Who is Israel-06

Israel is many things, but it is not the nation that God had sent into captivity into Assyria and Babylon. It is not the nation that had been annexed by both Greece and Rome. It is not today full of ethnic Jews either. What does it mean to be a Jew today? The term was first used in the Bible in 2 Kings. A time when the Jews had been taken into captivity in Babylon.

2 Kings 25:25  But it came about in the seventh month, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the royal family, came with ten men and struck Gedaliah down so that he died along with the Jews and the Chaldeans who were with him at Mizpah. 

2Ki 25:26  Then all the people, both small and great, and the captains of the forces arose and went to Egypt; for they were afraid of the Chaldeans. 

:27  Now it came about in the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, that Evil-merodach king of Babylon, in the year that he became king, released Jehoiachin king of Judah from prison; :28  and he spoke kindly to him and set his throne above the throne of the kings who were with him in Babylon. 25:29  Jehoiachin changed his prison clothes and had his meals in the king's presence regularly all the days of his life; :30  and for his allowance, a regular allowance was given him by the king, a portion for each day, all the days of his life. 

Are all the ‘citizens’ of the current nation we call ‘Israel’ really ethnic Jews tracing back to Shem? Well, this is a highly contested subject and one that the government of Israel tries to cover up. We must begin in the Bible.

Revelation 3:7  "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says this: :8  'I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name. 

:9  'Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and make them know that I have loved you. 

Jesus speaking to To the Church in Philadelphia is telling us that there are counterfit, imposters in the world today. They say they are Jews, go to synagogues, but in reality worship Satan. If you don’t acknowledge Jesus as the long promised Messiah, the Son of God, our High Priest and King than you indeed worship Satan. Most would violently protest that they worship Satan but they just don’t want this kind of criticism.

This can be seen as evidenced in the history of the Khazars beginning in the 6th century.

Who are the Khazar Jews?The Khazars were a Turkic-speaking people who rose to prominence between the 7th and 10th centuries AD in the region north of the Caucasus Mountains and around the Caspian Sea. They established a powerful empire that controlled key trade routes between Europe and Asia. Their kingdom became known for religious tolerance, encompassing various faiths within their expansive territory. While their political influence declined in the late 10th century, their historical significance remains a topic of ongoing study in medieval and Judaic historical research.

One of the most notable aspects of Khazar history involves the reported conversion of the ruling Khazar elite-and possibly many of their subjects-to Judaism. Medieval sources, such as correspondence between the Khazar ruler (often referred to as King or Khagan Joseph) and Hasdai ibn Shaprut (a Jewish courtier in Muslim Spain) in the mid-10th century AD, provide evidence that a form of Judaism was practiced among the Khazars. Scholars like D. M. Dunlop in “The History of the Jewish Khazars” and others referencing the so-called “Khazar Correspondence” have noted that the Khazar king defended his faith and heritage in his letters, suggesting that Judaism played a key role in Khazar political identity.

Because the Khazars were located at a crossroads of trade and cultural exchange, multiple religious traditions permeated their society. From available sources, it appears that Christianity, Islam, and various forms of paganism were also present. However, many contemporary accounts agree that the Khazar leadership claimed adherence to Judaism-which drew the attention of both Muslim and Christian travelers and diplomats.

They also became know as Ashkenzi Jews as they are part of the racial heritage from Japheth.

Genesis 6:10  Noah became the father of three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

Geesisn 10:1  Now these are the records of the generations of Shem, Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah; and sons were born to them after the flood. 2  The sons of Japheth were Gomer and Magog and Madai and Javan and Tubal and Meshech and Tiras. :3  The sons of Gomer were Ashkenaz and Riphath and Togarmah.

You can find many people, even Rabbi’s today, that openly acknowledge that they are indeed Askenazi Jews. As all of the Jews, regardless of their family ancestery, are still lost and in darkness, the real Jews may indeed by found within the Palestinian populations.

2 Kings 25:10  So all the army of the Chaldeans who were with the captain of the guard broke down the walls around Jerusalem. :11  Then the rest of the people who were left in the city and the deserters who had deserted to the king of Babylon and the rest of the people, Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away into exile. :12  But the captain of the guard left some of the poorest of the land to be vinedressers and plowmen. 

The poorest people remained as all the rest were taken to Babylon. Some studies, that have gotten out of Israel, add some credibility to this argument.

Regardless, all Israel is not Israel and not all are Abraham’s descendants, but all are currently lost in their sins.

More next Saturday.