For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’
Isaiah 6:10 & Matthew 13:15
My Response to those who say this started on Oct 7, 2023
Now that the truth has been revealed let us redefine terms in our heart for historical Biblical accuracy:
Israel: Not the modern nation of Israel, but rather the Northern Kingdom that left Judah in the days of Jeroboam the son of Ephraim. Also commonly known as the Lost Tribes of Israel. For the Biblical narrative see the division of Israel and Judah found in 1 Kings 12
Ephraim: The one of two tribes of Joseph who was given firstborn rights to the Abrahamic Covenant. The Biblical Narrative is found in Genesis 48. Also see Jeremiah 31:9, 1 Chronicles 5:2, and Ezekiel 37:16.
Judah: The modern nation of Israel. The patriarch of the Jewish people, faith (Judah + ism = Judaism), and the historical name of their nation. For the Biblical Narrative see why God took the Kingdom of Israel away from Judah and gave it to Jeroboam, son of Ephraim, son of Joseph, see the Biblical Narrative found in 1 Kings 11:29-39.
To show that I am not taking the Bible out of context, to reveal the consistent message of God to Judah, and to ween Christians, Jews, and Muslims off the breast and on to solid food let us start with a grand overview of the Biblical Narrative. I will start in the days of Solomon, because it was during the days of Solomon that God decreed through the prophets that Israel shall be divided from Judah.[1]
As a Jew myself let me speak directly to my people. Because I have been granted understanding seeing the correct path as well as how they have errored and gone astray, I am thus responsible for their sin before God as well as the house of Israel. My words may be harsh for they are coming from a broken heart who trembles in sack cloth and ashes before my God. And regardless of the tone they are made in love that full awareness may be revealed of our great sin before our God in hopes that my people may change from their wicked ways and their sin may be fully atoned for. My words are written in many tears and pleading from a man unworthy to stand before you. Judah remember the reign of Solomon where it was said silver was as common as rocks?[2] Remember the opulence of the Temple in Jerusalem and the opulence of Solomon’s throne[3] and castle? So if those days that you wish to emulate were in such abundance why were the children of Israel made to be in debtors prison’s working as slaves?[4] Did not they plead with Rehoboam, “Take away our tax burden. Release us and we will serve you.[5]” But what was the King of Judah’s response to Israel? “You belong to me! You will do all that I say and more! My father whipped you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions![6]” Thus, right from the beginning Judah’s colonialist tendency to subjugate and enslave his brother Joseph is evident. To this day does not Israel still cry out for liberation from you? The apple does not fall far from the tree! Was it not Jeroboam, the lord of the debtor’s prison from the tribe of Joseph that rebelled and said to Israel follow me and be free!
Remember the Feast of Tabernacles that Moses set up to rejoice in Israel’s freedom from Egyptian slavery? How can it be that Israel under the reign of Jeroboam set up that same holiday except instead of celebrating Israel’s liberation from Egypt they celebrated Israel’s Independence from Judah![7] And when they broke off, what was Rehoboam’s response? Did he not gather his armies and say I will force Israel to bend knee to me!?[8] It was Shemaiah, the prophet of the LORD who stood before the King of the Jews and said stop your coercion. This is the LORD’s doing![9] For the Messiah shall come from the line of David through Judah, but the birthright of Abraham remains with Joseph and Israel.[10] But his son, King Abijah, when he took the throne, he too was bent on murder and genocide. He declared speaking of these prophets of God, “Why did my father listen to those worthless scoundrels who said Israel does not belong to us?”[11] He waited for a moment when Israel was weak at the time of the funeral of Jeroboam’s firstborn son and he invaded and massacred 500,000 Israelites[12] and subjugated the tribe of Ephraim in the West Bank[13], just as they are subjugated today.
And Asa his son who ruled after him, was he any better? Just as Christ was sold from the silver in the temple[14], did not King Asa of Judah take the gold and silver from the House of God in Jerusalem and pay the Armenians to go to war with Israel?[15] Thus just as our patriarch father Judah sold his brother Joseph into death and slavery, so too did our King Asa sell Joseph to death and bondage.
And when Aram failed and Ephraim broke free from your occupation did not Ahaz King of Judah again raid the temple coffers and sell Israel to the Assyrian Empire[16] who conquered them and sold them as slaves? Don’t you remember the day when Isaiah tried to stop your caravan of gold and silver to the King of Assyria pleading with you not to sell your brother? He told King Ahaz of Judah ask God for a sign. Anything from the heaven’s above to the depths below as the All Mighty pleaded with the King of Judah for Israel.[17] Yet Isaiah declared Israel will return and this will be the sign, behold a virgin will be with birth and his name will be called Emanuel! [18] Thus, the life of Jesus was the sign of the return of the Son of God. Three times we sold our brother Israel. Yet the prophets starting with Isaiah declared Israel will return. But we mocked them and murdered them. Mourn for our lost brother Israel, we did not! Rather to this day we claimed their name and birthright promise of Abraham as well as their return as if it was our own. As if the promise applied to us. As if our deeds were unseen by our God who knew the end from the beginning. This day we still claim their name, their birthright, and their foretold return for we said in our hearts our brother Joseph and Israel are dead and gone. Surely now their promise now belongs to us.
Remember when King Hezekiah of Judah, the son of Ahaz purified the Temple in Jerusalem. Did he not send messages to Israel to celebrate the Passover with us?[19] Because we murdered and sold our brother Israel, like Cain, death and exile was Divinely decreed, yet because of King Hezekiah’s love for Israel did God not turn back the clock on our punishment?[20] If it was a great day, why was it the last day we celebrated the Passover together? Why was it the last day we recognized Israel as our brother?
All know his successor King Manasseh of Judah did not follow in the ways of his father. Incensed that Israel would not bow to the throne of David, he bought the Israelites as slaves from Assyria and as Isaac was placed on the altar, so too did we place the children of Israel on the altar in the House of God, sacrificing them to the Navagraha.[21] Scripture refers to this as the line of no return. His son Amon followed in his example sacrificing Israelites to their gods. So, God sent Zephaniah the prophet who told Judah that he would cleanse the land of idolatry. So it came to pass that King Amon died when his son and heir Josiah was a mere infant. To ensure the continuity of the throne he married young to Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah.[22] And so it came to pass that Jeremiah became the father-in-law of the King and a father figure to him. He instructed him in the ways of the lord. It was here that Judaism was born. It was here that we threw away our idols. Yet we were still sent into exile. Why? Because we failed to learn to love our brother.
King Josiah in his zeal desecrated the House of God in Bethel. On that day we put the priests of Israel to the sword. We dug up the graves of their kings and desecrated them. And we desecrated its altar.[23] These graves and temple represented the last nostalgia that Israel had of its former Kingdom. It was as if they were being erased from history. As the prophets foretold, Ephraim’s glory will fly away like a bird, no birth, no pregnancy, no conception![24] Ezekiel would be the last priest of Israel. His wife was taken from him so that he would be childless.[25] The day of his wife’s death he prophesied to the people of Israel of that coming day, This is what the Sovereign Lord says: “I am about to desecrate my sanctuary—the house of God in which you take pride, the delight of your eyes, the object of your affection.[26]”
Josiah failed to learn the lessons of history. Today, do my people understand? Many times, God had called on nations to punish Israel for their sin, yet in Israel’s despair did not God turn around and destroy those nations? Thus, it was not long after that Josiah was killed. Now consider our ways toward his people. Or do you not recognize your own brother?
Did Josiah’s sons learn from history? No. They followed in the sin of Solomon to enslave their brother Israel once again. Yet his grandfather Jeremiah warned him, “Woe to him who builds his palace through unrighteousness, his upper rooms through injustice, making his neighbor serve him for nothing, not paying them for their labor. He says, ‘I will build myself a great palace with extravagant upper rooms.’ Ergo he makes large windows in it, panels it with cedar and decorates it in crimson. “Does it make you a king to have more and more cedar? Did not your father have food and drink? He did what was right and just, so all went well with him. He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well. Is that not what it means to know me?” declares the Lord.[27]
Thus, our failure, unlike Israel’s, was not through idolatry, except for the idolatry of ourselves. Ours was a failure to love. To treat our brother as equals. Like Cain because they murdered their brother God sent the prophets Ezekiel and Jeremiah and declared of our ancestors you will be exiled to Babylon. Jeremiah the prophet said, “Therefore, this is what the LORD says: You have not obeyed me; you have not proclaimed freedom to Israel. So, I now proclaim ‘freedom for you, declares the LORD – ‘freedom’ to fall by the sword, plague, and famine. I will make you abhorrent to all the kingdoms of the earth![28]”
It was said of our brother Joseph. We hated him in this, not a kind word can we say about him.[29] Between that day and this have we changed at all? Judah do you recognize your brother Israel or are you still your own idol? Is there any we worship more than ourselves? Consider our exile in Babylon? After our exile did we learn our lesson? Cyrus the Great, the King of the Medes and the Persians gave the decree to each people group return to the land of your origins and rebuild your ancient Temples. Was it not the command of the LORD of Israel and Judah to rebuild His House and he would give you peace. Was it not decreed by Isaiah and Micah: Many nations will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the House of God of Jacob. He will instruct us in his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.”
Israel, which is to say the Arab people, came to you saying let us build the house of the LORD together and we shall be one people. Judah what was your response? Was it like King Hezekiah who said come all and let us worship the LORD together? No. We responded, your God is not the LORD, we and we alone will rebuild this house.[30] Go to Baal and rebuild his temples. These are your gods Israel. And so, in our hatred and arrogance we would only look upon them in distain. Just as Zionists do this day.
Have we forgotten the promise of the LORD? The God of the Angel Armies who sees the end from the beginning? Didn’t he make a promise to Abraham?[31] Didn’t he tell you that Israel would become many nations from the Nile to the Euphrates[32] and a people like the stars of the sky![33] Didn’t the prophets declare “Israel will return![34]”
[1] 1 Kings 11:29-39.
[2] 1 Kings 11:28.
[3] 1 Kings 10:18-20.
[4] 1 Kings 10:15.
[5] 1 Kings 12:4.
[6] 1 Kings 12:14.
[7] 1 Kings 12:32.
[8] 1 Kings 12:21.
[9] 1 Kings 12:22-24.
[10] 1 Chronicles 5:2.
[11] 2 Chronicles 13:7.
[12] 2 Chronicles 13:17.
[13] 2 Chronicles 13:19.
[14] Matthew 26:14-16.
[15] 2 Chronicles 16:2-3.
[16] 2 Kings 16:7-9.
[17] Isaiah 7:10-11 (In Context see Isaiah 7)
[18] Isaiah 7:13-14.
[19] 2 Chronicles 30
[20] 2 Kings 20:1-11
[21] 2 Kings 21:16.
[22] 2 Kings 23:31; 24:18
[23] 2 Kings 23:15-20.
[24] Hosea 9:11.
[25] Ezekiel 24:21
[26] Ezekiel 24:15-18.
[27] Jeremiah 22:10-16
[28] Jer 34:17. (In Context see Jer 34:8-20.
[29] Genesis 37:4.
[30] Nehemiah 2:20
[31] Genesis 17
[32] Genesis 15:18-21.
[33] Genesis 15:5.
[34] Ez 11:14-25; Jer 31:7-10; Psalms 14:7; Isaiah 41:8-9.