Sabbath 21/10/34/120

Dear Friends,

We received queries regarding the identity of Judah and the Biblical concepts regarding those who say they are Jews but are not and the identity and direction of those people. The prophecies regarding the church range from the Smyrna system to the end with the Church of the Philadelphians. This persecution was to extend over the period of the churches from the Smyrna system and the persecution of Diocletian to the coming of the Messiah and is not simply a comment from two sections of Revelation regarding two churches. These texts are also indicated for the OT texts and the activities of the Lord and the false religious system that was to enter Judah.

In these two sections we see that there are those that say they are Jews but are not but are classed as the synagogue of Satan. These people are going to be made to come before the church and finally to prostrate themselves before the Church of God and finally acknowledge that it is they that are the beloved of the Messiah and of God and they are placed in charge of all of these people. 

Revelation 2:8-11
[8] "And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: `The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life. [9] "`I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. [10] Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. [11] He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who conquers shall not be hurt by the second death.'

Revelation 3:7-13
[7] "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: `The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one shall shut, who shuts and no one opens. [8] "`I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut; I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. [9] Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie -- behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and learn that I have loved you. [10] Because you have kept my word of patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial which is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell upon the earth. [11] I am coming soon; hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. [12] He who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God; never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name. [13] He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'

However, who are they and where are they? Where did they come from and what is to become of them? How does this tie in with the OT Scriptures, and what do we know of them?

As you are probably aware Judaism is a religion and not a tribal group. We have listed the YDNA and mtDNA of the Jews and their probable ethnic origins in the papers Genetic Origin of the Nations (No. 269) and also in the Sons of Shem: Part I (No. 212A); Descendants of Abraham Part V: Judah (No. 212E); Descendants of Abraham Part VI: Israel (212F) and also in the other papers in the 212 series regarding the other descendants and tribes of Abraham and the charts for each of the papers in 212G. The origin of the nations of Europe is also listed in the papers concerning the Sons of Japheth (Nos. 46A-46H) and also the Sons of Ham (Nos. 45A-45E).

The British Israelite theories of the Churches of God and the European Protestants were completely wrong and the DNA structures prove them wrong. The papers explain how Israel is distributed and how it is recognised in the nations of the world.

The fact of the matter is that less than 28% of Judaism is actually Semitic and much of that is of the other sons of Abraham also.  In the centuries from the persecution of Diocletian (emp. 284-305), which was from 303-311 continuing after his abdication in 305 until the Edict of Toleration in 311; through to the Rise of Islam in 632 CE, the Jews were in power in Arabia and they had converted a number of people from the Arab tribes. They had converted Edom and the sons of Esau before the dispersion. They persecuted the church and tried to eliminate it but the church became very powerful in its emergence as Islam under the council of the twelve in Arabia which was the Muhammad (see the paper Introduction to the Commentary on the Koran (Q1)). The Jews there converted back as Arabs to Islam, although a significant number did not do so. They remain as part of Judah to this day. They could not control the Paulicians of the Pergamos era to the west also under the Byzantine period. Their power and influence became centred on commerce.

Over 25% of all Jews are Sons of Ham either of Canaanite or Egyptian YDNA, that came with the Mixed Multitude or the Canaanites that were taken into the body of Israel in the occupation.

Approximately 52% of all Ashkenazi Levites are actually R1a sons of Japheth, probably from the Khazar conversions of 740 CE. A significant number of R1b Hittites exist in the royal lineages of King David also, especially in the lines of Dayan and Salathiel (see the paper Hittites in the House of David (No. 67c)).

The fact that Judaism does not accept Baptism and does not keep the laws of God and follows an apostate Babylonian Calendar that was not in use ever under the Temple system and came into Judaism in 358 CE under Hillel II places them completely outside of God’s laws and the elect, no matter whether they are Jews or not.  Anyone who follows the Hillel Calendar of Judaism is not keeping God’s laws and will be held to account for it and that includes most of the Armstrongite Churches of God and the Messianic Jews.  Almost none of them keep God’s Calendar (see the papers God’s Calendar (No. 156); The Calendar and the Moon: Postponements or Festivals? (No. 195) and Distortion of God’s Calendar in Judah (No. 195B)).

When the witnesses get here and the nexus of the law is restored then Palestine/Israel will commence to be cleared of the apostates. Jews who are not baptised and who keep the Hillel system will be removed. So also will the Jews who do not repent, even the genetic YDNA sons of Judah will be removed, unless they repent.

However, the hardness that came over the hearts of Judah will be removed and they will come to repentance and so also will the Jews who say they are Jews but are not but only have some familial mtDNA connections. The doctrine that one inherits one’s Jewish identity from one’s mother will no longer be an accepted doctrine in Israel, as it is not in accordance with the Bible. They will become part of Israel only as members of the Church of God through their baptism and be allocated to their inheritance either to the tribes in or out of Israel. None of these Kabbalistic Jews will be allowed to remain in Israel. However, Israel will be returned and some also left outside of Israel in their inheritance there, as were Reuben, Gad and half of Manasseh. Those areas will also expand.

You will note that the structure concerning Judah and Jerusalem from the dispersion to the Last Days is developed in the paper Commentary on Zechariah (No. 297).

In that text, especially in chapter 2, we see that the One True God Yahovah of Hosts sends the subordinate Yahovah of Israel to defend Jerusalem and restore it. It was sent into captivity because of its evil and its rejection of the laws of God and the Temple system which it still does to this very day. Zechariah Chapter 1 commences with a reprimand and an appeal to return to the Lord of Hosts in the first section (Zech. 1:1-6).

Zechariah 1: [1] In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to Zechari'ah the son of Berechi'ah, son of Iddo, the prophet, saying, [2] "The LORD was very angry with your fathers. [3] Therefore say to them, Thus says the LORD of hosts: Return to me, says the LORD of hosts, and I will return to you, says the LORD of hosts. [4] Be not like your fathers, to whom the former prophets cried out, `Thus says the LORD of hosts, Return from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.' But they did not hear or heed me, says the LORD. [5] Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live for ever? [6] But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not overtake your fathers? So they repented and said, As the LORD of hosts purposed to deal with us for our ways and deeds, so has he dealt with us."

In the second vision God shows the horses that will deal with the Lord when the earth is at rest because the earth misused Jerusalem and Judah when it was not required to do so. So after the seventy years God began to act but Judah and Jerusalem did not repent and they were restored only to accomplish the coming of the Messiah in accordance with prophecy.

Zechariah 1: [7] On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month which is the month of Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to Zechari'ah the son of Berechi'ah, son of Iddo, the prophet; and Zechari'ah said, [8] "I saw in the night, and behold, a man riding upon a red horse! He was standing among the myrtle trees in the glen; and behind him were red, sorrel, and white horses. [9] Then I said, `What are these, my lord?' The angel who talked with me said to me, `I will show you what they are.' [10] So the man who was standing among the myrtle trees answered, `These are they whom the LORD has sent to patrol the earth.' [11] And they answered the angel of the LORD who was standing among the myrtle trees, `We have patrolled the earth, and behold, all the earth remains at rest.' [12] Then the angel of the LORD said, `O LORD of hosts, how long wilt thou have no mercy on Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these seventy years?' [13] And the LORD answered gracious and comforting words to the angel who talked with me. [14] So the angel who talked with me said to me, `Cry out, Thus says the LORD of hosts: I am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion. [15] And I am very angry with the nations that are at ease; for while I was angry but a little they furthered the disaster. [16] Therefore, thus says the LORD, I have returned to Jerusalem with compassion; my house shall be built in it, says the LORD of hosts, and the measuring line shall be stretched out over Jerusalem. [17] Cry again, Thus says the LORD of hosts: My cities shall again overflow with prosperity, and the LORD will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.'" [18] And I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, four horns! [19] And I said to the angel who talked with me, "What are these?" And he answered me, "These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem." [20] Then the LORD showed me four smiths. [21] And I said, "What are these coming to do?" He answered, "These are the horns which scattered Judah, so that no man raised his head; and these have come to terrify them, to cast down the horns of the nations who lifted up their horns against the land of Judah to scatter it."

God acted in order to have the temple built so that the system would be established for the Messiah. After that it was to be destroyed again in accordance with Daniel 9:25-28 (see the paper The Sign of Jonah and the History of the Reconstruction of the Temple (No. 13)). They were restored and then measured and then scattered again as we see in Chapter 2 when Yahovah of Hosts sends Yahovah of Israel to restore Jerusalem. Here we see the Messiah as Yahovah of Israel sent to defend Jerusalem.

Zechariah 2: [1] And I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, a man with a measuring line in his hand! [2] Then I said, "Where are you going?" And he said to me, "To measure Jerusalem, to see what is its breadth and what is its length." [3] And behold, the angel who talked with me came forward, and another angel came forward to meet him, [4] and said to him, "Run, say to that young man, `Jerusalem shall be inhabited as villages without walls, because of the multitude of men and cattle in it. [5] For I will be to her a wall of fire round about, says the LORD, and I will be the glory within her.'" [6] Ho! ho! Flee from the land of the north, says the LORD; for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heavens, says the LORD. [7] Ho! Escape to Zion, you who dwell with the daughter of Babylon. [8] For thus said the LORD of hosts, after his glory sent me to the nations who plundered you, for he who touches you touches the apple of his eye: [9] "Behold, I will shake my hand over them, and they shall become plunder for those who served them. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent me. [10] Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion; for lo, I come and I will dwell in the midst of you, says the LORD. [11] And many nations shall join themselves to the LORD in that day, and shall be my people; and I will dwell in the midst of you, and you shall know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you. [12] And the LORD will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land, and will again choose Jerusalem." [13] Be silent, all flesh, before the LORD; for he has roused himself from his holy dwelling.

In the text of Zechariah we see the development of the Babylonian system within Israel and especially Judah. The commentary on Zechariah (No. 297) should be studied in detail to see the implications of what is to happen.  In this section we will deal with what happens in the Last Days in dealing with Zion and with Judah and the people who have been absorbed into that system as a religion that is outside of the laws of God and is not in fact part of Israel and the elect of God.  Chapter 3 and 4 deal with the High Priest and the two Golden Lampstands which point towards the Messiah and the Two Witnesses, who perform the duties of and as Elijah and the other witness. These beings are mentioned in Revelation Chapter 11 and the Measuring of the Temple which are the elect of God are also covered there (see the paper The Witnesses (including the Two Witnesses) (No. 135)). In this text the High Priest is restored and cleansed so that the Temple may once again perform. The Temple was destroyed in 70 CE in accordance with prophecy and so we are dealing with another Temple and a greater priesthood as we see from the Book of Hebrews.

Chapter 5 specifically deals with the corruption of Judah and Israel with the Babylonian system under the false religious structure. There they built a house for its system and set an ephah on its base. Chapter 6 refers to the servant of God who is the Branch that will restore the Temple and sit upon the Throne with a priest set with him and there shall be peace. This will be when the earth is set at peace. This was done first by Judah and the High Priest and also Zerubabbel as a type antitype of the Messiah and the Temple which is the body of Messiah in the Last Days. Zechariah then goes on to develop the period of the Restoration of the Last days and also the restoration of the Calendar and the rule of the whole world by Messiah from Jerusalem. 

In Zechariah 6: [9] And the word of the LORD came to me: [10] "Take from the exiles Heldai, Tobi'jah, and Jedai'ah, who have arrived from Babylon; and go the same day to the house of Josi'ah, the son of Zephani'ah. [11] Take from them silver and gold, and make a crown, and set it upon the head of Joshua, the son of Jehoz'adak, the high priest; [12] and say to him, `Thus says the LORD of hosts, "Behold, the man whose name is the Branch: for he shall grow up in his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD. [13] It is he who shall build the temple of the LORD, and shall bear royal honor, and shall sit and rule upon his throne. And there shall be a priest by his throne, and peaceful understanding shall be between them both."' [14] And the crown shall be in the temple of the LORD as a reminder to Heldai, Tobi'jah, Jedai'ah, and Josi'ah the son of Zephani'ah. [15] "And those who are far off shall come and help to build the temple of the LORD; and you shall know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you. And this shall come to pass, if you will diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God."

Note the Angel of the Lord who is the Yahovah of Israel says in verse 15 (emphasis added) that those who are far off shall come to help build the Temple and we shall know that the Lord of Hosts has sent him to us. This is a reference to the elect of God in the dispersion which is the entire house of God as the elect in the Body of Christ, which is the Temple of God.

The next section then goes on to deal with the scattering of the people because they would not heed the prophets the Lord of Hosts had sent to them and he scattered them with a whirlwind (Zech. 7:1-14). In chapter 8 the word of the Lord of Hosts was sent to Zechariah and again Yahovah of Hosts speaks but it is Yahovah of Israel that Yahovah of Hosts sends to return to Zion and to dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Jerusalem will then be termed the City of Truth and the Mountain of the Lord or Yahovah of Hosts, the Holy mountain (as we see also in Isa. 2:2; Jer. 31:23; Ezek. 40:2; & Mic. 4:1).

This text is then speaking of the restoration of Israel and Judah from the dispersion and the end result of that restoration in and from Jerusalem is the conversion of the nations as we see from Zechariah 8:23. It is thus impossible that Judah will be left in Israel alone and it will be joined by the tribes or nations of Israel as it returns from the dispersion and the elect of the Messiah from which the Government of God is formed.

In this last restoration there will be a destruction such as has not been seen in Syria and the Levant generally. Harach the district of Syria (the ‘arka from the Assyrian Inscriptions and from Gen. 10:17) and Hamath will be the place of rest of the burden of the word of the Lord there (Zech. 9:1-2).  In other words they will become converted and part of the body of Israel which will be under the Messiah. So also will Tyre and Sidon and all of the Lebanon be devoured in the process and all of Palestine through Gaza will see and fear and be ashamed. Some of it will be reduced to desolation through their actions in provoking Yahovah of Israel, the Messiah, because they do not repent. Yes those that remain will repent and they will be part of the administration of Judah and Gaza (Ekron in Philistia) as Jebusites. These are they who remained in Jerusalem as Canaanites of the Jebusites after they became part of Judah as did all of Canaan. Thus these YDNA Jebusites will convert to the true faith under Messiah along with the YDNA males of the tribe of Judah and be part of the administration. Judah will be converted and so also will Ephraim and they will deal with the false religious system of the Greco-Romans. They will have no arms and they will speak peace to the nations and their dominion will be from sea to sea and to the ends of the earth. They will be a crown to the Lord God (Zech. 9: 10-17).

Chapter 10 tells us that we are to ask rain in the time of the Latter Rain (cf Deut. 11:14) which is the time of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the Last Days. This outpouring was necessary because of the idolatry among the shepherds who are vain and speak lies in their prophecy and divination. The flock went their way without a shepherd (Zech. 10:2). God punished the shepherds and also the goats (who were not of the elect of god) (v. 3).  In this outpouring the Holy Spirit is poured out upon Judah by the One True God the Lord of Hosts and He will prepare them for battle in this last period.  The so-called Orthodox Jews will be removed and their priests will be dismissed and the nation of Judah will be raised to deal with the world in its conversion. Joseph also will be restored and brought to the true faith and God will bring them again “to place them” (v. 6). Those of Ephraim will be like a mighty man and their hearts shall rejoice and their children will see it. God has redeemed them and they will be increased and spread throughout the nations and they will repent and turn again (vv. 7-9).  Ephraim shall be brought out of Egypt and Assyria and they shall be brought into the land of Gilead and Lebanon and place shall not be found for them (v. 10). Thus Ephraim will inherit and be joined to Lebanon and Jordan and spread throughout the land. Israel will stretch from the River of Egypt to the Euphrates and to the Arabian Desert and the seas.

Whilst this is happening Egypt and Assyria will be subjugated and prepared for their role on the kingdom of God (v. 11) and they shall be strengthened in the Lord and they will walk up and down in His name (v. 12).

All of this is now commencing and will be brought about in the near future.

Chapter 11 deals with the process of the breaking of the union of Israel and Judah and the destruction of the priesthood and their false teachings. This process is carried on over a long period of time and ends with the eras of the foolish shepherds. Woe to them that are idol shepherds and desert the flock. They pay with their right arms and their right eyes (11:17).

Chapter 12 states the burden of the word of the Lord for Israel. He will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling for all who burden themselves with it and who are in siege against Judah and against Jerusalem. Those that attack it will be destroyed. The inhabitants of Jerusalem will be converted and restored in the power of the Lord their God. The governors of Judah will use the people of Jerusalem as their strength inspired by the Lord of Hosts (12:5-6). Judah will be saved first so that Jerusalem and the house of David do not glorify itself against it (12:7). In that day shall the Lord defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the Angel of the Lord before them (or at their head) (12:8). This text is speaking directly of the Resurrection. David is dead and yet he and the house of David shall be as elohim as is the Angel of the Lord at their head who is the Messiah, and a Spirit being or son of God. Thus it is written: “I said ye are gods, sons of the Most High all of you” and Christ then declared himself the son of God (Jn. 10:34-36).

From this time there will be fountains opened for those there that need conversion and baptism for entry to the  House of the Lord, and all of the world begins to be converted. Chapter 13 continues on with this concept (13:1). From that day there will be no more names of idols and demons remembered (v. 2a). Also prophets and the unclean spirit will be removed from Israel. The false system will be removed along with their false teachers (v. 2b). Prophets will cease by force of their own people and they will declare themselves husbandmen and say they were taught to tend stock from their youth (v. 3-5).

In all this, two parts shall be cut off and one third will remain and the remaining third will be refined in the fire and they shall be purified and serve God and He will acknowledge them (Zech. 13:8-9).

In order to accomplish that we see in Chapter 14 that the Lord God will raise up the nations against Jerusalem and the city will be taken, the houses rifled and the women ravished and half the city will go forth into captivity, and the residue shall not be cut off from the city. Thus God will clear out of Jerusalem all that are not of the faith and unconverted. At this time Yahovah who is the Messiah our elohim will return with all the saints and stand on the Mount of Olives. The Mount will cleave in two and a great valley of some 66 km. will be formed to the North and to the South with Jerusalem in the midst of it (vv. 4-5).

This period is one of intense and probably thermo-nuclear war. Those that are left of the Jews who are converted will then fight at Jerusalem and the wealth of the nations will be gathered to them (14:14). From this time onwards all the nations that resisted and fought against Jerusalem will send their representatives to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of Tabernacles. Those that do not send their representatives will get no rain in due season and suffer the plagues of Egypt (Zech. 14:16-19).  The Temple at Zion will be Holy and every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah will be holiness unto the Lord of Hosts. The system established there will be properly organised and the killing done under supervision of the priesthood once again.

Wade Cox
Coordinator General