The Lost Tribes of Israel
Chapter 4
JEREMIAH'S MYSTERIOUS COMMISSION
When Israel was driven out
to Assyria in 721 BCE, Judah had not yet sinned as a nation. Through Hosea, God
said, "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 8:8-11). And so, about 130 years after Israel's captivity, the time
came when God drove out the Jews, too, into national captivity and banishment.
For this purpose God raised
up a very special prophet, whose real call few, indeed, understand. This
prophet was Jeremiah. He was sanctified before he was born. (See Jeremiah 1:5.)
Jeremiah, when first given his vital call and commission, was a young lad about
17. Before he finally completed it, he was an aged White haired patriarch. The
commission is recorded in Jeremiah 1:10,
"See, I have this
day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out and to
pull down, to destroy and to throw down, to build and to plant."
I want you to notice that
Jeremiah was set over the nations, more than one. He was a Jew, of the tribe of
Levi, living in Judah. He was set a prophet over Judah, but not Judah alone.
Over the nations, Judah and Israel! He was set over them to do two things: to
tear down something, and then to build and to plant something. Jeremiah was
used of God as a prophet to warn Judah of their sins, and of the coming
invasion and captivity at the hands of Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon unless they
repented. He was used as a go between, a mediator, between the kings of Judah
and Nebuchadnezzar the Chaldean king.
It is well known that
Jeremiah was used in destroying the kingdom of Judah. But note it in your
Bible! He also was commissioned to plant and to build! What was he to plant and
build? Why, naturally, that which was pulled down and rooted out of Judah, the
throne of David. He was set over the kingdoms of Israel as well as Judah. He
was used in throwing down that throne from Judah. Then what was he commissioned
to do in Israel? The second half of his
strange and little understood commission was to build and to plant! 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 it, and the throne rooted out of Judah nearly 600
years before Jesus came on the scean!
What, then! Did God forget
his covenant with David? Did the throne cease? True, 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
rebuild among the House of Israel, lo, these many days without a king among
lost Israel, now supposing that she was a Gentile! Therefore the identity and
location of the replanting has remained hidden to the world until this time of
the end in which we live today!
If you will carefully read
the important book of Jeremiah, you will notice the first few chapters are
devoted to his ministry in warning the Jews of their impending invasion and
captivity unless they would repent. But they would not repent. And so, finally,
the invasion came. In the first siege Nebuchadnezzar marched into Jerusalem,
taking it captive. However, he did not at once drive out all the Jews. He did
not even drive out their king, Jehoiakim, but made him a vassal king, the
servant of Nebuchadnezzar. As such he continued on his throne, as did two more
kings after him, Jehoiachin, his son, arid Zedekiah, his brother. (Read II
Kings 24).
In Zedekiah's 11th year as
king, the Chaldean armies besieged Jerusalem, entered it; the city was broken
up, the palace and temple destroyed. All the sons of King Zedekiah were killed
before his eyes. So that there would be no man to carry on his dynasty, all the
princes of Judah were also slain. 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 strange 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 of Zedekiah to the throne, so the world then believed, remained
alive.
But how about the second
part of Jeremiah's great commission? Was God able to keep his covenant with
David? Was he able to plant, and rebuild that throne? Jeremiah was among these
captives Jews. Yet he must remain free to carry out the second part of his
mission. So,
"The
LORD your God decreed this disaster for this place. And now the LORD has
brought it about; he has done just as he said he would. All this happened
because you people sinned against the LORD and did not obey him. But today I am
freeing you from the chains on your wrists. Come with me to Babylon, if you
like, and I will look after you; but if you do not want to, then don't come.
Look, the whole country lies before you; go wherever you please." However,
before Jeremiah turned to go? Nebuzaradan added, "Go back to Gedaliah son
of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has appointed over the
towns of Judah, and live with him among the people, or go anywhere else you
please."
So the captain of the guard
gave him victuals and a reward [expense money] and let him go" (Jeremiah
40:1-5). Jeremiah was left 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"
(6th verse). Now this Gedeliah had been made governor by the king of Babylon
over a remnant of Jews in the land, 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. Jeremiah 41:10 says,
"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 captives, and departed to go
over to the Ammonites"
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. All his sons had been killed. All possible heirs of
Zedekiah 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 in Jeremiah 42:2-3,
"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 show us the way wherein we may
walk"
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 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) (KJV). But, as people usually do,
they rejected God's warning. "Thou speakest falsely," Johanan
answered (Jeremiah 48:2-3). And so Johanan "took all the remnant .......
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 48:5-7)(KJV).
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 but thy life will I give unto thee for
a prey in all places whither thou goest" (Jeremiah 45:2-5). His life, like
Jeremiah's, was under divine protection! On reaching Egypt, God warned these
Jews again through Jeremiah that they would die there by the sword and famine,
and 'none shall return but such as shall escape" (Jeremiah 44:12-14).
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).
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),
"The LORD said,
"Surely I will deliver you for a good purpose; surely I will make your
enemies plead with you in times of disaster and times of distress."
Now let Isaiah complete this
prophecy in Isaiah 37:32-31,
"Once more a remnant of
the house of Judah will take root below and bear fruit above. For out of
Jerusalem will come a remnant, and out of Mount Zion a band of survivors. The
zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this."
A remnant of Judah survived
the Assyrian onslaught in Isaiah's day, as did remnant in Jeremiah's day. This
prophecy, like many, is dual. This remnant with Jeremiah and at least one of
the king's daughters shall take root downward or below! That is, be replanted! And then bear fruit
upward or above.
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? Yes 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? Bible
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, and exist today among the Gentile nations, unrecognized by the
world Their identity, and location, is one of the things 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.
In order to understand this
we must first 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 scepter promise was to be carried down. It
seems the midwife knew twins were about to be born. It is recorded that just
before the two boys were born 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 mid-wife 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" (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 and in a
manner actually heal the breach? David, Zedekiah, Christ, all were of the
Pharez branch and none of them were of the Zarah branch.
I want you also to consider
the genealogy of Jesus as recorded in Luke 1.
"A record of the
genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham: Abraham was the
father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his
brothers, Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was
Tamar,....."
Why did Matthew record the names of both Zerah and
Perez? This will become apparent as we continue.
Now consider:
1. The fact of
the breach calls for the transfer of the scepter 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.
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. The descendants of Zarah
according to a few scattered traditions became wanderers, journeying to the
northwest within the confines of the Scythian nations, their descendants
joining the Ten Tribes. But meanwhile, the Pharez-David-Zedekiah line who
possessed the scepter was highly exalted. The Zarah line, feeling it rightfully
should possess the scepter, and some day would, was low and 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 God 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: [This did happen during 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, and overturn it: and it
shall be no more until he comes whose right it is: and I will give it
him."
Let us understand this
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 and 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. The House of Judah has
been "high," while The House of Israel has been "low,"
these many years without a king (Hosea. 8:4). The Pharez line has been
"high" the Zarah line has been "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 debased and overturned three times (This is another case
of the Three Dimensions that I wrote about in a different article). 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 accomplished 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 three 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 the crown now exalt him, who was
"low", if that crown was to be no more?
What He means is that it
shall be no more overturned until Christ comes at the end of the ages! And then
it shall be once again overturned, and given to him! This is in the Third
Dimension where it is all God. (See my teaching on The Third Dimension) 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 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 Tribe 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,
"'This
is what the Sovereign LORD says: A great eagle with powerful wings, long
feathers and full plumage of varied colors came to Lebanon. Taking hold of the
top of a cedar, he broke off its topmost shoot and carried it away to a land of
merchants, where he planted it in a city of traders.
"He
took some of the seed of your land and put it in fertile soil. He planted it
like a willow by abundant water, and it sprouted and became a low, spreading
vine. Its branches turned toward him, but its roots remained under it. So it
became a vine and produced branches and put out leafy boughs.
"But
there was another great eagle with powerful wings and full plumage. The vine
now sent out its roots toward him from the plot where it was planted and stretched
out its branches to him for water. It had been planted in good soil by abundant
water so that it would produce branches, bear fruit and become a splendid
vine.'
"Say
to them, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Will it thrive? Will it not be uprooted
and stripped of its fruit so that it withers? All its new growth will wither.
It will not take a strong arm or many people to pull it up by the roots. Even
if it is transplanted, will it thrive? Will it not wither completely when the
east wind strikes it; wither away in the plot where it grew?'"
Then, beginning in verse 11,
God explains its meaning. "Say now to the rebellious house," When God
says the "rebellious house" He is talking about the ten tribes of
Israel (Ezek. 12:9), to whom Ezekiel is set a prophet (Ezek. 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.
This 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 and
lofty mountain," 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 planting again of David's throne? Where? ..... Upon a high and lofty
mountain," says God! A "mountain" in symbolic language always
represents a nation. But which nation? "In the mountain of the height of
Israel will I plant it," answers God! 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 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, which is 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" (verse 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 the House of Israel had been taken captive, now is
brought down to the low stature of slavery.""I have exalted the low
tree." For 130 years the House of Israel had been a "low tree".
Now the House of Israel is exalted, becomes again a nation with a
king."..... have dried up the green tree" Judah, "and have made
the dry tree to flourish." The House of Israel, headed by the tribes of
Ephraim and Manasseh, who possessed the birthright, now shall flourish, become
prosperous in due time. "I the Lord have spoken and have done it."
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 the throne? Can we tell? We can! The exact, precise location is
revealed in Bible prophecy! We can pick up Jeremiah's trail 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 a ruler, still today occupying
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 18th 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 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 House of Judah, but refers to the ten tribe House of Israel driven
to Assyrian captivity, then migrating from there and scattering among other
nations. This prophecy says that Israel (not Judah) was to be sifted among
other nations where they loose their identity. Yet God has protected and kept
them and "not the least grain shall 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 the 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 Lord 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 dwelt in a place of their own
and move no more." The context of the whole passage shows this refers, not
to the Promised Land of Canaan, 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 the
Gentiles.
Notice carefully! After
being removed from their land, being sifted among all nations, abiding many
days without a king, losing their identity, they are to be "planted"
in 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
age. 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 two
succeeding "overturns" of the throne, too, must be located in this
same place.
Without further suspense,
let's see where this prophecy locates these birthright holders who are now
possessing the throne of David and 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 (the former capital).
According to Hosea 12:1,
"Ephraim follows after the east wind." An "east wind"
travels west. Ephraim must have gone west from Assyria. When God swore to David
to perpetuate his throne, He said: "I will set his hand [scepter] in the
sea" (Psalms 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 here clearly
distinguished from Judah. 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 of the 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 the Holy Land out of the land of the north! After saying, "How
shall I give thee up, Ephraim?" the Lord, speaking through Hosea, says:
"... then the children shall tremble from the west" (Hosea 11:8, 10).
Again, "Behold, I 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", evidently they are dominant at sea.
Referring to the House of
Israel (not Judah) in 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 the
phrase, "the north and the west" designate this term. It means,
literally, the northwest! The Vulgate renders "Sinim" as
Australi" meaning the south. So we now have the location northwest of
Jerusalem, as well as southern lands. Hence, Israel of today, Israel of the day
of Jeremiah's "planting" of David's throne, is located specifically
northwest of Jerusalem, and in the sea!
Let us locate this land more
specifically! The same 49th chapter of Isaiah begins with this: "Listen, 0
isles, unto me." The people addressed, Israel, are called "0
Isles" in the first verse and "0 Israel" in the third verse. The
31st chapter of Jeremiah, locating Israel in the "north country,"
says: "I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my first born... Hear the
word of the Lord, 0 ye nations "Ephraim, Manasseh" and declare it in
the isles afar off' (Jeremiah 31:9-10).
Again: "Keep silence
before me, 0 islands. .. thou, Israel, art my servant Jacob whom I have
chosen" (Isaiah. 41:1).
In Jeremiah 31:7, the
message to be declared "In the isles afar off" (verse 10) is to be
shouted in "the chief of the nations." 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 direct to the British Isles! This is proof that the white English speaking
peoples today, Britain and America, are actually and truly the birthright
tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh of the "lost" House of Israel.
An old man arrives on an
Jeremiah's commission has
always puzzled scholars. One can find where Jeremiah rooted out, pulled down,
destroyed, and threw down kingdoms. History shows that his prophecies about the
destruction of kingdoms came true. The mystery is, where did Jeremiah
"build and plant?" The scriptural account doesn't contain any
building and planting. There is also some confusion about Jeremiah's being put
"over the nations." It would
appear at first glance that this meant his prophesying against them. This is
not the case. First, Jer 1:10 says that God set him "over the
nations, not nations (in general). This is repeated with the word kingdoms; the
kingdoms. The bible is concerned with only one people, the twelve tribes of
First we'll look at the
Biblical account. Jer 15:11-14 which tells us Jerry is going to a brand new place
he "knowest not." Isaiah fills out the picture a bit. Isaiah 41:1-3
"
Be silent before me, you islands! Let the
nations renew their strength! Let them
come forward and speak; let us
meet together at the place of judgment. Who has
stirred up one from the east, calling him in righteousness to his service? He hands
nations over to him and subdues kings before him.He turns
them to dust with his sword, to
windblown chaff with his bow. He
pursues them and moves on unscathed,by a
path his feet have not traveled before."
This
tells us that a "righteous man from the east" was put over nations
and kings. This man would not travel by foot (on land). Jer 41:10 establishes
the presence of the "king's daughters" in the group with Jeremiah.
Jeremiah, as their great-grandfather, would certainly have assumed the position
of Guardian. Then we find Jeremiah and the girls going to the Egyptian city of
Before going on, we must take notice of what God had promised Jeremiah and his
fellow travelers. God told Jeremiah that he'd be treated kindly by the
Babylonians and die a natural death. Baruch, Jeremiah's scribe and Ebed-Melech,
the Ethiopian, are also told they'd be spared. The probable number in
Jeremiah's traveling band was five: Jeremiah, Baruch, Ebed-Melech Tea Tephi and
her sister.
It's not so hard to trace the migration of large groups of people. Not so with
small groups. But God knows this too, and has left evidence that we may
overcome our doubts about Jeremiah's destination. But we have to go the history
books. Only one place in the world claims to have the grave of the prophet
Jeremiah. Only one country's history tells of an old man, and his scribe Brug
bringing a king's daughter from
Although,
due to the Bards embellishing the story, accounts of Jeremiah's arrival and
work in
1.
The Stone, known as the "Stone of Destiny" came
from
2. Before that, from
3. It came in the company of an aged guardian, who was
called "Ollam Folla", (Hebrew for revealer or prophet)
4. Accompanying the man was an eastern king's daughter
5. Eochaidh (Eremhon) married the daughter, Tea Tephi
6. The aged guardian became the most influential Statesman
and Spiritual leader of
Remember the evidence I mentioned, that God would supply
us to confirm Jeremiah's trip? The following picture is of an inscription found
in a tomb located in Schiabhla-Cailliche, near Oldcastle, County,
One interpretation, by George Dansie of
The stellar and planetary alignment of the inscription gives a date of 583 BC.
This date allows just the right amount of time for our little band to go to