The Bible Recap

This week’s Bible Recap history lesson is one worth sharing — because it isn’t just ancient history… it’s today’s headlines.

Y’all, the Bible is alive, relevant, and astonishingly precise. I love it so much. When we accept God’s Word as truth, life actually becomes clearer — simpler — steadier.

One of the most mind-blowing things in Scripture?

God makes promises.

The Almighty. The Creator. The Eternal One.

And when God makes a promise, it is legally binding and irrevocable. Let that sink in for a moment.

Finding those promises… marking them… watching them unfold across centuries — it should both thrill our hearts and sober our souls.

Take the land of Israel and the ongoing conflict between Jews and Muslims — a very current and sensitive topic. Did you know the roots of this go all the way back to Genesis? God blessed the fathers and descendants of both nations — yet only one line received a covenant land promise, and only one line would bring forth the Messiah, the Savior of the world.

Promises God made to Abraham:

• Promise of land to Abraham’s descendants (Genesis 12:7)

• Promise of land forever and descendants beyond counting(Genesis 13:14–17)

• Promise of a biological heir from Abraham (Genesis 15:6)

• Covenant made; land boundaries clearly defined (Genesis 15:18–21)

• Covenant established; Abram renamed Abraham; promise of nations and kings (Genesis 17:1–6)

• Everlasting covenant with Abraham and his descendants (Genesis 17:7)

• Promise of land as an everlasting possession (Genesis 17:8)

• Circumcision given as the sign of the covenant (Genesis 17:9–11)

• Promise of a son through Sarah (Genesis 17:15–16)

• Covenant line established through Isaac (Genesis 17:19)

Did you notice? In Genesis, God doesn’t just promise land — He gives boundaries. I encourage you: read it… map it… see how specific God is.

Promises God made regarding Ishmael (Abraham’s son through Hagar):

• Descendants multiplied beyond number (Genesis 16:10)

• Son named Ishmael — “God hears” — because God heard his affliction (Genesis 16:11)

• Prophecy concerning Ishmael’s manner of life and dwelling (Genesis 16:12)

• God hears Abraham’s plea for Ishmael (Genesis 17:18–20)

• Blessing, fruitfulness, and great multiplication promised (Genesis 17:20)

• Promise of twelve princes (Genesis 17:20)

• Promise that Ishmael would become a great nation (Genesis 17:20)

• God promises to make a nation of Ishmael because he is Abraham’s descendant (Genesis 21:18)

• God is with Ishmael as he grows (Genesis 21:20)

• Fulfillment: Ishmael fathers twelve princes (Genesis 25:12–16)

Ishmael was blessed — but Scripture is equally clear:

He was not given a covenant land grant and not placed in the Messianic line.

Genealogy from Abraham to Christ:

Abraham → Isaac → Jacob → Judah → Perez → Hezron → Ram → Amminadab → Nahshon → Salmon → Boaz → Obed → Jesse → David → Solomon → Rehoboam → Abijah → Asa → Jehoshaphat → Joram → Uzziah → Jotham → Ahaz → Hezekiah → Manasseh → Amon → Josiah → Jeconiah → Shealtiel → Zerubbabel → Abiud → Eliakim → Azor → Zadok → Achim → Eliud → Eleazar → Matthan → Jacob → Joseph → Jesus Christ

(Matthew 1:2–16)

Genealogy of Ishmael:

Ishmael → Nebaioth → Kedar → Adbeel → Mibsam → Mishma → Dumah → Massa → Hadad (Hadar) → Tema → Jetur → Naphish → Kedemah

They settled from Havilah to Shur, east of Egypt toward Assyria, living “over against” all their relatives.

(Genesis 25:12–18; Genesis 21:20–21)

That phrase “living over against” means dwelling nearby but separate — often marked by independence, tension, or conflict rather than unity.

Sweet friends, this isn’t dry genealogy — it’s living history.

God keeps His promises. Every single one.

And watching them unfold reminds us why His Word can be trusted… always.