BRITAIN AND THE USA - Joseph - Israel #1
Ephraim - Manasseh - House of Israel
by
Brian Williams
(1967 and updated 1992)
CHAPTER ONE
A FULLNESS OF NATIONS
"It must always seem a very singular fact that an island of
moderate size, situated off the north-west coast of Europe,
should have become, in the last three hundred years, the centre
of an absolutely unique worldwide Empire; that its race and
language should dominate the greater part of North America and
the whole of Australia; that its citizens should control the
affairs of a great part of Africa and should for a century or so
have ruled the whole of the densely populated sub-continent of
India, not to mention dozens and scores of lesser provinces,
outposts and islands scattered broadcast over the surface of the
earth. One would think that there must have been quite
exceptional wisdom in the policy of the Government of that
island, and quite exceptional virtues in its inhabitants; one
would think perhaps, also, that the British people, in their
imperial ventures, and in their competition with the imperial
ventures of other folk, must have enjoyed a quite exceptional
measure of luck."1
With these words two contemporary historians seek to remind
their readers of the phenomenon which is Britain. How indeed
shall we explain the miracle of Britain and the British people?
Shall we attribute it to exceptional wisdom, virtue, luck? Or has
there been some overruling providence behind the foundation of
the greatest Empire that the world has ever known? How shall we
interpret the facts of history?
BRITAIN AND AMERICA IN THE BIBLE
The story we have to tell is one of the strangest, most
fascinating and inspiring stories ever told. It is a true story,
and, most remarkable of all, its details were recorded far back
in human history. Fantastic though it may sound, the foundation
and ultimate development of Great Britain and the Commonwealth,
and the United States of America, was foretold in minute detail
thousands of years ago. Britain's island home, her far-flung
Empire covering one-third of the earth's surface area and
embracing one-quarter of the world's population, her fabulous
resources of wealth, her great pioneering spirit and missionary
enterprise, all these and many other fascinating derails, are
clearly foretold in what someone has described as the Book that
nobody knows, the Holy Bible.
THE CALLING OF ABRAHAM
To understand the part that Britain plays in prophecy,
indeed to understand the revelation of the Bible at all, one must
go back to the earliest chapters of the book of Genesis. About
the year 2068 B.C. God chose a man named Abram, calling him to
leave his family and to go forth into a strange land which God
said he would receive for an inheritance?2
God promised Abram, "I will make of thee a GREAT NATION, and
I will bless thee, and make thy name GREAT; and thou shalt be a
blessing ... and in thee shall all families of the earth be
blessed."3
Here we find God purposes to prepare a mighty race of people
that should be a blessing to all the nations of the world.
ABRAHAM FATHER OF GENTILE NATIONS
The Lord later revealed that this Abrahamic race was to
become a multitude of nations, exceedingly great in population,
and ruled over by a dynasty of kings. "And when Abram was ninety
years old and nine, the LORD [Hebrew - Yahweh] 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 dim exceedingly ... and thou shalt be a father of
MANY NATIONS [Hebrew goyim = gentiles, nations] ... and I will
make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make NATIONS of thee,
and KINGS Shall come out of thee."4
God also said, "Abraham shall surely become a GREAT AND
MIGHTY NATION, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed
in him."5
In Genesis 21 and 22 the Bible tells us how God's promises
to Abraham were to be fulfilled through his son Isaac: "In Isaac
shall thy seed be called."6
Moreover, because of this man's obedience, his willingness
even to offer up Isaac as a sacrifice, these promises were to be
unconditional. His descendants would be great beyond number, they
would possess the gate of their enemies, they would be a blessing
to the whole world:
"And the Angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven
the second time, and said, By Myself have I sworn, saith the
Loan, for because thou host done this thing, and halt 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; and in thy seed shall
all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed
My voice."7
THE PROMISE TO ISAAC
To Isaac himself the Lord repeated His promises. "And the
Lord appeared unto [Isaac], and said ... I will make thy seed to
multiply AS THE STARS OF HEAVEN, and will give unto thy seed all
these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the
earth be blessed; because that Abraham obeyed My voice."8
A similar promise was made to Rebekah, who became the wife
of Isaac. Her family prophesied, "Be thou the mother of THOUSANDS
OF MILLIONS, and let thy seed POSSESS THE GATE OF THOSE WHICH
HATE THEM."9
JACOB OBTAINED THE BIRTHRIGHT
To Isaac and Rebekah were born twin sons, Jacob and Esau.
They were brought up to learn of God's dealings with their father
and grandfather. They learned of God's promises to them, but
Esau, the elder of the two, despised his high estate, and Jacob
by subtlety and deceit contrived to obtain the birthright
promises. Isaac prophesied over him: "God give thee of the DEW OF
HEAVEN, and the FATNESS OF THE EARTH, and plenty of corn and
wine: LET PEOPLE SERVE THEE, and NATIONS BOW DOWN TO THEE: be
lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother's sons bow down to
thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he
that blesseth thee."10
"And Isaac called Jacob and blessed him, and charged him, and
said unto him ... God Almighty bless thee, and make thee
fruitful, and multiply tee, that thou mayest be a MULTITUDE OF
PEOPLE."11
The Bible goes on to tell us more of this wonderful plan of
God whereby all the nations of the earth would be blessed through
the seed of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. To Jacob God promised, "Thy
seed shall be as the DUST OF THE EARTH, and thou shalt spread
abroad to the WEST, and to the EAST, and to the NORTH, and the
SOUTH: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the
earth be blessed."12
JACOB'S NAME CHANGED TO ISRAEL
Here we see that the promised multitude of people,
ultimately numbering thousands of millions, would spread in all
directions throughout the world, there to be a blessing to all
mankind. Now the Lord elaborates His plan still further,
explaining to Jacob that his descendants would be organised into
a great nation and a company or commonwealth of nations. "And God
said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called
any more Jacob, but ISRAEL shall be thy name: and He called his
name Israel. 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."13
This name Israel means literally ruling with God. It was
born out of a great spiritual experience in which Jacob in deep
distress and humiliation, and realizing his utter impotence, was
promised a fresh beginning in the power of God. It is a name
prophetic of the destiny God's chosen nation would fulfil, for
they too would suffer defeat and humiliation before entering upon
a new era of blessing and power with God. Israel would be God's
chosen people in every sense of the word, chosen not for their
own merit nor for their righteousness, but that in the fullness
of time they might be a people after God's own heart, a model
nation, ruling with God, and teaching His ways to all mankind.
THE 12 TRIBES OF ISRAEL
To Jacob were born twelve sons. They were Reuben, Simeon,
Levi, Judah, Issachar and Zebulon (born to Leah), Joseph and
Benjamin (born to Rachel), Dan and Naphtali (born to Bilhah,
Rachel's handmaid), Gad and Asher (born to Zilpah, Leah's
handmaid). Through which of these sons would the promises made to
their ancestors be fulfilled? Would it be through all of them
collectively, or would it be through only one of them?
Reuben, the fast-born, was disinherited, for the Bible says
that he "went and lay with Bilhah, his father's concubine."14
Reuben "was the firstborn; but, forasmuch as he defiled his
father's bed, HIS BIRTH RIGHT WAS GIVEN UNTO THE SONS OF JOSEPH
the son of Israel: and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after
the birthright. For Judah prevailed above his brethren, and of
him came the Chief Ruler [Messiah]; but the BIRTHRIGHT WAS
JOSEPH'S."15
Here we see that Judah and Joseph were singled out from
their brethren to be the recipients of special blessings. From
the tribe of Judah would come the Royal House of David, and
through David's line, the Messiah, while Joseph would be the
recipient of the birthright blessings.
EPHRAIM AND MANASSEH
Genesis 47 tells the wonderful story of how the promises
made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were to be fulfilled through the
line of Joseph and his sons. "And the time drew nigh that Israel
must die: and he called his son Joseph ... and he took with him
his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim ... And Joseph took them both,
Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel's left hand, and Manasseh
in his left hand toward Israel's right hand, and brought them
near unto him. And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid
it upon Ephraim's head, who was the younger, and his left hand
upon Manasseh's head, guiding his hands wittingly; for Manasseh
was the firstborn. And he blessed Joseph, and said, God, before
whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me
all my life long unto this day, the Angel which redeemed me from
all evil, bless the lads; and LET MY NAME [ISRAEL BE NAMED ON
THEM ... and let them GROW [Hebrew = swarm like fishes] INTO A
MULTITUDE IN THE MIDST OF THE EARTH."16
Let us have a clear picture of the strange thing which Jacob
did in blessing his grandsons Ephraim and Manasseh. The Bible
says that he deliberately crossed his hands so that his right
hand which would convey the greater blessing was laid not upon
the elder son as was the custom, but upon the younger. This act
had such far-reaching significance that it is included amongst
the mighty deeds of faith recorded in the epistle to the
Hebrews.17
But how did Joseph react to this strange behavior?
MANASSEH A GREAT PEOPLE
"And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the
head of Ephraim, it displeased him; and he held up his father's
hand, to remove it from Ephraim's head unto Manasseh's head. And
Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father for this is the
firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head. And his father
refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it 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 [FULLNESS] OF NATIONS."18
EPHRAIM A COMPANY OF NATIONS
So the promises made to the patriarchs were to be peculiarly
fulfilled not through the twelve tribes (although they would in
measure partake of the blessings) but though Joseph and his sons
Ephraim and Manasseh. Ephraim would become a fullness of nations,
the COMPANY [COMMONWEALTH] OF NATIONS promised to Jacob, while
Manasseh would also become a great nation in his own right. But
when exactly would these promises be fulfilled? Exactly when
would the descendants of Ephraim and Manasseh "swam like fishes,"
to the West and to the East, to the North and to the South? When
would they be a people blessed with the dew of heaven and the
fatness of the earth, thousands of millions in number, possessing
the gate (or strategic stronghold) of their enemies, the nations
bowing down to them? When would all this be fulfilled?
THE LAST DAYS
The answer is given in the 49th chapter of the book of
Genesis. Shortly before he died, the elderly Jacob called his
family together. "And Jacob called unto his sons, and said,
Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall
befall you in the last days ... Joseph is a fruitful bough, even
a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall: the
archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him:
but his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were
made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence
is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel:) even by the God of thy
father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless
time with BLESSINGS OF HEAVEN ABOVE, BLESSINGS OF THE DEEP THAT
LIETH UNDER, BLESSINGS OF THE BREASTS, AND OF THE WOMB: the
blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my
progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they
shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of
him that was separate from his brethren."19
When are the last days in which this prophecy is to be
fulfilled? The Bible leaves us in no doubt. It is this Christian
dispensation in which we now live. "God, who at sundry times and
in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the
prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son."20
Peter,21 Paul,22 and John,23 James,24 and Jude,25 also, all speak
of the last days as being those of the present Christian
dispensation. Many scriptures establish this truth. If the Bible
is to be believed - if it is only the inspired Word of God - then
somewhere in the world in these last days there must exist a
great NATION AND A COMPANY OF NATIONS which can be shown to have
inherited all the birthright promises that were made to Joseph.
Shall it be thought very strange if we suggest that Britain
is that nation?
.............
1. The British Empire and Commonwealth, by D.C., Somevell and
Heather Harvey, page 1
2. Hebrews 11:8
3 Genesis 12;2-3
4. Genesis 17:1-5
5. Genesis 18:18
6. Genesis 21:12
7. Genesis 22:15-18
8. Genesis 26:1-5
9. Genesis 24:60
10. Genesis 27:28-29
11. Genesis 28:1-3
12. Genesis 28:14
13. Genesis 35:10-11
14. Genesis 35:22-26
15. 1 Chronicles 5:I-2
16. Genesis 47:29; 48:1-19
17. Hebrews 11:21
18. Genesis as 17-19
19. Genesis 49:1,22-26
20. Hebrews 1:1-2
21. 2 Peter 3:3
22. 2 Timothy 3:1
23. 1 John 2:18
24. James 5:3
25. Jude 18
NOTE
In order to keep this book within a reasonable compass, the
contents have been exceedingly condensed. The reader is strongly
recommended to reread the book, to look up all the Scripture
references and examine them in their context, and to write for
the other books mentioned in these pages. A Concordance, enabling
the reader to link together related words and passages from the
Bible, will also be of greatest assistance and should be
consulted frequently. Every reader of this book is urged to
"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth
not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth."
CHAPTER TWO
A PECULIAR PEOPLE
In our opening chapter we read of God's dealings with the
patriarchs up until the birth of Jacob's twelve sons. We saw
God's promise of a Redeemer was given to Judah, "The sceptre
shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his
feet, until Shiloh come; and unto Him shall the gathering of the
people be."1
On the other hand the birthright blessings were promised to
Joseph.2
We early see the pre-eminence of Joseph amongst his
brethren, and it is evident too, that Jacob had a very special
affection for Joseph for he made him a coat of many colours.3
All this occasioned the envy and resentment of Joseph's
brethren, and the Bible tells how they sold him as a slave into
Egypt.
JOSEPH BECOMES PRIME MINISTER
There in Egypt, because of the Spirit of God resting upon
him, Joseph attained great honour and became prime minister. The
time came when great famine came upon the land, exactly as Joseph
had forewarned, and eventually Jacob's sons came to Egypt to buy
corn, appearing before their brother Joseph whom they failed to
recognised. Genesis 45 tells the moving story of how Joseph made
himself known to his brethren and of the reconciliation that took
place. As a result Jacob, his sons and the whole of their
families, some seventy persons in all,4 made their home in
Egypt. There they multiplied so rapidly that four hundred years
later they numbered some two to three million souls.5
THE EXODUS - ISRAEL LEAVES EGYPT
In 1453 B.C. the twelve tribes of Israel, having suffered
under the evil oppression of the tyrant pharaoh, fled from Egypt
in the Exodus led by Moses.6
At Mount Sinai the Lord "married" Israel, adopting them as
His Kingdom, giving to them the Ten Commandments, and
establishing with them His Covenant.7
After forty years wandering in the wilderness the tribes of
Israel were ready to go into the promised land of Canaan. Before
they did so, the Lord reminded His people of their solemn
obligations. "This day the LORD thy God hath commanded thee to do
these statutes and judgments: thou shalt therefore keep and do
them with all thine heart, and with all thy soul. Thou hast
avouched the LORD this day to be thy God, and to walk in His
ways, and to keep His statutes, and His Commandment, and His
judgments, and to harken unto His voice: and the LORD hath
avouched thee this day to be His peculiar people, as He hath
promised thee, and that thou shouldest keep all His Commandments;
and to make thee HIGH ABOVE ALL NATIONS WHICH HE BATH MADE, in
praise, and in name, and in honour, and that thou mayest be AN
HOLY PEOPLE UNTO THE LORD THY GOD, as He hath spoken."8
CANAAN - THE PROMISED LAND
The book of Joshua relates the invasion of Canaan by the
tribes of Israel and of the division of the land amongst them.
The history of Israel from this time forward is a chequered one.
After the death in 1388 B.C. of Joshua, who had led the invasion
of the promised land, "the children of Israel did evil in the
sight of the LORD ... and they forsook the LORD, and served Baal
and Ashtaroth. And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel
... whithersoever they went out, the hand of the LORD was against
them for evil, as the LORD had said, and as the LORD had sworn
unto them: and they were greatly distressed. Nevertheless the
LORD raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of
those that spoiled them."9
In 1058 B.C. the elders of Israel approached Samuel with a
request that he give them "a king to judge us like all the
nations."10
Thus Saul became the first king of Israel. Upon Saul's death
the tribe of Judah anointed David as king but the remaining
tribes of Israel made Ishbosheth, Saul's son, their king. "But
Abner ... took Ishbosheth the son of Saul ... and made him king
over all Israel ... but the house of Judah followed David."11
Thus for the first time we find Israel a divided people
ruled by two kings, with Judah emerging as a separate kingdom.
After seven years the breach was healed, David becoming king over
the twelve tribes. "David ... reigned forty years. In Hebron he
reigned over Judah seven years and six months: and in Jerusalem
he reigned thirty and three years over all Israel and Judah."12
His reign was followed by that of his son Solomon. Under his
wise rule Israel attained a wealth and influence hitherto
unknown, but in his latter days Solomon became an idolater,
Jerusalem being filled with the shrines and altars of heathen
gods. As a result the whole spiritual life of the nation became
corrupt.
ISRAEL AND JUDAH SEPARATE
"And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was
turned from the LORD God of Israel ... wherefore the LORD said
unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast
not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded
thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it
to thy servant. Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for
David thy father's sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of
thy son. Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; but will
give ONE TRIBE to thy son for David My servant's sake, and for
Jerusalem's sake which I have chosen."13
One day God sent his prophet Ahijah to a man named Jeroboam
with the same message. "Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of
the hand of Solomon, and will give TEN TRIBES to thee ... and
unto his son will I give ONE TRIBE, that David My servant may
have a light always before Me in Jerusalem, the city which I have
chosen Me to put My name there. And I will take thee [Jeroboam],
and thou shalt reign according to all that thy soul desireth, and
shalt be king over Israel."14
Thus on the death of Solomon in 938 B.C. the twelve tribes
became divided into two hostile nations. Solomon's son Rehoboam
came to the throne but so incensed the people that there was
immediately a revolt against him. Only the tribes of Judah and
Benjamin remained faithful to the throne. The other ten tribes
broke away and set up Jeroboam to be then own king. From this
time forward, the rival kingdoms of Israel and Judah fulfilled
different destinies. The TEN tribes in the north called
themselves ISRAEL and their kings ruled from Samaria. The TWO
tribes in the south - Judah and Benjamin - called themselves
JUDAH and their kings ruled in Jerusalem. Moreover, God clearly
indicated that this division was ordained of Himself. God said to
Judah, "Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren the
children of Israel: return every man to his house; for this thing
is from Me."15
WAR - ISRAEL VERSUS THE JEWS
Here we must emphasize that Israel (the ten tribes) and
Judah (the two tribes) had become two separate nations. The name
Jew was only ever used in reference to the two tribes of Judah.
In fact, the fast time that the word Jew is used in scripture is
when Israel was fighting the Jews.16
Clearly they were two separate peoples, as is evidenced by
the fact that four books of the Bible (1 and 2 Kings and I and 2
Chronicles) give us a detailed history of these two often hostile
nations ruled by rival kings. Moreover, it is clear that the Lord
regarded Israel and Judah as separate peoples hundreds of years
before the division took place, for, "When Israel went out of
Egypt ... JUDAH was His sanctuary, and ISRAEL His dominion."17
Also, Jeremiah speaks of "the TWO families which the LORD
hath chosen."18
For the next 350 years, Judah had a succession of good and
bad kings so that the nation fluctuated between times of apostasy
and spiritual revival on the other hand, Israel was ruled by a
succession of increasingly wicked kings, so that the nation
apostatized more and more, finally becoming more corrupt and
idolatrous than the nations round about them whose ways they had
learned.
ISRAEL TAKEN INTO CAPTIVITY IN ASSYRIA
Now God had clearly warned Israel of the consequences of
sin, the transgression of His Commandments.19
God said they would go into captivity, and this is precisely
what happened. The first deportation of Israel people took place
during the reign of Jehu (843-815 B.C.): "In those days the LORD
began to cut Israel short: and Hazael [king of Syria] smote them
in all the coasts of Israel; from Jordan eastward, all the land
of Gilead, the GADITES, and the REUBENITES, and the MANASSITES,
from Aroer, which is by the river Amon, even Gilead and
Bashan."20
The king of Assyria at this time was Shalmaneser the third.
On his black obelisk in the British Museum he is pictured
receiving tribute from "Jaua of Bit-Humri" - the Jehu just
referred to. To their Assyrian captors Israel were the House of
Omri, Khumri or Cymry (as Wales is called); to the Phoenicians
they were the House of Isaac, Beth-Sakai, Sacae, or Saxons. These
and many other names show us where Israel went.
The next deportation took place a century later during the
reign of Pekah (739-731 B.C.): "In the days of Pekah king of
Israel came Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria, and took Ijon and
Abel-beth-maachah, and Janoah, and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Gilead,
and Galilee, all the land of NAPHTALI, and carried them captive
to Assyria."21
A few years later his son Shalmaneser V came against
Samaria. In 722 B.C. after a three-year siege the city fell to
his successor, Sargon II, who completed Israel's deportation into
Assyria. From an inscription we know that Sargon took 27,280
people. The Bible says, "In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of
Assyria took Samaria, and CARRIED ISRAEL AWAY INTO ASSYRIA, and
placed them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in
the cities of the Medes. For so it was, that the children of
Israel had sinned against the LORD their God ... they rejected
His statutes and His covenant that He made with their fathers ...
and they left all the Commandments of the Lord their God ...
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."22
It is curious that the sacred writer says that only the
tribe and not the house of Judah was left, suggesting that the
tribe of Benjamin was deported too. The fact is that in 701 B.C.
only 21 years after the fall of Samaria, Sennacherib continued
the invasion of Palestine and took all the fenced cities of
Judah, where the Benjaminites lived. "Now in the fourteenth year
of King Hezekiah did Shniacherib king of Assyria come up against
all the fenced cities of JUDAH, and took them."23
On his prism, now in the British Museum, Sennacherib tells
how he captured 46 fenced cities of Judah and deported 200,150
inhabitants.
The land of the northern kingdom was left empty until 670
B.C. Then "the king of Assyria [Esarhaddon) brought men from
Babylon, Cuthah, Ava, Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and placed
them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel:
and they possessed Samaria, and dwelt in the cities thereof."24
These people followed a mixture of religions 25 and were
despised by the Jews?26
ISRAEL NEVER RETURNED
Thus we see that the whole of the Northern House of Israel
was taken captive into Assyria. They were placed in Halah and
Habor on the River Gozan, and were dispersed throughout the
cities of the Medes. It is vitally important to realize that the
Israelites never returned to their own country. The Bible is
emphatic on this point: "The LORD removed Israel out of His
sight, as He had said by all His servants the prophets. So was
Israel carried away out of their own land to Assyria UNTO THIS
DAY."27
Later we shall quote from various other sources to establish
this point.
But what of Judah, the Jews? Would they learn the lesson of
Israel's deportation and captivity? Unhappily they did not. Just
before the final deportation of Israel, Judah enjoyed a great
spiritual revival under their godly king Hezekiah (715-686 B.C.).
There was a further revival under the boy-king Josiah (638-607
B.C.), but for the most part "they mocked the messengers of God,
and despised His words, and misused His prophets, until the wrath
of the LORD arose against His people, till there was no
remedy."28
Isaiah was one of those who prophesied during this time,
also Habakkuk, Zephaniah and Jeremiah.
JUDAH TAKEN TO BABYLON
Finally, in 604 B.C. some 120 years after Israel had been
taken captive into Assyria, Judah was invaded and taken captive
into Babylon. The prophet Ezekiel was among the fast group of
Jews carried into Babylon, but Jeremiah remained in Jerusalem
until its destruction and then, with a remnant of the poorest of
the people, went into exile in Egypt.
The Jews remained in Babylon for 70 years until, in the
reign of King Cyrus of Persia, they were permitted to return to
their own land. Thus the Word of the Lord was fulfilled, for God
had said through His prophet Hosea, "I will no more have mercy
upon the House of Israel; but I will UTTERLY TAKE THEM AWAY. But
I will have mercy upon the House of Judah, and will save them by
the LORD their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword,
nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen."29
THE JEWS RETURN TO PALESTINE
When the time came, a remnant of Judah, calling themselves
Jews, returned to their own land without the need of arms or men,
so marvellous was the fulfilment of God's promise. In the books
of Ezra and Nehemiah we are told how 42,360 of the tribes of
Judah, Benjamin and Levi were permitted to return to their own
land and there rebuild Jerusalem and the Temple. "Then rose up
the chief of the fathers of JUDAH and BENJAMIN, and the priests
and the LEVITES, with all them whose spirit God had raised, to go
up to build the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem ... Now
these are the children of the province that went up out of the
captivity, of those which had been carried away, whom
Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away unto Babylon,
and came again unto Jerusalem and Judah, every one unto his city
... the whole congregation together was forty and two thousand
three hundred and threescore, beside their servants and their
maids, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty and
seven: and there were among them two hundred singing men and
singing women."30
THE TEN TRIBES NEVER RETURNED
So here we see that the Jews, a remnant of the House of
Judah, that had been carried captive into Babylon, returned again
to repopulate their own land, but Israel did not return. The
Bible emphatically states that it was those of the Babylonian
captivity which had been carried away by Nebuchadnezzar, and they
alone, who returned. Those who returned were JEWS of the tribes
of Judah and Benjamin, with some Levites. THE TEN TRIBES DID NOT
RETURN.
As Dr. Werner Keller, author of the best-selling book "The
Bible as History," says, "The people of the Northern Kingdom and
their kings with them disappeared, were absorbed into the
population of these foreign lands, and never emerged again in
history. All investigation into what became of the ten tribes who
had their home there has so far come to nothing."31
But were the Ten Tribes really lost? What if the Bible tells
us where to find them?
1. Genesis 49:10
2. 1 Chronicles 5:1
3. Genesis 37:3
4. Exodus 1:5
5. Exodus 12:37-38
6. Genesis 12:31-32
7. Exodus 19:3-6; 20:1-17
8. Deuteronomy 26:16-19
9. Judges 2:11-16
10. 1 Samuel 8:4-5
11. 2 Samuel 2:8
12. 2 Samuel 5:4-5
13. 1 Kings 11:9-13
14. 1 Kings 11:29-37
15. 1 Kings 12:24
16. 2 Kings 16:5-6
17. Psalm 114:1-2
18. Jeremiah 33:24
19. l John 3:4
20. 2 Kings 10:32-33
21. 2 Kings 15:28, see also I Chronicles 5:26; Isaiah 36:1
22. 2 Kings 17:6-18
23. 2 Kings 18:13, see also 2 Chronicles 32:1, Isaiah 36:1
24 2 Kings 17:24
25. 2 Kings 17:41
26. John 4:9; 8:48
27. 2 Kings 17:23
28. 2 Chronicles 36:16
29. Hoses 1:6-7
30. Ezra 1:5; 2:1,64-65
31. Hodder and Stoughton (1956), p.247
............
TO BE CONTINUED
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