Abraham's Other Children
a portion of today’s text from Genesis, 1611 KJV Bible (Replica Edition) photo by jch
Sermon Series “Through the Bible,” № 6, Genesis 21:8-21
As for the son of the slave woman, I will make a nation of him also, because he is your offspring.” –Genesis 21:13
During a journey through Genesis, we see several instances when the story seems to be leading in a certain direction, then circumstances are reversed in a dramatic way. Cain is the elder brother, but his offerings are not accepted by God, his jealousy leading him to murder his younger brother Abel. Another son named Seth ends up being the one honored in the genealogy of Jesus, according to the third chapter of Luke. Esau is the one who, by the rules of ancient society, should have inherited his father Isaac’s property. But he ends up deprived of both his birthright and his father’s blessing by his brother Jacob’s treachery.
In the narrative woven together in Genesis, God defies human expectation again and again. People are chosen by God for blessing for no good reason, sometimes, as in the case of Jacob, against what we consider good reason. Just when we think a character is minor or of relatively little worth, God lifts up that character, gives her or him a major purpose, and a special blessing.
Something like that happens in today’s text from the 21st chapter of Genesis. It seems clear the way that history is unfolding and the narrative progressing. It’s Isaac, the child of Abraham and Sarah, who is the important one. He is the child of God’s promise. He is the one most important to the editors who put Genesis in its final form, the child through whom Jews and Christians trace their spiritual heritage. It seems like Ishmael was a mistake, born of a poor decision by Sarah and Abraham not to trust God about their promised child, but rather take charge of the matter, and have a child through Sarah’s servant Hagar. Just when it looks as if Hagar and Ishmael have been delivered to a tragic end, God intervenes on their behalf, and says, “I will make him a great nation. Get up, drink from the well, find food in a new land, and live.”
As you may know, it is through Ishmael that the religion of Islam, and its followers called “Muslims,” trace their heritage to Abraham. According to Muslims, Hagar and Ismael ended up in the vicinity of Mecca in Arabia, and eventually were reunited with Abraham. After hearing about the miracle that saved them, Abraham and Ishmael rebuilt the Kaaba, a small cubic “House of God,” believed to have been originally built by Adam. Today the Kaaba is itself housed inside the Grand Mosque at Mecca, and contains the sacred Black Stone, a meteorite believed to have been placed by Abraham and Ishmael as a symbol of God’s covenant. Muslims around the globe turn in the direction of the Kaaba when they pray.
When I read the Muslim holy book called the Qur’an (or Koran) for a seminary class, I was surprised to learn how many figures from our Bible are mentioned. For instance, did you know that the Qur’an contains more references to Mary the mother of Jesus than the New Testament? The Qur’an speaks about Adam and Eve, David and Solomon, Moses and Jesus.
But the Qur’an is very different from our Bible. It’s shorter than the New Testament. Its 114 chapters are organized not in a chronological order of faith history, but rather from longest to shortest chapter. This is one reason I felt confused by reading it. Muslims believe that the Qur’an contains the revelations received by the Prophet Muhammad from God through the angel Gabriel during a 23-year period leading up to Muhammad’s death in 632 A.D.
Muhammad lived in a time when Mecca was emerging as a wealthy commercial center. Along with that wealth came a growing division between rich and poor. The revelations Muhammad received emphasized social justice, corrected what he understood to be errors in Judaism and Christianity, and called upon all to return to what the Qur’an refers to as the straight path of Islam, or the path of God.
Muslims have sects and “denominations” as diverse as Christians, but there are major beliefs that they hold in common. Like Jews and Christians, Muslims are monotheists – they believe in one God. Muslims believe in prophets, not just Muhammad, but also the prophets of our Bible. They regard Jesus as a prophet. Although they don’t believe that he is the Son of God, many believe in the virgin birth. They believe in heaven, hell, angels, and a coming day of judgment. They practice a morality that includes regular prayer, financial stewardship, special observances of fasting, and a pilgrimage to the holy site of Mecca.[1]
When I entered ministry in the 1980s, it was common to think of Islam as a religion practiced by people far distant from our country. Today, somewhere between 3- and 4-million Americans self-identify as Muslim.[2] In many cases, they are recent immigrants from the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. But there also are American Muslims who are not immigrants, but rather converts.[3] By my count of Google listings, there are about two dozen Muslim mosques in the greater St. Louis area, including one on Kettle River Dr. in Glen Carbon.
Given our particular national history in the 21st century, we may associate the terms “Islam” or “Muslim” with the people who committed the terrorist attacks of September 11, or with the Taliban against whom U.S. Forces fought in Afghanistan for 20 years. But these extremists don’t speak for all Muslims, just as violent extremists in our country don’t speak for all Christians. The Qur’an doesn’t advocate violence to any greater degree than our own Bible, with its passages in the Old Testament describing retribution and the punishment of God’s enemies. I can’t say that I find the Qur’an to be inspiring reading material, and I don’t find the religion of Islam to be especially attractive. But, just as God surprises us with reversals in Genesis, I was one on occasion surprised and moved by the unexpected spirit of hospitality and grace I encountered among Muslim people.
It’s now more than 20 years ago that I spent time a couple fall seasons in continuing education at Ghost Ranch, a Presbyterian conference center in New Mexico. One evening several of us stopped at the Abiquiu Inn, an establishment run by “dar a Islam,” a Muslim educational group.
When we entered the door, the host told us that the kitchen had closed. When we explained we were really were just looking for a place to drink coffee and talk. The host invited us to a table near a warm fireplace, and brought cheesecake, cream, and a pot fresh coffee. He said that since the cash drawer was already “closed out,” there would be no charge for the dessert.
Several minutes passed when the manager of the Inn came to our table. He explained that the kitchen had closed early so all employees and their families could enjoy the annual staff dinner party. If we would be interested, he said, we were welcome to be his guests at the feast. We explained we already had eaten dinner, but sat in for just a while. Later we left the restaurant, which had turned into a festive scene full of happy people and fine food. It looked very much like a wedding reception or family reunion.
I never have forgotten the gracious welcome I received. It was a welcome that was extended at a time inconvenient for the restaurant staff, and made extra work. It was a time in which they were trying to enjoy a rare special occasion with their family. Yet, they showed extraordinary patience and care with people they had never seen before, and likely never would see again. At that moment, it seemed to me like these Muslims understood Jesus’ teaching better than me.
I have known very few Muslims, and can’t claim even one as a personal friend. Perhaps I’m long past the point when making such a new friend is a real possibility. Still, in today’s world, I think it would be good for me and for you to remain open to the possibility. If and when it happens, then perhaps I could display a grace similar to what was shown to me. As our New Testament text advises, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.”
NOTES
[1] A trusted source is John Esposito, Professor of Religion & International Affairs and of Islamic Studies, and Founding Director of the Alwaleed Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at the Walsh School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University. Among his many books is one that I found valuable: What Everyone Needs To Know About Islam, New York: Oxford University Press, 2002.
[2] https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/01/03/new-estimates-show-u-s-muslim-population-continues-to-grow/
[3] https://www.gordonconwell.edu/blog/how-many-muslims-are-there-in-the-united-states/
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