

Arab market in Beersheba

Modern day Arab nations
Since 1945 there has existed a loose confederation of Arab nations called the Arab League that has held many meetings and summits to discuss cultural, economic, and political issues affecting the member nations.  

The chart lists the members of the Arab League with their ancient geographical counterparts. Some of the oldest cities are still identifiable.  For example: Damascus in Syria, Haran (or Harran) in Turkey, Amman (Rabbath-Ammon) in Jordan, and Tyre and Sidon in Lebanon.

Does the Bible have anything to say about these modern nations? 

Psalm 83
Since the time of King David, this Psalm has been on record as a plea to God for deliverance from the surrounding nations who are termed ‘your enemies.’  We know from Christ’s use of the Psalms that they are prophetic in nature. 

The parallels in history cannot be lost on Bible students.  Israel is in the land and a confederacy of nations surround her.  This is what the Psalmist says: 

 ‘See how your enemies are astir, how your foes rear their heads. With cunning they conspire against your people; they plot against those you cherish. “Come,” they say, “let us destroy them as a nation, that the name of Israel be remembered no more.”  With one mind they plot together; they form an alliance against you – the tents of  Edom and the Ishmaelites, of Moab and the Hagrites, Gebal, Ammon and Amalek, Philistia, with the people of Tyre. Even Assyria has joined them to lend strength to the descendants of Lot’ [Psalm 83. 2-8 NIV].

Clearly, the Ishmaelites are here identified with those other tribes and nations whose modern territory is part of the Arab League.  For many years, the declared intention of those nations surrounding Israel was to push her into the sea so that Israel would no longer be a nation.

Why did the Psalmist write this?  During the reign of David and his son Solomon, the threat from these nations was contained by military means.  Later on, Aram ( Syria) was the ascendant power, followed by Assyria and Babylon.  It is only in our own times that the arrangement of the nations is such that there is a confederate threat from these Ishmaelite nations.  The nations of the Middle East have grownup together and achieved colonial independence from their European rulers, only in the 20th Century!  Only God knew this!

'All the trees'
Jesus spoke a prophetic parable to tell his followers about things at the end of the age:

“…Look at the fig-tree and all the trees.  When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near” [Luke 21.29-31 NIV].

Here, Jesus is using figurative language to describe the emergence of nations.  The fig tree is a symbol of the nation of Israel. [Hosea 9.10; Joel 1.7] So what are we to make of the sprouting of all these new nations in the Middle East?  Israel has not sprouted on its own!  God’s declared purpose is to set up His kingdom with Jerusalem as it’s capital city. But, terrible times are in store for that city as foretold by God through the prophecy of Zechariah:

“I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that sends all the surrounding peoples reeling. Judah will be besieged as well as Jerusalem. On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves. On that day I will strike every horse with panic and its rider with madness,” declares the LORD.  “I will keep a watchful eye over the house of Judah, but I will blind all the horses of the nations…On that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that attack Jerusalem” [Zechariah12.2-4, 9 NIV].

The implication of this prophecy is that all, or most, of the nations of the world will somehow be involved in the final battle for Jerusalem.  The Ishmaelite or Arab nations will not triumph as intended but suffer the fate of all those who fight against God.

Nations versus individuals
God uses the nations and rules in the kingdom of men [Daniel 4.17] but it is with individuals that He works to create a people fit for His kingdom.  We have seen that only those who have a trusting faith, like that of the man Abraham, can truly be called ‘children of Abraham’.  We read in one of Paul’s letters: 

‘Consider Abraham: “He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham.  The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith’ [Galatians 3. 6-9 NIV].

The personal challenge for all who would inherit the kingdom of God, from whatever national, ethnic, or social group, is to develop a faith and a belief in the invisible, yet all–powerful God.  He is a loving God, who has revealed himself in the words of Scripture, and manifested himself in the person of Jesus Christ, the greatest son of Abraham.