http://www.scriptoriumdaily.com/2009/01/12/a-biblical-theology-of-the-arab-peoples/

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Product Description

(Foreword by Eugene H. Merrill) A compelling call for Christians to rethink the role of Arabs—also descendents of Abraham and recipients of his blessing. (20050216)

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #426519 in Books
• Published on: 2003-11-10
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 368 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780825431845
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

Review
"Anyone interested in the Middle East and the Arab world will benefit from this excellent study." (Roy B. Zuck Bibliotheca Sacra 20050401)

"Arabs in the Shadow of Israel is an excellent piece of scholarship. . . . I would endorse and recommend it unreservedly. His work should certainly be essential reading for any Christian claiming a biblical perspective on the peoples of the Middle East." (Ant Greenham Faith & Mission 20050501)

"Heavy-going at times, this brilliant study by a Lebanese Arab Christian provides the Scripture scholar, and anyone else interested in contemporary Israeli-Arab conflicts in the Middle East, a history of the Arab people reaching back to their biblical roots. . . .Maalouf outdoes himself with another thorough study concerning the Magi at Christ's birth. Contrary to old myths and legends, Maalouf, with internal and external evidence, proves that the Magi were truly Arabs bearing gifts, items drawn from the store of Arab international trade, incense, spices, and gold. Christian missionaries to the Middle East will find this book a must-read." (Robert B. Fisher Missiology )

"If you are at all interested in the Middle East today, this book merits your attention." (Pastor Ken Hornok Voice )

"It is time to present Ishmael from a Christian perspective, and to reclaim him as part of biblical legacy. This will help build a bridge for dialogue with those who claim Ishmael as their ancestor. The biblical legacy of Arabs and Jews has the potential to reconcile both antagonistic parties under the Abrahamic umbrella and to offer the hope of the gospel of peace in an area tyrannized by war." (Theology Digest )

"Maalouf does an excellent job incorporating cultural considerations into his arguments...This work furnishes a needed corrective to the common view of the current Middle East situation and will prove to be critical in getting the Church back to a more complete understanding of how God is working in the region. Carefully considered, the book will give the reader a more comprehensive and less one-dimensional understanding of how we should relate to Arabs today. Consideration of Dr. Maalouf's points will hopefully enhance Christian outreach to the Arab people. With a clearer understanding of the Arabs' role in God's prophetic plan more Christians hopefully will develop a love for the children of Ishmael. And as always, that love will lead to positive action." (R. Todd Bradley The Criswell College 20040901)

"Maalouf does an excellent job incorporating cultural considerations into his arguments...This work furnishes a needed corrective to the common view of the current Middle East situation and will prove to be critical in getting the Church back to a more complete understanding of how God is working in the region. Carefully considered, the book will give the reader a more comprehensive and less one-dimensional understanding of how we should relate to Arabs today. Consideration of Dr. Maalouf's points will hopefully enhance Christian outreach to the Arab people. With a clearer understanding of the Arabs' role in God's prophetic plan more Christians hopefully will develop a love for the children of Ishmael. And as always, that love will lead to positive action." (R. Todd Bradley The Criswell College 20050301)

"Maalouf makes clear the profoundly important role that the Arab has played in biblical times and since, and he displays his burden, like that of Paul, that his own Arab people might be saved." (WIN-Informer 20050201)

"Most Western Christian support Israel and have a predisposition against the Arab nations. With authoritative scholarship, the Lebanese Christian author and theology teacher investigates Scripture carefully. Tony Maalouf reveals rich insights about Ishmael...There are over 100 pages of endnotes, bibliography and general index. Nevertheless, this thought-provoking scholarly work is very readable." (A. Karen Davis Pulpit Helps 20041101)

"Most Western Christian support Israel and have a predisposition against the Arab nations. With authoritative scholarship, the Lebanese Christian author and theology teacher investigates Scripture carefully. Tony Maalouf reveals rich insights about Ishmael...There are over 100 pages of endnotes, bibliography and general index. Nevertheless, this thought-provoking scholarly work is very readable." (A. Karen Davis Pulpit Helps 20050701)

From the Back Cover

"A masterful piece of scholarship on a much neglected topic."

—Kenneth E. Bailey
Professor Emeritus of Middle Eastern New Testament Studies
Tantur Ecumenical Institute, Jerusalem

Western Christianity's longstanding support of Israel has certainly, but unintentionally, nurtured a bias against Arab people, traditionally tied to Abraham's first son, Ishmael. Lebanese Christian Tony Maalouf contends that this perspective differs dramatically from the biblical portrayal of Ishmael and the nations that have sprung from him.

By tracing the role of the Arab people throughout Scripture and prophetically into the final moments of history, Maalouf provides a much-needed understanding of a crucial contemporary issue and challenges Christians to think biblically about the complex issues of the Arab-Israeli conflict.

“A rare and extraordinarily helpful book. . . . One of the most thought-provoking, scholarly yet readable books I have seen.”

—Paige Patterson
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

“An excellent study for any believer interested in the Middle East and the Arab world.”

—Patrick Cate
President of Christar

“Maalouf tackles the often contentious subject of Arab-Jewish relations with insight, kindness, and clarity.”

—Charles H. Dyer
Senior Vice President and Provost, Moody Bible Institute

Tony Maalouf (Ph.D., Dallas Theological Seminary) has served as assistant academic dean and professor of biblical studies at Jordan Evangelical Theological Seminary in Amman, Jordan, and as an adjunct professor at the Arab Baptist Theological Seminary in Beirut, Lebanon. He teaches and speaks throughout the Middle East and works on developing theological literature for Christians in the Arab World.

(20041001)

About the Author
Tony Maalouf (Ph.D., Dallas Theological Seminary) has served as assistant academic dean and professor of biblical studies at Jordan Evangelical Theological Seminary in Amman, Jordan, and as an adjunct professor at the Arab Baptist Theological Seminary in Beirut, Lebanon. He teaches and speaks throughout the Middle East and works on developing theological literature for Christians in the Arab World.

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Customer Reviews

Reviewing an outstanding book
En route to commenting on the book I should fly my colors, so one may factor in my possible biases. I am a Jew; I belong to the Messiah of Israel, Jesus of Nazareth; I am in the camp of Reformed theologians.

A book such as this, dealing with volatile contemporary issues, is bound to attract negative responses, as one may see. No doubt it will be attacked and maligned by those with hidden agendas (and who do NOT fly their true colors), but this is par for the course as concerns the truth in such an age as this.

The first thing I want to say about Dr. Maalouf's "Arabs In The Shadow Of Israel" concerns its astonishing even-handedness, and that in a number of areas. Theologically (within the broad Christian camp) he does not promote his views but very minimally; politically he walks a balanced line and does not pursue an agenda; historically his scholarship is careful and conservative. And it is because of this unusual even-handedness that the primary thrust of his vision is allowed to manifest with clarity and force, and without drawing forth the usual defensive responses from those in differing camps, such as myself. This "vision" arises primarily from a careful and fresh exegesis of chapters 16 and 21 of the Book of Genesis, as well as the section of Galatians 4:21-31, where Paul uses Hagar and Ishmael in an allegory of the fleshly seed and the seed of promise, contrasting the unbelieving Jews and those Jews and Gentiles who trust Messiah Jesus.

I first read this material in the form of Dr. Maalouf's doctoral dissertation (titled, "Ishmael In Biblical History"), and while marveling at the wealth of attestation and historical references, when made aware it was going to be published in book form, I thought that very few publishers would care to include the copious and extremely valuable documentation that supported much of his scholarly labor. To my delight I find that Kregel did include it, and so the book is substantially the same, save around 30 pages of added historical survey at the beginning to bring the exegetical and historical material into focus for readers looking at this material in the context of the current world situation.

From my earlier years as an evangelical Christian in America, and involved with Messianic Jewish thought and theology, I had the usual Western biases regarding Arabs, and in particular, the standard Western exegesis of the Hagar-Ishmael narratives in Genesis. Maalouf's painstaking examination of the Biblical text, however, opened my eyes to a more careful reading. Nor is this some flaky interpretation, but sound, and worthy of serious consideration. (Even among Christians there is an anti-Arab bias, in large measure because we tend to superimpose the Biblical Israel of old, and its status as the people of God, upon the modern Jewish state, thus justifying its political and military agendas, and assuming at least a partial approval of God. Anyone who is against this Jewish state, we reason, must be against God. And thus we see the Arabs in a dim light.)

I should mention that I am serving as the minister (as an elder in a mission church in the Middle East) of an evangelical Arabic congregation, preaching and teaching the riches of Christ as contained in His Gospel. This assembly of God's people loved hearing the fruits of Dr. Maalouf's textual labors as shown in my teaching that the Scripture depicted Hagar and her son in dignity and honor, blessed by the LORD even though not of the covenant line of Messianic promise. Ishmael did partake of the blessing of God through Abraham as one of his circumcised sons, and thus a partaker of the covenant the Lord made with Abraham, even though, I repeat, not of the Messianic line.

It is balanced and insightful Biblical exposition such as "Arabs In The Shadow Of Israel" affords that will make the glorious gospel of God in Christ far more appealing to the Arab world, where there are many who are disgusted at the violence of militant Islam (which violence is at the heart of the Koran), and a God who showed marvelous love and saving deliverance to Hagar and Ishmael will arrest their attention. With the erroneous Western prejudices (of which I was a holder myself!) removed, so is a cause of warranted offence done away with. Ishmael had been hijacked by Islam (as Maalouf shows), but the Word of God rightly divided brings him back into the fold of those under the caring and almighty hand of the Father of Jesus the Messiah.

I have touched upon only a few of the wonderful insights to be found in this valuable work, where Maalouf demonstrates that the blessing of God upon Ishmael and his seed found fruition, not only in our Scriptures (such as in the Book of Job), but in history, in friendship and support of the seed of his brother Isaac, all too forgotten in this present age of warfare, of Zionist and Islamic violence both! It is worthy of note that in earlier centuries Diaspora Jews fared better under Islamic governments and civilizations than under so-called Christian ones! As emissaries of Christ we need unbiased views of history, and of various ethnic peoples, that we may not carry baggage laden with poisonous stuff on our pilgrimage / missionary journey. We must keep His name hallowed.

I recommend this book as the work of a scholarly and godly Biblical exegete; of a Christian peacemaker whose instruments are historical and theological truth (no matter the deprecations of those with hidden axes to grind!). For those of you who know the groundbreaking works, Elias Chacour's "Blood Brothers", and Colin Chapman's "Whose Promised Land?", this is a book easily of their caliber.

I love books that clear my mind of falsity and dis-illusion me. Thank you, Tony Maalouf, for being Christ's instrument in doing this. And His people thank you with me.

What the Bible Says about the Arabs
Where did the Arabs originate? What does the Bible say about the Arabs and their future? Do God's promises to Israel mean that there are no blessings for Arabs? Were the Magi from Persia or Arabia? These and related questions are answered in a scholarly and readable way by Tony Maalouf, an Arab Christian scholar from Lebanon. This book presents insightful information on the place of Ishmael and his descendants, which is often overlooked by Bible students. Anyone interested in the Midde East and the Arab world will benefit from this excellent study.

Does God Have A Plan For the Arab?
In the first chapter of Arabs in the Shadow of Israel, Dr. Tony Maalouf appropriately examines the biblical outlook on Ishmael. In the context of Evangelicism, Abraham's first son (Ishmael) is not discussed much. For the few times Ishmael is talked about, it is usually with condemnation. Dr. Maalouf could not have picked a better "starting point" in his book; to show the reader who the "real" Ishmael was. Nevertheless, before I begin to examine the beloved Professor's text, first let me first state my presuppositions I had before I read Arabs in the Shadow of Israel.
When I first read page forty-three I suddenly thought of myself a year ago. The situation Dr. Maalouf describes is a conversation between a Professor and two doctoral students, one of the students being Dr. Maalouf. The conversation took place at a doctoral seminar focused on the Pentateuch. Somehow, the Professor holding the seminar raised the subject of Ishmael, in which he turned to one of the students and asked, "What do you think of spiritual condition of Ishmael, Abraham's firstborn?" The student, sounding rather confident, answered, "I think he is under a curse. Isn't he? (p.49)"
Thankfully, the Professor turned to Dr. Maalouf, then just a poor seminary student, to see if he had any insight on Ishmael's spiritual condition. Dr. Maalouf quickly responded to the other student by asking him a "proof text" for Ishmael's curse. The other student swiftly apologized for his "snap judgment. (p.49)" The reason why I wanted to describe this scenario is because a year ago, I was that "other student."
In the short period of time I have been a Christian (approximately 5 years); I have always held to a negative few of Ishmael. This negative view of Abraham's firstborn helped spawn other negative stereotypes as well. Unconsciously I believed all Arabs were "warmongers" and they are the reason for all the problems in the Middle East. If one were to ask me "proof" for my accusations, I would simply state, "It all goes back to Ishmael."
Mostly due to this class, my views on Ishmael have drastically changed. No longer do I quote "talking points" of popular dispensationalists. Instead, I look to the Word of God on what it has to say regarding Abraham's first son. I do not mean to talk down upon those who are dispensationalist, for I know many brothers and sisters in Christ who hold to this view. However, in general, I do see a lack of scholarship when it comes to defining Arabs biblically in the world of dispensationalists.
As stated previously, the first chapter to the book sets the foundation for the reader. As it came to my surprise, Ishmael is hardly mentioned in the Qur'an. One would think Ishmael would be mentioned more. Nonetheless, the Muslim must look to the nine traditions Islam states about Ishmael (p.49) or occasionally the TaNaK. Before taking this class, I assumed the Qur'an devoted an entire Surah to Ishmael. However, "Only twelve Qur'anic verses mention Ishmael by name. Nine of them list him among other holy men from ancient time. (p.46)"
For the Christian this should be comforting. I previously thought if I wanted to learn the truth about Ishmael, I must look to what the Qur'an or the Imams had to say about him. This was another shocking revelation I learned in Dr. Maalouf's class. If one wanted to know the truth about Ishmael, one should look nowhere else other than the Bible!
One last section in chapter one I believed to be "eye-opening" was the detailed description of Genesis 16. For most Evangelicals, Genesis 16 is the "proof-chapter" to show Ishmael's curse. However, after I read Dr. Maalouf's section regarding Genesis 16, my thoughts and beliefs towards Ishmael's birth changed dramatically.
Most assume the birth of Ishmael was out of the evil intentions of Sarah and Abraham. However, Dr. Maalouf states that although Sarah's reasoning seems "immoral" or "sinful" according to New Testament standards, she nonetheless was practicing the cultural norm at the time (p.51). Dr. Maalouf cites numerous ancient texts that show if a wife is barren, then she must provide a "maidservant" to secure children for her husband (p.53). Again, this might be a shock to most, but Abraham and Sarah were only following the social practices in the ancient near east. Nowhere in Dr. Maalouf's text do you find him "applauding" Abraham and Sarah's action. However, Dr. Maalouf believes, as do I, that the context of Ishmael's birth is not sinful according to the social practices of the time.
Another area that can be used to help Arab/Christian relations is the subject of the Nabataeans. In Dr. Maalouf's book, he devotes an entire chapter (Ch. 10) to the study of this ancient people. Before reading this book, I was very ignorant of relations between Arabs and Jews prior to 1948. In general, my views regarding Arab and Jewish relations were rather negative, most likely due to the current Middle East situation. However, after reading Dr. Maalouf's section regarding the Nabataeans I soon began to think differently.
What initially caught my attention concerning the Nabataeans was their assistance in the Maccabean revolt against Antiochus Epiphanes (p.178). For those who do not know who the Nabataeans are historically, most likely they will not see the significance in the alliance. The significance in the alliance is that the Nabataeans are Arabs. Dr. Maalouf clearly shows the reader proof that the Nabataeans are ethnically Arabs. Probably the most convincing argument Dr. Maalouf makes is the historical argument concerning the Nabataeans (p.173). Dr. Maalouf cites Diodorus, an ancient historian, who briefly describes the Nabataeans as Arabs (p.173).
Another interesting fact concerning the Nabataeans is the land Yahweh gave them. Dr. Maalouf briefly mentions it in his book that the Nabataeans received the land of Edom due to the Edomites rebellion towards Yahweh. I belief Christians can use this subject (the study of Nabataeans) to build a bridge to reach the Arab Muslims for Christ. One can show the Arab Muslim that Yahweh called the Arab Nabataean people out of their homeland (south Arabia) to the land of Edom.
Next, the Christian can express to the Arab Muslim that the Nabataean kingdom flourished and even held friendly relations with the Jews during the intertestamental period (p.178). Both of these thoughts should be a rather refreshing idea to the Arab Muslim. I also believe Christians will benefit themselves by learning that Arab and Jewish relations have not always been negative.
The last two sections in Dr. Maalouf's book concerning the magi is my final subject I wish to discuss. Again, as with the subjects previously discussed (Ishmael/Nabataeans), I had prior presuppositions on who the magi were biblically. My beliefs about the magi were typical when it came to most Evangelicals and I found no reason to question those beliefs. Dr. Maalouf states that most "Evangelical scholars today commonly hold that the magi of Matthew's infancy narrative were Zoroastrian priests and astrologers from Persia or Chaldaean astrologers from Mesopotamia. (p.194)"
Throughout my walk in Christ, I have never once heard that the magi could possibly be Arabs. The only views I have ever heard voiced within the Evangelical community is the ones previously discussed. Beginning on page 197, Dr. Maalouf shows evidence from the early Church Fathers on who they thought the magi were. After reading the entire section, I learned that Justin Martyr, Tertullian, Clement of Rome, and Epiphanius all believed that the magi came from Arabia (pgs. 197-200).
In my opinion, this is probably the best section to share with the Arab/Muslim. The reason why I believe this section is best is that it is focused on the Messiah Jesus. To show the Arab/Muslim that his/her people group believed in the Messiah of Israel and that they were looking out for Him, is a huge bridge the individual Christian can use. This should be refreshing to the Arab/Muslim, who is used to hearing the Christian spend more time on differences than similarities.
In short, Dr. Tony Maalouf's book is something I would recommend to any Christian who is interested in defining Arabs biblically. In addition, the individual Christian will benefit from Dr. Maalouf's hard work, gaining much needed information to reach the Arab/Muslim.