{"id":23237,"date":"2025-12-07T08:52:45","date_gmt":"2025-12-07T16:52:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hoshanarabbah.org\/blog\/?p=23237"},"modified":"2025-12-07T09:27:54","modified_gmt":"2025-12-07T17:27:54","slug":"the-descendants-of-esau-were-israels-arch-enemies-in-bible-times-will-be-in-the-end-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hoshanarabbah.org\/blog\/2025\/12\/07\/the-descendants-of-esau-were-israels-arch-enemies-in-bible-times-will-be-in-the-end-times\/","title":{"rendered":"The Descendants of Esau Were Israel\u2019s Arch-Enemies in Bible Times & Will Be In the End Times"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Ancestry of Modern Arabs<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The conflict between the Jews (and Christians) and the Arabs has ancient roots.<\/strong> In Genesis 32, Esau (the father of  many of the modern Palestinians) and his army stood in the way preventing Jacob (the father of Jews and Israelites) and his descendants from returning to their homeland\u2014the land YHVH had promised to them. This historical event is prophetic of what will happen in the end times as the Jews and the rest of the Israelites endeavor to receive their promised inheritance and the kingdom of Elohim. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not only that, YHVH used Esau to test Jacob, who had grown overly self-confident due to his business acumen, wealth and his ability to produce a large family clan. In the ancient world and in a tribal sense, he had reached the pinnacle of wealth and power. However, what mattered to YHVH more than these things was the character of a man. Would Jacob have faith in his Creator, or would he trust in his own abilities to outwit his adversaries and come out on top as he had done twice previously with his brother Esau and Uncle Laban? Jacob\u2019s confrontation with his brother at the threshold of the land of Israel and his wrestling with the Messenger from heaven were the two tests that he had to pass. The Bible calls this Jacob\u2019s Trouble <\/em>and prophesies that something similar will occur in the end times to Jacob\u2019s descendants(Jer 30:7).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As we read in Genesis 32, Jacob divided his wives and children into two camps (Gen 32:1, 7). This was prophetic of what would eventually occur to the nation of Israel after the death of King Solomon. The one nation of Israel became two houses or kingdoms\u2014the Northern Kingdom of Israel (Judah) and the Southern Kingdom of Israel (or the northern ten tribes). The descendants of these two kingdoms are presently\u2014loosely speaking\u2014the Jews and the Christians (we have discussed and proven this point biblically elsewhere). But who are the descendants of Esau historically and, more importantly, today, and why is it important to know?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Many, if not most of the modern Moslems (especially the Arabs) trace their lineage back if not biologically then spiritually to Ishmael, the son of Abraham by Hagar. Islam in its religious book, the Koran, claims that it was Abraham and Ishmael who founded the religion of Islam and built the Kaaba, which is the small building containing a stone that supposedly fell from heaven. This shrine is located in the midst of great mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Of Ishmael and his descendants, the Bible prophesies in Genesis 16:11\u201312, <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The angel of YHVH said to her further, \u201cBehold, you are with child, and you shall bear a son; and you shall call his name Ishmael, because YHVH has given heed to your affliction. And he will be a wild donkey of a man, his hand will be against everyone, and everyone\u2019s hand will be against him; and he will live to the east of all his brothers.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The Koran has further twisted the biblical account to declare that the patriarchs (i.e., Abraham, Isaac and Jacob) were actually Muslims, and that Abraham gave the birthright blessing to Ishmael instead of Isaac. Both Israelites and Arabs, therefore, believe that they have a right to the Promised Land of Canaan, and, hence, this disagreement is at the roots of the modern Arab-Israeli conflict.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Scriptures further record that Esau (or Edom), the disinherited son of Isaac, also had ought against his brother Jacob, who, in a sense, stole the birthright promise from him. Furthermore, Esau married the daughter of Ishmael (Gen 28:9). Thus, some of Ishmael\u2019s and Esau\u2019s descendants merged becoming a people-group, who continued the jealous feud with the sons of Jacob or Israel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Bible has more to say prophetically about the descendants of Esau, who scripturally are referred to as Edom<\/em> (Esau\u2019s nickname) than about those of Ishmael. Edom is portrayed as an aggressive and bloodthirsty people, who are opposed to Israel at every step. We will discover what the Scripture have to say about this below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the mean time, let\u2019s take a closer look at Edom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n