Do you believe that Jesus and Muhammad are related cousins through the children of Isaac and Ishmael?
Do you honestly believe in the virgin birth by Mary?
Do you believe that Moses really did write first 5 books of the bible from knowledge through ancestral papyrus and scrolls, but may have possibly exaggerated a lot?
and 4th, do you believe that there were other people out there when Adam and Eve were the first to understand there was only 1 true "god"... ?
My brother you have a lot of questions, that's not a problem, and I will take the time to answer them
For your first question
Genesis 25: 12 - 17
12 These are the generations of
Ishmael, Abraham's son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's servant, bore to Abraham.
13 These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, named in the order of their birth: Nebaioth, the firstborn of Ishmael; and Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 14 Mishma, Dumah, Massa,
15 Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah.
16 These are the sons of Ishmael and these are their names, by their villages and by their encampments, twelve princes according to their tribes. 17 (These are the years of the life of Ishmael: 137 years. He breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people.) 18 They settled from
Havilah to Shur, which is opposite Egypt in the direction of Assyria. He settled over against all his kinsmen.
2. What History/Tradition Says
The descendants have been traditionally been the Arabs. Their traditional homeland is east of Egypt in the Arabian peninsula. It matches the description of Genesis 25.
3. How Do I Apply It
According to the Bible, History, and Modern DNA tests, I have no problem with that statement.
For your second question
1. What The Bible Says
Isaiah 7: 14 - Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
2. What History/Tradition Says
Both Secular and Religious circles have argued about this for many years. We know it is impossible for virgin to conceive without the aid of man. Many wonder how could that be possible in the realms of human reasoning. Some have stated that God slept with Mary just the story of Zeus and Hercules. Other state Jesus was a b*stard and that's why Joseph married Mary to silence doubter about His birth.
3. How Do I Apply It
I don't need to know How He came into the world, I'm more concerned with why. Mary was a virgin who was of the line of David. God saw her fit to be the mother of Jesus. Her conception did not give her nor Jesus divinity. She is not be worshiped or prayed to. Jesus came to take away the sins of the world and though it goes more in depth that's good enough for me.
Your third question
1. What The Bible Says
2nd Timothy 3:16 - 17
16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
Luke 24: 27 - And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
2. What History/Tradition Says
Even the first books are attributed to Moses, there are some in academia that believe He didn't write them or he copied the legends from his stay in Egypt. For Jews, Christians, and Muslims, even those in academia, believe that Moses did in fact either wrote or dictated the words in the first five books of the Bible.
3. How Do I Apply It
Jesus and His apostles refer many times to the writings of Moses. They were held in high regard amongst the Jews. In fact you could say that the Jews worshiped Moses or to a lesser extent placed him on a pedestal. In Hebrews it states Moses turned away from the gods of the Egyptians. I don't believe he would use the stories of his people's captors when God was directing him. I also believe that God directed the words for him to write and share with present and future generations.
Your last question
1. What The Bible Says
Genesis 2: 18 - 22
18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”
19 Now out of the ground the Lord God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name.
20 The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him.
21 So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh.
22 And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man.
Genesis 1: 26 - 28
26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
27 So God created man in his own image,in the image of God he created him;male and female he created them.
28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
2. What History/Tradition Says
This discussion has been going on since the first recordings of human history, "Who are we and where did we come from". There are those who side with an evolutionist mindset. Natural Selection and Random Chance and the keys for their belief systems. For theistic and intelligent designer adherers someone or something set order to the universe and created life. Everyone would agree we have one greatest common male and female ancestor.
3. How Do I Apply It
I'm not a scientist but I love science. I love to know how and why things work. It's probably why I was such drawn to computer science. For those who don't the original words for man and women, there is a distinction between the difference for man singular and plural. I believe from studying the Scriptures that God created one man and one woman during the formation of the world. The curse of sin and redemption of man affects all those of the seed of Eve. I don't have all the answer but I believe what God set is truth and He will expound on it when He needs to.
Eternity is overkill and sounds not only petty but just the thing one would need in order to make others stay in line.
