"Brit-Am Now"-1002
Contents:
1. Question on Ezekiel 11:18, Whose idols will be put away??
2. Encouragement of Brit-Am from Carol
3. Brit-Am Questionnaire
Answers to Questions nos. 11 &12
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1. Question on
Ezekiel 11:18, Whose idols will be put away??
Question:
From: OvadYah Avrahami <bibrev@pixie.co.za>
Subject: Re Brit Am 1001
Dear Yair
Under "Highlights of Ezekiel" you wrote:
"Ezekiel (11:18) hints that first the exiles will return to the Land of Israel
and after that they shall put away their idols and keep the Law "
Looking up the Scripture, it seems to say differently - speaking of their
purifying of 'the place'. But in context, from verse 17-20, your
interpretation certainly makes more sense. Will you kindly please comment
further on this anomaly especially with regard to Rabbinic comments and
interpretation of this verse.
Your comments came at a time when I was specifically looking for Scriptural
references of the purifying of 10-Israel (Yosef, Ephraim), i.e. after their
Return to the Land. One reference was to the Prophet Micah - but I could not
trace this specific Scripture. Can you help here also please.
Your further comments on this issue will also be much appreciated.
For reference, I copy Ezek. 11:18 in context below - also the Hebrew which seems
to confirm the translated version which seems to be followed by all translators.
17 therefore say: Thus saith the Lord GOD: I will even gather you from the
peoples, and assemble you out of the countries where ye have been scattered, and
I will give you the land of Israel.
18 And they shall come thither, and they shall take away all the detestable
things thereof and all the abominations thereof from thence
19 And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I
will remove the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of
flesh;
20 that they may walk in My statutes, and keep Mine ordinances, and do them; and
they shall be My people, and I will be their God.
Thanks
OvadYah
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Reply:
Contents:
a. Most of the Commentators
b. Brit-Am Principles Understood from Ezekiel
c. Brit-Am Explanation of Ezekiel 11:18
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a. Most of the Commentators
Most of the Commentators explain the verse as you have understood the
Translators,
i. e. The Israelites will return and remove the abominations (usually understood
to mean idolatry)
from the Land that assumedly had been put there by the previous inhabitants.
The MALBIM explains the verse as we have done, i.e.
the Israelites will return and remove their own abominations.
We discussed this verse with Rabbi Abraham Feld who agrees with our
interpretation.
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b. Brit-Am Principles Understood from
Ezekiel
Before continuing see what we wrote in our Commentary to Ezekiel since
this clarifies the principles
we wished to emphasize:
[Ezekiel 11:17] THEREFORE SAY, THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD; I WILL EVEN GATHER YOU
FROM THE PEOPLE, AND ASSEMBLE YOU OUT OF THE COUNTRIES WHERE YE HAVE BEEN
SCATTERED, AND I WILL GIVE YOU THE LAND OF ISRAEL.
Eisemann understands this following passage to be referring to all of Israel,
including the Lost Ten Tribes.
Malbim: "In the future God will ingather the Ten Tribes who were in faraway
lands and did not return in the time of the Second Temple".
Ramban (Nachmanides) holds the same view we have been quoting that the
prophecies are understandable on two levels:
(1. The message potentially could have been fulfilled partly in the very time of
Ezekiel if the people would have repented; and
(2. The complete fulfillment of the Prophecy of reconciliation will only happen
in the time of the Messiah.
[Ezekiel 11:18] AND THEY SHALL COME THITHER, AND THEY SHALL TAKE AWAY ALL THE
DETESTABLE THINGS THEREOF AND ALL THE ABOMINATIONS THEREOF FROM THENCE.
The exiles (from the Ten Tribes) will remove their idols and cease their
paganism in their places of exile. OR ELSE:
They shall first come back to the land and then they shall cast aside their
idols?
[Ezekiel 16:53] WHEN I SHALL BRING AGAIN THEIR CAPTIVITY, THE CAPTIVITY OF SODOM
AND HER DAUGHTERS, AND THE CAPTIVITY OF SAMARIA AND HER DAUGHTERS, THEN WILL I
BRING AGAIN THE CAPTIVITY OF THY CAPTIVES IN THE MIDST OF THEM:
<<THE CAPTIVITY OF SODOM AND HER DAUGHTERS>>: Moshkovitz (Daat Mikra)
suggests that this refers to the revival of the Land of Canaan. Sodom was
overturned and all the area around destroyed. So too, after the Roman conquest
and the Arab and Turkish occupation was most of the Land turned into a wasteland
without trees or greenery. The British and the Jews restored it in part. The
State of Israel is continuing to do so but not as much nor as well as it should
be. We have also been responsible for ecological abuses that should be
corrected. There is much that could and should be done.
Malbim says here that at the return "Samaria" and "Sodom" (?) will be the most
important section of the Israelite nation whereas Judah will be pulled after
them and returned through them. He repeats this message in 16:55.
The Lost Ten Tribes will return. Manasseh will return. The exiles of Judah who
remained in exile will return together with the Lost Ten Tribes.
Abarbanel (1435-1509): "The Ten Tribes will return to Samaria and its
daughter-regions and so will the scattered dispersion of Judah be gathered in
from the four corners of the earth".
[Ezekiel 16:55] WHEN THY SISTERS, SODOM AND HER DAUGHTERS, SHALL RETURN TO THEIR
FORMER ESTATE, AND SAMARIA AND HER DAUGHTERS SHALL RETURN TO THEIR FORMER
ESTATE, THEN THOU AND THY DAUGHTERS SHALL RETURN TO YOUR FORMER ESTATE. UNTIL
NOW THEY ARE STILL OVERTURNED AND HAVE NOT RETURNED UNTO THEIR FORMER STATE.
This is a message for Judah: In order for Judah to realize herself
and to bring back all her exiles and rehabilitate herself Judah must also seek
the Lost Ten Tribes and cause them to return! This is important to Judah for her
own sake! It is also hinting that rehabilitation of the Land itself is somehow
connected with the return of the Lost Ten Tribes. See our Commentary on Isaiah
56:8 and Hosea chapter six, where we have explained that according to prophecy:
part of Judah would return to the Land and begin to build it up. Then the Lost
Ten Tribes would return in two stages together with the remnant of Judah. The
first part of this process is well on its way.
<<SODOM AND HER DAUGHTERS, SHALL RETURN TO THEIR FORMER ESTATE, AND SAMARIA AND
HER DAUGHTERS SHALL RETURN TO THEIR FORMER ESTATE>>: Malbim: [addressing Judah]
"For they [the Lost Tribes] shall be the most important section in the returning
and you subservient to them, and you shall return through them".
Abarbanel: "There is no doubt that this promised ingathering will occur in the
Times of the Messiah. Until now it has never been fulfilled".
[Ezekiel 16:61] THEN THOU SHALT REMEMBER THY WAYS, AND BE ASHAMED, WHEN THOU
SHALT RECEIVE THY SISTERS, THINE ELDER AND THY YOUNGER: AND I WILL GIVE THEM
UNTO THEE FOR DAUGHTERS, BUT NOT BY THY COVENANT.
Judah must seek to bring the Lost Ten Tribes back. God makes the participation
of Judah in the process of returning the Lost Ten Tribes a prior condition for
the rehabilitation of Judah herself!
<<I WILL GIVE THEM UNTO THEE FOR DAUGHTERS>>: Judah will have some degree of
directional task to play in helping the Ten Tribes return and showing them the
way in which they should go. Judah however is also obligated to get his own act
together or else (God forbid) be punished.
<<BUT NOT BY THY COVENANT>>: The Lost Ten Tribes will not necessarily have to
convert to Judaism in our sense of the word though they will renew the covenant
between Israel and the Almighty and Judah is obligated to assist them.
[Ezekiel 16:62] AND I WILL ESTABLISH MY COVENANT WITH THEE; AND THOU SHALT KNOW
THAT I AM THE LORD:
God will once again accept Judah and all Israel.
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c. Brit-Am Explanation of Ezekiel 11:18
Getting back to your question:
Consider the passage in its context:
[Ezekiel 11:16] THEREFORE SAY, THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD; ALTHOUGH I HAVE CAST
THEM FAR OFF AMONG THE HEATHEN, AND ALTHOUGH I HAVE SCATTERED THEM AMONG THE
COUNTRIES, YET WILL I BE TO THEM AS A LITTLE SANCTUARY IN THE COUNTRIES WHERE
THEY SHALL COME.
[Ezekiel 11:17] THEREFORE SAY, THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD; I WILL EVEN GATHER YOU
FROM THE PEOPLE, AND ASSEMBLE YOU OUT OF THE COUNTRIES WHERE YE HAVE BEEN
SCATTERED, AND I WILL GIVE YOU THE LAND OF ISRAEL.
[Ezekiel 11:18] AND THEY SHALL COME THITHER, AND THEY SHALL TAKE AWAY ALL THE
DETESTABLE THINGS THEREOF AND ALL THE ABOMINATIONS THEREOF FROM THENCE.
[Ezekiel 11:19] AND I WILL GIVE THEM ONE HEART, AND I WILL PUT A NEW SPIRIT
WITHIN YOU; AND I WILL TAKE THE STONY HEART OUT OF THEIR FLESH, AND WILL GIVE
THEM AN HEART OF FLESH:
[Ezekiel 11:20] THAT THEY MAY WALK IN MY STATUTES, AND KEEP MINE ORDINANCES, AND
DO THEM: AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE, AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD.
[Ezekiel 11:21] BUT AS FOR THEM WHOSE HEART WALKETH AFTER THE HEART OF THEIR
DETESTABLE THINGS AND THEIR ABOMINATIONS, I WILL RECOMPENSE THEIR WAY UPON THEIR
OWN HEADS, SAITH THE LORD GOD.
The passage says God will remember them in their places of Exile.(11:16)
HE will gather them from the peoples and give them the Land of Israel.(11:17)
HE will bring them into the Land and take away the DETESTABLE THINGS (idolatry)
thereof.(11:18)
HE will THEN give them a new heart (11:19).
This new heart will enable them to keep HIS laws. (11:20).
They whose heart does not enable them NOT to do the DETESTABLE THINGS
will bring their own punishment upon themselves.
Scripture has multifold applications in time and place but we follow the
principle that the main applicability is for the
end times.
Rabbi Feld pointed out that the WHOLE context of the passage may be best
understood as saying:
God will have mercy upon them. HE will bring them into the Land of Israel.
AFTER THAT they will put away the DETESTABLE THINGS THEREOF that they brought
with them.(11:18).
They will be given a new heart to enable them to keep the Law.
They who still cannot do without the DETESTABLE THINGS will then be punished by
their own fault.
This is our explanation.
This is the explanation that Rabbi Feld agrees with and that we formulate with
his guidance.
It conforms with the rest of the Book of Ezekiel and with the Prophetic Message
in general concerning the
Lost Ten Tribes as we understand it.
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2. Encouragement
of Brit-Am from Carol
Subject: Re: "Brit-Am Now"-1000
Dear Yair,
Do not be discouraged about Israel not knowing who they are. The Lord Himself
is more concerned about His children than you or I are. It will be a glorious
day when everyone's eyes are opened. In Jeremian 3l:3 it states." I have loved
you with an everlasting love therefore I have drawn you with
lovingkindness.."vrs 8: "Behold, I am bringing them from the north country and
I will gather them from the remote parts of the earth." vrs 10:..."HE who
scattered Israel will gather him.." You can see who is doing the work. If they
were my children, I would go after them myself and not sent anyone else.This
will be no work of man - it will be brought about by the Holy Spirit. The ones
He wants to know ARE aware and there are more than you think but He always
works in remnants ie. Gideon's army.
You would be surpirsed how many books there are on this subject and symbols
among the Anglo Saxon countries being taught as orgins in the Tribes, meetings,
etc. in America, England and Canada take place. ... God has you prepared so
when the revelation and meshing come about you will be ready to teach them the
particulars. I, myself,would not believe about us being Israelites (after
reading MANY books printed here) until I read yours as it is so well
documented. I asked the Lord to really show me and give me absolute proof. And
along came your book...
The Lord God said this would take place in the end times and IT SURELY WILL!
His word does not return void and He never lies.
Be of good courage,
Carol
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3. Brit-Am
Questionnaire
Answers to Questions nos. 11 &12
http://britam.org/Survey.html
11. Do you think Brit-Am should involve itself with matters beyond those
concerning Lost Israelite identity?
http://britam.org/Survey.html#11Do
Summary of Answrs to Q.A.11:
Most said that we should act as we feel inspired to according to the situation.
Some were very much against Brit-Am diverting its attention to anything beyond
its present span.
Several Answers to this question were merged with answers to Q.A.12 below.
Q. A. 12. What more do you think Brit-Am should do?
For extracts from answers as well as Summary of answers given see:
http://britam.org/Survey.html#12What
