THE DESTINY OF ISHMAEL AND ISAAC
By David Demian
Knowing God's Heart
One of the deepest journeys in my heart has been the revelation of God's heart for the descendants of Ishmael and Isaac.
I have discovered that most people who have a heart for the descendants of Isaac, do not have the same heart for the descendants of Ishmael and vice versa. It is not important who you are for or against, rather, there is something in God's Heart that He wants to impart to us, something far deeper than simply understanding.
When Moses died, the Lord raised Joshua up to take the land and his first battle was at Jericho. Joshua walked around, saw the fortified city and realized that God alone could take the city. Then he had a face-to-face encounter with the angel of the Lord that changed his whole perspective to the realities around him.
Joshua, God's appointed commander of the army of Israel, found himself having to cope with this angel, so he asks, "Are you for us or against us?" The angel replied, "Neither!" He was saying, in effect, " I am not for you, or against you. I am for God." Joshua realized for the first time in his life, that he was not the commander-in-chief, but there was a higher Commander-in-Chief. He fell flat on his face.
Likewise, we too, are faced with the question, "Is God for Isaac or for Ishmael?"
Unless we understand God's heart, we will always be moving in the "soul-ish" realm. You can say you love the Jews or the Arabs, but if you are transmitting something from your own soul, it will be a hindrance. This is the spirit you will find over the Middle East. As soon as you enter the region, you will be faced with, "Are you for or against?" and the pressure is on for you to take sides.
The real issue is: what does the Master want to say to His servant. The Lord is raising up a new people who are not drawn to sides anymore. He is calling for those who long to hear His voice and truly desire to feel what is in His Heart.
The Destiny of Ishmael
It is crucial to know about the destiny of Ishmael in these End Times.
Ishmael's mother, Hagar, was an Egyptian. We know the history of Hagar and how she was forced to leave. When she ran away an angel appeared to her and she was given a promise in Gen. 16:9, "I will greatly multiply your descendants so that they will be too many to count." Then the Lord named her child Ishmael, which means "God hears." God saw and heard Hagar's desperation. In her son's name was the promise that the Lord would always hear her cry. Today the Lord has not closed His ears to that cry, because He is continually reminded of the name, "Ishmael."
This cry in the Arab's heart comes from a deep wound that began as early as the promise and prospect of Isaac's birth. As soon as Ishmael was born Abraham focused all his attention on him thinking that he was the promised one. But then thirteen years later, to Abraham's surprise, God came to him and spoke to him that Sarah would have a son and that he would be the promised one. A year later, Sarah had a baby and everything changed. Suddenly, the focus shifted from Ishmael to the new child. He had lived all his life thinking he was the promised child only to discover one day that he was not. Ishmael must have retreated in envy, jealousy and competition, as all the attention he once enjoyed was now turned to his baby brother. At 14 years old, he was old enough to sense the dynamics of what was happening, but must have been confused in his feelings.
Then, because of the strife in the household, Hagar leaves for the second time. Ishmael is now fatherless, without love, and totally rejected. A deep wound has struck him that will be passed on to his descendants. Did you know that there are 99 names for God in Islam, but two names are missing: father and love. Why? Because deep in the root of Ishmael is that tragic sense of fatherless-ness and the agonizing cry for love.
Since that time, the descendants of Ishmael and the descendants of Isaac have been struggling over this deep-rooted wound. Ishmael did not see his father again until the day of Abraham's funeral, and both Ishmael and Isaac met again over Abraham's tomb in Hebron. Is it any wonder then that Hebron today is a site of contention between Arabs and Jews?
Watch out what happens when Jews who are washed in the Blood of the Lamb begin to welcome their older brother, Ishmael, back into the Kingdom.
The Destiny of Isaac
The church has also misunderstood the destiny of Isaac.
In Romans 11:1-3 Paul writes, "I say then, God has not rejected His people, has He? May it never be…" Paul tells us about Elijah and how he felt discouraged and alone, standing with God against the false prophets, and that none stood with him. He complained about his brethren and pleaded with God against Israel. The Lord transferred his mantle to Elisha.
Unfortunately, the same spirit exists today against Israel, even to the point where some say the church has replaced Israel. Let us fear God so that the Lord will not transfer our mantles.
But "they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? …Now if their transgression be riches for the world…how much more their restoration will be."
Today the Lord grieves over the division. He longs for peace in His family. Imagine the joy that will come to His heart when Jew and Gentile come together. The Father will release signs and wonders that the world has never seen before.
Paul writes about the mystery of Christ in Ephesians 2:14. He says the veil, partition and division between Jew and Gentile will be removed. He brought us into the commonwealth of Israel, marrying us as one new man, neither Jew nor Gentile. The Lord is waiting for us to recognize our need for one another.
We long for the Glory, the Shekinah of His Presence. But it is to Israelites to whom belong: the adoption, the glory, the fathers, the covenants, the giving of the law, the promises, and the services of God (Romans 9:4,5). When we separated ourselves from our Jewish roots, we became a fatherless church, and we have been reaping denominational divisions since that time until now. We need the restoration of the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers or else we are under a curse (Malachi 4:6).
We reap whatever we sow. Our early fathers sowed seeds of rejection against the Jews. But one day, we will have the church from every nation of the world coming together and saying we stand on behalf of our forefathers in repentance. We will return to the Jewish people as the part grafted in. Then watch out what is going to happen to the Jews. Watch when the Gentiles (Arabs included) come into the fullness, unlocking the key for Jews to come in. The veil will be lifted and all the wonders the church has witnessed in the past will seem like death compared to the power of this new life of the One New Man in Christ.
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