EZEKIEL
and YHWH’s
Judgment
for the
Good News
PEOPLE
VOLUME IX
Yisrael
EZEKIEL and
YHWH’s
Judgment for
the
Good News People
Volume IX--Yisrael
by
an unworthy
servant
And you shall
know the truth,
and the truth
will make you free.
(John 8:32)
Common Law Copyright, 2003 & 2005
CE, an unworthy servant, Calder, Idaho.
The author claims his Right of exclusive ownership and control of this
publication, the fruit of his labor, as a matter of Intellectual Property
protected by the Laws of YHWH and as guaranteed by the US Constitution for the
United States. Permission is granted to
quote provided appropriate credit is cited together with the Publisher’s web
site name and postal mailing address––WWW.age-end.com PO Box 473, Calder, ID
83808, USA.
Contents
Volume
IX--Yisrael
CHAPTER
PAGE
- Cover
Page 1
- Title
Page 2
- Contents 3
- Publisher’s
Preface 5
Part Z--The Backdrop
121 The
Yisrael Dilemma 6
122 Replacement/Displacement
Theology 8
Part AA--The Lost House of Yisrael
123 History
of Yisrael 20
124 Yisrael
Divorced 35
125 Changes
in Yisrael 43
126 The
Return of Yisrael 49
127 The
Return is Future 62
Part BB--Yisrael in Prophecy
128 David’s
Throne 71
129 The
Stone of Destiny 78
130 Locating
the House of Yisrael I 89
131 Locating
the House of Yisrael II 99
132 Locating
the House of Yisrael III 105
133 Christian
Israelites Return 118
Part CC--Aliyah and Zionism
134 Yehudah 132
135 Aliyah
and Zionism I 135
136 Aliyah
and Zionism II 145
137 Return
of the Jews 151
138 Why
Were the Jews Omitted? 156
SHEERIT
YISRAEL
PO Box 473
Calder, Idaho
83808, USA
Publisher’s
Preface
Greetings! The following presentation is volume nine of
a 36-volume production of some 6,000 pages on “Ezekiel and YHWH’s Judgment for
the Good News People,” all of which is on the Internet at the www.age-end.com
web site.
This overall effort provides an
interpretation of the Good News message in the New Testament, its linkage to
the book of Ezekiel, and an application of both to the age-end prophecies
relating to certain nations and peoples now out in the world. In order for this single volume to be understood
and comprehended, it is imperative that the study be read from its
beginning--from page one of volume one.
Anyone trying to read this volume or
the study’s 6,000 pages at any mid-point will end up in a state of confusion
without having read and digested the preceding material. It is crucially important that this work be
read in sequence from its beginning--otherwise, the reader will almost
certainly end up missing the essence of the message!
The
effort was originally set on a Macintosh computer with Microsoft Word
6.0.1. It was set in Helvetica, 12-point
type (18 pt on chapter headings); single line spacings; and margins: left 1.2”, right 0.8”, top 0.7”, bottom 0.8”
and footer 0.6” (for page numbers).
For
further information on obtaining this study in 18 computer floppy disks
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or in hard copies (when the Internet or a compatible computer is not
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With a CD-Rom or computer floppy disks,
the study is readable on Macintosh (systems 5.0 and later) or IBM/compatible
(with Microsoft Word-Windows) personal computers. May The Great CREATOR and SOVEREIGN OF THE
UNIVERSE bless you as you study His word to learn His will and to obey
Him. Shalom (peace) to you and
yours!
an unworthy
servant, Sukkot 2005 CE
Chapter
121--The Yisrael Dilemma
The Problem
While
the Scriptures are plain and clear enough that a correct understanding of
Israel (correctly Yisrael in the Hebrew) is not difficult, the truth is that
there is massive confusion and uncertainty in the modern world on who and what
constitutes Yisrael. Almost no modern
peoples in today’s world have any knowledge or understanding on identifying
Yisrael.
This
paradox should not even exist. Yet it is
the real world out there. Persons at
large, and this is even true with the so-called intellectually advanced and
enlightened people in the Western Christian civilization, simply are lost in
comprehending the reality of the Scriptural description of a people called
Yisrael. Some few Orthodox Jews have
somewhat of a grasp of the problem. But
few persons otherwise.
Among
most of the peoples of the world, their dilemma surfaces when they
automatically assume, presume and suppose that the modern Jews constitute the
Scripturally mentioned Yisrael.
It
doesn’t matter whether the issue comes up with people in the pagan world of
Black Africa or the primitive world of Eskimos, the very idea of Yisrael
automatically opens the door to the theory that Yisrael is found among the Jews
or that the modern Jews are Yisrael.
True,
the modern persons called Jews, who have founded the current Jewish state in
Palestine, have named their state Israel.
But that reality does not necessarily mean that the Scriptural Yisrael
is synonymous with the modern state of Israel.
There are differences which need to be addressed for comprehension of
truth.
Commentary
to follow in the succeeding chapters should dispel completely the notion of the
Jews being Yisrael.
But Yet a Bigger Problem
Contrariwise,
in the Christian world, the people have formulated another aberration which is
even more stupid and ridiculous.
Starting as early as the beginnings of the Roman Catholic Church, the
worldly organized Christian Church developed a theory that the Christian Church
had mysteriously and supernaturally replaced or displaced the Yisrael of the
Scriptures.
Somehow,
this mysterious evolution of history occurred, without any explanation or
description on how it came about. Once
Rome propagated the theory, and regardless of how stupid and irrational it was,
the Christian world bought into it. Even
the so-called more enlightened Protestants bought the same stupid
thinking.
Consequently,
over the years, the Christian world has combined the same two incredibly stupid
theories into one supposed belief. Yes,
most Christians some how suppose that the Yisrael of the Scriptures can be both
the Jews as well as the collective Christian Church. How this insanity and stupidity came about
will be addressed in the following chapters.
Chapter
122--Replacement/Displacement Theology
Do Christians Steal From Yisrael?
The
prophet Yirmeyahu wrote about an interesting concept when he observed that The
ELOHIM is against some (false) prophets who steal His words from their
neighbors (Jer 23:30). As the “Soncino
Books of the Bible” see it, the issue here concerns the theft of
“prophecies.”
The
context suggests that these false prophets have nothing of truth to declare on
their own. So they misappropriate and
steal YHWH’s words from true prophets and repeat them as their own to
apparently gain some status, recognition and support from the people. Obviously, with a little charisma, they often
would achieve their desired ends.
However,
these words of Yirmeyahu do raise an interesting question. Would Christians steal YHWH’s words since
they really have little or nothing to offer to the people (as a minimum, the
professional religionists/preachers would, as allowed in the Prologue)?
Or
more precisely, would Christians steal YHWH’s words, as pertaining to Yisrael,
and claim that they apply to their respective denominations or the Christian
Church in the generic sense?
Mystery Babylon, The Whore and Mother
of Harlots
In
the Revelation, Yohanan wrote about a vision he had about a symbolic woman
named “Mystery Babylon” (Rev 17:1-18).
As
will be elaborated upon in succeeding chapters, that word “mystery” (which is a
secret symbol or sign) appears (Rev 17:5, 7) to identify this woman (and her
daughters) and link her to some very false, pagan worship (which will be
identified and commented upon in subsequent chapters herein). This is an important point one about
Yohanan’s vision.
Point
two--Yohanan was so absolutely astonished and surprised that he marveled at the
scene which he was beholding (Rev 17:6).
His Messenger then proceeded to offer some clarification on the
mystery. Beyond what he wrote, it’s hard
to say how much more of an explanation that Yohanan received. Perhaps he learned the whole picture or maybe
just some bits and pieces of it.
But
the fact that he marveled about this vision would suggest that he did
understand at first that this system involved a group of false worshippers who
would come on the world scene, carrying the Scriptures of The ELOHIM around,
quoting them and pretending to live by them.
Perhaps this reality is what surprised Yohanan.
If
Satan came as an angel of darkness, maybe a person could understand it. But the Adversary doesn’t come that way. He comes as an angel of light (II Cor 11:14). And in terms of the whore woman and her
harlot daughters, they carry their “Bibles” around, quote them, give them some
credence and pretend to live by them--all the while that they secretly labor
intensely against them.
Yes, Thieves
In
short, this false worship system (which is a real system) effectively stole the
Words of YHWH from His true people (Yisrael).
After all, one must remember that the Scriptures were written by
Israelites, about Israelites, for Israelites and to Israelites, as already
established.
Not
content with just stealing YAH’s Words, this system went on and specifically
stole about everything else it could find as applying to the people of
YHWH.
This
publication at hand has or will describe elsewhere herein how this evil power
has stolen (or at least attempted to steal) the promises, the adoption, the
election, the blessings, the covenants, the salvation, the rewards, etc of
Yisrael, and claim them as its own.
The Bride
For
a classic illustration of how far this theft goes, please consider this same
point; but with a slightly different twist, in saying that Christendom has
theorized that the Scriptural references to Yisrael (the New Jerusalem), the
future bride of YESHUA, are, in fact, references to the Christian Church.
As
F. Wallace Connon wrote, in an article on "Look Unto the Rock,"
appearing in the January 1993 "New Beginnings" magazine, this
reasoning is impossible.
Connon
perceptively noted that The MESSIAH is correctly "the head of the body,
the church" (Col 1:18); and therefore, He cannot possibly become the husband
of His Own body as would be necessitated if the future bride was, in actuality,
"the church." To avoid this
impossible paradox, it is Yisrael who will be the bride and not the true
Assembly, much less the Christian Church.
To
Connon's enlightening comments, this writer would just add that any Scriptural
references to the Assembly of the Called Out Ones, as possibly linking to the
bride, should be put into the proper context.
Such an Assembly or Congregation will be one made up of Israelites. Of course, it is Yisrael who is the bride, as
the Word repeatedly maintains.
Incidentally,
Piska 22.5 (in “Pesikta De-Rab Kahana,” p. 347) notes that ten times in the
Tanakh, Yisrael is described as the bride (SofS 4:8, 9, 10, 11, 12; 5:1; Isa
49:18; 61:10; 62:5; and Jer 33:11).
The
same source also indicates that YHWH, as The BRIDEGROOM, appropriately clothes
Himself in the proper garments for each occasion, also ten times (Ps 104:1;
93:1; 93:1; Dan 7:9; Isa 59:17; 59:17; 59:17; 59:17; 63:2; 63:1).
As
hard as it may seem to most Christians, the truth is that Yisrael is the coming
bride and YHWH YESHUA will be The BRIDEGROOM.
Nowhere is there any allowance for the Christian Church to be anything
at the coming wedding supper of The LAMB.
The Witnesses
Another
powerful sample of this theft and the incredible ignorance of hateful, sinful,
rebellious Christians, in approving of this illegal seizure and
misappropriation of the Scriptural words and messages for Yisrael, arises in
the modern Jehovah’s Witnesses denomination.
These
foolishly uninformed Jehovah’s Witnesses grab Isaiah 43:10-12 and misapply it
to themselves and their own false work.
Of
course, in Isaiah 43:10-12, The ELOHIM does say “you are my witnesses.” But sinning Christian Jehovah Witnesses can
never comprehend and get it through their thick heads that The HIGHEST YHWH was
addressing fleshly Israelites and not confused and misinformed Jehovah’s
Witnesses in that text (Isa 43:1, 10-12).
Christian Misunderstandings
Before
proceeding on to deduce some other conclusions from this presentation, one more
key fact about these Christian thefts needs some reflection and comment. As just noted, it seems that some perceptive
Christian scholars have realized the earlier described truth that the
Scriptures represent a compilation largely about and absolutely for
Yisrael.
Beyond
Yisrael, there is little or nothing in the Scriptures for any other peoples in
this age to include the whole definition of Christianity. This glaring truth has made some Christians
try to find some way around this dilemma.
The
result of this Christian attention has been the development and perpetuation of
the so-called replacement and/or displacement theology, as mentioned here and in
former chapters. This
"replacement" theology takes many different forms and shapes.
Although it is fundamentally flawed and
ridiculous to even think about, the fact remains that Christendom has
successfully taught it as factual truth for years and years with little or no
opposition. Ignorant and Scripturally
shallow individuals get on this perverted bandwagon and never give the subject
a second thought.
In
advancing these ideas, Churchianity runs the gauntlet in trying to
misappropriate and steal the Words of the Scriptures, as they clearly pertain
to Yisrael, and assert that they actually refer to the "church." For example, the Roman Catholic Church has
for ages declared that the Israelite throne of David (ultimately due YESHUA) is
the Pope's throne where he sits and rules.
Additionally,
many misinformed Christians like to seize some or all of the Avrahamic promises
and blessings as applying to "Christians," in contrast to what the
Word actually declares. A good example
of this was discussed earlier in comments made in the article by Anthony
Buzzard on "The Christian Hope:
Life in the Land of the Promise," as described before herein.
Ernest Martin and His Seven Stages
For
another evident example of Christian confusion, misinformation and
misunderstanding, the reader might be interested in one of the conclusions of
the former Christian writer Dr Ernest L Martin (now decreased) when he outlined
his concept of seven stages of spiritual understanding--to include a number six
which alleged that “both Jews and Gentiles can now be considered (to be)
Israel” through a belief in “Christ” (in the Mar 1994 “ASK Communicator”).
Thus,
Martin incorrectly believed that Christian (non-Israelite) Gentiles will “also
inherit the promises given to Abraham.”
Now,
if any readers of this study wish to persist in accepting these teachings of
“Biblical understanding” from supposed scholars, like Buzzard and Martin and
the thousands of other so-called Christian scholars, then such readers might
well still cling to the “tooth fairy” fables taught by so many foolish parents
to receptive and gullible little children.
Of
course, these conclusions, as advanced by Christians, seem to be too crazy to
be accepted by rational, intelligent, serious and believing students of the
Word for the various reasons outlined at length so far in this study.
Yet
tragically, the world of rebellious Christendom has historically used these
replacement and/or displacement theories for the very foundations of their
existence.
R. T. Woodworth
The
February 1997 “Pathfinder” had an article by R. T. Woodworth on “Who Are
Israelites?” which offered some perception of this man’s uninformed (or rather,
misinformed) view on Yisrael. This man
Woodworth is reported to be a Christian Identity preacher. But a reader would never know it from the
article which he wrote in the “Pathfinder.”
Woodworth
opens by saying that three chapters of Romans deal with the history of
Israel. He then charges that “Paul is
trying to show Christians that they are these Israel people and ought to be
aware of their identity and calling” (p. 1 of the Pathfinder article). Woodworth doesn’t seem to understand that
there are hundreds of millions of Christians out there who definitely are not
and can never be Israelites.
Jumping
over to Hosea’s prophecies about Israelites who would not be called The
ELOHIM’s people, but would become His beloved in the end time (alluding to
Hosea 1:10; 2:23; I Peter 2:10), the Pathfinder writer says that “Christians
are God’s covenant people. God’s
national promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob/Israel are fulfilled in Christian
nations today” (p. 2 of the article).
He
also charges that “The record is clear.
The marks are here. Only
Christian peoples have fulfilled all these promises made to Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob (of OT blessings in Genesis 12:2-3 and 17:1-7). God’s covenants are fulfilled in Christ and
Christians, not in Christ-haters and anti-Christians” (p. 2 of the
article).
The
Pathfinder writer then went on to declare that “Christians have been called,
foreknown, and predestined to be conformed to the image of God’s Son, Jesus
Christ. Only believers in Christ can be
justified and glorified” (p. 3 of the article).
The
possibly confused Woodworth goes on to conclude his misinformation campaign by
saying “Who are true Israelites? Only
those who fit God’s descriptions in God’s Word, who follow God’s Son and obey
His commandments and worship the Lord Jesus Christ...” (p. 3 of the
article).
Again,
one of the most striking features of this confusing literary effort is that
Woodworth is reported to be a Christian Identity individual, who supposedly
should know “something” (maybe not all, but surely something) about Yisrael.
Even
the “Pathfinder” newsletter is alleged to be a Christian Identity publication,
which also should know something about Yisrael and that Christianity is not
Yisrael, as alleged by Woodworth.
Gene Justice
Christian
writer Gene Justice, of the Foundation for Biblical Research (of Pasadena,
California), wrote a book in 1984 on “The Israel Identity Syndrome” (p. 2-50)
which offered some revolutionary thinking on the role of Christendom in
replacing physical or terrestrial Israel.
Of
course, Justice is one more person who believes that the modern Jews constitute
the whole, twelve tribes of Israel. In
later commentary in this study, Justice and his book will be addressed which
theorized that the Khazars out of Eastern Europe constituted the ten lost tribes
of the House of Israel with the House of Judah being present in the earlier
Jewish definitions.
This
Pasadena author’s whole thesis was an attack on the modern “Israel Identity”
movement (which offers some explanations on what happened to the ten lost
tribes of Yisrael on their exit from Canaan land). In order to have some hypothetical basis to
support his attack, Justice had to deal with the status of Christianity, in the
context of the Scriptures.
For
this approach, Justice (ibid, p. 2-5) quite naturally concluded that physical
Israel was “cast aside” (as most other Christians believe) based on some of the
writings of Shaul the Apostle which he just totally misunderstood and
misused.
Taking
this thinking one step further, he went on to assert that with the abasement of
(fleshly) Israel, there was an exaltation of the (non Israelite) Gentiles (who
would become Christians).
Put
another way, this Christian writer alleged that “Israel was accursed” while the
(non-Israelite) Gentiles are blessed. He then proceeded to claim that while the
Scriptures describe blessings and riches for fleshly Israel, The HIGHEST has
“offered far more riches directly to the Gentiles than Israel ever conceived
of” which he concluded was because of their chance to become “new creations in
Christ” (ibid, p. 44-45).
He
also went on to charge that all humans have “two pedigrees” --one fleshly and
one spiritual (ibid, p. 5). Supposedly,
the spiritual pedigree is the “true pedigree” since it matters not who one’s
fleshly parents are; but rather, who his or her “spiritual father” is (whether
“God or Satan”).
But
Justice’s most revolutionary thinking surfaced in his remarks on the status of
terrestrial Israel as opposed to something he calls “celestial Israel” (ibid, p.
44-50).
As
this seemingly confused Christian saw it, terrestrial Israel consisted of
fleshly Israel (as descending from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob) while converted
Christian (non Israelite) Gentiles constituted celestial Israel.
He
justified his ideas on the presence of celestial Israel because the Word
mentions the citizenship of the election as being in heaven (Eph 3:14-15; Phil
3:20), and that there is an allusion to a new Jerusalem, as being above (Gal
4:26; Rev 21:2). As Justice concluded,
this is proof for the existence of a heavenly or celestial Israel which would
be the mother of converted Christians.
More Examples
Writing
in “The Last Trump (p. 7),” Dr Ed Moore suggested that “Hence, we can begin to
see that being the children of Abraham (today, under the New Covenant) has
nothing to do with race.” In truth,
Moore missed the point because it is totally linked to race.
Leonard
Lee, in his (Seventh-day Adventist Church) book “Clouds over America” (p. 71),
said: “Since God rejected the Israelites
as a nation, we can look for the fulfillment of His purposes only in (a)
spiritual Israel... The (physical) Israelites have now passed off the stage of
action.” Again, another writer has
completely failed to grasp what the Book says.
A
letter to readers (dated Dec 31, 1996) from Walter H Meyer, editor of the
“Believer’s Advocate,” noted that Israelites were the “indestructible Jews” who
“are the true olive tree, and we as Believers have been grafted in...as a wild
olive.” The writer involved seems to be
confused and unable to tell the difference between an olive tree and a fig
tree.
In
an article on “Who Are Israelites?,” appearing in the Oct 1997 “Sacred Name
Broadcaster” (p. 3), directing elder and editor Jacob O. Meyer wrote that in
the final analysis, the true Israelites are the spiritual people of “Yahweh.”
Mark
Cook had an article in the Feb-Mar 1998 “Restitution Herald” (p. 18-20) on “The
Church: The Israel of God.” Cook theorizes that Israel was “divided into
two” parts or sections. One was the many
blinded Jews and the other part was the “remnant” (the church) that accepted
The MESSIAH. He says that Gentiles are
grafted into this remnant to become a part of Israel by becoming members of the
Christian Church.
The Christian Dilemma
Manifestly,
many Christians choose to believe that Christianity is the religion of the
Scriptures and certainly of the NT, if not the OT.
Therefore,
all that the Christian wishes to be able to do is to go to the Word and find
the references that pertain to Christianity.
And this condition creates the essence of the Christian dilemma because
Christianity cannot be found in the Scriptures.
The
word “Christian” itself is to be found exactly three times in the NT and nowhere
else (Acts 11:26; 26:28; I Pet 4:16).
But these three usages do not communicate the meaning which Christendom
would wish. Future chapters herein on
“Words of the Christian Church” will assess these three NT remarks to
demonstrate that they do not mean what most Christians choose to believe.
In
any case, the place where one must eventually arrive is that there is
absolutely nothing in the entire Scriptures from start to finish which would
allow, suggest or imply that the religion of the Book is Christianity.
This
interesting reality then brings up a most fascinating question. What if Christianity is not the religion of
the Scriptures, OT or NT? Ensuing
chapters hereafter will answer that question.
Above
all else, there is totally nothing in writing which could ever connect
Christendom to Yisrael. It takes
absolutely mind boggling misuse of the literal words of the Book to develop
that specious theory.
Anyway
the subject is cut or dissected, the result is always the same. Christianity is not mentioned or discussed in
the Book (although the word Christian does appear three times in the Greek NT,
but not in the context that Christians believe, as will be addressed in later
chapters herein). So there is no
possible way to honestly and intelligently connect Christianity to
Yisrael. It simply cannot be done.
Christian Interpretations,
Revisited
Yet,
the proponents of the replacement and/or displacement theology carry their
pretentious arguments beyond the realm of intelligent possibilities into the
world of outright stupidity.
These
replacement/displacement proponents not only connect Christianity to Yisrael,
but they carry their thinking even further by asserting that the word Yisrael
means the "Christian Church" in variously desirable situations, as
opposed to bad situations.
Consequently,
when people read the good things in YHWH's Word connected with Yisrael about
coming blessings, happiness, prosperity, abundant living, rewards, security,
safety, salvation, heaven, bliss, joy, everlasting life, etc; they are then
supposed to understand that all of this "good" is for Christendom and
not for fleshly Yisrael at all.
Conversely,
when a reader reads from the Book about the evil, sin, rebellion and wickedness
of Yisrael and the coming curses, punishments and chastisements upon Yisrael,
they then are supposed to recognize that these bad things apply to the ancient
Israelites and to the modern Jews and not to the "righteous, holy, just,
good" Christian Church (as they perceive it).
The
absolutely unbelievable presence of this incredible thinking is enough to tear
up one's mind and mental faculties.
Of
course, ignorant thinking and speculation like this can only emanate from the
halls of Churchianity where the typical Christian knows virtually nothing about
YHWH's Word. But surely, anyone with
brains above the moron level must understand that this thinking is both stupid
and hypocritical.
Actually Christian Hypocrites
Frankly,
it is astounding that mentally stable persons can take the Scriptures and read
the word "Israel," in one place, and say that it means the man Jacob
Israel, and in another place, that it means the Jews, and in still another
place, that it means the Christian Church.
All of this is, of course, quite arbitrary and absolutely stupid and it
matters not how many degrees and credentials the proponents may possess.
Maybe,
there was some excuse for the ignorant and gullible masses to not understand
and be misinformed on this theology in the "dark ages" when the Roman
Catholic Church ruled the so-called civilized world and took stern measures to
keep the masses in perpetual ignorance and confusion.
After
all, many of the people throughout the world in those trying centuries could
not read and write. And how many
individuals in the various nations could ever hope to understand the Scriptures
and portions of the preaching services available only to them in the foreign
Latin language.
Too,
there was the famous Catholic Inquisition and murder of millions over the
questions of religious conscience and religious freedom.
With
the threat of being burned alive at the stake or being put on a rack to be tortured
to no end, when the rack began to pull the subject's entire body apart, there
was very little incentive on the part of most of the population to care what
the Scriptures really said. Most were
quite happy to accept whatever the pope and their local parish priests
said.
Impose the Kingdom by Force
Therefore,
this is precisely the conceptual attitude and mentality of much of Christendom
and especially so today in the form of another strange Christian theory called
the "Christian Reconstruction Replacement Theology," which not only
says that the Christian Church is the true Yisrael, but also that the kingdom
is to be imposed by that entity on the world, and by force if necessary.
There
is another twist on this Christian speculation about the kingdom. It seems to be embraced in more still modern
versions of the so-called “Christian Reconstruction” theology. It envisions the establishment of YESHUA’s
kingdom on earth by man, right now, “before” YESHUA returns. Christian fundamentalist Dr Gary North is one
of the proponents of this current unscriptural theory.
As
a matter of information, the Roman Catholic Church has historically asserted
that she had and/or was establishing the kingdom here on earth for the past
1,960 years.
Of
course, Rome has been trying to impose this government on the world for ages,
by force--with the sword and with the threat of death, punishment, and torture
if necessary. It was this thinking which
induced and promoted the just mentioned Inquisition of 400 years ago.
In
more modern times, Carroll Quigley in “Tragedy and Hope” (p. 146) indicated
that the members of Britain’s Round Table groups (1909-1913) were heavily
influenced by Christian historian Lionel Curtis who taught that with the proper
spirit and organization (federalism), they could establish the “Kingdom of God”
on earth (this fascinating book will be addressed in some detail in later
chapters).
Surely,
individuals with some capacity to think and reason and with intelligence above
the moron level should be able to put two and two together and recognize that
these various “Christian" speculations are too ridiculous to even be
discussed by rational, civilized, Adam men.
Truth Is Available!
But
with the 16th century Protestant Revolution and the Peace of Westphalia in 1648
(which formally allowed religious toleration and religious pluralism), the
excuses for ignorance, confusion and outright stupidity have largely
ended. For some time now, multitudes
have had the Word essentially available to them in the vernacular.
Although
there have been and are some poor translations of certain texts and portions of
the Book, there always remained the availability of the Hebrew and Greek texts,
concordances and lexicons to aid any one willing to spend a little time and
effort on research and study. Truth was
never impossible to discover for the person really seeking it. It is there and always has been there.
This
availability of verity is useful to the student of truth for not only
Scriptural study, but also for the study of secular history. Although historians have tended to rewrite,
slant and twist the historical record over the years, there are secular records
now extant which will allow the student of truth to discover some most
fascinating facts.
Many
contemporary persons may recall how many Americans used to laugh and make fun
of how the Russian Communists tended to rewrite their history books whenever
there was a change of power in the Kremlin.
But what these Americans never realized is that American and other
historians have been doing the same thing for ages, as will be proven in later
chapters herein.
Rewriting History
Consequently,
history is being regularly rewritten to conform to man’s changing ideas about
right and wrong (and being done openly in the Christian society, where people
are theoretically informed on current events).
Almost everyone knowingly seems to accept this deceitful and dishonest
practice without a whimper of opposition.
For
a classic illustration of this altering of history, the “Universal Jewish
Encyclopedia” of 1939 carried a full write-up on Adolf Hitler, which described
his true name of Adolf Schicklgruber and his genetic linkage to the Jews, whom
he passionately hated. Even
“Encyclopedia Britannica” and other older encyclopedias also reflected the true
genealogy of Adolf Schicklgruber.
Yet,
the 1975 “Encyclopaedia Judaica,” under its article on Hitler, says nothing
about his Jewish name and ancestry.
Today, a reader of “Encyclopaedia Judaica” on Hitler would suppose that
he is reading about an evil German man named Hitler, instead of a very
diabolically wicked Jew named Schicklgruber (who religiously was supposed to be
a Catholic Christian).
Burton L. Mack
Part
of the difficulty associated with the discovery of truth surfaces in Burton L.
Mack’s book on “Who Wrote the New Testament? The Making of the Christian Myth,”
discussed in previous chapters.
As
pointed out before, Mack’s thesis is that not only is Christendom a myth, but
he attaches the same conclusions to the Christian “Bible” generally and the
Christian NT in particular.
Mack
(p. 15) correctly notes that this myth has included the traditional Christian
teachings that Christians had replaced or displaced the Jews (this teaching
began at a very early time). Mack
charges that with the fall of the Second Temple (70 CE), the traditional Jewish
model of the Israel epic was in total disarray.
In this void, Christian myth-making commenced in the late first century
CE.
He
argues that Christians merely revised the historic Jewish epic to their favor,
claiming that the history of Israel and the Hebrew Scriptures belonged to them
in contrast to the Jews. He says that
this Christian myth, in the form of the “biblical epic,” granted the Christian
Church its charter--effectively making it an heir to the history of Israel
(ibid, p. 294).
This
process of seizing the Scriptural epic allegedly started with the production of
the book of Mark in the 70’s CE. Mack
suggests that several attempts were made by the Christians to cast the
Christian movement as the legitimate heir of Israel’s promise (ibid, p. 284).
He
says that by the time of Marcion in the second century CE (described in a
previous chapter), the OT could no longer be read as Jewish history with
“Christ” merely tacked on. From then on,
the Scriptures were distinctively Christian from start to finish (ibid, p.
285). By the time of Constantine (early
4th century CE), the Jewish Scriptures and the apostolic writings had been
transformed into the “Christian Bible” (ibid, p. 287).
The Ante-Nicene Fathers
Mack’s
conclusions have merit from the “Ante-Nicene Fathers.” For example, in the mid second century CE,
Justin Martyr told a Jew “The Scriptures are not yours, but ours.” In about 177 CE, Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyon,
said that the “Jews are disinherited from the grace of God.” Tertullian (c160-230 CE) charged that “God
had rejected the Jews in favor of Christians” (Sep 2000 “Bridges for Peace”
newsletter, p. 3).
In
the 4th century CE, Christian leader and historian Eusebius said that the
Hebrew Scriptures were for Christians and not the Jews, and that the curses
were for the Jews.
Eusebius
added that the Christian Church was the continuation of the Old Testament and
thus superseded Judaism, and that the Christian Church was the true Israel or
“Israel according to the Spirit” and heir to the “divine promises while the
Jews were Israel according to the flesh” (Sep 2000 “Bridges for Peace,” p.
3).
Truth Can Be Found!
Despite
this early Christian effort to transfer the essence of the Scriptures from
Yisrael to the Christian Church, the reality of truth can be discovered
(certainly, from the Scriptures themselves, as demonstrated in the preceding
chapters).
Thanks
to the efforts of people like Alexander Hislop (in “The Two Babylons”), C. J.
Koster (in “Come Out of Her My People”), Darrell W. Conder (in “Mystery Babylon
The Great”) and others, the reality of the church can emerge.
Truth
is available. It just requires some work
and effort to dig it out. Later chapters
will attempt to make several of those truths known (that are not presently
understood in organized Churchianity).
The Good News Was For Yisrael
The
glaring truth which one must come to is absolutely unavoidable. The truth of this presentation cannot be
denied by an honest student of the Word.
It is that YESHUA's charge to the disciples never changed (after all,
YHWH YESHUA is the same now and forever and changes not).
The objective, from the beginning and
thereafter, was always to take the New Testament or New/Renewed Covenant Good
News to the physical, lost sheep of the House of Yisrael of whatever religion,
nationality or citizenship (Greek, Roman, etc) and wherever located in the
Diaspora (the world-kosmos).
And in going to cities containing
Israelites, one must allow that, by chance, the Good News message could also be
received by ger aliens who could legally respond to it by YHWH's Torah (Ex
12:48-49).
Having
brought up, in preceding commentary, the Hebrew terms nokri, nekar, ger,
behemah and chaiyah, and the English dog and swine, as associated with certain
humans/humanoids (all having some contact/relation to the lost sheep of the
House of Yisrael), it has been necessary to define each of these terms, per the
Hebrew Scriptures. This was partly done
earlier and will be further accomplished in later chapters.
For
sure, every so-called human being supposed to receive a call will be faced with
that prospect, one day, when the ELOHIM is ready. None of the people to receive a call will be
short-changed on this question. We can
be sure of it!
The Conclusion
The
bottom line here is that Christianity has misappropriated and stolen the
election and choice of Yisrael, the great commission to Yisrael, the call of
Yisrael, and indeed, even the salvation for Yisrael in this age and lifetime
(as will be further proven and established in the chapters to follow). Yes, the Scriptures are for Yisrael and not
for the Christian Church.
Chapter
123--History of Yisrael
Shem
Here,
while still in the introductory stage, it is crucial that the reader digresses
into Old Testament history briefly to consider some historical information
which does affect profoundly the topic under discussion. On this, it is interesting to note that some
very unique things happened to Yisrael in times past and things which
traditional Christianity seems largely ignorant of or at least misinformed
on.
Briefly,
the story of Yisrael starts with the man Abram (correctly Avram, a descendant
of Shem), who obeyed The ELOHIM's laws; and thus, received promises of
blessings for his descendants (Gen 26:4-5).
Shem was, of course, one of the three sons of Noah who repopulated a
portion of the earth after the great flood.
The Semite Problem
Descendants
of Shem are correctly called “Shemites.”
At once, some confusion arises because the world has been bombarded with
reports of certain people being called Semites (and particularly in the context
of people who criticize the Jews--thus, anti-Semites).
Though
the word and concept of Semite theoretically come from Sem (the Greek form of
Shem, “Davis Dictionary of the Bible,” p. 733), an article on “The History of
Israel” in the April 1997 “New Beginnings” magazine perceptively notes that
“the terms Shemite and Semitic are not, by any means, interchangeable. The former refers to descendants of the
progenitor (Shem) who first bore the name, Israelites among them.
“On
the other hand, ‘Semite’ is a linguistic term which connotes peoples of various
races who spoke one of the so-called ‘Semitic’ languages--including the
original Shemites” (p. 3). Thus, Shemite
has come to be a racial delineation of the descendants of Shem while Semite is
a linguistic definition of people who speak a language of Shem.
The
point is well made in this article that it would not be proper and correct to
call the Canaanites Shemites (since they were descended from Noah’s son
Ham). Yet, it would be proper to label
them Semites since they spoke a Semitic language--as was true for a number of
non-Shemite people living in the Middle East and speaking Semitic
languages.
The Hebrews
This
just mentioned man Avram was a descendant of another Old Testament character
named Eber, a great grandson of Shem (Gen 11:15-17). Later descendants of this Eber came to be
called Hebrews (as resulting from his name).
So,
in time, Avram arrived on the scene (Gen 11:27-31). Of course, it was naturally correct that this
Avram was to be identified as “a Hebrew” (Gen 14:13). And this seems to be the first important
appellative associated with the so-called patriarchs.
In
time, Avram had an encounter with The ELOHIM YHWH Who blessed him and changed
his name to Avraham, meaning that he was to become the father of many nations
(Hebrew goyim--Gen 17:5). Though Avraham
eventually had several children, to include his oldest son Ishmael, born of
Hagar, the promised blessings were to come upon his second son, Isaac (Yitzhak
in the Hebrew), born of Sarah.
Yitzhak,
in turn, had twin sons whom he named Esau and Jacob (Jacob, the Hebrew Yakov,
was later renamed Yisrael--by YHWH).
Although Esau was the first born, technically, he foolishly lost the
birthright and most of the blessings to his brother over a bowl of
pottage. But while the promises had
passed to Yakov, the role of Esau was far from over in history, as will be seen
later on in this study.
The Sons of Yisrael
In
continuing, Yakov Yisrael had 12 sons (13 with the division of son Yosef into
his two sons Ephraim and Manasseh, who were both adopted by Yakov Yisrael as
his own sons--Gen 48:5).
These
twelve sons were as follows: Reuben
(from Leah, Reuven in the Hebrew), Shimon (from Leah), Levi (from Leah),
Yehudah (from Leah), Dan (from Bilbah), Naphtali (from Bilbah, Naftali in the
Hebrew)), Gad (from Zilpah), Asher (from Zilpah), Issachar (from Leah,
Yissakhar in the Hebrew), Zebulun (from Leah, Zevulun in the Hebrew), Yosef
(from Rachel), and Benjamin (from Rachel, Binyamin in the Hebrew).
Racial Jews from Yehudah
One
of Yisrael’s sons was the just noted Yehudah.
Therefore, in Hebrew, Yehudah's bloodline descendants are called Yehudi
(Jew in English); and in the plural, Yehudim at II Kings 16:6 (Jews in
English). In Greek, they are called
Ioudaios.
And
except for Yehudah's descendants, it is important to observe here that the
progeny of the other sons of Yisrael were not "Jews" from a racial or
bloodline perspective at all. This
verity may be quite a shock to numbers of professing Christians since so much
of Churchianity persists in believing and teaching that all Israelites are
Jews, as well as their progenitors.
Assuredly,
this supposition is wrong. Respecting
this false thinking, it must be pointed out that besides the fact that the
Israelites generally were not racial Jews (except for Yehudah's own
descendants), there is furthermore no conceivable way that the patriarchs
(Avraham, Yitzhak and Yakov) can ever be called Jews or thought of as
Jews.
No! The truth is quite absolute that the racial
Jews (Yehudim) came about solely through the seed line of Yehudah, one of the
sons of Yisrael. Neither Avraham,
Yitzhak, Yakov or any of their descendants were racial Jews, except for the
line of Yehudah. Therefore, based on
genealogy, only Yehudah's seed line can be called Jews. This is an important fact to remember as one
considers the 12/13 tribes of Yisrael.
Ephraim and Yehudah
Almost
from the beginnings of the tribes of Yisrael, the tribes of Ephraim and Yehudah
moved into the more preeminent positions.
Of course, it was inevitable that this succession would transpire since
Ephraim was to receive the birthright and blessings while the throne over
Yisrael would settle in with Yehudah.
By
the time that Yakov Yisrael blessed his sons, to the time of Moshe, when he
prophesied the future for the tribes, it was manifest that Ephraim and Yehudah
would thereafter be Yisrael’s leading tribes.
What
was not clear, but what soon began to occur, was that not only would Ephraim
and Yehudah be the leading tribes, the tribes of Ephraim and Yehudah themselves
would separate and lead Yisrael into division. Though there were periods of
reconciliation between Yehudah and Ephraim, this division and the pangs of
conflict was to continue to some extent thereafter.
In
a way, the tribe of Yosef, the progenitor of the Ephraimites, became estranged
from the other tribes when his brothers sold him into slavery. Of course, Yosef was the brother who became a
primary leader of Egypt while the other brothers were somewhat subservient to
Yosef after they too fled to Egypt.
Ishbosheth and David
The
next important resurfacing of this division and perhaps even conflict came
about when the tribes, united under King Shaul, faced their first major problem
when Shaul’s son Ishbosheth took the throne following the death of his father
(II Sam 2:8). Thereupon, the men of
Yehudah came to David and anointed him King over the House of Yehudah (II Sam
2:4).
Quickly,
war/conflict developed between the House of Shaul (Yisrael) and the House of
David (Yehudah, II Sam 3:1). The division of Yisrael into warring camps under
David and Ishbosheth continued for the next seven and one-half years. It was eventually resolved for a time when
Ishbosheth was killed (II Sam 4:7) and David took over the kingdom which once
again reunited (II Sam 5:3).
Shlomo
David
then ruled the united kingdom for the next 33 years. Upon his death, his son Solomon (Shlomo in
the Hebrew) took over and also ruled the united kingdom--actually for the next
40 years. But trouble was brewing as
Shlomo became increasingly more evil--evidently somewhat because of his
tendency to marry so many pagan wives (I Kg 11:1).
Before
the death of Shlomo, the prophet Ahijah (the Hebrew Achiyah) came to Jeroboam
(the Hebrew Yarovam), a leading Ephraimite, who was in rebellion against
Shlomo. The prophet Achiyah took a new
cloak that he was wearing and tore it into twelve pieces.
He
gave ten pieces to Yarovam and told him that The ELOHIM was going to tear the
kingdom out of the hand of Shlomo and give ten tribes of Yisrael to him (I Kg
11:28-32). Yarovam fled to Egypt, but he
was ever in waiting for the time to come when he could take the kingship over
the ten tribes to be split off from Yehudah.
Rechavam
With
the death of the Yehudi King Shlomo, his son Rehoboam (the Hebrew Rechavam)
became king over all of the combined nation of Yisrael. Very quickly,
Rechavam decided to be even more ruthless and evil than his father
Shlomo (I Kg 12:10-12). The opportunity
for a division then arose when Yarovam returned from Egypt to make his play for
rule.
Rechavam
assembled the people at Shechem to attend his coronation (I Kg 12:1). When he announced his decision to be even
more harsh than his father, the Northern ten tribes of Yisrael split and
abandoned Yehudah and Rechavam (I Kg 12:16-17).
Yarovam then became king over the Northern ten tribes of Yisrael (all
the tribes but Yehudah, Binyamin and some part of Levi).
Houses of Yisrael and Yehudah
Thereafter,
following the ascension of Rechavam, the united realm of Yisrael was thus split
and divided into two kingdoms--the House of Yehudah in the South (with
Jerusalem) and the House of Yisrael in the North (with eventual Samaria).
In
connection with this partition, it is useful to note that these terms, the
House of Yisrael and the House of Yehudah, were not brand new or original by
the time of Rechavam. In fact, from the
days of the wilderness wanderings, the unified nation had been known as the
House of Yisrael (Ex 16:31; 40:38; Lev 10:6; Num 20:29; Josh 21:45; Ruth
4:11).
With
the later ascension of Shaul, the kingdom was still the House of Yisrael (I Sam
7:3). As described above in the
preceding commentary, at Shaul's death, the kingdom of Yisrael initially went
with Ishbosheth (II Sam 2:10)--except for the tribe of Yehudah, which split off
temporarily to align with David and be called the House of Yehudah (II Sam 2:4).
Within
eight years, this early breach with Ishbosheth was healed and the kingdom
stayed united under David and Shlomo until the days of Rechavam, under
discussion.
Essentially,
the tribes of Yehudah and Binyamin, plus a portion of Levi, went with the House
of Yehudah and Rechavam while the other remaining 10 1/2 tribes or so formed
the House of Yisrael under the rulership of Yarovam. With the separation, the people of the North,
of course, were properly identified as Israelites and of Yisrael. However, there is never a Scriptural
reference to them as Jews.
Categorically,
the Northern tribes of Yisrael were not Jews; they were never called Jews; and
there is no Scriptural reason to believe that they collectively will ever be
referred to as Jews racially. Of course,
they had their own tribal identifications and had no linkage to Yehudah
whatsoever that would justify them to be called Jews, or put into the category
of Jews. In short, they were not
Jews!
More on Yarovam
Yarovam
had married an Egyptian woman while he was in Egypt. He clearly became introduced to the evils of
Egyptian sun worship--either from his wife and/or from his stay in Egypt.
Upon
becoming King of the Northern ten tribes of Yisrael (the House of Yisrael),
Yarovam quickly introduced blatant sun worship into the Northern tribes and decreased
the role of the legitimate Israelite teachers, the Levites, and the people’s
attachment to the city of Jerusalem.
As
discussed elsewhere herein, Yarovam changed the feast of Sukkot from the
seventh month to the eighth month and probably changed the religious
distinction of the Seventh day Sabbath to the next day--Sunday.
Movements South and Maybe North
Since
the Temple was in the South in Jerusalem and since Yarovam quickly began
turning the Northern tribes into outright pagan sun worship, as just noted
above, some of the more sincere and religious people in the Northern kingdom
began to relocate to the South in order to be near the Temple and to maintain
their Hebrew form of worship (I Kg 12:17, 23; I Chron 9:3; II Chron 10:17;
11:3, 13-17; 15:9; 16:1; 30:6, 10-18; 31:1-6; 34:9).
These
moving Israelites, from the House of Yisrael, although clearly connected to the
persons of the North, because of their bloodlines, effectively became residents
and citizens of the House of Yehudah, along with the then present peoples of
Yehudah, Binyamin and Levi.
And
while one may not have all of the particulars of this relocation, it is
possible that the House of Yehudah eventually had "some"
representation from all or most all of Yisrael's 12/13 tribes, notwithstanding
the fact that the vast majority of the individuals of the Northern kingdom
surely stayed there in the North.
Additionally,
the student of truth might allow that some dissatisfied persons in the Southern
kingdom may have moved North to escape the rule of Rechavam, although details
of such seem lacking. And if so, it
would mean that the House of Yisrael in the North likewise had some
representation from all or most all of Yisrael's 12/13 tribes.
Tribal Identifications
Since
the non-Yehudah Israelites moving to the South were not racially Yehudim
(Jews), they apparently tried to maintain their own tribal identifications even
though they were residents of the Southern House of Yehudah. Here, the same reasoning would apply to any
persons of the Southern kindgom of Yehudah moving North.
This
fact of tribal recognition surfaces from time to time in the Word in respect to
all 12/13 of the tribes. For example, in
the beginning of the Yehudah kingship, it was the racial Yehudim, alone, who
followed the Yehudi King David long before his grandson Rechavam was even born,
as was noted above.
The House of Yehudah
Thus,
the tribe of Yehudah was clearly called the House of Yehudah by itself at a
very early time, when the people of Binyamin were still allied with the other
tribes to the North under the Binyaminite Ishbosheth (II Sam 2:9-11).
Furthermore,
in time, when the actual division of the kingdom took place and Binyamin became
linked to Yehudah, it is significant that early on, it was only the persons of
Yehudah who were called the House of Yehudah.
Even
then, Binyamin is separately identified and referred to, despite the political
linkage (I Kg 12:21, 23). No wonder that
centuries later, the Apostle Shaul would be careful to note that he was
racially of the tribe of Binyamin (Acts 13:21; Rom 11:1; Phil 3:5).
Along
this same line of thought, there are some good reasons, which will be discussed
shortly, and which do suggest that perhaps most of the other early disciples
(except Judas Iscariot) were likewise of the tribes of Binyamin or Levi--in
difference to Yehudah.
The
divided kingdom continued for the next 250 years or so with both the House of
Yisrael and the House of Yehudah becoming involved in periodic wars and
conflicts between themselves, and a movement by both of them to more and more
outright pagan sun worship.
Occasionally,
in Yehudah, a good king would arrive on the scene who would clean up some of
the pagan worship--like with King Hizkiyahu (Hezekiah in the KJV). But otherwise, the sun worship sin was
pervasive and continued.
Punishment for Sin
Finally,
YHWH grew disgusted with the Northern House of Yisrael and proceeded to divorce
her and allow the Assyrians to enter Canaan land and subdue the Israelites.
Thus, their rebellion and iniquity brought forth punishment and chastisement,
as was demanded in the Torah for Yisrael (Lev 26; Deut 28).
The
House of Yisrael was the first to feel the pinch, evidently some 250 years or
so after the division of the kingdom. It
happened to them in several motions when the Assyrians came down to defeat,
enslave and remove the House of Yisrael far away to the land of Assyria in the
Northeast and/or elsewhere.
Conspicuously,
the Assyrians, in their deportations, removed not only the House of Yisrael;
but also, even much of the House of Yehudah--which certainly included persons
of Yehudah and possibly even some people from Binyamin and Levi. These persons of Yehudah by then were clearly
connected with or absorbed by the House of Yisrael in the Assyrian captivity
(II Kg 18:13).
Status of Binyamin
While
some persons of Binyamin probably survived with Yehudah, in the Jerusalem area,
in order to leave descendants there who would eventually return to Canaan from
Babylon with the Jews (Ezra 1:5; Neh 11:4), the truth is that the tribe of
Binyamin, itself, perhaps largely departed from the land, along with the House
of Yisrael, during the Assyrian conquest since the Book says that all of
Yisrael was removed with only the tribe of Yehudah remaining (II Kg
17:18).
At
a first glance, one may speculate that much or at least a sizable portion of
the tribe of Binyamin was taken captive and removed by the Assyrians, along
with the other deported Northern Israelites.
This course seems to gain some credence when one considers that they
were surely present in the land just before the Assyrian capture of
Samaria.
Though
part of Binyamin could have gone into bondage with Yisrael, there also remains
the possibility that in some manner the tribe of Binyamin escaped to a place of
safety since YHWH seems to allow some deliverance for them (Gen 49:27; Deut
33:12).
Moreover,
much of the surviving remnant of Binyamin (and there appears to have been one)
may have eventually fled from the land--just before the later Babylonian
invasion (Jer 6:1).
However,
regardless of what may have happened to Binyamin, the fact remains that many of
the Israelite people largely left the land during the Assyrian deportations to
leave essentially a portion of the tribe of Yehudah behind to face the
subsequent Babylonians and their aggression.
Furthermore,
the Assyrian King Sennacherib intended to take all of Yehudah captive, as well,
but he met disaster from YHWH when he came against Jerusalem (II Kg
19:34-36). Thus, a remnant of the House
of Yehudah survived in the Jerusalem area for the next 140 years or so--all the
while that the House of Yisrael had long since been removed from Canaan
land.
This
remnant remaining in Jerusalem appears to have been largely from Yehudah’s son
Shelah and of the royal line of David (I Chron 4:21-23; Num 26:20). Perhaps most (but not necessarily all) of the
people from Yehudah’s other sons, Pharez (Peretz in the Hebrew) and Zarah/Zerah
(Zerach in the Hebrew) from Tamar (I Chron 2:3), left the land voluntarily or
otherwise went into Assyrian captivity.
The Samaritans
Nevertheless,
the territory in the North, which had been formerly controlled and governed by
Yisrael, was not to remain vacant and uninhabited for long. Perhaps immediately, the Assyrians brought in
foreigners and non-Israelites (actually Hamites) and settled them in the area
of Samaria, previously occupied by the House of Yisrael (II Kg 17:24). In time, these aliens became known as
Samaritans.
While
this nominative of Samaritans stuck, it is useful to observe that from the seventh
century BCE to the first century CE, these same persons were also known to be
essentially Cutheans from Cuthah or Cuth over in the East in the old Persian
empire (II Kg 17:24, 30; “Antiquities of the Jews,” book IX, chapter 14, verse
1), plus possibly some Hamitic persons from the other areas indicated in II
Kings 17:24.
The
distinction between the Cuthean and Samaritan peoples was partially clarified
by Josephus. He wrote that the word
Cuthean is from the Hebrew while the Greek reference to the same people is
Samaritan (“Josephus, The Essential Writings,” p. 175).
In
the Tanakh, the II Kings’ remarks are made in the context of the racial or
ethnic Cutheans who were brought into Canaan land by the Assyrians. They were settled in a hill area called
Samaria (which goes back in time to the House of Yisrael King Omri who built
his capitol there--I Kg 16:24).
Hence,
the area was called Samaria at an early time in Yisrael’s history. By the time of the Greek conquests and rule,
the territory which the Cutheans had held was still called Samaria and its
inhabitants then and later were known as Samaritans. In this sense, the term Samaritan came to
mean a geographical designation and definition.
“Young’s
Analytical Concordance” (p. 833) confirms that the word Samaritans refers to
the inhabitants of the geographical province of Samaria which formerly was a
part of Yisrael. Besides the Cutheans
and some likely Amalekites (to be later addressed), these inhabitants
apparently included some apostate Jews in the area in the time of Alexander the
Great (“Josephus, The Essential Writings,” p. 200).
The
early synagogue teachings, discussed earlier, in “Pesikta De-Rab Kahana,” cover
special Sabbath presentations for 500 years.
This work has numerous references to the Cutheans in the context of the
racial or ethnic people that were moved into the area which came to be called
Samaria.
It
seems clear that the NT references to Samaria and Samaritans are largely
geographical identification remarks and not necessarily racial or ethnic
classifications (since the Hebrew word Cutheans correctly refers to many or
most of the people brought into the area by the Assyrians). This likely option will be explored and
elaborated upon in later chapters.
On
the Cuthean relocation to Samaria, it is tragic that so much of Christendom
knows so little about the Book that most Christians incorrectly
"suppose" that the Samaritans are, in fact, of the House of Yisrael
and thus are Israelites. Of course, this
is blatant nonsense and vain speculation (and even in the context of the “one”
priest of Yisrael, who later joined in with the Samaritans--II Kg 17:28).
In
connection with these wild, ridiculous claims emanating from the ivory towers
of Christendom, on the premise that the Samaritans are of the lost House of
Yisrael, one can go the Scriptures and quickly put to rest for ever such vain
imaginations and stark stupidity.
Ezra 4:2
The
writer Ezra observed that when the Second Temple was started in his days and
following the release edict of Cyrus for the return of the Jews to the land,
the Samaritans admitted and confessed that they were descendants of people
brought to the Palestine area many years previously by the Assyrians (Ezra
4:2).
They
assuredly did not try to lie to the returning Israelites as to their
ancestry. Obviously, the returning Jews
knew who the Samaritans were and would not have been taken in by any efforts
from them in deceit and dishonesty. In
short, they could never have gotten away with lying to the Israelite Jews. So evidently, they never bothered to even try
it.
Certainly,
there is no conceivable way that an honest, fair, reasonable student of the
Word can come forward now to charge that the Samaritans (collectively) are of
the lost House of Yisrael. They
absolutely are not Israelites, as they, themselves, have stated the plain,
Scriptural truth on this matter.
In
the context that Samaria was a geographical province in Palestine, in Second
Temple days, it seems to be true that the NT term and reference to “Samaritans”
would have been used on occasion in the vein of a territorial or geographical
definition. In fact, Samaria and
Samaritans possibly might always be geographical references in the NT.
In
that sense, it perhaps was true that some Jewish Israelites did live there by
the first century CE (as suggested by Josephus), although many of Samaria’s
inhabitants were racial or ethnic Cutheans or Amalekites, as discussed
above.
John 4:12
Despite
the unmistakable records from the Scriptures, Josephus and other early Jewish
writings, some Christians insist on arguing that the Samaritans were the
remnant of the lost House of Yisrael with an absolute bypass of unarguable
truth. Some quote the statement of the
Samaritan woman at the well when she referred to “our father Yakov” in her talk
with YESHUA, as proving that she was an Israelite (Jo 4:12).
While
this single text could be a little complicated, it certainly doesn’t
necessarily prove anything. Maybe, this
one woman and her particular family were descendants of the “one” priest of
Yisrael who had joined in with the Samaritans some 700 years earlier (II Kg
17:28). Maybe, this tradition had come
down to her from her family.
Also,
it is possible that in the days of Ezra and Nechemyah, some number of the
returning Jews had intermarried with the Samaritans, though they were not
named, per se. However, there is some
implication of such marriages in the reference to the mixed blooded peoples in
certain geographical areas in the land (Neh 13:23).
There
was too the situation with a Jewish priest who married the daughter of the
Samaritan ruler Sanballat (Neh 13:27-28).
Apparently, he would not repent of his wickedness. So Nechemyah chased him away. Allegedly, he moved to Samaria and became
high priest of the Samaritans. A later
chapter herein will describe this man in more detail (who was supposedly named
Menachem).
Could
the woman at the well or her family descend from one of these illegal marriages
or the apostate Jews who came to the land as allowed by Josephus? Of course, the answer has to be yes.
Moreover,
the books of Ezra and Nehemiah were written at least 500 years or so before
YESHUA and the Samaritan woman even arrived on the scene. There had been a lot of water going under the
bridge during those 500 years.
Is
it plausible that some number of persons of Yehudah illegally intermarried over
the years with some of the Samaritans (as they did with some Amalekites, to be
later discussed) to produce more mixed blooded offspring (beyond the above
described priest)? Maybe, the woman’s
family involved was a descendant of one of these illegal marriages over the
years.
Finally,
YESHUA apparently did not dispute her claim or argue with her (or at least,
Yohanan did not record such a disagreement, although it could have
happened). Again, this fact proves
nothing one way or the other. Many people
do not go out of their way to create argument and strife with others, when lies
and incorrect statements are spoken to them (either innocently, or with
foreknowledge and deceitfulness).
YESHUA
was not wrong or acting incorrectly by not challenging the woman if she was, in
fact, lying to Him. Or perhaps, she was
innocent and just misinformed and ignorant about her true ancestry. Maybe, her family taught her a lie on this
and she just didn’t know the difference.
Maybe, YESHUA let it pass without pressing her on it, as He later did
when she lied outrightly about her marital situation.
Beyond
the woman, there are a couple of other texts in Yohanan’s presentation which
suggests that some other persons besides the woman also believed YESHUA or on
Him because He had told the woman “all” that she had done (Jo 4:39). Again, these remarks do not necessarily prove
anything in respect to the Samaritans.
Was
this belief the same as the concept of faith associated with salvation and the
quality present in The MESSIAH’s true followers? No, evidently not at all. Again, it should be noted that in the first
century CE, Samaria was a province in Palestine. The term Samaritan can be a geographical
identification, as noted earlier.
So
it’s hard to say for sure what those so-called Samaritans were racially or
ethnically (although many were probably racial Cutheans or Amalekites). A later chapter herein will focus on this
meeting between YESHUA and the woman and her friends. While Yohanan’s written record of the
incident was true, there is some far reaching symbolism associated with this
event which will stagger the mind of the believer.
Samaritan Thinking
As
a significant side point here, the earlier Samaritans (apparently racial
Cutheans and/or Amalekites, to be later addressed) actually approached Yeshua,
Zerubbabel and the Jewish leaders with a proposition that they be allowed to
participate and help in the rebuilding of the Second Temple after the return
from Babylon (Ezra 4:1-4).
But
Zerubbabel, Yeshua and the other leaders emphatically declared "no
way" would the Samaritans be allowed in such a righteous undertaking. If they had been true Israelites, it is
highly questionable about whether their help would have been rejected.
Thereafter,
the racially mixed Samaritans became adversaries to weaken, trouble and terrify
the true Israelite workers on the Temple.
Actually, this situation, just after the Jewish return from Babylon,
seems to have set a precedent of Samaritan reaction to the Jewish Temple in
Jerusalem.
In
“A History of the Jewish People in the Time of Jesus Christ” (p. 289-309, v.
ii, division 1), Emil Schurer points out some intriguing history not normally
known about the later Samaritans. A
Jewish legend has it that in the time of the Roman Emperor Hadrian, the emperor
granted permission to the Jews to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem (c 117
CE).
But
as happened in earlier times, the Samaritans rushed in to protest and make lies
and false representations about the enterprise.
Apparently, the pressure was so great from the evil Samaritans that
Hadrian backed out on his plan to allow the rebuilding of the Temple.
Perhaps
this backdrop (or at least, the desire to rebuild the Temple) had something to
do with the development of the Bar Cochba (Kokhba) or Bar Kosiba rebellion
which occurred in 132-135 CE. Simon Bar
Kokhba became the leader of a Judean Jewish faction which declared its
independence from Rome and fought a war with the Romans.
Simon
and his forces lost. The Romans killed
580,000 Jews in the campaign and enslaved the rest. Schurer says that the entire area of Judea
was turned into a well-nigh desert.
Hadrian declared Jerusalem off limits to Jews and built a new Roman city
there called Aelia Capitolina. A temple
to Jupiter (Zeus) was erected over the Jewish Temple site.
Interestingly,
the Hebrew Bar Kokhba means son of the star while Bar Kosiba means son of the
lie. In later Rabbinic literature, Bar
Kokhba came to be called Bar Kosiba (“Dictionary of Judaism in the Biblical
Period,” p. 77). This Rabbinic
description about Simon being the son of the lie makes one wonder if he had
some connection with the Amalekites (to be later discussed).
Later
chapters herein will raise questions over the possibility that some evil
Amalekites were attached to or assimilated with the wicked Samaritans/Cutheans
over the years in some fashion to allow them to also be oppressors of the
Jewish Israelites in the efforts to rebuild the Temple.
Not of Truth
Regardless
of the exact racial and ethnic peoples who may have been involved with the
Samaritans, the fact of their oppression (especially in Zerubbabel’s time, but
later also) does impact on the question of the Samaritan Pentateuch, discussed
earlier.
As
YESHUA noted, these Samaritan people were not of truth (Jo 4:22). The conclusion has to be that their
Pentateuch would have to be a very questionable production and certainly one
lacking authority, as concluded in the earlier presentation.
Now,
in the context of modern Christianity, is it conceivable that Christendom,
collectively, would ever reject the help, money or whatever from people of the
racial and ethnic class of the Samaritans?
Assuredly not!
Obviously,
this revealing little message in the Book should alert all readers that there
are fundamental differences between Christians and true believers--just as
there are differences between Samaritans and true believers.
Not
only were the Samaritans of non-Israelite racial stock, but it is useful to
note that they continued to maintain and follow their historic pagan religions
even after they came to Canaan land (II Kg 17:29-31)--all the while that they
ostensibly "feared YHWH" (II Kg 17:32-34).
Samaritan and Christian Similarities
Thus,
the Samaritans have much in common with false Christianity, as will be proven
in later chapters. Both peoples have in
their possessions all or part of The ELOHIM's Scriptures (the Samaritans have
the Samaritan Pentateuch while Christians have the Old and New
Testaments).
However,
beyond mere possession of portions of YHWH's Word, the religions of the two
groups are both far removed from truth in practice, as the writer of Kings
observed for the Samaritans (II Kg 17:32-34), and as this study will establish
in future remarks for Churchianity.
More on Yehudah
As
noted above, this work by the Assyrians left the still independent House of
Yehudah in the Jerusalem area; but seriously reduced in population to mainly
some part of Yehudah and evidently parts of Binyamin, Levi and some of the
other tribes whose people had moved from the Northern House of Yisrael to the
Southern House of Yehudah over the years in order to be near the Temple and the
true worship of YHWH.
Thus,
many and indeed likely most of the people who were formally a part of the House
of Yehudah in the South soon became a part of the House of Yisrael which went
into Assryian captivity.
Yehudah and Judaism
Despite
the clear racial distinctions of the tribes of Yisrael in the South, it is also
a clear fact of history that the racial House of Yehudah became the basis for
the eventual Jewish religion (Judaism) and particularly so with her later exile
to Babylon and return to Palestine.
Therefore,
while persons of non-Yehudah ancestry, living in the Southern kingdom, were not
Jews, racially, they often identified themselves as such in the religious
context (to be considered more carefully in future chapters). Again, the NT man Shaul is an example of this
reality (I Cor 9:20; Gal 2:15).
Though
it is most often true that the English word Jew (Hebrew Yehudi, Greek Ioudaios)
theoretically refers to racial, ethnic or religious definitions, one must not
lose sight of the reality that some persons in the geographical area or
province of Yehudah (Judea after the exile) were known as Jews (Judeans), simply
because of national/residential considerations (per “The Theological Dictionary
of the New Testament,” v. III, p. 359-377).
Of
course, the fall of Jerusalem in 70 CE and the deportation of the Jews
worldwide largely ended that option, thereby leaving the birth and religious
questions.
So,
whenever one reads or hears of the word Jew, he must be careful in defining
it. Because even today, in the modern
Israeli state, there is much confusion and disagreement over exactly who is a
Jew. Is the issue here race or is it
religion or something else?
Alfred M. Lilienthal
This
dilemma over definitions was well illustrated by Dr Alfred M. Lilienthal, a
noted American Jewish author, when he wrote that “the words Hebrew, Israelite, Jew, Judaism, and the
Jewish people have been used
synonymously to suggest a historical continuity. But this is a misuse. These words refer to different groups of
people with varying ways of life in different periods of history.
“Hebrew is a term correctly applied to
the period from the beginning of Biblical history to the settling of
Canaan. Israelite refers correctly to members of the twelve tribes of
Israel. The name Yehudi or Jew is used in
the Old Testament to designate members of the tribe of Judah, particularly at
the time of Jeremiah and under the Persian occupation.
“Centuries
later, the same word came to be applied to anyone no matter of what origin,
whose religion was Judaism” (“What Price Israel,” p. 216). Lilienthal then notes that the word Judaism
was first used by Flavius Josephus after the Jewish Roman wars (late first
century CE).
This
informed Jewish author (Lilienthal) certainly has some good observations which
will be addressed in some detail in further remarks in this study. But the point here is that one must be
careful about lumping all of these words into one pile without some
discernment. They really are not
synonymous at all, despite the reality that many uninformed people believe that
they are one and the same.
More Definitions
In
addition to this concern of one being of the Jewish religion, generally, there
was still further religious or philosophical definitions to assess in Second
Temple times because the broader perspectives of Jews and Judaism perhaps
involved seven or more major sects or divisions (like the Herodians, Essenes,
Hellenists, Zealots, Pharisees, Sadducees and possibly the beginnings of the
belief of the later Karaites), in addition to the disciples of YESHUA (the
Nazarenes).
Within
the confines of the Pharisees, there were still further classifications and
delineations. For example, there were
two dominating basis of thought--the Schools of Hillel and Shammai, to be
described in later chapters herein.
Also, in practice, some Pharisees, evidently of the Hillel class, were
recognized as being Hasidim or Chasidim, which meant that they were very pious
or ultra orthodox.
The
just mentioned religious Jew, named Shaul (his actual Hebrew name, anglicized
as Saul and later questionably changed to Paulus in the Greek NT), was more
precisely a Pharisee (Acts 23:6; Phil 3:4-6), apparently of the School of
Hillel since he had been a disciple of the famous Gamaliel, an actual grandson
of Hillel and a respected teacher of that theology (Acts 22:3).
The Division
But
going back into history, one finds that with the death of Shlomo the united
commonwealth of Yisrael did divide into two kingdoms or governments--the Houses
of Yehudah and Yisrael.
Albeit,
it is certain that the people of the Northern kingdom were Israelites, and
while it is also evident that the people of Yehudah were Jews (by certain
definitions), it is furthermore verity that most of the peoples of both states
were racially Israelites and bloodline descendants of Yakov Yisrael.
The
Scriptures plainly assert that all 12/13 tribes were of Yakov Yisrael and were
referred to in various circumstances as of Yisrael and Israelites, both before
and after the partition of the kingdom and the later Babylonian exile.
So
while the people of the House of Yehudah were of Yisrael and were Israelites,
they were not a part of the House of Yisrael, per se, though a few of them may
have had some close bloodline linkages to the Northern tribes because of having
moved to the South after the division of the kingdom.
Please
note that in this context, the word House is being used in a national or
governmental sense; and from that viewpoint, it was largely dispensed with
after the Jewish return to Palestine under Cyrus.
Two Separate Nations
But
it is important to remember that the House of Yehudah was not and never will be
the divided House of Yisrael. Both
governments, nations and entities were entirely separate and distinctly
different. Therefore, in the Book, these
two realms were never the same, nor were they ever called the same.
In
fact, it is interesting and perhaps relevant that in the Scriptures these two
kingdoms of Yisrael and Yehudah were frequently at war with each other, despite
their common ancestry and relationship.
In a word, they were often divided enemies who were totally separated
all the time that they were contemporaries in Canaan land.
They
were two nations (plural) and there is no other way to view it. Effectively, the main thing that these two
states seemed to have in common was their similarly rebellious and sinful
conduct in terms of YHWH's laws. Both
countries pursued sin and contempt toward YHWH with but few exceptions.
Chapter
124--Yisrael Divorced
The Bill
Another
interesting fallout of the Assyrian deportations, described in the previous
chapter, was that the House of Yisrael was categorically divorced by The MOST
HIGH (II Kg 17:18, 23; Isa 50:1; Jer 3:1-8; Ezek 23:9; Hos 2:2-4).
This
act of divorcement by YHWH (for Yisrael's sins of adultery--Ezek 20:39) legally
terminated the covenant (marriage) relationship between Himself and the House
of Yisrael.
This
larger part (the House of Yisrael) of the once greater Yisrael was no longer
connected with The ELOHIM. Since this
act of divorcement legally terminated the covenant and marriage between YHWH
and the House of Yisrael, they were no longer His people (Hos 1:9). They were literally cut off and in a
"lost" condition with no observable hope of reconciliation.
Importantly,
the remnant of the House of Yehudah, which remained in the Jerusalem area, was
not divorced and put away. And in fact,
this remnant seemingly was never divorced and put away, despite its adultery
and sin.
Effectively,
this remnant of the House of Yehudah remained in covenant relationship with The
HIGHEST even after they were punished in the Babylonian captivity (although
they later played a leading role in killing YESHUA, c30 CE; thus, likely also
then ending their covenant relationship with Him).
Provisions of the Divorce
As
a part of her divorcement, the House of Yisrael people were no longer to be
known and recognized as Israelites, in covenant with YHWH. They had their name changed (Isa 62:2; 65:15;
Hos 1:9), lost the Hebrew language and spoke another tongue (Isa 28:11), and
became blind as to their racial identity, ancestry and origin (Isa 42:16-19;
Hos 1:9-10; 2:6, 17; Rom 11:25).
Without
going into any detail on these changes, which came upon Yisrael, it would be
well to highlight the fact that in the dispersion the House of Yisrael
Israelites lost the Hebrew language and spoke a new tongue or tongues. In other words, they lost or gave up their
former Semitic language and spoke something new or different.
In
this sense, it probably would be correct to say that these House of Yisrael
people were no longer Semites, as they had been while they were speaking Hebrew
in Canaan land. But they remained
Shemites (descendants of Shem) because of racial factors, as outlined in the
previous chapter.
But the Promises Remained
Despite
these negative features of the divorce, the fact remains that a number of
promises remained of numerous blessings to befall on Yisrael. For example, they were to receive a new home
(land) in an appointed place (Isa 24:15; 41:19-20; 49:1; Jer 31;10); to spread
abroad North, South, East and West (Gen 28:14; Jer 3:12; 23:8); and to grow in
number--like the stars of the heavens (Ex 32:13).
Of
great importance to the House of Yisrael
and her future after the divorce, she was to live in islands and coastal areas
(Isa 41:1-2; 49:1-3; 51:5; 60:9; Jer 31:7-10).
Specifically, she was to be known Scripturally as “Yisrael in the isles
of the sea” (Isa 24:15)--apparently, after she was emptied from the land of
Canaan (Isa 24:3).
Moreover,
Yisrael was to become a great nation (Gen 12:2; 18:18) and nations--plural (Gen
17:4, 6, 15, 16; 35:11; 48:19); to multiply and be fruitful (Gen 12:2; 17:6;
22:16-18; 24:60; 26:1-5; 27:26-29; 28:14; Isa 27:6; Hos 1:10); to enjoy wealth,
abundance and greatness (Gen 22:16-18; 48:13-20; 49:22-26); to possess the sea
gates of enemies (Gen 22:17; 24:60); and to be ruled over by one continuous
dynasty of rulers (II Sam 7:12-29; Ps 89:20-37; Jer 33:17, 21, 26).
The
interesting thing about the promised blessings for Yisrael is that they were
all made unconditionally to Avraham, Yitzhak and Yakov Yisrael and had to come about
irrespective of the sins and rebellion of national Yisrael.
Another
relevant feature is that these promises never came to physical Yisrael in the
land of Canaan, nor have they ever fallen upon the House of Yehudah or the Jews
collectively under any circumstances (after all, the birthright and blessings
were for Yosef and his line and not for Yehudah--Gen 48:1-22). Consequently, they were future at the time of
the fall of the House of Yisrael to the Assyrians.
Since
they were certain, they have had to be fulfilled during the last 2,700 years to
our time here in the age end of the early 21st century. Therefore, the student of truth interested in
pursuing this theme can spend a little time with the history books and get a
pretty good idea on what happened to the divorced House of Yisrael upon her
departure from Canaan land.
Yisrael Does Exist--Now!
Before
continuing, it would be well to recall here a far reaching statement by
Yirmeyahu the prophet made long “after” the Assyrian conquests of Yisrael and
just before the demise of Yehudah at the hands of the Chaldeans in the 6th
century BCE.
He
declared that as long as the sun, moon and stars stand to provide light on
earth, the posterity of Yisrael shall exist as a nation or people before
YHWH--through the ages (Jer 31:35-36), and in the context of the House of
Yisrael (Jer 31:33).
The
point was just made in this section that the House of Yisrael is out in the
world today in 2003. Yirmeyahu’s words
prove it conclusively--since the sun, moon and stars are still up in the
heavens, providing light to earth. The
essence being from Yirmeyahu's statement is that the divorce did not terminate
the reality of Yisrael.
Alternatively,
Yisrael was to persist; but with a new identification, language and
recognition, as cited above.
Consequently, Yisrael was then in existence when Yirmeyahu spoke and
would continue to be in existence for some time in the future, as both Yirmeyahu
and Yechezkel assert.
Of
course, the House of Yisrael nations are alive and physically present right now
in time somewhere on planet earth. If
they had ceased to exist, then it is quite manifest that YHWH’s Word would have
been broken. The Book declares that the
Scriptures cannot be broken (Jo 10:35).
Therefore, it is only a question of finding the lost House of
Yisrael. She is out
there--somewhere.
“The
Jewish Chronicle” of May 2, 1879, put it well by declaring that “The Scriptures
speak of a future restoration of Yisrael, which is clearly to include both
Yehudah and Ephraim (the Ten Tribes).
“The
problem then is reduced to its simplest form.
The ten tribes are certainly in existence. All that has to be done is to discover which
people represent them” (quoted by Bernard Bateson, in an article on “A Jew
Speaks Out” in the Oct 1995 “New Beginnings,” p. 10).
In
today’s modern world, there are 12 great Arab nations which are readily
identified and known as descending from Ishmael. They know who they are and most scholars have
the same perception. Moreover, there are
a number of large nations also associated with Esau, as will be described in
later chapters. Does it not make perfect
sense that Yakov Yisrael would also produce a number of great and powerful
nations?
The Lost Name
Moreover,
the truth also emerges from the Scriptures that in the divorce the House of
Yisrael "lost" an understanding of the pronunciation and meaning of
the personal name (the Tetragrammaton YHWH, the Name, called in Hebrew Ha Shem)
of her former Husband (Isa 64:6-7; Jer 23:27; Amos 6:7-11).
As
early as Genesis 4:26, the KJV has it that men began to call upon the name of
YHWH. The “Soncino Chumash” (p. 21)
notes that the “righteous began to teach the Name.” In “Christianity Unmasqued” (p. 261), Dan
Israel says that this text correctly reads-- “then began men to call themselves
by the name of Yahweh.” For sure, true
believers became attached to the name of YHWH.
In
the “Woman’s Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets” (p. 708), Barbara G. Walker
writes that in terms of both magic and religion, the name of anything was
considered identical with the thing itself and that early people seldom could
distinguish between the reality and the name of an object. Assuredly, a man’s name is extremely
important in relation to him.
The
Apostle Yohanan also saw the importance of a name when he wrote that YHWH
YESHUA gave the status of sons to those who received Him and believed on His
name and/or put their trust in His name (Jo 1:12). Actually, Yohanan’s words were not new
because the Psalmist wrote centuries earlier that YHWH will set on high those
believers who have known His name (Ps 91:14).
In
the Translator’s Preface to the “The First Five Books of Moses” (p. xv),
Everett Fox wrote that names play a central role in Scriptural stories. Fox adds that in the Word and throughout the
ancient world, names were often used to give clues about their bearer’s
personality or fate. Hence, the OT
frequently gives the meanings of names of the actors on stage. Obviously, these names must have meant
something important.
Apparently,
in the ancient Hebrew culture, the idea of a name meant everything that a
person was (“Jewish New Testament Commentary,” p. 154). No wonder the Scriptures would place such an
emphasis on a person’s name. However, a
name in the context of trust and belief should not be construed to possess
magical qualities to benefit evil people.
The Curse on the House of Yisrael
Amos
best put the curse on the House of Yisrael (in the divorce) by declaring that
they could no longer make mention of or speak (pronounce) the name (Amos 6:10,
per the Bethel and Amplified translations), although the name appears some
7,000 times in the Hebrew OT. Hence, the
lost tribes of Yisrael lost the pronunciation and meaning of the most important
word in the universe.
Therefore,
even today, almost all Israelites of the lost tribes incorrectly believe the
name to be the “Lord, God, Jehovah, Yahweh, Yahuweh, Yahoweh, Yahaweh, Yaheweh,
Yahowah, Yahuwah, Yahewah, Yahvah, Yahovah, Yahuvah, Yahavah, Yahevah” or
something similar.
It
is especially true within the Sardis Sacred Name movement (which will be
addressed in some detail in subsequent chapters herein) that there is no end to
the stupidity and ignorance of Sacred Namers as they devote lifetimes and
enormous energy to try to dream up some uncanny and impossible pronunciation
for the Tetragrammaton. There seems to
be no end to this mass of Sacred Name confusion.
Christians
and Sacred Namers seem to have no idea at all on the meaning of the name YHWH
though some might try to go to Exodus 3:14, which really does not clarify its
meaning.
The Masoretes, Revisited
Years
ago, it became obvious to this writer that the word “Jehovah” was not the name
(as the Rotherham and other translations explain). To understand this reality, it is necessary
to recognize that historically Hebrew writings were written with 22 consonantal
letters (as described in a former chapter).
Fearing
the loss of pronunciation, the previously mentioned Jewish Masoretes placed
vowel points on the Hebrew Tanakh writings when they did their work many
centuries ago.
“Jehovah”
was apparently an invention of Ashkenazi Masoretes when they took the vowel
points for Adonai and attached them to the Tetragrammaton to tell them to
pronounce the name as Adonai. Ignorant
Christians, lacking understanding of Hebrew, mistook this hybrid word and
called it the name of “Jehovah” for years.
It
is interesting to note that the Sephardim evidently never altered the
Tetragrammaton whatsoever. In fact,
their Tanakh Scriptures have the Masoretic vowel points on all words except the
Tetragrammaton. This writer has seen
Tanakh texts expressed in this fashion.
Still Lost in 2003
This
writer once believed that the name was “Yahweh” because of its popular usage in
some translations and among the Sardis Sacred Name people. In modern times, almost all of the Christian
world has incorrectly come to accept this name “Yahweh” as being Scriptural,
despite the fact that it cannot be found in the Hebrew Scriptures.
A
Messianic Jewish friend of this writer, living in Jerusalem, told me years ago
that Jewish savants invented the name of “Yahweh” as an alternative when they
realized that Christian scholars were beginning to understand that “Jehovah”
was wrong. They wanted the name to
continue to be hid from both Christendom and the world.
This
discussion carried a lot of weight because the Messianic Jew involved spoke
Hebrew and came from a historic, Sephardic, cohen (priest) family who had been
schooled and trained to be a Rav (teacher).
He was informed and knew what he was talking about.
In
a later examination of an important, ancient, Hebrew, Tanakh scroll, his
explanation of the name was verified and proven in a very conclusive
fashion. Categorically, the
pronunciation and meaning of the name YHWH can be known from the Hebrew Old
Testament.
The
fact that ignorant and ill-informed Christians and Sacred Namers do not know
the name does not alter the fact that it can be known. The problem over the name is reduced to the
ignorance and lack of understanding present in Christendom at large--to include
its Sacred Name and Christian Identity factions.
It Can Be Known
Once
a person comes to a proper understanding of the name (both its pronunciation
and meaning, which contain some incredible revelations), it then becomes
manifest why informed Jews have hid the name from the world. By the way, the Hebrew Tanakh does contain
conclusive information on both its pronunciation and meaning--which should
dispel any doubt about it whatsoever.
The
point that the pronunciation of the Tetragrammaton is not “Lord, Jehovah,
Yahweh, Yahvah, Yahuweh, Yahoweh, Yahaweh,” etc goes to validate the statements
made above. The ELOHIM’s true people
will know His name--both its meaning and pronunciation. Obviously, all of these proponents,
advocating a worldly accepted and recognized name, are considerably off
base. They don’t know the name.
Perhaps
this factor also has some impact upon the question of evil people using or
rather attempting to use Ha Shem (the Hebrew, meaning the Name) for improper
purposes (as a fetish or for magical purposes).
They will likewise be in the dark and in a state of ignorance. They may think that they know His name. But in fact, they do not know it--because it
is lost and something in secret only for the eventual election.
YHWH’s Name Went On Yisrael in the
Marriage
Although
few people may realize or grasp the importance of the loss of The CREATOR's
name, the fact remains that it symbolically has had a profound impact of
extraordinary magnitude. The premise for
such a statement lies, to a large extent, upon the situation in a marriage
relationship where the woman takes her husband's name, goes by it, and is
recognized by it.
In
the case of Israelites, The MOST HIGH placed His personal name on them in the
wilderness at the commencement of the covenant and marriage relationship (Num
6:27; Deut 28:10; II Chron 7:14). In
giving them His name and His blessings, they, in turn, became His possession
(Ezek 16:8) and were under the marriage obligation of obedience of His Torah
(Ex 19:5).
Just
like Christianity has not done over the centuries, the one thing which
Israelites never did do was to obey The HIGHEST. From the beginning, they embarked upon a path
of contempt and rebellion toward His Torah--to include outright adultery. Of course, in time, the House of Yisrael was
divorced and cut off from The EVERLIVING ONE, as just noted above.
In
the divorcement, the House of Yisrael lost an understanding of both the meaning
and pronunciation of the personal name of The SOVEREIGN (the Tetragrammaton),
as mentioned above. This was to have an
enormous impact upon them over the years.
Naturally,
with the loss of the pronunciation and meaning of the name of YHWH, the House
of Yisrael peoples lost almost everything else of religious importance--to
include the weekly and annual Sabbaths, which also serve as marks of
identification (Ex 31:13-17; Ezek 20:12, 20).
Lost Yisrael
In
short, the House of Yisrael became the "lost tribes of Yisrael" which
is correctly understood by many students (both Christians and Jews) of YHWH's
Word even today. Encyclopedias generally
recognize this reality of the lost tribes of Yisrael and/or lost Yisrael (“The
Concise Columbia Encyclopedia,” p. 421).
The
Jewish author Dr Alfred Lilienthal, quoted earlier, outlined the position of
many educated Jews by saying “No one knows what happened to the Ten Lost Tribes
of Israel” (“What Price Israel,” p. 215-216).
Effectively,
this divorce of the House of Yisrael by The SOVEREIGN was one much like some of
them presently whereby the divorced woman moves out and away from her husband,
gives up her marriage name, resumes her maiden name and severs all contact and
relationship with her former husband.
By
the way, it is relevant to note here that in the age end, the seven assemblies
(women) of Revelation 1 to 3 all seem to try to take hold of YHWH YESHUA in
order to be called by His name and thus be saved from disgrace (Isa 4:1).
Hence,
these seven assemblies (to be present in the age end, just before The MESSIAH
returns) will recognize the importance of the name and want it for their
own. This theme will be explored in
future remarks.
The Divorce’s Impact
In
attempting to understand exactly who was to receive the Good News of the New
Testament, it is crucially important to appreciate some more issues about the
impact of the divorce on the subsequent peoples of the House of Yisrael. True, Yisrael and Israelites generally became
“lost,” as to their identity and relationship with YHWH.
However,
something far greater was to happen to them which can just about blow one’s
mind when reviewing the divorce from a historical perspective. Again, it must be recognized that YHWH was
married to the nation of Yisrael, per the Sinai Covenant. He was The HUSBAND and Yisrael was the wife
(who was supposed to obey her Husband).
Over
the years of the marriage/covenant relationship, Israelite children born in the
nation were clearly the children of The MOST HIGH. He was Ha AV (Hebrew words meaning the
father) of the Israelite persons being born over the years. But this situation was to change with the
divorce.
When
Yisrael went off into fornication and adultery, and when YHWH divorced her, the
later children born by Yisrael were born from fornication and out of
wedlock. They were “not” sons and
daughters of The HIGHEST ELOHIM. In a
word, they were and are illegitimate offspring from Yisrael’s harlotry.
This
reality has a profound impact upon many, many, New Testament words, phrases,
thoughts and teachings, such as the grafting in of the wild olives, adoption,
blotting out of ordinances against Israelites, etc. These issues were described earlier and will
be further commented upon later on in this study.
But
please keep this theme in mind as you proceed to read these words.
Chapter
125--Changes in Yisrael
Human Confusion
Previously,
in this study, the point was made that The CREATOR does not change. Instead, it is Satan, Babylon, Christendom
and limited, little humans who are express instruments of confusion,
contradiction, uncertainty, ambiguity and tragic change. In short, the worldly system under man's
government is filled with the enigma of excessive confusion resulting from
frequent change.
On
this reality of confusion in man, this study later on provides a classic case
of this very thing in point of occurrence.
In
terms of the House of Yisrael, the reader will note that limited, indecisive,
confused and changing Christians have dogmatically identified all kinds of
people in the world as the lost Israelites--all the way from mixed blooded
Samaritans to American Indians to Black Ethiopians to Russian Khazars, etc (as
we will shortly see).
Of
course, such wild unsubstantiated claims have all come from the hearts and
minds of supposedly "intelligent" men (actually entrapped in Babylon)
and not from the Word of YHWH. Truly,
the capacity of uninformed people to invent absolutely stupid and ridiculous
theories is enough to wreck a thinking mind if one is not careful.
The Fall of Yehudah
Otherwise,
after the fall of the Northern kingdom to the Assyrians, the remnant of the
House of Yehudah survived in the South for the next 140 years or so. But since they too were rebellious and
sinful, the promised chastisement and punishment eventually came upon them as
well.
It
happened to the House of Yehudah in the 6th century BCE, when the Babylonians,
under Nebuchadnezzar, laid siege to Jerusalem and conquered it in a most
horrible fashion. He killed and
slaughtered many of the Judeans and took most of the balance of these people
captive to Babylon.
The
Babylonians did leave a small remnant of the poor--which included Yirmeyahu and
King Zedekiah’s (Tzidkiyahu in the Hebrew) daughters in the land after the fall
of Jerusalem (II Kg 25:22-24).
After
a short period of time, this remnant left Canaan land and went to Egypt (II Kg
25:25-26) where Yirmeyahu and at least one of the king’s daughter later moved
on to another land (as will be discussed more fully in future chapters herein).
This
punishment on the House of Yehudah was similar to that which fell on the House
of Yisrael in that both national entities were extremely rebellious and
sinful. The one thing which neither
party ever wanted to do was to obey The MOST HIGH.
However,
and as noted earlier, these Yehudah Israelites were never divorced (as was the
House of Yisrael); and thus, effectively never lost their identity, tongue and
recognized relationship with The SOVEREIGN.
It is this factor which promotes and allows the world to suppose that
the remnant of the House of Yehudah constitutes the covenant people of The
HIGHEST.
At
this juncture, it should be acknowledged that the despot Nebuchadnezzar went to
great length and effort to try to dramatically change and alter the life style
of these people of the House of Yehudah during their enslavement (Dan 1:4).
For
example, the Hebrew language they used was partly displaced in the vernacular
by Aramaic and the very fabric and backbone of their culture was generally
changed from an agricultural orientation to a more mercantile, commercial and
business focused society.
Jews Turned To Banking and
Commercialism
The
exchanging of moneys, lending at usury and other wicked banking practices,
forbidden by Moshe (Ex 22:25), gained acceptance by the Jews in Babylon, and
were evidently spread by them to other parts of the globe (Neh 5:1-10; Matt
21:12; Mk 11:15). Perhaps it is this
backdrop which has motivated the Jews/Jew pretenders to become the leading
international bankers in the world for the last several centuries.
Even
the former Hebrew religion followed by many of the people came under an
immediate assault from the Babylonians and their successors, as they attempted
to impose changes on the way the Jewish captives perceived things (Dan 1:4-8;
6:10-16).
Also,
indications are that during this exile, the oral Jewish "traditions of the
elders" (portions of the Talmud) gained sufficient prominence and
legitimacy to eventually displace some of the authority of the written Old
Testament within Judaism (Matt 15:2-6; Mk 7:5-13).
Notwithstanding
these efforts to change and alter the population of Yehudah in bondage, it is
both significant and interesting that portions of this labor did meet with some
definite failures. Strangely enough,
these non-successes seem to have more often surfaced in religious matters
rather than in secular subjects, as one may suppose.
Jews Retained Much Truth
Thus,
while the Jews became linked to commercialism, business and banking, they never
did give up fully their identity or the Hebrew language and religion. True, Aramaic gained some acceptance. But the Hebrew language remained alive for
the next 2,500 years--despite enormous efforts to crush it (even by Catholic Christians).
Alternatively,
the Jews preserved the Hebrew Old Testament, as they were commissioned to do so
by YHWH (Rom 3:2). And while their
religious procedures and beliefs were evidently contaminated somewhat by
Talmudic scholars and interpretations, they did preserve and teach much truth
from the Word, though they often failed to live by it themselves (Matt
23:2-3).
Of
extreme relevance for the Jews, some of their religious leaders did retain the
knowledge and understanding of how to pronounce the ineffable name (the
Tetragrammaton)--although publicly, they never speak it (Jer 8:14; Lam
2:10).
They
never speak it publicly because Yirmeyahu proclaimed that the name would “no
longer be pronounced by the mouths of the men of Judah” (Jer 44:26, per Ferrar
Fenton and the “Bible in Living English” translations).
“The
Book of Legends Sefer Ha-Aggadah” (p. 170) has an ancient Jewish legend from
the Talmud of Second Temple days, which seems to explain how it came about that
the Jews quit pronouncing and using the Tetragrammaton.
This
story says that during the Greek oppression of the second century BCE, the
Greeks had issued a decree that the Name of Heaven (YHWH) could no longer be
mentioned by the Jews.
Subsequently,
the sages became concerned and decreed the discontinuance of mentioning the
name. Thus, the Jews came to the place
of never pronouncing or speaking the name.
In any case, during the restoration under the Maccabees, these legal
bonds were abolished (on the third day of Ethanim). But apparently, the Jews continued the
practice of never pronouncing the name.
Yeshayahu
put it well by saying that true believers could call upon the name only while
alone or while under YAH’s dominion (Isa 26:12-19, “Rotherham” and “Ernest
Martin” translations--per “The Suppression of the Divine Name”). There is also the question of some very
powerful statements in the Torah which limit any misuse of the name (Ex 20:7;
Lev 19:12; 22:32; 24:15-16, per the “Bethel” and “Concordant”
translations).
Some
Sardis Sacred Namers, who do not understand the name (Hebrew Ha Shem) or how to
pronounce it, take these Torah references and try to claim that the sin arises
because of non-use of the name. This is
not true. These references clearly
relate to the misuse or abuse of the name and not its non-use.
Christians Are Not Supposed to
Know
Obviously,
if sinning Christians understood and knew how to pronounce the single, most
profound, important and set apart (Hebrew kodesh) word in the entire universe
(the great Tetragrammaton), they would do it as they do with the words “Lord,
Jesus, Christ and God.” They would paint
it on buildings along the highways, on toilet stools, on automobiles and even
on the bottoms of their blue jeans.
They
would laugh and make fun of it, all the while that they run it through the
gutter and sewer of the vulgar society with its propensity for profanity and
vulgarity. The name became lost to the
people of the lost tribes of Yisrael (including its Christian population)
because of their sins and YAH’s judgment on Yisrael because of those sins.
They
do not know it (thankfully), and they are not supposed to know it. Can the reader perceive the horrible tragedy
that would arise if the personal name of The MOST HIGH was profaned, cussed
with and cursed daily with the American Christian culture, society and people,
as they do with their “Jesus, Christ, God and Lord?” Sinning Christians will never know the name.
The
presiding Jewish Rav at synagogue services pronounces the ineffable name once a
year at Yom Kippur, when he whispers it.
Even people present in the audience generally cannot understand his
pronunciation. Thus, most Jews don’t
even know how to pronounce the name.
Otherwise, the Jews do their best to hide and suppress usage of the name
to prevent its misuse and abuse by false worshippers.
The Sabbath Laws
Additionally,
the Jews took to heart The MOST HIGH's Sabbath laws--so much so that they went
overboard in the Talmud in trying to put an improper hedge around them. It is important to realize that the Sabbath
laws are similar to the name in that they allow people to know The MOST HIGH
(Ex 31:13-17; Ezek 20:12, 20).
Undeniably,
the Jews’ stay in Babylon never took on the characterization of the House of
Yisrael exile to Assyria, where those Israelites literally lost almost
everything in terms of identification, language, religion, the Sabbaths and the
name.
About
all that the Northern tribes of Yisrael from Samaria retained (after their
divorce) was perhaps their cultural orientation towards agriculture for
subsistence. They never did make good
bankers and traders like the Jews. But
they did make good farmers. Truly, the
House of Yisrael persons have been historically people of the land.
In
this Israelite dilemma of not knowing the name and rebelliously be in
opposition to the Sabbaths, is there any hope for them?
Yes,
The SUPREME is calling out a people from the House of Yisrael nations presently
in the age end (called the election, as mentioned earlier and as will be
described in detail in future chapters).
These elect persons will ultimately learn the name (both its
pronunciation and meaning) and be sealed with it (Rev 7:3; 9:4; 14:1;
22:4).
Actually,
there are a host of Scriptures which conclusively establish the profound
importance of the name. Perhaps
Yeshayahu best put it when he wrote that the people of The MOST HIGH will know
His name (Isa 52:6). Obviously, that
coming time when the election of the House of Yisrael learns the name appears
to be still future here in the year 2003.
However,
upon learning the most wonderful and far reaching single word in the universe,
the elect will also learn to keep silent about it in terms of the vulgar
secular society (Amos 5:13, per the “Holy Name Translation”), and use it only
in private personal worship (Isa 26:13).
The 70 Years Exile
Yet,
the House of Yehudah exile to Babylon was not to continue forever, as YHWH put
a cap on it (Jer 25:11-12; 29:10; Dan 9:2, 24).
As you may recall, after a 70 years period of punishment in Babylon, a
portion of those people did return to Palestine and apparently resumed their
covenant relationship with The ELOHIM.
This
return of the “remnant” of the House of Yehudah is described in quite some
detail in the post exile writings of Ezra and Nechemyah, principally, but also
to some extent in the later prophets of Haggai, Zekharyah and Malakhi and the
evident editorial remarks in I and II Chronicles (supposedly written or edited
by Ezra).
The
Scriptures actually went to the trouble to name and identify all of the Jews in
the return by their different clans and by their leaders (Ezra 2:1-70; Neh
7:6-73). Both Ezra and Nechemyah number
the total people (correctly men) in this return as being 42,360 persons (Ezra
2:64; Neh 7:66).
The
Word is quite precise in saying that this return was from the people involved
in the Babylonian captivity (Ezra 1:3; 2:1; Neh 7:6). In numerous Scriptural texts, the returnees
were identified as being persons of the tribes of Yehudah, Levi and
Binyamin.
Yisrael With Returning Yehudah?
In
another reference, the Tanakh made mention of the returnees--who settled at
Jerusalem, as being persons of the tribes of Yehudah and Binyamin, and also,
interestingly, of Ephraim and Manasseh.
Obviously, this reference would have had to include Levites and priests
from the tribe of Levi as well, though they were not mentioned by name (I Chron
9:3).
There
is no question but that these persons from Ephraim and Manasseh were
descendants of people who came to Yehudah from the House of Yisrael before the
Assyrian deportations, as mentioned earlier herein--since the Book explicitly
links these people to the “Babylonian exile” (I Chron 9:1).
Additionally,
it is clear that some of these persons who came to Yehudah in Hizkiyahu’s days
were probably alluded to in context by Ezra (I Chron 4:41; II Chron 30:1,
10-11).
Finally,
in New Testament days, there was a widow woman named Anna of the tribe of Asher
who came to see the child YESHUA at the Temple (Lu 2:36).
The
Scriptural evidence is quite convincing that this woman probably was a
descendant of some of the people of Asher who came to Yehudah in Hizkiyahu’s
day (II Chron 30:11).
Chapter
126--The Return of Yisrael
Christian Confusion on the Return
In
almost any attempt to go to the various Christian writings and literature (from
Christian scholars) on the question of what happened to the House of Yisrael
after her departure from Canaan land, only confusion and pandemonium appear to
result. No one seems to know much about
the ten tribes.
In
the old days, before the establishment of the Jewish state of Israel in 1948,
confusion and uncertainty were certainly the order of the day whenever the
subject of the ten lost tribes of Yisrael would come up in study or
conversation. Since 1948, that stance
has been altered somewhat (but not much).
John McClintock and James Strong
In
their excellent reference work of the “Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and
Ecclesiastical Literature” (v. II, p. 109), first published in twelve volumes
from 1867 to 1887, authors John McClintock and James Strong (yes, the James
Strong who compiled the famous “Strong’s Concordance”) attacked the problem
with some candor and honesty, which is not often done by Christian scholars and
church leaders.
These
two writers acknowledged some of the Jewish positions on this theme (which will
be covered later in this chapter) as well as the then current Christian
thinking. Specifically, they noted that
“Many attempts have been made to discover the ten tribes existing as a distinct
community... The imagination of Christian writers has sought them in the
neighborhood of their last recorded habitation.”
This
Christian “imagination” included such speculations as finding lost Israel in
the Afghan tribes, at the foot of the Himalayas, among the Black Jews of
Malabar, with the Tartars, with the Nestorians and even with the Indians of
North America (this is the popular Mormon theory, attributable to the
confidence man Joseph Smith, discussed earlier).
McClintock
and Strong then went on to say that “though history bears no witness of their
present distinct existence, it enables us to track the footsteps of the
departing race in four directions after the time of their captivity,” which
are: (1) some returned and “mixed” with
the Jews, (2) some were left in Samaria to mingle with the Samaritans and
become bitter enemies of the Jews, (3) some remained in Assyria and mingled
with the Jews, and (4) most probably apostatized in Assyria.
To
their credit, the team of McClintock and Strong did not seem to go off in wild
speculations beyond the listing of the different theories.
However,
these Christian theories were to change somewhat over the years and
particularly so since the establishment of the Jewish state in 1948. Most modern Christian scholars will now go on
record and be very dogmatic respecting their imaginations and
suppositions.
Modern Christian Thinking
Merrill
C. Tenney, general editor of “The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the
Bible” (published in 1975), asserts that some House of Israel peoples remained
in the land of Israel to be assimilated with pagan settlers (but the Word says
that they were all removed and none remained--II Kg 17:18).
Tenney
(v. 3, p. 344) then concludes that the “Samaritans were a mixture of Israelite
and foreign elements,” which was one of the above possibilities mentioned by
McClintock and Strong. Of course, this
Christian view is in sharp conflict with what the authoritative Ezra wrote some
2,500 years ago (Ezra 4:2).
With
the more recent significant movements of Khazars out of Russia and the Black
Falashas out of Ethiopia to the state of Israel, many Christian scholars have
all of a sudden concluded that either the Khazars or the Falashas or both are
now persons from the lost tribes of Israel.
Christian
writer Dr Ernest Martin, formerly of Portland, Oregon, was convinced in his
writings for some years that the Khazars were from the lost tribes of
Israel.
More
recently, in a May 1997 Letter Forum of his ASK work (p. 2), Martin changed his
position when he said that “There is a basic characteristic sign that
identifies who is a real Israelite today... The sign is not so much a racial
(that is biological and physical) distinction as it is an emotional and
religious one.”
Another
Christian writer, named Gene Justice of the Foundation for Biblical Research of
Pasadena, California (quoted earlier herein), shared the same earlier view of
Martin that the Khazars were lost Israel in his book on “The Israel Identity
Syndrome” (p. 38-41). This Khazar topic
will be studied in a future chapter.
In
“Lost Israelite Identity” (p. 63-63, 268-269, 276, 296), Yair Davidy also tries
to link the Khazars to certain Israelite people, but offers no proof beyond the
fact that the lost tribes of Israel migrated through the Caucasus Mountains in
their movements out of the Middle East.
In
time, the Khazars moved into these same areas and occupied some of the same
places formerly inhabited by true Israelites.
The real Israelites of the lost tribes had left some of their names to
these geographical places in their migrations and the later Khazar habitation
used the old established names.
Furthermore,
Davidy seems to confuse some of the migrating and wandering people (evidently
Edomites) who passed through the Caucasus (before the Khazars arrived) with
being Israelites. Some of these peoples
had links to the Khazars, as will be assessed in later chapters herein.
The Most Popular Theory of All
But
the most popular theory of all surfaces because many modern Christians are so
misinformed and uninformed about the Scriptures that they actually believe that
after the 70 years of the Babylonian exile, "all" of the 12/13 tribes
of Yisrael returned to Palestine, including the tribes of the House of Yisrael
(which had been removed around 210 years or so earlier by the Assyrians).
To
support and justify this view, a few ignorant and uninformed Christian scholars
have spent some time on this subject and have actually dug out the two references,
as described in previous comments (I Chron 9:3; Lu 2:36), and claimed that
those two texts alone “prove” that the House of Yisrael returned to Palestine
with the Jews after their release from Babylon.
Explanations
Some
misinformed Christians would argue the merits of these two Scriptures (I Chron
9:3; Lu 2:36) to no end, despite the clear and precise words of Ezra. Ezra implied, as a minimum, that those people
linked to earlier persons who came from the House of Yisrael to the House of
Yehudah in Hizkiyahu’s days and later and who went into Babylonian (not
Assyrian) captivity (I Chron 4:41; 9:1; II Chron 30:1, 10-11).
Beyond
the several clarifications in I and II Chronicles on how some persons in the
old House of Yisrael kingdom moved and settled in the House of Yehudah (which
allowed them to avoid the Assyrian deportations), another most interesting
piece of information surfaces from “The Targum to the Five Megilloth” (p. 10),
edited by Barnard Grossfeld, in its presentation on Lamentations 1:3.
This
Targum says that the House of Yehudah people went into captivity because they
afflicted widows and orphans and because of the great servitude with which they
were oppressing their brethren, the children of Yisrael, who had been sold to
them, and that they did not proclaim liberty to their male and female slaves
who were of the seed of Yisrael.
The
reference just cited seems to have some powerful support from the Tanakh. The prophet Yirmeyahu was careful to point
out that some of the Judeans had Hebrew slaves which they would not set free in
the seventh year, as provided for in the Torah (Ex 21:2; Lev 25:10; Jer
34:8-22). Nechemyah also may have
alluded to this situation after the return (Neh 5:11).
The
point of this is that beyond all of the individual people who migrated from the
House of Yisrael to the House of Yehudah, over the years, the House of Yehudah
apparently purchased some House of Yisrael slaves from the conquering Assyrians
at the fall of the segments of the Northern kingdom.
Though
these House of Yisrael people evidently did not gain their freedom as YHWH’s
Torah dictated, they assuredly were assimilated and particularly so during the
Babylonian exile.
The
point is that there are several explanations on why there were some House of
Yisrael people living among the Jews and practicing the Jewish religion.
Since
this condition is clearly brought out and described in some detail in the
Scriptures and Targums, why is it that Christians want to continue to believe,
teach, and swear that the whole House of Yisrael was to be found among the Jews
following the Babylonian exile?
The House of Yisrael Never
Returned
Thus,
such misinformed individuals persist in believing that the House of Yisrael
peoples collectively returned along with the Jewish remnant.
This
vain speculation by stupid persons is so incredible and so absolutely contrary
to Scripture that it boggles one's mind as to how in the world supposedly
intelligent people ever could be entrapped and duped into believing such
ridiculous claims.
Surely,
students of the Word above the moron level should not be taken in by fairy
tales and vain imaginations from uninformed fools. Also, as noted earlier, the genealogies of
the returning exiles from Babylon were carefully laid out in great detail in
the books of Ezra and Nehemiah.
Importantly,
these writers pointed out at the beginning or ending of each genealogical
presentation that the enumerated returnees were persons or descendants of
persons who were largely Jewish, and who had been taken captive to Babylon by
Nebuchadnezzar in his 6th century BCE deportations (Ezra 2:2-27; 8:1-20; Neh
7:5-73).
There
is absolutely nothing in either Ezra or Nehemiah that would allow for the
return of “any” individuals from the House of Yisrael who had been deported to
the Northeast by the Assyrians.
Of
course, it is true that the returnees (either Jews racially and/or religiously)
were sometimes called "Yisrael" (Ezra 2:1-2; etc), which is
technically correct since they were a legitimate part of the larger definition
of Yisrael.
And
it is additionally true that Nechemyah, at least once, even uses the phrase
"all Yisrael" (Neh 7:73).
Howbeit, he does so in the context of the list of returnees which he had
just identified by clan name and in the view of them being persons from the Babylonian
captivity of Nebuchadnezzar (Neh 7:6).
It
is likewise important to note here that the returnees were never called the
House of Yisrael in any of the Old Testament books, nor were they ever lucidly
so called or mentioned in any New Testament book. Too, after the exile, the term "House of
Yehudah" was no longer used in the Book for the returnees--except in one,
isolated instance (Neh 4:16).
Essentially--Yehudah Only
Except
for the persons covered in the preceding comments and certain prophetic
references, there can be no doubt whatsoever about who did return from the
Babylonian exile.
A
perusal of the entire post-exile Scriptures categorically reveals that, in the
main, the returnees from the Babylonian exile were persons of the tribes of
Yehudah, Binyamin and Levi, many of whom were identified as settling in the
Jerusalem area (Neh 11:3-36).
Moreover,
beyond the various references to the three tribes of Yehudah, Binyamin and
Levi, in the context of the return, nothing was furthermore said about any of
the other tribes of Yisrael, except in a couple of isolated instances, as
described in previous remarks.
Surely,
this is verity because both Ezra and Nechemyah make it quite clear (repeatedly,
over and over) that "all" of the returnees were linked to the
Babylonian deportations which occurred some 140 years after the House of
Yisrael had been carried into Assyrian bondage.
None
of the returnees from Babylon were ever associated directly or indirectly with
the Assyrian deportations of the 7th and 8th centuries BCE (beyond the earlier
discussed slaves, who had been reportedly sold to Yehudah).
Heretofore,
mention was made of the fact that much of the tribe of Binyamin was captured by
the Assyrians or departed the land for some other reason at that time, leaving
essentially the tribe of Yehudah behind in the Jerusalem area (II Kg
17:18).
While
it appears that the tribe of Binyamin, per se, may not have persisted in the
land of Yehudah after Samaria fell and up to the Babylonian exile, some
individual Binyaminites certainly did survive (along with some persons from
Asher, Manasseh and Ephraim) in order to go into Babylonian bondage and return
later with the Jews to Palestine during the time of Ezra and Nechemyah (Ezra
1:5; Neh 11:4).
Despite
the fact that some of these individuals of the tribes of Binyamin and the
Northern House of Yisrael or their descendants did go into Babylonian exile and
return later to Palestine under Cyrus' release, the truth is quite manifest
that these persons, surely few in number, did not constitute the whole of their
tribes (which assuredly never did return to the land in recorded history).
The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha
The
fact that the House of Yisrael did not return to Palestine with the return of
the Jews under Ezra and Nechemyah is well substantiated in the Jewish Apocrypha
and Pseudepigrapha literature, some of which was written as early as 300 BCE
(per Dr James Tabor, in Vol 1, No 4 of “Jezreel’s Call,” Kislew 5755). Many of these ancient historical records
acknowledge this truth quite positively.
In
these interesting writings, mention might first be made to “The Testament of
Moses” which stated that the “two” tribes (obviously, of the House of Yehudah)
will continue in their appointed faith while the “ten” tribes (certainly, of
the lost House of Yisrael) will increase among the Gentiles during the time of
their captivity (Test. of Moses 2:5; 4:7-9).
Please
note that the above quote from “The Testament of Moses” links the lost ten
tribes of the House of Yisrael to the word Gentiles (Hebrew goy/goyim). The prophet Yeshayahu (Isa 61:9) seems to
have had some perception when he wrote that the seed of Yisrael will be found
among the Gentiles (Hebrew goyim).
While
Yeshayahu’s words might not be as clear as was those in the Testament of Moses,
both do say the same thing. Jewish
writer Yair Davidy goes on to note that according to Jewish law (in the
Talmud), the lost tribes had become “Gentiles, to all intents and purposes”
(Yebamot 17, Talmud, quoted in “Lost Israelite Identity,” p. 52).
This
linkage of the ten lost tribes to the Hebrew word goyim (Gentiles) is quite
important to recognize and appreciate since Christendom regularly associates
the English words gentile and gentiles to non-Israelites. This condition has been and/or will be
analyzed in some detail in other chapters herein.
Wherefore,
the evidence is quite abundant that in the Jewish psychic and mentality for the
last 2,500 years or so (clearly, from the return from Babylon), the lost ten
tribes were and are in the same status as of the goy/goyim which the Jews
recognize as being the non-Jewish “nations” of the world.
In
short, lost Israelites could technically be called Gentiles (that is non-Jews),
although that description causes confusion in the typical Christian’s
mind.
Yisrael--Nation/Nations?
As
a matter of information, some 26 of 37 references to “nation/nations” in the
KJV of the New Testament has in the Greek text, the article “the” linked in
context to demonstrate that the Jewish writer involved perhaps had in mind the
lost ten tribes of Yisrael in writing about these peoples (per Thomas Jones, in
his book “The Elect: Who Are They?--A Scriptural View”).
The
point Jones is making is that the connected article “the” specifically makes
the reference applicable to the lost tribes of the House of Yisrael and not to
the broader classification of nations.
This study addressed this issue earlier when discussion focused on the
Greek ethnos (often translated as “nation” for the Hebrew “goy”).
While
many uninformed Christians are acutely aware of the fact that Jews refer to the
non-Jewish nations as goy/goyim, few have ever had the perception that the Jews
also did refer to the lost tribes of Yisrael as goy/goyim.
Actually,
in Christendom’s clouded eyes, the words goy/goyim link to “non-Israelite”
nations in the broad, general sense. A
non-Israelite can be considerably different than a non-Jew. The two are not necessarily the same at all!
In
other Apocrypha literature, like the “Psalms of Solomon” and the “Testament of
the Twelve Patriarchs,” similar statements can be found alluding to the House
of Yisrael as still being in a “lost,” far away profile and as having never
returned to Canaan land in Second Temple days.
The Book of Tobit, Revisited
A
former chapter herein mentioned the historic book of Tobit, which is found
today as a part of the Apocrypha. As the
“Dictionary of Judaism in the Biblical Period” (p. 636-637) indicates, the book
of Tobit was probably written in the third century BCE. But it must have been based upon a much older
tradition in circulation.
In
any case, the book of Tobit was a popular Second Temple writing which found
much acceptance among the Jewish population (although it never became a part of
the OT canon). Certainly, it was popular
in the Qumran community in the first centuries BCE and CE since four copies of
it were found in Aramaic and one in Hebrew in the Qumran caves.
The
importance of Tobit is that it is a narrative (supposedly fictional) about two
House of Yisrael families (apparently from the tribe of Naftali in the Galilee
area) in captivity in far away Assyria.
Though it is extremely complicated, it is a beautiful story and one with
possibly much insight, which must have whetted the appetite of the Jews in
Second Temple Palestine.
The
primary importance of this book is that it is a story about lost Yisrael which
was known and kept alive in Palestine by Second Temple Jews.
Assuredly,
the whole context of the writing and its preservation is cast in the vein that
Yisrael was still absent from Palestine and presumably still in Assyrian
bondage when the story first commenced (certainly, by the third century BCE;
and perhaps earlier, even in First Temple days).
II Esdras
Another
key witness of events in early Palestine was the writer of the apocalyptic II
Esdras, who either compiled or at least edited this work essentially by c150 CE
(per "Asimov's Guide to the Bible").
Whomever
the writer of II Esdras was, he certainly recognized that the ten Northern
tribes of Yisrael, carried off by the Assyrians, had never returned to the land
and were not a part of then Palestine Jewry, but were still in existence in
some far away country (II Esdras 13:40).
While
the purpose of this study is not to examine the book of II Esdras, per se, or
even to attempt a complete tracing of the ten lost tribes of Yisrael, it still
would be useful to note that the II Esdras writer did also point out that the
lost Israelites spent some year and a half in leaving the “multitude of the
heathen” and in going through the narrow passages of the river (Euphrates) to
reach a further country where “never mankind dwelt” (II Esdras 13:39-45).
This
conclusion by the II Esdras writer will prove to be quite profound and
extraordinary as this study will later establish in a coming chapter. At the moment, the reader can make his/her
own interpretation of the importance of these remarks.
Early Rabbinic Thinking
The
Nisan 5755/April 1995 issue of the “Jezreel’s Call” paper had an article by
Dennis Jones on “Will the Lost Tribes Return?” which contained an analysis of
the lost tribes from early Rabbinic literature.
While this article was somewhat abbreviated, it did reflect some
interesting Rabbinical thinking from over the years.
Quoting
R. Akiva and some of his students from around 117-138 CE (from the Mishnah,
Sanhedrin 110b), Jones points out that the “question before the Rabbis was only
whether they (the ten lost tribes) would ever return and not whether they had
ever returned.” Of course, Rabbinical
authorities knew full well that the lost tribes had never returned. The issue was if and when would they return
in the future.
Contrary
to some of his scholarly opponents in those early days, Akiva did not believe
that lost Yisrael would ever return from their exile. Others, like R. Eliezer, acknowledged that
while lost Yisrael was then in darkness, there would be “light for them” in the
future.
The
gist of these early Rabbinical writings is that the ten lost tribes were not
annihilated, but were only in a state of exile to be returned to Canaan land in
a future time period when “light” would be granted to them. Obviously, here in 2003, that time is still
future.
Josephus On Yisrael
Even
as late as the time of the first century CE, the Jewish priest, scholar and
historian Josephus and obviously other informed Jews in Canaan land were
cognizant of the fact that the House of Yisrael had been removed and was still
far away from Palestine and had not yet returned (“Antiquities of the Jews,”
book IX, chapter 14, verses 1-3 and book X, chapter 9, verse 7).
Since
Josephus was both a seemingly intelligent man and a first century CE resident
of Palestine, his remarks are especially valid and do carry some weight. He was an astute historian who was no slouch
in terms of what was going on in Judea in his day. He was informed.
Importantly,
he says that there are but two tribes (of Yisrael) in Asia and Europe subject
to the Romans, while the ten tribes are beyond Euphrates "till now"
and are an immense multitude, and not to be estimated by numbers (“Antiquities
of the Jews,” book XI, chapter 5, verse 2).
Thus, Josephus believed that the House of Yisrael peoples were quite
large in numbers in a far away land in his day.
The Talmud and the New Testament
Here
also, the student of truth should focus some attention on the Talmud, portions
of which may have been placed in writing as early as 200 CE by Talmudic Jewish
scholars (to be described later herein).
Clearly, these writings date back in whole or in part to traditional
oral transmissions, dating perhaps from the Babylonian exile.
In
John D Lightfoot’s marvelous “Commentary on the New Testament From The Talmud
and Hebraica” (v. 4, p. 291), reference is made to the ten tribes in
Lightfoot’s discourse on I Corinthians 14.
These findings are especially relevant.
Lightfoot
suggests that from the Talmudist’s perspective, the ten lost tribes had been
taken to Assyrian lands which bordered those of the Babylonians where the Jews
were later exiled. In these far distant
lands, the lost House of Yisrael had “remained there in after ages” --only to
be reunited with the Jews in a still “future call.”
Additionally,
Lightfoot observes that the Talmud reports that these lost ten tribes in those
far removed lands had become “people of impure blood” --obviously, from their
miscegenation with the heathen nations (while in exile, following the Assyrian
conquests).
Thus,
from the Talmudic overview, the Jews (with their better blood lines) should not
mingle or have social contact with the Israelites of the lost ten tribes and
their impure blood lines. Clearly, in
the eyes of the early Talmudists, the lost ten tribes of the House of Yisrael
had become goy/goyim, as the rest of the nations in the world.
Incidentally,
these remarks by the Talmudists on the believed “impure” bloodlines of the
House of Yisrael peoples will carry extraordinary weight when one considers how
exclusive the Jews were in New Testament days in refusing to have social
contact and intercourse with people (actually brethren) of the House of
Yisrael, whom they came into contact with.
Kefa, of course, typified this viewpoint.
Other New Testament Views
As
outlined elsewhere in this production, the various New Testament writings have
been addressed in an effort to show that the writers and compilers of the NT
books, without exception, were perfectly aware of the fact that the peoples of
the “lost” tribes of the House of Yisrael had never returned to Palestine by
the age of the Apostolic Assembly in the first century CE.
Actually,
there is a vast host of such Scriptural references which leave no doubt over
this issue. Since they have or will be
later addressed and studied, there is no present need to broach them here in
any detail, rather than to acknowledge their existence. But three of these references are so
extraordinary and relevant that they need to be briefly mentioned at this
time.
The
three writers Yakov, Yohanan and Shaul were all cognizant of the entire
“twelve” tribes of Yisrael. Yakov
directly addressed these peoples in his epistle (Jas 1:1). Yohanan was aware of a future sealing of them
(Rev 7:1-8). And Shaul discussed them in
the context of his commission with King Herod Agrippa II (Acts 26:6-7).
Commodianus
Professor
David Flusser, formerly of Hebrew University, quoted from the work of the Latin
Christian poet Commodianus, who wrote in the middle of the third century CE
(“Judaism and the Origins of Christianity,” p. 563-564).
Commodianus
appears to have quoted some of his material from and/or used data from the
earlier apocrypha works of IV and V Esdras in their references to the ten lost
tribes of Yisrael. But he went further
and added some thinking beyond Esdras IV and V.
Unless Commodianus deceptively made up his theory, it is very suggestive
that he also used other early sources to compile his writings.
He
postulated the movement of the lost ten tribes of Yisrael out of the East to
come to the city of Jerusalem in the end of days. He described them as being an ideal people
who would break through in a miraculous military campaign to eventually occupy
Jerusalem. Does this sound like
Allenby’s conquest of Palestine in 1917 or something to come in the future
since Allenby came from the West and not from the East?
In
Flusser’s comments on this Christian work, he also alluded to V Esdras in its
comments on a “coming people,” made up of “Christian Gentiles” (which link to
the lost tribes), who would come to and receive Jerusalem where they would
dwell together with the three Patriarchs and the prophets of the old
dispensation (“Judaism and the Origins of Christianity,” p. 564).
Alfred Edersheim
The
famous Jewish Christian writer, Alfred Edersheim (1825-1889), offered a lengthy
write up on the issue of the lost tribes of Israel from the modern Jewish
perspective--at least, from that perspective in his day in the 19th century
(“Life and Times of Jesus The Messiah,” p. 9-11). Edersheim called upon historic Jewish
writings--such as the Talmud, Mishnah, Rabbinic sources, 4 Esdras and
tradition.
He
categorically affirmed that the ten lost tribes of Israel did not return to
Palestine with the Jewish return from Babylon.
He mentioned the various possibilities of where lost Israel could be in
the context of the various references which he cited.
Alfred
Edersheim reflected pretty well the thinking of all informed Jews for the last
2,000 years. None of them have ignorantly
linked the lost tribes of Israel to the Jewish return from Babylon (as
Christians regularly do). And the only
authoritative position that informed Jews can take on the subject are the
remarks of the several ancient sources--as they all have been generally quoted
herein.
Importantly,
Edersheim not only discussed the reality of the House of Israel being lost
currently, but he focused upon Jewish understanding that the lost tribes would
one day be discovered, returned to Palestine and reunited with the Jews--in the
context of their conversion under a second Messiah or in the dawn of the new
Messianic day (per R. Eleizer). This
course will be broached in subsequent chapters.
More Recent Thinking
The
July 1999 “Kingdom Digest” magazine (p. 46-51) had an article by F. F. Bosworth
on “The Bible Distinction Between ‘The House of Israel’ and ‘The House of
Judah’” which offered a number of other relevant Jewish observations on the
future of lost Israel. As Bosworth
noted, Orthodox Jews even in his day were well aware that the modern Jews do
not include the ten-tribes of the lost House of Israel.
For
example, on the Day of the Feast of Trumpets and the Day of Atonement, Orthodox
Jews pray a prayer that Ephraim Yisrael (the ten tribes) may one day be united
with them. Bosworth cited a number of
authoritative Jewish writings which recognize that lost Yisrael is not a part
of modern Jewry.
The
article also quoted Dr J. H. Hertz, late Chief Rav of the British Empire, who
said that “People known at present as Jews are descendants of the tribes of
Judah and Benjamin...we look forward to the gathering of all the tribes at some
future date.” The learned Isaac Leiser
suggested that the “Israelitish nation was left in banishment after the return
of the Jews from Babylon.”
Bosworth
additionally quoted Professor Neuhauser who wrote that “The hope of the return
of the Ten Tribes has never ceased among the Jews in exile.” Dr V. Herman Adler, another former Chief Rav
in London, also was quoted. He asserted
that “The Ten Tribes did not return to the Holy Land.”
Although
writer Bosworth and his article focused upon Jewish reactions on the status of
lost Israel, he also quoted the Christian Jerome, who, in the fourth century,
said that “The Ten Tribes inhabit at this day the cities and mountains of the
Medes.”
Besides
this article, there are other more recent statements. For example, Abba Eban, the well known
Israeli diplomat and former Ambassador to the United Nations and the United
States, wrote in 1984 that the Assyrian invaders completely obliterated the
Kingdom of Israel and that its people, henceforth, to be known as the “ten lost
tribes,” were deported and dispersed (“Heritage--Civilization and the Jews,” p.
56).
Historian
Paul Johnson wrote in 1987 that “In taking their last, forced journey into
Assyria, the ten tribes of the North moved out of history and myth... They
lived in later Jewish legend, but in reality they were simply assimilated into
the surrounding Aramean population, losing their faith and their language” (“A
History of the Jews,” p. 70).
While
Paul Johnson’s statement has some things wrong with it, the fact remains that
he does present some truth in terms of modern thinking. Certainly, the lost tribes did lose their
faith, their language and indeed their identity. However, it is clearly an error (as this
study will prove) to charge that they were “assimilated” (in the collective
sense) into the Aramean population.
A
summation of modern Jewish thinking was offered in the Jul-Sep 2000 “Hebrew
Roots” (p. 34), which said that “Orthodox Judaism teaches that they (the ten
tribes of Yisrael) are still ‘lost’ and must return (at least, a remnant of
them) to the land of Israel before The Messiah comes.
“The
rest of Judaism (non-Orthodox) claims that all twelve tribes are to be found
among today’s Jewish population.” This
non-Orthodox teaching is the primary Christian position found among most
Christian denominations.
Perhaps
the best statement of all on the lost tribes of Yisrael appears in “The Jewish Encyclopedia”
(1909 edition, v. 12, p. 249), in an article on “Tribes, Lost Ten,” viz: “If the Ten Tribes have disappeared, the
literal fulfillment of the prophecies would be impossible. If they have not disappeared, obviously, they
must exist under a different name.”
YHWH’s Far Reaching Promises
In
an earlier chapter, discussing the fall of Yisrael to the Assyrians, the
prophet Yirmeyahu (who lived over a hundred years after the Assyrian conquests)
was quoted in his fantastic statement that as long as the sun, moon and stars
stand to provide light on earth, the posterity of Yisrael shall exist as a
nation or people before YHWH through the ages (Jer 31:35-36).
Obviously,
the House of Yisrael was in existence somewhere in NT times--just as they are
still in existence somewhere today in 2003.
Furthermore, The ELOHIM YHWH made some similarly fantastic
(unconditional and irrevocable) promises to David which are just as profound
and extraordinary today as they were 3,000 years ago when they were first
spoken.
Specifically,
The HIGHEST declared that David always would have (actually, never want for) a
descendant to sit on his physical throne in rulership over Israelites (II Sam
7:12-16; I Kg 2:4; 9:4-5; 11:11-13; II Kg 19:32-36; I Chron 17:11-15; 22:9;
28:4-5; II Chron 7:18; 13:5).
The
MOST HIGH YHWH then went on to tell David that as long as the sun, moon and
stars are in the heavens above to shine light on this earth, David’s throne
will be in existence to rule over Israelites (Ps 89:20-37; Jer 33:17-20).
Although
most of the world can never understand it, but the truth is that David’s throne
was not terminated or vacated at the Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem. This fact will be considered in some detail
in future chapters.
Apparent Conclusions
Some
obvious conclusions can be deduced from this excursion into history about the
ten tribes. Of most importance, they
were dispersed by the Assyrians some 140 years or so before the Jewish
dispersals. And of profound importance,
they historically never returned to Palestine.
They are still out in the world somewhere and thought to be
goyim (Gentiles) in the eyes of most informed Jews. Furthermore, the NT remarks by Shaul, Yohanan
and Yakov on the “twelve tribes” demonstrate their thinking on this subject.
Clearly,
it is manifest that all three of these apostles were familiar with the prophets
and knew and recognized that the entire twelve tribes of Yisrael collectively
were still in existence somewhere on planet earth--even as they wrote
references about them.
And
next, it is certain that all three of these apostles knew precisely where the
twelve tribes were in existence out in the world. This “where” is made plain by those three men
in their various statements in the NT, and in the sense that the twelve tribes
of Yisrael then were scattered abroad outside the land of Palestine.
So
while the collective Jews in Canaan land in the first century CE might refer to
the tribes of Yisrael as being “lost” (just as multitudes of both Christians
and Jews have done so for the last two thousand years), the truth is that those
twelve tribes actually were not “lost” to The ELOHIM and His chosen Apostolic
Assembly apostles.
The
place one must come to is that the so-called “lost” ten tribes of Yisrael were never
lost (to The ELOHIM YHWH), but were categorically goy/goyim/gentile outsiders
in Jewish eyes, likely from the fall of Samaria forward (c700 BCE when they
were divorced by The SUPREME), and that they never had returned to Palestine by
the time of the Jewish removals in the early years of the first and second
centuries CE.
Now,
if any misinformed and/or uninformed Christians want to come forward and
declare that the House of Yisrael returned to Palestine before 70 CE, then such
people are showing their absolute ignorance of history as they would be
contradicting Josephus and numerous others (including Yakov, Yohanan and Shaul)
who were eye witness observers of events in the land and time of Second Temple
Judaism.
Chapter
127--The Return is Future
The Prophesied Return
Despite the fact that the House of
Yisrael was removed from old Canaan (now called Palestine), in the 8th-7th
centuries BCE, by the Assyrians, the Tanakh prophets were all explicit in
predicting that in a future age and time, all of Yisrael would return and be
reunited. Categorically, the time of that
return is still future, here in 2003. It
has never happened in history. But
assuredly, it will happen!
Importantly, these predictions of the
return have been made in the context that the House of Yisrael is in a state of
slavery, captivity and bondage at the time of this return (Lev 26:39; Deut
28:49-68). Essentially, what Yisrael
faces is something much like the previous Egyptian bondage of 3,500 years ago
when YHWH used Moshe to deliver Yisrael and take them to the promise land of
Canaan.
There will be one profound difference
between the historic Egyptian slavery and the coming age end captivity of
Yisrael. Whereas, the nation of Yisrael
was present in Egypt in a collective body or entity of Israelites and moved as
a group out of Egypt, the future return will be done by The ELOHIM from all
over the world where Israelites will be scattered as individuals or in small
entities.
If this sounds like double talk, and in
view of the previous comments on Yisrael, an examination of a number of prophecies
and their historic fulfillments after Yisrael left the promise land offers
clarification and makes the case for this position.
Yechezkel is the Key
To appreciate the modern history of the
House of Yisrael, one must study and learn from Ezekiel. This book, above all other writings, has the
most detailed and useful information of all on the House of Yisrael.
Yechezkel
was a Jew (actually a cohen or priest from the House of Yehudah), who was
exiled to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar. He
started his writings in Babylon some seven years or so before the fall of
Jerusalem to the Chaldeans. He was to
record this seven-year block of time in some detail and go on to document the
fall of Jerusalem and provide an abundance of data after that.
The
student of truth will at once realize that the Babylonian conquests of Yehudah
happened some 140 years or so after the Assyrian conquests of the House of
Yisrael. Thus, the House of Yisrael was
long gone from Palestine by the time that Yechezkel arrived on the scene in
Babylon.
But despite the fact that the House of
Yisrael seemed to have been lost in history, Yechezkel was commissioned to be a
prophet to and watchman for the House of Yisrael (Ezek 3:4-5). Consequently, his message essentially is to,
for and about the House of Yisrael. This
is most interesting in view of the fact that Yisrael’s supposed fall, conquest
and enslavement had happened many years earlier.
And importantly, the book of Ezekiel
conclusively proves that Yechezkel knew the difference between the House of
Yisrael as opposed to the House of Yehudah.
He periodically spoke of both houses and clearly differentiated between
the two. Hence, whenever he wrote the
“House of Yisrael,” he meant the House of Yisrael (which was not to be confused
with the House of Yehudah or the Jews).
As a minimum, all of Yechezkel’s words
were still future for the House of Yisrael when he wrote them (starting around
561 BCE). But a complication arises
because he often seemed to be writing about Jerusalem. An explanation is needed since he was a watchman
for the House of Yisrael. Yet, he was
writing about Jerusalem in Canaan--especially, in his early chapters.
The prophet clarifies this dilemma when
he early on pointed out that the trouble then coming upon Jerusalem was to be a
sign for the House of Yisrael (Ezek 4:3; 14:8).
Thus, among other things, Yechezkel was laying out the fall of Jerusalem
as an example for the House of Yisrael.
In other words, what happened to Jerusalem will happen to the House of
Yisrael.
In that sense, any person wanting to
know and understand the future of the House of Yisrael (now in the early 21st
century) should spend some time to learn and study about the fall of Jerusalem,
first to the Babylonians and next to the later Romans, since these falls both
have much similarity and significant prophetic relevance.
But Still More
Yechezkel opens his message and witness
in a 30th year (the possibilities for dating Yechezkel’s 30th year will be
described in a future chapter). While
some portions of his work were dual or had historic typical fulfillments, the
evidence is that virtually everything Yechezkel wrote about will ultimately
take place (starting likely here in the age end).
In that sense, it all seems relevant in
the immediate future right now. Chapter
4 quickly introduces a foreign siege on Yisrael (following 390 years of accountable
sin) which sees the destruction of her government(s) and the slavery of her
people some 390 days later (perhaps sometime during Yechezkel’s 33d year).
It appears that this siege marks the
commencement of Yisrael’s final punishment to prepare her for the millennial
rule of YESHUA, to include the wedding supper of The LAMB. Manifestly, it will be this punishment (just
as a father punishes and chastises a child to teach discipline and
righteousness) that will make a change in Yisrael to good for the first time in
3,500 years.
Chapters 4 to 33 describe the seven
years of Yakov’s Trouble--which possibly starts in or near Yechezkel’s
30th-31st years and expires some seven years later. Ezekiel 13:1-23 and 34:1-10 focus on the
preachers and pastors of Yisrael. YHWH
greatly condemns them for their wretchedness and evil, just as He has also done
in numerous other Scriptures.
After all, it has been Yisrael’s
pastors, preachers, teachers and priests who seem to bear much of the guilt for
the sins in Yisrael. Chapter 34
(starting in verse 11) to chapter 37 explicitly focuses on the beginnings of
the return or at least the return of some part of the people of the House of
Yisrael to Palestine (see Jer 3:14 and Ezek 36:8; 37:1-23).
Isaiah 54:7-8 notes that for a moment
(the seven years of Yakov’s Trouble), YHWH has forsaken Yisrael and hidden His
face from the Israelites; but in time, He will show the Israelites mercy and
(re)gather them (to Palestine). Jeremiah
31:10-11 indicates that YHWH has scattered Yisrael (during Yakov’s Trouble) and
will gather, redeem and watch over the Israelites as a shepherd watches over
his flock.
Please note that the Israelites in the
age end are scattered and YHWH YESHUA must search them out to (re)gather them
(Lev 26:44-45; Ezek 11:17; 34:11-16; 36:24; 37:21;39:27; Jer 3:12-17; 23:3;
29:14; 31:8-11; 32:37). It is also
important to realize that, in this return, YHWH at last unifies the House of
Yehudah and the House of Yisrael for the first time since the division under
Rechavam (Jer 3:18; Ezek 37:16).
In order to appreciate that the House
of Yisrael seems to have a national existence in twelve or so governmental
entities in Ezekiel 4 to precipitate the siege, war and captivity (which ends
when YHWH YESHUA returns to gather the scattered Israelites), much history and
many other Scriptures must be consulted.
The Background
As commented upon in previous sections,
the House of Yisrael largely left or was expelled from Canaan by the conclusion
of the Assyrian conquests of about 700 BCE.
The truth is that most Israelites were scattered in the Diaspora in
groups (some small and some large), evidently for many long centuries
thereafter. Most of these groups or
bodies of Israelites ended up in various countries of Adam.
From about 700 BCE to 1200 CE, these
scattered groups of Israelites began moving West to the Isles of the Sea, the
prophesied destination of Yisrael upon leaving Canaan ((Isa 11:11; 20:6; 24:15;
26:15; 41:1-2; 42:4-12; 49:1-3; 51:5; 59:18; 60:9; 66:19; Jer 31:10; Ezek 39:6;
Dan 11:18).
As noted elsewhere herein, the throne
of David (which was prophesied to perpetually exist) also was removed to these
same Isles of the Sea in order to rule over Israelites.
Starting in 1607, some (not all) of
these Israelites, accumulated in this express body in the Isles of the Sea,
started separating by tribes and commencing a further movement to their
eventual individual tribal homelands.
This motion to separate by tribes was to continue even into the 20th
century.
Beyond this movement from the Isles of
the Sea, many of the other Israelites, still scattered throughout the land of
Adam in other countries, also began moving to the same new tribal
homelands. Thus, there was a
“regathering” of scattered Israelites by their tribal identities from all over
the civilized lands of Adam.
The prophet Yechezkel, writing in about
561-539 BCE, also prophetically mentioned these subsequent, various
regatherings in the Isles of the Sea and later into their particular tribal
homelands, which would serve them for long ages (Ezek 20:34-39).
But Yechezkel apparently discussed
these regatherings as an ante-type or example of the still future coming
regathering to Palestine (a second time, again or once more--Isa 11:11)--which
he proceeds to also mention at Ezekiel 20:40-42 (this ultimate regathering is
described above in various Scriptures).
In other words, on leaving Canaan land,
c700 BCE, Yisrael was temporarily scattered to the winds to be regathered
eventually into new tribal homelands where the tribes were to reside and live
for the next several centuries to await another second scattering to the
winds.
These intermediate homelands were
therefore also temporary since the Israelites living there would continue in
rebellion, evil and sin and have to be punished again, a second time (just as
they were punished by the Assyrians in 700 BCE). This punishment is called Yakov’s Trouble and
it is now upon the House of Yisrael in terms of Yechezkel’s 30th-31st years (to
be detailed in Appendices D and E).
II Samuel 7:10
There is an interesting prophesy by
Shmuel that says in the KJV that YHWH will appoint a place for His people
Yisrael where they will move no more and the children of wickedness will
afflict them no more (II Sam 7:10). Most
Christian Identity people accept the King James translation and are accordingly
led astray in interpreting this text.
These Identity believers generally
believe that this place is the temporary regathered places of the tribal
homelands, outlined above, and that Yisrael will stay in those places to never
move again. While the case “might” be
made that the temporary places of regathering are involved in Shmuel’s comment,
there is also another explanation.
The better view seems to be that this
place mentioned by Shmuel is the ultimate promise land in the Middle East in
its entirety (which is more vast and covers a far larger territory than
anything envisioned historically--to be later commented upon) in the future
Kingdom age when truly the children of wickedness no longer can afflict the
people of Yisrael.
Obviously, the presence of this
stipulation makes it clear that this place is not where the House of Yisrael
has dwelled during the past 2,700 years.
Manifestly, the Israelites have been subjected to the children of
wickedness greatly in the last 2,700 years in their temporary homelands. Even now, in the early 21st century,
Israelites are under enormous oppression, as will be established in later
chapters herein.
Christian Misunderstanding
This time frame is clearly still future
(to actually occur in the millennium).
The “Soncino Books of the Bible” (p. 227) gives a better translation of
II Samuel 7:10, as being that Yisrael will be planted “and be disquieted no
more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more.”
Samson Raphael Hirsch gives it as “have
implanted them that they may dwell in a place of their own, and have to tremble
no longer, and the children of wickedness shall not continue to afflict them as
be-fore-time” (The Haphtoroth of “The Pentateuch,” p. 255). In other words, the Hebrew text is not that
they move no more; but rather, that they tremble or fear no more from the
children of wickedness.
The Christian Identity people, who
persist in the incorrect KJV interpretation, as outlined above, go on to try to
suppose that there is a New Israel or New Jerusalem in this regathered
(intermediate and temporary) territory of the tribal homelands.
Again, they have it wrong. New Jerusalem is a future city that will be
quite large, measuring 1,500 miles square--or perhaps even a cube, depending
upon how Revelation 21:16 is to be
interpreted.
Manifestly, New Jerusalem is not the
United States, Washington, DC or London, England. It never has been and never will be. New Jerusalem will be the capitol of the
world and it will evidently center on the Mount Moriah site of Old Jerusalem in
the land of Palestine during the millennium.
Jeremiah 32:32-44
Another very popular text among the
Christian Identity people is at Jeremiah 32:37-38 which effectively mentions a
regathering of scattered Yisrael to a place where YHWH will be their ELOHIM and
where He will cause them to dwell in safety.
Christian Identity types insist on
believing this place to be the regathered Yisrael in the Isles and/or into
their later national homes over the years from 700 BCE to the present. Manifestly, Christian Identity people have
had a bad interpretation on this text--just as they have had on II Samuel
7:10.
Inevitably, they link this text by
Yirmeyahu to II Samuel 7:10 and Revelation 21:2-22, in the context of a New
Israel or New Jerusalem. But the
Identity people fail to read, accept and understand precisely what was said by
Yirmeyahu in the context of Jeremiah 32:32-44.
Verses 32-35 make it plain that the
theme concerns both the children of Yisrael and children of Yehudah and their
evil and “defilement” of the Temple.
Students of truth must ask when has the children of the House of Yisrael
ever defiled the Temple in the last 2,700 years following their dispersal by
Assyria?
Verse 36 outlines a type of punishment
on Jerusalem (which was being delivered into the hands of the Babylonians in
c554 BCE) as applying to both the children of Yisrael and Yehudah. When has the House of Yisrael historically
faced this type of punishment after 554 BCE?
Verse 37 then brings up a regathering
(obviously, after a scattering) of these people of Yisrael and Yehudah to “this
place,” Old Jerusalem, where Yirmeyahu was speaking and where YHWH will cause
Yisrael to dwell safely. Obviously, the
people of the lost House of Yisrael have not been dwelling safely in the past
2,700 years. That prophecy is most
assuredly still future here in the early 21st century.
In verse 38, YAH says He will be these
Israelite people’s ELOHIM and they shall be His people. Can anyone name a nation in the world today
in 2003 where YHWH is its ELOHIM and the people are His people? Some may try to link this to the United
States. But that speculation just won’t
hold water presently.
Verse 39 says that The HIGHEST will
give these people a new heart and one that they may fear Him for ever for the
good of them and their children. Doesn’t
this sound like something in connection with the future, coming New Covenant
outlined in Jeremiah 31:31-34 (which was assessed in detail in a former
chapter)?
The New Covenant is Future
Clearly, the subject of a coming New
Covenant is broached in verse 40 (as was covered in the prior chapter on that
subject). It will be an everlasting
covenant in which the people fear YHWH and do not depart from Him. Surely, anyone with brains above the moron
level realizes that there is no nation today in the world (including the US)
which fears YHWH and has not departed from Him.
Yirmeyahu writes in verse 41 that The
ELOHIM will rejoice over them (in this coming time frame) and plant them in
“this” land--this land of Canaan where Yirmeyahu lived and wrote his book. Manifestly, this land has to be the one
Yirmeyahu lived in, as he wrote the prophecy down.
Verse 42 mentions the great evil
(punishment) that The MOST HIGH has just brought on this people, so that He
next will bring all of the good on them as He has promised. Verse 43 states “this” land which is given
into the hands of the Babylonians in Yirmeyahu’s day.
But the greatest misunderstanding in
Jeremiah 32 occurs because of the failure to read and understand Jeremiah
30:3-7 which clearly dates to the age end and Yakov’s Trouble in the Day of
YHWH. At that time, Yisrael is in
captivity, once more, to be redeemed in a second Exodus, and to return to the
land of their fathers (Palestine, in the Middle East). These words were written in c575 BCE and are
still future in 2003.
There is no question about it. Most of the entire prophecies in Jeremiah
30-32 are still future here in the early 21st century. They have never happened in history. There is no way that the temporary or
intermediate regathering of Yisrael in the Isles of the Sea or subsequently to
the tribal homelands can be linked to these words.
This is a future regathering back to
Palestine where Yisrael was dispersed from c700 BCE. Future comments and chapters herein will
provide a full and complete explanation for this prophecy of Yirmeyahu that
will communicate understanding.
The Return of the Jews--an Ante-type of Yisrael’s
Return
Some students of the Book have looked
upon the movement of the Jews from all over the world to Palestine in the last
130 years or so as a fulfillment of the many OT prophecies dealing with the
regathering of Yisrael to old Canaan land.
Though this return has been quite profound and extraordinary, it is not
the return of the House of Yisrael, as provided for in the Word.
While some true Israelite Jews have
been involved in this return (Aliyah) to Palestine, the view of truth is that
the greater House of Yisrael is not a part of world Jewry now or ever in the
past. Therefore, the present Jewish
return has not encompassed what the prophets foretold in the context of the
return of the House of Yisrael.
The essence of the Tanakh prophecies on
this theme focuses on either the House of Yisrael or Yisrael in the collective
sense. Hence, most of those prophecies
must find fulfillment in the future in the context of the House of
Yisrael.
To the extent that world Jewry has
included the remnant of the old House of Yehudah, this return could have some
application to them in the form of an ante-type of what is to later happen to
the House of Yisrael in the future age end.
The Dead Sea Scrolls, Revisited
Beyond
the host of Second Temple literature establishing that the lost tribes of
Yisrael never returned to Canaan and were in existence in far away lands,
discussed previously herein, the Dead Sea Scrolls joined in with some of their
thinking which is most unique in the context of the conditions facing Yisrael
in the age end.
For
this option, one can turn to some early Qumran scroll fragments which addressed
the lost tribes (“The Dead Sea Scrolls, A New Translation,” p. 331-334). Some specific remarks in one document focused
on the exiled tribe of Yosef with a belief that these Israelites would one day
be led to repent and turn from their evil ways (in the context of a prayer of
Yosef).
This
prayer notes that Yosef had been given over to the power of foreigners who
drained his strength and shattered his bones almost to the point that he would
perish. The theme of this document is
assuredly apocalyptic and age end.
Consequently, it could have some application to modern Israelites of
today.
The
gist of this document is that the tribes of Yosef are still in an exiled
condition (from Canaan) in the climax of the age end. And most importantly, they will be given over
to foreigners at some point in time and will ultimately be in a state of slavery--almost
to the point of extinction.
There
is then a plea that Yosef will not be forsaken in the grips of the
nations. The prayer is a statement of
repentance for the previous rebellion and evil and a plea for deliverance from
the bondage. Manifestly, the essence of
this short record is a powerful parallel to Yechezkel, now under
discussion. The writer of this Qumran
document was probably a dedicated student of Yechezkel.
The Bottom Line on Yechezkel
The bottom line of this theme is that
Yechezkel seems to be essentially future as of early 2003. Starting on the fifth day of the fourth
Scriptural month of some year (Ezek 1:1), it will likely begin to be fulfilled
very rapidly. Its prophetic significance
extends into the millennium when YHWH YESHUA rules earth (Ezek 40-48).
Most importantly, it will open with a
quick barrage of trouble for the House of Yisrael nations. This trouble will be intense and run its
primary course over a period of 390 terrible days, which may possibly subside
briefly in the summer of Yechezkel’s 33d year (although thereafter, slavery
aspects of the punishment starts in earnest).
While Yechezkel’s message has assuredly
been delivered to Yisrael in the past in the sense that it is a part and parcel
of the Hebrew Scriptures now in the homes of most all Christian Israelite
families (thus, nothing further is actually needed in order to meet the
witnessing requirements that The ELOHIM placed upon Yechezkel), one must still
allow the possibility of another physical witness of Yechezkel to Yisrael in
the age end.
Such an Yechezkel witness (whether by
him or by some modern person or work operating under his spirit and
influence--just as Yohanan the Baptist functioned in the spirit of Eliyahu in
the first century CE) may possibly correlate to a corresponding witness of
Yirmeyahu to Yisrael in the age end which could also start as early as
Yechezkel’s 30th year.
To Recap
In
a way of recapping this travel into history, the point is that the post exile
inhabitants of Canaan land never were called the House of Yisrael. Although they were occasionally called
(correctly) Israelites and of Yisrael, they often were referred to as Jews and
particularly so for those living in the Jerusalem area, as one can easily
verify from any good concordance.
Clearly,
when YESHUA came to Galilee and Judaea in the early first century CE, He
physically came to a land whose inhabitants were recognized as being Jewish
(either racially, religiously, or by some other definition) and not persons of
the "lost" (so-called lost, by the Jews) House of Yisrael--wherever
they then lived and whomever they then were thought to be.
It
is these lost tribes of Yisrael (lost in history and exiled from Canaan in c700
BCE) which form the basis for the book of Ezekiel. The prophet Yechezkel was specially
commissioned as a watchman in the climatic age end to go and warn these exiled
people to repent and change their ways.
Otherwise, YHWH will come swiftly and execute judgment upon them.
Prophetic
Yisrael (surely the tribes of Yosef) will face the breaking of her power, a
devastating drought and famine, disease epidemics, internal racial problems, a
siege of 390 days and finally war and a conquering and invading foreign
army. Most of the people will be
killed. The survivors (minus the very
elect) will face a coming second Egypt of slavery and bondage.
Chapter
128--David’s Throne
The Throne and Yehudah
As
pointed out in previous commentary, the coming throne of David became linked to
the tribe of Yehudah. So while YHWH
allowed the people’s desire for someone like Shaul, a Binyaminite, to prevail,
for a season, His choice was to eventually surface when the throne passed to
David of Yehudah.
Once
the throne was settled in with David, the evidence from history is that it has
been with David’s descendants ever since.
This possibility, indeed reality, is absolutely astounding and hard for
some students of the Word to believe and accept. This chapter will address this course in
history.
European Royalty
Just
as many Adamic peoples in the Middle East eventually migrated into Europe to
populate it (as described in former chapters), another strange migration
occurred out of the Middle East which has had an enormous import upon world
history.
Prior
chapters have discussed the prophetic messages about the permanence of the
throne of David and the possibility that some of YESHUA’s brothers and sisters migrated
to Europe and intermarried with European royalty. Both of these presentations have a very
interesting connection to the whole subject of European royalty, which will be
briefly assessed now.
Beyond
the former presentations, there are many secular records of history for the
last 3,000 years which suggest that, in fact, most or perhaps even all of the
kings in Europe have been of the line of Yehudah. This is an extraordinary idea to even
entertain. But it seems to have
merit.
Some
years ago, a chart was prepared by the Covenant Publishing Company, Ltd, of
London on the “Heritage of the Anglo-Saxon Race” which gave not only the
Scriptural references to the line of kings, but traced those persons to various
secular rulers in Europe over much of the last 3,000 years.
The
essence of this work was an outline of five lines of Yehudah into modern times
as kings, apparently in Europe. The
first line was to Peretz-David, which led down to Tzidkiyahu’s daughter
(reported to be Tea Tephi, who will be addressed in comments to follow below
and in the succeeding chapter).
This
line had a branch off to Jehoiachin’s (Yehoyakhin in the Hebrew) descendants
and to YESHUA. This genealogical outline
means that the line of kings involved were all physical relatives of
YESHUA. This also means that any person
connecting his genealogy to this line of kings also automatically becomes a
physical relative of YESHUA. This is
absolutely astounding to think about.
Actually,
the patriarch Yehudah had two other sons besides Peretz--Shelah and
Zerach. Shelah, from a Canaanite woman
named Shuah (Gen 38:2-5), was a half brother to Peretz and Zerach.
The Breach
Correctly,
Zerach and Peretz were twin brothers and a breach or conflict occurred between
them when a question developed over which one of them became the first born
(Gen 38:27-30).
However,
Peretz received the first born designation, which left Zerach out and caused a
breach of sorts to develop between the twins that was to last many centuries
before it was finally resolved.
Consequently,
the Peretz line with David became the ruling line of Davidic kings in
Jerusalem. The twin brother Zerach
missed out on this important distinction in the Scriptures.
Zerach
in time fathered Mahol (I Kg 4:31), who fathered Darda and Calcol (I Kg 4:31; I
Chron 2:6). Calcol’s descendants went to
Ireland and included a man named Gadhol who became a king and sired a line
which will be further assessed in comments below.
William Dankenbring
The
“Prophecy Flash” magazine of Jan-Feb 2000 (p. 41) had an article by William F.
Dankenbring on “Overturn, Overturn, Overturn” which assessed the movements of
Israelites into Ireland at a very early time.
Dankenbring
suggests that Judahites from the line of Zerach migrated into Ireland and
Northwest Europe during the reign of David.
They were known as Milesians and their insignia was the “Red hand” on
their flag and coat of arms--a symbol that went back to Zerach himself (Gen
38:30).
Possibly,
this movement by the Milesians was the earliest relocation of some people of
Zerach to Ireland, although the movement there could have started much
earlier.
Going
on, William Dankenbring says that even David, himself, went to Ireland, and
there, he married his daughter Tamar into the line of (Israelite) Irish
nobility which had migrated there at that time or earlier.
In
a sense, one could build the case that this linkage of the line of David (from
Peretz) to the family of Zerach healed the breach (if Tamar did, in fact, marry
a descendant of Zerach) which occurred centuries earlier with the birth of the
two boys. However, there is a subsequent
healing of this breach which is even more profound, as will be covered in
comments to follow.
Certainly
the throne of David did not transfer to Ireland when David’s daughter Tamar was
taken there by her father to be married into Irish (Israelite) nobility
(likely, of Zerach, Dan or some other group of Israelites).
At
that early time, the throne remained in Jerusalem with the royal descendants of
David--from Sholomo on down to the last Judean King in
Jerusalem--Tzidkiyahu.
The
whole movement of Israelites from Palestine to Ireland (and the generic British
Isles) is quite extraordinary and will be assessed in some detail in later
chapters herein. Suffice to say, at this
point in time, there was a relocation of some Israelites to Ireland which
seemingly included some people of Zerach.
Healing the Zerach-Peretz Breach
The
above mentioned Calcol (of the lineage of Zerach) produced a line of Irish
kings down to a king named Eochaidh the Hermon.
It was this Eochaidh who married the above cited Tea Tephi (who was
brought to Ireland by Yirmeyahu the prophet, as will be described in comments
to follow). This marriage began the line
of Irish and Scottish kings to James I of Great Britain.
In
the April 2002 “Kingdom Digest” (p. 46-47), writer Ernestine Young had an
article on “Judah His Sanctuary” which suggested that the line of Zarah left
Israel at a very early time with some part of it going to Europe/Ireland (Young
cited I Chron 2:6 as the last mention of Zarah--but this conclusion is wrong by
Young because there were some people of Zerach who went into Babylonian captivity
and returned to Canaan from that exile, I Chron 9:6).
Young
also tries to build a case that the line of Pharez furnished the Judahites
taken captive by the Assyrians (II Kg 18:13-14). Actually, this is a common view of most all
uninformed Christian Identity persons.
Thus, per this explanation, the line of Shelah was the one of Yehudah
left in the land for the Babylonian exile.
This
division of Yehudah in the land and the dispersal of the people of Yehudah will
be broached in a later chapter.
Suffice
to say, the Scriptural evidence is strong that indeed the line of Shelah, which
was a mixed line of Canaanites and Israelites (Gen 38:2, 5), was the primary
one left in the land after the Assyrian deportations (Num 26:20; I Chron
4:21-23); but not the only line as certainly some of the lineage of David
through Peretz survived and lived there to propagate the ruling king line from
Hizkiyahu to Tzidkiyahu and forward to New Testament days and YESHUA.
In
any case, the royal line of David came from Zerach’s brother Peretz. For sure, some of the royal Peretz line did
stay in Jerusalem to face the Babylonian exile and the still later Roman
deportations (since YESHUA and His family were of this line of Peretz)--along
with some persons of Zerach.
The
consensus of most Christian Identity people is that this breach between Zerach
and Peretz was healed when Tea Tephi of the Davidic Peretz line was brought
(reportedly by Yirmeyahu) to Ireland and married to a descendant of
Zerach--which united the two lines of Yehudah and healed the breach (perhaps as
prophesied by Ezekiel 17:22-24, in parable form).
More on Darda
Darda’s
lineage (cited above) eventually spilt into three lines of kings. One led to a king named Assaracus, who
fathered a line down to Brewt or Brutus, the famous Trojan king. His king line continued until a girl was born
centuries later named Frea.
Another
list of kings from Darda commenced with Hector--whose line eventually saw the
French kings, including Charlemagne. A
girl, perhaps a sister of Hector, married Memmon and began another line of
European kings which led to Odin. Odin
married Frea, from the Brutus line, and commenced the early Saxon and Danish
kings.
Odin’s
descendants eventually included Prince Albert, who married Queen Victoria; and
Queen Alexandra, who married King Edward VII, son of Albert and Victoria. These lineages eventually produced Queen
Elizabeth II. Manifestly, Elizabeth is a
Jew, a real Jew racially, just as was YESHUA.
Literally, Elizabeth sits upon the throne of David!
Incidentally,
author Glen Kimball (on the Coast to Coast AM radio program on June 12, 2000)
said that the famous King Arthur (who also was one of the ancestors of the
House of Windsor) was a descendant of the royal House of David, as well as
being a descendant of Joseph of Arimathea (Matt 27:57; Mk 15:43; Lu 23:51; Jo
19:38) and of Constantine I of the fourth century CE.
It
was not clear whether Constantine and Joseph were of the House of David or
not. But the point of their relationship
to King Arthur is interesting. If
Kimball has it right, it means that Constantine, Arthur and Britain’s royal
family are all related to YESHUA, since Joseph of Arimathea was reportedly an
uncle of the virgin Mary.
More on YESHUA’s Family
Per
Kimball, Joseph brought Mary and some of the other NT persons to Britain. This course of events has much secular
evidence because Glastonbury, England has long had a tradition that Joseph of
Arimathea came there and founded the town and had some relationship with the
local tin mines.
Apparently,
there was quite a trade in tin ore from the Glastonbury area to Palestine in
the first century CE. Anyway, much
traditional knowledge has persisted tying Joseph to Glastonbury. Yair Davidy outlines this tradition in his
book “Lost Israelite Identity” (p. 362-366) and goes on to assert that Joseph
of Arimathea truly was an ancestor of King Arthur.
These
remarks by Glen Kimball seem especially interesting in view of the thinking of
Israeli author Barry Chamish, discussed in a prior chapter. Chamish posits that the brothers and sisters
of YESHUA went to France and became some of the progenitors of European
royalty.
While
YESHUA’s half brothers Yakov and Yehudah are both accounted for in the Book (as
cited earlier, a recent archaeological find of an ancient ossuary [burial box],
reading in Aramaic “Yakov, son of Yosef and brother of Yeshua” [dated at 63
CE?], has allegedly been found in Yisrael--Nov 1, 2002, “Jerusalem Post” p. 7),
the other children (like Shimon, Yosef and the others, per Matt 12:55) did
vanish somewhat from NT history (as noted earlier).
Though
Barry Chamish may or may not have it completely right on the possible linkage
of the family of Joseph and Mary to European royalty, it is utterly fascinating
that he expressed his views (based upon some documentary evidence which he
reportedly possessed) that these brothers and sisters of YESHUA went to
France.
If
Mary and her uncle Joseph of Arimathea did go to Britain (as Kimball suggests),
then this issue of some of Mary’s children going to France (or maybe, even to
Britain) is highly plausible.
More From “Prophecy Flash”
The
Mar-Apr 2002 “Prophecy Flash” (p. 36-37) had a lengthy report on this subject
in an article on “The Knights Templar, Masons, PLO, and the Temple Mount.” There is still another fascinating story
associated with the siblings of YESHUA, who reportedly went to France to sire a
line of kings.
This
story involves some mysterious scrolls and writings and the Knights Templar
organization which gained fame in the Middle Ages. These portions of the story will be addressed
in later chapters herein that broach the Temple Mount in some detail. In the meantime, the “Prophecy Flash” story
did offer some very interesting information on this family of YESHUA.
This
article agreed with Barry Chamish that indeed the brothers and sisters of
YESHUA did go to France and sire some of the lines of European royalty. Specifically, the Flash article (ibid, p. 36)
places this movement to France after the fall of Jerusalem to the Romans. With this explanation, the story is that all
four brothers (allegedly including both Yakov and Yehudah) and the two sisters
went to France.
The
previous commentary that addressed this issue noted that Yakov and Yehudah were
evidently involved with the Apostolic Assembly and perhaps in Palestine. Thus, the question was only over the other
two brothers and the two sisters. Per
this “Prophecy Flash” report, all of the siblings went to France (except
YESHUA).
Apparently,
this family stayed in Europe and provided much of the impetus and lineage for
the Knights Templar, who went to Palestine in the Middle Ages to supposedly
install “Christian” rule over the “holy sites and land.”
In
the fourteen century CE, the French king Philip the Fair coordinated with the
Pope and the Vatican on a purge of the Knights Templar from Europe. The property and assets of the Knights were
seized in Europe and the Templars had to flee.
A group of these people of the Saint Clair clan fled the French siege in
order to reach Scotland, then ruled by Robert the Bruce.
The
Knights (evidently under the leadership of one William Sinclair) built a chapel
in Rosslyn near Edinburgh. Reportedly,
these Templars were the people who founded the Masonic order in Britain in
later years.
More on the Throne of David
The
above presentation might be a surprise to many Christians because they have
been erroneously taught that David’s throne ended with the fall of Jerusalem in
c554 BCE.
Not
so! True, Nebuchadnezzar executed
Tzidkiyahu and all of his male heirs, but some of his daughters survived and
were taken by Yirmeyahu to Egypt (II Kg 25:7; Jer 43:6).
From
Egypt, traditional knowledge indicates that at least one of the girls (the
above mentioned Tea Tephi) was taken to a far off land (II Kg 19:30-31; Isa
37:31-32; Jer 1:10; 15:11-14) with a king and Israelite people from the earlier
dispersals (dispersals before or by the time of the Assyrian conquests of
around 700 BCE, per J. H. Allen, in “Judah’s Scepter and Joseph’s
Birthright”).
As
noted in preceding commentary, this daughter of Tzidkiyahu (of the line of
David and Peretz) was married to the local Israelite king, Eochaidh, a
descendant of Zerach (thus, healing the breach between these twin sons of
Yehudah).
This
movement of the throne of David, by the earlier mentioned prophet Yirmeyahu,
will be fully described and commented
upon in the following chapter. Suffice
to say, there is much Scriptural and secular evidence allowing for this
movement to have occurred with the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians.
A Real Physical Throne
The
recognized, legal, physical throne (which YHWH YESHUA will sit upon in the
millennial Temple) seems to be essentially in the form of a strange stone,
which interestingly is mentioned several times in the Book (Yakov’s Pillar
Stone, see Gen 28:10-22; 35:1-15; 49:22-24; Ex 17:8-16; Num 20:5-11), and
perhaps a very unique ancient chair (this stone and chair will be described in
the succeeding chapter).
Manifestly,
when YESHUA returns, He comes to take over a real, genuine, physical
throne. There will be no myths or
speculations about this throne when YESHUA assumes it. Truly, YESHUA will be The Coming KING OF
KINGS Who will literally sit upon the throne of His ancestor David.
Chapter
129--The Stone of Destiny
Westminister Abby
For vast ages, visitors to Westminister
Abby in London have been impressed with one particular chair on display
there.
It is a very ancient chair which may
have been in use in Scotland and certainly was in use later during the reign of
King Edward I, as was briefly introduced in the former chapter. For centuries, this ancient and strange chair
had a unique stone (also previously cited) directly under its seat. Thus, any person sitting in the chair would
sit directly over the stone.
This chair has been particularly
important to the Anglo Saxon peoples because it was prepared at least as early
as 1297 CE specifically to house and hold the strange rectangular stone which
has historically been housed under it.
The chair is called and known as the Coronation Chair. Importantly, the strange stone historically
under the seat is called the Lia-Fail, Stone of Destiny and/or Yakov’s Pillar
Stone.
All of Britain’s royalty since Edward I
(except Edward V and Edward VIII) have been crowned while sitting in this chair
over this interesting Stone of Destiny.
If Elizabeth II dies and Charles assumes the throne, it is anticipated
that he too will sit in the Coronation Chair over the Lia-Fail.
As will be discussed below, the stone
has now been removed from Westminister Abby where it was held on display to the
public. Reportedly, for future
coronations of British sovereigns, the stone will be returned to the Abby where
it can be placed once more under the King
Edward I chair of 1297 CE.
The purpose of this present discussion
is to focus precisely upon this strange stone, its historical background and
other facts about it which make it an utterly unique monument in all of
history.
Yakov’s Pillar Stone
The
coronation stone has also been traditionally known as Jacob’s (correctly
Yakov’s) Pillar Stone, as cited above and in the preceding chapter.
The
Hebrew Scriptures first introduces us to Yakov’s Pillar Stone in Genesis
28:10-22 when Yakov was on his way from Canaan to Haran in the East. When retiring to sleep one night, Yakov
selected some nearly stone(s) to use as a pillow. He had a fascinating dream in which he had an
encounter with YHWH and was told that The MOST HIGH would be with him.
Yakov
was impressed with his dream and accordingly took the stone and anointed it
with oil and set it up as a pillar. He
called the place “Bethel.” This is the
place where Yakov openly declared that YHWH was his ELOHIM and that it would be
ELOHIM’s house or linked to ELOHIM’s house.
On
his return trip to Canaan, Yakov again stopped at the place of Bethel and there
built an altar to YHWH (Gen 35:1-15). It
was on this visit that YHWH changed Yakov’s name to Yisrael, which means
overcomer with EL.
A
later remark in Genesis (Gen 35:22-24) suggests that this pillar stone went to
Egypt with the children of Yisrael where, by then, it was called the Shepherd,
the Stone of Yisrael.
Furthermore,
the Lia-Fail is also thought to be the very stone which Moshe struck to bring
forth water following the Exodus from Egypt which suggests that the stone was
removed by the Israelites when they left Egypt to go into Canaan (Ex 17:8-16;
Num 20:5-11).
Once in the promised land, this very
stone seems to have played a key role in the coronation and anointing of the
judges and kings to rule over Yisrael (Deut 17:18-20; Jud 9:6; II Kg 11:12-14;
23:2-3; II Chron 23:13; Ps 118:22).
In II Kings 11:14, the Word says that
the King stood near the pillar, as the manner was. This very wording suggests that by then it
was a custom for kings to be near the stone for their coronations.
More on the Stone
In “Judah’s Sceptre and Joseph’s
Birthright,” J. H. Allen wrote about the work of a Dr Poole in England who
examined the stone many years ago and wrote of it as follows:
“This stone is a dull, reddish or
purplish sandstone, with a few small embedded pebbles; one of these is quartz
and two others of a dark material. The
rock is calcareous and is of that kind which masons call freestone. Chisel marks are visible on one or more of
its sides.”
Writing possibly as early as 1902,
Allen went on to say that “There is no such rock of this kind (as cited by
Poole) in England, Ireland or Scotland.”
In the early 1950s, a specimen from the
stone was examined by a petrologist at the University of Strathclyde in
Scotland. He compared the stone to a
sample of sandstone from Bethel in Palesine.
He said: “The two stones were so
much alike as to have made it possible for them to have come from the same rock
bed.”
The Stone of Destiny under discussion
is reported to weight about 350 pounds and be about 26 3/4 inches long, 16 3/4
inches wide, and 10 3/4 inches thick.
Each end of the stone has an iron ring
emplaced which seems to have been used to facilitate the transportation and
movement of the stone. These rings are
worn very thin. Such wear is doubtful in
Britain because the stone has not seen frequent movements and not by handling
the rings. The stone has a serious crack
in it. There is much weathering present
and its appearance suggests that it is quite ancient.
The Ties to Britain
Yes,
the recognized, legal, physical throne (which YHWH YESHUA will sit upon in the
millennial Temple) seems to be essentially in the form of the just cited
Yakov’s Pillar Stone, mentioned several times in the Book (Gen 28:10-22;
35:1-15; 49:22-24; Ex 17:8-16; Num 20:5-11), to perhaps include the chair
prepared to house the stone some 800 years ago by England’s King Edward I
(although a newspaper report from 1837, to be quoted below, suggests that the
chair was used earlier by the Scottish kings).
On
entering Canaan, the later Israelite kings seemed to have been crowned while
sitting upon or standing near this pillar and with a certain vocal
pronouncement of some Scriptural significance, essentially still used in the
line of David today--specifically “God Save the King.”
This
familiar “God Save the King” expression pops up in II Kings 11:13. It also appears in I Samuel 10:24; II Samuel
16:16; I Kings 1:25, 34, and 39; II Chronicles 23:11. Of course, this very expression “God save the
King” (or Queen) is commonly cited at the coronation of the British sovereigns
to this very day.
As
a part of the coronation ceremony, the Archbishop of Canterbury also anoints
each new monarch with oil and says:
“...Be thy head anointed with holy oil:
as kings, priests and prophets were anointed: and as Solomon was anointed king by Zadok the
priest and Nathan the prophet, so be thou anointed, blessed and consecrated
queen (as in the case of Elizabeth II, on June 2, 1953) over the peoples, whom
the Lord thy God hath given thee to rule and govern” (Mar-Apr 2002
“Philadelphia Trumpet,” p. 9).
Yes,
the manner of crowning Britain’s monarchs has an incredible parallel with the
realities of Scriptural history.
On being crowned, the new British
monarch takes an oath in which he or she must swear to maintain the “Laws of
God and the true profession of the Gospel.”
This very oath reminds one of a similar event described in Deuteronomy
17:18-20 and II Kings 11:17.
Edward I
On taking possession of the stone in
1296, England’s King Edward I said that “It is the primeval monument which
binds together the whole empire” (per Dean Stanley, in the “Memorials of
Westminister Abbey”).
James I
On entering London in 1603, to become
the King over the united kingdom of Scotland and England, James passed through
the Aldergate (the Gate of the Elders), which was subsequently torn down in
1761.
In the “Stone of Destiny,” F. Wallace
Cannon wrote that a replica of this gate now sets in the railings of the
churchyard of St Botolph’s Church off of Alderstreet in Little Britain. Cannon says that the gate had arch figures
over it of the prophets Samuel and Jeremiah with these words under the
figures:
Under Samuel: “And Samuel said unto all Israel, Behold, I
have hearkened unto your voice in all that ye said unto me, and have made a
king over you.”
Under Jeremiah: “Then shall there enter into the gates of
this city kings and princes sitting upon the throne of David, riding in
chariots and on horses, they, and their princes, the men of Judah, and the
inhabitants of Jerusalem and this city shall remain for ever.”
Oliver Cromwell
During the time of the Commonwealth in
Britain, the British leader Oliver Cromwell sat in the Coronation Chair when he
was installed as Lord Protector in the Abbey (c 1648-1650). However, the stone was not under the chair as
it had been removed before Cromwell was seated.
Charles II
On sitting down in the coronation
chair, to be crowned King in 1651 (this date may have been in 1661), Charles II
was addressed by the minister, Robert Douglas, as follows (p. 191-201 of a
pamphlet prepared by Sir James Balfour, the Lord Lyon King-of-Arms, who
officiated at the ceremony of Charles II, per J. H. Allen):
“Sir, you are set down upon the throne
in a very difficult time; I shall therefore put you in mind of a Scriptural
expression of a Throne; it is said:
‘Solomon sats on the Throne of the Lord.’ Sir, you are a king, and king in covenant
with the Lord.
“It is the Lord’s Throne. Remember that you have a King above you, the
King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, who commandeth thrones.
“Your Throne is the Lord’s Throne, and
your people are the Lord’s people. Let
not your heart be lifted up above your brethren. They are your brethren, not only flesh of
your flesh, but brethren by covenant with God.
“Your Throne is the Lord’s Throne. Beware of making His Throne a Throne of
iniquity.
“But as the Throne is the Lord’s Throne,
let the laws be the Lord’s laws, agreeable to His Word.
“Lastly, if your Throne be the Throne
of the Lord, take a word of encouragement against Throne adversaries. Your enemies are the enemies of the Lord’s
Throne.”
Yes, it may be a hard pill for some to
swallow, but that throne of the United Kingdom belongs to the line of
David. In time, its rightful owner,
YESHUA, will assume it and rule over His people Yisrael (Ps 2:6; Isa 24:23; Lu
1:32-33).
Victoria
When Victoria was crowned Queen of the
British Empire in 1837, the London “Sun” newspaper had an article in its June
28th edition which said:
“This chair, commonly called St.
Edward’s chair, is an ancient seat of solid hardwood, with back and sides of the
same, variously painted, in which the kings of Scotland were in former periods
constantly crowned, but, having been brought out of the kingdom by Edward I, in
the year 1298, after he had totally overcome John Baliol, king of Scots, it has
ever since remained in the Abbey of Westminister, and has been the chair in
which succeeding kings and queens of this realm have been inaugurated.
“It is in height six feet and seven
inches, in breadth at the bottom thirty-eight inches, and in depth twenty-four
inches; from the seat to the bottom is twenty-five inches, the breadth of the
seat within the sides is twenty-eight inches, and the depth eighteen
inches.
“At nine inches from the ground is a
board, supported at the four corners by as many lions. Between the seat and this board is enclosed a
stone, commonly called Jacob’s, or the fatal Marble Stone, which is an oblong
of about twenty-two inches in length, thirteen inches broad and eleven inches
deep; of a steel color, mixed with some veins of red. History relates that it is the stone whereon
the patriarch Jacob laid his head in the plains of Luz.”
The Promise to David
When David was chosen to be King over
Yisrael, The MOST HIGH made a series of promises to him and his descendants
that his throne would be established for ever and that he would always have a
descendant of his sitting on that throne over the people of Yisrael (II Sam
7:16; Jer 33:17).
With the fall of Jerusalem to the
Babylonians, in about 554 BCE, it looked like the Kingdom over Yisrael was
ended when Tzidkiyahu and his sons were all slain and removed from power (II Kg
25:7). But as noted in previous
commentary, the prophet Yirmeyahu was commissioned to secure the throne and
remove it from Canaan land to a place where it could once more rule over
Yisrael (Jer 1:10; 43:5-7; 44:14-28).
The Overturn to Ireland
As mentioned in the former chapter,
Yirmeyahu, following the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians, took the king’s
daughters and fled with them and obviously the throne of David (in the form of
the Stone of Destiny) to Egypt (and evidently, in time, on to Spain on a
movement West to the Isles of the Sea).
From Egypt/Spain, Irish traditional
knowledge indicates that this entourage went on to Ireland where King
Tzidkiyahu’s daughter Tea Tephi was married to Eochaidh, an Irish descendant of
Yehudah, Zerach and David--also as covered in the preceding commentary.
Can
the rule over Yisrael pass through a woman?
Yes, as pointed out by Christian Identity preacher Dan Gayman of the Church
of Israel, it happened with Athaliah (Atalyahu in the Hebrew--II Kg 11:3); and
of course, a surviving daughter can inherit in the absence of a male heir (Num
27:6-8; Josh 17:3-4).
Burton E. Leavitt
The
April 2002 issue of “Kingdom Digest” (p. 38-41) had an article by Burton E.
Leavitt on the “History of Tea Tephi” which addressed this relocation of the
girl from the stock of Yehudah, Peretz and David from Palestine to Egypt and
finally to Ireland where she was married to Eochaidh.
As
will be described in some detail in later chapters, there was an early
Phoenician settlement in Ireland. And in
time, numbers of Israelites also relocated there. Over the years, some portion of these two
peoples probably miscegenated and amalgamated in Ireland. But in the early settlements from Canaan, it
is highly plausible that the two peoples had separate settlements in
Ireland.
Thus,
this separation could explain why and how that there could be Israelite people
in early Ireland with an Israelite king from the lineage of Zerach
(contemporary with a Phoenician settlement which probably had its own
Phoenician king).
The Irish Chronicles and the Stone
Leavitt’s
article on Tea Tephi mentions the Irish Chronicles which contain much of the
early history of Ireland. From this
source and the genealogical information on the kings of Ireland, Leavitt
presents the traditional explanation of what happened with Tea Tephi and her
immigration to Ireland.
As
pointed out above, the Scriptural record is that Yirmeyahu took the king’s
(Tzidkiyahu’s) daughters and fled to Egypt.
Leavitt says that initially they took refuge in Egypt at Tahpanhes, a
fortress and palace of the Egyptian Pharaoh Hophra in the Eastern part of the
Delta of the Nile.
In
time, the princess Tea Tephi was brought from Egypt to Ireland (via Spain) in
the sixth century BCE by an aged prophet named Ollam Fola, who started a school
for prophets in Ireland following his arrival with the Hebrew girl (who was
known in Ireland as the daughter of a Pharaoh or King).
The
accepted belief on this man Ollam Fola is that he was Yirmeyahu the prophet who
had a commission from YHWH to reestablish the throne of David in Ireland,
following its demise in Canaan (Jer 1:10).
A bust of the prophet Yirmeyahu is in Dublin castle and the name Jerry
is extremely popular to this day in Ireland.
Tea
Tephi married the local Israelite king and commenced a line of royalty which
ran through all of the Irish kings, and eventually intermarried with the royal
families of Scotland and England.
The
traditional belief is that both Ollam Fola (Yirmeyahu) and Tea Tephi died in
Ireland and are buried there at Tara’s Hill (or the great Mergech, a Hebrew
word meaning a repository or palace of hidden treasure, per Leavitt).
This
article ties the whole movement of the aged Hebrew prophet and the young Hebrew
princess to the prophecies of Ezekiel 17 on the lofty Cedars of Lebanon, which
are thought to be a symbol of the royal House of David (as will be discussed in
comments to follow in some detail). Tea
Tephi is thought to be the tender twig in this great prophecy.
The
prophet Ollam Fola also brought with him an ancient stone called the Lia Fail
(or Stone Wonderful and/or the Stone of Destiny).
The
Stone of Destiny became the coronation stone in Ireland (with the later Irish
kings being crowned while seated over the stone). It was used there up until about 500 CE.
To Scotland
From
Ireland, the stone was carried to Scotland and used in Scotland for the
crowning of the Scottish kings.
Dr Geoffrey Keating
In
a writing on “Forus Feasa ar Erim” (as translated by David Comyn), Dr Geoffrey
Keating wrote (per J. H. Allen):
“...It
is it (the Stone) that is called ‘Lia Fail.’ and it is it that used to roar
under each king of Ireland on his being chosen by them... and it is that stone
called in Latin ‘Saxum Fatale.’
“This
stone which is called ‘Lia Fail,’ another name for it is the Stone of Destiny;
for it was in destiny for this stone whatever place it would be in, that it is
a man of the Scotic nation, i.e. of the seed of Mileadh of Spain, that would be
in the sovereignty of that country, according as is read in Hector Boetius in
the History of Scotland...
“When
the race of Scots heard that the stone had this virtue, after Feargus the
great, son Earc, had obtained power in Scotland, and after he had proposed to
style himself King of Scotland, he sends information into the presence of his
brother Muircheartach, son of Earc, of the race of Eireamhon, who was the king
of Ireland at that time, to ask him to send him this stone, to sit upon, for
the purpose of being proclaimed King of Scotland on the same stone, and he was
the first King of Scotland of the Scottish nation.”
Fiona Macleod
In
“An Iona Anthology,” Fiona Macleod noted (evidently per J. H. Allen):
“On
this stone--the old Druidic Stone of Destiny, sacred among the Gael before
Christ was born--Columba crowned Aidan, King of Argyle. Later the stone was taken to Dunstaffnage,
where the Lords of the Isles were made princes:
thence to Scone, where the last Celtic Kings of Scotland were crowned on
it.”
George Buchanan
In
the “History of Scotland,” George Buchanan wrote (also perhaps from J. H.
Allen):
“The
marble seat which Simon Breccus is said to have imported from Spain to Ireland.
and Fregus, son of Ferchard, carried thence to Argyle (Dunstaffnage) in
Scottish Albium, he caused to be removed from Argyle to Scone on the river Tay,
and set it there enclosed in a chair of wood.
In that seat the kings of Scotland used to receive the title and
insignia of Royalty until the time of Edward I of England.”
To England
The
stone remained in Scotland until the thirteenth century CE when Scotland was
conquered by the English King Edward I.
The stone was then transferred to London, England where it became the
symbol par excellence of British royalty.
It
has been used for coronation purposes ever since in England (where it
rightfully belonged in view of the English ties to Yehudah, as will be
addressed in chapters to follow).
In
the reign of Edward I, a magnificent chair was built to house or contain the
stone so that the monarch could sit in the chair and be directly over the stone
(the former Scottish kings also had the stone housed under a chair. Possibly the Scottish chair was an earlier
chair and not the one built by Edward; though some witnesses do attach the Edward
chair to Scotland).
For
vast centuries, this chair and stone were on display at Westminister Abbey in
London, as discussed above.
“Encyclopedia Britannica”
The
“Encyclopedia Britannica” (in its 1929 ed), gives this summary of the movement
of the stone in an article on Inisfail--viz:
“INISFAIL,
a poetical name for Ireland. It is
derived from Inis ‘island’ and Lia-fail, the celebrated stone, identified in Irish
legend with the stone on which the patriarch Jacob slept when he dreamed of the
heavenly ladder. The Lia-fail was
supposed to have been brought to Ireland by the Dehannans and set up at Tara as
the ‘inauguration stone’ of the Irish kings; it was subsequently removed to
Scone where it became the coronation stone of the Scottish kings, until it was
taken... to Westminister and placed under the coronation chair in the Abbey,
where it has since remained. Inis-fail was
thus the island where monarchs were crowned at Tara on the sacred inauguration
stone.”
More on Yechezkel and the Throne
With the above description, more
questions might arise on the Scriptural basis of how the throne of David moved
from the Middle East to the British Isles.
For an answer here, one must turn to the book of Ezekiel (with an
analysis and quotation from the above cited Burton E. Leavitt).
Some of the great prophecies of
Yechezkel were discussed in some detail in previous chapters. Without repeating those remarks, it would be
well here to take note of the fact that the book of Ezekiel prophetically laid
out much of the future associated with the throne of David.
Yechezkel offered some great prophecies
on the movement of the throne of David from Palestine, along with the
regathering of Yisrael in the Isles of the Sea (Ezek 17-21).
While the tender twig (of Ezekiel 17:4)
likely was a daughter of King Tzidkiyahu, who was taken by Yirmeyahu to the new
land of Yisrael in the Isles of the Sea (as was cited in the above presentation
and as will be further discussed in later chapters), she was surely an example
or ante-type of a still future, coming twig.
Again, this whole book of Ezekiel is
future in early 2003. This small twig
will have a great typical fulfillment--possibly in the context of the coming
Philadelphia Assembly of believers which can have a major role to play in the
coming movement of David’s throne--eventually back to Palestine.
Ezekiel 21:27-28
Ezekiel 21:27 seems to describe three
overturns of the throne. Many students
of the Book (particularly Christian Identity people) have studied the removals
from Canaan to Ireland to Scotland and to England and perceived in them the
fulfillment of this prophecy recorded in Ezekiel 21:26-27 (which seems to
outline three overturns of the throne over Yisrael before it is finally
restored to its rightful owner--YESHUA).
But this reasoning has problems because
already the throne has moved effectively again recently, as will be discussed
below, in the context of Yakov’s Pillar Stone.
Christian Identity people can’t explain this most recent move.
While these three historic overturns
may have some support, they can only logically represent ante-typical
fulfillments at best. This writer looks
for three great movements of that throne after 2003 to bring it back to
Palestine to await its rightful owner (YESHUA).
We all will have to watch what happens on this course.
A Recent Movement
As just broached above, a problem with
this understanding on Ezekiel 21 has now arisen in the last several years when
the Stone of Destiny was removed from England and taken to Scotland.
In
the last few years, an agreement was struck with the Scottish people that
allows the stone to be on permanent display in Scotland and to be returned to
London whenever there is a coronation of a new British monarch.
As noted, this writer suspects that the
Yechezkel prophecy on the three overturns may have had an ante-typical
fulfillment in ancient times; but that the actual prophecy will reach
fulfillment in the age end. This option
suggests that the three overturns are all now future. Later chapters will offer some ideas on how
this will come about.
More on The Present Situation
Persons familiar with this throne and
its present location on planet earth are very cognizant of the turmoil
developing around David’s throne in recent years and particularly so with its
recent movement and with the developing hostility of the Israelite peoples to
their prince scheduled to rule when the present Queen dies.
While the present Queen seems to be a
person of some honor and integrity, the same cannot be said for the prince in
line to succeed her.
Both he and his former wife seem to
have led scandalous lives of adultery, fornication and sin which was more than
sufficient to have disgraced both of them.
She was fornicating with a mixed blooded mamzer in the back-seat of a
car the night that she was reportedly killed in a traffic accident in Paris in
1997.
Moreover, the surviving prince is a
classic New Ager who uses ouija boards, talks to plants and reportedly has
seances with his dead uncle. He is at
serious odds with the state church plus the Scriptures. His conduct has raised important questions
about how much support he will have to be king when his mother dies.
Finally, this very situation may be
used by The ELOHIM to reject this prince (or one of his descendants) at some
point in time from rule over Yisrael. In
other words, his sins and shortcomings may cause the throne to be overturned
and removed from him and his lineage. If
this happens, it assuredly will set the stage for YESHUA to take possession of
it when He soon returns.
Chapter
130--Locating the House of Yisrael I
Race is Important
Since
race has had to be broached herein, in all fairness to approach truth, this
publication has went the extra mile so far in not attempting to relate the
Scriptural definitions and terms associated with race precisely to many
specific peoples living in today’s world.
While
there have been some revealing hints, inadvertent remarks and a few isolated
exceptions (like for the Edomites, as broached earlier), by and large, this
production has largely bypassed any exact interpretations of which moderns may
constitute the various Scripturally described peoples. Or at least, this writer has tried to avoid
being overly dogmatic on who may be the lost House of Yisrael.
So,
to try to be as innocent as a dove and yet as wise as a serpent, this work has
not attempted so far to definitely link the historic House of Yisrael nations
to specific peoples today (beyond the few inadvertent clues and remarks
outlined, as being necessary for communication purposes).
The
same is partly true with the behemah and chaiyah. In other words, the reader can do his/her own
study and make some conclusions about who most of these peoples are without
precise identifications being made herein.
Clues on Adam
While
also not wishing to attach the word Adam to any specific group of people on planet
earth, some benefit can arise for the student of truth if a few very revealing
clues are given. For example, the word
Adam is a proper noun name which in Hebrew has a specific meaning that goes a
long way in explaining whom Adamites are racially in the world at large.
A
lengthy study of the meaning of the word Adam can be very revealing and the
student of truth should spend some time on this pursuit.
The
“Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament” (v. 1, p. 78-79) seems to
etymologically connect Adam to the “skin” and “to be red” --in the sense that
after washing the new born Adamic baby, the normal human color is a reddish
brown (the bringing of redness to the surface of the skin occurs when washing,
rubbing or pinching the new born Adamic baby).
To
help clarify what is involved, a thorough study will eventually lead a person
to conclude that the best explanation for Adam is to bring red to face--to
blush (as several scholars have indicated--see “Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary,” #
119, 120 and 121, per Dan Gayman of the Church of Israel).
Find
some humans who can blush and you have found Adam.
The Word on Race
The
student may wish to check various Hebrew lexicons on this, as well as a survey
of the contextual uses of the word.
Moreover, there are several Scriptural texts using the Hebrew “yapheh”
(meaning fair) which likewise are most revealing in terms of Adamic
peoples--such as Genesis 12:11-14; I Samuel 17:42; II Samuel 13:1; 14:27; I
Kings 1:3-4; Job 42:15; Jeremiah 11:16; etc.
Please
note that David was both fair and ruddy (I Sam 16:12; 17:42) and may have had
red hair. David’s descendant YESHUA was
“white and ruddy” (SofS 5:10). Moshe was
exceedingly fair (Acts 7:20) and Queen Esther was fair and beautiful (Est
2:7). The Talmud says that Yosef’s face
was pink like a rose (Sota, p. 36, quoted in “The United States and the British
Empire Foretold in the Bible,” p. 10).
One
of the Dead Sea Scrolls had a commentary on Genesis 12:14 which said that Sarah
was “very fair” --literally meaning bright or light because of her
whiteness--on this meaning, see Esther 2:7; Lamentations 4:7; and Song of Songs
5:10 (“The United States and British Empire Foretold in the Bible,” p.
10).
One
of Avraham’s nephews was named “Laban” (correctly Lavan in Hebrew), which means
“white” (“Young’s Analytical Concordance,” p. 581). Lavan was the brother of Rebekah and the
father of Rachel and Leah.
Adam and Geography
It
appears that in the traditional sense, one whole continent was allocated just
to the descendants of Adam. In this
continent, a portion of it has been largely inhabited by descendants of Shem. Another segment is essentially Hamitic with
descendants of Ham, plus a lot of miscegenation with the behemah. Son Japheth, whose line has miscegenated with
the chaiyah, has his descendants in another part.
If
a person was to attempt to apply these definitions to Europe, for example, it
“might be” that the people of Shem can be classified as Nordics, the people of
Japheth as Slavics and the people of Ham as Mediterranean.
There
are twelve tribes or entities of Arabs (from Ishmael) in the Middle East and in
North Africa. Some of the sons of
Keturah may have settled in South-central Asia, as discussed earlier. A remnant of Yehudah is in Palestine, of
course.
Finally,
the Edomites seem to be inhabiting Southern Ireland, Southeastern Europe,
Turkey and and parts of Southern Asia; while the Amalekites are attached as
parasites on Yehudah and the House of Yisrael nations (to be later
described). In terms of the rest of Asia
and Africa, it should not be too difficult to figure out which humans/humanoids
live there.
Of
course, there has been much moving around by various individuals and
significant migrations of other humanoids from other areas into these
traditional lands of Adam. Once
different peoples are together, miscegenation and amalgamation proceeds, as it
is doing presently in the United States (unless strict laws of segregation are
maintained, as was true in the Old South).
Beyond
this one continent which is historically Adamic, it is clear that Adam’s line
has an appreciable presence on the other continents as well--along with the
behemah and chaiyah peoples and numbers of mixed blooded peoples from the years
of miscegenation. This is particularly
true of Yisrael which was allocated a number of specific areas all over the
globe.
One
of the great difficulties in trying to assess the racial and ethnic
identifications of peoples in a given area is the fantastic years of moving
around, coupled with much miscegenation.
It appears that religion is one of the primary factors of identification
and should be kept in mind.
Language
has had some importance in the historic sense, but not so much in modern times
because of the movement and amalgamation of various peoples.
More Clues on Yisrael
While
this production has so far not found it desirable to give precise and specific
identifications for all of the various peoples across the globe, it would be
remiss to proceed on in this effort without sharing some very appropriate clues
from the Word which will help and assist the student of truth in particularly
identifying the various lost tribes of Yisrael in our time.
As
the Scriptures plainly communicate, these lost tribes were to continue to exist
and have a racial or ethnic identification throughout history. The evidence is most persuasive that all
thirteen of them are in the world today, beyond the remnant of Yisrael found
among the Jews.
Yes,
thirteen because not only did the ten Northern tribes of Yisrael go into
Assyrian captivity--but the Word suggests that portions of Yehudah, Binyamin
and Levi did as well (as discussed before herein).
In
short, there is a recognizable nationalistic presence of these 13 tribes out
there somewhere, despite the fact that they are called and known as goyim,
ethne and/or gentiles.
These
thirteen tribes seem to be bound by a “common” law (although they often ignore
it), common language, common culture, common religion (which is not the
Scripturally correct Hebrew religion--because Yisrael lost that faith in the
divorce) and common racial/ethnic considerations. Therefore, there is a grouping of them very plainly
identifiable in history and contemporary times.
Yisrael in the Land
To
begin to assess the removal of Yisrael from the promise land, it is imperative
to look at a little history in the vein of the tribal dispersions of Yisrael in
Canaan land. This discussion will center
on a map presented in my 1892 “KJV Bible.”
The
reader may wish to check any atlas or book on Canaan geography during Yisrael’s
kingdom age to get an overview of the following comments.
One
of the half tribes of Manasseh and the tribes of Gad and Reuven were East of
the Jordan in a North-South line. The
other half tribe of Manasseh, Ephraim and Binyamin were in the central area,
West of the Jordan. Yissakhar and
Zevulun were directly North of Manasseh and specifically Manasseh West of the
Jordan.
Naftali
and Asher were North of Zevulun and adjacent to Phoenicia on the coast. Yehudah and Shimon were in the South
(although a part of Shimon later settled East of the Jordan, certainly by the
time of Hizkiyahu, if not earlier--see I Chron 4:24-43).
One
half tribe of Dan was North of Manasseh, mainly East of the Jordan. The other half tribe of Dan was in the
West-central area and along the coast between Philistia and Phoenicia. The Levites were scattered in towns throughout
Yisrael.
The Voluntary Dispersals
A
prior chapter assessed the question of the House of Yisrael out in the Diaspora
and in the context of many of the dispersions from Palestine over the
centuries. There is no intent to repeat
that material. But some of it is
especially relevant in the present discussion and needs to be recalled.
As
outlined in that chapter, the possibility must surface that some Israelites
actually left the overall national entity on a voluntary basis, perhaps as
early as the wilderness wanderings, following the Exodus.
This
writer has no specifics on this option.
But some scholars have suggested it as plausible--and especially in the
sense that the population did not increase during the 40 years following the
Exodus (as outlined in a former chapter).
As
discussed in a former chapter, there are reasons to believe that many (not all)
of the descendants of Yehudah’s son Zerach left at an early time. As noted in that previous discussion, there
might be reasons to suspect that some persons of this line left Yisrael as
early as the Exodus.
So,
if some Israelites left, where did they go?
Likely, they would have migrated on to Europe or Asia.
On
entering Canaan land under Yehoshua and thereafter, there is again a
possibility of some voluntary dispersions out of Palestine, although details of
such remain obscure or hidden. The case
with one of the half tribes of Dan will be shortly assessed along this
line.
The Invasions
Finally,
there are the three major invasions of the Canaan area--by first, the
Assyrians, c700 BCE; next, the Babylonians, c554 BCE; and last, the Romans, c70
CE--as outlined in former chapters.
The
Assyrian conquests are most important because the House of Yisrael largely left
Canaan during those years. This removal
will be broached in some detail in subsequent comments herein in this
chapter.
Moreover,
it is clear that numbers of Israelites from the Northern kingdom departed
Canaan land voluntarily on the approach of the Assyrian army, as discussed
earlier and to be elaborated upon shortly.
The coming trouble was known in advance and it’s doubtful that all of
those people would have stayed around to be conquered and enslaved.
Many
of these Israelites were not totally stupid.
They could see the trouble coming and would have voluntarily packed up
and left in anticipation of the advancing sword.
Also,
as commented upon elsewhere in this production, there are possibilities that
the early Romans under Romulus were Israelites fleeing Palestine--in advance of
the approaching Assyrian army. The
Romulus settlement of Rome came immediately in advance of and near the time of
the start of the Assyrian conquests in Canaan land.
As
discussed earlier, many of the early Romans were clearly Israelites of the lost
tribes (or at least, the converts to Judaism and YESHUA were fleshly House of
Yisrael Israelites).
Writer
Steven Collins builds a case that the early colony of Carthage was settled in
the ninth century BCE by Israelites fleeing the drought in place in the House
of Yisrael during the days of Eliyahu and the evil king Achav and his
diabolical wife Jezebel (p. 55, Jan 2006 “Kingdom Digest”).
Historically,
the Phoenicians get credit for this settlement.
But since Jezebel was a Phoenician princess, it is very plausible that
some Israelites were involved with the Phoenicians in this effort. Collins notes a legend that the Phoenician
queen who founded Carthage was a niece of Jezebel.
Also,
the earlier June 2001 “Kingdom Digest” magazine (p. 18) had a provocative
article from “Destiny” which suggested that the early Spartans were of
Yisrael. II Maccabees 5:9-10 offers some
remarks suggesting a kinship tie between the Spartans and the Jews.
The
“Concise Columbia Encyclopedia” (p. 799) says that the ancient city-state of Sparta
was founded by Dorian Greeks (in Southeast Greece), who conquered Laconia and
Messenia in c735-715 BCE. These dates
would seem to conform to the fall of the House of Yisrael to Assyria.
Moreover,
there are the previously discussed reasons indicating that numbers of
Israelites settled in Asia Minor and Southeast Europe since they were there by
the first century CE (per the NT people reached by the apostles). One must wonder if these Israelites could
have surfaced from the Sparta settlements or from the inhabitants of the
legendary Troy (which may have involved Israelites).
Also,
there was the previously mentioned ties of Galatia to the Celts (who could have
been Israelites). Finally, an enormous
Israelite population existed in Bohemia and Transylvania and in the Balkans
(which also involved some Celts).
The First Danite Motion
As
outlined above, the tribe of Dan was spilt and divided in old Canaan land. In their allotment of the promise land, they
were given territory along the coast, apparently between the Phoenicians to the
North and the Philistines to the South (Josh 19:40-48). The famous Samson lived and judged in the
Southern part of Dan.
But
some of the Danites were unhappy with their allotment. They proceeded to move far North of Naftali
and Manasseh and settle the Northern border of Yisrael and establish a town
called Laish (Jud 18:11-29). Laish and
the Danite border with Manasseh seem to have been mostly East of the Jordan
River, in a territory called Bashan.
There
were a couple of other prophecies which likely tell what was to later happen to
Dan. First, Moshe wrote that Dan was a
lion’s whelp and was to leap from Bashan (which must have been the Northern
part of Dan).
The
next one was by Deborah when she predicted that Gilead abode beyond Jordan (on
its East side) and why Dan remained in ships (Jud 5:17)--which the “Soncino
Books of the Bible” (Judges, p. 199) expressly link to the Danites living in
the North and not those to the Southwest.
By
putting these two references together one can speculate that the Northern part
of Dan would in time jump from their land by ship over water to relocate
somewhere else.
Some
years ago, a man named Frederick Haberman wrote a book on “Tracing Our
Ancestors” which focused upon the Irish Chronicles. These ancient writings suggest that the
“Tuatha de Danaan” (tribe of Dan) leaped from Bashan by ship to relocate to
Ireland which was then inhabited by some Phoenicians.
Haberman
goes on to offer a date when this likely occurred by quoting a 9th century CE
Jewish writer named Eldud who said that Dan left Canaan land in Yarovam’s time
(perhaps this involved a part of the Southern area of Dan), as they were
unwilling to shed their brethren’s blood (perhaps in the context of the
conflict with Yehudah).
William Dankenbring, Revisited
The
previously quoted “Prophecy Flash” magazine of Jan-Feb 2000 (p. 41) had an
article by William F. Dankenbring on “Overturn, Overturn, Overturn” which
assessed the movements of Israelites into Ireland at a much earlier time than
that allowed by Haberman.
Citing
Judges 5:17, this article says that people from the Tuatha de Danaan (the Tribe
of Dan) migrated to Ireland in ships during David’s reign (evidently from
Bashan).
As
commented upon earlier, Dankenbring suggests that Judahites from the line of
Zerach also migrated into Ireland and Northwest Europe during the reign of
David.
Going
on, William Dankenbring says that even David, himself, went to Ireland, and
there, he married his daughter Tamar into the line of (Israelite) Irish
nobility which had migrated there earlier.
Reportedly, David founded the “Doud’s Town” or David’s town and a
college called Tara (or Torah) in Ireland.
While
a determination of exactly what happened to these Danites from Bashan seems
difficult, it is reasonable to believe that over the centuries they were
amalgamated into the larger Phoenician peoples then inhabiting Ireland. In this eventual assimilation, they became
Gaelic Celts or Celtiberians, just like the Phoenicians. The Judahites from Zerach in early Ireland
may have relocated to England.
More on Dan
It
has to be important to note that Dan was an adder along the way who left his
name or mark on many geographical places that he visited in his
wanderings. Sometimes, Dan is manifested
as Dun, Don or Den.
Consequently,
whenever one comes across a place name like Denmark or the Danube River, a
question must arise as to its likely linkage to the tribe of Dan in its
migrations over the years.
In
Hebrew, the word dan means judge; and in Irish, the word dunn means judge. In Ireland, the marks of Dan have been left
in these place names--Dans-Laugh, Dan-sower, Dan-dalk, Dan-drum, Dan-egal Bay,
Don-egal City, Dimgloe, Dingle, and Dunsmore (meaning “more Dans”).
Although
the tribe of Dan (the “Tuatha de Danaan”) assuredly divided in Canaan land, a
question must now arise on whether they would later join back together in their
eventual homeland in Ireland. That
question will be shortly addressed in the context of the removal of the rest of
Dan.
An Overview of the Assyrian
Conquests
As
a prelude to the Assyrian attacks, the Aramaeans under Hazael smote and surely
enslaved portions of the Israelite tribes East of the Jordan in the reign of
Jehu (II Kg 10:31-35). This historic
event paved the way for a number of persons living East of the Jordan to become
absorbed into the overall Aramaean population.
Since
the ancient Aramaeans apparently formed the eventual Dutch people of Holland,
it becomes crystal clear why that there has been such a fantastic link between
the Netherlands and the House of Yisrael and why so many Dutch people are
actually Israelites (as will be broached in the following chapters).
In
time, the Assyrians conquered Syria held by the Aramaeans. So it is likely that those Israelites East of
the Jordan, under Syrian control, eventually came under Assyrian domination,
along with the Aramaeans.
Otherwise,
Assyria came against the rest of Yisrael to take captives and reduce it in at
least five motions (which could be relevant in terms of the five motions of
destruction upon the later Yehudah). The
Assyrian Pul came first, during the reign of Menahem, and for sure took some
tribute (II Kg 15:19).
Soon,
Pul and Tiglath-Pileser came against the remnant of the tribes of Manasseh,
Reuven, Gad and any portion of Shimon living East of the Jordan. These two Assyrian kings conquered those
Israelites East of the Jordan and removed them to the Gozan River area to the
Northeast in Assyria (I Chron 5:26).
During
the time of Pekah, Tiglath-Pileser arrived again and took certainly Naftali and
other Northern areas (II Kg 15:27-30).
Shalmaneser
came during Hoshea’s rule and took Samaria and the rest of Yisrael captive (II
Kg 17:3-6). Some eight years later, the
Assyrians returned under Sennacherib and took most of Yehudah (and likely the
balance of Shimon) captive--other than those persons in the Jerusalem area (II
Kg 18:13).
More
Per
an earlier discussion, this Assyrian captivity of Yehudah may have focused upon
the Peretz line since some part or perhaps most of the Zerach line was already
gone and much or all of Shelah’s descendants were to remain in the Jerusalem
area to face the later Babylonian captivity.
Thus,
all of Yisrael was gone beyond a portion of the House of Yehudah in the
Jerusalem area (II Kg 17:18).
It
was these people in the Jerusalem area, mainly from Yehudah (along with some
Levites), who stayed in the Jerusalem area for the next 140 years and
eventually formed most of the later Babylonian exile. It appears that a majority of the Assyrian
captives were taken East to an Assyrian territory to the North of Babylon, to
be shortly discussed.
Still More on the First and Second Conquests
As
outlined above, the first Assyrian conquest must have been the one which
occurred during the reign of Menahem, when Pul came and took some tribute (II
Kg 15:19). Whether he enslaved any
Israelites or not at that time is unclear to this writer.
Next,
the Assyrians Pul and Tiglath-Pileser came against the remnant of the tribes of
Manasseh, Reuven, Gad and Shimon, still living East of the Jordan. As noted above, these two Assyrian kings
conquered those Israelites East of the Jordan and removed them to the Gozan
River area to the Northeast in Assyria (I Chron 5:26).
The
portion of Dan which was East of the Jordan in Bashan was probably gone by this
time. But if any part of that element of
Dan still existed in Canaan land, they would likely have been enslaved and
deported, along with the other Israelites East of the Jordan.
The Next Removal
The
next important Assyrian conquest of Yisrael happened during the time of Pekah,
when Tiglath-Pileser arrived again and took certainly Naftali and other
Northern and Northwestern tribal areas (II Kg 15:27-30). Beyond enslaving Naftali, there are reasons
to believe that this Assyrian conquest included Asher, Yissakhar, Zevulun and
whatever was left of Dan (likely still in the Southwest).
As
outlined earlier herein, there is a strong possibility of some number of
Israelite captives being taken in Phoenician boats to the West (and perhaps
some or all of them were slaves under the Phoenicians--because the Phoenicians
likely bought some Israelite slaves from the conquering Assyrians).
It
is probable that much of the population of the tribes near Phoenicia (possibly
some portion of Naftali and Asher) were involved in these Phoenician
removals.
There
are reasons to believe that these removed Israelites were also known in time as
Celts. They probably provided many of
the Israelite settlements in the West (interestingly, from Bohemia to Spain, to
France, and to Great Britain). They seem
to be distinguished from the earlier Celts in the sense that they were of the
Cimmeroi (Cimmerian) class, to be described in the following chapters.
In
“The New Testament A Historical Introduction to the Early Christian Writings”
(p. 304), Bart D. Ehrman notes that Celtic people inhabited the Northern part
of the province of Galatia in Asia Minor.
As
discussed in prior chapters, it is interesting that the early NT writings were
written to House of Yisrael people scattered in the Middle East and
Southeastern Europe.
The Final Removals, Revisited
As
briefly noted above, the next removal from Canaan land occurred during the time
of Hoshea’s rule when Shalmaneser came and took Samaria and the rest of Yisrael
captive (II Kg 17:3-6). This removal
would have included Ephraim, the half tribe of Manasseh and any other
Israelites in the central area around Samaria.
Some
eight years later, the Assyrians returned under Sennacherib and took most of
Yehudah (and likely the balance of Shimon still living South of Yehudah)
captive--the rest of Yisrael, other than those persons in the Jerusalem area
(II Kg 18:13).
These
last two removals were made to Assyria in the Northeast. In time, it is probable that Israelites in
these last two removals became known as the Sakei (or Sacae), Angli and
Jutes.
Chapter 131--
Locating the House of Yisrael II
The Khorsbad Annals
As
briefly touched upon in a former chapter, King Sargon II of Assryia recorded
the following boast of victory in the Khorsbad Annals:
“At
the beginning of my royal rule, I besieged and conquered Samaria
(Sa-me-ri-na)... I led away as prisoners 27,290 inhabitants of it (and)
[equipped] from among [them (soldiers to man) 50 chariots for my royal corps...
[The town I] re[built] better than (it was) before and [settled] therein people
from countries which [I}] myself [had con]quered. I placed an officer of mine as governor over
them and imposed upon them tribute as (is customary) for Assryian
citizens.”
While
this 27,290 figure does represent a large number, it was by no means all of the
people deported in the several deportations.
This number seems to have been of men only. For certain, there was a large number of
other Israelites involved.
And
as noted earlier from “Lost Israelite Identity” (p. 18-19, 39), Yair Davidy
explains the 27,290 remark by Sargon as being the number of Israelite captives
taken for their own military purposes (either to serve as soldiers or field
workers supporting the Assyrian army).
More
As
established in that earlier presentation, the Assyrians took huge quantities of
Israelites in their several invasions of Canaan. So it’s a little hard to be exactly sure of
what the total numbers were. In the
Assyrian campaigns against Yehudah, Sennacherib, in the famous Sennacherib
prism, claimed 200,150 captives alone (“Lost Israelite Identity,” p. 19). This 200,150 figure must, again, be of men
alone.
It
is easy to see that several million Israelites could have been involved in the
several Assyrian deportations.
But
even before the Assyrian conquests, the removal of people from Yisrael
started. As noted elsewhere herein, the
evidence is massive that Israelites started to break away and leave their
brethren as early as the Exodus from Egypt.
Clearly,
the census returns in the Torah show no population growth during the wilderness
wanderings. This seems unlikely--thus, suggesting
that some Israelites left the main body even this early and migrated on to
other lands.
Earlier
discussions have mentioned the situation with Israelites leaving their nation
in the time of David and thereafter.
Many of them migrated by ship/boat to other lands, far removed from the
Middle East.
The
migrations out of the Middle East probably took several processes in the
several motions. As discussed earlier,
there are reasons suggesting that numbers of Israelites moved West either by
ship/boat or by migration over land. In
almost all cases, the primary destination of Yisrael was West to the Isles of
the Sea; although some of this process was slow occurring and involved many
decades or centuries of movements.
Much
of it was by ship or boat, perhaps initially to lands across the Mediterranean
Sea. This option opens the door on why
numbers of Israelites went to the Italian peninsula, Asia Minor, Southeast
Europe and so forth to populate Rome and other cities in these areas, as was
pointed out in previous commentary.
That’s
why in the first century CE there were huge numbers of House of Yisrael
Israelites in the various cities cited in the New Testament which were
typically visited by Shaul and the other NT leaders.
Yes,
when Shaul visited Ephesus, Philippi, etc, he was making an effort to reach the
lost sheep of the House of Yisrael in those lands; who, by the way, were then
in the process of conversion to Judaism in the synagogues (as is proven and
established by other comments herein).
By Land
Of
course, it was not only the movements over water because the record is clear
that numbers of Israelites also moved in more slow migrations over land. Yes, as will be shortly shown from secular
records, there is much evidence showing the movement of Israelites out of the
Middle East by land to areas North and principally West.
Some
even reportedly moved East before finally being able to commence a more
Westerly motion to reach their desired destinations. Obviously, some of these movements took
centuries to complete. This means that
it was the children, grandchildren and other descendants of the original
Israelite migrants who would ultimately reach their next promised land.
Both Voluntary and By Force
Here,
in recognizing this motion of Yisrael out of the Middle East to the North and
West, it must be stated that much of this effort was carried out voluntarily by
Israelites simply striking out on their own--either because of fear of an
approaching enemy army or perhaps just something in their genes to make them
want to move to new lends in hopes of having a better opportunity in life.
Too,
as noted in the former chapters, much of the Israelite migration out of the
Middle East was necessitated simply because of force. They were conquered and enslaved people and
forced to move.
Some More History
Samaria
was established as the capitol of the House of Yisrael by a man named Omri (I
Kg 16:23-28). Omri was a very evil king
and he fathered a boy named Achav, who succeeded him on the throne to introduce
far more sun worship wickedness and evil than ever before into the House of
Yisrael.
The
people became so grossly evil and wicked in Baal sun worship that The MOST
HIGH, in time, commissioned the Assyrians to come down and conquer them and
impose servitude upon them. Now comes up
a most fascinating fact.
“Bible
Light On The News” (v. 7, No. 2, p. 34) had an article by John Hulley on
“Ephraim--Super Power?” which addressed this Assyrian conquest of Yisrael. Per Hulley, the Assyrians called these people
the Omrii, in difference to their former King Omri (who must have had some
notoriety).
The
Mar-Apr 2000 “America’s Promise” newsletter (p. 7) mentions these Omrii as
Khumri. The famous black obelisk
monument of Assyria found some years ago has an inscription referring to some
of the captive Israelites as “Bit Khumri” --meaning the “House of Omri.”
This
name Omrii (or Khumri) stuck to and became an identifier for at least one
portion or group of the Israelite captives.
In time, this word Omrii varied to Gimirri in parts of the Assyrian
empire. Later, it was identified in
Greek as Kimmeri. And in Western Europe,
it became Cimmeri (as introduced in preceding comments).
The
writer of this study at hand believes that these Cimmerians were made up of
some of the Northern Israelite tribes which went into Assyrian bondage, mainly
during the time of Pekah when Tiglath-Pileser arrived and took certainly
Naftali and other Northern areas (II Kg 15:27-30). In time, these Cimmerians came to be known as
Brythonic or Cymric Celts.
This
enslavement must have included Naftali, Asher, Yissakhar, Zevulun and whatever
was left of the tribe of Dan. In view of
the above comments from different sources, it might be that this enslavement
took two different directions. Perhaps
some part of it involved the Phoenicians who transported some of the these
captives directly to the West while some of the others were taken East to
Assyria.
Yisrael Breaks Free of the
Assyrians
In
terms of the Israelites taken East to old Assyria, there is evidence that they
broke free of the Assyrians during a time of internal trouble and turmoil in
Assyria (II Kg 19:7, 32-37; II Esdras 13:39-45) and moved North through the
Caucasus to new lands in Armenia and Southern Russia. Different groups of them became known as the
Sakei, Sacae, Angli and Jutes--as they migrated on North and West.
A
former chapter herein quoted Yeshayahu the prophet who correctly observed that
in a future day of YHWH, lost Yisrael would be gathered from the land of
Assyria (Isa 27:12-13--here, the KJV incorrectly translates the Hebrew “ahvad,”
meaning lost, to perish). In another
instance, Yeshayahu followed up with a similar message (Isa 49:5, 20-22).
While
these words of Yeshayahu may still be future, they also have an ante-type
connection to the past.
John
Hulley, discussed above, goes on to indicate that some of the Cimmerians, also
in Assyrian captivity in the East, eventually escaped or left Assyria as well
to enter Asia Minor and go on North into Europe (perhaps at the same time as
the others broke free or in a different time frame).
In
time, the Cimmerians and likely the rest of the Israelites from Assyria in the
East proceeded on to the area of modern Denmark, before leaving there later for
the West. Since Denmark is Dan’s mark,
it is certain that some Danites were in this Cimmerian motion.
Without
being dogmatic, this writer would take a guess and suppose that the divided
Southern Danites in Canaan (perhaps in the Cimmerian motion) did eventually
rejoin their Northern Danite colleagues in Southern Ireland to become Gaelic
Celts, along with the predominant Catholic Phoenicians.
Terry Blodgett
In
“Phonological Similarities in Germanic and Hebrew,” Terry Marvin Blodgett
describes the work of the Russian Archaeological Society in the Middle
East.
According
to Blodgett, this group found tablets at Nineveh which describe the rebellion
of the Sakei, Sac-Suni, Saac-soni (sounds like the sons of Isaac) or Esak-ska
peoples who broke free of their Assyrian captors, during the time that
Sennacherib was in siege against Jerusalem.
This
would agree with the Scriptural references, cited above (II Kg 19:7, 37). They escaped through the narrow passages of
the Euphrates River to the North (II Esdras 13:39-45). Blodgett goes on to note that the
archaeological team found over 700 Hebraic inscriptions in the Crimean
Peninsula and the area around the Black Sea (which was called the Sea of Israel
in the inscriptions).
In
the Crimea, a grave epitaph was found which said: “This is the tomb of Buki, the Priest, may
his rest be in Eden at the time of the salvation of Israel, in the year 702 of
our exile.” Another one remarked: “Rabbi Moshe Levi died in the year of our
exile 726.”
A
third one related: “Zadoc, the Levite,
son of Moshe, died 4,000 years after the creation, or 785 of our exile.” From the Assyrian conquests in the 8th
century, these tombstones would seem to date about 700 plus years or roughly at
the time of The MESSIAH in Palestine (which is around 4,000 years after
creation).
Another
inscription said: “I am Jehudi, the son
of Moshe, the son of Jehudah the mighty, a man of the tribe of Naphtali, of the
family of Shimli, who was carried captive in the captivity of Hoshea, king of
Israel, with the tribe of Simeon, together with other tribes of Israel.”
One
more, in the Crimean Peninsula, was about a man named Avraham-Mar-Sinchah. It seems to have been dated 682 in the year
of his exile. It also mentions Tiglath-Pileser,
who exiled the sons of Reuven and Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh and
permitted them to settle there (?) and from which they were scattered
throughout the East, even as far as China.
Thus,
the evidence is that Yisrael did escape Assyrian captivity in the Middle East
and commence a trek North through the passages of the Euphrates into new lands
in Armenia, the Crimea and Caucasus Mountains of Asia. From there, they still later migrated on
North and West to still other lands.
More Connections
Various
encyclopedias seem to describe such an Eastern people. They are called “Scythians.” To the Persians, these Scythians were known
as the Saka. A 516 BCE inscription by
King Darius of Persia was found near Behistun in modern Iran. It mentions these Saka (Scythians), as in
subjugation to the Medes and Persians.
Apparently,
some part of Yisrael dwelt among the Medes and Persians. In that context, it is possible that some
part of them were Medes and/or Persians, or absorbed into the Medeo-Persian
peoples in some manner. In mentioning
this reality from history, there is no intent to link these ancient Israelites
necessarily to the modern Iranians who seem to be a largely different people.
As
elsewhere discussed herein, there is a possibility that the Iranians might be
descendants, in part, from Keturah, and cannot be confused with Yisrael (though
there could be some crossing between the two lines in centuries past before the
people from Keturah miscegenated with the Arabs, Edomites and other Colored
peoples of the Middle East. The Moshe
marriage to Zipporah is a sample of this crossing).
The
Greek historian Herodotus (c484-425 BCE) noted that in his day the Saka
Humavarga people were located East and Southeast of the Sea of Aral, even as
far as Turkestan and the borders of India.
Diodorus,
in the first century BCE, said that kindred Saca peoples spread from the Araxes
to as far West as the Don and that they settled two colonies from Assyria and
Media on that river (to the Northwest in Europe).
Also,
in the first century BCE, Strabo mentioned a dominant people who conquered the
area from Cappadocia to the Caspian.
They gave their name to Sacasone, the fertile region of Armenia. Phiny, in the first century CE, recognized
that the Saca were a part of the Scythian people, whose territory originally
abutted the boundaries of Persia itself and was called Sacae-Sani.
They Continued On
From
across Europe, these Israelites breaking free of Assyrian bondage continued
their Western migrations until they eventually reached their Western
destination--which was the anticipated Isles of the Sea.
The
point of this outline is that over the ages Yisrael was scattered to the four
winds--particularly in Europe and Asia.
This was especially the prevailing situation during Second Temple days
in Palestine after the Jews returned from Babylon.
Chapter
132--Locating the House of Yisrael III
Some Specifics On the Present
Situation
There
are a number of prophecies directly focusing on the different 13 tribes of
Yisrael. The most important one of these
was made by Yakov-Yisrael as he blessed his sons (Gen 48-49). Moshe was to also record a series of
prophecies--just before Yisrael was to enter the promised land (Deut 33).
The
book of Judges similarly has several important prophecies focusing on specific
tribes (Jud 5:12-20). All of these
predictions must be consulted, along with other relevant remarks, to appreciate
what was to eventually to happen to each of the 13 tribes.
Although
this writer does not have the specifics on this in any detail, there is some
relevance of the sequential number each son was born in to Yisrael (thus,
Binyamin was number 12 in sequence which must be important).
Too,
the number of sons each of the sons of Yisrael had (and in some instances their
grandsons whom are named in Gen 46) is also relevant in terms of the eventual
modern configurations of the tribes, or at least with their flags (Binyamin had
ten sons which has to be important in looking at his modern descendants).
The Modern Layout
Next,
at the Exodus, YHWH decreed that there was to be a certain marching order and
encampment display for Israelites in their wilderness wanderings. Specifically, He charged that they be divided
into five distinct groups around the Tabernacle.
When
camped, Yehudah, Yissakhar and Zevulun were to be on the East side; Reuven,
Shimon and Gad on the South; Ephraim, Manasseh, and Binyamin on the West; Dan,
Naftali and Asher on the North; and Levi in the middle with the Tabernacle (Num
1-2).
This
layout seems to be precisely what one can find for these peoples in today’s
modern world. In respect to each other,
they appear so grouped.
Yehudah
(symbol--a lion), with three surviving sons, was to hold the scepter, the
throne of David (Gen 49:8-12; Deut 33:7).
Zevulun (symbol--a ship), with three sons, was to be by the sea and a
seafaring people with a haven for ships and a flank toward Zidon (Gen 49:13;
Deut 33:18-19).
Yissakhar
(symbol--a donkey indicating industriousness and work), with four sons, carries
a big (physical) work load for Yisrael (Gen 49:14; Deut 33:18-19). And from the words of Deborah, there is a
remark suggesting that the princes of Yissakhar were with Deborah (Jud
5:15).
While
Deborah’s projection is quite complex, it may have some meaning by restoring
the Hebrew properly to say the princes “in” Yissakhar (per “Soncino Books of
the Bible”). Is it possible that the
later ruling line of David would have princes in or of Yissakhar? If so, this would be a great clue to define
Yissakhar.
Dan
(symbol--a serpent), with one son, miscegenated greatly with the Phoenicians
(as discussed previously herein) and evidently adopted the most gross forms of
false Christian worship to preclude Dan from having an election in the coming
Messianic kingdom (Gen 49:16-17; Deut 33:22; Rev 7:1-8).
Naftali
(symbol--a hind), with four sons, was to have a lake (per the Berkeley and
Amplified Translations) in its South (Gen 49:21; Deut 33:23). Asher (symbol--an olive tree, signifying
oil), with four sons, was to have his foot dipped in oil and dwell near the sea
or ocean (Gen 49:20; Deut 33:24; Jud 5:17).
More
Reuven
(symbol--a man; a seeing son and of a good nature, per Philo, p. 349), with
four sons, was to be substantially smaller in numbers (Gen 49:3-4; Deut
33:6). Deborah speaks of the divisions
of Reuven where there were great resolves of heart (Jud 5:15, which means that
they would wait to see which side was winning before joining in--per “Soncino
Books of the Bible”).
Gad
(symbol--a tent), with seven sons, was to be enlarged in territory (Gen 49:19;
Deut 33:20-21); and Shimon (symbol--a dagger; of learning and instruction,
signifying listening, per Philo, p. 349), with six sons, was also to be small
in number and be divided and/or scattered (Gen 49:5-7).
Ephraim
(symbol--a unicorn; of memory and fruit-bearing, per Philo, p. 229, 349) was
the adopted 13th son of Yisrael who received the birthright with the greatest
of blessings and wealth to benefit a people in history (Gen 48:8-20; 49:22-26;
Deut 33:13-17). His name means “double
fruit.”
Genesis
49:22-26 says that in the last days, Yosef (Ephraim) will be a fruitful bough
near a well (water); archers will shoot (arrows) at him; and he has a bow and
strong arms to use in strength from YHWH.
Psalms 60:7 and 108:8 indicate that Ephraim is the strength or support
of The ELOHIM’s head.
Hosea
4:17 and 13:2 note that Ephraim is tied to idols; Hosea 13:1 is more specific
is saying that Ephraim is involved in Baal sun worship (and dies from it--see
also Hosea 10:5 and Isaiah 17:3-10); Hosea 8:11 communicates that Ephraim
pursues foreign intrigue and entanglements; Hosea 7:1 accuses Ephraim of fraud
and thefts and says that he is wicked; Hosea 10:11 recognizes that Ephraim will
be a great agricultural nation; Hosea 11:8 ties great wealth to Ephraim; Hosea
7:1 suggests that Ephraim is proud and arrogant in attributing his supposed
wealth and strength to himself; and Hosea 7:7-8 points out that Ephraim
recklessly mixed (integrated and miscegenated) his people interracially with
others (who devoured his strength).
A Company of States
Importantly,
Ephraim’s government is made up of a company or group of nations or
states. Deborah appears to link
Ephraim’s root (or remnant) to an age end Amalekite issue/trouble (Jud
5:14).
As
outlined in a previous chapter, Psalms 82:6 has a curious reference to the
children of The MOST HIGH. Yair Davidy
notes in Talmudically authorized Aramaic, the word is “Angli” (“Lost Israelite
Heritage,” p. 65-66).
Davidy
goes on to say that the Angli (i.e. Angles of the Anglo Saxons) were also known
as Aegli (Hebrew bull-calves) and thus links to Ephraim, as cited
previously. In Hebrew, the word “Aegel”
is a nickname applied to Ephraim (“Lost Israelite Identity,” p. 66). The reader can draw his/her own conclusion on
these remarks.
Manasseh
(symbol--a tree--eventually placed in part or symbolically on his flag; of
recollection out of forgetfulness, per Philo, p. 349), the eleventh son in
sense of Yosef, was to have about ten percent of the people that Ephraim had
and was to share in some of the blessings (Gen 48:8-20; 49:22-26; Deut
33:13-17).
Prophetically,
Manasseh and Ephraim, the two sons of Yosef, were to bear Yisrael’s name (Gen
48:16). Ephraim, in particular,
represents Yisrael in Hosea and some of the other prophets. This fact means that many of the Scriptural
prophecies which address Yisrael pertain to these two sons of Yosef or Ephraim
individually, and not necessarily, to the larger House of Yisrael or to the
overall definition of all 13 tribes.
Binyamin
(symbol--a wolf), with ten sons, was to dwell safely between Yehudah and
Ephraim (Gen 49:27; Deut 33:12). Levi
(symbol--a garnet stone), the last son and grouping, with three sons, may not
have been destined to have a separate national identity, as was true with the
other tribes. Thus, Levi was to be
dedicated to YHWH and to be divided and scattered in Yisrael (Gen 49:5-7; Deut
33:8-10).
The Regathering in the Isles of the
Sea
Another
remark must be made about the “regathering” of Yisrael, mentioned several times
in the prophetic Tanakh (and heretofore as well). There are actually several cases of this
phenomenon, covering a whole span of years.
In
the first instance, portions of the tribes of Yisrael and particularly those of
the House of Yisrael migrated to the islands in the sea (their first primary
destination), probably starting from the time of the Exodus from Egypt up to
1600 CE (Isa 11:11; 20:6; 24:15; 26:15; 41:1-2; 42:4-12; 49:1-3; 51:5; 59:18;
60:9; 66:19; Jer 31:10; Ezek 39:6; Dan 11:18).
The
prophetic mention of the islands in or of the sea in the context of Yisrael is
a most important reference. Many persons
have read the various verses involved in the sense of being the islands in the
Mediterranean Sea--like Sicily, Cyprus, Malta and any number of small islands
off Greece and Italy.
Certainly,
many Israelites went to these islands, as well as to Southeast Europe and Asia
Minor, at early times before moving on West or being absorbed by the more
dominant Edomite populations (that’s why there were whole groups of House of
Yisrael people in the NT places reached by the apostles in the days of the
Apostolic Assembly, as discussed in former chapters).
But
otherwise, one should not lose sight of the fact that there are a number of
islands off of Europe in the context of the British Isles. The British Isles are significant because
they consist of a number of fascinating political and geographic
subdivisions.
For
instance, there are the Channel Islands, Wales and England (in the East?); Republic
of Ireland (with its heavy Phoenician population), Northern Ireland and
Scotland (Celtic lands in the North?); and the small island of Man of whatever
relevance it may bear.
The Commonwealth
Moreover,
the English speaking, British peoples (Anglo-Saxon-Celtic) are interestingly
scattered around the world in places like Australia, New Zealand and South
Africa (in the South?) and Canada and the US (in the West?).
Of
course, some would not call North America an island; but certainly, Newfoundland
is (which has an absorbing history of her own).
Newfoundland could conceivably separate from Canada, as also appears
likely for Quebec in the age end. Thus,
Canada has an Eastern and Western separation--at least, in the case of Quebec
(with its heavy Moabite, French population mixed in) vis-à-vis the rest of
Canada.
The Binyamin Problem
There
is one final entity which must be acknowledged in this discussion upon the
disposition of the White, Anglo-Saxon-Celtic peoples. It is Iceland which seems to be extremely
Danish at a first glance (language, culture, etc). But the important symbol of a wolf does
figure in its heraldry.
Though
having some significant differences from Britain, it is interesting that in the
early days, Norsemen, in Iceland, without women, went and kidnapped or stole
many women from Britain (principally Scotland), and brought them back to
Iceland (see Jud 21:21-23). Too, many
other peoples of Britain went there voluntarily over the years. So Iceland has a British tie (just as Britain
has a Norse tie).
More Migrations
While
the Israelites were to remain settled in their new islands in the sea homes for
several centuries, some of them, in time, began breaking away and moving to new
areas on the basis of their tribal identifications.
This
removal process started for the sons of Yosef about 390 years ago--early in the
17th century. Later, some of the other
tribes started for their particular lands to establish their own national
identities.
Beyond
this initial relocation of Yosef’s sons, there was a type of regathering over
the past 390 years when people of Yosef from all over the world migrated to the
two uniquely blessed lands that were allocated to Ephraim and Manasseh. This motion has included many scattered
Israelites from the Diaspora, as well as numbers of nokri/nekar, ger, behemah
and chaiyah aliens.
For
example, Germany is not Yisrael or a part of it. Yet, numbers of Yosef Israelites have lived
there and many of them were regathered to the lands of Yosef (in the West) over
the years, primarily because of religious persecution (like various groups of
Anabaptists). The same is true with
Holland which has had many Israelites present.
France
is certainly not Yisrael, but Israelites have lived there. The Same is true with Switzerland. Many of the people of faith from Yosef have
left France and Switzerland to come to the lands of Yosef over the years (i.e.
the Huguenots of years ago).
Italy
is assuredly not Yisrael. However, some
Waldensian Israelites from Yosef left Northern Italy and migrated to the lands
of Yosef in the 19th century.
Just
as the descendants of Yosef eventually relocated to their new nations and land
areas over the centuries, the same thing has also been on-going for all of the
tribes. Wherever their people had been
scattered in the Diaspora, there has been a movement to their national tribal
lands over the past 390 plus years.
The House of Yehudah Example
The
situation with the House of Yehudah after the Babylonian exile is a classic
illustration of a regathering of Israelites to Palestine after being expelled
from there. This one is significant
because it is laid out in some detail in the Word.
It
is important to note that after being regathered and returned to Palestine, the
House of Yehudah was again expelled in the first century CE by the Romans.
Another
type of the great regathering of Yisrael also happened with the House of
Yehudah over the past 100 years because of the earlier Roman expulsions.
True
Jewish Israelites have been regathered from all over the world to return to
Palestine. Tragically, it is also verity
that numbers of Amalek-Edomites, Canaanites, Kenites and other nokri/nekar and
behemah peoples have also come with the true Jews in this return (a mixed
multitude, like at the Exodus). This
miscegenation problem within Yehudah will be discussed at length in later
chapters herein.
Just
as there were two scatterings of Yehudah and two regatherings, the same analogy
applies to the House of Yisrael. She has
faced one great scattering and a regathering over a period of some 2,700
years. Now, she is due for another
scattering.
Then,
the final, great typical regathering of the House of Yisrael occurs in the
future when YHWH will gather the surviving Israelites of the lost tribes and
return them to Palestine at the start of the millennium.
For
the age end, the House of Yisrael nations will be destroyed and survivors
(other than the very elect who escape) will ultimately be thrust once again
into slavery, as a part of Yakov’s Trouble.
It is these slaves who will undergo a second great Exodus from servitude
to come to the promise land for the final regathering of Yisrael in Palestine
when YESHUA returns.
The House of Yisrael Can Be Found
With
the above clues, coupled with an understanding of how these tribes were
separated into the four different directions of the compass, one can study a
world map and focus on some twelve national/political entities which are
racially and ethnically connected--apparently with the same language and
culture (Dan and possibly Binyamin, being the only exceptions).
Incidentally,
the book “Lost Israelite Identity,” as quoted herein, was published by Yair
Davidy, an Orthodox Jewish scholar in Jerusalem. He traces the missing lost tribes of Yisrael
from old Canaan land and the Assyrian conquests of the 8th century BCE to new
lands in Northwest Europe, far removed from the Middle East.
One
might expect such an effort from Christian Identity people. But it has to be most interesting and
relevant that an Israeli scholar in modern Palestine would put out such a work
here in the late 20th century. Perhaps
it is almost time for the lost tribes to be revealed to the world.
Actually,
this thinking by Davidy is not new among Jewish scholars. For the past two hundred years, numbers of
Jewish intellectuals have asserted that the lost tribes of Yisrael could be
found among the Anglo-Saxon-Celtic peoples of the British Isles.
The
August 1999 “Kingdom Digest” (p. 212-24) had an article by T. Ransom on “How
Old is Our Faith” which named earlier, famous Jews with thinking very similar
to that of the later Davidy--to include Israel Zangwill, Max Nordau, Mark John
Levy and Dr Moses Margoliouth.
Margoliouth was a professor of Oriental Languages at Cambridge
University. Before a gathering of
British scholars, he publicly declared his belief.
In
April 1951, “United Israel Bulletin,” a Jewish publication, said: “We believe the ten tribes of Israel exist
within the Anglo-Saxon-Celtic-Scandinavian-American people; and that they, in
fact, constitute them. And that they are
Hebrews in the same sense that Judah, Benjamin and Levi with the Jewish people
are Israelites.”
Could
these various Jewish scholars and intellectuals be right in their
assertions? Are they dependable? Is it possible that they are better informed
on lost Yisrael than modern Christian scholars?
A Regathering in America
If
America is a part of this combine, as suggested by Jewish scholars, is it
possible that she (with her link to the number 13) is indeed Yisrael’s 13th
tribe of Ephraim. Manifestly, all of the
great blessings of wealth and abundance were promised to Ephraim in the form of
the birthright.
In
history, America has indeed enjoyed these blessings, more so than any other
national entity in history. In America’s
heraldic emblems, the marks associated with Ephraim are found.
For
example, the May-Jun 2002 “Prophecy Flash” (p. 3-19) had an article by William
F. Dankenbring on “Heraldic Emblems Prove the Modern Identity of Ephraim” which
took note of the great seal of the United States with its 13 stars, 13 stripes
on the shield, olive branch (with 13 leaves) and fruit and 13 arrows in a
bundle (which tie to Genesis 49:22-26).
Dankenbring
quoted a writer named W. H. Bennett who linked the bough and fruit of Genesis
49:22 specifically to olives based on the Scriptural references to boughs
linking to olives (like at Romans 11:24).
Too,
there is an amazing parallel between the history of the US as compared with
that of Ephraim. In their beginnings,
both entities were totally linked to the throne of David.
With
Ephraim, she broke from Jerusalem three to five years before the start of a
390-year mark off. After about 250
years, Ephraim went into Assyrian captivity.
Yehudah remained for the next 140 years or so, to complete some 390
years of sin (to be discussed later).
The
US had her start at Jamestown (1607-1610).
Some 166 years later, she broke from London and David’s throne. Now (to 2003), the US has enjoyed about 227
years of independence (totaling a little over 390 years from her
inception). In breaking from David’s
throne, there were several warring conflicts between the House of David and
Ephraim (following the separations).
Both
powers experienced an internal civil war and a division into two parts for five
years (after they had separated from David’s throne). Ephraim (in the form of the House of Yisrael)
had two kings, after about 50 years (Omri and Tibni--I Kg 16:21-23); while the
US was divided in the Civil War, after some 85 years (with Abraham Lincoln and
Jefferson Davis).
A Group of Independent States
Certainly,
America is a nation made up of separate, individual states (13 of them in
1776-1789). Thus, the United States is
made up of a multitude, company or group of nations/states, as was the
situation that continued in the US up to the Civil War which ended the separate
states for all purposes--because of the raw power which the federal government
assumed over the states in 1861 (Gen 35:11; 48:19).
Other
remarks stated above have cited the several conclusions from the book of Hosea
on Ephraim--on Ephraim’s wealth, idolatry, sun worship, wickedness, pride and
vanity, interracial mixing, fraud and thefts, involvement with foreign nations,
agricultural benefits, and so forth. The
United States significantly fulfills all of these words from Hosea.
And
by all means, Ephraim pursues an East wind, meaning that she must be found in
the West (Hos 12:1, May-Jun 2002 “Prophecy Flash,” p. 26). Manifestly, the North American continent is
in the West. Even China and Japan are
correctly in the Far East (as is also true with Australia and New
Zealand).
Finally,
Ephraim’s preachers are actually workers for the sun god Baal to cause
Ephraim’s people to err (Jer 23:13).
This charge will be conclusively proven herein in later chapters which
assess the Christian religion in some detail.
Regathering of Ephraimites?
Is
it plausible that the early American colonists from England were actually
Ephraimites? How about the later Welsh,
Scotch and Scotch Irish from Northern Ireland.
Then there was the early Dutch, German, Swiss and later Scandinavian
settlers. Could all of these people have
been scattered Ephraimites?
Last,
there were the great religious migrations--starting at Plymouth Rock, with the
English Puritans and Separatists. Many
of these early people came for one reason and one reason only--religious
liberty and freedom. Was it in their
genes to come to America?
In
time, more scattered people of religious faith came--like the French Huguenots;
German Mennonites and Amish; Bohemian Brethren and Moravians from Bohemia,
Silesia and other parts of Eastern Europe; and finally Waldensians from
Northern Italy.
Could
all of these people have been scattered Ephraimites (from Palestine into the
Diaspora) which were regathered into Ephraim America for the bestowal of the
birthright upon them collectively?
In
mentioning this likelihood, there is also another facet to this question. In terms of the residents in old Samaria
(which was not only made up of primarily Ephraimites) and old Yehudah (which
contained, at first, numbers of Judahites), there is much evidence suggesting that
some people from the other tribes also chose to locate in Samaria and
Yehudah. This course was noted in prior
chapters herein (and proven with Yehudah).
But
since it happened in the days of the divided kingdom, there are reasons to
believe that it has happened or will happen in more modern times. Clearly, many Israelites of the different
tribes will choose to relocate to Jerusalem in the age end (to be discussed in
a later chapter).
Otherwise,
it is plausible that some members of the various tribes also chose to locate to
Ephraim over the years (because of Ephraim’s size, large population and
realization of the birthright). In this
context, it is likely that the Israelite residents of Ephraim is made up first
of Ephraimites and second of probably some presence of persons from the other
twelve tribes as well (though of much lesser numbers).
The Others
If
this regathering happened with Ephraim, is it not plausible that it also
happened with the other Israelite tribes which were scattered in the Diaspora,
only to be regathered in the last many years into tribal homelands in Canada,
Australia, New Zealand, Union of South Africa, the Channel Islands, Wales,
England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic (despite the huge
presence of Phoenician Edomites in Ireland)?
By
recognizing and understanding the birthright of wealth, blessings, etc
(promised to Avraham, Yitzhak and Yakov-Yisrael), as falling upon the United
States, it is possible to study the Scriptural attributes of the other tribes
(outlined previously herein) and ascertain the distribution of all of the
tribes.
Thus,
it might be that in the West Manasseh is Canada (note the maple tree leaf on
her flag [the tree is the symbol of Manasseh, Dec 1993 “New Beginnings, p.
3-4], the fact that her population is about 10% of that of
Ephraim-America--Deut 33:17, and the situation with her eleven
subdivisions).
In
the South, surely Reuven is New Zealand (though the Isle of Man is possible,
but it is in the North instead of the South) with its four subdivisions and four
stars on its flag. Gad, with its seven major territories, is Australia. And Shimon, with six subdivisions, is South
Africa where the people are scattered (both South Africa and Australia have
heavy Dutch populations).
In
the North, it could be that Dan is the Irish Republic (but heavily miscegenated
with the more dominate Phoenician Edomites).
Naftali is Northern Ireland (with its large lake). And Asher is Scotland (with its offshore oil
deposits).
In
the East, Zevulun must be the Channel Islands with its three subdivisions. And Yehudah (mainly Zerach and some of
Peretz) is England. Please note that
after the fall of the House of Yisrael to the Assyrians, the tribe of Yehudah
was split into two parts--one part remained in the South as the House of
Yehudah and the other part went into Assyrian captivity with the House of
Yisrael.
The
same is true today with Yehudah divided in England and among the Jews.
More
Finally,
in the East, Yissakhar is likely Wales with four subdivisions. John Hulley notes that Cymru is the Welsh
name for themselves, which connects them to the Cimmerian deportations. Hulley adds that there is in Wales a Cambric
peninsula, which also was the former name of Denmark (“Bible Light On The
News,” v. 7, No. 2, p. 35).
Some
small part of Levi is probably found scattered throughout these House of
Yisrael nations.
Of
course, a part of Yehudah (mainly from Shelah and Peretz), much of Levi and
perhaps even a part of Binyamin is found among the contemporary Jews
(principally in the modern state of Israel).
Some of these Israelites, found as Jews, have heavily miscegenated with
the Amalekites (as will be discussed in later chapters herein).
Perhaps
some of the more religious Jews (like the Sephardi Orthodox) have better gene
lines from Yisrael with less chance of miscegenation with the evil
Amalekites. Many Jewish “rabbis” and
religious teachers are logically from Levi.
Hopefully, there are some good gene lines in the key people who have
been and will be working on restoring the Temple.
The
only remaining issue is Binyamin. As it
now stands, Binyamin logically might be found in Iceland or Newfoundland (if
Newfoundland should reassert itself nationally and break from Canada)--or maybe
the Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Bermuda or some other place.
The
best guess on Binyamin is Iceland, though it is not as readily identifiable in
the vein of the Anglo-Saxon-Celtic peoples which generally make up the House of
Yisrael.
Bound Together
There
has been several factors binding these House of Yisrael nations together. First, there is the issue of race.
From
700 BCE on forward, Yisrael was scattered in pockets and small groups of people
throughout Europe and portions of Asia.
But they had a racial connection which bound them together.
So,
over the years, the people of Yisrael (in the form of the Celts, Angles, Saxons
(Isaac or Sac’s sons), Jutes, Romans, Normans, Norsemen, etc (then scattered
out across Europe and parts of Asia) slowly begin migrating West to the British
Isles, as outlined above.
From
1607 on, the different tribes, either in the British Isles or still scattered
elsewhere in Europe and/or Asia, began relocating to their tribal homelands in
America, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and so forth (to perhaps
include Rhodesia which once was a part of this system, before it was sold out
to Black nationalists).
It
must be noted that the House of Yisrael peoples essentially speak the English
language (even in Iceland, though English is not the national language of
Iceland). Also, the Israelites are
generally Protestant Christians and have essentially used the Authorized (King
James) Version of the Word since 1611-1612.
Except
for Ephraim, they are bound together by the throne of David--occupied by
Britain’s monarch, and Yakov’s pillar stone/the stone of destiny now in
Scotland (as noted in preceding remarks).
Thus, YHWH’s promises to David have been fulfilled in the British royal
family. When YESHUA returns, He comes to
take an existing throne.
In
Hebrew, the word “berit” (which can form “brit”) means covenant; and in Welsh,
the word “ish” means man or people of.
Thus, the word “British” means a covenant man or covenant people (per
the Internet, www.JahTruth.co.uk). Yes,
the Anglo-Saxon-Celtic or British people are the Covenant people of the House
of Yisrael of the Scriptures.
Some Remarks on Prophecy
Since
the entire Scriptures are focused upon Yisrael and usually on the House of
Yisrael, the writings of the Old Testament prophets deal extensively with
Yisrael and especially in the last seven years of the age end (in the context
of the seven years of Yakov’s Trouble, to be described in subsequent chapters
herein).
Beyond
the reality that the Scriptures are filled with data (both historical and
prophetic) on Yisrael, there is another fascinating little gem of truth
associated with the ten lost tribes of Yisrael in the Word. Here, it is absolutely amazing that The MOST
HIGH uses the number ten in association with various objects or definitions to
refer to Yisrael.
In
“The United States and the British Empire Foretold in the Bible” (p. 6), writer
Harold Hemenway offers these references as applying to the lost tribes of
Yisrael--the ten servants of the rich nobleman (Lu 19:11-27), the ten virgins
waiting for The Bridegroom (Matt 25), the ten pieces of the woman’s silver (Lu
15:8), the ten lepers who were healed (Lu 17:12) and the other sheep of YESHUA
(Jo 10:16).
Along
with these clear prophecies relating to the House of Yisrael, YESHUA also
uttered His famous prophecies regarding the mixed up reality of the wheat and
tares and sheep and goats (as discussed elsewhere herein). And this is the present condition in the
House of Yisrael nations. There are both
Israelites present in those countries plus many goats and tares (nokri/nekar
aliens, etc).
This
condition has hurt many of the Christian Identity groups which accept these
nokri/nekar tares/goats on the premise that they are Israelite sheep and
wheat. The famous Aryan Nations/Church
of Jesus Christ Christian of Hayden Lake, Idaho has often stupidly allowed this
precise condition to develop internally in its group to bring great hurt upon
the membership (as elsewhere noted herein).
The Identity Problem
Admittedly,
the ability to identify or distinguish between the two types is a complicated
process that most of us lack the ability to do.
But
in the world tomorrow, YESHUA will separate the two factions--apparently using
the Urim and Tummin (per Vendyl Jones in the March 2002 “Vendyl Jones Research
Institutes Researcher,” p. 1-3). This
separation has been commented upon in preceding chapters and needs no further
attention now in this presentation on the House of Yisrael.
On
one more prophetic issue, one of the great prophecies in the Tanakh mentions
the coming of the prophet Eliyahu. While
he will do several things, one of his most important functions will be to turn
the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to
their fathers (Mal 4:5-6).
This future could take at least two
directions or more. One, it could
suggest a boom in genealogical studies and research, as has been happening in
the House of Yisrael lands for the last 50 years.
Otherwise, is it possible that the
spirit of Eliyahu will move upon selected people to motivate them to begin to
go further back to their ancestry in ancient Yisrael of 3,000 years ago to
learn about their real Scriptural identity?
Revelation or Study?
Finally,
one of the better known teachers of British-Israelism in the 20th century was
radio preacher Herbert W. Armstrong.
Armstrong
was reported to have believed that understanding of the British-Israelism
teaching was contingent upon revelation as opposed to Scriptural study. Thus, per this view, a person can not simply
come to this comprehension through study alone.
Somehow, something more is needed.
While
it is true that most things are adequately laid out in the Book and history to
allow study and analysis in order to gain intellectual knowledge and
understanding, this fact does not always surface in trying to perceive racial
identities--and particularly the identity of lost Yisrael. When deliberate, adverse brainwashing on race
is added to the mix (as happens throughout modern society), comprehension is in
trouble.
Possibly,
it does take an extraordinary miracle of a revelation to selected people for
them to grasp an understanding of Yisrael.
The same may be true for identifying other Scriptural peoples--like the
Hamites, Amalekites, Shemites, etc.
But
in fairness, even the presence of revelation allows that revelation can be
supplemented with study as “some” material is available in history/the Word to
often verify/confirm the revelation.
The Genuine Approach
In
allowing for study/revelation (from The EL or even demonic powers) to impart
knowledge and/or understanding on race, it must be stated that some people gain
some knowledge from the words of others without study or revelation because man
is capable of believing anything, and even in the absence of intellectual input
(yes, men can be led to believe that the moon is made of cheese or that Bill
“Slick” Clinton is honest and trueful and a man of integrity).
When
one comes to some knowledge/understanding from personal study/revelation (from
The EL or even demons), the experience is more genuine with real commitment,
zeal, dedication and passion.
Conversely,
when one gains knowledge (like on racial IDs) from superficial contact with
others (without real study/revelation), the result is apathy, indifference,
unconcern, shallowness, etc--instead of dedication, commitment, etc.
Chapter
133--Christian Israelites Return
The Essentials
In
the comments to follow, on the return of the House of Yisrael to Palestine, it
is important to recognize that there are at least two returns mentioned
prophetically in the Book (as was described earlier). A previous chapter discussed the primary
return in the context of Ezekiel 33-39 which seems to actually take place after
YESHUA comes back and begins to install His government over earth.
However,
there is another mention of a return prophetically of “some” House of Yisrael
people--involving primarily Philadelphia, some parts of the other Assemblies of
Revelation 1-3, and some heathen, Christian worshipers who merely escape their
doomed lands to flee to Palestine some years before YESHUA returns (actually,
before the great tribulation commences, as will be discussed in later
chapters).
Persons
who have read and are familiar with the Book are acutely aware that both
national names, the House of Yehudah and the House of Yisrael, are used a few
times in the Word--during and after the Babylonian exile in the sense of future
prophetic events (mainly, in Jeremiah Ezekiel and Zechariah, and a few times in
the New Testament), beyond the previously discussed historical realities before
the fall of Samaria.
Essentially,
these prophetic references refer to the time, in the future, when the two
collective peoples of the Houses of Yisrael and Yehudah will be once more
combined into one united kingdom in Palestine under the rule of YESHUA The
MESSIAH, as just cited above and as described elsewhere herein.
Despite
Christendom’s confusion over the historical roles of the House of Yehudah and
the House of Yisrael and total ignorance about the lost tribes of Yisrael, the
fact remains that the Scripturally defined, final reunification has never
occurred. Many informed and
intellectually honest Christian scholars reluctantly admit it.
Reunification After YESHUA Returns
Yechezkel
(Ezek 37:11-22) describes this ultimate future merging event in some detail as
happening "after" the House of Yisrael (a second time) and other
worldly nations go through a final time of trouble and drink of YHWH's age end
anger (Ezek 4 to 36).
It
occurs simultaneously with, or after, the return of The ANOINTED ONE and the
eventual establishment of His kingdom on earth, as discussed earlier (Ezek
37:22-25).
Actually,
this is the time of the execution of the New (or Renewed) Covenant which is
mentioned in the Book (Ezek 37:26-27), and which evidently relates in time to
the typical invasion of Gog and Magog or shortly thereafter (Ezek 38-39).
Without
a doubt, the establishment of the New/Renewed Covenant and the Gog and Magog
conflict both happen "after" the return of YESHUA The MESSIAH (Rev
20:6-8), although there will surely be an ante-typical fulfillment of the Gog
incident possibly eight years or so earlier (to be later discussed).
Teleo, Revisited
By
the way, the KJV and most English translations mistranslate the Greek word
“teleo” to fulfilled (in Rev 20:3) and expired (in Rev 20:7), in the context of
Satan being released from his pit prison at the “supposed end” of the
1,000-year millennium.
E.
T. Tennyson, in his book “Unspeakable Words” (p. 55), indicates that teleo
correctly means “to set out for a definite point or goal.” This word was addressed in previous comments
by Dr David Stern on Romans 10:4--where Stern essentially agreed with Tennyson
by saying that it meant “goal, purpose, consummation.”
Thus,
Yohanan was writing about the fact that Satan will be released for his final
work near when the millennium is reached or set out.
Consequently,
the real Gog and Magog conflict mentioned in Revelation and Ezekiel will
actually occur after YESHUA returns and just before the start of the millennium
(although there will be a former ante-typical fulfillment of it a few years
previously, as just noted above).
All
of this wonderfully scheduled reunification of the Houses of Yehudah and
Yisrael, under discussion, is amply described in several Old Testament
prophecies, and especially in Yechezkel.
Of course, this merger ushers in the soon coming re-establishment of the
Davidic kingdom in Palestine under the millennial rule of The Davidic King YHWH
YESHUA.
The Coming Limited Return of
Yisrael
While
Yechezkel quite clearly establishes the actual reunification of the Houses of
Yehudah and Yisrael at or just after the age end return of YESHUA, and before
the execution of the New Covenant, it should be noted that both Yechezkel and
the prophet Zekharyah seem to describe a limited return of apparently some
persons of the House of Yisrael to Canaan land some time (perhaps around six
years or so) before the actual reunification takes place, as allowed above and
in previous chapters (Ezek 8-12; Zech 8-10).
Obviously,
this small return is done without regard to YESHUA's ultimately scheduled
appearance to properly restore and unify the two Houses of Yehudah and Yisrael
together in the land.
For
many persons, in this return, their motivation seems to be predicated upon the
hope of safety and survival in the modern state of Israel (Palestine) and not
upon moral and religious convictions.
As
suggested in other comments elsewhere in this study, there is every reason to
believe that Jerusalem is to become an international (open) city of some sort
to allow this extraordinary movement of non-Jewish Christians and Messianic
believers to come into it with a visa allowing a stay. For sure, any Christian Identity people or
right wingers would have a hard time gaining admission otherwise.
Because
Amalekite rulers in the state of Israel (who will be later defined) may not
allow Christian Identity people and right wingers to traverse Israel to reach
Jerusalem, there could be an alternative here.
Territory East of the Jordan (in modern Jordan) may prove to be a haven
and place of safety and transit for these escapees (as will be described in
later chapters).
Once
in Jordan, believers could then reach Jerusalem (which will be open to the
Jordanian Arabs).
The Status of Jerusalem
The
likelihood of a new political status for Jerusalem is not as far fetched as one
may first suppose. A Special Office
Brief in the January, 1998 “New Beginnings” (p. 15) makes mention of the
Israeli-Arab situation and the fact that the Vatican favors a form of UN
control over Jerusalem, under a kind of liberalistic patronage of the
Vatican.
The
“Jerusalem Post” of May 23, 1998, outlined that “The Vatican is again calling
for a special status for Jerusalem with international guarantees... (they) ask
the international community to assume its responsibility of conserving the holy
and unique character of the Holy City...”
The
point of these 1998 news reports is that the Vatican has her eyes set on
Jerusalem. At the first break of global
trouble, the Vatican will seemingly use her influence upon the European Union
to impose controls on Jerusalem.
Ultimately,
this Roman power could prove to be a good thing--if it results in Jerusalem
being an open city to all faiths, including the politically incorrect
ones.
The Initial Problems
As
will be covered in later chapters, a number of individuals from the House of
Yisrael seem to come to the land (of Palestine) when their own national
governments and evidently most of their own peoples are being destroyed in a
series of terrifying judgments which come upon the age ending House of Yisrael
(in the form of Yakov’s Trouble).
This
coming reality will be hard to appreciate by modern Christians, but the Book is
empathic that the House of Yisrael nations are in gross sin in the age end and
YHWH will accordingly destroy all of them nationally.
This
does not mean the end of the House of Yisrael peoples. It just means an end of their present
national governments (as happened in the ante-type at the hands of Assyria in
the 8th-7th centuries BCE).
This
age end crisis for the House of Yisrael commences with the collapse of her
financial empire, in conjunction with a bad drought--when the rain stops coming
and when much of the underground water supply dries up (because of the greed of
farmers and others to greedily exploit it with no concern over future
needs).
While
many people act on the premise that modern man has an unlimited source of
water, this is not the truth at all.
Usable water is extremely finite and there is a limited amount of
it.
The
summer of 2000 produced a serious drought over much of the US which has already
spelled a disaster. More drought
occurred in 2001-2003 (when the rains came, they came in floods which merely
ran off and gave the soil little benefit).
America
has been profoundly blessed with enormous and far reaching blessings and
benefits. This has included vast water
resources which now are beginning to be limited. The great Oglala aquifer has supplied water
for years to a large segment of the Great Plains for drinking and agricultural
uses.
There
are now signs that this vast source of water is drying up. The same is true with numerous other cases of
large underground water supplies. If
many of these giant aquifers dry up, in connection with a horrible drought, it
will spell absolute disaster to America and the American people.
End of the Present National Governments
of Yisrael
Per
the Scriptures, there is an initial drought on Yisrael that turns to famine, to
disease epidemics, to terror from the present beasts of the field (the behemah)
and to a foreign embargo and/or siege--all of which seem to be the start of
likely some seven years of great trouble and disaster for the wicked Israelites
(Lev 26; Deut 28).
As
will be covered in subsequent chapters, these several calamities suddenly
combine to force the surviving Israelites into cannibalism--just before their
foreign enemies launch a nuclear attack, invade and carry the still alive
Israelites off into slavery and bondage (Ezek 2-7).
Manifestly,
what precipitates this future collapse of the House of Yisrael national
governments is a prophetic time period of 390 years of accountable sin and
rebellion by the House of Yisrael which occurs in a future time frame (after
560 BCE) and certainly after Yechezkel wrote about it, as discussed earlier
(Ezek 4:3-5).
This
390 years of iniquity by the lost tribes of Yisrael appears to conclude just
about the time that the mentioned siege or embargo (of 390 days) unfolds (Ezek
4:1-8). Yechezkel seems to date the end
of this destruction of the modern House of Yisrael nations evidently around two
or three years after a specified 30th year in some cycle (Ezek 1:1).
This
event is frequently labeled as the time of “Jacob’s Trouble” (correctly Yakov’s
Trouble, as cited earlier herein) in the Scriptures and involves the most
terrible, trying days to ever befall the House of Yisrael in her entire
3,800-year history.
Most
of the millions of Israelites then alive will die in the trouble (as will be
described in later chapters herein).
Those surviving will face enormous trials, troubles and tribulations
before they eventually learn to start obeying YHWH.
Actually,
the future being outlined is quite complex and far reaching and deserves some
explanation (which will be forthcoming in later chapters on prophecy).
Nevertheless,
for now, the student of truth needs to recognize this limited return at this
early time of the age end and realize that this return is not the final one,
where real reunification takes place, as correctly dictated in the Book.
Christian Israelites?
Seemingly,
some few persons of the House of Yisrael escape from their doomed lands
(before, during or after the siege, but probably in a window formed when the
initial embargo or economic trouble ends, and before it resumes in earnest for
the 390 days siege) to find safety in Palestine or in an international
Jerusalem (with the Israelis or Jordanians).
With
an identification of the House of Yisrael nations in the age end, it is quite
easy to identify the religion of the people in the generic sense. The House of Yisrael abandoned whatever
semblance of the true Hebrew religious faith that she possessed at the division
of the kingdom under Rechavam.
As
described elsewhere herein, Yarovam changed the religion of the people
grossly. In his ruling years, Achav went
still further with more profound changes.
The House of Yisrael peoples never returned to their ancient Hebrew
religion. In fact, in the divorce,
previously discussed, they lost their language, identity, the Sabbaths, the
Name (Ha Shem) and on and on.
In
the last 2,000 years, these House of Yisrael Israelites were exposed to
Christianity--primarily because of the work of the Roman Catholic Church. Hence, they became Christians. Correctly, they are today Christian
Israelites. Or more correctly, they are
largely Protestant Christian Israelites--at least, in the generic sense,
although here in the age end, some few of them are turning to truth to become
the election.
Yechezkel
puts it well by declaring that Palestine or Canaan land becomes to these Israelites
"a sanctuary for a brief period of time" (Ezek 11:16). Of all of the Tanakh prophets, Yechezkel
seems to offer the most details on this movement by apparent Christian
Israelites and what they do in Palestine upon arrival.
In
timing, this move to Palestine surely starts about the time that Mount Moriah
is sufficiently cleared and a recognized force (like possibly the UN, EU or
perhaps even the US to some extent) has brokered a seven-year pact or agreement
with the Israeli Jews and the Moslems (which will probably allow the rebuilding
of the Temple).
Thus,
by the time that these House of Yisrael individuals arrive, a Third Temple is
being rebuilt or ready to be rebuilt on Mount Moriah and with the complete
authority and blessing of The SOVEREIGN YHWH (Mal 3:1-18; Rev 11:1-6).
But Trouble in the Land
On
this movement of true Israelites to Palestine, it is interesting to observe
that the present non-Yehudah inhabitants of Jerusalem do not like these new
immigrants (who are actually true Israelites and racial, genetic brethren of
the real Israelite Yechezkel) in their land and say to them "you have gone
far from The MOST HIGH and this land, therefore, this land is given to us for a
possession" (Ezek 11:15; 36:5-- “Amplified Translation”).
Indeed,
this feeling and thinking by supposedly real descendants of Yehudah toward
their racial brethren would have to be perceived as a most unusual and
extraordinary event. Surely, a position
like that would likely come from evil Amalek-Edomite usurpers (as will be
defined and discussed at length in later chapters herein) and not from the true
people of Yehudah extraction.
Thus,
while any true Israelite Jews might not have hostility or adverse feelings
toward the arrival of the Christian Israelites from a fallen or falling House
of Yisrael, the Amalek-Edomites effectively in charge of the Israeli state will
not appreciate them. Their response will
be bitterness and hatred.
It
is this Amalek-Edomite hatred and opposition toward the incoming Christian
Israelites which goes on to suggest that Jerusalem will likely have to be an
international city or otherwise, most of these Christian Israelites probably
would not be allowed in by Israeli authorities.
Certainly,
right wingers, Christian fundamentalists and Christian Identity people would be
unwelcome by ruling Amalekites in Israel.
Because of this reality, some of these persons may have to seek safety
in modern Jordan (or a Palestinians state) and hope that they can periodically
go with the Arabs to Jerusalem to worship, as allowed in the above
comments.
The
prophet Yechezkel also had another pungent little remark about Esau's
diabolical efforts to seize and control the land and promises when he wrote of
YHWH's anger toward all Idumea because they had appointed His land to be their
possession for a prey with joy in their hearts and despiteful minds (Ezek
36:2-5).
By
the way, on this topic of Amalek-Edomite usurpers coming to the promise land of
Canaan in an effort to control, enjoy and rule over it, the prophet Malakhi
poignantly hurls at us a most amazing prophecy about the descendants of Esau
who say "we are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate
places" (Mal 1:2-4).
Question--does
this text not tie in some way to the modern Israeli state (as will be answered
in later chapters herein)? In this same
Malakhi reference, The EVERLIVING ONE calls these same Amalek-Edomites
"The people against whom YHWH has indignation for ever" (Mal
1:4).
As
a part of the later discussion on the Amalekites and their presence among the
modern Jews, these texts on the Amalekites will make perfect sense. In any case, the arriving Christian
Israelites will not be welcomed in the modern state of Israel with open arms by
the ruling Amalek-Edomites.
Two Types of Returnees
These
escapees of the House of Yisrael lands involve two classes of individuals.
In
the first place, part of the age ending election generally and much of the very
elect in particular (as described in some detail in previous chapters of this
publication) will seemingly escape to Jerusalem to help in the rebuilding of
the (Third) Temple and possibly to work with the first two prophets and/or two
final witnesses (to be described later), in their work of restoring true
worship (Hag 1:4-2:18; Zech 1:1- 4:14; Mal 1-3).
In
effect, the land of old Canaan becomes a place of eventual safety and
deliverance, as is communicated in numerous Tanakh texts (Deut 12:5; II Kg
19:31; II Chron 7:15-16; Ps 20:1-2; 50:5; 53:6; 102:14; Isa 35:10; 37:31-32;
45:20; 46:12-13; 50:4-5; 51:3-11; 56:8; Jer 3:12-15; 31:6-7; 51:10; Joel
2:18-32; 3:16-21; Mic 5:3; Zeph 3:13-20; Zech 2:7; 8:11-12; Heb 10:25).
Otherwise,
the escapees from the House of Yisrael include some persons at large who are
not true believers or followers of The HIGHEST YHWH. Upon arrival in the historic city, these
escapees undertake a campaign to force their will upon people either working at
the Temple site or worshipping at the Temple, once it is sufficiently rebuilt
for worship (much like the Samaritans of old).
Some
of these heathen escapees (apparently Christian Israelites) of the House of
Yisrael, finding safety in Jerusalem, actually have the gall to try to
incorporate their pagan (false worship) beliefs, idols (perhaps crosses,
obelisks and so forth), practices (likely Easter, Christmas, etc) and images
(probably pictures and statues of the long-haired, effeminate Gee-Zeus) into
the Temple's inner court, near the sanctuary (Ezek 8:3-12; Rev 11:2).
All
of these pagan beliefs have been or will be described in some detail in other
chapters herein. The reader is asked to
be patient and truth will eventually emerge.
In
timing, it seems that this Christian Israelite defilement of the Temple/Temple
Mount area may first surface in Yechezkel’s 31st year--apparently after work is
started on the Temple (per Ezek 8:1, 5).
An
attempt will be made in a later chapter to date Yechezkel’s years to
contemporary dates. Obviously, once
Yechezkel’s 30th year is dated, all of his other dates mesh together. As will also be covered later, it might be
that the prophecies outlined for Darius 2 (in Haggai and Zekharyah) will
dovetail with or near Yechezkel’s 30th year.
If so, the dates of Darius can also be tied to modern dates.
With
an understanding of the importance of Darius 2 to events at the Temple, it
could be that some Christian agitation against the Temple stops construction at
some point in time (just as happened in Second Temple days).
Jim Ammerman
Actually,
this suggestion that Christian Israelites will escape their doomed nations to
go to Jerusalem is not as far fetched as some may suppose. A well known Christian preacher named Jim
Ammerman had some most fascinating comments on this idea in his 1997 video on
the “Imminent Military Takeover of the U.S.A. II,” produced and distributed by
the Prophecy Club.
It
seems that this Jim Ammerman is a retired full colonel (chaplain) from the US
Army. His talk implied that he is still involved in some work of placing
Christian chaplains in the military and in certain civilian concerns as well. Evidently, he has been doing this for some
years and has had contacts with hundreds of Christian chaplains and
preachers.
In
the course of his video presentation, this retired colonel made a statement to
the effect that he and a number of his chaplain colleagues are looking forward
to going to Jerusalem to look for the return of their anticipated Gee-Zeus, so
that they can go to heaven before or with the approaching age end. This statement was interesting in view of his
talk on the pending destruction of America and the closeness of the end.
Perhaps
Ammerman and the other Christians have wanted to be in Jerusalem at the time of
the believed Christian rapture (which is quite unscriptural, as will be proven
later in this study). However, it is
important to note that many Christian Israelites would indeed flee to Jerusalem
without much provocation when trouble comes to their home lands.
Luke 21:23-24
There
is an interesting prophecy by YESHUA which could have some relevance here. Just before His death in 30 CE, He offered
some far reaching prophetic statements to His disciples from the Temple Mount
(Matt 24; Lu 21). In that presentation,
He spoke of the coming great tribulation and placed it in context as coming
when “the times of the Gentiles (ethnon) are accomplished.”
Actually,
He clarified His statement somewhat by saying that this people (evidently then
in Jerusalem) will fall by the sword and be led captive into all of the nations
(Greek ethne), and Jerusalem will be trodden down by the ethnon till the times
of the ethnon may be accomplished (Lu 21:23-24).
While
the presence of the article “the,” preceding the ethne, may be suggestive of
the tribes of Yisrael (as brought out in a previous chapter herein, on the
discussion of the meaning of nations made by Thomas Jones in his book “The
Elect: Who Are They?--A Scriptural
View”), the context could be communicating a broader view of nations from the
standpoint of the non-Israelite world.
In
any case, the two mentions of ethnon appear to link to the lost tribes of
Yisrael. And if so, it might be that
YESHUA is saying that some House of Yisrael Israelites (surely Christian
Israelites) will trodden down Jerusalem (especially the Temple?)--just before
the age end, until the times of the House of Yisrael nations come to an end;
which, of course, in timing, must precede the great tribulation.
Such
an interpretation would clarify this prophecy (which is now largely
misunderstood) and make it of extreme importance to the House of Yisrael, in
contrast to the Jews. Of course, if the
ethnon are the House of Yisrael peoples, it is manifest that these words tie
directly to Ezekiel 8-9.
Righteous Executions
The
above described wickedness (of polluting YHWH’s Temple) by presumable Christian
Israelites angers The MOST HIGH, so much so, that He inspires some of His
representatives involved with possibly the first two prophets or final two
witnesses in Jerusalem to righteously slay these evil Israelites who would dare
defile the Temple with their probable Christian abominations (Ezek
9:4-11).
Also,
at some point in time (possibly during one of the invasions of Palestine by
external forces and certainly by Yechezkel’s’ 34th year), other wicked and
depraved House of Yisrael exiles hiding out in Palestine are likewise judged by
YHWH and are expelled to a geographical area--just outside the Israeli state,
but near its borders, seemingly in Southern Lebanon (Ezek 11:10-15; Zech
11:1).
There,
these rebellious sinning House of Yisrael people (apparently Christians) are similarly
condemned and thrust into slavery and bondage by a foreign power, just as their
relatives and associates were exiled sometime beforehand in their previous
homelands (Ezek 2-7).
Probably,
at this juncture, most Christians will get all excited and upset over these
critical remarks made above about the presence of outright paganism and
wickedness in traditional Christianity and a coming punishment on Christians. However, these comments are not being made
lightly or irresponsibly. They have been
or will be elaborated upon and conclusively proven in other chapters
herein.
Other Similar Perceptions
Other
writers have also seen a linkage of certain Christians to the House of Yisrael,
although in a different light than what the writer of these lines
recognize. For example, Dr Alfred
Lilienthal, quoted earlier, noted that “in anthropological fact, many
Christians may have much more Hebrew-Israelite blood in their veins than most of
their Jewish neighbors” (“What Price Israel,” p. 233).
Bernard
L. Bateson, also quoted formerly, remarked that “it is not so foolish after all
to believe that the descendants of the ‘Lost Tribes’ (of Yisrael) are to be
found amongst the Christian peoples” (“New Beginnings,” Oct 1995, p. 11).
In
quoting Lilienthal and Bateson, some clarification is needed. While many fleshly Israelites (of the House
of Yisrael) are Christians, all cannot be so labeled. Importantly, all Christians are not
Israelites of the House of Yisrael. In
fact, “most” Christians are not fleshly Israelites at all since Christianity
encompasses vast numbers and multitudes of ger, nokri, mamzer, behemah and
chaiyah peoples and nations.
Therefore,
the two terms (Christian and Israelite) are not synonymous at all. These concepts are worlds apart, as one is
able to ascertain in other comments herein.
So one should not be entrapped into supposing that Christianity is an
exclusive religion of the House of Yisrael peoples and nations.
True,
the bulk of the peoples of the lost House of Yisrael are modern Christians
(generally Protestant Christians) in terms of religious persuasion. But in terms of collective Christendom, there
are vast numbers of Christians in many of the other non-Israelite nations in
the world. Yes, Christianity is a world
religion, involving “all” kinds of peoples all over the globe.
The
House of Yisrael Israelites have been identified in previous chapters as being
essentially the White Anglo-Saxon-Celtic peoples of the US and British
Commonwealth. Of course, White
Anglo-Saxon-Celtic racial/ethnic peoples are surely individual Israelites
wherever they are located--in Europe, Asia, Africa or wherever.
There
is some semblance of Protestant Christianity in the rest of Northwest Europe
which is not Israelite. Of course, the
huge areas of Catholic Christianity are not Israelite with their populations of
nokri/nekar, mixed blooded peoples.
Some Clarification
Having
mentioned above and in earlier comments the fact of this limited return of
Israelites to Jerusalem at or near the fall of the House of Yisrael nations (in
the context of including part or all of the election), some further
clarification is needed.
It
seems plausible that the headquarters’ organizations (or governing authorities)
of the seven assemblies of Revelation 1-3 (as will be described in later
chapters herein) will ultimately relocate to Jerusalem, also around the time of
the trouble on or fall of the House of Yisrael.
Such
a motion in conjunction with the trouble upon their national governments may
prompt many or all persons in the election of the 144,000 (from the seven
assemblies, to be discussed in succeeding chapters) to find it prudent to also
relocate to Jerusalem, as indicated above.
For
sure, much of Philadelphia will eventually relocate to Palestine and certainly
before the great tribulation. Also, of
enormous importance, it seems likely that the final assembly, Laodicea, will
organize and come into existence in Jerusalem and probably while the first two
prophets and/or two final witnesses are restoring true worship.
Correction and Restoration
Previous comments have mentioned the
reality of the coming of seven years of Yakov’s Trouble which will spell out
enormous hurt and punishment (in the form of correction) upon the House of
Yisrael because of her vast sins.
With the conclusion of Yakov’s Trouble,
restoration and healing comes--which will include the final return of the House
of Yisrael to the promise land of Canaan (as noted above).
Historically, this process took place
in an ante-typical fulfillment following Yisrael’s sojourn in Egyptian slavery
and the Exodus under Moshe and the entrance of Yisrael into the promised land
under Yehoshua (Joshua in the KJV). The
great Exodus came from Egypt upon the completion of a mark off of punishment of
430 years. It occurred during the Feast
of Unleavened Bread--which symbolizes the move out of sin.
Another ante-type of this process came
about with the Jews--starting in 1869 and accelerating until 1948 and
thereafter with the establishment of the Jewish state (as discussed elsewhere
herein). Yehudah fell from Jerusalem in
c554 BCE and was not completely restored to Jerusalem until the Six-Day War of
1967.
Prior comments in this chapter outline
the limited return of some Christian Israelites from the House of Yisrael to
Palestine, as their nations begin to fall under the provisions of Yakov’s
Trouble. The case can be made that this
anticipated limited return is also an ante-type of the real thing (which will
still be future).
These various ante-typical fulfillments
are all, of course, projecting the real coming punishment upon the House of
Yisrael (under Yakov’s Trouble) and her ultimate return to Palestine, as will
be described in some detail in later chapters herein. Yisrael will be punished (corrected) during
the seven years of Yakov’s Trouble.
YHWH will then restore her to the
promised land in a second great exodus (which will possibly occur, in part,
during a coming festival of Sukkot).
The Seven Times
In the outline of the punishment coming
upon Yisrael (in the form of Yakov’s Trouble) in Leviticus 26, Moshe mentions
seven times of punishment some three times (Lev 26:18, 21, 24). The first of these events involve the
breaking of Yisrael’s pride and then a drought.
The next one comes when the behemah go wild and begin to terrify the
Israelites (as the welfare programs end).
The last one comes with a foreign conquest.
While one looks upon the reference to
the seven times as being a prophecy of time (seven years or 2520 days), it
would be well to note that the phrase can refer to intensity of
punishment.
Thus, the three references to seven
times can be to time or intensity or both.
Possibly, the first reference is to seven years and the following two
indicate an increase in the intensity of the trial.
Some Dating Possibilities
There are some exceptional problems
involved in trying to date these events.
As will be established later, the evidence is that Yechezkel’s 30th year
may see the start of the seven years of Yakov’s Trouble.
Since Yakov’s Trouble eventually may
end around seven years later in Yechezkel’s 37th year, the chronology would
suggest that part or most of Yisrael’s physical restoration to the land could
occur in Yechezkel’s 37th year or thereafter (probably most of the surviving fleshly
Israelites return to the promise land of Yisrael in Yechezkel’s 38th year which
will be some seven years after Yechezkel’s 31st year that may see the start of
some of the final intensity of Yisrael’s chastisement).
Actually, events seem to have already
unfolded in 2000-2002 which imply or suggest the commencement of at least the
first signs of Yakov’s Trouble. These
events will be outlined in later chapters that describe some things which
happened on Bul 15 of 2000 and later.
However, none of the years 2000, 2001 or 2002 were Yechezkel’s 30th year
(as hindsight has so proven).
Nevertheless, with this beginning
trouble, how can it then be true that the ultimate seven years of Yakov’s
Trouble (perhaps the final aspects of it) may unfold in Yechezkel’s 30th year
(to end in Yechezkel’s 37th year or thereafter in a phased motion, as will be
described in later chapters). For an
explanation here, there might be another case of prophetic duality surfacing.
Possibly, the beginning of trouble in
Bul 15 of 2000 (which was the anniversary of Yarovam’s establishment of sun
worship in Yisrael) and thereafter (as it accelerated for the balance of
2000--with the stock market troubles, the election debacle and other year end
difficulties) may be just one more ante-type of the real thing. Maybe, this punishment was merely the
beginning signs of trouble or an ante-type of it.
For example, seven Scriptural years
from Bul 15 of Yechezkel’s 30th year takes one to Bul of Yechezkel’s 37th year
and just after YESHUA’s likely entrance into Jerusalem with the election. Seven times of 2520 days from the fall of
Yechezkel’s 30th year may end somewhere near Bul 15 of Yechezkel’s’ 37th
year. Maybe the 31st-33d years may be
reflective of the time when trouble really gets serious.
More on the Return
While this writer cannot be specific,
it is plausible that some fleshly Israelites could start to return about this
same time frame in Yechezkel’s 37th year (along with the election which will
then be changed to immortality). If the
very elect had any children or young adults under age 30, they likely will
enter Canaan land in the flesh and not as persons changed to immortality (as
will be true for the election).
When the election is at the Sea of
Glass (to be discussed in a later chapter herein), it seems unclear where any
of these fleshly Israelites might be. If
from the very elect class, will they go to Petra and the Sea of Glass with
their parents? This writer is not sure
about this question.
But it is likely that any underage
children of the very elect class can be protected in some manner and may enter
Jerusalem about this same time frame as their parents.
The
return of Yisrael to Palestine was discussed earlier, and will be further
addressed in later chapters herein. It
is adequately described in the Scriptures (Lev 26:44-45; Deut 30:1-5; Jer
3:12-17; 23:3; 29:14; 31:8-11; 32:37; Ezek 11:17; 34:11-16; 36:24; 37:21;39:27;
Mic 4:11-13; Zep 3:18-20). Again, the
book of Ezekiel seems to be the best witness of this return.
The
remarks of Yechezkel on the return (Ezek 34:11-16; 36:20-37:28, 39:27) are
placed in the Book--largely before the Gog and Magog invasion (which may occur
as late as Yechezkel’s 40th year, to be described in subsequent chapters).
Therefore
Thus,
much or all of the return of the House of Yisrael to the land should happen
before Yechezkel’s 41st year (actually, the return of fleshly Yisrael may
largely occur in Yechezkel’s 38th year and perhaps may extend into Yechezkel’s
39th year). In any case, Yisrael has
returned before the Gog invasion. This
writer is not prepared to say which Scriptures precisely date the return of
fleshly Yisrael.
The best option seems to be that the
return starts around Bul 15th in Yechezkel’s 37th year (at least for the age
ending election changed to immortality and maybe some few fleshly Israelites)
and will largely conclude for the surviving fleshly Israelites at Sukkot in
Yechezkel’s 38th or 39th year (where the bulk of the Scriptures on the return of
fleshly Yisrael will be fulfilled for perhaps 2.4 million Israelite
people).
If
Yakov’s Trouble starts officially by Yechezkel’s 30th year and intensifies the
next year (in a phased-in motion, starting with the breaking of Yisrael’s
pride--Lev 26:19), it surely ends completely with the second great exodus from
slavery (which could start around Bul 15 of Yechezkel’s 37th year, but which
may primarily occur at or near Sukkot in Yechezkel’s 38th and possibly into
Yechezkel’s 39th year for fleshly Yisrael).
Chapter
134--Yehudah
More History on Yehudah
With
the fall of the House of Yisrael to the Assyrians, the survivors of the House
of Yehudah in the South continued their sin and evil (despite the efforts of
the good King Yoshiyahu to change them).
They soon came under YHWH’s judgment when the Babylonians invaded and
conquered the Southern Kingdom in about 554 BCE.
These
Southern House of Yehudah people were then carried captive to Babylon where
they were to remain for the next 70 years to fulfill YHWH’s Word.
At
the end of the 70 years of punishment, many of the surviving people of the
Southern Kingdom returned to Canaan land to rebuild the Temple and recommence
true worship of YHWH (under leaders like Ezra, Zerubbabel, Yeshua, Nechemyah,
etc).
But Much Yisrael Was in the Diaspora
By
this time, the earlier ten tribes of Yisrael (plus much of Yehudah, Binyamin
and likley Levi) were long gone into history as the tribes of Yisrael.
With
the re-establishment of the House of Yehudah in Canaan land, following the
Babylonian exile, there remained large numbers of other Israelites out in the
Diaspora. First, there was the reality
that all of the Judeans, who either fled Canaan or were taken captive by the
Babylonians, did not return to Canaan with the return cited in Ezra and
Nehemiah.
That’s
why there were numbers of Jews remaining in Babylon and out in the Diaspora,
even after the supposed return of Yehudah to Canaan land. This condition was discussed in some detail
in preceding chapters to account for the huge number of Jewish Israelites found
in NT times in the general Roman empire.
Beyond
these dispersed people from the House of Yehudah, there was also the huge
number of Israelites in both the former House of Yisrael and those from the
House of Yehudah who had went into Assyrian captivity--also as found in various
parts of the Roman empire, like in Asia Minor (as noted earlier).
Movement to the Isles of the Sea
In
time, the House of Yisrael Israelites began breaking free of their exiled
locations and moved North and West to the Isles of the Sea where some of their
other brethren had also relocated over the years.
This
assembling of Israelite people in the Isles of the Sea was to last from its
beginnings (evidently starting as early as the time of the Exodus, and
certainly from the time of the Assryian deportations until the 20th century, as
is detailed elsewhere herein).
From
the Isles of the Sea, many of these Israelites in time began a further removal
to their individual tribal homelands (as noted earlier and to be further
addressed later).
In
his wisdom, YHWH clearly produced a dispersal of the House of Yisrael and House
of Yehudah from the land of Canaan. Many
of the people of Yehudah were brought back to Canaan land following the
Babylonian exile.
Many
or most of the House of Yisrael people (plus those persons from Yehudah and
Binyamin who also left Canaan with the Assyrian conquests) eventually moved to
their own tribal lands, in far away territories.
Beyond
these persons, who ended up in their own lands from the sixth century BCE to
the time of YESHUA, there also remained huge numbers of other Israelites simply
out in the Diaspora. As noted above,
many of these Israelites were in Asia Minor and South East Europe.
The Jews and Judaism
Those
Israelites in Canaan soon developed the Jewish religion and largely became
known as Jews--despite enormous miscegenation and amalgamation with the pagan
nations that they were in contact with (like with the Amalekites, as will be
covered in subsequent chapters herein).
The
Israelites from the Assyrian deportations and earlier removals became largely
lost as to their identity and nationality.
It is these people who are the so-called lost tribes of Yisrael. They exist somewhere. The problem is that they lost their identity
while the Jews retained their identity (since the Jews were never divorced, per
se).
The
Jews, living in Canaan land after the Babylonian exile, produced, of course,
the famous Maccabees during the Greek oppression (c 168 BCE) and in time,
YESHUA The MESSIAH. While some
corruption came into their Hebrew religion, it was basically Scriptural and
received favorable recognition when YESHUA and His disciples and followers
regularly worshipped in the Synagogues.
Tragically,
for the sake of the Palestinian Jews after the Babylonian exile until the time
of YESHUA, the Jews assimilated the evil Amalekites (like Herod and the
Herodians), as noted above and as will be assessed in some detail in later
chapters. These Amalekite workers of
evil brought much hurt on the Jewish people and laid the groundwork for the
second major deportation of Jews from Canaan land.
The Second Exile
The
second Jewish exile came during the Jewish-Roman war of 66-73 CE and later in
the so-called Bar Kochba rebellion (in about 135 CE). This essentially ended the Jewish presence
and remnant of the House of Yehudah in the land of Canaan for the next many
centuries. But it did set the stage for
a second recovery and gathering together of Israelites from out in the Diaspora
to Canaan land in modern times.
This
second recovery of Israelites and restoration of them to Canaan land (to be
described in chapters to follow) has become a prophetic anti-type of the
situation of the lost tribes of Yisrael, also out in the Diaspora; but in a
state of ignorance about their own racial ancestry and heritage.
Yes,
as strange it may seem, the members of the lost tribes of Yisrael in the
Diaspora, now in their temporary tribal homelands, are about to face a second
period of punishment and exilement to be followed with a recovery to
Palestine. These lost Israelites will,
like the Yehudim of 70 CE, face an external foe who will conquer them and
destroy their national governments.
These
Israelite survivors will then revert to the typical fulfillment of the Egyptian
servitude which their ancestors faced 3,500 years ago. They will go through the wringer to be
cleaned up to anticipate the return of their MESSIAH YESHUA.
The Recovery of Yisrael to
Palestine
It
will be YESHUA Who will then recover these scattered Israelite survivors and
bring them to the land of their ancestors--old Canaan land where they will at
last be reunited in one government, under YESHUA, with the House of Yehudah (as
is described in Ezekiel 33-39).
All
or this will happen after YESHUA returns in the future to establish His
Messianic Kingdom over planet earth. All
of Yisrael will then know their identity and will once more be in the promised
land of Avraham.
In
summary, both the House of Yisrael and the House of Yehudah will end up in two
separate exiles and dispersions and two recoveries and restorations. Yehudah has now had two experiences. The House of Yisrael has only seen one of its
two experiences. The second one is still
future at this time.
Chapter
135--Aliyah and Zionism I
The Aliyah Factor
The
concepts of both Zionism and Aliyah have been allowed in former chapters herein
without much of a definition or expatiation.
This chapter will address both ideas to some degree. The two concepts are related and linked, as
will now be established herein.
Importantly,
the word “Aliyah” means going up to Erez Israel (the land of Yisrael). The idea inherent in Aliyah is one of Jewish
immigration to Palestine (although it will soon be a Hebrew concept for the
lost House of Yisrael as well).
Theoretically, Palestine was emptied of Yisrael in the Roman Wars of the
first century CE and/or later during the periods of Muslim and Crusader
occupation.
However,
the evidence seems persuasive that the Jewish removals and/or expulsions were
never 100%, as supposed. Practically
speaking, there seems to always have been “some” Jewish presence in the land,
ever since the return of the Jews under Ezra and Nechemyah, following the
Babylonian exile.
By
the time of the Ottoman Turk’s conquest in 1516 CE, there was admittedly very
few Jews in Palestine. Though the Turks
were a little more friendly to the Jews than earlier conquerors, they, too, did
not open the doors to much Jewish immigration (and especially from European
Jewry). But there was some from time to
time. Howbeit, it was very small.
The Unassimilable Jew
Certainly,
from the time of the Roman conquests of Palestine and the fall of Jerusalem in
70 CE, the Jewish population was largely expelled to the winds throughout the
world. Despite this dispersed condition,
the Jews have maintained the Hebrew Tanakh and the Hebrew language, though all
of the odds for such were against them.
Also,
of profound importance, the Jews maintained some semblance of identity and
culture--again, despite the odds against them.
For many students of the Word, one of the great proofs of the Scriptures
has been the continuing presence of the Jews.
Logically, they should have been absorbed by other peoples long
ago.
There
seems to be no good reason for the presence of the Jews, the Hebrew language or
the Hebrew Tanakh. But all three
survived and are present in the world today.
Manifestly, their existence spells out the reality of The Great
SOVEREIGN Who oversees all of the activities of man--both for good and
bad.
The Sephardim
Please
understand that in any discussion on good Jews, the focus must be primarily on
Sephardim (to include the Oriental Jews)--who apparently owe their roots to
Second Temple Jewry and not particularly to the Ashkenazi Jews of Europe, who
largely stem from Amalekite Khazars (who converted to Judaism in the 8th
century CE, as will be described in later commentary herein).
Though
the Khazars would maintain some Jewish identity over the years, they were never
as dedicated and committed to Judaism and the idea of being a Jew, as was the
case of the Sephardim, who evidently were and are far more likely to have roots
back to Second Temple Jewry.
So
the Sephardi Jews maintained an existence and a better understanding of the
Hebrew language than the Khazars, who had problems almost from their very
beginnings, as will be addressed at length later herein.
Man
is truly blessed today by the Sephardi Jews and their efforts to preserve the
Tanakh, Hebrew language and the Jewish culture.
The Problem
But
this Jewish desire to maintain some separation (Hebrew kodesh) from the various
peoples and countries where they lived also brought on much Jewish persecution
and opposition by the host countries. It
seems that everybody in Adam’s world hated Judaism, the Tanakh and Hebrew words
and writings in general.
The
sun worshipping peoples (and particularly the later Christians) took their
hatred and spite out on the ethnic Jews for most of the last 2,000 years. Many scholars have stated the problem. The Jews would not assimilate and intermarry
with the host countries (the Khazars being a slight difference, however). This reality has infuriated other peoples who
wanted to miscegenate.
Hibbat Zion
In
this condition of trying to live and exist in the Diaspora, the dedicated and
committed Jews developed a love of Zion (in Hebrew, “Hibbat Zion”). This love and commitment to Palestine became
the basis for the later Aliyah and Zionist movements (“Encyclopaedia Judaica,”
v. 16, p. 1037).
The
love of Zion combined with Messianic expectations to create quite an interest
in settling Erez Israel (the land of Yisrael in the Hebrew) in the 19th century
(primarily by 1869). Soon, two primary
spokesmen for the movement surfaced.
One
of the most influential persons promoting the idea was R. Judah Alkalai (1798-1878),
an undistinguished preacher in a Sephardi community in the Balkans (ibid, v.
16, p. 1034). Starting in the 1840s,
Alkalai started to propagate his view of a Jewish national unity, using the
Hebrew language and a resettlement to Palestine.
The
other key proponent of this message was Zevi Hirsch Kalischer, a German
Rabbinic scholar of Polish origin (ibid, v. 16, p. 1035). As early as 1836, Kalischer contacted the
super rich Rothschilds to buy the whole of Erez Israel from the Ottoman Turks
or at least Jerusalem and/or the Temple Mount (ibid, v. 16, p. 1035). Later, Kalischer made the same request to
Moses Montefiore.
But
nothing concrete was to come out of these early ideas. However, by the Jubilee of 1868-1869, the
Hibbat Zion motion was established and a reality. Though not much had been accomplished over
the years, things were to change in the latter part of the 19th century.
The Settlements
In
1870, one of the most noteworthy events of all occurred with the establishment
of Mikveh Israel, an agricultural school, on 650 acres of land East of Tel Aviv
and Jaffe. This school was founded by
the Alliance Israelite Universelle. By
1914, Hebrew had become its language of instruction.
In
the years 1878-1881, a group of Jerusalem Jews decided to establish an
agricultural village in Israel’s coastal plain.
It became Petah Tikvah (Gateway of Hope). With financial aid from Baron Edmond de
Rothschild, the village survived, despite many obstacles (ibid, v. 16, p.
337).
With
the establishment of Petah Tikvah, the stage was set for the wonderful changes
in Palestine in the 1880s.
First,
in 1881, Eliezer Ben-Yahuda came.
Ben-Yahuda was perhaps the most important person of all in the
establishment of the Hebrew language in the vernacular (as will be proven
later). His work was to be one of the
most profound in all of history.
In
1882, the first great Jewish Aliyah commenced to Palestine (“Encyclopaedia
Judaica,” v. 8, p. 766). In 1883, Baron
Edmond de Rothschild began financial help to Jewish settlements in Palestine
(like at Petah Tikvah).
The
Zionist movement became a reality in the 1890s.
It provided the impetus for the second great Aliyah in 1904 and
everything to follow.
The Zionist Movement
The
story of the wonderful Zionist movement is lengthy, although its history is
primarily limited in time to the last 100 years.
There
has come to be some confusion over the word Zionism (both its political and
religious/social aspects, to be addressed below), as evident in the various
attempts at defining it.
For
example, Funk & Wagnalls’ “Standard Desk Dictionary” (p. 799) gives it as
“A movement for the resettlement of the Jews in Palestine.” “The Concise Columbia Encyclopedia” (p. 941)
says it means a “movement for reconstituting a Jewish state in Palestine.”
The
backdrop for these differences is that in the beginnings of the movement, in
the 19th century, the political situation was such that intelligent Jews could
not dare come out and say that they were going to establish a Jewish state in
Palestine (which was then governed by the Ottoman Turks and largely inhabited
by Arabs).
However,
Jewish intellectuals could and did openly talk in terms of Jewish immigration
to Palestine. Once the Jewish state
became a reality with British and United Nations actions in 1947-1948, the
movement took on the more political aspect of the establishment of a Jewish
state. In any case, the word Zionism
conveys both images.
More Than Politics
Perhaps
because of these earlier political considerations, many persons even today
believe that Zionism represents a political motion. This is particularly true in America and
other countries which have given vast aid and assistance to the State of
Israel--either in money or otherwise.
Right
wing sources in America and especially those that are nationalistic, like the
“American Free Press” paper and various patriot groups, are generally opposed
to the financial support of Zionism on the premise that the movement is
political and is detrimental to the United States (at least, in terms of the continued
give away of vast US funds to Israel).
Despite
the attempts to make the motion totally political, the better view is that some
part of it has been a social and religious movement--predicated upon the
concept of Hibbat Zion, discussed above.
Put another way, the Aliyah to Palestine and the Zionist establishment
of a Jewish state have been strongly in the hearts, minds and mentality of
numbers of Jews since the 1860s.
Something
largely overlooked by everyone is the fact that this motivation and mental
attitude seems to be directly from The MOST HIGH, Himself. Since it seemingly has involved The Sovereign
YHWH from day one, its future success was assured. No human being could have ever stopped,
interfered with or limited Zionism, as it developed over the years since the
1860s.
Theodore Herzl
To
appreciate the Zionist movement (the love of Zion idea), the focus must be
directed to a European Jew named Theodore Herzl (who is further discussed at
some length elsewhere herein), who seems to have been largely a secularist who
did maintain political ambitions for a Jewish state.
Herzl
was born in Budapest, Hungary in 1860, just as the first thoughts of Hibbat
Zion were beginning to surface. Though
he was educated a lawyer and practiced that profession for awhile, his real
interests seem to have been in writing and political reporting.
Per
“Encyclopaedia Judaica” (v. 8, p. 408), Herzl’s first real focus on the plight
of the Jews and the so-called Jewish problem came while he was a reporter in
Paris in 1891-1895 for the Vienna “Neue Freie Presse,” where he worked.
Judaica
says that the Dreyfus case (involving treason accusations against a French
Jewish officer) convinced him of the need for a Jewish resettlement in a land
of their own.
Herzl
was a Socialist and seems to have had little interest in religion. Likely, he was an Amalekite racially which
must have motivated him to become obsessed with so-called anti-Semitism (which
seems to completely dominate the thinking of most Amalekites, as outlined in
other commentary herein).
In
any case, Herzl contacted the well known Jewish philanthropist Baron Maurice de
Hirsch in May 1895 over the plight of the Jews.
Judaica says that their meeting in June 1895 was the first act by Herzl
in pursuit of Zionism. From then on,
Herzl seems to have devoted most of his time and energy to Zionist ideas.
By
August 1897, Herzl was instrumental in promoting the first Zionist Congress
which met in Basel, Switzerland. At that
time, the World Zionist Organization was formed with Herzl as first
president. From there on, Herzl and
others began talking and trying to promote the idea of a Jewish homeland with
possibilities in Palestine (if wealthy Jews could buy it from the Turks) or in
Africa or Cyprus, as alternatives.
Herzl Goes to Constantinople
Therefore,
in 1899, Theodore Herzl traveled to Constantinople to attend meetings (which
continued up to 1904) with the Sultan Abdul Hamid and his minister N. Bey. Herzl came armed with enormous financial backing
from the Rothschilds and other wealthy Jews of the day. He came to buy Palestine. Negotiations were intense.
The
Sultan was stubborn and in the end would not agree to the proposed sale. Therefore, he effectively sealed the fate and
future of the once great, Ottoman, Turkish Empire.
Soon,
the big money powers and super rich set the Turks and Germans up to lose
WWI--probably to a large extent over the Sultan’s refusal to give in to
Herzl. Hence, the Ottomans lost
Palestine, as well as much of the rest of their former land holdings.
Other Alternatives
The
British government in particular (under Colonial Secretary Joseph Chamberlain)
considered alternatives at Cyprus and elsewhere for a Jewish settlement. Soon, there was much talk of a Jewish
homeland in East Africa. Although Herzl
off and on considered the African plan, it was largely rejected by most of the
Zionist leadership.
Somehow,
most Jews could not move off stage from the love of Zion ideas already
outlined. Therefore, Africa, Cyprus and
all other (non Palestine) alternatives were destined to failure. In the main, the Jewish mind and mentality
were focused upon Palestine, though Jews could do little about it in the early
20th century. This then set the stage
for what was to follow in WWI.
WWI
WWI
broke out in 1914 when the Serbian Archduke Francis Ferdinand was assassinated
at Sarajevo in the Balkans (where the great powers are now gathered in
conflict). It pitted the allies of
Britain, France, Russia and ultimately the US against the so-called Central
Powers of Germany, the Austro Hungarian empire and the Ottoman Turks.
At
the first opportunity, the British Foreign Secretary dispatched a British
officer named T. E. Lawrence to Arabia to instill grandeur ideas of Arab
greatness, land, glory, plunder and on and on in them--if they would but join
in the fight against the Turks. The
famous Lawrence of Arabia was very persuasive.
So the Ishmaelite Arabs joined the allies.
In
the meantime, it was beginning to be obvious to everyone in 1917 that the
Central nations would lose the war.
Since there was the enormous Ottoman empire in Southeastern Europe and
the Middle East, allied leaders began to think about how they would break it up
and portion it out to others.
The Balfour Declaration and the
Mandate
This
background sets the stage for the work of Arthur James Balfour (an evident
Amalekite Jew), British Foreign Secretary during the war. On Nov 2, 1917, he wrote a letter to the
super rich, plutocrat Amalekite--Baron Lionel Rothschild--on how the British
government was favorable to the establishment of a Jewish homeland in
Palestine.
Though
many historians would come along and try to claim that the Balfour Declaration
was prompted by the need to induce the Jews to support the war, the real reason
is obvious. By November 1917, the
Central Powers were beaten and General Allenby was about to march into
Jerusalem. This reality prompted the
Amalekite plutocrats to pressure the British government to respond as she did.
Despite
the new pledges to the Jews, there was the situation with the Arabs; who, too,
were promised grand and glorious things in the Middle East. Of course, the idea of a Jewish homeland in
Palestine did not set well with them.
They didn’t like the plan at all.
The
UN’s predecessor organization, the League of Nations, was functioning at the
end of WWI. This group prepared a
Mandate for Britain and France to administer and govern much of Palestine. Britain obtained possession of most of the
Southern area that once was old Canaan.
However,
this territory was inhabited largely by Arabs who were also promised the land
by the British and T. E. Lawrence earlier.
Obviously, the Arabs were upset with the existing Balfour Declaration
and the prospects of a national Jewish state in Palestine.
To
appease the Arabs, the British government issued a number of so-called White
papers to try to placate both the Jews and the Arabs by formally limiting
Jewish immigration into Palestine by specific numbers. But these efforts really satisfied neither
party.
WWII and the Jewish State
WWII
erupted in 1939 when the allies of Britain, France, Russia and eventually the
US took on the axis powers of Germany, Italy and Japan. Again, Germany and her colleagues were
defeated. Howbeit, this time, things
were a little different for the Jews who had suffered considerably under Nazism
in Europe.
Many
Jews were homeless and sitting in displaced person camps, hoping to go to
Palestine, but could not go because of the British limitations on
immigration. However, the Jews had a lot
of sympathy from around the world. So
pressure was applied on Britain to change things (coupled with Jewish terrorism
against the British in Palestine). By
1947, Britain had had enough.
She
announced that she would end the mandate in 1948. This set the stage for the United Nations to
step in and vote in November 1947 to partition Palestine into separate Jewish
and Arab states. The Jewish people in
Palestine, led by David Ben-Gurion, declared their independence on May 14,
1948--which brought on the first Arab war (an interesting date, in view of
Jamestown, Virginia on May 15, 1607).
Some Amazing Prophetic
Fulfillments
Some
years ago, this writer was privileged to learn of something absolutely
incredible in the context of the modern state of Israel. There is, for some important and fantastic
reason, an incredible parallel between the fall of the Jewish state to the Babylonians
in the 6th century BCE and with the restoration of the Jewish state in the post
WWII days.
Most
Christians fail to pick up on it. But
the books of Samuel and Kings are not only historical books, but they are
prophetic as well. In the Jewish canon,
discussed in a former chapter, the books of Samuel and Kings are placed with
the other prophets.
In
any case, the fall of ancient Jerusalem is laid out in some detail in II Kings,
II Chronicles and Jeremiah. It is
fascinating that there was a unique pattern of the attacks upon Yehudah which
reduced her and resulted in the total removal of the Jews from Palestine, until
their eventual return some 70 years later.
The Events
First,
Egypt came into Yehudah in a motion to destroy her sovereignty, take captives,
plunder her wealth and install a puppet government in the form of Yehoyakim (II
Kg 23:29-35; II Chron 36:1-4).
But
very quickly, the international situation changed and the Babylonians became
the world leaders with a conquest of Egypt in Yehoyakim’s fourth year,
following three years of his rule (Jer 25:1; 46:2). Apparently, Yehoyakim did not initially
submit to the new world government in Babylon.
Though
Yehoyakim was to eventually rule 11 years, this change of world power and his
initial rebellion in his fourth year (against the new Babylonian rulers) was to
alter his future.
The
Babylonians, under Nebuchadnezzar, invaded Yehudah, reduced its sovereignty,
took captives, plundered her wealth and continued Yehoyakim as ruler, but as a
puppet of Babylon (II Kg 23:36-24:1).
Please note that this first Babylonian attack happened something over
three years after the Egyptian conquest.
Yehoyakim
ruled another eight years as a vassal of Babylon. He apparently then revolted against the Babylonians
and soon died (II Kg 24:6; II Chron 36:6-8).
He
was replaced by his son, Yehoyakhin, who only ruled three months (but served an
earlier 8 to 10 years as a co-regent with his father) before Nebuchadnezzar
conquered Jerusalem a second time after the revolt of Yehoyakim and the
unwillingness of Yehoyakhin to submit at once to Babylon (II Kg 24:8-16; II
Chron 36:9-10).
This
second Babylonian invasion took place some eight years after the first
one. As before, Nebuchadnezzar took
captives, plundered the wealth and created a puppet government under
Yehoyakim’s brother Tzidkiyahu.
Under
the new vassal state, Tzidkiyahu was to rule eleven years before he, too,
revolted, necessitating another conquest of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar in c554
BCE (II Kg 24:17-25:11; II Chron 36:10-20; Jer 52:1-15).
This
third Babylonian conquest took place eleven years following the second
one. This time Nebuchadnezzar terminated
the government and took all of the Israelites captive--save some of the poor of
the land (plus Yirmeyahu and some of the persons in his entourage), whom he
left behind under a governor named Gedaliah (Gedalyahu in the Hebrew; II Kg
25:12-24; Jer 52:16).
But
things were not to go well for the remaining Jews living in Palestine because
some time later a renegade Jew named Ishmael murdered Gedalyahu (II Kg
25:25). The surviving people then fled
to Egypt. So some five or six years
later, Babylon invaded a fourth time and took the rest of the people captive
(actually from Egypt, per Josephus, “Josephus, The Essential Writings,” p.
180).
This
series of the last three Babylonian invasions and captivities of the Jews were
laid in sequence by Yirmeyahu (Jer 52:28-30).
The Prophetic Significance
Now,
all of this may seem well and good from the standpoint of history. But what about its prophetic
implications? Well, exactly some 2,520
years later (seven prophetic times) from each of the five foreign attacks and
invasions upon Yehudah, the modern Jewish state was restored to power in
precisely five motions by The ELOHIM.
In
1945, at the end of WWII, the Jewish revolution and War for Independence from
Britain commenced in Palestine. Some of
the Jews began murdering British soldiers and even blew up the King David Hotel
in Jerusalem. Britain soon gave up her
efforts to hold onto the land and announced that the British mandate would end
in 1948, as noted above.
So,
when 1948 came, Britain withdrew and the UN partitioned Palestine into Jewish
and Arab states. The modern state of
Israel was announced by the Jews in May 1948.
Immediately, the Arabs launched their first war against the Jews in an
effort to drive them out and terminate their government.
This
war failed. So eight years later, the
Arabs commenced their second war against the Jews in Palestine. This one failed as well. So another eleven years was to pass and the
Arabs launched their third war against the Jews in Palestine. This one, the Six-Day War, failed as well for
the Arabs. But importantly, the Jews
took possession of the old city of Jerusalem.
Finally,
some six years was to pass and the Arabs launched their fourth and final war
against the Jews in Palestine, as the Yom Kippur War of 1973. This one also failed for the Arabs as
well.
At
the moment, there seems to be no reason whatsoever to anticipate another
Arab-Israeli war. Instead, the Israeli
government will undoubtedly conclude an Arab-Israeli peace treaty of some sort by
Yechezkel’s 30th-32d years.
As
elsewhere described herein, there will surely be a Russian invasion (in
alliance with various Moslem states), as an ante-type of the Gog-Magog
invasion, in a few years--in which the invaders will miraculously be defeated
and their armies destroyed (just as happened when the Assyrians came against
Jerusalem in Hizkiyahu’s days).
But
this future invasion (probably in the fall of Yechezkel’s 33d year) seemingly
cannot link to the conquest of Jerusalem to the Babylonians.
Absolutely Astounding
In
any case, it is absolutely astounding that the Jewish War for Independence
against the British in 1945 came some 2,520 years after the Egyptian invasion
and conquest. The Jewish War for
Independence against the Arabs in 1948 (three years later) came some 2,520
years following the Babylonians’ first attack and invasion.
The
1956 war (some 8 years later) came some 2,520 years after the Babylonians’
second war and attack upon Yehudah which terminated Yehoyakhin’s rule.
The
Six-Day War in 1967 (some 11 years later) came precisely 2,520 years after the
Babylonians’ third war against Yehudah which saw the fall of Jerusalem. This Six-Day War of 1967 came in a Jubilee
year, as will be later established. It
is profoundly important because the old city of Jerusalem was once more in
Jewish hands, after 2,520 years (and in a Jubilee year).
Finally,
the Yom Kippur War of 1973 (some 6 years later) came some 2,520 years
later--following the last invasion and conquest of the Jews by the Babylonians,
as described by Yirmeyahu (Jer 52:30).
All
of the right-wingers, Christian Identity prophets and Zionist haters should
take a few minutes and carefully read, study and reflect upon the fall of
Jerusalem to the Egyptians and Babylonians in the sixth century BCE and compare
this termination of Jewish power over Jerusalem with what has happened in
Palestine since 1945. It is absolutely
mind-boggling.
YHWH Is In Charge
And
above all else, this prophetic fulfillment is one more great proof of The
ELOHIM’s involvement in the whole Zionist movement. Many people can never get it through their
thick heads, but YHWH is A Total SOVEREIGN.
He is in charge of everything and particularly everything that is now
going on in Jerusalem.
YHWH
is getting ready to see to it that the Jews rebuild the Temple, complete with
His approval, guidance and oversight. To
accomplish His purposes in Jerusalem and indeed around the world, it was
imperative that the Jews return to Palestine and take possession of
Jerusalem.
And
whether anyone likes it or not, very soon, the Jews will obtain possession of
part or all of the Temple Mount to allow the rebuilding of the Temple. On this issue, there is no question over
whether, the only question is when. Here,
in early 2003, the “when” seems to be around Yechezkel’s 30th-31st years--as
will be established in subsequent chapters.
Chapter
136--Aliyah and Zionism II
A Great Proof of YAH’s Role
Though
there are a whole host of proofs that YHWH has been involved in the Zionist
movement from the start, one of the greatest of all occurred in the Jewish War
for Independence from 1947-1949, as outlined in the prior chapter. In 1948, Palestine had some 750,000
Jews. They were facing some 50 million
hostile Arabs.
The
first phase of this war was from November 1947 until the British withdrew in
May 1948. For it, the Jewish settlers
fought a defensive fight against marauding bands of Arab terrorists who tried
to jump the gun in the fight. The second
phase was fought from May 1948 until July 1949.
With
the British withdrawal, things turned more serious as the regular armies of
five neighboring Arab states invaded the new state of Israel. It was this situation which prompted the Jews
to not only defend themselves, but to launch an offensive which saw them even
gain territory which had been partitioned to Jordan. This was the beginning of the Palestinian
refugee problem.
When
1948 rolled around, the Jews had no organized army, per se. They had a badly divided and unorganized,
small militia of a few thousand people and three airplanes (one was a piper
cub).
But
this force, called the Haganah (which worked in league with the separate Jewish
Palmah military force), was not really equipped, trained or manned to
theoretically put up much of a defense.
Otherwise, the Jews used women, girls and 12 year old boys, armed with
broomsticks and limbs off of trees, to pretend guns.
The
Arabs came with tens of thousands of trained and armed government troops (with
tanks, guns, airplanes, etc), including the crack Arab Legion--organized,
trained and equipped by the British. The
Arab leaders thought that it would be a push over to roll into Israel and push the
surviving Jews (those not killed in the attack) into the Mediterranean Sea
(this has been the ambition of the Arabs ever since 1948).
But
nothing was to work out the way the Arab planners and even the outside
observers were to imagine. On the contrary,
the settlers and their ragtag army banded together to put up not only a fight,
but a very victorious fight which guaranteed Jewish independence.
Andrew N. Dugger
Andrew
N. Dugger, now deceased, and a former leader of the Sardis Church of God (7th
Day) entity, wrote a tract on the “Rebirth of Israel” some years ago which
focused upon this Jewish War of Independence.
In
one section, Dugger wrote about the bees fighting for Israel. This story was carried in a number of US
newspapers. Its background was that the
10,000 man Arab Legion came in to fight, but quickly lost many of its tanks
trying to get across the Jordan. The
rest were blown up by Israeli suicide squads; who, armed with bottles of nitro
glycerin, threw themselves up against the tanks.
The
Legion, without their tanks, continued their push to the West. On approaching Tel Aviv, the thousands of
ground soldiers were suddenly attacked by swarms of honey bees from the groves
of Petah Tikvah, mentioned previously.
The Arabs dropped their guns and retreated en masse. Was this event predicted earlier (Deut 7:20;
Josh 24:12)?
A.
N. Dugger had a second story on angels appearing on the battlefield. In 1947-48, the many Jewish villagers quickly
dug trenches around their compounds. When
the war started, the Jewish boys and girls would man the trenches with their
broomsticks and tree limbs to try to fool the Arabs about the nature of the
defenses.
In
one sector, several thousand Egyptian soldiers thought that the targeted
villages were heavily defended. So they
procrastinated and waited to attack.
Soon, they saw a large army of a million men or so on the surrounding
hills. Thereupon, the Egyptians
surrendered for fear, never understanding that the Jews had no defenses, except
for the unarmed people around the Jewish villages.
More From Dugger
The
third incident told by Dugger concerned the attack from the North--involving
Syria, Lebanon and Iraq. Again, this
force of tens of thousands of soldiers poured South, expecting no resistance
from Arab farmers in the region. They
planned upon soon linking up with the Jordanians and Egyptians.
On
the eve of battle, this Northern army was bivouacked at an assembly area in the
Jezreel valley (the site of the famous Armageddon). The soldiers collectively came down sick with
a dysentery plague. The soldiers were
too weak and ill to continue their push South.
Soon, they were under attack by a Jewish force which drove them from the
area in retreat.
This
whole situation brings to mind Deuteronomy 32:30 where Moshe wrote how one man
can chase a thousand and two can put ten thousand to flight. Obviously, such victories are possible when
The Rock YHWH is on one’s side. If YHWH
is on a person’s side, who can be against him?
It
was not only the Jewish War of Independence which produced incredible results
and Jewish victories, but the same thing happened time and again in the
succeeding wars. The Arabs would train,
equip and produce a large military force to try to come into Israel and drive
the Jews into the Mediterranean Sea. But
always, the same results occurred. The
Jews won and the Arabs were defeated.
YHWH Is Involved!
One
of the most profound events in the last 2,000 years occurred in June 1967 when
the Arabs again attacked Israel with plans to drive the Jews into the
water. As before, the outcome was in
YAH’s hand. Quickly, the Arabs lost the
fight, plus the old city of Jerusalem, as noted earlier. At last, the Western Wailing Wall was in
Israeli hands.
The
thing which the Arabs and indeed the world at large never understood was that
The Sovereign ELOHIM was involved in the Zionist movement and on the part of
the Jews in their various conflicts.
Because of this wonderful reality, the attacking, superior Arab army
never had a chance. They were destined
to be destroyed on the battlefields (see Zech 12:1-6).
In
1976, a group of Arab terrorists hijacked an airplane load of passengers,
mainly Jews, and took them to Entebbe airport in Uganda where they were turned
over to the Black dictator, Field Marshal, Doctor, President Idi Amin Dada (who
was discussed in a prior chapter, because of his obsession over his military
uniform).
Israel
organized a successful commando raid (with YHWH’s help) to go to Uganda and
free the hostages. Other countries, like
Germany (in the Munich hostage case) and the US (in Iran), failed miserably in
their efforts to free hostages.
The
point of all this is that the return of the Jews to Palestine (starting in the
late 19th century), the establishment of the Jewish state in 1948 and the
Israeli seizure of Jerusalem in 1967 were all necessary steps in the
fulfillment of prophecy and YHWH’s great plan of the ages. Just as YHWH could raise up stones to do His
will if necessary, He has used both evil Amalekites and good Jews in Palestine
to do His will.
As
will be covered in some detail later herein, one of the prime features of this
whole process will be the building of a Third Temple--complete with the
approval of The MOST HIGH. Christians
may not like this coming event. But
nevertheless, it is coming and cannot be stopped--because The SOVEREIGN OF THE
UNIVERSE is behind it. YHWH is having
His way in Palestine!
Many
so-called right-wingers and Christian Identity people can never begin to grasp
it. But the whole Zionist movement of
the Jews to Palestine (yes, both good and bad Jews) has been a work of The
SOVEREIGN. There simply is no way to
miss it. The Arabs have out-numbered the
Israelis profoundly. Yet, in each and
every conflict, they totally lose (because The MOST HIGH has been fighting on
the side of the Israelis).
Some Non-Zionist Jews
Before
the 1860s, most of the immigration into Palestine was on a religious plane with
some Orthodox attention. But all of this
was to change. From the beginnings of
the larger Jewish returns to Palestine after 1860, the Aliyah more often
involved secular Jews. Religious Jews
did not immediately get on board. It’s
hard to say why this condition came about.
Especially,
after 1900, the newcomers were mainly Socialists and secularists who were very
much anti-religious in philosophy (“Encyclopaedia Judaica,” v. 16, p.
1054). So while some religious Jews
liked the love of Zion idea, it turned out for years that much of the
immigration was from apparent, Amalekite Khazars. After all, they were the primary founders of
the early communistic kibbutz enterprises.
By
the rise of the Nazi power in Europe, attitudes began to change--especially
among Orthodox persons. However,
surprisingly, many Reform Jews remained opposed to the Zionist movement and especially
in the US. In 1948, the American Council
for Judaism (a Reform group) said that the state of Israel is not the state or
homeland of the Jewish people (ibid, v. 16, p. 1145).
The Ultra Orthodox
And
of all people, an Ultra Orthodox group, headed by Satmer Rebbe Joel Teitelbaum,
condemned the Zionists for trying to hasten the (Messianic) redemption by
establishing a heretical state (ibid, v. 16, p. 1145). This group has continued its opposition to
this day, on the premise that Israel could not be restored until The MESSIAH
comes.
As
late as 1970, the Ultra Orthodox Neturei Karta’s Brooklyn, NY chapter said that
the “Zionists and their fellow travelers do not speak for the Jewish
people. Indeed, the Zionist conspiracy
against Jewish tradition and law makes Zionism--and all its activities and
entities--the archenemy of the Jewish people today” (per their ad, published in
the “New York Times” of Jan 20, 1970).
To
show their sincerity (in opposition to the Zionists and the state of Israel), the
leadership of Neturei Karta held a joint news conference with Louis Farrakham’s
Nation of Islam in March 2000 to express their new alliance, in opposition to
the state of Israel (Mar 20, 2000, “Spotlight,” p. 2).
Neturei
Karta leader R. Yisroel David Weiss says that most people who claim to be Jews
are not Jews (note--has Rav Weiss been reading Revelation 2:9 and 3:9 in the
NT?). Weiss added that “It’s Zionism,
not Judaism.” Neturei Karta also says
that the WWII Holocaust was punishment upon the Jews for pushing their ideas of
a Jewish state in Palestine.
Rav
Ovadia Yosef, spiritual leader of the Sephardi Ultra Orthodox Shas sect echoed
some similar feelings in Israel in August 2000.
Per the Aug 11, 2000, “Jerusalem Post” (p. 1), Yosef said that the Jews
who died in the Holocaust were reincarnations of sinners. Ashkenazi Jews were shocked and upset over
Yosef’s link of the WWII persecution to sin.
One leader called Yosef “an old fool.”
Christian Views
Many
Protestant Christians came on board for the Zionists early on because they
correctly saw the restoration of the Jews to Palestine as a step toward the
next coming of The MESSIAH YESHUA. Many
Protestants have even understood the necessity of a rebuilding of the Temple by
the Jews.
Of
course, some Jew haters, like the Christian Identity people, have been
adamantly opposed to the Zionist movement from day one. The real reason for this opposition will be
addressed in later chapters. It is
tragic that so many ignorant and uninformed Christians hate Judaism so much
that they are utterly blind as to what The HIGHEST is doing in Palestine and
among the Jews.
It
is true that there is a vast horde of very evil Amalekite people hiding out in
the world today as Jews (and some as Christians as well). Because of the presence of these sons of
Satan, much unnecessary and very wrong persecution has come upon innocent,
good, Jewish Israelites.
But
it is also true that believers in YHWH YESHUA are not to hate the evil
Amalekites and by all means are to allow the tares and wheat to grow together
until harvest time when The ELOHIM will separate the two peoples. This is a hard pill for a lot of people to
swallow.
The Present
In
terms of the present state of Israel, it is clear that many of the early
inhabitants were evil Amalekites. But
things have been changing there in the last thirty-plus years since the Six-Day
War of 1967. For some time now, many of
the wretched Amalekites have been leaving Palestine for the United States and
Britain. The recent Palestinian Intifada
has acted to speed up this exodus of Amalekites from Israel.
Even
today, as numbers of Amalekite Khazars leave Russia, only small numbers of them
go to Israel to stay. Many Amalekites
reportedly go to Palestine and use it as a transit point to move on to the
United States and White British Commonwealth nations where they can resume
their historic role of being parasites to bleed others.
The
preferred destination of choice for the Amalekites has become America. If this trend continues, the time will come
(probably has come) when most of the Amalekites are centered in large US
cities, awaiting judgment from YHWH.
In
the context of this fascinating scenario, it is possible that in coming days
there may not be large numbers of Amalekites left in the state of Israel. In that case, the promised conversion of the
Jews (manifestly religious Jewish Israelites) can become a reality (Zech 12:10;
13:1-9).
In
this instance, perhaps the conversion of the Jews to YESHUA for the last 2,000
years was interfered with and delayed precisely because of the presence of the
evil Amalekites.
Perhaps
it has been the reality of the Amalekites with the good Jews which has not
allowed the good Jews to understand and appreciate YESHUA and His work of 2,000
years ago. This will surely change in
Palestine in the next few years.
Chapter
137--Return of the Jews
The Return of Yisrael to the Land
Former
chapters herein mentioned the certainty that Yisrael will return to old Canaan
land or Palestine. This is one of the
most extraordinary, profound and important messages in the entire Scriptures
and particularly in the Old Testament.
All
of Yisrael will return to old Canaan land--not whether, but only one of
when. Positively, YHWH will search the
Israelites out to (re)gather them to Palestine (Lev 26:44-45; Deut 30:1-5; Jer
3:12-17; 23:3; 29:14; 31:8-11; 32:37; Ezek 11:17; 34:11-16; 36:24; 37:21;
39:27; Mic 4:11-13; Zep 3:18-20).
Not
only does The MOST HIGH promise the return of Yisrael, but He categorically
couches that return in the context of both the Houses of Yisrael and
Yehudah--in the sense that the kingdom, divided in Rechavam and Yarovam’s days,
has never been reunited since then (Jer 3:14, 18; 30:3-11; 33:7, 14; Zech
8:7-8, 13; 10:6-12).
While
the prophets are quite precise and explicit on this return of both Yehudah
(meaning the good, real, true Jewish Israelites and not necessarily the
Amalekite sons of Satan, who have attached themselves to Yehudah) and the House
of Yisrael, there seems to be some concern over the actual sequence of this
return.
In
the real world, it has been working out that Yehudah has been returning first
(since 1869) with the obvious reality that the House of Yisrael will return
later. As this condition seems to be
building up on the global scene, one would wonder if it can be supported from
the Scriptures. And the answer seems to
be yes.
Yechezkel Is The Key
Yechezkel
appears to hold the key. As discussed in
prior chapters, the book of Ezekiel, above all other writings, seems to hold
the chronology and outline on the age end in the context of the House of Yisrael. Yechezkel opens his early chapters with the
fall of the House of Yisrael nations and the captivity of the surviving
Israelites, as noted earlier.
Later,
Ezekiel 36:20 to 37:15 records the wonderful and fabulous regathering of some
Israelites (in a second Egyptian Exodus) from Yakov’s Trouble to return and
restore them in Palestine, as before times.
But this series of Scriptures talks only of the House of Yisrael with no
mention of the return of the House of Yehudah (which is also promised).
In
fact, the book of Ezekiel never seems to address or date the return of
Yehudah. Why is this so? Well, the reason seems crystal clear. Yehudah is already returned to the land when
Yechezkel’s 30th year commences. This
reality is brought out very carefully in Zechariah 12:7 and in the context of
the general chronology of the book of Ezekiel.
YESHUA
evidently returns in Ezekiel 34.
Thereupon, one of His most important acts is the regathering of the
House of Yisrael (Ezek 36:20-37:15).
Yeshayahu on the Return
This
wonderful regathering of the outcasts of Yisrael was cited by Yeshayahu (Isa
11:11-12; 27:12-13) when he wrote that they would be regathered a “second”
time.
Please
understand that Yeshayahu prophesied during the fall of the House of Yisrael to
the Assyrians. It was only natural that
he would focus upon her instead of upon the Jewish state which fell 140 years
later during the time of Yirmeyahu. The
first regathering of Yisrael was to the Isles of the Sea and the temporary
tribal homelands, as was described in some detail in prior chapters
herein.
Yeshayahu’s
words focus upon the second regathering while the House of Yisrael is in a
second captivity (Zep 3:18-20). If the
first regathering has any significance, it is only in the context of an ante
type of the second, more important one.
With
this second regathering underway (it may take some time for completion), the
House of Yehudah and the House of Yisrael will once again be reunited in the
land into the new Davidic kingdom under YESHUA (Ezek 37:16-19). Ezekiel 38-39 follows with the Gog and Magog
invasion which will be discussed in subsequent chapters.
When
Ezekiel 37 arrives chronologically, there is no need to say anything about the
return of the true, Israelite Jews because they are already in the land and
have been there from chapter 1, verse 1 of Ezekiel (in his 30th year). It is because that they are in the land that
YHWH will do well for them and save them first (Zech 8:15; 12:5-7). Yes, Yehudah is to be saved first and Yisrael
second.
Manifestly,
the chronology and events of Yechezkel make it abundantly clear that the true,
Jewish Israelites return first to the land while the House of Yisrael exiles
are returned later at the end of Yakov’s Trouble--when YESHUA is in Jerusalem
ready to commence His government.
Study of Judaism and Jewish
History
One
of the most neglected themes in the modern Christian world is a study of Second
Temple Judaism (which was practiced by YESHUA The MESSIAH) and Jewish
history. Traditional Christians hate
Judaism so passionately that they don’t know anything about it and don’t want
to know. They are largely happy with
their gross state of ignorance. This is
too bad.
Back
in 1890, Dr Emil Schurer wrote his famous “A History of the Jewish People in
the Time of Jesus Christ.” Schurer (v.
I, p. 1) opened his mammoth work of five volumes with these words:
“In
the fullness of time, the Christian religion sprang out of Judaism; As a fact,
indeed, of divine revelation, but also inseparably joined by innumerable
threads with the previous thousand years of Israel’s history. No incident in the gospel story, no word in
the preaching of Jesus Christ, is intelligible apart from its setting in Jewish
history, and without a clear understanding of that world of
thought--distinction of the Jewish people.
“Thus
it becomes the bounden duty of Christian theologians to examine into and
describe that realm of thought and history in which the universal religion of
Christ grew up. Nor is it enough to know
simply that older literature which has been collected together in the canon of
the Old Testament. On the contrary, the
gospel of Jesus Christ is much more closely connected with its immediately
contemporary surroundings, and the tendencies of thought prevailing in that
particular age.”
It’s
hard to improve at all on Schurer’s marvelous assessment. He seems to have hit the nail on the
head--maybe not on all points (certainly, Schurer’s ideas that Christianity
came from Judaism are wrong, as will be proven in later chapters herein); but
at least, he was right on the importance of Second Temple Judaism.
Any
proposed follower of YHWH YESHUA must pull his head out of the sand on this
theme and take a new look at particularly Second Temple Judaism and the history
of the Jews during that period. The
knowledge and information for that period and indeed later is fantastic and is
of inestimable value.
YHWH’s Wisdom
In
fact, the real believer must pull head out of the sand on the whole issue of
the Jews. When a person looks upon the
evil of the Amalekites and how much harm and hurt they have imposed upon Adam
generally and Yisrael particularly, there is a tendency to want to passionately
hate these people (which is wrong, as will be covered later). Too often, this hate translates to a hatred
of the collective Jews and/or Judaism.
When
the Israelite kingdom divided in the days of Rechavam and Yarovam and
subsequently, YHWH implemented His plan to use the ensuing Jews to preserve His
Word (the Hebrew language), the Tanakh (the OT Scriptures) and the Hebrew
culture. He could have chosen the House
of Yisrael for this mission. But He did
not do so. Instead, He commissioned the
Yehudim (per Romans 3:2).
In
terms of a charge or commission to man, this has to be one of the most
profoundly important ones in all of history.
In His wisdom, The MOST HIGH decided that the Yehudim (the Jews in the
modern English vernacular) would be the people with the right character and
mentality to safeguard, protect and perpetuate the Hebrew language and OT and
the Second Temple culture over the millennia to the age end.
Two
thousand years ago, the world was at a crisis point because the Hebrew language
and Tanakh were in the awful position of almost being destroyed forever. Certainly, if the developing Roman Catholic
Church would have had her way over the next 15 centuries, the Hebrew language,
OT and culture would have been forever obliterated (though the Eastern Orthodox
may have preserved the Septuagint).
Work of the Jews
But
The EVERLIVING ONE made the right decision.
The Jews took action in the years after the fall of Jerusalem (70 CE) to
canonize and standardize the Hebrew OT text (which became the Masoretic text).
By
adding vowel points to Hebrew words in the Tanakh (since the Hebrew language
was effectively written in consonants only), by preserving the Talmud (in
Hebrew and Aramaic and with its incredible value in the restoration of the
Hebrew language) and by presenting regular Hebrew classes in the synagogues, the
Hebrew language was likewise preserved.
Today,
the Hebrew language is once more spoken in the vernacular in the state of
Israel (because of the wisdom and action of the collective Jews). The Hebrew OT is remarkably correct, as all
scholars now agree--based upon the findings from the Dead Sea Scrolls (in
contrast to the situation with the Greek OT and NT).
Knowledge,
understanding and practices associated with the Scriptural luni-solar calendar
have persisted--along with the Sabbaths, Passover, Shavuot, Sukkot, clean foods
and many other things which were never a part of traditional Christianity (with
its focus upon the solar calendar, Sunday, Christmas, Easter and pork). Again, the Jews did their job (per Romans
3:2).
The
modern Jewish state became a reality in 1948.
The city of Jerusalem passed to Jewish control in 1967. And very soon, the Jews once more will
perform another commission. They will
rebuild the Temple (which is a crucially important step in order for the Word
of YHWH to be fulfilled).
It
would be easy to hope and wish that true Israelite Jews did all of this and
that the evil Amalekites had nothing to do with what has happened. This writer would not dare take a position on
this one way or the other. But if White
Anglo Saxons (later Americans and Britons) would not preserve the Hebrew
language or the Hebrew OT or rebuild the Temple, why should any critic try to
second guess the Jews.
Mere Rocks and Stones Could Have Been
Used, Revisited
If
evil Amalekites (who will be described in detail in later chapters herein) have
served The HIGHEST in any capacity on these needs, then one must say that it is
good. After all, the NT does communicate
that if necessary, The ELOHIM could and would raise up mere rocks and stones to
fulfill His will and to serve Him, as noted elsewhere herein (Matt 3:9; Lu 3:8;
19:40).
So
maybe, YHWH chose to accept the service and work of some evil Amalekites,
instead of commissioning some Anglo-Saxons, Christians, Identity adherents, or
even rocks and stones to do His will.
Yes, The ELOHIM is A Total SOVEREIGN over the creation and He will do
whatever He pleases with it.
Consequently,
in terms of some of the greatest needs to endure over thousands of years, The
MOST HIGH commissioned the House of Yehudah (the Yehudim or Jews, per the
modern word) and not the House of Yisrael.
Surely, He could have chosen the House of Yisrael if that was the right
thing to do (as pointed out above). But
instead, He chose the Yehudim (the Jews).
Because
the Jewish people would sin and allow evil Amalekites to become Jews (to be
discussed later herein) did not and could not alter YHWH’s wisdom in His grant
of the commission. He made the right
decision. To whatever extent that these
evil Amalekites have helped the collective Jews in the fulfillment of their
commission, then it has worked together for good to serve The ELOHIM.
Chapter
138--Why Were the Jews Omitted?
The Commission, Revisited
Preceding
chapters have discussed at length YESHUA great commission to the lost sheep of
the House of Yisrael, then out in the Diaspora during the first century
CE. Any person reading this presentation
must have some inevitable questions.
Consequently,
at this juncture, the reader must surely pause for a moment to ask
"why" did The MESSIAH specify the Israelites of the "lost"
House of Yisrael; and seemingly, in His statement of the true commission
(described in previous chapters), utterly ignore the Israelites of the present
remnant of the House of Yehudah and/or the Jews in general.
On
this, one must bring to mind that "salvation is of the Jews" (John
4:22); or evidently, more correctly, "salvation comes from among the
Jews" (as the “Amplified Translation” gives it for John 4:22).
And
of course, the message did go out repeatedly to the Jew first (of the remnant
of the House of Yehudah) and then to the peoples of the lost tribes of the
House of Yisrael, as one can shortly see (Rom 1:16; 2:9-10, etc).
While
this study cannot be dogmatic on the answer as to “why” for this enigma, there
may be several possibilities which are worth considering. At this early stage on this question, it
would be well to initially broach one of the more common theories in Christendom
on the place of the Jews in respect to the Good News message and
salvation.
The Fig Tree Parables
Many
Christians actually go to the extreme of charging that the Jews can’t be saved
at all in any age. Hellfire and
brimstone preachers have historically consigned all of them to the throes of
hell for infinity with no hope of deliverance and reconciliation--ever.
Of
course, some in Churchianity do not believe in an ever burning hell. So, for them, the position would be simply
eternal death. In a book on the “Remnant
Message To Modern Israel” (p. 23-25), Christian writer William J. Walker took
this stance.
Walker’s
belief on the Jews was predicated essentially on an understanding of one of the
fig tree parables stated by YESHUA in which a certain man had a fig tree in his
vineyard. For three consecutive years,
the man came to the fig tree looking for fruit.
For
all three years, the man never found any fruit on the tree at all (Lu
13:6-9). In response to this situation,
the man cut the fig tree down.
Allegorically, the fig tree was used in the Tanakh for the House of
Yehudah--thus, figs were and are Jews (Jer 24:1-10). As Walker noted, the man in the parable of
the fig tree was The MESSIAH.
Jews Permanently Cut Off?
In
interpreting this parable, Walker theorized that YESHUA had gone to the Jews of
the Judean nation for three straight years and in all cases found that they
bore no fruit for Him (then or thereafter).
Hence, they were “cut off from His Inheritance.”
Turning
to another relevant text, the Remnant book writer observed that in a later
situation, The MESSIAH went to a fig tree and found nothing on it but leaves
(again, no fruit). So He cursed it and
it withered and died (Matt 21:18-19; Mk 11:12-14, 20-21). Walker linked this parable to the earlier
one.
William
attempted to tie both parables together by quoting from the conclusion of the
parable of the absentee landlord (to be later elaborated upon) who let his land
out (with a vineyard which may have had a fig tree present) to a husbandman and
went away to a far country (Matt 21:33-45).
The
landlord sent his servants and even his own son to the husbandman to collect
the fruits. But in all cases, the
husbandman killed them. The Word
suggested that certain priests and Pharisees were the (husbandman) subject of
the parable (Matt 21:45), although there might be a problem with the vine since
it was traditionally linked to the House of Yisrael (as has been/will be
discussed elsewhere herein in this production).
As
Walker pointed out, the conclusion of this parable was that the kingdom was to
be taken from them (the Judeans involved) and given to another nation or people
who would produce fruit.
Based
on these parables, the Remnant writer summarized his position as being that the
Jews still reject The MESSIAH; thus, they “cannot possibly represent God’s
people Israel.” Despite the validity of
the cited parables, there was still one more extremely relevant little remark
which Walker did not relate in his theory.
This
one surfaced in some of YESHUA’s final instructions before His impalement. In His discourse on the age end, He said that
when the fig tree’s branch is yet tender and puts forth leaves, one can know
that summer is near (Matt 24:32; Lu 21:29-30).
Because of this reference, many believers have felt that in the age end,
the fig tree would bloom (and even produce fruit).
Actually,
the writer of this study at hand leans in the direction of interpreting the
latter parable with a view that in the age end, the fig tree will truly bloom
and produce fruit. In a later chapter,
this approach will be elaborated upon at length in discussing the prophecies of
Haggai, Zekharyah and Revelation.
So
while the Word is quite clear that YESHUA did bypass the Jews and the House of
Yehudah collectively, in His commission, there could be other important reasons
on why He took this action and what the long range impact of that decision will
ultimately prove to be.
Other Explanations
Unquestionably,
it is manifest that YESHUA (SALVATION) assuredly did come forth from or out of
the Jews, as noted above (Jo 4:22). But
also, it is quite evident that SALVATION was to be "for" Yisrael,
apparently in the generic sense (Deut 33:26-29; Heb 2:16).
Perhaps
John 4:22 really means that The MESSIAH comes from or out of the Jews for the
express purpose of going to the House of Yisrael. Along this same line of thought, the Apostle
Shaul said that YESHUA had become a servant and minister to the Jews in order
to confirm the promises for Yisrael (Rom 9:3-14), as given to the patriarchs
(Rom 11:8).
If
so, does this mean that in the New Testament environment The ANOINTED ONE was
not necessarily sent to the Jews for the “then” purpose of them having an
election and calling “at that time” for salvation? Strangely enough, this possibility seems to
be the exact situation, as will be shortly outlined herein.
Of
course, since Moshe stated the law as he did (Deut 33:26-29), one can be sure
that if the Jews are a legal and proper part of Yisrael (as some evidently were
in YESHUA's day), then he can bank on it that at some time (maybe not back then
in the first century CE), they will have their call for salvation (see Rom
11:15, 31).
The Covenant?
Also,
on this issue, there is some question about the status of the covenant
relationship with Yehudah and particularly so when YESHUA uttered those words
of His commission around 26-29 CE. As
pointed out earlier, the House of Yisrael was cut off from YHWH and in a
divorced state, perhaps from about 700 BCE or so.
Yet,
The MOST HIGH had seemingly remained married and in a covenant relationship
with the House of Yehudah, clearly up until His death as YESHUA, c30 CE, when
it might be argued that the remaining covenant link was severed by the Jews
over the role they played in His execution.
Could this reality have something to do with The MESSIAH's statement of
His commission? Well maybe.
Many Jews Were in the Assyrian
Deportations
For
another possibility, there were certainly large numbers of Yehudah's
descendants in the Assyrian captivity who probably were thought of as being a
part of the House of Yisrael by YESHUA's time because of their break with the
House of Yehudah around 700 BCE when they went into Assyrian captivity, as
discussed earlier.
In
effect, The ANOINTED ONE’s mission to the House of Yisrael would have surely
included those persons of Yehudah, as suggested by Yohanan in his writings on
the elect 144,000 Israelites (as was discussed at length in a preceding
chapter)--evidently, as saved during the Apostolic age (Rev 14:1).
So
SALVATION was going to numbers of people from Yehudah in the context of the
House of Yisrael, although some in Palestine might seem to have been
ignored. Effectively, the Good News
would appear to be going to all of the tribes of Yisrael in this precise
environment.
Genetics
Alternatively,
another reason for the first century CE bypass of the Jews might well be
because of their genealogical makeup.
Importantly, this topic of genetics is one which most modern peoples,
especially Americans, flee from in absolute stark panic and terror, as if it is
a diabolical invention of Adolf Schicklgruber (alias Hitler, as described in
prior commentary) in conjunction with the Adversary himself.
Consequently,
it is being brought up reluctantly at this time in terms of the Jews. Nevertheless, this theme must be brought up
as it has been so far and must be considered here in respect to the present discussion
(because genetics is factually germane to the overall subject of the recipients
of the Good News).
In
truth, the Scriptural evidence, as now outlined herein in former chapters, is
quite persuasive that the topic of race is one of the most important subjects
in The ELOHIM’s Word, despite Americans’ fear of even allowing the word race to
be used in their vocabulary.
Contemporary
persons, Americans and Christian Americans, in particular, have been so
profoundly mesmerized by Hollywood, television and the media that it is almost
impossible and out of the question to intelligently discuss genetics in any
forum whatsoever--including one emanating from the Scriptures.
Race Is Important
Yet,
the topic of race has been and is one of the most important and far reaching in
the Book as now proven.
Not
only has the promises and salvation both been couched into the definition of
Yisrael, as was shown in the prior chapters; but also, as cited earlier, the
Word sees fit to tell us that Noah found grace in the sight of The
HIGHEST--evidently because he was perfect and without spot or blemish in his
racial genealogy (Gen 6:8-9), following a period of extensive miscegenation
(Gen 6:2).
So,
whether anyone likes it or not, the issue of the ancestry of certain peoples
must be addressed if one expects to grasp anything of relevance on the subject
at hand. On this, and in terms of those
persons in Judaea in historical times, it's worth noting that many of them, racially,
were not of the line of Yehudah at all, despite the fact that they were thought
to be Jews (as briefly touched upon in prior comments).
This
question of Jewish racial and ethnic origins will be further addressed in later
chapters. Suffice to say, things
contemporarily present and believed in the world today are not as they first
seem. Historians have lost sight of some
profound information which affects all so-called human beings alive on this
globe today.
Above
all other people, the lost House of Yisrael should be informed about the
Jews. And of equal importance, all
modern Jews should likewise be informed about the existence and presence of the
lost House of Yisrael.
Because
race is important, in terms of assessing the Jews, that issue will be covered
at length in the succeeding chapters.
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