The Children of Abraham
Abraham had eight children by three women. Ishmael by Hager (Genesis 16:15), Isaac by Sarah (Genesis 21:3), and Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak and Shuah by Keturah (Genesis 25:1,2). Yet Abraham has more children than these eight. Could you be one of them?
THE KORANIC ACCOUNT
Praise be to God who has given me Ishmael and Isaac in my old age (1)!
Abraham said: ‘Lord, make this a secure land. Preserve me and my descendants from serving idols. Lord, many have they led astray. He that follows me shall become my brother, but if anyone turns against me, You are surely forgiving and merciful (2).
COMMENTARY ON THE KORANIC ACCOUNT
The Koran lists only two of Abraham’s children: Ishmael and Isaac. Those who follow Abraham are then considered brothers of Abraham. Those who turn against Abraham will be forgiven by the god of the Koran who is merciful. This is implied by the phrase, “you are surely forgiving.”
THE BIBLICAL ACCOUNT
Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, in thee shall all nations be blessed. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, the just shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith: but, the man that doeth them shall live in them. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree. That the blessing of Abraham might come on the gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith (3).
For you are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus (4).
It is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewomen. But he who was of the bond-women was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise (5).
Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise. But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bond woman and her son: for the son of the bond woman shall not be heir with the son of the free woman. So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free (6).
COMMENTARY ON THE BIBLICAL ACCOUNT
Scripture gives the names of the eight children of Abraham along with their mothers’ names. One of the children is a child of promise from God.
The covenant and promise of God with Abraham was carried on to Isaac only and not the other seven children (7). From this covenant and promise arrives the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the blessing to the entire world and to every family on earth. Whoever believes on Jesus becomes a child of Abraham by promise of God to Abraham. That is of course to believe that Jesus is God in flesh, the second person of the Trinity. That Jesus was sinless and lived a sinless life in total obedience to his Father the first person of the Trinity. That Jesus was crucified, shed his blood on the cross, and died on the cross: having taken the sins of the whole world in his own body on the cross. Then He received the wrath of God against himself for those sins, tasting death for each and every person. Jesus was buried and rose from the dead. When one confesses to God that they are a sinner and invites Jesus into their heart; Jesus saves them from perdition.
COMPARING & CONTRASTING THE KORAN WITH SCRIPTURE
In the Koran those who follow Abraham are called brothers of Abraham. In scripture those who follow Abraham are called by God the children of Abraham according to the promise of God.
In the Koran if one curses Abraham then God is merciful and forgiving. In Scripture if one curses Abraham then God will curse those who curse Abraham. It is an automatic response to anyone.
CONCLUSION
If you would like to be a child of Abraham you need to confess to God that you are a sinner, and then invite Jesus into your heart. A sample prayer is, “Lord Jesus Christ forgive me of my sins and come into my heart.”
REFERENCES
1. The Koran, Page 182 Paragraph 14:40
2. The Koran, Page 182 Paragraph 14:36
3. The Holy Bible, Galatians 3:6-14
4. The Holy Bible, Galatians 3:26
5. The Holy Bible, Galatians 3:22,23
6. The Holy Bible, Galatians 4:28-31
7. The Holy Bible, Genesis 29:2-5; 17:21; 12:3; 15:18
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