Tracing Biblical History from Abraham to Judges

[stanleyg5]

The Story of Abraham from the Hebrew Bible

(Genesis 16:1-3, 15-16, 17, 21:1-2)
When the Jews tried to explain that the Land of Israel was theirs by divine right though they acknowledged that their ancestors had not originated there, they pointed to the promise made to Abraham (originally from the Neobabylonian city of Ur). Although the modern Zionist movement was largely non-religious, the idea of the "promised land" has had a powerful influence in creating and maintaining the modern state of Israel. Ironically, this same story also tells of the origin of another people, the offspring of Ishmael, whom Muslims identify as the Arabs. Both religions therefore trace their origins back to Abraham, and both hold the land of Israel sacred, though neither accepts the other's claims. Like Isaac, several major figures in Jewish tradition are younger brothers or outsiders who eventually triumph through virtue, wit, or skill--Jacob, Joseph, and David, for instance. This pattern reflects the self-image of a people who view themselves as survivors who needed the special intervention of God to triumph. Note the emphasis on a high reproduction rate, desirable in most ancient cultures, for only a minority of children survived infancy.

Sarah

The biblical matriarch Sarah was the wife of Abraham and the mother of Isaac. Information about Sarah comes from Genesis chapters 11-23.

Abraham and Sarah lived and were married in Haran. When Abraham was 75 years old, God commanded him to leave his home, and Sarah followed her husband to Canaan.

The first incident where Sarah figures prominently in the bible occurred when she was 65 years old and journeyed to Egypt with Abraham during a famine in Canaan. Despite her age, Sarah was beautiful, and Abraham was scared that if Pharoah knew she was his wife, Pharoah would kill him and take her. He therefore pretended Sarah was his sister, and Pharoah did take her, giving Abraham many material possessions in exchange. God then sent plagues to punish the house of Pharoah until Pharoah released her and sent Abraham on his way.

Hagar

Hagar was the Egyptian handmaid of Sarah, the wife of Abraham. When Sarah found herself unable to have children, she arranged to make Hagar the concubine of Abraham, to start a family through her. The result was Ishmael, but years later when Sarah did actually have a child of her own, Isaac, she had Hagar and Ishmael put out of the family. God did not overlook Hagar and Ishmael however. He cared for and prospered them greatly.

Ketura

Keturah was a wife of Abraham, after the death of Sarah, and after Abraham and Sarah's son Isaac had married Rebekah. Abraham and Keturah had six sons, who Abraham later sent away from what became the land of Israel (the God-commanded property of the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob - who God renamed Israel) where they founded some of the Arabian nations of today.

Israelites

The word designates the descendants of the Patriarch Jacob, or Israel. It corresponds to the Hebrew appellation "children of Israel", a name by which — together with the simple form "Israel" — the chosen people usually called themselves in Old-Testament times. Foreigners and Israelites speaking of themselves to foreigners used the term "Hebrews", commonly explained as denoting those who have come from "the other side" of the river (the Euphrates). Another synonym for Israelites is the term Jews (Ioudaioi), especially used by classical authors, but also often found in Josephus and in the New-Testament writings. The object of the present article is distinctly geographical and ethnographical, leaving, as far as possible, the other topics connected with the Israelites to be dealt with in the article on JEWS AND JUDAISM, or in particular articles on the leading personages or events in Israel's history.

Midianites or Ishmaelites

In Gen 25 both Midian and Ishmael are listed as sons of Abraham.
Gen 37:25-28: As they [Joseph's brothers] sat down to their meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were loaded with spices, balm, and myrrh, and they were on their way to take them down to Egypt. [26] Judah said to his brothers, "What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? [27] Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood." His brothers agreed. [28] So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites , who took him to Egypt.
Note 37:36: "Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph ...."
Note 39:1: "...the Ishmaelites who had taken him [Joseph] there..."
See also Judges 8:22 and 24, where in verse 22 the Israelites tell Gibeon that he has saved them from the "hand of Midian", and verse 24 refers to the Midianites as "Ishmaelites". Gideon speaks to the Midianites, and 8:24 says: "And Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that ye would give me every man the earrings of his prey. (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)"

Moses

Moses marries Tzipporah, one of the Midianite priest's daughters, and becomes the shepherd for his father-in-law's flock. On one occasion, when he has gone with his flock into the wilderness, an angel of the Lord appears to him in the guise of a bush that is burning but is not consumed (see next entry). The symbolism of the miracle is powerful. In a world in which nature itself is worshiped, God shows that He rules over it.

Reuel

Reuel meant friend of God, while Jethro meant excellence. Reuel was apparently his personal name, while Jethro may have been a more official or honorary name.

The Midianites originated from Midian, a son of Abraham (Genesis 25:1-2), which therefore actually made Jethro and Moses distant cousins. The Midianite territory consisted mostly in the area east of The Dead Sea and The Jordan River, but during the time of Moses also included a large part of the Sinai

Judges According to Exodus Chpater 18

Exd18:19 Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God:
Exd18:20 And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt show them the way wherein thy must walk, and the work that thy must do.
Exd18:21 Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place [such] over them, [to be] rulers of thousands, [and] rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties and rulers of tens.

ABSTRACT OF FACTS

Israelites were descendants of Isaac and/or Jacob through Abraham's first wife Sarah.

Midianites and Ishmaelites were cousin descendants by way of Midian and Ishmael through Abraham's other two wives Ketura and Hagar.

Both Midianites and Ishmaelites gentile tribes have served as slave traders. We know from the fact that either tribe has sold Joseph to Potiphar of Egypt.

Reuel we know for fact was a gentile Midian Priest, who had worshiped pagan gods and had counseled Moses to appoint judges.

Moses we know for fact that God had parted the Red Sea and had given Moses 2 tablets of the Ten Commandments.

Question that has remained a mystery is why would Moses, who had direct contact with God himself, seek counsel from his father in law Reuel a Midian Priest?

Answer to the sacred mystery will explain why judges have sit on God's throne as our rulers to cast God's people into slavery.

2Cr3:13 And not as Moses, [which] which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that which is abolished.

Amen!

[stanleyg5]

Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God

Mat6:23 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

The almighty dollar has a picture of the pyramid and all seeing eye. This represents our soul. Deep inside our soul we have an ambition to become wealthy. In our pursuit to gain worldly treasures we tend to put God on the back burner.

God has equipped each of us with a third eye (pineal gland) inside of our head. When we were born our third eye has been covered by a veil such as an eyelid. We have walked through life blind unable to see the soul within our flesh.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ has radiated light. The veil is lifted and we began to envision our human soul. Through years or darkness our soul lies dead. As the light of the Gospel continues to shine then our soul becomes resurrected.

I have said all that to say this: The law is a tool that may be used to serve God and his righteousness. Otherwise, the same law may be used to serve the serpent or even mammon. Man can't serve both God and mammon.

Mat12:35 A good man out of good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things; and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.