THE ISHMAELITE PIECE OF THE PUZZLE

Mark 12:30 states:

Have you ever wondered why there are four things listed here instead of the typical three which indicate spirit, soul, and body? Indeed the heart is the spirit, and the strength is the body, and we see also the soul. However the fourth entry is the mind, and it is a very important factor. Romans 12:2 tells us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. You see, this term "mind" is our Neshemah link. Before we move on, it is necessary that we have a firm understanding of this link. We have related that there are two seed lines of humanity, from Tree 1 and Tree 2. When the Neshemah was breathed into Adam, it was the breath of Life of God, his link to the Divine Mind. In our Mark 12:30 reference to "mind" the Hebrew indicates that it is the thinking, understanding part of the inner person that processes information from divine input into understanding, including the making of choices.

Now if we have two trees, and two heads of these two trees, the breath which was breathed into the propagator of their respective seed would be the breath of the head of their respective trees. The Head of Tree 1 would breathe a message of LIFE from HIS mind into the mind of His seed, and the head of Tree 2 would breathe the counterfeit message which contains no life from HIS mind into the mind of his seed. That which the mind processes would be a direct result of the breath (message or programming) which that mind was given by the mind of the husbandman who inspired it.

I Corinthians 2:14 tells us:

You see, this confirms that those of Tree 2 are actually UNABLE to perceive Godly things, because they do not have the spiritual link which enables them to discern these things. Their Neshemah is connected only to the mind of the husbandman of the head of Tree 2. Their Neshemah link to the living God of Tree 1 has been deactivated, and lies dormant until the link is reestablished.

Conversely, I John 3:9 states:

The word "sin" here is "hamartia", Strongs #266. It means to "miss the MARK" or "to miss the COURSE". Here we see two very different concepts that explains why some passages within this very same book indicate that when we DO SIN we have an advocate in Yeshua, proving that as Believers we CAN and DO sin, yet it also says that we WILL NOT sin. This apparent paradox is resolved with the definition of this word. The missing of the MARK is coupled with being unable to share in the prize. The soul can sin, and miss the MARK, causing one to miss the prize of the Millennial Kingdom reign, defaulting instead to Gehenna. Sins of the spirit cause one to miss the COURSE, preventing one from sharing in the Father's Kingdom, and defaulting instead to the Lake of Fire. This verse confirms that the spirit of one who is born of the Tree 1 seed has within the seed of Life, and that spirit will ultimately be saved, i.e. such a one can NOT miss the COURSE. The soul of that one may miss the MARK, but the spirit will not miss the COURSE. The drawing of God is irresistible, and He is obliged to draw (AT SOME POINT IN TIME) EVERYONE who is of the Tree 1 seed into some degree of understanding of His saving grace through the blood of Christ. God will create or clear blockages in his Neshemah link until the time is right for this divine DRAWING to take place. Then He will irresistibly draw that one through his Neshemah link, and to one degree or another, that one WILL respond to God, securing the salvation of the spirit. This COURSE can be any time within the course of God's timing which He chooses, and (contrary to popular theological belief) it may not be during this life span. For many it will not occur until the dry bones are resurrected during the Millennial reign of Christ, which we will cover further momentarily. Once the Holy Spirit comes to abide within, the soul may still be in sinful rebellion and miss the mark, but that SPIRIT can never again sin, and cannot die, as it now has the SEED OF GOD REMAINING WITHIN (per I John 3:9) via the Holy Spirit. Each spirit born of Tree 1 seed must ultimately be saved, and once saved, that SPIRIT cannot sin (miss the COURSE).

Those who have no trace of Tree 1 seed may be unable to believe upon the atoning power of the blood to save their spirits, i.e. they are UNABLE to be drawn by the Father unto salvation. I Corinthians 1:18 states:

You see there is power in the blood Yeshua shed upon that cross. It is the power of salvation. But those without Tree 1 seed see it as "foolishness", and cannot believe upon it. Their minds are preprogrammed with the Tree 2 gospel, and MAY not be reprogrammed without the aid of the refining flames of the Lake of Fire. Those of the Tree 2 persuasion are referred to as "gentiles" in the Word. This term is "goyim" in the Hebrew and "ethnos" in the Greek. This categorically encompasses almost all references to "heathen", "cattle", "beast", "pagan", "alien", "foreigner", "stranger", "nations", "the world", "seed of the serpent", etc., and it also includes all of the various "alien" races.

There is, however a third category. This is the mixed seed, or hybrid category. The word "bastard" has been given a very negative connotation in our English vocabulary. Contrary to our common conception of the word "bastard", however, this Biblical term does not merely mean "a child born out of wedlock". The Hebrew word "mamzer" is Strongs #4464 which specifies that it is a child born of a "forbidden marriage". Even the term "marriage" is misconstrued in our current understanding. It does not necessarily mean a sanctioned, licensed state of matrimony. More specifically, it can mean "copulation". Thus forbidden marriage here is forbidden copulation (with or without a license). In Biblical reckoning, Tree 1 people were not to interbreed with Tree 2 people. The offspring of such forbidden unions then, were called "bastard" children. It simply meant the mixing of the seedlines of the two trees! We would acknowledge that these unions have been abundant through the ages, and that even most of Christendom today is probably of such mixed heritage. We would also recall that AT SOME POINT in the proceeding descendancy, a Neshemah link to the True God begins to occur in these offspring, due to the Tree 1 ("elect") seed of this mixture, but that one must "choose this day whom he will serve", and seek this HOLY God in order to amplify his Neshemah link. When such a one does seek God, He will be faithful to draw him through the developing Neshemah, and allow this "wild branch" to be "GRAFTED INTO" the Tree 1 Kingdom olive tree (Romans 11:17). If he is given the capacity to believe upon the blood atonement of Yeshua, and accepts this blood atonement for himself, then this Neshemah link is for ever secured (sealed) by the Holy Spirit. Thus the Holy Spirit comes to abide within that Believer, and breaks the POWER of SIN (the predisposition to rebellion toward the living God). The Holy Spirit would then provide the POWER to embrace His ways to replace it. However, once a person Believes upon Yeshua, the Neshemah link is only expanded if and as he chooses to walk in the Spirit. If he chooses instead to walk in the flesh, that soul will miss the MARK. The Neshemah link remains minimal, and the soul will ultimately suffer dire consequences for quenching the Holy Spirit which should have been allowed to expand the Neshemah link. I Corinthians 2:6-16 states:

The term "natural" here is Strongs #5591 and means "of the lower carnal, beastial nature", whereas "spiritual" is Strongs #4152 and means "non carnal, divinely regenerate". This passage profoundly speaks of the two seed lines. You see, the "spiritual" ones of this passage are of the Tree of Life, and have (through their developed Neshemah link) been tapped (to varying degrees) into the very MIND OF CHRIST. All Believers now abide in the Tree of Life olive tree, and thus have TO SOME DEGREE been granted the MIND OF CHRIST through their Neshemah link, but it is not all made known at once. As Believers, we can choose to be transformed by the renewing of our minds to this MIND OF CHRIST by yielding to the Holy Spirit within, or we can thwart the pleas of the Holy Spirit to conform to the new mind within us. We can amplify the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives, bringing the new enlightenment as we expand our Neshemah link, or we can quench the Holy Spirit, and walk in self, diminishing our Neshemah link and condemning our souls. The expansion of the Neshemah link and the increased capacity to understand the mind and heart of God is a reward of our diligent effort to "study to show ourselves approved" as we find in I Timothy 2:15. This word "study" means just that, but more as well. The Hebrew indicates that it also means application of what is learned. It includes the following concepts: make every effort to do one's best, be diligent, eager, endeavor, and labor. Thus our English understanding of the word "study" is only the first stepping stone of God's intent, and our approval in His eyes is also contingent upon how we apply what we learn! But once we are grafted into the "elect" olive tree, at least we CAN LEARN of God's TOTAL Truth! As we yield to the Holy Spirit, more and more is opened up to us BY the Holy Spirit. More is revealed to us as we prove ourselves worthy to receive it. I do believe that much of the Mind of Christ is not to be revealed to us in this era of existence, but it will be given to those who are deemed worthy in progressive eras. We already have it, it will just be reopened to us.

With this review of Neshemah and two main types of seed, we can continue to insert the Ishmaelite piece of the puzzle. It is often taught that the God of the Islamic faith (Allah) is not the same God we worship in Christianity. However, the Spiritual Adviser at a major regional Islamic Center (we shall call him "Z" throughout the rest of this writing in order to protect his identity) steadfastly claims that the God they worship is the God who created all things, the One True God worshipped by Abraham, the mutual antecedent of the Jewish faith, and patriarch of Christianity. It is sometimes said that Allah is a pagan name, but Baker's Concise Dictionary of Religion in no way indicates such, defining "Allah" as the "Syriac, Arabic, and Moslem name for God". "A contraction of al-Ilah" ("The God," "The One Worthy of Worship").

First we will examine the meaning of two key words relating to this faith movement: "Islam" and "Muslim". Then we will look briefly at the manner in which this people's beliefs may intermingle with our teachings in the "Christian" faith, and what their place might be in the total plan of God. They were blessed by God in Genesis 17:20 as descendants of Abraham -- descendants who claim to worship the same God he worshipped, the One True God, Creator of all things. Could this be the same God we worship -- the One the Bible calls Jah in Psalm 68:4? We say our God is also the God of Abraham! What is the belief of the Muslim people? Let's explore this from both their perspective as adherents of the authority of Qur'an, and from ours as adherents of the authority of the Bible.

Markazi Maktaba is a noteworthy Islamic author who writes in his book, Towards Understanding Islam that the word "Islam" is an Arabic word which is derived from the word "Salm" (peace) and the word "Silm" (submission). He states: "Islam stands for 'a commitment to surrender one's will to the Will of God' and thus to be at peace with the Creator and with all that has been created by Him. It is through submission to the Will of God that peace is brought about." Anyone OR anything which "possesses this attribute" is said to be "Muslim". Because God created all things, giving each its own laws to obey (even the sun, moon, stars, etc.), all of nature is instinctively "Muslim" as it complies with the laws which were ascribed to it. He writes, "As the whole of creation obeys the laws of God, the whole universe, therefore, literally follows the religion of Islam -- for Islam signifies nothing but obedience and submission to Allah, the Lord of the Universe." Regarding humankind, we are told in his writings that "An individual who chooses to acknowledge his Creator, accepts Him as his real Master, honestly and scrupulously submits to His laws and injunctions and follows the code. He has achieved completeness in his Islam by consciously deciding to obey God in the domain in which he was endowed with freedom of choice. He is a perfect Muslim: his submission of this entire self to the will of Allah is Islam and nothing but Islam." What a beautifully stated purpose of our existence this is - to be as one with the will of our Creator. Even as Biblical teachings draw us to a oneness with God's Will, this is what they find the thrust of the Qur'an to say as well, as it was given to them by their prophet Mohammed.

The Handbook of Today's Religion states: "The Qur'an is the Word of God in Islam, the holy scriptures. As the authoritative scripture, it is the main guide for all matters of faith and practice. The Qur'an was revealed to Mohammed as the Word of God for mankind." It is further surmised in this reference guide that because they believe the Qur'an to be infallible, and because it conflicts with some areas of Scriptural writings of the Bible and the Torah of the Jewish faith, etc., that these other writings must have been corrupted over the years. In fact Z indicates that they revere the Bible and its teachings, but hold the Qur'an as the supreme authority in instances where conflicts arise. Eerdman's Handbook to the World's Religions states: "Muhammad sincerely believed that these revelations were not his own composition, but were the actual speech of God conveyed to him by an angel." Further reading reveals that this angel is said to have been Gabriel, as confirmed by Z.

In addition to a supernatural experience which involved the direct visitation of this angelic being, the Handbook of Today's Religion indicates that Mohammed experienced many messages of an internal nature which were preceded by physical abnormalities such as cold sweats, the sound of a bell, etc. While some have deduced that these abnormalities might indicate "possessions", it should be noted that the Handbook of Today's Religion also indicates that such appearances were also "sometimes recorded by, or observed in, the Hebrew prophets". So - we might employ the old adage that "what's good for the goose is good for the gander". Indeed, even Christians who have read the writings of the Qur'an have noted that it is an extraordinary work, even ascribing that it must be "of God". An earmark of the Tree 2 gospel is Polytheism. Conversely, the theologies which stem from Tree 1 are always Monotheistic. Islam is Monotheistic, a STRONG indication that it does come from Tree 1! However, portions of it ARE in conflict to the Holy Bible which fundamentalist Christianity knows to be infallible, so how can it actually be "of God"? We must allow for suspense regarding this question to linger for the moment, while we provide the framework for its answer later in this writing.

Genesis 16-25 relates the story of Ishmael's 137 years in abbreviated form - his birth, his blessing, and the prophecy that he should beget 12 princes and that he should become a great nation. Now on this our Bible is firm -- Ishmael was not the "chosen" seed of God. Genesis 21:12 states emphatically:

However the very next verse continues the thought by stating:

God's Word acknowledges here that Ishmael too is considered to be Abraham's seed. It is crucial that we not overlook or forget this as we proceed.

In Genesis 17, God is speaking to Abraham. In verses 7-14, He says:

The next few verses prove to us that Abraham did not perceive that this covenant would exclude his firstborn son Ishmael, as he proceeded to validate the covenant THROUGH Ishmael. We find in verses 24-26:

By this very act of circumcising his son Ishmael, Abraham insured with the God of HIS covenant that Ishmael and his descendants would be heirs of the covenant. The Handbook of Today's Religion verifies that this practice has been continued throughout the ages within the descendants of the seed of Ishmael. THUS, THE GOD OF ABRAHAM NOT ONLY WAS, BUT STILL IS THEIR GOD BY COVENANT WITH GOD. They may use a name we don't use, but (by the very right instilled by God Himself in accordance with our Bible), THEY TOO ARE STILL HIS CHILDREN BY COVENANT, and the ONLY way they can be cut off from being heirs of God is to break the covenant He established with them through ceasing the practice of circumcision in the male offspring of their lineage. In this way only could they be disowned by God! Or does God BREAK His covenants? I think NOT!

We find in the Bible that Ishmael and Isaac were not totally estranged, because Genesis 25:9 indicates that they buried their father, Abraham together. It is obvious that there was still a bond of sorts in the family, because Ishmael not only knew of Abraham's death, but participated equally with Isaac in laying their father to rest.

In Genesis 17:19 we read:

This speaks of a specific covenant promise which would be extended to mankind through the specified lineage of not only Abraham, then Isaac, but also through Jacob. This would be a special covenantal promise which did not apply to ALL of the children of the Abrahamic covenant, but only to the lineage designated for this blessing, i.e. that of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Genesis 28:23-24). It would be a covenant of "BLESSING", whereas the covenant with Abraham which included Ishmael would be a covenant of "BIRTHRIGHT". We would note in the Genesis account that these are not the same!

Romans 9:7-8 states:

We know that it is the children of the promise ("blessing") which are counted for the seed for the spiritual promise of the Father to bring forth the lineage of our Savior, Yeshua -- the means by which man could be restored unto a right relationship with the Father. When we read in Romans 9:8 that "these are not the children of God", we must not take it out of context. The words which complete the sentence clarify what was meant by the phrase "the children of God". The sentence is completed with the words "but the CHILDREN OF THE PROMISE are COUNTED FOR THE SEED." We find here that "these are not the children of God" doesn't mean that they don't belong to God, it simply means that they are not the specified "children of God" which relate to this promise ("blessing").

Throughout the word of God, we find that it was often God's prerogative to switch the blessing from the first male offspring to the second, but this did not negate the BIRTHRIGHT! Whereas Esau sold his BIRTHRIGHT, and thus lost all privileges of inheritance from his father, Ishmael did NOT sell his. Whereas God chose Isaac as the one to receive His "blessing", it never annulled the birthright of Ishmael.

Before we can understand how the descendants of Ishmael relate to the body of Christ today, we must pause for a moment and look at Esau, another of Abraham's descendants. Romans 9:10-13 states:

Now Obadiah 1:18 states:

This is hard for us to understand, just as is the passage in which the Lord commands that all of the Amalekites in the land of Canaan must be killed (I Samuel. 15:3). Why does He hate them, and why does He mandate extermination of their race? Could it be that the seedline of Esau became defiled, causing offspring who are corrupt? It appears that this was the problem which prompted God bring the flood in Noah's Day! Is that the reason why God "hates" Esau and his descendants? Jeremiah 49:10 says Esau's seed is "spoiled", yet Romans 9:10-13 indicates that both Jacob and Esau are conceived by Isaac. How could this be? Likewise, Yeshua indicates in John 8:37 that those with whom He speaks are "of the seed of Abraham". Yet in verse 44, He says that they are "of the devil".

We are taught that God hates the sin, yet He loves the sinner. If this teaching is true, how is it that we read in Romans 9:13 that God has hated the sinner - Esau - even before he sinned? Indeed we find proof here that God's hatred can be directed to individuals. Yet, this seems to be outside the character of the One we worship. How can this be? In the Old Testament, we find that God demanded the death of every man, woman, child, and even the beasts in some regions that were to be inherited by His "elect". From a divine stance, probably only contamination by demonic seed would subject one to such a fate. Why else would a God who has commanded that we not kill one another, order the death of these people? Maybe He knew that contamination had occurred within their seed, creating the likes of the SPOILED SEED of Jeremiah 49:10. Maybe there is a way that Esau could be of BOTH Isaac AND another father (the devil). Maybe God's hatred is directed specifically to those whom He knows to be "OF" their father the devil. Maybe being "OF" their father the devil is not just figurative. In a similar fashion, we see in John 8:37-44 that some who are of Abraham's seed are acknowledged by Yeshua to be "of the devil".

When merging the Scriptural references that Esau's seed was spoiled and that this seed came from Isaac, how then might this seed have become spoiled? In Genesis 6:4 we read:

Though there is a great deal to be absorbed in this passage, it does not apply to this instance, as it was clearly Isaac's seed that produced Esau, so we must dig a bit deeper.

The Bible also speaks of a manner by which Mary was overshadowed by the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35) to produce a child - our Savior, Yeshua! Only God could produce a child that was divine, being the very essence of our God, because it was the seed of God Himself that the Holy Spirit used when He overshadowed Mary. This miracle of producing a PERFECT man could never be accomplished by any spirit being other than the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit alone could provide the divine seed of the Almighty Father. However, as distasteful as it might seem, we need to consider that the fallen angels may have been privy even to the understanding of the technique used by the Holy Spirit to implant this divine seed within the womb of Mary. We cannot forget that the fallen angels brought with them much of the divine knowledge of God. Maybe they too have become proficient in the art of producing offspring in a spiritual union with the daughters of man. Maybe they have found that it is not necessary to become mortal in order for a type of coitus to occur.

Through the compilation of various encyclopedic sources, we find that St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas were both convinced that intercourse between demons and humans was possible. These demons were referred to as incubi and succubi. Such interaction is replete in mythology and scriptures throughout the world, and WAS taught within Christendom. In fact, Christians taught that through such conjugation, children could be conceived in a "demonic version of the Virgin Birth". A book entitled History of the Goths indicates that the Huns were descended from offspring of human and incubi intercourse. As a "civilized" Christian nation, we have removed ourselves as far as we possibly can from the understanding of the spiritual (especially the demonic) realm - perhaps to our own peril. However, throughout the years, this was not the case. Many people not only understood that sexual interaction with demonic beings occurred, but participated in it heartily. In The Woman's Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets by Barbara Walker, we find the following quote: "Women seemed unaccountably willing to copulate with their demons under the eyes of 'bystanders' ... ". These bystanders then confirmed conclusively that though the demons were not visible to them, they had witnessed copulation with "Incubus devils".

We know that there is a difference between "fornication" and "adultery" as found within the Word of God, but the difference does not seem to be readily apparent to us. Perhaps that is because we fail to see the other side of the spiritual veil and deal with what occurs there. An in-depth view of the word "fornication" seems to indicate something even more illicit than "adultery", and may indeed imply the conjugation of man with demonic spirits. As we continue, you will see that the product of such union is indeed hated by God. Though we do not understand the manner in which this is accomplished, certain exercises in yoga seek to transform spiritual and sexual energies. It appears that indeed demons do understand the secrets of God as they relate to these energies, and that they can and do achieve a propagation of sorts in a similar but more limited fashion.

Encyclopedia of Angels by Rosemary Ellen Guiley has the following to say in an entry under "sex and angels": "In 'The City of God' 15-23 Augustine says: 'incubi ... have often behaved improperly towards women, lusting after them and achieving intercourse with them.' Aquinas described how the same demon may first assume the form of a woman as a succubus -- to extract by some means or another seed from a man, then to change into the form of a man -- an incubus to deposit this seed in a woman's womb." St. Aquinas explained that incubi were sterile, and therefore, impregnation of a woman could only occur in the manner just described. He further explained, however, that demons could change form at will from female (succubus) to male (incubus). Thus we see that in the same manner by which Mary was impregnated by the Holy Spirit, a woman can be impregnated by a spirit being with the seed of man.

Within the ranks of Christendom, however, there were disagreements over the sterility of the incubi. Father Ludovico Sinistrari, for example, believed that incubi had seed of their own. Maybe they are both right. Maybe the first few generations of incubi were more virile, and used their own seed, whereby successive generations became weakened and sterile, and had to rely upon the seed of man to impregnate the women they visited. Martin Luther believed that all children who are "odd-looking" at birth should be "destroyed", as they are undoubtedly the product of demons. (Here we would note that within Christendom was taught the killing of demonic offspring, and the recognition that they were not human, but rather a hybrid being who had the appearance of man.) I believe those who have the genetic mutation of the demonic are in a separate class from those who are simply of mixed Tree 1 and Tree 2 lineage. The Biblical chastisement upon Esau is of a much different nature than that of Ishmael, and may be for this reason. Those who are tagged with demonic genetic inheritance may be so evil in nature that special treatment by God is necessary in order for purification to take place. It appears that God has decreed their destruction for this very reason, and He knows that the sooner it occurs the better off the rest of mankind will be.

Going back to Martin Luther's belief now, maybe he felt that because the offspring looked somewhat different, it must dictate that the actual seed of the conception would have been that of a demon. However, we would now look at a quote from the entry under "demon" in the "Encyclopedia of Angles". It reads: "The Zohar states that every pollution of semen spawns demons". This rings true, as even pollution of the "elect" seed may damage or destroy the Neshemah link of the soul, producing demons and/or demon seed, or (at the very least) a bastardized hybrid being.

We must understand that even the transfer of the seed of man into the womb of woman by a demon would result in the pollution of the semen, and spawn demonic offspring or a hybrid being. This offspring may have a Neshemah link which is rendered totally non functional during this dispensation, and the spirit within might actually become a demon spirit at the death of its physical body. Thus the procreation of demonic beings to do the bidding of Satan would be achieved in this manner also. However, the countenance of the offspring of a man's seed which had been polluted by incubi would not be as grotesque or extreme in features as that of the actual serpent seed of fallen angels or the more virulent incubi. The inference would continue, that successive generations would appear to be more and more human, though they would still pass on the strain of demonic pollution, and even future generations may never develop an active Neshemah link.

Devout females were often the target of the incubi, and "The Woman's Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets" says: "nuns often awoke in the morning 'to find themselves polluted as if they had slept with men.'" So we see that the sleeping victim may not even be aware of the copulation. Thus could the seed of a man be used to impregnate his own wife without his involvement, by the indiscretion of demonic copulation, and this could even be accomplished without the knowledge of the woman involved! We know of instances today of twins being born who are conceived by two different fathers at separate times. They grow together in the womb and are born only moments apart. Thus a woman can be impregnated at two different times with a short intervening lapse of time, resulting in twins who will be born together.

With this understanding, we can return to the plight of Rebekah. We find the potential scenarios by which she could have conceived Esau by the seed of Isaac as polluted by a demonic spirit. Isaac's seed could have been captured while he slept, by a demonic spirit in the form of a succubus, and later it could have been implanted within Rebekah's womb by an incubus without her knowledge as she slept. The child then would have been nurtured in her womb with Jacob, though warring with him the entire time. Of this the Bible is clear, the pregnancy was very abnormal. There was a supernatural spiritual war occurring within her very womb! Rebekah questions God about it in Genesis 25:22-23. We read:

First we would ask, "If WHAT BE SO"? We are not told here what she meant. Could she have been seeking God's assurance that these two children were both of the seed of Isaac? Perhaps she suspected that an incubi had implanted his own seed within her. Could she have been assured by God that both twins were fundamentally of Isaac's seed (Romans 9:10)? Could her question have been, if both children are of Isaac's seed why do they fight within my womb? Indeed it seems that in the next few words, God may have been trying to explain to her that Isaac's seed had been polluted as it related to one of the two children. It is interesting that the Hebrew for "nations" here can include a "troop of animals" as well as group of people. Satanism and the beast are commonly linked to the animal world, and it is even said in I Peter 5:8 that the devil walks about like a lion, seeking whom he may devour. Maybe that is why the Hebrew word for "nations" which God chose here encompasses both a human community and a troop of animals. Perhaps both were represented by the same word within the same womb! Maybe this is spelled out further by the description "manner of people" in the next breath - maybe one is a human "manner of people", and one is a hybrid human "manner of people". It is also interesting that God said that one would be "stronger" than the other. Genesis 6:4 shows us that the hybrid offspring were "mighty men". As we have determined, offspring of the polluted seed of man might not be as grotesque as the offspring of the direct seed of a fallen angel. However, the mighty strength could come through the seed, and the countenance would be somewhat different, as well as the character of the child. Now let's look at the features noted about Esau in Genesis 25:25-28. We see that upon his birth he is red and hairy all over (like an animal?). He grows up to be a hunter (like a lion?). This is in marked contrast to the plain and the docile nature of Jacob. The word "separated" used here may also have profound meaning. Maybe when God said they would be "separated", He was referring to the Hebrew meaning of this word, "to break through" and be "severed". Indeed, if our scenario is correct, Esau would be the illicit seed of corruption breaking through into the plan of God once again, and forcing the decree that he would be severed or cut off from the rest of Isaac's lineage by divine judgment.

Legends of the Bible by Louis Ginzberg says the following about Rebekah: "Rebekah was a rose between thorns. Her father was the Aramean Bethuel, and her brother was Laban, but she did not walk in their ways. Her piety was equal to Isaac's." Recall now that the favorite targets of the incubi are virtuous women. Is it possible that this pious woman had unknowingly been assaulted by an incubus with the seed of Isaac which had been polluted by the demonic spirit who planted it within her womb? Could this be a mystery hidden within the text of Romans 9:10-13. Let's review the evidence. Verse 13 says that God hated Esau. Indeed throughout the Word of God judgment was spoken against him. Genesis 36:8 tells us that Esau is Edom. Many are the judgments listed for Edom as well. In Malachi 1:3 God is saying:

(Dragons here has the specific connotation of the Satanic realm). Obadiah 1:18 amplifies the decree of God, stating: "and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau; for the Lord hath spoken it." Genesis 36:12 tells us that Amalek is a descendant of Esau. We see in I Samuel 15:3 that God said to "go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, and sheep, camel and ass." Maybe the reason God insisted upon the killing even of the beasts of the field is due to the bestiality practiced by the fallen ones. Maybe it was to rid the world of the polluted seed in this entire race of hybrid "men", AND the contaminated seed of their animals. It seems that only the pollution of Isaac's seed could explain the vast differences in appearance and nature of these twins -- explain also why one was loved of the Lord and subject to His many blessings, but the other was hated by God, and cursed to annihilation, along with all of his descendants.

If our summation is correct, those propagated through this illegitimate, corrupt, and forbidden seed have dysfunctional Neshemah, and retain the most grisly and beastly of natures. It is obvious in Obadiah that the house of Esau which exists in the end days here is hated by God, and we are told in Matthew 24:37:

Maybe a form of the corrupted seed is alive and well in our world even now through the house of Esau.

Now, recall that Esau is Edom (Genesis 36:8). In II Chronicles 21:10 we find:

Maybe this is prophetic to show that even in the end days we would know them by their hatred for Judah (the Jewish people). If this is so, who could be of this seed in the House of Esau today, even as we face the final stages of the dispensation of grace? At this point, might we question the aberrant behavior of certain factions of Islam in the Middle East today toward the Jewish people? When we hear of some of the atrocities committed by the PLO and the various Islamic groups today in the Middle East, one must wonder what type of beasts could do these things. Simply killing the one purported to be the enemy is not the issue here. It is the beastly manners in which this is accomplished. Perhaps the term "beastly" is not a far stretch here - if the seed of some of these people is of this questionable heritage.

We know that Ishmael is Muslim, and we see that Esau too falls under that belief system, so how does all of this correlate? Let's look again briefly at the history of the Islamic faith. Eerdman's Handbook to the World's Religions says that "Muhammad ... treated his enemies generously ... . ... the Muslims made treaties with the local inhabitants, giving them the status of 'protected minorities'. ... The status of protected minority was open only to 'people of the book' --communities who believed in one God and possessed a written scripture, i.e. Jews, Christians ... . The military expeditions though dignified with the title of 'holy war' (jihad), were raids for booty and not to make converts. The idea that opponents were given the choice of 'Islam or the sword' is false, except in the case of PAGAN ARAB tribes. The protected minorities were on the whole well treated, since Muslim rulers felt it to be a point of honor that their 'protection' should be effective." So you see, it was written on the hearts of the Ishmaelites long ago to care for their Israelite cousins as a "protected minority" and to be compassionate, even to those they considered their enemies. The only ones who were to receive their wrath were the PAGAN ARAB tribes (which may have been intended by God to be Esau, just as the Israelites were supposed to annihilate his descendants). However, it seems that today Esau has corrupted not only the seed of man, but also the framework of the Islamic belief system, and potentially the Qu'ran itself. There are passages in TODAY's version of this book which instill hatred toward the Jews and Christians and call for their destruction, that are inconsistent with previous teaching, and some believe were added in later years. By professing the Islamic faith, Esau successfully infiltrated their ranks. As a result, many Ishmaelites have fallen pray to the influence of bestiality toward their esteemed cousins, those whom the Islamic religion was originally designed to protect.

Not only was Esau deprived of the blessing which would normally have gone to the firstborn, but in a moment of soulish greed, he actually SOLD HIS BIRTHRIGHT to Jacob. It appears that the selling of Esau's birthright was so grievous to God that it cut him off from any spiritual inheritance in the Son's Kingdom, and perhaps the Father's Kingdom as well. In relation to this selling of his birthright, Hebrews 12:16 refers to him as a PROFANE PERSON, and the next verse says:

It may have been a sin unto death as found in I John 5:16. The physical lineage of Ishmael was mixed Tree 1 and Tree 2 lineage, and it appears that the seed of Esau may have been defiled at conception, so neither line would bear the same genetic DNA mark of promise (blessing) that extended through the purer Tree 1 line of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. However, Esau sold his birthright, totally negating his RIGHT to any claim of his Tree 1 inheritance! Whereas Ishmael is not included in our Biblical text to receive the "blessing of promise", Ishmael DID retain his BIRTHRIGHT. It may be that the blessing of promise relates to the Son's Kingdom, and the birthright relates to the Father's Kingdom. If so, Ishmael is AT LEAST entitled (under the Abrahamic birthright AND the circumcision covenant) to be heir to at LEAST the Father's Kingdom, but possibly also the Son's. Entrance to the Son's Kingdom may be on a merit basis, as we shall soon see.

Now, the history of the people of Ishmael indicates that they fell into idolatry, just as did the Jewish people. Whereas, God judged the Jewish people harshly for their idolatry because they were the seed of promise and were endowed with spiritual understanding that exceeded that of Ishmael, God did not judge Ishmael so harshly. He provided them with a prophet who would help them see that they were not to worship idols, that they were to focus all of their worship to the One True God, the God of their father Abraham. Maybe the Deuteronomy 18 passage related by Moses was a shadow of Mohammed. He is repeating the words of the Lord in verse 18 when he says: "I will raise them up a Prophet FROM AMONG THEIR BRETHREN, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him". Maybe He chose Mohammed from among the Ishmaelite brethren, and sent Gabriel to minister to this prophet, to relate the words that they would come to revere as Qu'ran - just as the Jewish people revere the Torah, and the Christians revere the Bible. It would be a book that would lead them into moral excellence, which would be pleasing to the Father. They would not yet receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (even as their Israelite cousins had not), and they too would have to please the Father through obedience to His requests as they were made known to them. They were to be obedient unto His teaching as found in their book, yielding themselves as a living sacrifice unto the God of Abraham, much as we are taught to do in Romans 12:1.

It is interesting to note that the Qur'an has much to say about Yeshua. It even refers to Him as Messiah, and acknowledges the virgin birth - which much of the "church" today has seen fit to scrap in their own belief system!! It says that Yeshua was strengthened by the Holy Spirit (capital H capital S), yet they don't see either Yeshua or the Holy Spirit in the light of Biblical teaching. So, we see that these precious children of our God are working with merely a portion of the picture, just as are their Jewish cousins who are spoken of in Romans. They greatly esteem Yeshua, but are unable to see Him as deity. The Qur'an denies His divinity, and refutes the Christian teaching that He is the Son of God. Please note, however, that the worthiness of Yeshua is never questioned in reference to His potential for divinity, but rather, the Father (as Creator of all things) is held in SUCH high esteem, that it is viewed as a disgrace to Him to equate anyone to Him in such manner, or even to surmise that a relationship with Him might be possible.

So, how can the Qur'an be sent to the prophet Mohammed by Gabriel, and be "of God", yet contain irreconcilable conflict with the Word of God as we know it in Christendom? It seems that ALL things are foreshadowed in the Old Testament. There are some verses found here that are hard for Believers to understand. Let's look at I Kings 22:20-23. Here we read:

It is hard for us to imagine God doing such a thing, but it was done in order to achieve His higher purpose - in order to further His plan. Could it be that the Lord allowed Gabriel to put false words in the mouth of Mohammed for the Ishmaelites to receive, in order to draw together the details of the entirety of His plan? Most of what the Qur'an teaches aligns beautifully with the Word of God which we know as the Bible. The points which are in conflict with it may have been carefully formulated by God Himself in order to prevent His children of Ishmael from understanding the true identity of Yeshua until it was their time to know Him for who He is. Their cousins, the Israelites, were likewise blinded by God Himself for a time (Romans 11:8) that His plan might be fulfilled, bringing the Gentiles into the fold (Romans 11:25). However, we then read in the following verse, "26) And so ALL ISRAEL SHALL BE SAVED; as it is written, There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: for this is MY COVENANT UNTO THEM, when I shall TAKE AWAY THEIR SINS."

Let us look also at what may be meant by "ALL OF ISRAEL" in Romans 11:26. In Ezekiel 37 we read of the story of the dry bones. Verses 10-14 reads:

Teachers today want to write this off as the formation of the State of Israel. Yes, this is a shadow of the physical fulfillment, but there could indeed be an actual physical fulfillment as well. This could be the ENTIRE HOUSE OF ISRAEL being brought back to life and SAVED, when they see Yeshua, and know Him for who He is. God will remove the spirit of slumber which He Himself had given them for a time for a purpose (Romans 11:23). They then see Him whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for Him (Zechariah 12:10). Chapter 13 begins by saying:

Ezekiel says here that God will put His Spirit in them and they shall LIVE. They are of the "elect" seed, and in God's COURSE of time, they will not miss their COURSE. God will put His Spirit in them, and they will LIVE! It is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit which seals us unto spirit salvation for eternity. Our Bible teaches that this salvation can occur by no other means than by Belief upon Yeshua. Belief in the atoning power of His blood to wash away their sins is the only means by which they can be reconciled to the Father. They MUST believe upon Yeshua as their savior. As they are brought back to life, they believe upon Him, and their spirits are saved and sealed by the Holy Spirit as He enters and indwells them (the Latter Rain), just as He has indwelled the Christian Believer during the previous dispensation (the Former Rain).

Now Jacob was renamed Israel, and the Bible only indicates Israel here (the lineage of Jacob). However, we must recall that the Ishmaelites were also under covenant with the Father. They too have a birthright. Whereas the blessing of greater spiritual understanding has been upon their Israelite cousins all this time, and may result in a slightly different eternal reward, it would appear that the birthright of Ishmael (as sealed by the covenantal circumcision) would likewise entitle him to a salvation that would allow them a degree of Kingdom rewards -- even as it is implied in the book they revere as God's Word to them.

Now, seeing these things, will those resurrected from the dead in Ezekiel 37 be LIMITED TO the entire house of Israel? Maybe not. Maybe all of the house of Ishmael will be raised at the same time, and will see Christ for who He is, and will be given the Holy Spirit as well, sealing them unto life eternal. There may be evidence to support this in Isaiah, as it is believed that Kedar in Isaiah 42:11 and Kedar and Nebaioth in Isaiah 60:7 are Ishmaelite peoples, and they are prophesied as being acceptable in the Millennial Kingdom. The writings of the Qur'an certainly give the Muslims the framework they need to acknowledge Yeshua as their savior. Once they see Him, it will all be easily pieced together, and they too will be able to accept Him as Lord, just as their Israelite cousins do. Our Bible dwells upon the children of promise, so it is only natural that it only mentions Israel here, but again this does not mean that this might not happen for the Ishmaelite people too.

It appears that the circumcision of the flesh was a seal of commitment ordained by God the Father to designate the children of inheritance who would later receive the permanent seal given by the Holy Spirit. It was a circumcision made with hands, to be replaced by the circumcision of the heart, to be made without hands (Colossians 2:11). The circumcision made without hands here is referred to as the circumcision of Christ, because it can only be received as a result of belief upon Him. Our omniscient Father knows the end from the beginning. Maybe He knew that at the proper time, both of these groups of people would receive Yeshua as their Messiah. That is why He could grant each of these two groups the assurance of the Father's Kingdom via His covenant of external circumcision. He could then blind them for a time to complete His plan for mankind, knowing that they would one day be made whole through the Holy Spirit. He knew that He Himself would one day see to it that they were drawn into understanding of who their Messiah was and believe upon Him unto spirit salvation. It appears that they too are of "elect" seed, and must ONE DAY be brought into the fold.

Whereas, the Father's Kingdom appears to be addressed by the birthright covenant, entrance to the Millennial Kingdom may be a special reward of the promise (blessing) covenant. In order to understand it better, we might look at another portion of our Bible that is often misconstrued. It is the goats and sheep judgment found in Matthew 25:31-46. The preceding verses relate the Bema Seat Judgment of the Son in Heaven, then verse 31 tells of the return of Yeshua, and the goats and sheep judgment which is held here on Earth to judge the NATIONS. However, please note that the goats here are the ones who were not kind to the "least of His brethren", while the sheep had helped them. These "sheep" were not of the Christian faith, as all Christians had just been judged at Bema. This judgment may include those of Ishmaelite descent. They would not automatically inherit the Millennial Kingdom, but would be judged here regarding their merit to be allowed entrance. The word "nations" here is "ethnos" in the Greek, or the Gentiles of the Tree of 2. Hagar was of Tree 2, and Abraham was of Tree 1, so the seed of Ishmael and all of his descendants will be a mixture of the two trees, and would fit the criteria here. Other mixed seed people may be included in this judgment as well! It is interesting that Genesis 17:20 says that Ishmael will beget twelve princes and God will make him a great nation "people", though this is linked to the heathen version thereof. Yeshua will probably be referring fondly to the Jewish people who now embrace Him as Messiah, when He rewards those on His right hand because they had been kind to one of the least of "THESE MY BRETHREN". I believe a majority of these sheep are Ishmaelites who had not allowed their souls to be corrupted by the likes of Esau (who had penetrated their ranks as wolves in sheep's clothing, and tried to get them to hate and mistreat their Israelite cousins). They perceived the true character of God and stood fast to protect their cousins. They will now receive a reward - entrance into the Millennial Kingdom. Note here that verse 34 says: "34) Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, YE BLESSED OF MY FATHER, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundations of the world." The blessing of the Father is now fully realized by these children, which will continue into the Eternal Kingdom. They will receive the gift of saving grace and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and will enter into the Millennial Kingdom. Maybe some of the Ishmaelites were included in the reference of Yeshua in John 10:16 when He says:

Maybe this Ishmaelite remnant who would stand against the atrocities being committed by fellow Muslims to their Israelite cousins would do so because they are indeed hearing His voice. Thus He may be counting them among the sheep that are "not of this fold", akin to the various "gentile" Believers who had preceded them in joining the ranks of the "elect".

The goats, however, (those who mistreated their Israelite cousins) will have to endure everlasting (i.e. to the end of the Millennial age) punishment before inheriting the Father's Kingdom. Their souls have missed the mark, but their spirits will not miss the course, as they are under a covenantal agreement with God who cannot lie and will be faithful to live up to this covenant.

Zechariah 14:16 says:

Those who are "left" here are the remnant who stood for their Israelite cousins - the sheep who were allowed to enter the Millennial Kingdom at the goats and sheep judgment. The Ishmaelites are now learning of the festivals set forth by God the Father, and are coming to honor them with the Israelites (who are no long distant cousins, but are now brothers in Christ).

Esau will be facing some rough days ahead, per Obadiah 18. We read also in the closing words of Zechariah, "and in THAT DAY there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the Lord of hosts." This lineage will never again be allowed to grieve the "elect". I believe their spirits will one day too be restored and brought back into Tree 1, but not in THAT DAY, (i.e. that Millennial day). It will probably not happen until MUCH later in the Father's Kingdom toward the end of the unfolding of God's Plan for mankind!

The newly resurrected Israeli and Ishmaelite Believers have died once, and cannot die again in the natural, per Hebrews 9:27 (with only the exception of the second via the hand of judgment of the Father or the Son), so they will live the FULL duration of the Millennial Kingdom. Isaiah 65:20 says:

On page 40 of "Legends of the Bible", God is said to explain that the fullness of man's days is one of God's days, or 1,000 years, so we see that they will be able to live for the duration of the Millennial Kingdom.

In conclusion, we find that the house of Ishmael is on trial now in the sight of God. How is each of these children individually responding to the pressures put upon them by the House of Esau to hate and oppress their Jewish counterpart? Now, considering all these things, let us pray for those Ishmaelite descendants who must hear the voice of God and stand true to that which He has written on their hearts, to show kindness to their cousins - even when it may seem that there is valid reason to retaliate against them. The kindness and protective stance they once assumed toward their Jewish cousins has largely been swallowed up by the deception perpetrated upon them by the House of Esau. As Christians, perhaps we should be fervent in our prayers for these devout adherents to the God of Abraham. We must pray that their ears may be opened to the voice of God, and that God's temperance might reign rather than the emotions their Esau constituents try to incite within them. Their fate when they stand before the Son one day may be at stake. Meanwhile, let us not lump all Islamic peoples into the same mold, and let us see them for who they may truly be in God's plan!

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