Hostility

DEVOTION

GENESIS

HOSTILITY

Gen 25:13-18

13 These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, listed in the order of their birth: Nebaioth the firstborn of Ishmael, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 14 Mishma, Dumah, Massa, 15 Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish and Kedemah. 16 These were the sons of Ishmael, and these are the names of the twelve tribal rulers according to their settlements and camps. 17 Altogether, Ishmael lived a hundred and thirty-seven years. He breathed his last and died, and he was gathered to his people. 18 His descendants settled in the area from Havilah to Shur, near the border of Egypt, as you go toward Asshur. And they lived in hostility toward all their brothers.

NIV

Keeping his promise to Hagar, God blessed Ishmael with twelve sons who became clans or tribes or nations unto themselves. They are referred by the genealogy experts as the princes of Ishmael. This whole group are primarily those who settled the Arabian Peninsula. We have to remember prophesy about Ishmael, that his hand would be against everyone and everyone’s hand would be against him. Yet we do not see the fulfillment of this in the original text but only in certain various English translations. What do these translators know that we do not? This last verse is somewhat of a puzzle in that in the original text it merely says in the presence of all his brethren he died. This is the exact same phrase used back in the early account when he was said in the presence of his brethren he lived. This is where they say he lived to east of the rest of his relatives, the families of Isaac. Today it requires a great deal of research to determine which nation or nations in the Middle East are the descendants of Ishmael to be exact in considering if they are fulfilling that prophesy. We will leave all that for the scholars to determine for it does not serve us as a lesson to explore the geopolitical positions of the Middle East. What this passage does serve to show us is first, God kept his promise to Hagar, as he always keeps his promise. We should also note that although many of Ishmael’s descendants left God to serve gods of their own making, they are still his people, his creation, and he still desires they come to know him and his son Jesus Christ in order to find salvation. Although men give up on God, God never gives up on men. But this hostility thing is difficult to come to grips with as the original text seems not to voice that exactly as it is in English. But again we should yield to those Hebrew Scholars in this point as it was also part of the prophetic words spoken about him. This is an attitude or lifestyle which we cannot ever allow to infiltrate our way of thinking. What exactly is being hostile, or acting with hostility? This does not mean to be at war, although war is considered a hostile act. But as a hostile behavior we might engage in, it would be a state of unfriendliness or opposition. A hostile state, condition or attitude. Enmity or antagonism. It is even defined as opposition or resistance to an idea, plan or project. This would more or less fall in line with always wanting our own way, or demanding our own way. It would seem being hostile is the opposite of what love is defined as:

1 Cor 13:4-7

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

NIV

If we are not fulfilling these qualities or living them out in our relationships with others, then we might well be living with this attitude of hostility. It would be good for us to remember the qualities of living out love rather than hostility.