WHERE ARE THE UNITED STATES AND BRITAIN mentioned in Bible prophecies? Or are we mentioned at all? We are the wealthiest of nations. And, potentially at least, the most powerful.
[Editor's note: the following three paragraphs are taken from the 1980 version of The United States and Britain in Prophecy]. It may into be generally realized -- but neither Britain nor the United States became great world powers until the nineteenth century Suddenly, in the very beginning of the nineteenth century, these two -- until then small, minor countries -- suddenly spurted to national power and greatness among nations, as no nations had ever grown and multiplied in wealth, resources and power before.
By 1804 London had become the financial hub of the world The United States had exploded out of its swaddling clothes of the 13 original states and had acquired the expansive Louisiana Purchase. It was fast sprouting up to become the mightiest nation of all time. But Britain burst forth to greatness first, and until the World Wars had become the greatest empire, or commonwealth of nations, in all history.
Between them the British and American peoples had acquired more than two-thirds -- almost three-fourths -- of all the cultivated physical resources and wealth of the world. All other nations combined possessed barely more than a fourth. Britannia ruled the waves -- and the world's commerce was carried on by water. The sun never set on British possessions.
Consider, too, our people today constitute the HOME -- the last defense, of Christianity. It is our people who have sent missionaries into every land on earth -- our people who have printed and distributed the Bible by unbelievable millions of copies in the language of all peoples.
We know Bible prophecies definitely refer to the Russia, Germany, Italy, Turkey, Ethiopia, Libya, Egypt, of today. Could they then, ignore modern kingdoms like Britain and America? Is it reasonable?
Assuredly it is not. Nor are we ignored. The fact is, we are mentioned more often than any other race. Yet our prophetic identity has remained hidden to the many. Modern nations are not spoken of in their modern names, except in few cases. Usually they are referred to by the names of the ancient ancestor from which they sprang. Thus Turkey is referred to in prophecy as Esau or Edom, because the Turks are the descendants of Esau. In like manner, the Arabs are spoken of as Ishmael, the Russians are Magog.
The Bible story of our ancestry and our modern prophetic identity, is the most amazing -- yes, astounding -- the most fascinating and interesting story ever told. It is really the story-thread of the Bible itself, from Genesis to Revelation.
Centuries ago, this same wealth and power and national greatness was promised by the Almighty to Abraham. Yet few have ever noticed this astonishing fact of Scripture.
The promise of the Messiah and of salvation through Him is well known by the most superficial Bible student. They know that God gave the spiritual promise to Abraham of Christ to be born as Abraham's descendant -- and that salvation comes to us through Christ. But God made also another, entirely different, most amazing promise to Abraham. Notice how God called Abraham and the twofold nature of His promise: "Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee: and I will make of thee a GREAT NATION . . . and in thee shall all the families of the earth to be blessed" (Genesis 12:1-3).
Notice the TWOFOLD promise: 1) "I will make of thee A GREAT NATION" -- the national, material promise that his flesh-born children should become a great nation -- a promise of RACE; 2) " . . . and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed" -- the spiritual promise of GRACE. The same promise is repeated in Genesis 22:18: "And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed." This particular "one seed" refers to Christ, as plainly affirmed in Galatians 3:8, 16.
But that the "great nation" promise refers alone to race -- not to the one seed, Christ, but to the plural, multiple seed of natural fleshly birth, is made certain by God's repetition of His promise in greater detail later.
"And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly . . . and thou shalt be a father of MANY NATIONS. Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of MANY NATIONS have I made thee" (Genesis 17:1-5).
Notice, the promise is now CONDITIONAL upon Abraham's obedience and perfect living. Notice, the "great nation" now becomes MANY NATIONS -- more than one nation. This cannot refer to the "one seed," Christ. The following verses prove that.
"And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make NATIONS of thee, and KINGS [more than one] shall come out of thee" (verse 6). Notice, these nations and kings shall come out of Abraham -- physical generation -- multiple seed, not just one descendent through whom scattered individuals may become Abraham's children by spiritual begettal through Christ (Galatians 3:29). The scattered, individual Christians do not form NATIONS. The Church, it is true, is spoken of as "a royal priesthood, an holy nation" (I Peter 2:9), but Christ's Church is not divided into "many nations." This is speaking of RACE, not grace.
"And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in THEIR generations . . ." (Genesis 17:7). The "seed" is PLURAL -- "in their generations."
"And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan [Palestine], for an everlasting possession; and I will be THEIR God" (verse 8).
Notice, the LAND -- material possession -- is promised to the PLURAL seed, of whom He is "their," not "his," God. The plural pronoun "their" is used again in verse 9: "and thy seed after thee in their generations."
Again, notice carefully -- the JEWS have never been more than one nation. They are not, and never have been, MANY nations.
So here is an amazing prophecy, a solemn promise from Almighty God, that could not he fulfilled in Christ, in Christians, nor in the Jews. We must look for a number of NATIONS apart from either the Church or the Jews. Amazing as it is, we must do it or deny God's promise!
God put Abraham to the test, and Abraham, through faith, OBEYED -- even to being willing to sacrifice his only son, if need be. And after that the covenant no longer was conditional. Now it became UNCONDITIONAL.
"By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for BECAUSE thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies [so far the material, national promises of RACE]; and in thy seed [Christ] shall all the nations of the earth be blessed [this promise spiritual, of GRACE]; BECAUSE thou hast obeyed my voice (Genesis 22:16-18).
The promise now is UNconditional. God has SWORN to make it good. God does not promise these things if Abraham or his children do certain things. He promises them to Abraham because he already has performed his part of the agreement. If these promises could be broken or annulled, then no promise in the Bible is sure! Abraham already has performed his part of the agreement. Now God MUST perform His part, without fail.
Notice an additional detail of the promise -- the nations who are Abraham's racial descendants are to possess the gates of their enemies. A gate is a narrow passage of entrance or exit. When speaking nationally, a "gate" would be such a pass as the Panama Canal, the Suez Canal, the Strait of Gibraltar. This promise is repeated in Genesis 24:60.
These tremendous promises were re-promised to Isaac and to Jacob. Ishmael and Abraham's other sons were rejected from this birthright. Esau, Isaac's son and Jacob's twin brother, sold it and was rejected. The promise, as confirmed to Isaac, is recorded in Genesis 26:1-5. To Jacob in Genesis 27:26-29, where MATERIAL blessing of wealth in the things of the ground is added, with the prophecy that heathen nations shall be ruled by the birthright nations of Israel. And again in Genesis 28:13-14, where the still added detail that these nations of Israel shall eventually spread around the world is recorded.
Still later, God appeared unto Jacob, whose name was changed to ISRAEL, even further defining the makeup of these "many nations" thus: "And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; A NATION and a COMPANY OF NATIONS shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins" (Genesis 35:11).
So the "many nations" are eventually to take shape as a NATION -- one great, wealthy, powerful nation; and another COMPANY OF NATIONS -- a group, or commonwealth of nations allied.
This promise never has been fulfilled in the Jews. It could not pertain to the Church, for there is but ONE true Church acknowledged in the Bible, and it is not a nation or a group of nations, but a collection of called-out individuals scattered through ALL nations. Yet this amazing promise MUST stand fulfilled, unless we are to deny the Bible and God's sacred Word!
Now we come to a most vital distinction, and a bit of Bible truth, known to but very few. Note it carefully.
The spiritual promises -- the promise of the "one seed," Christ, and of salvation through Him -- the Bible calls "the SCEPTRE." This promise as nearly everybody knows, was handed down through the Jews. Jesus Christ was of the tribe of Judah and the house of David. "Salvation," Jesus said, "is of the JEWS" (John 4:22). "To the Jew first," explained Paul, "and also to the Greek" (Romans 1: 16).
This fact is confirmed in Genesis 49:10: "The SCEPTRE shall not depart from Judah."
BUT -- and here is the astonishing vital fact so few ever seem to have noticed -- but the BIRTHRIGHT was Joseph's. Yes, Joseph, who was sold by his brothers down into Egypt, where he became food administrator and prime minister -- Joseph who was called "a prosperous man," even as his descendants were destined to become. "For Judah prevailed above his brethren, and of him came the chief ruler [sceptre promise]; BUT the birthright was Joseph's" (I Chronicles 5:2).
The birthright which Esau sold to Jacob -- the promise of national greatness and material wealth -- never was handed to the Jews who are of the tribe of JUDAH. So naturally we should not expect to find this promise fulfilled in the Jews today.
And just what is a birthright? It is that which comes by right of birth. The term "grace" means UNdeserved, UNmerited favor something that is NOT one's right, NOT inherited by birth, but bestowed as a free gift. But a "birthright" is inherited, by birth, as one's RIGHT. Consequently, the term "birthright" includes only the inheritance of MATERIAL blessings, passed on from father to son -- those blessings one cannot take with him, when he dies.
And what is a "sceptre"? It is the badge of royal power, kingly office. The sceptre was God's promise of a continuous dynasty of KINGS, culminating in Jesus Christ who shall be King of kings; and therefore the sceptre included the promise of eternal salvation THROUGH Christ.
So notice carefully, please! The sceptre, which is the spiritual promise of GRACE, through which ALL nations may be blessed, went to JUDAH, while the BIRTHRIGHT went to JOSEPH. And the birthright includes possession of the land, Palestine, possessing the material "gate" of material enemies, inheriting the heathen for a possession and ruling over heathen peoples, spreading and colonizing around the world! The two phases of the promises to Abraham now are separated into two different tribes of Israel!
The interesting story of the passing on of this birthright from the aged Israel to the two sons of Joseph is found in the 48th chapter of Genesis. You should read it there, entirely.
Notice, Jacob adopted these two lads, Ephraim and Manasseh. as his own legal sons because they had an Egyptian mother. Notice, verse 16, he says, "let my name be named on them." Hence, THEY were to be called, "the house of Israel." It is THEM who rightfully own the name of ISRAEL, not the Jews! " . . . and let THEM grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth," continues Jacob, administering the blessing. Let WHO grow into that promised multitude? Notice it -- NOT Judah, not the Jews -- but the sons of Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh and THEIR DESCENDANTS.
Together they were to grow to a multitude. But eventually, as indicated by another prophecy, Isaiah 49:20, to be explained later, the descendants of these two lads were to separate, and Ephraim would lose Manasseh, then to become a separate nation. So, continuing, speaking of Manasseh, Jacob said, "he also shall become a people, and he also shall be GREAT: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude [or a company or commonwealth] of nations" (verse 19).
And so EPHRAIM, the son of Joseph became the BIRTHRIGHT holder. Who, today, are the descendants of Ephraim, and of Manasseh? Somewhere, Ephraim must be a group, or commonwealth of nations, while Manasseh must be the greatest single nation on earth! Either it is so, or the Bible is not true!
After the death of Jacob and his twelve sons in Egypt, their children grew in about two and a quarter centuries to a population probably between two and three million in that land.
But Israel's children became slaves (Exodus 1:6-14). Then God raised up MOSES and fitted him in a special way to lead these children of Israel out of the bondage that had come to them in Egypt.
When they reached Mt. Sinai, in the peninsula wilderness, God made a covenant with them establishing them as a NATION -- His nation -- among the kingdoms of the world. Their government was theocratic, with the civil, as well as the spiritual and religious laws, given directly from God. God Himself was their King and He ruled them by a system of judges.
But soon the Israelites became dissatisfied with God as their King and demanded that a man should be their king as in the Gentile nations around them. And so God gave them Saul as their first human king. Saul, however, was not a good king, nor was his heart right with God. He refused obedience to God and was finally rejected. Saul was dethroned. His dynasty ended with him.
Then God placed David, a man after His own heart, of no relationship to Saul, upon the throne of Israel. David sat on the Eternal's throne. Because of his obedience and sincerity and honesty of heart, David, like Abraham, received a most astonishing UNCONDITIONAL promise from God, as little known as the birthright promises to Abraham.
We have space to quote but briefly from the scriptures setting forth this amazing Davidic covenant. Like the covenant with Abraham, God made the Davidic covenant UNconditional and unbreakable.
David wanted to build a great temple as God's house in Jerusalem. The Almighty replied, "And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom" (II Samuel 7:12). This, of course, was his son Solomon, who succeeded David to the throne.
"He," God continued, "shall build an house for my name" and it was Solomon who did build the temple -- "and I will establish the throne of his kingdom FOR EVER" (verse 13).
Notice it! The throne of David, occupied by Solomon, was to be established FOREVER! If that throne ever ceased to exist, then God's promise has failed!
But some say the promise was conditioned upon the obedience of Solomon and the future line of kings or their people. Notice the scriptural answer to this: "I will be his father, and he shall be my son. IF he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men: BUT" yes, notice this BUT -- "my mercy shall not depart away from him, AS I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee" (verses 14-15). Saul's dynasty ceased. God promises He will never take away this throne from David's line in this manner. David's dynasty SHALL NEVER CEASE! Continuing, next verse, "And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established FOREVER before thee: thy throne shall be established FOREVER."
Not only was that throne established FOREVER, it was to exist continuously forever -- through ALL GENERATIONS !
"I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant, Thy seed [his dynasty] will I establish forever, and build up thy throne to all generations" (Psalm 89:3-4). Note it! That throne was to stand forever "as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven" (verses 28-37).
"For thus saith the Lord; David shall never want a man to sit upon the throne of the house of Israel" (Jeremiah 33:17). So far as is historically known, the last king of David's dynasty to sit upon that throne was King Zedekiah of Judah, who died in 585 B.C. with the Jews a captive people, with all his sons, and all the nobles of Judah killed. There is no historic record of any continuance of that throne from that year. Did David want for a man to sit upon his throne, and continue his dynasty, from that day on?
Some say Christ took over the throne. But He didn't. Instead He was crucified, resurrected, and ascended to heaven. He SHALL come, and soon now, to sit upon that throne as the King of kings and Lord of lords. But HOW can Jesus Christ, when He returns again to earth, take over and sit upon a throne that long ago ceased to exist?
IF the throne of David ceased with Zedekiah, then it does not exist today. And if it does not exist, how shall Christ sit upon a non-existent throne? (See Luke 1:31-32.) And, since it was to continue through all generations, how about those many generations between Zedekiah and the birth of Jesus?
"Thus saith the Lord; If ye can break my covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night, and that there should not be day and night in their season; then may also my covenant be broken with David my servant, that he should not have a son to reign upon his throne" (Jeremiah 33:20-21). Day and night still continues. Does David's throne?
But what do the people say? "Considerest thou not what this people have spoken, saying, The two families which the Lord hath chosen, he hath even cast them off? Thus they have despised my people, that they should be no more a nation before them" (verse 24).
But what does GOD say? "Thus saith the Lord; If my covenant be not with day and night, and if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth; THEN will I cast away the seed of Jacob, and David my servant, so that I will not take any of his seed [dynasty] to be rulers over the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob" (verses 25-26). Strong words, those! Unless you can stop this old earth from turning on its axis-unless you can remove the sun and moon and stars from heaven, says the Almighty, you cannot prevent Him from keeping His covenant to maintain continuously, through all generations, FOREVER, from the time of David and Solomon, a descendant of David in one continuous dynasty on that throne!
He would not necessarily rule over ALL the house of Israel, or the Jews-but at least some of them, and enough to form a nation.
Remember again, the SCEPTRE promise, which includes this line of kings until it culminates in CHRIST at His second coming: "The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver [margin, ruler's staff] from between his feet, UNTIL SHILOH [Christ] COME; and unto Him shall the gathering of the people be" (Genesis 49:10).
Has the sceptre departed from Judah? Has the throne ceased? Or does it, as God so bindingly promised, exist today so that Christ can take over and sit upon a functioning, continuous throne when He comes? The infallibility of the Bible is at stake! God's WORD is at stake!
THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL is not Jewish! Those who constitute it are not JEWS, and never were! That fact we shall now see conclusively, beyond refute.
After David's death, his son Solomon succeeded to the throne. Solomon taxed the people excessively, reigned in a gorgeous splendor probably never equalled before or since. And because he also married Gentile wives, sacrificed to their idols, and committed other sins, God said, "I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant . . . . Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; but will give one tribe to thy son for David my servant' s sake" (I Kings 11 :11-13).
Note it! It is THE KINGDOM, not part of it, which is to be rent away. It is the PART, one tribe, which is to remain. And note -- for right here is expressed the great WHY of this whole question though Solomon himself deserved to have it rent away, God will leave one tribe, not because of leniency toward Solomon, but "FOR DAVID'S SAKE"! David's dynasty cannot be broken. God will not break His covenant!
When Solomon died, his son Rehoboam succeeded to David's throne. The people at once demanded the heavy taxes imposed by Solomon be reduced. Their spokesman, Jeroboam (Solomon's servant), pleaded with Rehoboam: "Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee" (I Kings 12:4).
"My father," came Rehoboam's reply, "chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions" (verse 11).
Israel rebelled. The command to the people was: "To your tents, O Israel!" The challenge to the royal family was: "Now, see to thine own house!" (verse 16).
"So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day [the day this was written]. And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was come again, that they sent and called him unto the congregation, and made him king over ALL ISRAEL: there was none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of JUDAH only" (I Kings 12:19-20).
Then "Rehoboam . . . assembled all of the HOUSE OF JUDAH, with the tribe of Benjamin" (verse 21). Rehoboam started to fight to subdue and bring back the house of Israel, but God said, "Ye shall not . . . fight against your brethren the children of Israel . . . for this thing is from me" (verse 24).
Notice it carefully! The house of Judah, now including the tribe of Benjamin, under King Rehoboam of David's dynasty, was about to fight against the other ten tribes, headed by Ephraim and Manasseh. DIFFERENT AND SEPARATE NATIONS. The term Jew is merely a nickname for "Judah." It applies to the one nation, or house of Judah ONLY -- never to the house of ISRAEL.
The first place in all the Bible where the word "JEW" is used is in II Kings 16:6. Notice it!
Ahaz began to reign as king of JUDAH (verse 1). He sat on David's throne (verse 2). At this time, a man named Pekah was king of ISRAEL. With King Rezin of Syria as an ally, this king of Israel came against Jerusalem in war, and besieged King Ahaz of Judah, but could not overcome him (verse 5). "At that time Rezin king of Syria [the ALLY of ISRAEL, fighting with ISRAEL against Judah] recovered Elath to Syria, and drove THE JEWS from Elath" (verse 6).
NOTE IT! The first place in the Bible where the word "Jew" is used, we find ISRAEL at war against THE JEWS! Israel's ally, Syria, drove THE JEWS out of the town of Elath!
Certainly this proves that the JEWS are a different nation altogether than ISRAEL. It is WRONG to call the Jews of today "Israel." They are not the nation Israel-they are JUDAH! And wherever ISRAEL is today, remember that ISRAEL as a national name does not mean JEW! Whoever the lost Ten Tribes of ISRAEL are today, they are not Jews! Wherever you see the name "Israel," or "house of Israel," or "Samaria," or "Ephraim" used in prophecy, remember this: IT NEVER REFERS TO THE JEWS, but to Israel, who was at WAR against the Jews!
No place in all the Bible does the term "ISRAEL" refer to the JEWS exclusively. When the sense is not national but individual, the term "Israel" alone, or "children of Israel," or "men of Israel" may, and sometimes does, include the Jews, where all twelve tribes are included. Jews are Israelites just as Oregonians are Americans. But MOST Israelites are not Jews, just as most Americans are not Oregonians. The Jews are the house of Judah only, a PART of the Israelites. But when these people are spoken of as NATIONS, rather than as collective individuals, the term "Israel" never refers to the Jews. "House of Israel" NEVER means "Jews." The three tribes at Jerusalem under the Davidic king are called, merely, the house of JUDAH.
But of Ephraim and Manasseh, sons of Joseph, the dying Israel had said, "Let my name be named on them" (Genesis 48:16). And truly they now bear the name of ISRAEL.
From here on, the tribe of Judah, with Benjamin and the tribe of Levi, is called "JUDAH" -- not Israel. The ten tribes, headed by Ephraim and Manasseh, from this time on are called "ISRAEL." They are not Jews and never were called Jews! From this time on, the children of Israel, twelve tribes in all, are divided into TWO NATIONS!
And now, for the first time, the BIRTHRIGHT goes into one nation, ISRAEL, headed by Ephraim-Manasseh, while the SCEPTRE remains in another nation, called the "House of JUDAH." The two phases of the promises to Abraham now are divided between TWO ENTIRELY SEPARATE NATIONS !
For many generations Israel and Judah remained as separate nations, in adjoining territories, having their own separate kings. Why should ministers and professed Bible students be in ignorance of this, when four whole books of the Bible, I andII Kings and I and II Chronicles, are devoted to explaining it and recording the history of these separate, rival kingdoms? Look at the maps in the back of your Bible. There you will see the territory of each nation plainly shown.
Judah retained the city of Jerusalem, its capital, and the territory known as Judea. Israel occupied the territory north of Judea. Samaria became its capital city, and the House of Israel often is called "Samaria" in prophecy. This, too, is a vital "key" to understanding prophecy. "Samaria" never refers to the Jews in prophecy -- but always the ten tribes, the house of ISRAEL.
We want to impress, here, that Israel and Judah are not two names for the same nation. They were, and still are, and shall be till the second coming of Christ, TWO SEPARATE NATIONS. The "house of Judah" ALWAYS means "Jew." This distinction is vital, if we are to understand prophecy. Because most so-called Bible students are in ignorance of this basic distinction, they are unable rightly to understand prophecy!
The next place where the term "Jew" is mentioned in the Bible, the House of Israel had been driven out in captivity, lost from view, and the term applies ONLY to those of the house of JUDAH.
Immediately on becoming king over the house of Israel, Jeroboam (tribe of Ephraim) set up two golden calves, introducing idol worship in the kingdom. The account is found in I Kings 12:28-33.
This idolatry with Sabbath-breaking (Ezekiel 20:10-24) was the great national sin which became such a curse to Israel. Generation after generation God pleaded with the house of Israel to turn from tradition-from their fathers' ways -- and to return to keeping God's commandments. But through nine different dynasties under 19 kings, Israel continued these national sins -- sins so great in God's sight that finally God caused them to become a conquered, captive nation.
In the years 721-718 B.C., the house of Israel was conquered and its people were soon driven out of their own land-out of their homes and cities-and carried captives to Assyria, on the southern shores of the Caspian Sea! And then . . . lost from view!
"Therefore the Lord was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of his sight: there was none left but the tribe of Judah only" (II Kings 17:18).
The Eternal removed who? Israel! It is Israel which was removed and driven from the Eternal's sight until they became lost from view. Who is left? Judah ONLY -- only the Jews! Israel was now gone! They became known as the LOST Ten Tribes and are so designated today.
In Leviticus 26 we find God's solemn warning to all the children of Israel. IF they would worship Him alone, avoiding idolatry, and keep His Sabbath, walk in His statutes and keep His commandments, they would inherit the national material promises to Abraham. They would become a great, rich, and powerful -- the dominant nation of all earth. But, if they refused and rebelled, they were to be punished SEVEN TIMES -- a duration of 2520 years [to be explained later] -- in slavery, servitude, and want.
The house of Israel now entered -- 721-718 B.C. -- (remember this date) -- upon their 2520 long years of national banishment, to last until A.D. 1800-1803!
And BECAUSE the house of Israel lost their identifying SIGN the Sabbath -- the sign which identified them as ISRAEL -- they utterly LOST THEIR IDENTITY! They lost knowledge even of their national name. They came to be considered GENTILES!
In Exodus 31:12-17 it is recorded that God made the Sabbath the covenant sign between Him and Israel. A sign identifies. At creation God rested on, blessed, made holy, and set apart for man the one day for man's rest and worship which could keep him always in the true worship of the true God -- the day that pointed back to creation. Creation is the PROOF of God. It identifies Him as the true God. It was intended to keep man in the true knowledge of the true God. When Israel threw aside God's Sabbath, Israel soon threw aside God Himself, and went into idolatry. The Sabbath identified Israel as God's own people because all other nations long since had departed from its observance and gone into idolatry. Israel was the only nation which kept it. Because they rejected this SIGN, they were driven out, and lost their identity (read Ezekiel 20:10-24).
Judah, too, went into captivity largely because of Sabbath rejecting (see Jeremiah 17). But those Jews who returned 70 years later under Ezra and Nehemiah had learned their lesson. They became legalistically-strict Sabbatarians -- adding so many of their own restrictions to it that Jesus had to sweep aside this maze of manmade rules, saying, "The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath" (Mark 2:27). To this day orthodox Jews have retained the original Sabbath. And because those Jewish people who descend from the Ezra-Nehemiah leadership have retained God's covenant identifying SIGN, the world today looks upon them as ISRAEL! And yet they actually are only a part of JUDAH! Those of the captivity who did not return under Ezra and Nehemiah lost their identity, too, though the world does not realize it.
So "the Lord removed Israel out of His sight . . . . So was Israel carried away out of their own land to Assyria" (II Kings 17:23). They LEFT the land of Samaria, never yet to return! Gentiles were placed in their homes and cities (verse 24), and it is these Gentiles who were known as Samaritans in the time of Christ.
A more detailed account of the captivity of Israel is found in II Kings 18:9-12, and 17:5-18.
Now the House of Israel began to "abide many days without a king" (Hosea 3:4). Since THEY were the people who carried the title "Israel," it is THEY, not Judah, who must become LOST in identity! Now they must lose their language, their religion, their land (Isaiah 8:17; 28:11; 40:27; 62:2; Jeremiah 16:13; Hosea 1:8-10; 2:5-6).
The House of Israel did NOT return to Palestine with the Jews in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah, as some erroneously believe. Those who returned to rebuild the temple and restore worship in Jerusalem at that time, 70 years after JUDAH'S captivity, were only those of the house of Judah whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried to Babylon.
Note well these facts.
1) In 721-718 B.C. ISRAEL began to be "carried away out of their own land to Assyria" (II Kings 17:23). They were soon all removed completely. "There was none left but the tribe of Judah only" (II Kings 17:18). JUDAH, only, remained.
2) More than 130 years later, Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon carried the Jews -- JUDAH -- who only remained in Palestine away to Babylon. So none of the house of Israel dwelt in Palestine at the time of this captivity of Judah.
3) Those who returned to Palestine to rebuild the temple and restore worship 70 years after Judah's captivity were ALL of the house of Judah -- all JEWS -- ALL of those whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away. They returned again "unto Jerusalem and Judah, every one unto his city" (Ezra 2:1).
Only those of the tribes of Judah, together with remnants of Benjamin and Levi, who constituted the house of JUDAH, returned at that time (Ezra 1:5). Consequently those in Jerusalem in the time of Christ were of these three tribes, NOT of the house of ISRAEL. And most, if not all, of those converted were of the tribe of Benjamin, as Paul said he was.
The House of Israel became known as the LOST Ten Tribes! Now known by ANOTHER name, speaking a different language!
By WHAT name are they known today? Whoever they are, wherever they are, it is THEY, and not the Jews, who are the BIRTHRIGHT possessors. It is THEY, not the Jews, who, after the ending of their punishment in A.D. 1800-1803, must inherit the UNbreakable promises to Abraham of national greatness, resources, wealth and power. It is MANASSEH who, after A.D. 1800-1803 was to become the world's greatest single nation; Ephraim a great COMMONWEALTH of nations! Who can they be today?
WHEN THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL WAS DRIVEN into Assyrian captivity, 721-718 B.C., the Kingdom of Judah had not yet rejected the government and religion of God. Before Judah's apostasy, God had said, through the prophet Hosea, "Though thou, ISRAEL, play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend . . . " (Hosea 4:15).
But later her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also," and God finally said, "The backsliding Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah" (Jeremiah 3:8, 11). And so, more than 130 years after Israel's captivity, the time came when God drove out the Jews, too, in national captivity and slavery. They were taken as slaves to Babylon -- not to Assyria, where ISRAEL had been taken.
For this purpose God raised up a very special prophet, whose real call and commission few indeed understand. This prophet was Jeremiah. He was one of the three men, only, who were sanctified before they were born. The other two were John the Baptist and Jesus Christ (see Jeremiah 1:5).
Jeremiah, when first given his vital call and commission, was a young lad. Some evidence indicates he was seventeen years of age. By the time his commission was completed, he was an aged, white-haired patriarch. The commission is recorded in Jeremiah 1:10: "See," God says to Jeremiah, "I have this day set thee over the nations and over kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, TO BUILD, AND TO PLANT.
There it is! Jeremiah was set over NATIONS -- more than one kingdom. He was a Jewish lad, living in Judah. He was set a prophet over Judah-but not Judah alone. Over NATIONS -- over KINGDOMs! He was set over these kingdoms to do two things: first, to "pluck up," or "root out," to "pull down," or to "overthrow," and second, TO BUILD, AND TO PLANT.
Jeremiah was used of God as a prophet to warn the nation Judah of their transgressions against God's government and ways. He was sent to warn this rebellious nation of impending punishment -- their invasion and captivity at the hands of Chaldean armed forces -- unless they repented. He was used as a go-between -- an intermediary -- between the kings of Judah and Babylon. It is well known that Jeremiah was used in warning Judah of the impending captivity, and the ""pulling down" or "overthrowing" of the throne of David in the Kingdom of Judah.
But -- note it in your Bible! -- he also was commissioned to PLANT and to BUILD! To build and to plant what? Why, naturally, that which he was used in "rooting out" of Judah-the THRONE OF DAVID. He was set over THE KINGDOMS -- the Kingdom of Israel as well as Judah. He was used in "rooting out" that throne from Judah. Then what was Jeremiah commissioned to do in ISRAEL? Ah! Note it! The second half of his strange and little-understood commission -- to PLANT AND TO BUILD!
So far as the world knows, the last king to sit on that throne of David was Zedekiah of Judah. He was thrown down off the throne and the throne rooted out of Judah in the year 585 B.C. -- nearly 600 years before Christ!
What, then! Did God forget His covenant with David? Did the throne CEASE? True, the KINGDOM -- the GOVERNMENT of Judah ceased, as had the kingdom of Israel more than 130 years before! But see what else Jeremiah was commissioned to do -- to PLANT AND TO BUILD! To plant and to build, then, of necessity, among the house of Israel, lo, these many days without a king -- among LOST Israel, now supposing herself to be GENTILE! Therefore the identity and location of the replanting must remain hidden to the world until this time of the END in which we live!
The life and work of Jeremiah is a most fascinating story. The first chapters of the book of Jeremiah are devoted to his ministry, warning of the impending captivity of the Jews. Then God caused their captivity.
It is generally known that Babylon took Judah in three different stages. The first siege was in 604 B.C., a date about two years later than has been commonly reckoned, but a date now firmly established. The land did not completely pass into the hands of these Gentile Babylonians, however, until a full time-cycle of 19 years later, or 585 B.C. You can read the part played by Jeremiah in this captivity in the book of Jeremiah.
But now notice an interesting fact. The last and final king recorded either in Bible or secular history as having sat on the throne of David was King Zedekiah of Judah (II Kings 25:18). When the Chaldean armies besieged Jerusalem, the city was broken up, the palace and temple destroyed. ALL the sons of King Zedekiah were killed before his eyes. That there would be no man to carry on his dynasty, all the princes of Judah were killed. King Zedekiah's eyes were put out and he was bound in chains and carried to Babylon where he died. You will read of all this captivity in II Kings 25, II Chronicles 36, Jeremiah 39, and 52.
And now the first part of Jeremiah's mysterious commission is accomplished! So far as the world could see, or has seen since, the dynasty of David had ENDED! No king remained on the throne. Judah's last king was dead. All his sons were dead. All other princes who might be possible heirs to carry on the dynasty, had been killed. No possible heir to the throne, so the world then believed, remained alive.
But how about the SECOND part of Jeremiah's important commission? Was God able to keep His covenant with David?
Jeremiah was among these captive Jews. Yet he must remain free to carry out the second part of his commission. So, "the captain of the guard took Jeremiah, and said unto him . . . behold, I loose thee this day from the chains which were upon thine hand. If it seem good unto thee to come with me into Babylon, come; and I will look well unto thee: but if it seem ill unto thee to come with me into Babylon, forbear: behold, all the land is before thee: whither it seemeth good and convenient for thee to go, thither go . . . . So the captain of the guard gave him victuals and a reward [expense money], and let him go" (Jeremiah 40:2-5).
Jeremiah was left absolutely FREE to perform the second half of his commission. Where did he go? We come now to an amazing, fascinating, thrilling part of the book of Jeremiah which has been almost entirely overlooked.
"Then went Jeremiah unto Gedeliah . . . to Mizpah; and dwelt with him among the people that were left in the land" (verse 6).
Now this Gedeliah had been made governor over a remnant of Jews in the land by the king of Babylon, and since Jerusalem was destroyed, he had made Mizpah his headquarters. But the king of Ammon plotted with a Jew named Ishmael to assassinate Gedeliah. The plot was executed; the governor, and part of the Jews were slain. Jeremiah was among the survivors.
"Then Ishmael carried away captive all the residue of the people that were in Mizpah, even the king's daughters, and all the people that remained in Mizpah, whom Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard [from Babylon] had committed to Gedeliah . . . and carried them away captive, and departed to go over to the Ammonites" (Jeremiah 41:10).
Ah! Did you catch it? Read that passage again. Among these Jews were the king's daughters! Daughters of Zedekiah, king of Judah, and of David's dynasty!
King Zedekiah had died in prison in Babylon (Jeremiah 52:11). All his sons had been killed. All the princes of Judah had been killed. All possible heirs to David's throne had been killed -- except the king's daughters! Now we see why Jeremiah went to Mizpah!
Soon a man named Johanan replaced Ishmael as leader. And in fear of reprisals from Nebuchadnezzar and the Chaldean army, they appealed to the prophet, "and said unto Jeremiah the prophet, Let, we beseech thee, our supplication be accepted before thee, and pray for us unto the Lord thy God . . . that the Lord thy God may shew us the way wherein we may walk" (Jeremiah 42:2-3).
The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, and He told them not to fear, that He would protect and deliver them. But the people wanted to flee to Egypt. This the Lord warned them not to do. If they did, the sword of Nebuchadnezzar which they feared would overtake them there, and they would die (Jeremiah 42:7-16).
But, as people usually do, they rejected God's warning. "Thou speakest falsely," Johanan answered Jeremiah (Jeremiah 43:2-3).
And so Johanan "look all the remnant of Judah . . . even men, and women, and children, and the king's daughters . . . and Jeremiah the prophet, and Baruch the son of Neriah [Jeremiah's scribe, or secretary]. So they came into the land of Egypt" (Jeremiah 43:5-7).
On reaching Egypt, God warned these Jews again through Jeremiah that they should die there by the sword and famine, and "none shall return but such as shall escape" (Jeremiah 44:14). Yes, a few in this company are under divine protection. A divine mission is to be performed. They shall ESCAPE! The Lord continues: "Yet a small number that escape the sword shall return out of the land of Egypt into the land of Judah" (Jeremiah 44:28).
Baruch was Jeremiah's constant companion and secretary. It is important to note here God's promise of protection to him: "Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, unto thee, O Baruch . . . . Behold, that which I have built I will break down, and that which I have planted I will pluck up, even this whole land . . . but thy life will I give unto thee for a prey in all places whither thou goest" (Jeremiah 45:2-5). Baruch's life, like Jeremiah's, was under divine protection!
Jeremiah, Baruch, and the royal seed for replanting and rebuilding David's throne, all under divine protection, were to escape, and return to the land of Judah!
Then Jeremiah and his company were to journey to a strange land which they knew not (Jeremiah 15:11-14).
Now let Isaiah complete this prophecy: "For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of mount Zion: the zeal of the Lord of hosts shall do this . . . . And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall AGAIN TAKE ROOT DOWNWARD, AND BEAR FRUIT UPWARD" (Isaiah 37:32, 31).
This remnant with Jeremiah -- at least one of the king's daughters -- shall take root downward! That is, BE REPLANTED!
And then bear fruit upward! Be BUILT! Has God failed in His solemn covenant to keep alive David's throne? Where was this planting and building? Can we find it in God's Word? We can! The place and the people among whom the throne was reestablished are clearly identified!
WHERE DID JEREMIAH GO with Baruch his secretary and one or more of the royal daughters of the king? History stops short at this point. Enlightened students of Bible history have long known that the Ten Tribes called by the name "House of ISRAEL" -- have been lost in identity and historic knowledge, and exist today among the Gentile nations, unrecognized. Their identity and location God has hidden from the world.
Yet, in this end time, when knowledge is to increase, when the wise are to UNDERSTAND (Daniel 12:4, 10), we shall find the secret revealed through PROPHECY which could not be understood until now. But first, we must now consider a mysterious "breach" that occurred in the days of Judah, son of Jacob.
Judah was the father of twin sons. The firstborn was royal seed, for through him the SCEPTRE promise was to be carried down. It seems the midwife knew twins were about to be born. It is recorded that just before birth, one of the twins "put out his hand: and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying, This came out first." But the child drew back his hand, and the other was actually born first. The midwife exclaimed, "How hast thou broken forth? This breach be upon thee [margin, wherefore hast thou made this breach against thee?]: therefore his name was called Pharez," meaning "breach." The other twin was named Zarah (Genesis 38:27-30).
WHY should this strange occurrence be recorded in Bible history unless this breach was to be healed between the sons or their descendants at some future time? Yet it never occurred in their lifetime.
Zarah, of the scarlet thread, had five sons (I Chronicles 2:6). Did a descendant of Zarah finally get the throne, in a manner healing the breach? David, Zedekiah, Christ -- all were of the PHAREZ branch -- none of Zarah.
(Now consider: 1) the fact of the breach means the transfer of the sceptre from the Pharez to the Zarah line. 2) Such transfer never occurred before King Zedekiah of Judah, who was descended from Pharez. 3) Therefore it had to occur after Zedekiah's death. 4) Since David's line (Pharez) is to remain on the throne through all generations FOREVER, it could only occur at an OVERTURN of the throne by a marriage between a Pharez heir to the throne and one of the Zarah line, thus healing the breach.
History shows the descendants of Zarah became wanderers, journeying to the north within the confines of the Scythian nations, their descendants later migrating to Ireland in the days of King David.
But meanwhile, the Pharez-David-Zedekiah line possessed the sceptre -- was HIGH -- exalted. The Zarah line, feeling it rightfully should possess the sceptre, and some day would, was low, abased-so far as royal power was concerned.
Now consider a much misunderstood passage of prophecy: If you will begin reading at the 18th verse of the 21st chapter of Ezekiel, you will see plainly that the Eternal is here speaking of the captivity of Judah by the king of Babylon. And, beginning with the 25th verse, He says: "And thou, profane wicked prince of Israel [Zedekiah], whose day is come, when iniquity shall have an end, thus saith the Lord God; remove the diadem, and take off the crown [as did happen, through the first half of Jeremiah's commission]: this [the crown] shall not be the same: exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high. I will overturn, overturn, overturn it: and it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him" (verses 25-27).
Let us understand that clearly. "Remove the diadem, and take off the crown." King Zedekiah, of David's dynasty, had the crown. This says it is to be removed. IT WAS REMOVED. He died in Babylon; his sons and all the nobles of Judah were killed.
"This shall not be the same." The diadem is not to cease, but a change is to take place-the throne is to be overturned- another is to wear the crown. God's promise to David is not to go by default!
"Exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high." Who is "high"? King Zedekiah of Judah. Now he is to be abased. He is to lose that crown. Judah has been "high," while Israel has been "low" -- these many years without a king (Hosea 3:4). The Pharez line has been "high"; the Zarah line "low."
"I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it: and it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is." What was to be overturned? The diadem, and the throne. Not once -- it is to be OVERTURNED three times. Overturned by abasing Zedekiah, the house of Judah, the Pharez line, and exalting, now, the house of Israel, and one of the Zarah line! The first of the three overturns was performed as the first half of Jeremiah's commission.
"And it shall be no more." Does this mean the throne -- the crown -- is to cease to exist? Not at all! How could it be overturned two more times -- that is, TRANSFERRED from one to another, if it ceased to exist? How, after these three transfers of the crown, could it be given to Him -- Christ -- whose right it is, at His second coming, if it ceased altogether to exist? How could he who was "low" now be exalted by the crown, if that crown was to be no more? No, the meaning is: "It shall be no more overturned until the second coming of Christ!" And then it shall be given to Him!
God will not break his unalterable promise made to David! Through every generation David shall have a descendant wearing that crown! The second half of Jeremiah's commission must now be performed. That throne must be transPLANTED, and again BUILT. The crown must be overturned -- transferred to another!
But WHERE? To WHOM?
The strange truth of the PLANTING and the REBUILDING of David's throne is revealed in a "riddle and a parable," couched in symbolic language never understood until this latter day. Yet it stands today so clearly explained a little child could understand!
It fills the 17th chapter of Ezekiel's prophecy. The whole chapter should be carefully read. Notice, first, this prophetic message is addressed, NOT to Judah, the Jews, but to the house of ISRAEL. It is a message to give light to the lost ten-tribed house of ISRAEL in these latter days!
First, Ezekiel is told to speak a riddle, and then a parable. The riddle is found in verses 3 to 10. Then, beginning in verse 11, the Eternal explains its meaning. "Say now to the rebellious house [God says, the "rebellious house" being ten-tribed ISRAEL (Ezekiel 12:9), to whom Ezekiel is set a prophet (Ezekiel 2:3; 3:1, etc.)], Know ye not what these things mean? tell them . . . ." And then the riddle is clearly explained.
A great eagle came to Lebanon and took the highest branch of the cedar. This is explained to represent King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon who came to Jerusalem and took captive the king of Judah. The cropping off of the cedar's young twigs and carrying them to a land of traffic is explained to picture the captivity of the king's sons. "He took also of the seed of the land" means Nebuchadnezzar took also of the people, and the mighty of the land of Judah. He "set it as a willow tree. And it grew, and became a spreading vine of low stature" means the Jews were given a covenant whereby, although they were ruled over by the Chaldeans, they might live in peace and grow. The other "great eagle" is explained to represent Pharaoh of Egypt.
Thus, the riddle covers the first half of Jeremiah's commission. Now notice what is revealed concerning the second part -- the PLANTING of David's throne! It comes in the parable, verses 22-24. "Thus saith the Lord God; I will also take of the highest branch of the high cedar." From God's own explanation we have learned that the cedar tree represents the nation of Judah; its highest branch is Judah's king. The riddle told us Nebuchadnezzar took the highest branch-the king. The parable now tells us God -- not Nebuchadnezzar, but God -- will take of the highest branch. Not the branch, but OF the branch -- of Zedekiah's children. But Nebuchadnezzar took, and killed, all his SONS.
God, through his prophet Jeremiah, is now going to take OF this highest branch and "SET IT" (verse 22). "I will crop off from the top of his young twigs a tender one, and will plant it upon a high mountain and eminent," continues the Almighty! Ah! "A tender young twig!" The twigs of this highest branch represent the children of King Zedekiah! Certainly a tender young twig, then, represents a DAUGHTER! . . . and will PLANT it. Could symbolic language say plainer this young Jewish princess is to become the royal seed for the PLANTING again of David's throne? Where? " . . . upon a high mountain and eminent," says the Eternal! A "mountain" in symbol always represents a NATION.
"In the mountain of the height of ISRAEL will I plant it," answers the Eternal! David's throne now is to be planted in ISRAEL, after being thrown down from JUDAH! Could language be PLAINER? " . . . and it [the tender young twig -- the king's daughter] shall bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a goodly cedar."
Did David's throne cease with Zedekiah of Judah? Did God forget His covenant? NO! Compare this language with the passage in Isaiah 37:31-32: "The remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root downward [be planted], and BEAR FRUIT UPWARD. It was PLANTED in ISRAEL, who removed from Judah! After this Hebrew princess is "planted" on the throne, now in ISRAEL, lost from view -- that throne is to BEAR FRUIT. She is to marry, have children, and her sons are to continue David's dynasty!
" . . . and under it shall dwell all fowl of every wing; in the shadow of the branches thereof shall they dwell" (Ezekiel 17:23). "Lost" Israel, now having acquired the throne and become again a self-ruling nation, shall, in time, spread around the earth gaining dominance and power. They shall inherit the unconditional promises of the BIRTHRIGHT, according to God's covenant with Abraham!
"And all the trees of the field . . . " (verse 24). A "tree" in this riddle and parable is likened to a nation. In other words, "all the nations of the earth." " . . . shall know that I the Lord have brought down the high tree." Judah, the high tree, having the throne 130 years after Israel had been taken captive, now is brought down to the low stature of slavery. " . . . have exalted the low tree." For 130 years Israel had been a "low tree." Now Israel is exalted, becomes again a thriving nation with a Davidic king. " . . . have dried up the green tree [JUDAH] and have made the dry tree [ISRAEL] to flourish."
Compare that language with Ezekiel 21:26: "Remove the diadem, and take off the crown . . . exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high. I will overturn . . . " etc. It is speaking of transferring the throne from Judah to Israel.
Israel had already been independent in Ireland for four centuries. Israel in Ireland already had a kingly line onto which Zedekiah's daughter was grafted. The Irish Israelites were an ancient colony and had not gone into Assyrian captivity.
ISRAEL, headed by the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, who possessed the BIRTHRIGHT, now would flourish, become prosperous in due time. "I the Lord have spoken and have done it" (Ezekiel 17:24). Yes, that BIRTHRIGHT is in ISRAEL. Though lost, though supposed to be a Gentile nation, they are the people who were to grow into the promised multitude -- the great nation and the company of nations, possessing the gates of their enemy nations, becoming a colonizing people spreading around the world, being blessed with national resources and wealth. And, when they become thus powerful and nationally dominant, remember, David's throne will be found transplanted among them!
But WHERE did Jeremiah, with his royal seed for the transplanting, go to find the lost house of Israel? WHERE are they today? How was the "breach" healed, and how did a son of Zarah ascend to the throne? Can we tell?
We CAN! The exact, precise location is revealed in Bible prophecy! We can pick up Jeremiah's trail in actual history, besides!
We are ready now to search out the actual location of the lost tribes of the outcast house of Israel. We know they exist today as a nation, and a company of nations, powerful, looked upon as Gentiles. And when we find them, we shall find the throne of David!
Many passages of prophecy tell of these people in these latter days. Prophecies not to be understood until this "time of the end." Prophecies containing a message to be carried to these people by those to whom God reveals it!
First it is necessary to fix in mind these facts:
The prophet Amos wrote, in the days of the 13th of the 19 kings of the house of Israel (Amos 1:1): "Behold the eyes of the Lord are upon the sinful kingdom [house of Israel-Judah had not yet sinned], and I will destroy it [the kingdom, or government, not the people] from off the face of the earth . . . . For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth" (Amos 9:8-9).
This prophecy usually is applied to the scattered condition of the Jews. But it has nothing to do with the Jews, or the house of JUDAH, but refers to ten-tribed house of ISRAEL -- driven to Assyrian captivity, then migrating from there and scattering among other nations before the Jews were taken to Babylon. This prophecy says that ISRAEL (not Judah) was to be sifted among other nations -- these Israelites losing their identity -- yet God has protected and kept them: "yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth."
It was during this time that the children of the house of Israel were to "abide many days without a king" (Hosea 3:4). That these people did sift through all nations is clear. Many New Testament passages indicate this. Although many of them still were scattered among various nations in the first century A.D., a portion of them had become established in a definite location of their own by Jeremiah's time -- 140 years after their original captivity.
But these Israelites who possessed the birthright eventually were to come to a new land of their own. The Eternal says, in II Samuel 7:10 and I Chronicles 17:9: "Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will PLANT THEM [Jeremiah was commissioned to do the PLANTING of the throne among them], that they may dwell in a place of their own and move no more." The context of the whole passage shows this refers, not to Palestine, but a different land where these scattered Israelites were to gather after being removed from the promised land of Palestine, and while that land was lying idle and in possession of Gentiles.
Notice carefully! After being removed from Palestine, being sifted among all nations, abiding many days without a king, losing their identity, they are to be "planted" in a far away strange land now to become their own. And, NOTE IT! -- after reaching this place, they are to move no more! That is, of course, during this present world.
While other prophecies indicate these birthright holders were to become a colonizing people, spreading around the world, it is plain that the spreading out must be from this appointed place, which must remain the "home" seat of government for David's throne.
Mark this clearly! Once this "place of their own" was reached, and the throne of David planted there, THEY WERE TO MOVE NO MORE. Therefore, the location of this people TODAY is the place where Jeremiah planted David's throne more than 2,500 years ago!
Therefore prophecies pertaining to this day, or to the location of this people just prior to Christ's return, will tell us the location of Jeremiah's planting. The house of Israel is yet to return, at Christ's coming, to Palestine -- yet to plant grapes in Samaria their original country. Prophecies telling where they shall, in that future day, migrate FROM will reveal the location of "lost" ten-tribed ISRAEL! The two succeeding "overturns" of the throne, too, must be located in this same general locale.
Without further suspense, let us see where prophecy locates these birthright holders, now possessing the throne of David and having received earth's richest national blessings.
Remember they are distinguished from Judah -- the Jews -- by various names: Ephraim, Joseph, Jacob, Rachel (the mother of Joseph), Samaria, their former home, Israel.
According to Hosea 12:1: "Ephraim . . . followeth after the east wind." And "east wind" travels west. Ephraim must have gone west from Assyria.
When the Eternal swore to David that He would perpetuate his throne, He said, "I will set his hand [sceptre] also in the sea" (Psalm 89:25). The throne is to be "set," planted, "in the sea."
Through Jeremiah the Eternal said, "Backsliding Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah. Go and proclaim these words toward the NORTH and say, Return thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord" (Jeremiah 3:11-12). Israel is clearly distinguished from Judah. Of course Israel was north of Judah while still in Palestine-but when these words were written by Jeremiah, Israel had been removed from Palestine more than 130 years and had long since migrated, with the Assyrians, north (and west) of Assyria's original location.
And in these last days messengers are to go "toward the NORTH" (of Jerusalem) in order to locate lost Israel and proclaim this warning. So the location, we now find, is toward the north, also west, and in the sea.
The 18th verse, same chapter, says, "In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel [margin, to the house of Israel], and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given for an inheritance unto your fathers." At the future exodus, at Christ's coming, they are to return to Palestine out of the land of the NORTH!
After saying, "How shall I give thee up, Ephraim?" the Eternal, speaking through Hosea, says, "Then the children shall tremble from the WEST" (Hosea 11:8, 19).
Again: "Behold, l will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the coasts of the earth" (Jeremiah 31:8). This prophecy is for consideration in the "latter days" (Jeremiah 30:24; 31:1) and is addressed to "Israel" (verses 2, 4, 9), to "Ephraim" (verses 6, 9), and "Samaria" (verse 5). Here is added another hint -- "the coasts of the earth" (verse 8) -- evidencing they are dominant at sea and indicating they have spread abroad widely by colonization.
Referring to the house of ISRAEL, not Judah (Isaiah 49:3, 6), God says, "Behold these shall come from far: and lo, these from the NORTH and from the WEST; and these from the land of Sinim" (Isaiah 49:12). In the Hebrew, the language in which this was originally inspired, there is no word for "northwest," but this term is designated by the phrase, "the north and the west." It means, literally, the NORTHWEST! The Vulgate renders "Sinim" as "Australi," or "Australia." So we now have the location NORTHWEST of JERUSALEM and even spreading around the world!
Hence, Israel of TODAY -- Israel of the day of Jeremiah's "planting" of David's throne -- is located specifically as NORTHWEST of JERUSALEM, and IN THE SEA! Let us locate this land more specifically!
The same 49th chapter of Isaiah begins with this: "Listen, O Isles, unto me." The people addressed, Israel, are called "O Isles" in the first verse and "O Israel" in the 3rd verse. This term "isles" or "islands" is sometimes translated "coastlands."
The 31st chapter of Jeremiah, locating Israel in the "north country," says, "I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn. Hear the word of the Lord, O ye nations [Ephraim, Manasseh], and declare it in the isles afar off . . . " (Jeremiah 31:9- 10).
Again: "Keep silence before me, O islands . . . thou, Israel, art my servant Jacob whom I have chosen" (Isaiah 41: 1, 8).
In Jeremiah 31:10, the message is to be declared "in the isles afar off and is to be shouted in the CHIEF OF THE NATIONS (verse 7).
So, finally, today, as in Jeremiah's day, the house of Israel is in the isles, which are "in the sea," the chief of the nations, northwest of Jerusalem. A coast-dwelling, and therefore sea dominant people!
Certainly there can be no mistaking that identity!
Take a map of Europe. Lay a line due NORTHWEST of Jerusalem, across the continent of Europe, until you come to the sea, and then to the islands in the sea!
This line takes you directly to the BRITISH ISLES!
OF PROOF THAT OUR WHITE, English-speaking peoples of today -- Britain and America -- are actually and truly the birthright tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh of the "lost" house of Israel, there is so much we shall have space for but a small portion of that proof in this booklet.
A most interesting fact is the Hebrew meaning of the names of the British people.
The house of Israel is the covenant people. The Hebrew word for "covenant" is beriyth, or berith. After Gideon's death, Israel followed the false pagan god Baal. In Judges 8:33, and 9:4, the word "covenant" is used as a proper name coupled with the name "Baal." This is quoted in the English text, Authorized Version, without being translated, as "Baalberith," meaning (margin) "idol of the covenant."
The Hebrew for "man" is iysh, or ish. In English, the ending "-ish" means "of or belonging to (a specified nation or person)." In the original Hebrew language vowels were never given in the spelling. So, omitting the vowel "e" from berith, but retaining the "i" in its anglicized form to preserve the "y" sound, we have the anglicized Hebrew word for covenant, brith.
The Hebrews, however, never pronounced their "h's." Many a Jew, even today, in pronouncing the name "Shem," will call it "Sem." Incidentally this ancient Hebrew trait is also a modern British trait. So the Hebrew word for "covenant" would be pronounced, in its anglicized form, as brit.
And the word for "covenant man," or "covenant people," would, therefore, be simply, "BRITISH." And so, is it mere coincidence that the true covenant people today are called the "BRITISH"? And they reside in the "BRITISH ISLES!"
The house of Israel not only was to lose its identity, but its name. It was to be called by a new name, since they no longer were to know their identity as Israel, as God said plainly in Isaiah 62:2, referring to these latter days, and to the millennium.
To Abraham, God said, "In ISAAC shall the seed be called," and this name is repeated in Romans 9:7 and Hebrews 11:18. In Amos 7:16 they are called "the house of ISAAC."
They were descended from Isaac, and therefore are Isaac's sons. Drop the "I" from "Isaac" (vowels are not used in Hebrew spelling), and we have the modern name "SAAC'S SONS," or as we spell it in shorter manner, "SAXONS."
Dr. W. Holt Yates, Yale University, says, "The word Saxons' is derived from sons of Isaac,' by dropping the prefix I'."
As the Eternal intended that "lost" Israel was to be located and found in these last days, we should expect some kinds of signs or waymarks to have been left along the trail by which ancient Israel journeyed from Assyria, the land of their original captivity.
Speaking to Ephraim (verse 20), the Eternal says in Jeremiah 31:21: "Set thee up waymarks, make thee high heaps: set thine heart toward the highway, even the way which thou wentest." In Scripture we find the "waymarks," or highway signs, which they set up along the road they traveled.
In Genesis 49:17, Jacob, foretelling what should befall each of the tribes, says: "Dan shall be a serpent by the way." Another and better translation of the original Hebrew is: "Dan shall be a serpent's trail." It is a significant fact that the tribe of Dan, one of the ten tribes, named every place they went after their father Daniel.
The tribe of Dan originally occupied a strip of coast country on the Mediterranean, west of Jerusalem. "And the coast of the children of Dan," we read in Joshua 19:47, "went out too little for them: therefore the children of Dan went up to fight against Leshem, and took it . . . and called Leshem, DAN, after the name of Dan their father."
In Judges 18:11-12, it is recorded that Danites took Kirjathjearim, and "called that place Mahaneh-dan unto this day." A little later the same company of 600 armed Danites came to Laish, captured it, and "they called the name of the city DAN, after the name of Dan their father" (verse 29). So notice how these Danites left their "serpent's trail" by the way-set up waymarks by which they may be traced today.
Remember, in the Hebrew, vowels were not written. The sound of the vowels had to be supplied in speaking. Thus, the word "Dan" in its English equivalent could be spelled, simply, "Dn." It might be pronounced as "Dan," or "Den," or "Din," or "Don," or "Dun" -- and still could be the same original Hebrew name.
The tribe of Dan occupied two different districts, or provinces, in the Holy Land before the Assyrian captivity. One colony lived on the seacoast of Palestine. They were principally seamen, and it is recorded Dan abode in ships (Judges 5:17).
When Assyria captured Israel, these Danites struck out in their ships and sailed west through the Mediterranean, and north to Ireland. Just before his death, Moses prophesied of Dan: "Dan is a lion's whelp: he shall leap from Bashan" (Deuteronomy 33:22). And David declared of Dan, "He breaketh [driveth] the ships of Tarshish with an east wind." An east wind travels west. Along the shores of the Mediterranean they left their trail in "Den." "Don," and "Din."
Irish annals and history show that the new settlers of Ireland, at just this time, were the "Tuatha de Danaans," which means, translated, "Tribe of Daniel" Sometimes the same appears simply as "Tuathe De," meaning the "people of God." And in Ireland we find they left these "waymarks": Dans-Laugh, Dan-Sower, Dundalk, Dun-drum, Don-egal Bay, Don-egal City, Dun-glow, Dingle, Dunsmor (meaning "more Dans"). Moreover, the name Dunn in the Irish language means the same as Dan in the Hebrew: judge.
But the northern colony of Danites was taken to Assyria in the captivity, and thence with the rest of the ten tribes they traveled from Assyria by the overland route.
After leaving Assyrian captivity, they inhabited for some time the land just west of the Black Sea. There we find the rivers Dnieper, Dnister, and the Don.
Then, in either ancient or later geography, we find these waymarks: Dan-au, the Dan-inn, the Dan-aster, the Dan-dari, the Danez, the Don, the Dan, and the U-Don; the Eri-don, down to the Danes. Denmark means "Dan's mark."
When they came to the British Isles, they set up the "waymark" names of Dun-dee, Dun-raven; in Scotland the "Dans," "Dons," and "Duns" are as prolific as in Ireland.
And so the "serpent's trail" of Dan sets up waymarks that lead directly to the British Isles!
Now briefly let us consider what is found in the ancient annals, legends, and history of Ireland, and we shall have the scene of Jeremiah's "planting," and the present location of "lost" Israel.
The real ancient history of Ireland is very extensive, though colored with some legend. But with the facts of biblical history and prophecy in mind, one can easily sift out the legend from the true history in studying ancient Irish annals. Throwing out that which is obviously legendary, we glean from various histories of Ireland the following: Long prior to 700 B.C., a strong colony called "Tuatha de Danaan" (tribe of Dan) arrived in ships, drove out other tribes, and settled there. Later, in the days of David, a colony of the line of Zarah arrived in Ireland from the Near East.
Then, in 569 B.C. (date of Jeremiah's transplanting), an elderly, white-haired patriarch, sometimes referred to as a "saint," came to Ireland. With him was the princess daughter of an eastern king and a companion called "Simon Brach," spelled in different histories as Breck, Berech, Brach, or Berach. The princess had a Hebrew name Tephi -- a pet name -- her full name being Tea Tephi.
Modern literature of those who recognize our national identity has confused this Tea-Tephi, a daughter of Zedekiah, with and earlier Tea, a daughter of Ith, who lived in the days of David.
This royal party included the son of the king of Ireland who had been in Jerusalem at the time of the siege. There he had become acquainted with Tea-Tephi. He married her shortly after 585 -- when the city fell. Their young son, now about 12 years of age, accompanied them to Ireland. Besides the royal family, Jeremiah brought with them some remarkable things, including the harp, an ark, and a wonderful stone called "lia-fail," or "stone of destiny." A peculiar coincidence (?) is that Hebrew reads from right to left, while English reads from left to right. Read this name either way-and it still is "lia-fail."
Another strange coincidence -- or is it just coincidence? -- is that many kings in the history of Ireland, Scotland, and England have been coronated sitting over this stone-including the present queen. The stone rests today in Westminster Abbey in London, and the coronation chair is built over and around it. Until recently, a sign beside it labeled it "Jacob's pillar-stone" (Genesis 28:18).
The royal husband of the Hebrew princess Tea was given the title Herremon upon ascending the throne of his father. This Herremon has usually been confused with a much earlier Gede the Herremon in David's day -- who married his uncle Ith's daughter Tea. The son of this later king Herremon and Hebrew princess continued on the throne of Ireland and this same dynasty has continued unbroken, through all the kings of Ireland; was overturned and transplanted again in Scotland; again overturned and moved to London, England, where this same dynasty continues today in the reign of Queen Elizabeth II!
Another interesting fact is that the crown worn by the kings of the line of Herremon and the other sovereigns of ancient Ireland had twelve points!
In view of the linking together of biblical history, prophecy, and Irish history, can anyone deny that this Hebrew princess was the daughter of King Zedekiah of Judah and therefore heir to the throne of David? That the aged patriarch was in fact Jeremiah, and his companion was Jeremiah's scribe, or secretary, Baruch? That King Herremon was a descendant of Zarah, here married to the daughter of Pharez, healing the ancient breach? That when the throne of David was first overturned by Jeremiah, it was REPLANTED in Ireland, later overturned a second time and replanted in Scotland, overturned a third time and plantedin London? When Christ returns to earth to sit on that throne. He shall take over a LIVE, existing throne, not a nonexistent one (Luke 1:32). God's word still stands! Almighty God has kept all His promises!
King George of the British Commonwealth, the king who ruled before Queen Elizabeth II, possessed a chart showing his ancestry, every generation, back to Herremon and Tephi, to Zedekiah, on back to David. and through the scriptural genealogy clear to Adam! The writer has a copy of this chart, and also his own genealogy for each generation back into the line of ancient British kings, and therefore has the complete record of his genealogy through the house of David clear to Adam -- believe it or not!
THE MOST REMARKABLE FULFILLMENT of biblical prophecy in modern times was the sudden sprouting forth of the two mightiest world powers-one, a commonwealth of nations forming the greatest world empire of all time; the other, the wealthiest, most powerful nation on earth today. These birthright peoples came, with incredible suddenness, into possession of more than two-thirds -- nearly three-fourths -- of the cultivated wealth and resources of the whole world! This sensational spurt from virtual obscurity in so short a time gives incontrovertible proof of divine inspiration. Never, in all history, did anything like it occur.
But why did this unprecedented national wealth and power come to our birthright inheritors only after the year A.D. 1800? Why did not this national dominance come to the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh millennia ago -- in the days of Moses, or Joshua, or David, or Elijah?
In the 26th chapter of Leviticus, Israel (then one nation of 12 tribes) was given the promise from the Eternal that if they followed His civil statutes, obeyed His commandments and ordinances, they should immediately INHERIT the vast national promises of the birthright. God promised to bless their land -- give them rain -- make them wealthy and prosperous. They were to become so powerful they could defeat every enemy -- five of them chase a hundred; a hundred of them put ten thousand to flight.
But, beginning verse 14, if they disobeyed, God warned them they would become the slaves of other nations and go into national punishment -- the birthright blessings being withheld tor a duration of 2520 long years! Notice verse 18: "And if ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins. It is important to UNDERSTAND this!"
This expression "seven times" is translated into the English from a Hebrew word which conveys a dual meaning. The original Hebrew word Moses wrote is shibah. It is defined as "seven times," and also as "sevenfold." The "seven times" implies duration or continuation of punishment. But the word also conveys the meaning of "sevenfold," or seven times greater intensity of punishment -- as a punishment that is sevenfold more intense. In this sense, the meaning would be the same as in Daniel 3:19, where King Nebuchadnezzar, in a rage, commanded that the furnace into which Daniel's three friends were to be thrown should be made seven times hotter.
Now understand the "seven times" -- or seven prophetic "times." For this is a prophecy. In prophecy, a "time" is a prophetic 360-day year [in ancient biblical times, a year was figured on a basis of twelve 30-day months]. And, during Israel's punishment, each day represented a year being fulfilled [Numbers 14:34; Ezekiel 4:4-6].
But what is a prophetic "time?" In Revelation 12:6, a prophecy of an event which in actual history did last 1260 solar years is spoken of as "a thousand two hundred and threescore days." So here, again, a prophetic day was a year in fulfillment. In Revelation 13:5 (referring to a different event but the same amount of time) this same period of 1260 days being fulfilled in 1260 solar years is spoken of as "forty and two months." The same amount of time is spoken of in still different language in Revelation 12:14 as "a time, and times, and half a time." The "time" is one prophetic year; the "times" is two more prophetic years; and the whole expression is 3 1/2 prophetic "times," which is a literal 1260 days or 3 1/2 years of thirty-day months. Seven of these "times" then would be 2520 days-and on a day-for-a-year basis, 2520 years!
A prophetic "time," then, is a 360-day year -- or a plain 360 days. And during those years of Israel's punishment, as made plain by combining Leviticus 26:18 with Ezekiel 4:4-6, Numbers 14:34, and Revelation 12:6 and 13:5, each day of a prophetic "time" was one year in fulfillment. In Leviticus 26:18, and in Revelation 12:6 and 13:5, this meaning is verified and PROVED by the fact that the prophecy was fulfilled in precisely the time indicated.
For a while the Israelites went God's way -- but not long. Soon they were adopting the customs and ways of the Gentile nations around them. After Solomon's death Israel rejected her king, and Judah split off from Israel in loyalty to King Rehoboam, thus splitting the twelve tribes into two nations.
The house of Israel sinned first. And after nine dynasties beginning with Jeroboam, and the reigns of 19 kings (not David's dynasty, which was now in Judah), Israel was uprooted from its homeland of Samaria, and taken captive to Assyria. Then, in the years 721-718 B.C., began the 2520 long years of national banishment from the birthright inheritance.
It must be emphasized that the birthright promises, to be fulfilled only in Ephraim and Manasseh, could not be inherited until the end of their 2520-years' national punishment. By this 2520-year punishment, God punished the people for their sins, yet kept his promises to Abraham. The promises, then, must be fulfilled only AFTER the duration of this punishment. The house of Israel went into Assyrian captivity in 721-718 B.C. Therefore it could not come into the vast national wealth and resources of the birthright until the period beginning 2520 years later, or A.D. 1800-1803.
Notice again the original promise: "A nation, and a company of nations shall be of thee" (Genesis 35:11)
Remember, in passing on the birthright the dying Jacob (Israel) said of Ephraim and Manasseh, sons of Joseph, " . . . let my name be named on them" (Genesis 48:16). Hence it is THEY -- the descendants of Ephraim (the British) and Manasseh (Americans) not the Jews, who rightfully own the name "house of ISRAEL." Continuing, Jacob added, " . . . and let them grow into a multitude."
Then, speaking of Manasseh and his descendants alone, Jacob said prophetically: " . . . he also shall become a people [nation], and he also shall be GREAT: but truly his younger brother [Ephraim] shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a MULTITUDE [a company, or COMMONWEALTH] of NATIONS (Genesis 48:19).
In A.D. 1800 the United Kingdom and the United States were small and insignificant among the earth's nations. The United Kingdom had only the British Isles, a very small part of India and of Canada and a few little islands. The United States consisted only of the original 13 colonies and three added states. Neither possessed any great wealth or power.
But beginning in 1800 these two little nations began to sprout and to grow into vast national riches and power such as no people ever possessed. Soon Britain's empire spread around the world, until the sun never set upon her possessions. Canada, Australia, South Africa were given dominion status -- made free and independent nations, ruling themselves independent of England -- a company, or commonwealth, of nations joined together, not by legal government, but solely by the throne of David!
And the British Commonwealth of Nations is the only COMPANY OF NATIONS in all earth s history. Could we so exactly fulfill the specifications of the birthright, and not be the birthright people? The United States expanded rapidly in national resources and wealth after 1800, but reached world dominance among nations later than the British Commonwealth. It became a giant world power by the end of World War I.
Some will say, "I can believe that the British are Ephraim, but how can the United States be Manasseh?"
From the prophetic blessings passed on by the dying Jacob, it is apparent that Ephraim and Manasseh were in a large measure to inherit the birthright jointly; to remain together for a long time, finally separating.
In Genesis 48 Jacob first passed the birthright on to the two sons of Joseph jointly, speaking of them both together. Then, finally, he spoke of them separately -- Manasseh was to become the single GREAT nation; Ephraim, the COMPANY of nations.
And in his prophecy for these latter days Jacob said, "Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall" (Genesis 49:22). In other words, Joseph -- Ephraim and Manasseh jointly and together -- was to be a colonizing people in this latter day, their colonies branching out from the British Isles around the earth.
Together Ephraim and Manasseh grew into a multitude, then separated, according to Jacob's prophetic blessing of Genesis 48. Our people have fulfilled this prophecy.
But how can we be Manasseh when a large part of our people have come from many nations besides England? The answer is this: A large part of Manasseh remained with Ephraim until the separation of NEW England. But our forefathers were to be sifted through many nations, as corn through a sieve, yet not a grain to fall to the earth or be lost (Amos 9:9). Our people did filter through many nations. Ephraim and much of Manasseh finally immigrated to England together, but many others of Manasseh who had filtered into and through other nations did not leave them until they came, as immigrants, to the United States AFTER the New England colony had become the separate nation. This does not mean that all foreigners who have immigrated into this country are of the stock of Manasseh, but undoubtedly many are. Israel, however, always did absorb Gentiles, who became Israelites through living in Israel's land and intermarrying.
Thus we have become known as the "melting pot" of the world. Instead of refuting our Manasseh ancestry, this fact actually confirms it. The proof that we are Manasseh is overwhelming. Manasseh was to separate from Ephraim and become the greatest, wealthiest single nation of earth's history. We alone have fulfilled this prophecy. Manasseh was in fact a thirteenth tribe. There were twelve original tribes. Joseph was one of these twelve. But when Joseph divided into two tribes and Manasseh separated into an independent nation, it became a thirteenth tribe.
Could it be mere coincidence that it started, as a nation, with thirteen colonies?
But what about the other tribes of the so-called "Lost Ten Tribes"? While the birthright was Joseph's, and its blessings have come to the British Commonwealth of Nations and the United States of America, yet the other eight tribes of Israel werealso God's chosen people. They, too, have been blessed with a good measure of material prosperity -- but not the dominance of the birthright.
We lack space for a detailed explanation of the specific identity of all of these other tribes in the nations of our twentieth century. Suffice it to say here that there is ample evidence that these other eight tribes have descended into such northwestern European nations as Holland, Belgium, Denmark, northern France, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway. The people of Iceland are also of Viking stock. The political boundaries of Europe, as they exist today, do not necessarily show lines of division between descendants of these original tribes of Israel.
Read again the prophetic promises of Genesis 22:17 and 24:60. Since the birthright pertains to NATIONS, the GATE of our enemies would be such passes as Gibraltar, Suez, Singapore, Panama Canal, etc.
Britain and America came into possession of every such major "gate" in this world! So we MUST be modern Israel. World War II hinged on these "gates." They have become not only strategic passes, but the world's greatest fortifications. But today, we have lost most of them, most recently, the Panama Canal -- and it appears that soon Gibraltar, too, will be lost. Why?
Notice Genesis 39:23: "The Lord was with him [Joseph], and and that which he did, the Eternal made it to PROSPER." And God did prosper Joseph's descendants, Britain and America, with the fabulous birthright promised Joseph's sons!
Consider Moses' dying prophetic blessing, foretelling what would happen to each of the tribes in these latter days.
"And of Joseph he said, Blessed of the Lord be his land, for the precious things of heaven, for the dew, and for the deep that coucheth beneath, and for the precious fruits brought forth by the sun, and for the precious things put forth by the moon, and for the chief things of the ancient mountains, and for the precious things of the lasting hills, and for the precious things of the earth and the fullness thereof . . . let the blessing come upon the head of Joseph [Ephraim and Manasseh both] . . . . His glory is like the firstling [firstborn-birthright holder] of his bullock, and his horns are like the horns of unicorns [Great Britain's national seal today]: with them he shall push the people together to the ends of the earth: and they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh" (Deuteronomy 33:13-17).
Whoever is Ephraim and Manasseh today must have been in possession of the earth's choicest agricultural, mineral, and other wealth-the great gold and silver mines; iron, oil, and coal; timber and other resources.
What nations fulfil these prophecies? Why, only Great Britain and America!
More than half of all tillable, cultivatable temperate-zone lands of this earth came after A.D. 1800 into the possession of our two great powers alone! The rich agricultural lands of the Mississippi Valley; the vast wheat and grain fields of the Midwest, of Canada and Australia; the great forest lands of the Pacific Northwest and many other parts of the world; the gold fields of South Africa, Australia, Alaska and the United States; the great coal mines of the United States and British Isles; the natural waterfalls and means of power and consequent prosperous industrial and manufacturing districts of England and the eastern United States; the choicest fruit lands of our Pacific Coast and Florida. What other nations combined ever possessed such material wealth?
And nearly all this wealth has come to us after A.D. 1800!
Just to what extent has Almighty God fulfilled His promises in us to the descendants of Joseph in these latter years since A.D. 1800 promises of "the precious fruits brought forth by the sun . . . the chief things of the ancient mountains . . . and the precious things of the earth"?
Said Charles M. Schwab, steel magnate, before the Massachusetts Bankers Association, January 5, 1921: "Our United States has been endowed by God with everything to make it and keep it the foremost industrial and commercial nation of the world."
World petroleum output in 1950 was almost 3,800 million barrels [editor's note: the statistics in this section are taken from the 1980 version of The United States and Britain in Prophecy]. Of this total the United States alone produced more than one half-nearly 52%. Together, the British Commonwealth and the United States produced 60% of the crude petroleum, not including our vast foreign investments. But by 1966 -- the fateful year in which the British Colonial Office in London closed its doors, marking the official death of the British Empire -- that 60% of all the world's crude petroleum output had been reduced to 32%.
Britain and America mined 1 1/2 times as much coal as all other nations combined. But by 1966 our portion had shrunk to less than one-third of the world production -- 30.9%!
Together, the British Commonwealth and America produced, in 1950, three-fourths of the world's steel -- the United States alone producing almost 60% or 105,200,000 short tons in 1951. We produced 1 1/3 times as much pig iron as all other nations combined.
By 1966, this basic index of wealth had skidded down to one third (33.6%) of steel production and only 17.8% (one- sixth) of the pig iron.
We possessed nearly 95% of the world's nickel (chiefly from Canada); 80% of the world's aluminum; 75% of the zinc. But where did we rate in 1966? Only 3.6% of the world's nickel; 40.2% of its aluminum (aluminum); 12.4% of its zinc
In 1950, the British Commonwealth completely dominated the production of chromite (from South Africa). Together Britain and America produced two-thirds of the world's rubber, and dominated the world's copper, lead, tin, bauxite and other precious metal outputs. But by 1966, we produced only 2.3% of the world's chromite, 23.4% of its copper, 9.9% of its lead, no tin, and 6.3% of its bauxite.
The British Commonwealth produced two-thirds of the world's gold-about £266,000,000 ($642 million) in 1950 -- while the United States had three times as much gold reserve as the total for the rest of the world. But by 1966 the U.S. gold supply had been drained so much that the dollar was in serious jeopardy.
We produced and utilized two-thirds of the world's output of electricity -- the United States producing 283 thousand million kilowatt-hours in 1948, and the United Kingdom and Canada outstripping Russia, Germany and France combined. But by 1966 we produced only 20.1%!
Great Britain and the United States did possess well over half of the world's merchant fleet tonnage. But by 1966 the figure was only 32.5%. The British Isles constructed more vessels than any other place on earth. But less than two decades later two or three Gentile nations had already outstripped Britain and America. In 1950, we also possessed about one-half of the world's railroad mileage. By 1966 our combined railway freight shipping was only 26% of the world total.
Whereas the United States alone once produced 73% of the automobiles, by 1966 the U.S. combined with the U.K. produced 55%, 44% from the U.S. alone. Japan, Germany, France, and Italy are making huge gains.
How did we come into possession of all this vast wealth of the earth? Did we acquire it through our own human wisdom, foresight, energy, ability and power?
Let Abraham Lincoln answer: "We find ourselves in the peaceful possession of the fairest portion of the earth, as regards fertility of soil, extent of territory, and salubrity of climate . . . . We . . . find ourselves the legal inheritors of these fundamental blessings. We toiled not in the acquirement or the establishment of them."
Again, in his proclamation for April 30, 1863, for a nationwide day of fasting and prayer, this great president said: "It is the duty of nations, as well as of men, to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God . . . and to recognize the sublime truth, announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history, that those nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord . . . . We have been the recipients of the choicest blessings of heaven. We have been preserved, these many years, in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers, wealth and power as no other nation ever has grown; BUT WE HAVE FORGOTTEN GOD! We have forgotten the gracious Hand which preserved us in peace, and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us; and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own."
And because Lincoln saw a nation who had forgotten God -- a nation drunk with a success not due to its own efforts -- a nation taking all the credit and glory to itself, this great president called upon the nation for a day of FASTING and PRAYER to confess this national sin before God. The fate of the nation hung in the balance when he issued that proclamation. But God heard and answered that great national prayer offensive -- and the nation was then preserved!
But today the threat to our fate is a thousand times more seriously hanging in the balance. And today we do not have a president or a prime minister with the vision, understanding and courage to bring our nations to their knees!
Abraham Lincoln knew these great material blessings had not been earned, but had been given to our people by the God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel.
And we should face the facts today and know that we were given all this vast unprecedented material wealth because God promised it, unconditionally, to Abraham. And He promised it to Abraham BECAUSE ABRAHAM OBEYED GOD, KEPT GOD'S LAWS AND COMMANDMENTS.
The birthright blessing was denied our forefathers after Moses' day because they REFUSED to live by God's laws.
And today God warns us, through many prophecies in Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Isaiah, Micah, and many others, that unless we of this generation REPENT of our sins, and turn to Him with fastings, and with weeping, and earnest PRAYER, He will destroy our cities, all our fortresses, with the foreign sword; that He will punish us at the hand of a CRUEL ONE; that we shall be invaded, defeated, reduced to SLAVES! GOD HELP US TO HEED THAT WARNING !
In conclusion, we ask: If we are not national Israel -- the so-called "lost" Ten Tribes -- prosperous Joseph-Israel- birthright Israel -- actual inheritors of the birthright blessings which were to be bestowed beginning A.D. 1800, then WHO ELSE CAN BE?
No other nation or combination of nations possessed these blessings of the birthright -- for we held more than two-thirds -- nearly three-fourths -- of all the raw materials, resources, and wealth of this entire round earth, and all other nations combined share among them only a small part.
Do you know of stronger proof of the divine inspiration of the Holy Bible as the revealed Word of the living God? Could mortal men have written, without divine inspiration, those prophecies we have considered in this booklet; made those PROMISES to Joseph Israel; and, after a lapse of 2520 years, beginning the exact years of 1800-1803, have had power to bring them about in fulfillment? These are no small or trifling promises. They involved possession of the great wealth and vast natural resources of the whole earth.
Present these facts as a challenge to your atheist and agnostic friends. Ask them to answer, if they can, whether any but the power of the Eternal Creator Himself could have made and had committed to writing such promises thousands of years ago, and, at precisely the promised time thousands of years later, brought about their fulfillment!
How can any American -- any English-speaking inheritor of God's choicest material blessings -- can, in face of such stupendous, overwhelming fulfillment of prophecy -- such awe-inspiring demonstration of the power and might and faithfulness of Almighty God -- accept and partake of these blessings, and then carelessly ignore God's WARNING that our sins today are INCREASING, or fail to get to his knees before the great Almighty, repent, and INTERCEDE in heartrending PRAYER for all Israelite nations, and HELP in every way he can to warn our people now of their impending PERIL, seems impossible to conceive.
God warns us through prophecy that our sins are fast increasing. And now the day of reckoning is here! The foreign sword always has attacked us. In this fearful awesome atomic age, World War III will start with nuclear devastation unleashed on London, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, New York Washington, Philadelphia, Detroit, Chicago, Pittsburgh, without warning! God help this nation to wake up before it's too late!
God help our president to see this thing as Abraham Lincoln saw it -- to call upon this nation now, as Lincoln called upon it, for the deadly-earnest heart-rending FASTING and PRAYER -- to issue a proclamation as Lincoln did setting apart a definite day for this confession of sin before God -- for REPENTANCE -- calling upon God to intervene and help and save us -- putting our trust in Him.
Yes, we are God's chosen people ISRAEL! Think what that means! Chosen, not for favors while we defy our God, but chosen for SERVICE we have failed to perform.
We should shout for joy at the discovery of our true identity -- and we should be brought to REPENT -- and to TURN TO GOD -- and to get back of this crusade by television and by printed word to WARN our people, and to CALL UPON GOD IN REAL HEARTRENDING PRAYER FOR DIVINE DELIVERANCE.
[Editor's note: the following concluding paragraphs are quoted from the 1980 version of The United States and Britain in Prophecy]. The sevenfold intensity (Leviticus 26:18) of punishment now soon to come upon the American and British peoples is simply the prophesied GREAT TRIBULATION! It will be the most frightfully intense PUNISHMENT, and time of trouble, ever suffered by any people! Yet YOU need not suffer in it.
This terrifyingly severe PUNISHMENT is simply the CORRECTION our peoples have made necessary to bring them to the ways of living which cause desired blessings, instead of terrible curses. It is CORRECTION -- for the peoples' GOOD!
As GOD LIVES, this punishment is soon to strike! This booklet has given the WARNING from God and His Word!
Will the U.S. and British nations HEED? They could yet avert this colossal national tragedy, if they would!
But if you -- you now reading this, you as an individual -- will be corrected, voluntarily, before God lets this indescribably horrendous chastening strike; if you come to real REPENTANCE, realizing HOW TERRIBLY WRONG you have been; if you can see yourself as you really are -- as a rebellious wrong, evil person; and if you can SURRENDER to the loving, all-merciful, yet all-POWERFUL GOD -- and make it an UNCONDITIONAL surrender, coming to Almighty God through the living Jesus Christ as personal Savior -- then No PLAGUE shall come near you! (Psalm 91:8-11), but you shall be accounted worthy to escape all these frightful things and to STAND before Christ at His return (Luke 21:35-36).
Those in the true body of Christ shall be taken to a place of SAFETY, until this Tribulation be over (Revelation 3:10-11, applying to those faithful in GOD'S WORK now going to the world; Revelation 12:14; Isaiah 26:20). But you must make your own decision -- and to NEGLECT doing so is to have made the WRONG decision!
Most people, we know only too well, will take this SERIOUS WARNING lightly -- put it out of mind -- turn to other immediate interests of no importance by comparison! That is why a living, just, all-wise, all-POWERFUL God is going to take away from them these unimportant counter-interests, and apply such intensified CORRECTION that they shall, finally, come to their senses, and turn to Him and His WAY which will bring them eternal happiness and abundant blessings!
But YOU need not have to suffer this intensified correction, greater than any trouble ever suffered by humans.
By God's direction and authority, I have laid the TRUTH before you! To neglect it will be tragic beyond imagination! To heed it will bring blessings, happiness and GLORY beyond description!
The decision is now YOURS!
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