UI – Part 196 – Muslim Heritage – The Seed (II of II)

 Continued from last week…….

Prophets in Quran

What is curious about all the listing of names of Prophets (in the Quran) prior to Muhammad is the seed. The prophets referred to in every case had Isaac as their patriarch, certainly Abraham as well.  Where are the descendants of Ishmael?  These prophets are those which Muhammad uses to establish his religion or ideology.

How is Ishmael not more important from a historical perspective in determining the right path for Muslims?  The seed of Isaac continues and at its end we have the birth of Jesus, the Virgin Mary his mother in the line of David, and back to Isaac (not Ishmael).  It is the New Covenant, the New Testament, and the Birth of Christianity that came through the loins of Isaac.

Muhammad, who claims Moses named him as a successor in Deuteronomy 18:15-18, is making light of the brethren of Israel, Moses own people, to whom Moses refers in Deuteronomy.  More than in just this verse, but repeatedly.  The brethren of Israel, or Jacob, the son of Isaac, and so on, are Jews.  Muhammad is using the Bible.  He only knew the Bible.  His revelations were Bible stories, not a history of his Arab Peninsula people, except as they are Gentiles, as were all of us who were not Jews.  If you understand and believe, as Gentiles we collectively inherited the Covenant of God, as a New Covenant, with the ultimate sacrifice made by Jesus for the sins of mankind.  (Jews are included if they so discern the New Covenant is all inclusive).  Muhammad cannot be like Moses, a successor from among the Jews.  The Muslim community would not accept that, yet that is their claim. 

I must note there are Arabs, Thamud & Ad, discussed in the Sura Hud. But their patriarch is Noah, allowing a line even at variance to Abraham.  Still nothing streaming historically from the loins of Ishmael, except possibly Muhammad as an Arab, a ‘wild donkey of a man’ in the image of Ishmael. Also Genesis (28:6-9) tells of Esau, the twin who gave up his birthright, sold it, to his brother Jacob. Seeking a wife, knowing his brother was told not to marry a “Canaanite woman” and wanting to upset his father (Isaac) “he went to Ishmael and married Mahalath, the sister of Nebaioth and daughter of Ishmael son of Abraham, in addition to the wives he already had.”  This wife was a pagan, and thus immensely upsetting to his father as it dishonored him and was a direct insult to the stream of heritage of the blessings offered the line of Isaac.

Were the ancestors of Muhammad pagan?  To establish his ideology Muhammad had to go to the Bible.  What was Allah or Gabriel sharing?  The basis for all of Muhammad’s revelations, his dreams, was what he had learned which were then incorporated into the sequences of the workings of his mind while asleep.  If pagan, so be it, the ancestors were also Gentiles, and thus according to the Bible beneficiaries of the New Covenant and in turn children of God and brethren of Jesus Christ who provided for the salvation of those who believe.

Raising Doubts

Am I claiming Muhammad is in error?  No.  But I am raising doubts, which I share. If you explore your doubts you may discover a heart more for the God of the Bible than the Allah of the Quran.  I have personally researched both Scriptures, in depth, and have found it much easier to erase any doubts as to the facts of the Bible.  There are historical, architectural, exhaustive tests of the text and the facts, and supporting evidence found in treasures uncovered in the domain of Christ and his ancestors.  I stood in the area of the house of Ciaphas where Jesus was kept, awaiting judgment.  I walked the path and steps Christ took to the cross at Golgotha where he was executed.  I was in the land of the forefathers of those who follow the man-God Jesus who died for the sins of all mankind.  Who can follow the footsteps of Muhammad?  Who is the better example of living a perfect life; in fact the only example.  The Bible welcomes challenges, whereas the Quran does not. 

Why would Muhammad insist there be no doubt as to the truth of the Quran?  Because it might lead followers to become apostates and Christian or Jew, even pagan.

As a Muslim to doubt is to be an infidel and as in Sura 10.15 subject to chastisement of a grievous way.  Sura 11.17 and 11.109, says to Muslims ‘have no doubt in the Quran’,  22.55, ‘to doubt is to disbelieve’, and 32.2, ‘there is NO doubt’, with emphasis on the ‘revelation of the Book.  Raising doubt as to Islam, Muhammad and the Quran may be viewed as ‘persecution’, subjecting a Muslim to think about his faith, or even possibly question it.  There will be painful chastisement to those who hinder Muslims in their path.

Independent thought, the gift of intellect, the ability to discern, is God’s greatest gift to humans.  To not use it is such a waste.

Muhammad’s Inspiration

Thus, in conclusion, practically all the inspiration for Muhammad is from the Bible and people that are in the history chain leading from Isaac, Abraham’s natural born son, to Jesus Christ. It comprises the moral center of Islam.  It is not that which induces war or fighting until All is for Allah.  When a Divine prophet Jesus enters the picture, Muhammad falls into a state of denial.  He cannot accept that.  In denial he disputes all claims as to the death of Jesus, faked, and the resurrection.  The Trinity is also viewed as polytheism, where the inseparability of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is not understood (in fact viewed as ‘separate’), yet over 100 attributes of Allah are readily accepted.  (See series, 4 parts, on Islam and Trinity:  UI – Parts 167 – 171, August 22 to September 12, 2012)

Inheritance

In a recent sermon I was blessed to hear the preacher define ‘inheritance’, “as the stream of God’s Blessing in your life that flows thru family streams.” The inheritance for everyone is Christ, where the stream flows to the Godhead.  An eternal life assured by believing in Christ and being totally committed to God.  It is not wealth you inherit, but the blessings and gifts of God to those who know Him. 

Was Muhammad attempting to rob the inheritance of everyone, at least that of the Arabs (and Muslims), by denying Christ’s Divine reality? He may have realized that Ishmael was a source of grief to the family of Isaac and wanted to correct that.  But he would not classify himself as a gentile. In turn Muhammad used the Biblical Tree of Christ, the Seed of Isaac, to establish Islam, but without Christ.  It is Allah and His Messenger.

From Galatians (3:14) “Christ redeemed us in order that the blessing given Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.”

That statement includes the Arabs and all those today that refer to themselves as Muslim.  Muhammad gave all this up.  I ask why?

 The Heritage Gap for a Muslim

The Heritage of the Muslim has a major gap. You have Abraham, Ishmael and then thousands of years, lots of offspring, but none as notable and prophetic as those of the seed of Ishmael’s step-brother Isaac – until Muhammad. Muhammad’s dreams must have placed him in the family of Isaac & Jesus until his human self-reliant nature took hold and denied Christ’s Divinity.  It only makes sense.  He has taken God’s Blessing away from his followers.  Was this to establish himself in a position of authority?

 Abraham’s Seed – God’s Spirit

Muslims look back to Abraham.  They should know then, “If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” (Galatians 3:29)  That is God’s promise.  That is our inheritance, all mankind, and all that is asked is that we believe, obey and live with the Spirit as our guide.  Even the Quran makes note, Sura 15.29, “man is complete when he is filled with God’s Spirit.” Writing in Tabletalk, a publication of Ligonier Ministries (Oct 2012), Cornelis P. Venema writes, his article, The Church and Israel – The Issue, “The seed promised to Abraham in the covenant of grace is Jesus Christ.”

 Bottom Line

Without the Jews, the Christians and the Bible the Muslims would have no history, no heritage.  They would remain a pagan sect, or in all likelihood be peaceful and either Jewish or Christian.  They are in denial.

 Grace and Peace.