On the Jewish People and Israel

On the Jewish People and Israel

*This is one of the most controversial subject for people especially those who want to find the truth. Jewish people are human beings are should be treated equal as every man should. If someone promotes hatred of Jews, which shows that, they aren’t a Christian since the Bible exhorts us to love all men and love thy neighbor as yourself. In terms of Israel being a nation, I see no problem with people exposing Zionist leaders involved in corruption, the Kabbalah, Talmud, etc. They are degenerate and need to repent to God. On the other hand, as far as God’s will is concerned, I have to respect the re-establishment of Israel as part of God’s will since if God didn’t want Israel to be a nation, it will be void. The Bible clearly states that all men ought to be converted to Christ including Jewish people, so anyone promoting that Jewish people don’t need Christ is either mistaken or a liar.

I see the United States more corrupt than Israel since America existed longer than Israel has. I find it very strange that people don’t want Israel to exist anymore. It would hypocritical though to force Israel not to exist since that’s against their sovereignty just like America was formed by corruption on many levels, but that doesn’t mean someone should use violence to stop America from existing. Also, Muslims invaded North Africa and stole land that didn’t belong to them, yet they exist in Northern Arabia. So, what must we think about Jewish people and Israel? It’s easy: Love them equally, try to convert them to Christ, and praise the good thing Israel does and expose the evil things Israel has done. It’s as simple as that. It isn’t complex. I don’t believe in a Jewish conspiracy per se, since the real conspiracy exists with Satan and he is just using evil Jewish people and people worldwide to carry out his nefarious acts. Everyone suffered persecution including the Jews (i.e. pogroms, Inquisition, forced into ghettos, discrimination, Holocaust, etc.) for centuries. Like always, a true Jew is a converted believer to Christ (including saved Jews and Gentiles) (Romans 2:8). The ancient Hebrews still exist today and God preserved a remnant of Israel to fulfill prophecy as well. The Church is different from Israel though. God loves all men equally, but hates sin and let’s fight for the truth.

1. “Hebrew” is applied to Abraham and his physical descendants: “And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew; for he dwelt in the plain of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner: and these were confederate with Abram” (Genesis 14:13). The term “Israel” was for Jacob, grandson of Abraham (Genesis 29:35) and Judah was still part of Israel since Judah is part of the 12 tribes of Isreal:

“And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine: and Israel heard it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve: The sons of Leah; Reuben, Jacob's firstborn, and Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Zebulun: The sons of Rachel; Joseph, and Benjamin: And the sons of Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid; Dan, and Naphtali: And the sons of Zilpah, Leah's handmaid; Gad, and Asher: these are the sons of Jacob, which were born to him in Padanaram. And Jacob came unto Isaac his father unto Mamre, unto the city of Arbah, which is Hebron, where Abraham and Isaac sojourned. And the days of Isaac were an hundred and fourscore years. 35:29 And Isaac gave up the ghost, and died, and was gathered unto his people, being old and full of days: and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him” (Genesis 34:22-35:29)

The term “Jew” in the beginning was primarily used for the tribe of Judah.

2. Even British-Israelists and anti-Semites agree that even in the Southern Kingdom, there were the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. The tribes of Levi were left from the Assyrian Captivity as well. 2 Kings 17:8 refers solely Judah as a kingdom and the Northern Kingdom ending as an entity. The Assyrians did deport people from the Northern Kingdom, but they were few in number and they never lost their unique national identity. Also, most of the 10 tribes migrated as spiritual refugees to the Southern Kingdom during and after the Assyrian Captivity (Nehemiah 7:73, Ezra 8:25) Here’s proof:

“According to the British-Israelism theory only Jews should have been participating in rebuilding Jerusalem since the house of Israel was "long gone." Yet Ezra uses the words "all Israel" several times in the account. (Ezra 2:70; 6:17; 8:25,35; 10:5; Nehemiah 7:73; 12:47). Evidently the terms "Jew" and "Israel" were used interchangeably, thus spoiling the unsupported theory of British-Israelism.” (From http://home.datawest.net/esn-recovery/mike_ep/exam/BI.htm)

“The second case, concerning the "lost" Israelites, should be considered seriously, avoiding any fanciful theory but supported by evidence and facts. The Northern Israelites were settled by Assyrians in Halach and in Havor, on the river of Gozan and in the cities of the Medes." (2 Melakhim 17:6; 18:11). This means, by the eastern boundaries of the Empire.
Since the times of Ezra, the terms "Hebrew", "Israelite" and "Jew" are interchangeable and do not define any distinction related to Tribes. Following written sources apply these terms in the same way. When referring to those allegedly "lost" Tribes (they were not "lost" yet, but only exiled that did never return), they are called "the twelve scattered Tribes" (not ten), this means that also those of Judah were in the same condition if they did not return back to Israel. The main written records we have of Roman times are the Gospels and the writings of the historian Josephus Flavius.

The Gospels repeatedly refer to Jews as Israelites, proving that both words were exactly the same; Ya'kov - Yeshua's brother - addresses his epistle "to the twelve Tribes that are in dispersion" (Ya'kov 1:1); this is a further proof that the "lost" Tribes were all twelve and not only the mythic ten Northern ones.The Jews of Georgia (the "Gurdzhim") assert that they are descended from the Northern Kingdom of Israel exiled by Shalmaneser, because there are no Kohanim (priestly families) among them. The Jews of Georgia call themselves "Ebraeli" and use Georgian tongue as their spoken and written language of communication, without resorting to the Hebrew alphabet. Georgian Jewish traders developed the jargon Qivruli (Jewish), many roots of which originated in Hebrew. Nevertheless, even though it is very likely that they belong to the Northern Kingdom, they still acknowledge themselves as "Jews".
Regarding the place where the exiled Israelites were, Josephus says: "...these Tribes are beyond the river Euphrates till now, and are an immense multitude, not to be estimated by numbers" (Antiquities of the Jews, Book XI, Chapter 5, Section 2). He stated that the Israelites remained "beyond the Euphrates", in the East - not in the West, as many "Lost Tribes" supporters argue. Apocryphal literature sources mention an unknown river called "Sambatyon", beyond which the scattered Israelites dwelled. There is no reason to think that such river would be in the west of Mesopotamia, but only in the eastern lands, likely in Persia or even in India. And the only place where probable lost Israelites are to be searched is in Asia, mainly in India, and in some places of Africa, but not in Europe.

Some peoples of the Indian subcontinent indeed share many characteristics with ancient Israelites, namely Gypsies, Kashmirian tribes, Kalash, Afghan tribes and some others. Recently restored lost Israelites are the "B'ney Yisrael" (of India) and the "B'ney Menasheh" (of China, though formerly settled in India). Nevertheless, it is not an easy task to know if they belong to any specific Tribe or not. Other restored group that proved Israelite origin are the Lemba of Southeast Africa -their history leads to Yemen, from where they departed. Their blood analysis has shown that they belong to the Tribes of Judah and Levi, not the "ten lost ones"! Therefore, we have two main origins from which the scattered Israelites that have lost their Jewish identity may come: Media/Persia, from where they directed to the East (India), and Yemen. In both cases they belong to any of the twelve Tribes, including Judah.” (From http://www.imninalu.net/2history02.htm#Exile)


3. After the Babylonian Captivity, all descendants of Israel were called Jews. Ezra referred to God’s re-gathered people (non-Judah tribe people) Jews 8 times and Israelites 40 times. Mordecai (from the tribe of Benjamin) was called a Jew in Ester 2:5. Many of them returned from captivity to build the temple, the walls, and the city itself. “All Israel” is used in Ezra 2:70, 6:17; 8:22, 35; 10:5, and in Nehemiah 7:73; 12:47. The return of the tribes also are from Ezra 2:1-2: “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; Which came with Zerubbabel: Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mizpar, Bigvai, Rehum, Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel”

4. By the time of Christ, the terms "Jew" and "Israel" are 100% interchangeable. Jesus Christ is the King of the Jews (Mt. 27:37) and the King of Israel (the twelve tribes) in Mt. 27:42 and John 12:9-13). The Magi called Christ King of the Jews (Mt. 27:11), etc. Luke 2:36 mentions Asher (one of the supposed Lost Tribes) in the Lord. Jesus is called a Jew in John 4:9 plus Peter in Acts 10:28. In John4:19-26, Jesus said that salvation is from the Jews.

5). Jews were contrasted from Gentiles in Acts 10:28, Romans 1:16, and Romans 2:9. Nicodemus was a Pharisee, a member of the Sanhedrin, Jewish, and he was converted. (John 3:1, 7:50, and 19:39). Pharisees became Christians as well in Acts 15:5. Paul (from the tribe of Benjamin) is called a Jew in Acts 1:39. In Acts 8:17, Aquila is called a Jew, but she is a native of Pontus. In Acts 18:24, there is a Jew named Apollos, native of Alexandria, Egypt. So, the Greek word translated Jew is not merely someone living in Judea or a Judean. The 12 tribes (they were never lost and especially they are never lost to God) are mentioned in the New Testament in Acts 26:6-7, James 1:1, 1 Peter 1:1, etc. Acts 2:5 had Jews from every nation gathered in Jerusalem for the Pentecost. Peter even identified himself and the crowd as fellow Jews and in Acts 2:22, he called them “men of Israel." Peter identifies the crowd again as Israel and called Jesus the Messiah in Acts 2:36. Acts 2:41-42 had 300,000 of them repenting to become Christians. Romans 11:26 has that God didn't cut off the Jewish people (They are loved of God the gift unto them is irrevocable) plus all Israel will be saved.

6). Since Paul was called a Jew and called himself a Jew, Israel means the Jewish people, a descendant of Abraham. After all, Judah is one of the 12 tribes of Israel (Jews have always been apart of Israel and Israelites even before the captivity). Revelation 7:4-8 have Jews sealed in the middle of the 7 years of the great tribulation. Dan is replaced by Levi in the 12,000 sealed per tribe of 12, but Dan does reappear during the millennial reign of Christ. God never lost any tribes since he knows who they are and where they are. Ezekiel 37:15-28 has God promising that He will unite all twelve tribes in the last days as part of His covenant of peace with them. Anyone who hates his fellow man is a murderer. (1 John 2:9-11, 1 John 3:15) Love for all men is extremely important (Mt. 22:34-40, Romans 13:8-10, Galatians 5:14, James 2:8)

7). John 8 referred to the unbelieving Jewish leadership not all Jews everywhere to all other times. Everyone in John 8 was Jews including almost all of the Apostles, Christ, etc. Christ again was called King of the Jews so he wasn't referring to all Jewish people.

*Today, many folks deny Israel as being a people or related to the ancient Hebrews. They claim they all are from the Khazar tribe which is a lie. According to the Encyclopedia Judaica, Vol, co. 994, Jews were in Germany as merchants in 321 and 331 A.D. at Cologne. There were Jews in Russia in the 1st century A.D. and in Pannonia (Yugoslavia) in the 300’s. There was a menorah discovered in Arles in the 100’s, 200’s, 300’s, and 400’s A.D. and Jewish communities all over Europe. There were the Ashkenazim before the Khazars existed (500’s A.D.) These Jews clearly originated from the Jews in the Bible. There are Sephardim, Ethiopic, sub-Saharan African (i.e. Lemba), Indic, Asian, and other Jewish tribes that from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, so even if the Ashkenazi Jews aren’t real Jews, real Jewish people are found existing today descended from the ancient Hebrews. Here’s more:

“Michael Hammer at the University of Arizona in Tucson and colleagues, some from Israeli universities, analyzed 18 sections of the Y chromosomes from 1371 men. They came from 29 different populations, including seven Jewish (Ashkenazi (European), Roman, North African, Kurdish, Iraqi and Iranian, Yemenite and Ethiopian Jews), five Arabic (Palestinians, Lebanese, Syrians, Israeli Druze and Saudis) and 16 non-Semitic groups.2
The close similarities within the Jewish Y-chromosomes, even from widely scattered populations, was compelling evidence that they all come from a common ancestor. The study also showed that Arabs are closely related to Jews…The Hungarian-born Jewish author Arthur Koestler (1905–1973) theorised that today’s Ashkenazi Jews are really descendants of the Khazars, who allegedly converted en masse in the eighth century in what is today modern Russia.6 However, Koestler was prone to anti-establishmentarianism, and this Khazar conversion theory could have been motivated by his desire, as a secularised Jew, to assimilate with gentiles and avoid persecution.

The idea has been widely discredited by reputable historians, because the real history of the Jewish people is far too well documented to sustain such an idea. They point out that the theory presupposes lots of gentiles assimilating into Jewish society, the exact opposite of what normally happens where Jew/Gentile intermarriage occurs. In reality only a tiny number of Khazars converted to Judaism, while far more converted to Islam and also some to Russian Orthodoxy. The Khazar converts to Judaism had disappeared by the 14th century, largely by being incorporated into already existing Jewish communities in Poland. There is also a problem of what happened to the real Jews who are supposed to have mass-evangelised the Khazars, then disappeared without trace out of history. 7Many anti-semites quote Koestler as though he were verbally inspired, thus damning the Jews because they supposedly aren’t real Jews. Whereas the Nazis and those who absurdly called Jews ‘Christ-killers’ damned them because they were real Jews! The studies by Hammer et al. shows that the Ashkenazi Jews really are the same people group as the other Jews, and that there is a common ancestry for the Cohanim from Ashkenazi and Sephardic Jews, so are the last nails in the coffin for Koestler’s idea.” (From http://www.answersingenesis.org/docs2/4304news5-16-2000.asp Genesis correctly predicts Y-Chromosome pattern: Jews and Arabs shown to be descendants of one man! by Jonathan Sarfati)

By TruthSeeker24 (Timothy)