Abraham and the Nations
“ God that made the world . . . hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation.” ( Acts 17:24 , 26) The foundation for global conflict lies in God’s promise to Abraham : “I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse them that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed” ( Genesis 12:2-3 ). The son of promise (Isaac) and the son of the bondwoman (Ishmael) are at the crux of the issue ( Galatians 4:22-31 ). In eternity’s eyes, all the petty politics and power plays of the nations are “dust of the balance” ( Isaiah 40:15 ). Anyone familiar with biblical history will know that God dealt with the nations of the world as tools of influence, reward, and punishment to Israel . After Abraham generated the beginnings of