Abraham and his wives
Greetings, friend!
Abraham had more than one wife. Initially he had Sarah, but she could not bare any children. Sarah gave Abraham her slave girl, Hagar, to bear children for him. A while after the death of Sarah, he took another young wife, Keturah, to take care of him in his old age. (Keturah did bare children for Abraham, but she weren't a covenant woman...)The two I am talking about today, are Hagar and Sarah, both women of the covenant.
Hagar was a slave girl that was liberated because Sarah could not bare children. Both of them become part of the covenant between the Creator and Abraham. Unfortunately Sarah the always-free one became jealous of Hagar the liberated slave girl.
I am sure the Creator had thought that this would happen - He is omniscient. So He told Abraham to take his liberated slave girl with her child Ismael to a barren valley so that the Creator could provide for them. (Ask any Muslim to tell you the story of the Creator's provision for her and Ismael and you would realize that BOTH Ismael and Isaac was covenant children!)
The Creator asked Abraham to proof his faith by offering his covenant child. Well he had two: Ismael and Isaac. First he was tested with Ismael (again, ask any Muslim!), then the Creator repeated the test with Isaac some years after that as recorded in the Torah and the Bible. Abraham completed both tests and both times he was rewarded with a ram to offer as a replacement sacrifice.
The sacrifice tradition still lives among Muslims during the time of Hajj and on the Feast of the Sacrifice all capable Muslims offer an animal to slaughter and the meat get distributed to the poor. The Jews also have a sacrifice tradition, but it is currently suspended waiting for the new temple to be erected. Christians had combined all these sacrifices into a single sacrifice.
TODAY'S QUESTION:
The big question today is are you jealous of people selected by the Creator for a task, maybe you are part of that task, but you think they are inferior due to their upbringing, financial status, etc.? Then you are busy sinning! Those people are selected by the Creator and He alone would provide and guide them. If you are part of their plan, do not derail it, or the Creator may split you so that you can complete your mission in two different places...
Forgiveness and a new life is waiting for you!
You would know what to do... GO AND DO IT NOW!
Metusalah and Elias
Messengers and warners
______________________________________________________
APPROVED COMMENTS:
No comments yet.