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Not All His Children


 It is not as though God’s word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham’s children. On the contrary, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” In other words, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring. For this was how the promise was stated: “At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.” (Romans 9:6-9) 

          Did you know that Abraham had 8 children? You might be able to name two: Ishmael and Isaac. He also had Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak and Shuah. Ishmael was the son of Hagar. Isaac was the son of Sarah. The other six were the sons of Keturah. (Genesis 25:1-4) Abraham cared for his other children, but Isaac was the heir even though he wasn’t the eldest. God promised to bless both Isaac and Ishmael, but God would work out His plan through Isaac’s family. 
          In the next generation, God singled out the younger brother, Jacob, as His man. Esau was rejected. After that, it was Judah even though Reuben was older. There were ten brothers besides. There were lots of Israelite women who went with Moses when he led them out of Egypt, but it was a Canaanite woman and a Moabite woman who were David’s great grandmother and great, great grandmother. David had lots of kids, but Solomon was the one chosen to be next in the line of the ancestors of Christ. Were all of God’s chosen people good people? Stop laughing, most of the folks I picked weren’t as bad as some that I didn’t mention. Have you read about King Manasseh and his son, King Amon? 
          There are also the “guest stars” whom God used, people like Pharaoh, Darius, Xerxes, Nebuchadnezzar, Cyrus, and Alexander. I like listening to the Old Testament, because I notice some of these things. Sometimes it seems as though the Israelites were determined to destroy God’s Word, but their best attempts to do God’s plan damage failed. More of Israel deserted God than followed Him. 
          The same is true today. There are lots of supposedly good people who claimed to lead people to God: Buddha, the Dalai Lama, Mohammed, Joseph Smith, Mary Baker Eddy. There are some things about each religion out there that is similar to Christianity, there is some good to almost every religion, but they aren’t the religion that God has chosen. There are times when it seems like one or another of the other religions might be better in some way, but those religions aren’t the one God chose and He will see to it that His Word does not come back void. 

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