Publications
NOW INDEX
"Brit-Am Now"-807a
Contents:
1. New Names on Brit-Am Genealogy List
2. The Book of Isaiah in Summary
Isaiah Summary chs. 1 to 10
3. Brit-Am Postings Not Reaching You?
4. Steven Collins: Clarification on Teman and Edom
5. The Book of Isaiah in Summary
Isaiah Summary chs. 11 to 20
1. New Names on Brit-Am Genealogy List
Betty Matteson Rhodes sent us the
following genealogy files:
Armstrong, Arnold, Asher, Atherton, Atkinson,
Avery, Atwater, Atwood, &
Aylesworth
The NAMES may be accessed from:
http://britam.org/genealogy/surnames-featured.html
2. The Book of Isaiah in Summary
Isaiah Summary chs. 1 to 10
http://britam.org/scripture/IsaiahSummary1to10.html
The Brit-Am Summary of Isaiah
Part One
chapters 1 to 10
Below is presented an overall impression of the Book of Isaiah from a Brit-Am point of view. For details see our Brit-Am Commentary to the Book of Isaiah
http://britam.org/isaiah/isaiah.html
and our other writings.
We do not necessarily understand these prophecies any more than anyone else but here and there we can perhaps shed some light on the meaning of individual verses and that is a worthwhile beginning.
Isaiah begins his prophecy (1:1) from the viewpoint of (a) Judah and Jerusalem. The People of Israel are Children of the Almighty but they do not act like it but are a sinful nation (1:4). They are physically and ecologically suffering for their sins (1:7). Alien foreigners are taking over (1:7). If God did not have mercy upon us we would be destroyed altogether (1:10). Your prayers and worship will not be accepted unless you act righteously (1:12-16) meaning especially the practice of social justice with protection and care for the vulnerable (1:17). If we repent God will forgive us and show us favor (1:18-19) but if not violence will overtake us (1:20). Violence, fraud and graft are among our major offences (1:21-23). This will change. The "bad eggs" among us will be removed (1:24-25, 28).
Righteous rulers (judges) and counselors will come forth and show us the way to redemption (1:26-27). This applies especially to "Zion" (1:27) who according to Midrash Tanchuma in Prophecy can also represent Joseph. We will be ashamed of our pagan practices and punished through them and for them (1:29-31).
Isaiah turns again to Judah and Jerusalem (2:1). In the End Days the Temple will be rebuilt and all the Peoples of the World will come up to Jerusalem for instruction (2:2-4). There will be no more war. The energies formerly expended in Warfare will be channeled to economic enterprises (2:4).
The House of Jacob is called upon to go in the way of the Almighty (2:5). Until now the House of Jacob (Yanks and Union Jack) have denied their Israelite origins and brotherhood with Judah ("REJECTED THY PEOPLE") and followed pagan foreign practices. Eastern Religions are fashionable (2:6). The House of Jacob is immensely wealthy and full of automobile-chariots (2:7). Their culture is materialistic and emphasizes the acquisition of wealth in an idolatrous way (2:8) at the expense of human dignity (2:9). They will try to take refuge in underground shelters from the wrath of God (2:10). God will be glorified and Israel (Lebanon, Bashan, Tarshish) along with all other nations humbled (2:11-17). When people run and hide under the earth they will discard their idolatry and acknowledge that only the God of Israel is true (2:18-21).
Jerusalem and Judah will suffer from lack of water and food (3:1). They will lack leadership (3:4) and will oppress each other with no respect for age or position (3:5). Judah and Jerusalem will suffer because of their wickedness but the righteous amongst them will be watched over (3:10). Women and children will rule the People of God because of their sins. This is a punishment (3:12).
Oppression of the poor, and deliberate sexual provocation by women will bring disaster upon Zion (3:15-15) including severe physical afflictions that leave ugly symptoms and cause physical repulsion in others (3:17-24). Young men will die in battle and strategic points ("gates") be lost (3:26). The losses will be so great that there will not be enough males for all the women who will then endeavor to enter into polygamous relationships (4:1).
(a &b) Those who survive in Zion and Jerusalem will be sanctified and upraised by the Almighty (4:2-3). We will be rehabilitated (4:4). A supernatural Cloud by day and a Fire by night will appear over the physical area of Mount Zion (4:5).
Isaiah (5:1-2) relates a parable of his friend who bought a vineyard and invested heavily in its development and upkeep but the vineyard only brought forth worthless fruit. Jerusalem and Judah are that vineyard which will have to be demolished (5:3-6).
The parable however applies even more so to The House of Israel (The Ten Tribes) who spill blood and lack justice (5:7). Judah was supposed to bring forth good fruit through association with the House of Israel but both sides failed (5:7). They who pursue development at ecological expense are condemned (5:8) alongside they who devote themselves to self-indulgence and partying (5:11-12). Because of these offences the People of the Almighty are sent into Exile due to their own lack of knowledge. Hunger will strike them both in the physical and spiritual sense (5:13). The best families will perish (5:14). At this stage God will be exalted (5:16).
[It is a recurring theme in Isaiah that from the depths of despair will emerge salvation and everything be turned over again from bad to good].
Isaiah condemns they who continue to sin and look forward to the End Times or defy the bad results of their actions (5:19). They call evil good and good evil both in ideology (5:20) and in deed (5:21-23). They are traitors to the People of the LORD GOD of Israel (5:24).They shall be punished just as they caused punishment to come upon their fellow men (5:25). Hordes of foreigners from a distant nation at the geographical extremity of a continental land mass (5:26) will attack with rockets, guns, armored vehicles and flying machines (5:28). They will take captives and darken the sky (5:30).
Isaiah had a vision in which he saw the angels worshipping the Almighty in which he was chosen as a messenger to the people (6:1-9). It was destined that the people would hear but deny or fail to comprehend until it will be to late and the whole land shall be desolate (6:11). Only a tenth will remain and they too will undergo severe tribulation (6:13).
In the time of Isaiah Rezin the King of Aram ("Syria") and Pekah the son of Remaliah the King of the northern entity of "Israel" (the Ten Tribes) attempted to conquer Jerusalem the capital of Judah but they could not (7:1). Isaiah was told to take a message to King Ahaz of Judah and tell him to be strengthened (7:4). The plans of his enemies would not succeed (7:5-7). Ephraim (Samaria) was destined to be exiled completely sixty-five years later (7:8-9). Ahaz King of Judah was requested to ask for a sign from heaven to affirm the reassurance from heaven that Isaiah had imparted (7:10-11). He refused and was rebuked (7:11-12). The sign given is that a young woman (a wife of King Ahaz?) who was already pregnant would bear a son named "Emanuel"(7:14). Shortly after the child is weaned the combined Land (?) of "Israel" and "Aram" will be deserted (7:16). The disaster would be occasioned by the King of Assyria and the calamity will be as great as when the Northern Ten Tribes split away from Judah and formed their own kingdom (7:17). The area will be cleaned out of inhabitants like a razor passing over a head of hair and the rest of the body (7:20). There will be desolation in the Northern Kingdom (7:22-25). How this ties up with the 65 year scenario noted above is not clear. Pekah is listed as ruling over Israel in the tears 737-735 BCE. The Exile of the northern kingdom occurred in stages and is conventionally considered to have been completed with the fall of the city of Samaria in 722 BCE. Rashi says that the expression "WITHIN SIXTY-FIVE YEARS EPHRAIM WILL BE BROKEN TO PIECES SO THAT IT WILL NO LONGER BE A PEOPLE" (7:8) was a well-known quotation from Amos that Ahaz should have been aware of and that the already-predicted 65 year waiting period would soon be up.
Isaiah was told to take a writing tablet and write words before witnesses indicating the speed of the coming events involving the fall of Ephraim (8:1). He also begat (by his wife who was a prophetess in her own right) a child to whom he bestowed the same indicative expression he had written. The events were to take place before the child learned to say "Daddy" or "Mummy" (8:4). The attack of Assyria would be like an overflowing flood that would also involve a good portion of Judah (8:8). Even so, despite the antagonism of foreign nations God will be with Judah (8:10). We are warned against belief in "Conspiracy" Theories (8:12). We must fear God only (8:13). He is "The Great Conspirer in the Sky". He judges both Houses of Israel (8:14). God dwells on Mount Zion (8:18). Do not go to spiritualists, witch doctors, and the like for they are involved with death whereas our God is the God of Life (8:19). They who put their faith in entities other than God will be disappointed and will end up cursing the other entities (8:21).
There will be no gloom for Israel at the Time of Redemption. In Former Times (do not look for strict time sequences in Prophecy) they were exiled beginning with the Lands of Zebulon and Naphtali, after that even more severely by Way of the Sea, Across the Jordan, the Highlands of the Nations (9:11). In their place of Darkness and Exile the Ten Tribes suddenly achieved freedom (9:2). They multiplied greatly and threw off the yoke of their oppressor and one of their offshoots became the Nation of Khazars (9:3-4).
Israel will be mighty warriors (9:5) under a great leader who will from Childhood be destined to lead with Divine Inspiration (9:6). His rule of justice and righteousness will last forever. He will sit on the Throne of David (9:7).
Isaiah returns to speak of the coming disaster upon Samaria: This is the way of Prophecy, a constant flitting back and forth between time and events with the past merging into the future and the future suddenly describing the past. Ephraim will attribute his disaster to natural causes that can be rectified (9:9-10). This attitude causes God to set still more adversaries against them, Aram (Syrians) in the east and Philistines in the West (9:12). They remained obstinate so God will cut them off in one day (9:14). Their leaders and false prophets have misled them (9:15-16). They are all bad including those who themselves are victimized and vulnerable and will be burnt up (9:17-18).
Manasseh is against Ephraim, Ephraim is against Manasseh, and they both gang up together against Judah and this is not the end of it (9:21).
Authorities make evil decrees and "experts" write books and articles to justify them (10:1-2). The experts will not be there to help you in time of trouble when you have to crouch down amongst the corpses and pretend to be dead in order to save your life (10:3-4).
Assyria is a tool of punishment employed by the Almighty (10:5). Assyria will be sent against Israel who are described as a "godless" nation (10:6). It is the nature of Assyria to destroy other nations even though the Assyrians themselves may not be consciously aware of it (10:7). Assyria considers Samaria (the Ten Tribes) with its idols to be no different from other pagan nations that it has destroyed (10:9-11) and will think to treat Jerusalem in the same way (10:11). Assyria attributes its success to its own merits and for such arrogance will be punished with sickness and burning fire out of Israel (10:12-19). In that time instead of masochistically looking to Assyria, their tormentor, for help, the Remnant of Israel and the Survivors of the House of Jacob will genuinely turn to God (10:20-21). Israel will have ben as numerous as the sands of the sea but only a remnant will survive the decreed destruction (10:22). The People of God are called upon not to fear Assyria who is doomed to destruction and his yoke of oppression will be broken (10:24-26).
Isaiah then begins to describe the passage of the Assyrian host through the countryside of Judah, from Rimmon, to Aiath, through Migron, Michmash, etc., until reaching Jerusalem (10:26-32). Assyria cuts down the cedars of Lebanon to prepare his siege against Jerusalem (10:34). We pointed out that the name "Lebanon" is cognate with "Albion" which is another name for Britain.
3. Brit-Am Postings Not Reaching You?
Dear Yair,
We haven't received any e-mails in a number of weeks. We miss them
very much and hope that you are still writing them. Please check and see if we
are still on your mailing list. Our e-mail address is: xxx@xxx.
Thank you so much.
Sincerely,
C and D
Answer: Brit-Am Postings go out nearly every day.
On rare occasions a few days go by without any.
In principle you should nearly always receive several
postings each week.
If a week goes by and nothing arrives from us please try to make
contact at once.
We may be able to fix the problem by sending via an alternate
e-mail address. Otherwise there is not much we can do.
4. Steven Collins: Clarification on Teman and Edom
From: Steve Collins <scollins@ll.net>
Subject: Re: "Brit-Am Now"-806
#1. Is Turkey Edom? Ireland? Japan?
Shalom Yair,
In light of Jay Tompkins' posting, I would like to make this clarification re: my views on the connection between Teman and Turkey. It is correct that I link modern Turkey with the Edomite tribe of Teman. However, I want to point out that my view is not based on the phonetics of Obadiah 9.
My views on this connection are based on the historic fact that ancient languages had a practice of deleting vowels and writing only the consonants of a word. It is possible to trace modern nations and peoples back to their ancient roots via the use of the consonants of their names. A prime example of this is applying the clue given for finding the descendants of Abraham (especially the descendants of the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, since Isaac's name was specifically placed by Jacob on those tribes in Genesis 48:16). The consonants of Isaac's name were S-C or S-K (depending on the language of the historical writer), and the Israelite Scythians later bore this name in being called the "Sacae" or "Saka." This same system also works for non-Israelite peoples. The people of Teman were known by the consonants T-M-N. The consonants of "Ottoman" are TT-M-N (with the first consonant doubled). There is no better match anywhere in the world that I know of, and since the Turks are very close geographically to the ancient Mideast region where the Edomites lived, this is a defensible match.
However, I certainly don't think that all Edomites live in Turkey. The Temanites were only one of the many Edomite tribes listed in Genesis 36. It is my view that Edomites can be found in other Turkic-speaking regions in Asia as well as non-Turkic speaking regions of Eastern Europe, and perhaps other areas of the world as well. Abraham was foretold to be the "father of many nations" and that has been fulfilled not only by the many Israelite tribes, but also by the many tribes descended from Ishmael and Edom. One would also have to include in the seed of Abraham the nations descended from his second wife, Keturah, and those descended from the sons of his concubines who he sent "to the east" (Genesis 25:6).
I make no claims re: identifying all the tribes of Edom in the modern world; however, it is my view that the Teman-Ottoman link is one of the connections which is persuasive.
Steve
5. The Book of Isaiah in Summary
Isaiah Summary chs. 11 to 20
http://britam.org/scripture/ProphSumContents.html
http://britam.org/scripture/IsaiahSummary11to20.html
The Brit-Am Summary of Isaiah
Part Two
chapters 11 to 20
Below is presented an overall impression of the Book of Isaiah (chapter 11 to 20) from a Brit-Am point of view.
For more details see our Brit-Am Commentary to the Book of Isaiah
http://britam.org/isaiah/isaiah.html
and our other writings.
The future Messiah will be descended from Jesse the father of David (11:1).
He shall be Divinely Inspired and have outstanding personal qualities including especially the fear of the Almighty (11:2-3).
His ability to judge matters will verge on the supernatural (11:4).
In the Messianic Era there will be peace and the strong shall not victimize the weak (11:6-8).
The entire world will have an awareness of God (11:9).
All peoples of the earth will wish to be ruled by the Messiah son of David (11:10).
The exiles of Israel will be brought back from Assyria, Mitsraim (Egypt or Russia?), Pathros, Cush, Elam, Shinar, Hamath, and the Isles (misleadingly translated in the KJ as "coastlands") of the Sea (11:11).
The "Outcast" Ten Tribes and the Dispersed of Judah will be gathered from all over the earth (11:12). The extremism of Ephraim will depart and the jealousy of Ephraim by others will end:
The expression translated as "THE JEALOUSY OF EPHRAIM" (11:13) in Hebrew is "Kinath Ephraim" which means both his own extremism and the jealousy against him of others.
The Persecutors and harassers of Judah will be cut off. Ephraim will no longer be jealous of Judah and Judah will cease to perturb and compete with (Hebrew: "Tsor" translated as "vex") Ephraim. This indicates that right up to the very end some fiction will remain between Judah and Ephraim (11:13). Ephraim and Judah together will transfer the Palestinians by airflight to some place in the west. They shall plunder people of the east; put their hand on Edom and Moab (in the west?) and bring Ammon into subjection (11:14).
The Sea of Mitsraim (? Egypt, Bosphorus?) will split into seven dry channels allowing the Israelites from the Ten Tribes who remain after the Exile of Assyria to pass through (11:15-16).
The Jewish Sages had a tradition that the Lost Ten Tribes crossed the Bosporus into Europe and that they would return by the same path.
See
Zechariah 10:11
There will also be a special pathway from Assyria for the remnant of Israel to return (11:16).
We will praise God in that Day. He is our salvation and fountain of joy (12:1-3). Israel should sanctify the God of Israel (who exists amongst us 12:6) in the midst of the world (12:4-6).
Isaiah begins to prophecy against Babylon (13:1). God will destroy Babylon and bring enemies against her from a far land (13:5). The effects of destruction may be occasioned by nuclear or bio-chemical effects (13:8). Changes will take place in the heavenly constellations (13:10, 13). The whole world will feel the effects and suffer (13:11). Due to disasters people will seek to be with their own kind and return to their places of origin (13:14). [Historically Babylon was a world capital and contained contingents of numerous nations who had been brought to it as captives or had come there for other reasons]. The children of Babylon will be killed, the women ravished (13:16). The uncivilized Medes will kill Babylonians without regard to age or sex (13:17-18).
[Craig White and others identify the Medes with Ukrainians and others from the former "Soviet Sphere". There is an overlap between Germany, Edom, and Babylon. In WWII the Soviet Armies raped most of the women in the conquered areas of Germany.]
Babylon will be destroyed completely, for ever and ever. Even wandering Arabs, used to desert conditions and waste places, will not want to pitch their tent there (13:19). It will be a domain of wild beasts (13:21-22).
God will have mercy on the Ten Tribes and Judah and bring them back to their land. Foreigners will join themselves to Israel and inherit with them (14:1). In some cases the foreigners will be accepted as equals and in other cases they will accept the status of servants (14:2). Peoples who had taken Israelites as captives will be treated as captives and will serve Israelites (14:2). Israel will be comforted from its bondage in Babylon (14:3-4). The whole world will be relieved since they all suffered from Babylonian oppression (14:5-11).
Babylon is likened unto the Morning Star ("Hillel ben Shachar" literally "Shining son of the Morning") high up in the heavens which is brought down to the depths. This is translated in the King James as "LUCIFER, SON OF THE MORNING" (14:12). "Lucifer" was an angel who rebelled against God (14:12-15?) and was cast out of heaven becoming the Satan. This interpretation appears to be of Jewish origin and is referred to in some Jewish sources BUT it was later emphasized by Christianity and has become associated with Christian Doctrine. Whoever "Hillel ben Shachar" (Lucifer) represents Isaiah continues and applies his figuration as representing a real historical personage who headed a might Empire (will a new Hitler arise? Someone more terrible than Hitler, Stalin, and Mao together?) who upset kingdoms (14:16), made the world a wilderness, destroying cities and creating "Gulags" of slave labor (14:17). While other national leaders have peace in the grave "Lucifer" (the new Greater Stalin-Hitler enhanced clone) will be expelled from his tomb like the mythical figure "Netser", translated as "branch" (14:19). He (whoever "he" is) will have murdered his own people. The descendants of Babylon will be destroyed (14:2-22). Assyria will be destroyed in the Land of God and trodden down on His hillsides. The yoke of Assyria will be removed (14:25). All of this has been decided by the Almighty to befall all the nations of the earth. It will come to pass (14:26-27).
Isaiah prophesies against the Philistines meaning probably the present-day Palestinians (14:29) who will meet disaster (14:30-31).
Zionism is a God-ordained doctrine for the sake of the oppressed of His people (14:32).
Moab will be punished and its cities meet with disaster (15:1-9).
Moab will request help from Judah (16:1-3) and from the Ruler of Judah sitting upon the throne of David with judgment and righteousness (16:5).
Judah will be of the opinion that Moab does not deserve assistance (16:6) but some help will be given though Moab will still be sorely stricken (16:7). Part of Moab will be exiled over the sea (16:8). Only a small remnant of Moab will remain (16:14).
Damascus will be destroyed (17:1). Damascus of Aram (translated as "Syria") had allied itself with Ephraim and both would come to an ending (17:3). Jacob would be weakened (17:4). Jacob appears to be equated in this case with Ephraim (17:5). Nearly all of Northern Israel will be exiled (17:6).
[Prophecy flits back and forth in its time sequences according to the subject matter].
There will come a day when men will worship God and abandon their idolatry and the worship of their own abilities and achievements (17:7-8). Many nations causing a tumult together, such as the UN, will be rebuked by the Almighty (17:12-13). Those who wish to disturb and rob us will be unsettled (17:14).
Isaiah 18 has been interpreted as applying to the UK and to the USA both of whom have helped Judah return to the Land:
"Brit-Am Now"-605
#1. New Source: Did Isaiah 18 Predict British Restorationism? by Gregorio Billikopf Encina
"Brit-Am Now"-608
#2. Jack Flaws: Isaiah 18
Isaiah speaks of a wing-shaded land beyond the rivers of Cush (18:1). This has several possible applications including Africa as well as the Anglo-Saxons who emerged from Central Asia which was also once known as "Cush".
The explanation of Gregorio Billikopf Encina based on earlier Commentators says Isaiah 18 is referring to Britain and by extension North America. This now seems to us to be the most correct explanation though the other solutions also have something to them.
Scripture can often have more than one correct application.
Isaiah chapter 19 begins with a condemnation of Mitsrayim which usually means "Egypt" but can also be applied to other entities. The Mitsrim ("Egyptians") will fight each other. Mitsrayim is divided into several kingdoms that will war against each other (19:2). In the past we tentatively identified "Mitsraim" in some Prophetic contexts as Russia or nations of the former USSR.
The Land of Judah will be a terror unto Mitsrayim (19:7). A solution accepting the usual equation of Mitsrayim=Egypt should also be considered. Eventually five cities in the Land of Mitsrayim will be populated by speakers of the language of Canaan (Hebrew) and belong to Israel (19:18). The people of Mitsrayim will repent and worship the God of Israel who will heal them (19:22). There will be a highway connecting Mitsrayim and Assyria and both shall join with Israel (19:23-24).
Isaiah 20 uses events that were to take place in the time of Isaiah or shortly afterwards as a prototype for the future.
See
Questions on Prophecy
Q 2. What Are Prototypical Prophecies?
Mitsrayim ("Egypt") and Cush ("Ethiopia") will suffer under Assyria. The Island (Britain?) will seek a place to flee due to fear of Assyria (20:6).
In WW11 it is said that Britain had contingency plans in case of invasion and defeat to transport a portion of the population to Canada and continue from there.