What is the Biblical root of the Middle East conflict? Does the Bible say anything about the Arab states?

With the fall of Mubarak in Egypt, the revolution in Libya, the nuclear program of Iran, the constant insecurity in the Persian Gulf, the vulnerability of the oil reserves in Saudi Arabia, and the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, the whole of the Middle East seems to be in a crisis situation again. Worry, fear and uncertainty are a by-product of the secular reporting in the news. Often, Christian messages and articles on this subject are little more than newspaper exegeses. We need reports that are based on the Bible. What is the Biblical root of this conflict?

First, we must remember that God is unlimited and sovereign and has the events under control. As believers, we need not be concerned about the headlines of the newspapers. Second, it is absolutely clear from the Scriptures that the land which is generally called Palestine was rightfully given to the Jewish people by God. The Bible rejects any Arab claim to the land.

The following article embraces four spheres: the root of the conflict, the continuation of the original conflict up to the present day, the future of the Arab states in this conflict, and the two desolate regions in the Messianic kingdom.According to the Scriptures, it is clear that the land generally known as Palestine was given to the Jewish people by divine right. It is, in the truest sense of the words, “Jewish property” and belongs to Israel. The Bible declares all Arab claims to the land to be invalid. Whatever the Bible says about the Arab peoples, the land of Israel is never included.While much time has been devoted to the prophecy concerning Israel, little is said about the prophecy concerning the Arab states. We will consider this subject in three separate sections. First, we will speak of the root of the conflict, so that we understand how it began. Then, we will concern ourselves with the continuation from the origins to the present. Third, we will deal with the future of this conflict and the future of the Arab states.I. The root of the conflict.
The chosen people of God are the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Their origin lies in the Abrahamic covenant, which is mentioned in Genesis 12:1-3. The origin of the Arab people is mentioned in Genesis 12:10-20, 16:1-14, 25:19-31, and 27:41. The Biblical root of the conflict between Israel and the Arab states lies in two people: Ishmael, the half-brother of Isaac, and Esau, the twin brother of Jacob. A. Ishmael.
The origin of the Arab peoples begins with what we could describe as “Abraham’s folly” as we read in Genesis 12:10-20. A famine led Abraham and his wife Sarah with their herds and servants to Egypt. Sarah was very beautiful, and as Abraham knew of the reputation of Pharaoh, he was afraid that he might kill him so that he could add Sarah to his harem. As Sarah was Abraham’s half-sister, he only refrained from telling him that she was also his wife. Then that which he dreaded most happened. Sarah was brought into Pharaoh’s harem. Abraham received a dowry for her. Before anything could happen, however, God intervened, and Sarah was given back to Abraham. Abraham left Egypt with all that Pharaoh had given him, including a maid called Hagar.Many years passed. God continued to be silent, and Sarah continued to be infertile. In accordance with the custom of that time, Sarah offered Abraham her maid, Hagar, who could bear him a child—Sarah’s “folly” (Genesis 16:1-6). Hagar gave birth to a son who was called Ishmael. He was to be one of the patriarchs of the Arabs. In Genesis 16:10-12, Jehovah predicted the nature of Ishmael. First, he would be a “wild man”—“a wild donkey of a man” the NIV says, which means that his descendants would be nomadic tribal people. Second, he is characterized as an aggressor: “his hand will be against every man.” Third, just as he would be an aggressor, he would also bring reprisals upon himself, “…and every man’s hand against him.” Finally, “…and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers” (NIV). This means that although the Arabs and Jews lived side by side, they would be hostile toward one another.B. Esau.
The second patriarch of the Arabs is Esau. While Ishmael and Isaac were half-brothers, Esau and Jacob were not only brothers but twin brothers. Yet Esau was born first, and therefore the birthright belonged to him, which at that time gave him the right to a double portion of his father’s inheritance. Even more important, however, was the fact that God wanted to use the possessor of the birthright to fulfill his divine plan of the Abrahamic covenant. But “Esau despised his birthright” (Genesis 25:34) and sold it to Jacob for a bowl of soup.When Isaac was old and the time for the blessing of the firstborn had come, Jacob deceived his father while Esau was out (Genesis 27), so that he received the blessing. His sin was not that he stole the patriarchal blessing—this belonged to Jacob—but his sin was in his deception. The source of Esau’s hatred and the resulting conflict lies in Genesis 27:41: “And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob.”We see not only Ishmael’s hatred for Isaac, but also Esau’s hatred for Jacob. The Arab states are either descendants of Ishmael or Esau. The root of the present conflict with Israel lies in these two people. II. The continuation of the conflict.
After the death of Ishmael and Esau, the corresponding tribes grew into nations firmly rooted in their own territory, while the Israelites were made slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt. The Arabs had apparently received all the blessings and the Jews the curses. The conflict between the brothers continued because hatred and hostility had been sown in the hearts of their descendants.We find one of the first examples of the continuing conflict in Numbers 20:14-21. Over 400 years later, after God had liberated His people from their slavery and given them the law, they were on their way to the Promised Land to take possession of the inheritance. The shortest way to the Promised Land was through Edom. Moses sent messengers to the king of Edom and asked for permission to pass through the land. It was a simple request, which was based on the blood relationship between the two peoples. Although more than 400 years had passed, the continuing hostility of the descendants of Esau toward Israel now became apparent. The origin of this hostilityhad begun with Esau. The king of Edom refused them the permission to pass through the land, and sent his army to force the Israelites to take the long way around the land.In accordance with the nature of Ishmael and Esau, the descendants of these two men were in continual war with Israel. In the whole of the book of Judges we find examples of conflicts between Ishmaelites, Edomites and Israel. At the time of the Babylonian captivity, the Edomites gave the Jewish refugees who had escaped destruction into the hands of the Babylonians willingly, although Edom was also under the yoke of Babylon.In Psalm 83, the Psalmist is not only describing his own time, but also prophetically the situation in the Middle East today:“Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God. For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head. They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones. They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee: the tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarenes; Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre; Assur also is joined with them: they have holpen the children of Lot” (verses 1-8).In the first three verses, the Psalmist describes a united conspiracy and agreement against Israel. It speaks of a rebellious, cunning people who unite against the Jews. Their aim is clearly described in verse 3, and this is the destruction of Israel, “…that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.” They want to destroy the people of Israel so that the world will not even remember the mere name of Israel. During the Six-Day War, these words from Psalm 83 became the battle cry of the Arab nations, who sought to destroy the people of Israel. Today also this is the cry of the peoples of the Middle East, the descendants of Ishmael and Esau, who continue to hate Israel and aim at the destruction of the Jews. III. The conflict in the future.
If we want to determine the position of the Arab states in the millennium of peace, we must do this with the background of the continuing Arab hatred for the Jews in mind. The future of the individual Arab states will be determined by two principles: first through their history of anti-Semitism, and second by how closely these states are related to Israel by blood.
Ultimately, there will be peace between Israel and the various Arab states, but it will take place in three different forms: first through occupation, second through destruction, and third through conversion. A. Lebanon.
There will be peace between Israel and Lebanon through occupation. Lebanon was always a part of the land which God promised Abraham. In Ezekiel 47:13—48:29, the borders of the state of Israel in the Messianic kingdom are given. In this time, some of the northern tribes of Israel will inhabit and occupy the whole of Lebanon. During the Messianic kingdom, there will be no state by the name of Lebanon. B. Jordan.
The present day state of Jordan embraces the ancient territories of Edom, Moab and Ammon. Each of these peoples has a different future.

1. Edom: Southern Jordan.The Edomites are the descendants of Esau, the brother of Jacob. Between Israel and the south of Jordan, there will be peace as a result of destruction through war and armed conflict, through which Edom will become “perpetual desolations” (Ezekie35:6-9). Jeremiah 49:7-13 emphasizes the complete destruction of the land, so that nothing of the “seed” of Esau remains. In the past, Edom had the opportunity to trust in the Lord, but she did not respond. Now the cup of her iniquity is full.

2. Moab: Central Jordan.
As far as Moab is concerned, this land will also come to a peace with Israel through destruction (Jeremiah 48:1-46), but the destruction will not be complete. According to verse 47, a remnant of Moab will survive and repent.

3. Ammon: Northern Jordan.
Also Ammon will come to a peace through destruction, which will be followed by the conversion of a remnant (Jeremiah 49:6). In the Messianic kingdom, there will be a saved people of Ammon.To summarize, we could say that there will be peace through destruction between Israel and the three parts of Jordan, but not all to the same extent. Edom, southern Jordan, will be completely destroyed. Esau was the twin brother of Jacob, and had therefore the closest blood relationship. The peoples of Moab and Ammon are descendants of Lot, the nephew of Abraham, and therefore distant blood relatives. Their destruction is partial.C. Egypt.
Between Israel and Egypt, there will first be peace as a result of destruction, and later as a result of her conversion. Isaiah 19:1-10 describes the punishment of Egypt for her sins—the long lasting hatred for Israel. As a result of the curse principle in the Abrahamic covenant, Egypt will suffer a temporary desolation during the first 40 years of the Messianic kingdom (Joel 3:19). Isaiah 19:1-22 describes also their conversion, however. An altar will be set up in the land of Egypt as a sign and testimony to the power of the God of Israel, to save the land of Egypt. Egypt will be broken and then healed again.D. Assyria (Northern Iraq).
Between Israel and Assyria, there will be peace through conversion. Isaiah 19:23-25 describes a “highway from Egypt to Assyria,” the “Via Maris” of olden days, which led through Israel. A trade route is an economic symbol. This is why the peace resulting from thiswill be expressed in economic, political and religious unity, because they will all worship the same God.E. Kedar and Hazor (Saudi Arabia).
There will be peace between Israel and Saudi Arabia as a result of destruction. Jeremiah 49:28-33 describes the complete desolation of Saudi Arabia through war. The inhabitants will be dispersed all over the world for the whole duration of the Messianic kingdom. The territory will be “…a dwelling for dragons, and a desolation for ever: there shall no man abide there, nor any son of man dwell in it.”F. Elam (Persia or Iran).
Although Persia or Iran (ancient Elam) is not an Arab state, she shares the same religion with the present day Arabs. Her future is also predicted in the Word of God.Between Israel and Iran, there will be peace through destruction and dispersion, followed by a conversion and following return (Jeremiah 49:34-39). As a result of the destruction, the people of Elam will be dispersed in all the world, but verse 39 says that the destruction will be partial and the dispersion temporary. The people will return and possess their land. But in contrast to Egypt, the duration of the dispersion is not mentioned. IV. The two desolated regions in the Messianic kingdom.
During the Messianic age, the whole world will be fertile and beautiful. In spite of this, for the whole duration of the Messianic kingdom, there will be two desolated regions in which fire and brimstone burn. The first will be Babylon, the previous world capital of the Antichrist. It will be a place where the demons are imprisoned. During their sins against Israel, the second region of desolation will be Edom. Here too demons will be held captive.We can rest assured, therefore, in spite of all the unrest in the Middle East, that God has everything under control and the Arab nations will be judged according to His time plan. (NAI0811/461)(First published in Freundesbrief der Ariel Ministries, Summer 2011. Published with the friendly permission of the CMV, www.cmv-duesseldorf.de)