Prophet ZEPHANIAH PROPHECY OF 3:9

9For then will I turn to the peoples

A pure language,

That they may all call upon the name of the LORD, To serve Him with one consent.(Zep 3:9)

The above stanza mentioned is often quoted by Muslims proving that the verse and the prophet Zephaniah predicted the advent of Islam. One should realize that Bible never mentions of Islam or Muslims but yes it mentions of Ishmalites and Hagarenes (Ps 83:6). Again, Bible criticizes the tribes and none of the Biblical prophets were Ishmalites or Hagarenes, accept from the tribe of Israel the 12 tribes. So, why do Muslims exaggerate themselves proving that Islam and their prophet are prophesied in the Bible? It is because of (surah 7:157)

“Yusuf Ali: “Those who follow the messenger, the unlettered Prophet, whom they find mentioned in their own (scriptures),- in the law and the Gospel;- for he commands them what is just and forbids them what is evil; he allows them as lawful what is good (and pure) and prohibits them from what is bad (and impure); He releases them from their heavy burdens and from the yokes that are upon them. So it is those who believe in him, honour him, help him, and follow the light which is sent down with him,- it is they who will prosper.”

Now, coming back to the verse, the prophet mentions of “a pure language, so that they may call the Lord in one name”. Muslims who are calling Christians to their faith often referee the verse as a prediction of Islam, therefore we has Christians should start investigating the potholes. Church father Origen explains to best of his knowledge that the entire world will someday come under one law only when the WORD wishes to do so. There is no evil so strong that it can be overpowered by the Supreme WORD and God Almighty. Again Lord Almighty says that

“For My determination is to gather the nations,

That I may assemble the kingdoms,

To pour upon them Mine indignation,

Even all My fierce anger;

For all the earth shall be devoured

With the fire of My jealousy.

9For then will I turn to the peoples

A pure language,

That they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve Him with one consent. (Ze 3:8-9)

Hence, when the whole earth comes to an end, the inhabitants of Asia, Europe and Libya as well as Greeks as Barbarians shall call upon the name of the Lord, and serve Him, with same consent. Origen is clear that the people will fall at the feet of the WORD and Lord Almighty.

Destruction In Deuteronomy

[26] And I sent messengers out of the

wilderness of Kedemoth unto Sihon king of

Heshbon with words of peace, saying: [27] ‘Let

me pass through thy land; I will go along by

the highway, I will neither turn unto the right

hand nor to the left. [28] Thou shalt sell me food

for money, that I may eat; and give me water

for money, that I may drink; only let me pass

through on my feet; (Deut 2:26-28)

[4] after he had smitten Sihon the king of

the Amorites, who dwelt in Heshbon, and Og the

king of Bashan, who dwelt in Ashtaroth, at Edrei; (Deut 1:4)

Respond: The above verse is quoted by Moses, which explains the reason behind the attack. It was a peaceful treaty and a request as it reads in the verse. Moses requested Sihon to allow the sons of Israel to pass and in return they were ready to pay for the bread and water.

[30] But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let

us pass by him; for the Lord thy God hardened

his spirit, and made his heart obstinate, that He

might deliver him into thy hand, as appeareth

this day.

[31] And the Lord said unto me: ‘Behold,

I have begun to deliver up Sihon and his land

before thee; begin to possess his land.’ [32] Then

Sihon came out against us, he and all his people,

unto battle at Jahaz. [33] And the Lord our God

delivered him up before us; and we smote him,

and his sons, and all his people. [34] And we took

all his cities at that time, and utterly destroyed

every city, the men, and the women, and the

little ones; we left none remaining; [35] only

the cattle we took for a prey unto ourselves,

with the spoil of the cities which we had taken. (Deut 2:30-35)

3 Then we turned, and went up the way to

Bashan; and Og the king of Bashan came

out against us, he and all his people, unto battle

at Edrei. [2] And the Lord said unto me: ‘Fear

him not; for I have delivered him, and all his

people, and his land, into thy hand; and thou

shalt do unto him as thou didst unto Sihon

king of the Amorites, who dwelt at Heshbon.’

[3] So the Lord our God delivered into our hand

Og also, the king of Bashan, and all his people;

and we smote him until none was left to him

remaining. [4] And we took all his cities at that

time; there was not a city which we took not from

them; threescore cities, all the region of Argob,

the kingdom of Og in Bashan. [5] All these were

fortified cities, with high walls, gates, and bars;

beside the unwalled towns a great many. [6] And

we utterly destroyed them, as we did unto Sihon

king of Heshbon, utterly destroying every city,

the men, and the women, and the little ones.

[7] But all the cattle, and the spoil of the cities, we

took for a prey unto ourselves. (Deut 3:3-7)

7 When the Lord thy God shall bring thee

into the land whither thou goest to possess

it, and shall cast out many nations before thee,

the Hittite, and the Girgashite, and the Amorite,

and the Canaanite, and the Perizzite, and the

Hivite, and the Jebusite, seven nations greater

and mightier than thou; [2] and when the Lord

thy God shall deliver them up before thee, and

thou shalt smite them; then thou shalt utterly

destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with

them, nor show mercy unto them; [3] neither

shalt thou make marriages with them: thy

daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor

his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. [4] For

he will turn away thy son from following Me,

that they may serve other gods; so will the anger

of the Lord be kindled against you, and He will

destroy thee quickly. [5] But thus shall ye deal

with them: ye shall break down their altars, and

dash in pieces their pillars, and hew down their

Asherim, and burn their graven images with fire. (Deut 7:1-5)

Respond: The entire city was put to the sword including the little ones. There is a catch to it; Moses says that the Lord has delivered Sihon and Og into his hands. This is the choice given to Moses, nowhere in the verse lord says to go and kill, it is the decision of Moses. So, why did Moses execute every life in Heshbon. Well, Moses doesn’t give any concrete reason for this but we can conclude with two incidents that happen before Moses’s birth.

[20] And the Lord

said: ‘Verily, the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is

great, and, verily, their sin is exceeding grievous.

[21] I will go down now, and see whether they

have done altogether according to the cry of

it, which is come unto Me; and if not, I will

know.’ [22] And the men turned from thence,

and went toward Sodom; but Abraham stood

yet before the Lord. [23] And Abraham drew

near, and said: ‘Wilt Thou indeed sweep away

the righteous with the wicked? [24] Peradventure

there are fifty righteous within the city; wilt Thou

indeed sweep away and not forgive the place for

the fifty righteous that are therein? [25] That be

far from Thee to do after this manner, to slay the

righteous with the wicked, that so the righteous

should be as the wicked; that be far from Thee;

shall not the Judge of all the earth do justly?’

[26] And the Lord said: ‘If I find in Sodom fifty

righteous within the city, then I will forgive all the

place for their sake.’ [27] And Abraham answered

and said: ‘Behold now, I have taken upon me to

speak unto the Lord, who am but dust and ashes.

[28] Peradventure there shall dack five of the fifty

righteous; wilt Thou destroy all the city for lack

of five?’ And He said: ‘I will not destroy it, if I

find there forty and five.’ [29] And he spoke unto

Him yet again, and said: ‘Peradventure there

shall be forty found there.’ And He said: ‘I will

not do it for the forty’s sake.’ [30] And he said:

‘Oh, let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak.

Peradventure there shall thirty be found there.’

And He said: ‘I will not do it, if I find thirty there.’

[31] And he said: ‘Behold now, I have taken upon

me to speak unto the Lord. Peradventure there

shall be twenty found there.’ And He said: ‘I will

not destroy it for the twenty’s sake.’ [32] And he

said: ‘Oh, let not the Lord be angry, and I will

speak yet but this once. Peradventure ten shall be

found there.’ And He said: ‘I will not destroy it for

the ten’s sake.’ [33] And the Lord went His way,

as soon as He had left off speaking to Abraham;

and Abraham returned unto his place. (Gen 18:20-33)

The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah can answer the genocide done by Moses. The criteria for not destroying a city is well explained (Deut 18:24-32) that even 10 righteous people of the city can save the land from the wrath of God Almighty (Deut 18:32).

The second criterion is the flood that happened during Noah’s time.

[13] And God said unto Noah: ‘The end of

all flesh is come before Me; for the earth is filled

with violence through them; and, behold, I will

destroy them with the earth. (Gen 6:13)

God Almighty never intends to make a criterion that was made while destroying Sodom and Gomorrah. Ten righteous is enough to save the entire city. During the flood, entire earth was filled with violence (Gen 6:13) whereas, in case of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen 18:20-33) the entire city was destroyed. This could be one possible explanation that Yahweh God intends not to leave any choice and destroys the earth with a Global Flood. The two incidents are clear that the entire human race was wiped out including infants or little ones.  

Returning to the main reason that why were the infants executed by Moses. The answer lies here

[10] When thou drawest nigh unto a city

to fight against it, then proclaim peace unto it.

[11] And it shall be, if it make thee answer of

peace, and open unto thee, then it shall be, that

all the people that are found therein shall become

tributary unto thee, and shall serve thee. [12] And

if it will make no peace with thee, but will make

war against thee, then thou shalt besiege it.

[13] And when the Lord thy God delivereth it

into thy hand, thou shalt smite every male thereof

with the edge of the sword; [14] but the women,

and the little ones, and the cattle, and all that is

in the city, even all the spoil thereof, shalt thou

take for a prey unto thyself; and thou shalt eat the

spoil of thine enemies, which the Lord thy God

hath given thee. [15] Thus shalt thou do unto all

the cities which are very far off from thee, which

are not of the cities of these nations. [16] Howbeit

of the cities of these peoples, that the Lord thy

God giveth thee for an inheritance, thou shalt

save alive nothing that breatheth, [17] but thou

shalt utterly destroy them: the Hittite, and the

Amorite, the Canaanite, and the Perizzite, the

Hivite, and the Jebusite; as the Lord thy God

hath commanded thee; [18] that they teach you

not to do after all their abominations, which they

have done unto their gods, and so ye sin against

the Lord your God. (Deut 20:10-18)

Respond: When we read (Deut 20:10) the verse is clear to fight against the enemies offering peace treaty at the first place. This is read in the (Deut 2:26-28) when Moses offered peace and money for bread and water to Sihon the king of the Amorites, who dwelt in Heshbon.But the king was adamant to put up a fight (Deut 2:32). Moses fought only in self-defense by making a peaceful treaty same with Og the king of Bashan (Deut 3:1).So, why did Moses kill the infants??? If you read (Deut 20:10-14) the women and the little ones or infants are spared but there is a criteria that only the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite; (Deut 20:17) should be wiped out including the infants. It was not the same when we read Sihon the king of the Amorites, who dwelt in Heshbon (Deut 2:26) who was offered the peace treaty initially. Therefore, when we look into the bigger picture Moses who authored the Torah, walks on the footstep of God Almighty who destroyed every living being on earth including infants. The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and the massive Global Flood did not guarantee the survival of any living creature including infants.

Now, people might question the biased nature of God and Moses that it’s ok to execute foreigners for they were idolaters and enemy of Israel. (Deut 20:10-18). A similar question can be asked regarding the Sons Of Israel when they made a golden calf and started to venerate it (Ex 32:1-6). Was Moses quite on this? Or did he punish the sons of Israel? Yes he did so. (Ex 32:25-28) the passage speaks about execution of both men and women although the word “man’ is used “and slay every man” so we assume that only men are slaughtered. But this includes women too; because (Gen 5:2) is clear on this passage that God Almighty created both man and woman and called them Adam or man or mankind. Therefore, based on this argument we can conclude that men and women from the tribe of Israel were slaughtered that day.

Analyzing, the above statement and evidence one can conclude that the God of Bible is not biased and neither Moses took side of wrong when it came for the children of Israel. He judged fairly whether it was a foreigner or Israelites.

(Whether the judicial precepts regarding foreigners were framed in a suitable manner?) (Objection 4)

Thomas Aquinas explains that a distinction was maintained with regard to the hostile cities. When the children of Israel took the cities, they executed the men who avenged against Yahweh God’s people while women and children were shown mercy. Whereas, the same fate was absent when it came for other neighboring cities, the entire city was put by the sword on account of their crimes, punished by God Almighty by the hands of the Israelites. For it is mentioned

5It is not because of your righteousness or uprightness of heart that you are going in to possess their land, but it is because of their wickedness that the LORD your God is driving out these nations before you, to keep the promise He swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  (Deut 9:5)

Violence In Numbers 31

And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 2’Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites; afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people.’ 3And Moses spoke unto the people, saying: ‘Arm ye men from among you for the war, that they may go against Midian, to execute the LORD’S vengeance on Midian. 4Of every tribe a thousand, throughout all the tribes of Israel, shall ye send to the war.’ 5So there were delivered, out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand of every tribe, twelve thousand armed for war. 6And Moses sent them, a thousand of every tribe, to the war, them and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, to the war, with the holy vessels and the trumpets for the alarm in his hand. 7And they warred against Midian, as the LORD commanded Moses; and they slew every male. 8And they slew the kings of Midian with the rest of their slain: Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian; Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword. 9And the children of Israel took captive the women of Midian and their little ones; and all their cattle, and all their flocks, and all their goods, they took for a prey. 10And all their cities in the places wherein they dwelt, and all their encampments, they burnt with fire. 11And they took all the spoil, and all the prey, both of man and of beast. 12And they brought the captives, and the prey, and the spoil, unto Moses, and unto Eleazar the priest, and unto the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the camp, unto the plains of Moab, which are by the Jordan at Jericho.

13And Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and all the princes of the congregation, went forth to meet them without the camp. 14And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host, the captains of thousands and the captains of hundreds, who came from the service of the war. 15And Moses said unto them: ‘Have ye saved all the women alive? 16Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to revolt so as to break faith with the LORD in the matter of Peor, and so the plague was among the congregation of the LORD. 17Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him. 18But all the women children, that have not known man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves. 19And encamp ye without the camp seven days; whosoever hath killed any person, and whosoever hath touched any slain, purify yourselves on the third day and on the seventh day, ye and your captives. 20And as to every garment, and all that is made of skin, and all work of goats’hair, and all things made of wood, ye shall purify.’

21And Eleazar the priest said unto the men of war that went to the battle: ‘This is the statute of the law which the LORD hath commanded Moses: 22Howbeit the gold, and the silver, the brass, the iron, the tin, and the lead, 23every thing that may abide the fire, ye shall make to go through the fire, and it shall be clean; nevertheless it shall be purified with the water of sprinkling; and all that abideth not the fire ye shall make to go through the water. 24And ye shall wash your clothes on the seventh day, and ye shall be clean, and afterward ye may come into the camp.’(Nb 31:1-24)

Respond: If one reads the verse from (Nb 31:14-17), it was the decision of Moses to execute the children, (Pt 4) Yahweh God never gave such instructions of the genocide. If we read the verse below

“The Lord has sworn [God swears!] that the Lord will have war with 

        Amalek from generation to generation.” (Ex 17:14-16)

Yahweh God, promises to wage a war against the pagans Amalekites, it is for this reason he instructs Moses to wipeout every living creature.

Proofs from the Apostolic Writings, that Jesus Christ was one and the Same, the Only Begotten Son of God, Perfect God and Perfect Man.

Against Heresies — Irenæus

 Irenaeus explains to his best of knowledge that Christ fought with a concealed hand against the Amalekites. Christ removed the infants so that he might send them on before into his kingdom, because he arranged the circumstances so that, the human infants should be martyrs, slain according to the scriptures, for the sake of Christ as stated in the Gospel

When Herod saw that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was filled with rage. Sending orders, he put to death all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, according to the time he had learned from the Magi (Matt 2:16)

Adnan Rashid Surrenders To The Will Of Sam Shamoun

Muslims are cowards just like Paul Williams and Faiz Masood Siddiqi and their mentor is Muhammad the prophet of Islam.

Al Waqidi The First Islamic Historian

Muhammad the prophet of Islam, who is he??? We know very little of the seer within10-20 years after his death until Al Waqidi comes into the picture. Abu Abdullah Muhammad bin Umar al-Waqidi was born in Yathrib (Medina) in the year 130/747, towards the demise of Umayyad caliphate and during the rule of Marwan bin Muhammad. This earliest historian had a successful career that span to more than a jubilee and breathed his last in the year 207/823, he was just 78 years and was buried in the cemetery of Khaizuran in Baghdad. Al-Waqidi was very active when it came to collecting myriads of information from either the companions of the prophet or one of the descendants by visiting the place to which Muhammad had been. He is generally credited to be the first historian to collect the stories of warfare waged by Muhammad against the Jews and the Christians. Al-Waqidi gets the idea to pen down the life history of Muhammad after noticing the step taken by Ibn Ishaq who wrote Sirat Rasull Allah the biography of Muhammad the prophet of Islam. Al-Waqidi’s stand was to challenge his old contemporary Ibn Ishaq by adopting only the outline of the biography and coming with his own illustration known as Kitab-Al-Maghazi. Today, the work exists in three main manuscripts:

British Library Or. 1617, the only complete copy discovered which is dated to 564 hijri or 1169 A.D, which is errorless.

British Library Add. 20737 manuscript that contains only the first half of the text.

Vienna 881 which is in fragmentary form containing only one-third of the overall text.

These three manuscripts helped Marsden Jones to translate and give us his English work of Kitab-Al-Maghazi.

Can Al-Waqidi be trusted???

The answer is no, it is not because that he is rejected by the major scholars such as Imam Bukhari or Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal but because of the manuscript that comes after 300-400 years after the original has been written down. The problem is not only with the copy but also the age when Al-Waqidi chips in to write his part of the narration regarding Muhammad’s history. The duration of Muhammad’s death and writings of Al-Waqidi is more than 100 years, this shows that the early Muslims were either careless or did not take their prophet seriously. If Muhammad was a crucial figure for the entire mankind then why it takes more than 100 years to write down his war campaigns. Honestly speaking, the first complete copy is discovered more than 300 years after its original was penned down. This proves once again that Muslims were not serious about their prophet if not the copy could had been written within 50 years of its original.

 

The Poetry That Killed Asma Bt Marwan: The Mercy Of Prophet Muhammad

Asma bt Marwan, the poetess of Yathrib was in habit of writing poetries that caused insult to prophet Muhammad. She was from the Banu Umayya and married Yazid b Zayd b Hisn al-Khatmi and was blessed with children.

I despise the Banu Malik and al-Nabit and Awf and I despise the Banu L-Khazraj

You obey a stranger, who is from other than you; not from Murad or Madhhij,

Do you have hopes of him even after the killing of your chiefs

Like one who awaits a well-cooked broth?

It was this poetry that made Umayr b. Adi b. Kharasha b. Umayya al-Khatmi swell in rage and he vowed “O Allah, indeed I promise that if you return rasul allah to Yathrib, I will surely kill her,” because Muhammad was at that time in Badr. After the return of rasul allah from Badr, Umayr b. Adi went hunting for Asma in middle of the night and entered her house. She was busy suckling her child and her children were fast asleep when Umayr threw the infant and pushed his sword into her heart forcing the blade to come from her back. After the murder he returned to say his dawn prayer (Salat al-fajr) along with Muhammad in Yathrib. After the salat the prophet turned and questioned Umayr “did you slay Asma the daughter of Marwan?” He replied honestly “yes, for you are dearer to me than my father, O Rasul Allah.” The reply made Muhammad burst in joy and replied “Two goats will not thrust about her.” This is the first time when someone heard such words from the mouth of Muhammad.

The Rasul then looked at the people present and told them that if you desire to look at a man who secretly helped Allah and his Nabi, then look at Umayr. Umar b. al-Khattab said “look at this blind man who is persistent in his obedience to Allah. Muhammad corrected Umar and said do not call Umayr blind but with one eye vision. The honor that Umayr got from Muhammad was quite serious in its nature; this gave extra boost to challenge the children of Asma who were busy burying their mother, that if together they fought Umayr he would slay them all.

The mercy of Muhammad was unquestionable, if this is the traits of Muhammad who failed to rebuke Umayr for the crime he did then we can understand that why Muslims react violently when Muhammad is criticized. The prophet of Islam cannot be a mercy to the mankind and those who follow his footsteps become violent and draw their swords just as Umayr did. The best example of mercy (Ar-Rahman) is Jesus, rebuking his disciples during his arrest by the Roman soldiers which could be read in (Matt 26:52), (Luke 23:34) and many merciful verses.

Al-Waqidi has mentioned the account in his book “Kitab-Al-Maghazi” but he shows no sympathy towards the atrocity but silences over the act and moves on.

 

Josh Mcdowell vs Ahmed Deedat

Ahmed Deedat vs Josh McDowell Debate: Was Jesus Christ Crucified? (Full) – YouTube

“O Christ Worshippers”!

Ibn Al Qayyim Al Jawziya a famous Muslim scholar from centuries ago wrote a poem (in Arabic):

Yaa Obad Al Maseeh Fi Naqd Al Nasraniyyah’ (O Worshippers of Christ – Answering Christianity).

English interpretation and translation of “O Christ worshippers! We want answers for our questions“(from your wise ones).

If the Lord was murdered by people acts, what kind of god is this? We wonder. Was He pleased by what they did to Him? If, ‘yes’, then blessed by they, for they achieved His pleasure. But if he was discontented, that means their power had subjugated his power.

Was the whole universe left with no Sustainer? Who answered prayers during this? Were heavens vacated while he laid underground someplace?

Were all the worlds left without a god to manage, while his hands were nailed? Why didn’t the angels help him when they heard him screaming?

How could rods stand up to bear the true Lord when he was fastened?

How could the iron rods pierce his body?

How could his enemies hands strike him and slap his back side?

Did Christi revive him from the dead? Or was there another god to revive him?

What kind of sight was it, a grave enclosing a god?

Stranger still is the womb that confined him? He remained there nine months in total darkness, fed by blood? Then he exists the womb as a tiny baby, weak, gasping to be breast fed?

He ate and drank, and what then naturally occurs? Is this something for God? Exalted High is Allah above these lies of Christians. All will be held accountable for their lies!

O Cross worshippers! Why is the cross exalted? And why blame those who reject it? Isn’t it logical to break and burn it? Along with the ones to initiated it?

Since the Lord was crucified on it, his hands nailed to it? That is really a cursed cross to carry! So throw it away, don’t kiss it!

The lord was abused on it, yet you adore it? So you are of his enemies?

If you extol it because it carried the Lord of the Worlds, why not prostrate yourselves to worship graves? Since the grave contained your god in it?

So, O Christ worshipper, open your eyes, this is what the matter is really all about.

We respectfully add our own questions for our brothers who believe in the One God of Adam, of Abraham, of Moses and of Jesus:

Do we believe Jesus, peace be upon him, taught us to pray and he also prayed?

Did Jesus really pray?

To Whom?

Therefore, shouldn’t we also pray directly to the One that Jesus, peace be upon him, prayed to?

We suggest to all mankind everywhere, the following advice:

WORSHIP THE CREATOR
~ NOT HIS CREATION

Polygamy, Marriage and Divorce

In the beginning Yahweh God made Adam and Eve and they became one, this was the genesis of marriage. One man and one woman. But then it was the beginning of polygamy when Lamech the decedent of Caine married two women Adah and Zillah. (Gen 4:17-24).

We can see a true communion of marriages in Noah’s life who was married to only one woman and so did his sons Shem, Ham and Japheth.(Gen 7: 7and 13).

When we read the story of Abraham, he was married to one woman Sarai and Nahor the brother of Abraham was married to Milcah the daughter of Haran. (Gen 11:27-30).

Note: Inter relative marriages was not considered incest or sin but was accepted. One example is when Nahor marries his brother Haran’s daughter Milcah.

Yahweh God inflict sever plagues on Pharaoh and his household because he took Sarai (Gen12: 17).

Note: Taking other’s wife was a sin and because of this Yahweh God punished Pharaoh and this was before the law was given.

Sharing one’s spouse was it legal?

No, a great example was when Sarai told Abraham to go and sleep with her maid servant named Hagar. (Gen 16). Although, it was Sarai who permitted Abraham to sleep with Hagar but inwardly she cursed over her decision. (Gen 16:4-6).

Lot was married to only one wife (Gen 19)

Another incident of taking another person’s wife for oneself is in (Gen 20). Where Abimelech the king of Gerar took Sarah for himself. But before committing further sin he is intervened by Yahweh God and apologizes for it. This shows that it was a sin taking other’s wife for oneself.

Note: Abraham married Sarah who was the daughter of Abraham’s father but not mother (Gen 20:12-13). This proves that Abraham’s father Terah had two wives, and one of them could bore Sarah, so Abraham married his step-sister.

Abraham marries 2^nd time and her name is Keturah (Gen 25:1-6)

Note: Abraham marries the 2^nd time only after the death of Sarah and not before that.

Polygamy in the primitive age was unacceptable and one such example was when Esau the son of Isaac and Rebekah married two women Judith, the daughter of Beeri the Hittite and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite (Gen 26: 34-35).

Note: Isaac preferred Esau over Jacob (Gen 25:28) but after his marriage Isaac was disappointed (Gen 26:35)

Esau again marries, this time Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael (Gen 28:9). This again shows polygamy was unacceptable during primitive time.

When Jacob was tricked or deceived by Laban and made to sleep with Leah. Jacob did not like the idea and he questioned his father-in-law that he wanted Rachel and not Leah (Gen 29:25-26).

Trick doesn’t end here when Jacob was again forced by Rachel when she wanted him to give her child. Rachel gave her slave-girl Bilhah as a wife (Gen 30:3). Seeing this Leah also gave her slave-girl Zilpah to Jacob as a wife. (Gen 30:9)

Note: Both Leah and Rachel gave their slave-girls as wife and not as concubines. Similar, incident is when Sarah gave her Egyptian slave-girl to Abraham as wife (Gen 16:4)

Esau brother of Jacob had three wives namely:

1. Adah, the daughter of Elon the Hittite.
2. Oholibamah the daughter of Anah, who was the son of Zibeon the Horite.
3. Basemath the daughter of Ishmael and sister of Nebaioth. So, it was polygamy.

Another great story was about Judah and Tamar (Gen 38). Although, Judah took Tamar has his daughter-in-law but he slept with her because it was Tamar who tricked him by taking off her widow clothes and wrapped a veil around her (Gen 38:14).

Note: The story of Judah and Tamar (Gen 38), Judah gave Tamar to his sons but this happened only when his sons died, so he passed his daughter-in-law to other sons only after their demise.

But a new covenant was made “a man who takes the wife of his brother, they shall die childless”. (Lev 20:21)

Note: Both man and woman will die childless.

Why did Tamar do so?

Because Judah promised her that when Shelah the younger son grows into an adult he will marry Tamar with him (Gen 38:11). But Judah fails to keep his promise (Gen 38:14)

Did Judah Repent?

Yes he did (Gen 38:26)

Note: Cheating on spouse was practiced in the primitive world; one such example is when Joseph was approached by his master’s wife to sleep with her (Gen 39: 7-20)

Moses was married to only one woman Zipporah the daughter of Reuel (Ex 2:21-22).

Clean And Unclean Food

To know more on this we need to go back during Adam and Eve’s time when Yahweh God made everything for them. And said “all the seed-bearing plants on the earth will be your food”. And all the wild beast all birds (fowl of air KJV) and all living reptiles (creepeth KJV) you can eat. (Gen 1:29-31). But after the fall (Gen 3) still food of every kind was allowed to be consumed.  A great example of good and bad food or clean and unclean can be seen during the offering by Caine and Abel. When Caine brought some of the produce of the soil as an offering for Yahweh, while Abel for his part offered the first-born of his flock and some of their fat as well (Gen 4:3-4).

Note: With this we can understand that even before the laws were established, people knew what to offer.

Yahweh God promises Noah the same to eat “every living and crawling species” and even green herb. (Gen 9:1-5).

The divine promises and covenant which was made between Abraham and Yahweh God regarding giving a child to Abraham. This is when Yahweh God says “get 3 year old heifer, 3 year old she goat, 3 year old ram. Notice all these animals are clean.

The first reference of clean and unclean comes in (Gen 7:2-3) when Noah was ordered to take such animals in the ark.

Note: Noah knew the clean and unclean animals so he offered from those. (Gen 8:20-21)

Turtle Dove and a young pigeon are clean animals (Gen 15:9)

Note: All these animals are clean and this was even known before the law was given.

The apparition at Tent of Mamre, when the Lord appeared to Abraham, he runs to greet the three visitors and tells Sarah to knead some cakes and quickly runs to fetch a calf for meal.(Gen 18:1-9)

Note Abraham offers a calf even before the law was given. This proves people were civilized or knowledgeable about the offering. This is why they offered clean animals to Yahweh God.

The sacrifice of Isaac was replaced by a ram which was caught in the bushes by Abraham. (Gen 22:13)

Note: Here too Yahweh God provided a clean animal a “ram” for sacrifice. And this is a time when law was yet to be given.

Camel a Forbidden Animal (Lev 11:4) (Deut 14:7-8)

Rachel took household idols and put them in the camel’s litter and sat on them. (Gen 31:34)

Note: Camel is a forbidden animal but before the law was given people used camels as means of transportation

When Jacob was preparing way to meet his brother, he chooses gifts for Esau and from it were 30 camels in milk with their calves. (Gen 32:14-16). Now Jacob gifted his brother with camels although he was the chosen one right from his mother’s womb (Gen 25:23), but yet he choose a forbidden animal the camel. This proves everything was permissible to be eaten, served and gifted.

During the Passover (Ex:12) Yahweh God instructed Moses to sacrifice an animal without blemish a male one year old either from sheep or goats.(Ex 12:5-6).

Note: The criterion is to sacrifice an animal without blemish that is without defect and from sheep or goat that is clean animal. And this was before getting the law.

The Offerings

It should be done by offering rams which is a clean animal (Ex 29:10-21)

Yahweh God separated clean from unclean animals (Lev 11:1-47). This was because if we take a closer look on such unclean animals, they were scavengers such as pig, vulture and so on. So, if we start killing the scavengers then who is going to clean the society???

Why Camel is held Unclean?

Is camel a scavenger? No, camel is not a scavenger but known as “sheep of the desert”. Now, when we look back, the law was given to Moses who is in a desert that is Middle East, and camels were the best transport in the desert. Meanwhile, when we read (Gen 32: 14-16) Jacob chose 30 camels with their calves to gift Esau his brother. There is no record of camel sacrifice in the entire Bible. Since due to its utility, efficiency, durability and longevity to survive without water in desert, Yahweh God prohibited its offering, and made use of camel so that people should not eat it but utilize the animal.

Animals Sacrificed.

Animals like ox sheep or goat should be offered but the animal should not be blind, lame, mutilated, ulcerous or suffering from skin disease or sore.(Lev 22:17-30)

Moses Speaks

Israelites were permitted to eat unclean animals in home but should not sacrifice it. (Deut 15:19-23)

In Egypt when Abraham meets Pharaoh, he gave Abraham animals along with camels. (Gen 12:17)

Note: When Abraham sends his steward to find a girl for Isaac the servant takes 10 of his master’s camels. (Gen 24:10).

Rebakah draws water for the camels (Gen 24:20) this proves that camels were not unclean animals but were used for various reasons.

Laban the brother of Rebekah welcomes the servant along with his camel. (Gen 24:32)