This verse (Gen. 12.3) is usually quoted without regard to the context. The context is that the Jewish people didn’t even exist at the time this promise was spoken, and wouldn’t for several hundred more years. Likewise, the Jewish people or nation of Israel weren’t even named in the passage. Had they been, the modern political state of Israel wasn’t envisioned or spoken of, either, yet this is used as his principal passage in support of our support for the modern political state of Israel.
Note also that this passage says exactly as much about the Arabs as it does the Jews, for they came out of Abraham just as the Jews did. Is the author consistent in his use of the passage to assert that we should bless the Arabs too? Are those who speak badly of, bring in contempt, despise, and revile the Arabs, going to be accursed by God?
In the original text of this verse, this promise was given to a single individual, Abram. Note:
And I will bless them that bless thee (sing.-Abram) and curse him that curseth thee (sing.-Abram): and in thee (sing.-Abram) shall all families of the earth be blessed.
The promise Hagee and a multitude of others quote out of context was made to one person, Abraham.
Thanks for reading, and considering.
This is indeed an interesting subject.
First, the covenant was made with Abraham but not with all his descendants. While Ishmael received blessings from The Lord as a descendant of Abraham he did not participate in the inheritance of Abraham. God specifically told Abraham when Abraham complained about banishing Ishmael that he should do as his wife proposed and that God would bless him (Ismael) with 12 nations to come from him but that he would not participate in being an inheritor of the blessings of Abraham.
So, if the Arabs are the descendants of Ishmael (they say they are the descendants of Issac) then they do not participate and many in the arguments of this thread are mistaken.
It is true for sure that Jews are not the only descendants of Abraham but they are the only descendants that are still a nation. While what I say next is the doctrine of me I believe I’m on sure footing. The tribes of Israel were dispersed to the four corners of the earth, I believe those that went North inhabited Europe and then the part of America we call The United States. They came here to freely worship Christ in their own way. I believe God has blessed this nation because of these believers in Christ and I believe He is blessing the nation of Israel. While Israel has several Jewish sects there are still many who worship God according to what they believe.
It is wrong to say that The Jews do not believe in Christ or the Messiah, they do believe, they just don’t believe He has yet come but will yet come. I cannot hold ill will towards their unbelief in the resurrected Savior even Jesus Christ I can only pity them and hope I can do something to help their unbelief become belief.
The Lord has made me to know that Christ who was dead now lives, is The Son of God, The Messiah and is the only name by which one can enter in to Heaven. Just as God said King David would not be left in Hell forever, so do I believe that those who through no fault of their own never knew The Savior won’t be left in Hell forever. But, like I say this is doctrine according to Joe(me)
Christ lives.