My book, “2020 Vision” (Feldheim Publishers, 2008), opens with a powerful passage from the Malbim, which reads as follows:
“In the End of Days, after the Children of Israel have returned to their Land, the children of Yishmoel and the children of Esav will unite to attack Jerusalem. They will form a world coalition against the tiny nation of Israel. But something will go wrong with their plan. The religious beliefs of the children of Yishmoel and the children of Esav will clash, and the two nations will collide and destroy each other. This is what is referred to as the War of Gog and Magog. Following this cataclysmic conflict, the Final Redemption of the Jewish People will occur with the coming of Moshiach ben Dovid.” (The Malbim on Sefer Yechezkel 32:17)
In the book, a group of Jews escapes a burning America and manages to cross the Atlantic Ocean. When their ship lands in France, they find that Europe has become a battleground between Bnai Yishmael and Bnai Esav, exactly in accordance with the prophetic words of the Malbim.
My friends, look at today’s headlines! This exact scenario is being played out today in Europe, where violent demonstrations and the rising power of Yishmoel are destroying the culture of Edom!
This week’s Parsha tells us that “Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian … mocking [Yitzchak].” (Beraishis 21:9) Rashi explains: the word “mocking” refers to the three sins of avoda zara, illicit relations and murder. Then he goes further, quoting a Midrash which says that Yishmoel took Yitzchak to a field where Yishmoel “practiced” his archery with Yitzchak as his target! Yishmoel -- who is by nature almost incapable of telling the truth -- claims, “Surely, I was joking.” (Beraishis Rabbah)
This “joke” has come down through the generations as Yishmoel’s obsession with trying to kill the children of Yitzchak. Today the “arrows” of Yishmoel are called Ballistic Missiles, and they are aimed at us, the children of Yitzchak Avinu.
“Ma’ase avos siman l’banim … the actions of the forefathers are signs for the children!”
Mishpacha Magazine recently interviewed a convert from Islam, who recounted her childhood in Beirut, where every teenager, regardless of sex, is taught to take apart a gun and put it back together in a few seconds. This is the ancient “joke” of Yishmoel!
Yishmoel thinks he is about to conquer the world and destroy Esav, so that he will become the lone power on the world stage and fulfill his ancient dream of eliminating Yitzchak, G-d forbid.
But he does not understand. “Rabos machashavos … many plans are in man’s heart, but only the counsel of Hashem will prevail.” (Mishlei 19:21) Let’s review the words of the Malbim: “the children of Yishmoel and the children of Esav will clash, and the two nations will collide and destroy each other.”
Yishmoel wants to destroy Esav and seize total world power, but, in reality, the final battle of history is taking shape, in which Yishmoel and Esav will destroy each other. Upon the ruins of their battlefield the sun will rise on the new world of Moshiach ben Dovid.
Let’s not try to hold onto the world of Yishmoel-Esav. It is dying. “Do not fear, oh worm-weak Yaakov – the people of Israel -- for I shall be your help – the words of Hashem …. Behold, I have made you a new, sharp threshing tool with many blades. You shall thresh mountains and grind them small, and make the hills like chaff … and the wind will carry them, the storm will scatter them, but you will rejoice in Hashem … the Holy One of Israel!” (Haftaras Lech Lecha)
The former great civilizations are being pulverized and “the storm will scatter” their dust. My friends, we should not be afraid of the headlines. The Almighty G-d is ushering in a world filled with light, joy, truth and purity in which He will be One and His Name One! May we see it soon with our own eyes!
Yishmoel’s Arrow: “Just a Joke”
GLOSSARY
Bnai Esav: the Children of Esau, Western Civilization
Bnai Yishmoel: the Arab Nations
Hagar the Egyptian: mother of Yishmoel
Parsha: Torah portion of the week
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