Abraham

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Abrahams descendants were divided into two main
groups

• Children of the East
• Hagar bore Ishmael
• After Sarah died Abraham took Keturah who bore
  him six sons.
• There were messengers in this line

• The Hebrew people
• Sarah bore Isaac in her old age
• God had many messengers in this line

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The promise to Ishmael

• Torah - Genesis 16
• Quran - Ibrahim (14), 39
• Ishmael was Abrahams first born son
• Hagar fled because of the cruelty of Sarah, not
  because Abraham put her away
• God sent an angel to name the child
• Ishmael means - Isma - listen El - God
• It is a perpetual reminder of Gods mercy
• I will make a great nation of his descendants
  (Gen 1720)

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The promise confirmed at the spring of water

• The angel said to Hagar Get to your feet, lift
  the child up and hold him in your arms, because I
  will make of him a great nation. Then God
  opened her eyes and she saw a well full of water
  she went to it, filled her waterskin and gave the
  child a drink. God was with the child, and he
  grew up and lived in the wilderness of Paran.
• Torah, Genesis 2118-20
• Quran, Maryam (19), 54,55

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Gods plan for these children of Abraham

• That they also preserve truth
• They would work in partnership with the children
  of Isaac in keeping the knowledge of God alive
• As traders they could carry the light of the
  knowledge of the true God to distant places

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Quran, Al Ankabut (29), 27

• And We gave (Abraham) Isaac and Jacob, and
  ordained among his progeny Prophethood and
  Revelation, and We granted him his reward in this
  life and he was in the hereafter (of the
  company) of the righteous.
• Isaac was Abrahams son and Jacob his grandson,
  and among his progeny was included Ismail the
  eldest son of Abraham. Each of these became a
  fountainhead of Prophecy and Revelation. Isaac
  and Jacob through Moses, and Ismail through the
  Holy Prophet Muhammad. Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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A Promise for the children of Ishmael

• In looking forward to the gathering of people
  from all nations around the throne of God in
  paradise, prophet Isaiah gave this promise
• Torah, Isaiah chapter 60, verses 6 7
• See also Isaiah chapter 42, verses 10-12

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Great caravans of camels will come, from Midian
and Ephah. They will come from Sheba, bringing
gold and incense. People will tell the good news
of what the Lord has done! All the sheep of
Kedar and Nebaioth will be brought to you as
sacrifices and offered on the alter to please the
Lord. The Lord will make his Temple more
glorious than ever. (606,7)
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Sing a new song to the Lord sing his praise, all
the world! Praise him, you that sail the sea
praise him, all creatures of the sea! Sing,
distant lands and all who live there! Let the
desert and its towns praise God let the people
of Kedar praise him! Let those who live in the
city of Sela shout for joy from the tops of the
mountains! Let those who live in distant lands
give praise and glory to the Lord! (4210-12)
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Gods activity in the children of Abraham
Abraham the Hanif
Sarai (Genesis 1129)
Hagar (Genesis 163)
Ishmael (1st born) Genesis 1615 Quran, Ibrahim
(14), 39 Baqara (2), 127
Isaac, born when Sarai old Genesis 212
Together they buried Abraham Genesis 25
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Gods plan for cooperation
Joseph rescued by Ishmaelites and Midianites
Torah, Genesis 37 Quran, Yusuf (12)
Joseph (son of Jacob, son of Isaac)
Ishmaelites Midianites
Moses given refuge and taught more about the one
God by men of the East. Torah, Exodus 2, Job
1 Quran, Al Qasas (28), 22-28
Jethro Job (Shuaib Ayyub) Quran, Al Anbiya
(21), 83, 84
Moses, son of Amram
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The partnership continues
Eastern traders provided the oil and spices for
the Hebrew worship Torah, Exodus 30
Hebrew worship in temple
Anointing oil and spices for the temple worship
Son of Isaac and Son of the East lead Hebrew
people into Canaan. Torah, Numbers 1430 Joshua
14 Quran, Al Maidah (5), 20-26
Caleb an Arab name. Calebs nephew, Othniel
became first judge of Israel (Judges 39)
Joshua
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Balaam blesses Israel, prophesies of Al Masih
Numbers 22-24 Quran Al Araf (7), 175
Jews about to enter Canaan
Balaam (son of Eastern Children)
Queen of the East brings gifts to Solomon 1 Kings
10 Quran, Al Naml (27), 23-44
Suleiman
Queen of Sheba
3 wise men from the East bring gold spices
Shepherds from the line of Isaac
Jesus Isa al Masih Luke 2 Matthew 2 Quran,
Al Imran (3), 42 - 51
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What happened to these children of the East after
Isa?
Early disciples of Isa interacted spiritually
with Arabs (Acts 2) Arabia was a refuge for Paul
(Galatians 117)
Arab followers of the Way of Isa
Jewish Gentile followers of Isa
Genuine followers of Biblical faith persecuted
by the Roman and Byzantine church Referred to in
Revelation 12 as the church in the wilderness
In northern Arabia, faithful believers stood
against the polytheism of surrounding religions
such as the multiple gods of the Nabataeans
Waldenses in N. Italy. Arab followers of the
Way and other excommunicated Christians sought
refuge and fellowship with Arabs in the dessert
of Arabia were known as Hanif
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An Era of Spiritual Darkness

• For centuries Europe had made no progress in
  learning, arts, or civilization. A moral and
  intellectual paralysis had fallen upon
  Christendom.
• My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge of
  Me. Torah, Hosea 46
• This was the result of forbidding the reading or
  study of the Bible, and enforcing human tradition
  instead of Gods truth. And using the power of
  the state to enforce religious orthodoxy.
• HOWEVER

• The era of the jahiliyah saw an increase in
  pagan worship (Nabitaeans, Tribal religions, and
  other belief systems such as Zorastrianism)

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God kept truth alive!

• Church in the wilderness preserves copies of
  the Scriptures when mainline Christianity is
  forbidding possession of the Scriptures and
  trying to destroy old copies of manuscripts.

• Hunafa Islam
• Muhammad
• Two primary truths emphasized against the
  apostasy prevailing in the area-
• One God
• Day of accountability (judgment)
• The most authoritative manuscripts of the Bible
  were preserved in Muslim countries

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The Nestorian Christians of Hirta (on Iran/Iraq
border) formed a close community, calling
themselves servants of God whose inner unity
transcended traditional Arab tribal differences.
Both Jews and Christian immigrants to the desert
found a ready welcome among those Arabs who
upheld the Mesopotamian-Abrahamic tradition.
Together , they consolidated that tradition in
Peninsular Arabia which came to be known as
Hanifiyyah. Its adherents, the hanif(s),
resisted every association of other gods with
God, refused to participate in pagan rituals, and
maintained a life of ethical purity above
reproachThe hanifs always stood above tribal
disputes and hostilities.
(Samuel Moffett, Christian Historian)
(Ismail al Faruqi, Muslim historian)
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What about Today?

• People of the Book
• looking for the coming of Isa
• proclaim the judgment hour message
• call for people to honor the Creator God
• Focus on preparing a people for the end of time.
• Avoid what God has forbidden (alcohol, pork,
  tobacco, gambling)

Hanif Gods Last Day special people
proclaiming the nearness of the end of time, the
one Creator God, day of judgment, to prepare a
people for the end of time.
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God is looking for a quality of faith among His
end time people
Allah is our Lord and your Lord For us (is the
responsibility for) our deeds, and for you for
your deeds. There is no contention between us
and you. Allah will bring us together, and to
Him is (our) final goal. Surah 42 Al Shura, vs
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My Temple will be called a house of prayer for
the people of all nations. Then I saw another
angel flying high in the air, with an eternal
message of Good News to announce to the peoples
of the earth, to every race, tribe, language, and
nation. He said in a loud voice, Honor God and
praise his greatness! For the time has come for
Him to judge mankind. Worship Him who made
heaven, earth, sea, and the springs of water!
Book of Isa, Revelation 146,7
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Say Lo! As for me, my Lord hath guided me unto a
straight path, a right religion, the community of
Abraham, the upright Hanif, who was no
idolater Say Lo! my worship and, my sacrifice
and my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of
the Worlds. Surah 6 (Al Anam), verses 161, 162