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Introduction

Ever wonder why Bin Laden wants to pick a fight with America? The Bible is my final authority for all matters of faith and practice, so I wanted to see what it has to say on the issue. The Muslims claim to be the seed of Abraham and Ishmael, where Jews and Christians are the seed of Abraham and Isaac.

In the following passage an Angel is speaking with Hagar (the slave Abraham slept with) after she ran away in fear of Abraham's wife Sarah. It is interesting to note that Sarah had suggested Abraham do this in the first place since Sarah could not bear him a child. This is what the Bible says about Ishmael:

Genesis 16:11-12  And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction. And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.

Very interesting, especially in light of recent events, huh.

God made a covenant with Abraham that Sarah would bear him a child before the incident with Hagar took place. Abraham's lack of faith is what caused this child to be born out of wedlock. In the following passages we see God telling Abraham that even though Abraham faltered, God would still fulfill his covenant, but there would be consequences (reap what you sow). Now, this is what the Bible says about Isaac:

Genesis 17:17-21  Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years  old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear? And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee! And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation. But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.

God's covenant is not with the Muslims, but with the Jews. A covenant is an agreement between two people or two groups that involves promises on the part of each to the other. The concept of covenant between God and His people is one of the most important theological truths of the Bible. By making a covenant with Abraham, God promised to bless his descendants through the seed of Isaac and to make them God's special people. Abraham, Isaac, and his seed in return, were to remain faithful to God and to serve as a channel through which God's blessings could flow to the rest of the world.

How does Christ fit in you say? Isaac's seed serving as a channel for God's blessings was made manifest in the coming of Christ. In the beginning of the genealogies of Jesus the Bible tells us that Jesus was of the lineage of Isaac.

Matthew 1:2 Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; .....

Does Christ address the question; who are the people of God? Yes.

Luke 13:28 There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.

Yes, Jews, not Muslims, are God's chosen people. Like it or not, believe it or not, that's what the Bible says.