Have you ever wondered why the Middle East is a virtual Mecca (no pun intended) for violence and mayhem? And as we draw closer to climactic world events, the violence and discontent seems to be escalating at warp speed.

Students of the Bible know the genesis of these squabbles.

Quite simply, the turmoil in the Middle East is the granddaddy of all family feuds and it has its beginning in Genesis 16. It all started when Abraham and Sarah, who were unable to have children, took it upon themselves to produce an heir through Sarah’s Egyptian handmaiden, Hagar.

The angel added, I will increase your descendants so much that they will be too numerous to count. The angel of the Lord also said to her: You are now pregnant and you will give birth to a son. You shall name him Ishmael, for the Lord has heard of your misery. He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone’s hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers.

That was only the beginning.

I’m Ronald Dart, lets learn more about Abraham’s descendants as we join Wes White with part 23 of his study on the Book of Genesis.