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.AgeEnd.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.AgeEnd.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 (IBM-formatted, high density, 2HD, 1.44 MB, 3 1/2 inches); in a single CD-Rom; or in hard copies (when the Internet or a compatible computer is not available); please write the publisher at the above address and send a stamped, self-addressed, long (legal-size), return envelope.
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 Sab