20150808 Saturday, August 8 2015
Isaiah 51: Israel's Physical And Spiritual Ancestors In Iraq

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"Think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham"

Iraq is one of the most ancient nations - while its territory, centered on the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, was the birthplace of humanity itself (see The Garden In Eden and Adam and Adamah; also Life From The Dust - Past And Future and Which Tree Will You Pick Fruit From?).

The name "Iraq" has been in recorded use for at least 1,500 years. The far-more ancient origin of the name is disputed, however many historians (as well as this writer) believe that it originated from "Erech," a city in the same area as the city of Babylon, as recorded in Genesis in the time after the Flood ("the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar," verse 10 below; see also The First Nations Of The New World).

"10:1 Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood.

10:2 The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras. 10:3 And the sons of Gomer; Ashkenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah. 10:4 And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. 10:5 By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations. 10:6 And the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan. 10:7 And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah, and Sabtah, and Raamah, and Sabtecha: and the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan.

10:8 And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth. 10:9 He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD. 10:10 And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. 10:11 Out of that land went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah, 10:12 And Resen between Nineveh and Calah: the same is a great city.

10:13 And Mizraim begat Ludim, and Anamim, and Lehabim, and Naphtuhim, 10:14 And Pathrusim, and Casluhim, (out of whom came Philistim,) and Caphtorim.

10:15 And Canaan begat Sidon his firstborn, and Heth, 10:16 And the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgasite, 10:17 And the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite, 10:18 And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite: and afterward were the families of the Canaanites spread abroad.

10:19 And the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon, as thou comest to Gerar, unto Gaza; as thou goest, unto Sodom, and Gomorrah, and Admah, and Zeboim, even unto Lasha. 10:20 These are the sons of Ham, after their families, after their tongues, in their countries, and in their nations." (Genesis 10:1-20 KJV)

While all of humanity originated from the three lines of Noah (Shem, Ham and Japheth), all of them originated in Iraq (as did Noah himself). As well, all of the lines that contributed to the genealogy of Israel, also originated in Iraq. The key ancestor of that is Abraham, who was of the line of Shem, but notice from the genealogy listed above that others such as Canaan (Jews originated from Judah and his two Canaanite wives; see The First Jews) and Mizraim (i.e. Egypt - the Israelite tribal patriarchs Ephraim and Manasseh had an Egyptian mother; see The Egypt Connection), of the line of Ham, provided their blood lines to the line that would produce the Messiah of all people.

There is moreover the spiritual application of those physical genealogies. After Eden became "Babylon" (see How Did Eden Become Babylon?), the "come out of her my people" began its righteous and moral meaning - that "Babylon" could be, and is, everywhere on Earth.

So too Abraham himself (see the complete series of studies for Abraham, beginning with A Biography Of Abraham: The Genealogy Of Abram) was and is a spiritual ancestor of all who truly follow the Word of God (see Strait And Straight) everywhere on Earth - as starkly-warned by John the Baptist (see also The John The Baptist Prophecies) to some physical descendants of Abraham who did not walk the spiritual way of Abraham because they replaced it with their own "laws" and traditions (a principle that applies as much to many Christian-professing people today as it did to those as-yet unrepentant Pharisees back then - keeping in mind that some of them did repent, one way or another i.e. Saul, who became the apostle Paul, and Nicodemus to whom was given the famous "born again" and "John 3:16" teachings; see What Was The Lesson Of John 3:16?).

John quoted the prophet Isaiah ("Esaias" in the KJV New Testament) in his rebuke to them, and all like them ever since (see also Why Call Me, Lord, Lord, and Do Not The Things Which I Say?):

"3:1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, 3:2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 3:3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying,

The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

3:4 And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey. 3:5 Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, 3:6 And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.

3:7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 3:8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: 3:9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. 3:10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire." (Matthew 3:1-10 KJV)

As stated by the Messiah, in quoting Isaiah (again, "Esaias" in the KJV New Testament; see also Isaiah 1: What Did The Messiah Read From Isaiah That Day?):

"15:3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?" (Matthew 15:3 KJV)

"15:7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,

15:8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. 15:9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." (Matthew 15:7-9 KJV)

Isaiah's view transcended any man-made nation or kingdom (see also The First And Last Nation). He knew and saw exactly what Abraham knew and faithfully lived by (see the Fact Finder question below).

"51:1 Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the LORD: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged. 51:2 Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him. 51:3 For the LORD shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.

51:4 Hearken unto me, my people; and give ear unto me, O my nation: for a law shall proceed from me, and I will make my judgment to rest for a light of the people. 51:5 My righteousness is near; my salvation is gone forth, and mine arms shall judge the people; the isles shall wait upon me, and on mine arm shall they trust. 51:6 Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished.

51:7 Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings. 51:8 For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool: but my righteousness shall be for ever, and my salvation from generation to generation.

51:9 Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD; awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old. Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon? 51:10 Art thou not it which hath dried the sea, the waters of the great deep; that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over? 51:11 Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.

51:12 I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass; 51:13 And forgettest the LORD thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy? and where is the fury of the oppressor? 51:14 The captive exile hasteneth that he may be loosed, and that he should not die in the pit, nor that his bread should fail. 51:15 But I am the LORD thy God, that divided the sea, whose waves roared: The LORD of hosts is his name. 51:16 And I have put my words in thy mouth, and I have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou art my people.

51:17 Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the LORD the cup of his fury; thou hast drunken the dregs of the cup of trembling, and wrung them out. 51:18 There is none to guide her among all the sons whom she hath brought forth; neither is there any that taketh her by the hand of all the sons that she hath brought up. 51:19 These two things are come unto thee; who shall be sorry for thee? desolation, and destruction, and the famine, and the sword: by whom shall I comfort thee? 51:20 Thy sons have fainted, they lie at the head of all the streets, as a wild bull in a net: they are full of the fury of the LORD, the rebuke of thy God.

51:21 Therefore hear now this, thou afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine: 51:22 Thus saith thy Lord the LORD, and thy God that pleadeth the cause of his people, Behold, I have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling, even the dregs of the cup of my fury; thou shalt no more drink it again: 51:23 But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee; which have said to thy soul, Bow down, that we may go over: and thou hast laid thy body as the ground, and as the street, to them that went over." (Isaiah 51:1-23 KJV)

Fact Finder: What did the LORD promise Noah and Abraham in Iraq?
See The LORD's Seed Covenants With The Two Men Of Iraq