Frustration of Israeli Arabs

The problem started many years ago with a man of God called
Abraham, who was promised that his son and heir would bring forth a deliverer,
whom we now know to be our Lord Jesus Christ.

Unfortunately he listened to the voice of his wife Sarah and
had a sexual union with her handmaid, Hagar, thus bringing forth a child called Ishmael,
the father of the Arabs.

Later on of course, Sarah conceived and bore a son called Isaac,
who commenced a lineage that would ultimately bring forth the Saviour of the
world, our Lord Jesus Christ.

In the book of Genesis 21:10-13, we read that Sarah spoke and
said the following:

"Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman
and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even
with Isaac."

Verse 11: "And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's
sight because of his son."

Verse 12: "And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be
grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all
that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy
seed be called."

Verse 13: "And also of the son of the bondwoman will I
make a nation, because he is thy seed." (emphasis added).

And then again in Genesis 21:18, we read the voice of the Lord
speaks to Hagar, and says:

"Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for
I will make him a great nation."

The battle between the Israelis and the Arabs therefore
commenced with human beings trying to act as God and making their own decisions.

The problem will never be settled until our Lord Jesus
returns again and unites the two half brothers and their descendants in a Middle
East where peace reigns supreme.

In the meantime, let us feel for those Arabs who are living
in the land of Israel today, which they unadvisedly call Palestine.

We turn to The Washington Post, 12 October 2001, and
read in part: "Many Palestinians Turn Their Frustration Inward -– When Sobhi
Abu Hasanin heard Osama bin Laden's videotaped words Sunday evening, evoking
the Palestinian cause and threatening Americans with violence, the Gaza cell
phone dealer felt profoundly moved, he recalled today. 'I really, really felt
that Islam was living in this man's heart,' Hasanin said.

So Hasanin, 35, was shocked the following day when he saw
Palestinian policemen fire on students demonstrating in favor of bin Laden.

'I saw it with my own eyes -– nobody told me, I saw it,'
he said, from his small shop across the street from where blood was spilled,
killing two and wounding scores of others. 'I was very upset. I was very mad.'

Much of his anger was directed at the Palestinian leader,
Yasser Arafat, for turning his back on bin Laden in favor of the United States.
'Instead of participating in a coalition against terrorism, why doesn't he
stop his police from using live ammunition against people?' he asked...

'He is not listening to people in the street. He is only
listening to the people around him.'

There are many people like Hasanin in Palestinian-controlled
areas of the West Bank and Gaza Strip these days, so many that Arafat's
officials worry...

But the streets in Palestinian areas are still simmering. 'What
I saw on the street was a shame -– as a Palestinian, I felt ashamed,' said
Mahmoud Abu Khalid...It's exactly like what the Israeli army does.

I am shocked to see Palestinians killed by Palestinians.'...

Since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in New York and
Washington, Arafat's Palestinian Authority has been embarrassed by outpourings
of support for bin Laden in the streets and has ordered demonstrations
suppressed. Police have tried to block people from filming or taking pictures of
such protests...

Much of the public anger has focused on the Gaza police
chief, Ghazi Jibali, with calls mounting for his removal. Said Hamas official
Abdel Aziz Rantisi: 'There was a gap between the Palestinian people and the
Palestinian Authority, and now the gap is widening.'..." (emphases
added).

Having been to Israel at least 18 times, we have made friends
with many of the Arab population there, and find them to be very lovely people
indeed.

I will remember one Arab asking me the following question:
How would you feel if your family had lived in an area for two or three
generations and then suddenly somebody came along and told you to get out and
live in a camp somewhere? This must be very confusing to the average person who
has lived in that land for some time, and not knowing the history nor the
Biblical implications, they can be expected to fight back at all costs, to try
and retain what they feel is rightfully theirs.

However, the Word of the Lord is very clear -– that the land
of Israel belongs to Israel, and therefore Ariel Sharon had every right
to go up on the temple mount when he did.

We read in Ezekiel 36:24, the following:

"For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you
out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land." (emphasis
added).

Not only does God bring the Jewish people back from all over
the world, but He has promised that He would change their attitudes as well in a
day yet to come.

We read in Ezekiel 36:26 "A new heart also will I
give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away
the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh."

There is no doubt that when the God of Israel reveals Himself
as the only true God on earth, the many Muslims who have been deceived by the
black rock they call Allah, the moon god, will turn their allegiance over to
this wonderful God, who not only is our God but wants to be known as Father, as
we receive His Son Jesus as our Saviour.

Therefore believers in Christ, it is important that we pray
for both groups at this time, as prophecy is being fulfilled in this our
lifetime.