JOSEPH W. TKACH
PASTOR GENERAL

January 1988

Dear Friend:

Thank you for your question concerning Atlantis.

Most of the available information on this subject comes to us through the writings of Plato in his Timaeus and Critias. Atlantis, of course, is not mentioned in the Bible.

According to Plato, Atlantis was an island in the Atlantic Ocean beyond the Pillars of Hercules (Straits of Gibraltar). It was called the "sacred island" and "Helgoland," meaning "Holy Land". Plato wrote that it was ruled by ten rulers. The different divisions of the people were called by such names as "Gadeirus" and "Mneseus" (Critias from "The Works of Plato," translated by B. Jowett, p. 388).

Apparently, Atlantis was a powerful kingdom, even controlling much of the European continent and North Africa between the Atlantic and Egypt. But, it suddenly sank into the sea as a result of an earthquake.

Jurgen Spanuth thoroughly discusses the existence and possible location of Atlantis in his book "Atlantis -- The Mystery Unravelled". You might be able to obtain a copy of this book in a local library. He concludes that the island of Atlantis was located in Helgoland Bay at the mouth of the Elbe River and that some of the people were also called "Sakar" and "Denes."

Some discount all this as nothing more than myth. Others speculate that the inhabitants of Atlantis were a colony of the ten-tribe house of Israel, because their names were similar to those of Gad, Manasseh, Issachar, and Dan (Gen. 49:3-27). It has also been speculated that Atlantis sank beneath the sea about the same time God punished the ancient nation of Israel by sending it into captivity to Assyria in 718 B.C. (II Kings 17:3-6).

We cannot prove or disprove the existence of Atlantis. Neither can we verify any of the speculations concerning it. Perhaps yet undiscovered information will one day help solve this intriguing mystery.

If you would like to receive information concerning the modern-day descendants of the house of Israel, please feel welcome to ask for our booklet THE UNITED STATES AND BRITAIN IN PROPHECY. We would be happy to send you a copy free upon your request.

Whenever we can assist you further with your study of the Bible, please let us know. It is our pleasure to serve you.

PERSONAL CORRESPONDENCE DEPARTMENT