(a), (b) I do wonder how Deedat would manage in an English literature exam because he seems to be unable to read a passage and critique it in an intelligent way. Let me help him out here.

By the way, if Deedat had quoted the full passage from Genesis 20 verse 12 (Gen 20:12), we would have seen that she was actually Abraham’s half sister. It reads “Besides, she really is my sister, the daughter of my father though not of my mother; and she became my wife.” Not that this justifies the action of taking your half sister to be your wife.

 

Yes Abraham married his half sister but Deedat conveniently forgets that Abraham was a pagan before God called him. He would have followed all the practices of a pagan in that place and time and if marrying your half sister was acceptable to that culture then he would have not seen the problem. Of course when the law was given to Moses then such acts were forbidden. This can be read in the book of Leviticus in chapter 18 verse 9 (Lev 18:9) but while you are reading that check out verse 15 (Lev 18:15) “Do not have sexual relations with your daughter-in-law. She is your son’s wife; do not have relations with her.” Remember that Muhammed’s adopted son Zayd was shall we say encouraged to divorce his wife Zaynad so that Muhammed could marry her.

 

The whole sorry incident with Hagar (and also the incident with Abraham pretending not to be married to Sarah) shows how Abraham had a crisis of faith and instead of trusting in God, instead tried to fix it in his own strength. None of this was God’s plan but rather Abraham and Sarah trying to help God out which is always a bad plan.

It is interesting because Abraham is often seen as the father of faith because he was praised for his trust in God. It teaches us that even when we fail, God is still merciful because of his grace.

 

In short, the incidents above are of no help to Deedat and just show how unwilling he is to read the whole of God’s word with an open and honest mind.

 

(a), (b) With Deedat’s comments about Abraham not receiving the promise land we see Deedat again not being prepared to analyse God’s word. He quotes verse 5 of Acts (Acts 7:5) but not surprisingly does not quote verse 17 (Acts 7:17) “As the time drew near for God to fulfil his promise to Abraham, the number of our people in Egypt had greatly increased.” By pointing out that by fulfilling the promise to Abraham’s descendants, God is teaching us that not only his descendants but we who are adopted into his family – that is the gentiles - are one with him in the blessing. Abraham rejoiced to see the fulfilment of the promise and shares in it with us all. Abraham is not dead but is living and will be resurrected and enter his promised land. As Jesus said in Matthew 22 (Matt 22:32) “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.”