The book of JeremiahProblems for the British Israel theory in the book of Jeremiah In what follows I have attempted to give an overall snapshot of the book of
Jeremiah and how, when viewed in the broader context, it speaks decisively against the
British Israel theory. Two of the particular aspects I wish to highlight is that of the
Davidic Throne and the location of the 'promised land', though other British Israel
subjects are touched upon. Jeremiah is of course one of the central figures in the whole
British Israel theory, so it is worth having a look at what he says on the matter. This article also assumes the reader has a reasonable grasp of the basic
tenants of the British Israel theory. The commission Part of Jeremiah's commission, as BI is quick to point out, was to "Root out and pull down....to build and
plant" (Jer 1:10). "See, I
have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, To root out and to pull
down, To destroy and to throw down, To build
and to plant.” Because of the 'building and planting' clause, BI maintains that Jeremiah
must then have taken Tea-Tephi (who never actually existed, see
article) to Ireland to begin anew i.e. to 'plant
and build'. However, even a basic reading of the text shows that Jeremiah's commission
was never to be achieved thought any physical action of his own, but through his
commission to 'Prophesy' to Judah about their coming captivity
and subsequent return to the 'appointed place' in the Canaan region (Jer 1:4 - 9). 4Then
the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 5Before I formed thee in the belly I
knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained
thee a prophet unto the nations. 6Then
said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child. 7But the LORD
said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and
whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. 8Be not afraid of their faces: for
I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD. 9Then the LORD put forth his
hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy
mouth. As the Lord said, "He put the
words in Jeremiah's mouth". Jeremiah was in no way required to do any
"physical" planting of the Throne, nation, priestly line etc. Israel & the Kings of Judah The book of Jeremiah openly records that both God and the prophet himself
were against the Kings of Judah as well as the Princes and Priests (Jer 1:18). 18For,
behold, I have made thee this day a defenced city, and an iron pillar, and brasen walls
against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against
the priests thereof, and against the people of the land. Part of Jeremiah's warnings were also to the families of the HOUSE OF ISRAEL
(Jer 2:4) 4Hear
ye the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel: many of whom were at that time still in the northern regions (Jer 3:12) 12Go
and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith
the LORD; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the
LORD, and I will not keep anger for ever. Israel
were dispersed in the Northern regions and not on their way to Britain as BI claims.
Remember, these are the instructions given to Jeremiah. Relating to the Throne, God said that he was going to destroy the Kings who
sat on David's Throne (Jer 13:13-14) 13Then
shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of
this land, even the kings that sit upon David's throne, and the priests, and the prophets,
and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, with drunkenness. 14And
I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, saith the
LORD: I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy them. This also applied to the female "Queen" line as God
said that their rule would collapse (Jer 13:18 &
25). 18Say
unto the king and to the queen, Humble yourselves, sit down: for your principalities shall
come down, even the crown of your glory............................ 25This is
thy lot, the portion of thy measures from me, saith the LORD; because thou hast forgotten
me, and trusted in falsehood Much of this was brought about not just because the immediate kings evils,
but also because of the evils of the previous King Manasseh (the longest reigning king of all Jer 15:3-4). 3And
I will appoint over them four kinds, saith the LORD: the sword to slay, and the dogs to
tear, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the earth, to devour and destroy. 4And I will cause them to be removed
into all kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh the son of Hezekiah king of Judah, for that which he did in Jerusalem. For a fuller examination of the evil Kings of Israel, see the following link Because of their evil, they were to cross over to a land that they did not
know, "with their enemies" (Jer 15:14). 14And
I will make thee to pass with thine enemies into a land which thou knowest not: for a fire
is kindled in mine anger, which shall burn upon you. Some very loose BI articles try to and claim that this land being referred to was Britain / Ireland, but the fact that it was
to be "with their enemies", highlights this could not be the case. Of course
soon after we read how Jeremiah went to both Babylon & Egypt "with his
enemies". This was also a punishment / promise bestowed on the other rebellious
people of Judah (Jer 16:13). 13Therefore
will I cast you out of this land into a land that ye know not, neither ye nor your
fathers; and there shall ye serve other gods day and night; where I will not shew you
favour. Hardly the image of a promised land to start anew. At the same time however, the Lord also hints at a restoration back to the
land for them. This was to be back in the Canaan region, not Britain (Jer 16:14-15). 14Therefore,
behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that it shall no more be said, The LORD liveth,
that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; 15But, The
LORD liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from
all the lands whither he had driven them: and I will bring them again into their land that
I gave unto their fathers. But again the Lord re-enforces he will destroy the Kings of Judah. In this
respect, it is not just one of the Kings of Judah and not just one house, but he says he
will destroy the "HOUSES of the KINGS of JUDAH" (all of chapter 19 should be
read to get the feel) Jer 19:3,7,13 3And
say, Hear ye the word of the LORD, O kings of Judah, and inhabitants of Jerusalem; Thus
saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, the
which whosoever heareth, his ears shall tingle. 7And
I will make void the counsel of Judah and Jerusalem in this place; and I will cause them
to fall by the sword before their enemies, and by the hands of them that seek their lives:
and their carcases will I give to be meat for the fowls of the heaven, and for the beasts
of the earth. 13And
the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses of the
kings of Judah, shall be defiled as the place of Tophet, because of all the houses
upon whose roofs they have burned incense unto all the host of heaven, and have poured out
drink offerings unto other gods. Moving on to chapters 21 & 22, God again reinforces his fury against all
the Houses of the Kings of Judah. In these two chapters (which also should be read in
full) God pronounces judgement on all the houses, Zedekiah, Jehoiakim, Coniah,
Shallum. He seems to leave us in no doubt about his intent. Not only does he bring
judgement on the kings, but also on the "House of David" as relating to these
Kings (Jer 21:11) 11About
the family of the king of Judah. Give ear to the word of the Lord; 12O family
of David, this is what the Lord has said: Do what is right in the morning, and make free
from the hands of the cruel one him whose goods have been violently taken away, or my
wrath will go out like fire, burning so that no one may put it out, because of the evil of
your doings. Of course the Scriptures tell us that the family did not do 'right'. When talking about Zedekiah sitting on the throne of David as this portion of
text is, his house was "TO BECOME A DESOLATION" (Jer 22:5-6), through
disobedience. 5But
if you will
not hear these words, I swear
by myself, saith the Lord, that this house will become a desolation. 6For thus saith the Lord unto
the king's
house of Judah: thou
art Gilead unto me, and the head of Lebanon: yet
surely I will make thee
a wilderness,
and cities which are not inhabited. The judgement is brought upon the house, not just the
individual. The Lord then goes on and deals with all the other kings in a similar manner,
one by one (22:11; 22:18;22:24) in a very
definite and precise order to show the end of all these houses. God had pronounced a final
judgments on these kings of the house of David and indeed on the house of David in some
measure. 11For
thus said the LORD touching Shallum the son of Josiah king of Judah, which reigned instead
of Josiah his father, which went forth out of this place; He shall not return thither any
more: 12But he shall die in the place where they have led him captive, and
shall see this land no more. 18Therefore
thus said the LORD concerning Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah; They shall not
lament for him, saying, Ah my brother! or, Ah sister! they shall not lament for him,
saying, Ah lord! or, Ah his glory! 19He shall be buried with the burial of an
ass, drawn and cast forth beyond the gates of Jerusalem. 24As
I live, said the LORD, though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were the signet on
my right hand, yet would I pluck you there; 25And I will give you into the hand
of them that seek your life, and into the hand of them whose face you fear, even into the
hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of the Chaldeans. Was all lost.......of course not, God is faithful. Jeremiah 23 then begins with another warning to the shepherds, but also
further develops the theme of a return to their home land for them (Jer 23:3). 3And
I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries where I have driven them, and
will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase. When all the Kings had been cut off and the destruction of the house of David
was upon us and all hope seemed lost, we now see the promise, the Branch of Righteousness
to come out of David, a King, the LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Jer 23:5 5Behold,
the days come, said the LORD, that I will raise to David a righteous Branch, and a King
shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. The Lord gives the prelude of how he was going to fulfil the promise to David
even though he had just pronounced judgement and destruction upon ALL the Kings of Judah
of the House of David. In chapter 24, the good and bad figs are then brought into focus
with an open promise that the good figs, those who were originally carried away with
Jeconiah, were to be brought back and planted in the land of their nativity and that God
would "BUILD THEM UP AND PLANT THEM" (Jer 24:4-7). 4Again
the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 5Thus said the LORD, the God of
Israel; Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge them that are carried away captive of
Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans for their good. 6For
I will set my eyes on them for good, and I will bring them again to this land: and I will build them, and not pull them down; and I
will plant them, and not pluck them up. 7And I will give them an heart to
know me, that I am the LORD: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for
they shall return to me with their whole heart. This is of course a direct fulfillment of Jeremiah's
"commission", all fulfilled within the pages of scripture itself (Jer 1:10). No need for Britain or Ireland or QEII. Of course the bad figs of Zedekiah and his house (which includes his
daughters), were to be cursed. 8And
as the evil figs, which cannot be eaten, they are so evil; surely thus said the LORD, So
will I give Zedekiah the king of Judah, and his princes, and the residue of Jerusalem,
that remain in this land, and them that dwell in the land of Egypt: 9And I will
deliver them to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth for their hurt, to be a
reproach and a proverb, a taunt and a curse, in all places where I shall drive them. 10And
I will send the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, among them, till they be consumed
from off the land that I gave to them and to their fathers. Zedekiah and his house did not fare well at all in God's pronouncements and
they did not continue the Throne. How one could possible consider these 'bad cursed and
vile' figs to carry the throne is a strange concept indeed. See also Jer 29:15-20 along
with the previous references chap 21,22. For
a fuller examination of the Good Figs and Bad Figs and one Revival interpretation of such,
see the linked article. Further on in chapter 27, God then talks of the capture and subsequent
return of the vessels from the House of the Lord to Jerusalem. Again in chapter
29:4-10 we read of the very definite and actual return from captivity of Israel. 4Thus
said the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all that are carried away captives, whom I
have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem to Babylon; 5Build you houses,
and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them; 6Take you
wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters
to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that you may be increased there, and
not diminished. 7And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be
carried away captives, and pray to the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof shall you
have peace. 8For thus said the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your
prophets and your diviners, that be in the middle of you, deceive you, neither listen to
your dreams which you cause to be dreamed. 9For they prophesy falsely to you in
my name: I have not sent them, said the LORD. 10For thus said the LORD, That after seventy years be
accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing
you to return to this place. 11For I know the thoughts that I think toward
you, said the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. 12Then
shall you call on me, and you shall go and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13And
you shall seek me, and find me, when you shall search for me with all your heart. 14And
I will be found of you, said the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from
all the places where I have driven you, said the LORD; and I will bring you again into
the place from where I caused you to be carried away captive. Continuing on, in chapter 30:3-4 we read that both ISRAEL AND JUDAH were to
come back from CAPTIVITY to the land of their fathers. 3For,
see, the days come, said the LORD, that I will bring again the captivity of my people
Israel and Judah, said the LORD: and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave
to their fathers, and they shall possess it. 4And these are the words that the
LORD spoke concerning Israel and concerning Judah. All this is given in the context of the very practical and literal idea of
the return as put forth in chapter 29. Further on in verse 9 we read that DAVID THEIR KING
was to be raised up in this land following the return (which of course Christ was). 9But
they shall serve the LORD their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up to them. Again this was spoken to both Judah and Israel (see back vs. 4). Jeremiah chapter 31 then talks again about the general return and that "in that day" (following the return)
that he would make a new covenant with the House of Israel, which of course was done
through Christ with the culmination on the
day of Pentecost at JERUSALEM in among people from all of Israel. 31Behold,
the days come, said the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel,
and with the house of Judah:....... After those
days, said the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their
hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. So what of Jeremiah's intentions and how did he perceive all this? In chapter 32, Jeremiah was commanded by the Lord to purchase a field from
his uncle in the region of Benjamin . The purpose of this was to signify that God would
cause the captivity to return (Israel & Judah)
back to THIS land, and that men would again "buy fields and sign deeds etc". 6And
Jeremiah said, The word of the LORD came to me, saying, 7Behold, Hanameel the
son of Shallum your uncle shall come to you saying, Buy you my field that is in Anathoth:
for the right of redemption is your to buy it. 8So Hanameel my uncle's son came
to me in the court of the prison according to the word of the LORD, and said to me, Buy my
field, I pray you, that is in Anathoth, which is in the country of Benjamin: for the right
of inheritance is yours, and the redemption is yours; buy it for yourself. Then I knew that this was the word of the LORD. 9And
I bought the field of Hanameel my uncle's son, that was in Anathoth, and weighed him the
money, even seventeen shekels of silver. 10And I subscribed the evidence, and
sealed it, and took witnesses, and weighed him the money in the balances. 11So
I took the evidence of the purchase, both that which was sealed according to the law and
custom, and that which was open: 12And I gave the evidence of the purchase to
Baruch the son of Neriah, the son of Maaseiah, in the sight of Hanameel my uncle's son,
and in the presence of the witnesses that subscribed the book of the purchase, before all
the Jews that sat in the court of the prison. 13And I charged Baruch before
them, saying, 14Thus said the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Take these
evidences, this evidence of the purchase, both which is sealed, and this evidence which is
open; and put them in an earthen vessel, that they may continue many days. 15For thus said the LORD of hosts, the God
of Israel; Houses and fields and vineyards shall be possessed again in this land. ...................
37Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, where I have driven them in
my anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again to this place,
and I will cause them to dwell safely: 38And they shall be my people, and I
will be their God: 39And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may
fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them: 40And
I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do
them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me. 41Yes,
I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly
with my whole heart and with my whole soul. 42For thus said the LORD; Like as I
have brought all this great evil on this people, so will I bring on them all the good that
I have promised them. 43And fields shall be bought in this land, whereof you
say, It is desolate without man or beast; it is given into the hand of the Chaldeans. 44Men
shall buy fields for money, and subscribe evidences, and seal them, and take witnesses in
the land of Benjamin, and in the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, and
in the cities of the mountains, and in the cities of the valley, and in the cities of the
south: for I will cause their captivity to return, said the LORD. So we see Jeremiah himself bought into the land of Benjamin as a sign of
God's good faith. It would be odd to then think that Jeremiah would then scarp off to
Ireland after performing this highly symbolic gesture. Jeremiah knew full well where the
promises and the promised land was and that in a short time they would be returning. To
deny this is to deny the open testimony of scripture. Jeremiah
himself had prophesied
himself
that
Israel
would
return
in
70 years. As a side, and not part of this article, but Jer 44:7 tells us that the
people committed a "great evil against themselves" by cutting themselves off
from Judah when they went to Egypt. I am sure that if Jeremiah had any chance at all to go
somewhere, it would be back home where he new the promises were true so he would not 'live a great evil' by being cut off from Judah. To put it simply, there was no other land in focus when the whole picture is
in view, rather than simple scripture linking and the play on terms often associated with
the BI view. Remembering the very practical and symbolic gestures just performed in
chapter 32, chapter 33 begins with "moreover". In vs. 7, again both Judah and
Israel were to return (and buy and sell land one
would presume) 7And
I will cause the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel to return, and will build
them, as at the first. vs. 10 says it was to be in the cities of Judah and streets of Jerusalem,
where the voice of the bride and the bridegroom would be heard. 10Thus
said the LORD; Again there shall be heard in this place, which you say shall be desolate
without man and without beast, even in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of
Jerusalem, that are desolate, without man, and without inhabitant, and without beast, Again, after the return of Israel and Judah Christ would come (vs. 15-16). 15In
those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up to
David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land. 16In
those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name
with which she shall be called, The LORD our righteousness. After this mention of Christ coming, we have in the very next verses, the oft
quoted BI text where David will never lack a man on the Throne. Though BI often pulls this
text from other parts of Scripture, this Scripture in Jeremiah places it squarely within
both the context and fulfillment of the promise. PLEASE NOTE THIS IS WRITTEN IN THE
CONTEXT OF JESUS CHRIST, THE BRANCH OF DAVID THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS (see previous vs.
15-16). 17For
thus said the LORD; David shall never want a man to sit on the throne of the house of
Israel; 18Neither
shall the priests the Levites want a man before me to offer burnt offerings, and to kindle
meat offerings, and to do sacrifice continually. 19And
the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying, 20Thus
said the LORD; If you can break my covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night, and
that there should not be day and night in their season; 21Then
may also my covenant be broken with David my servant, that he should not have a son to
reign on his throne; and with the Levites the priests, my ministers. 22As
the host of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured: so will I
multiply the seed of David my servant, and the Levites that minister to me. These verses are and have been fulfilled in Christ and no other. Especially
no 21st century Queen in England. Verse 14 of this chapter gave us the lead in to the
theme where it says:- 14Behold,
the days come, said the LORD, that I will perform that good thing which I have promised to
the house of Israel and to the house of Judah. Christ was the way in which it WAS TO BE PERFORMED, the Throne was never to
be eternally occupied by a natural descendant of David. As far as the land of Israel goes, let us read on to see both God's and
Jeremiah's attitude to any land outside Israel / Judah as a possible 're-planting' area. Planting and blessing outside of Canaan? While Jeremiah was yet free and not yet in prison we read how he tried to go
to the land of Benjamin to his land that God had earlier commanded him to purchase.
Jeremiah 37:11-12 11And
it came to pass, that when the army of the Chaldeans was broken up from Jerusalem for fear
of Pharaoh's army, 12Then
Jeremiah went forth out of Jerusalem to go into the land of Benjamin, to separate himself
there in the middle of the people. Again, at Jeremiah's next opportunity of freedom he went back to dwell among
his people, Jeremiah 40:6 6Then
went Jeremiah to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam to Mizpah; and dwelled with him among the
people that were left in the land. After further troubles in the land of Judah, the people came to Jeremiah to
seek counsel as to whether they should remain in Judah or go down to Egypt (this group of people, the 'Bad Figs' also included the
famed Zedekiah's daughters). Jeremiah's response and further warnings were as specific
as one could get, remain in Judah or face destruction if they disobeyed and went to Egypt.
Jer 42:10 10If
you will still abide in this land, then will I build you, and not pull you down, and I
will plant you, and not pluck you up: for I repent me of the evil that I have done to you. The building and planting was only to occur in Israel
as indicated above. If they went to Egypt, destruction would follow (included in this curse is the Kings daughters) 13But
if you say, We will not dwell in this land, neither obey the voice of the LORD your God, 14Saying,
No; but we will go into the land of Egypt, where we shall see no war, nor hear the sound
of the trumpet, nor have hunger of bread; and there will we dwell: 15And
now therefore hear the word of the LORD, you remnant of Judah; Thus said the LORD of
hosts, the God of Israel; If you wholly set your faces to enter into Egypt, and go to
sojourn there; 16Then
it shall come to pass, that the sword, which you feared, shall overtake you there in the
land of Egypt, and the famine, whereof you were afraid, shall follow close after you there
in Egypt; and there you shall die. 17So
shall it be with all the men that set their faces to go into Egypt to sojourn there; they
shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: and none of them shall
remain or escape from the evil that I will bring on them. 18For
thus said the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; As my anger and my fury has been poured
forth on the inhabitants of Jerusalem; so shall my fury be poured forth on you, when you
shall enter into Egypt: and you shall be an execration, and an astonishment, and a curse,
and a reproach; and you shall see this place no more. But as usual the people would not obey. Jer 43:4-7 4So
Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces, and all the people, obeyed
not the voice of the LORD, to dwell in the land of Judah. 5But
Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces, took all the remnant of
Judah, that were returned from all nations, where they had been driven, to dwell in the
land of Judah; 6Even
men, and women, and children, and the king's daughters, and every person that Nebuzaradan
the captain of the guard had left with Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and
Jeremiah the prophet, and Baruch the son of Neriah. 7So
they came into the land of Egypt: for they obeyed not the voice of the LORD: thus came
they even to Tahpanhes. So what was the result of this disobedience? Jer 44 1The
word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews which dwell in the land of Egypt, which
dwell at Migdol, and at Tahpanhes, and at Noph, and in the country of Pathros, saying,
.............. 7Therefore
now thus said the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel; Why commit you this great
evil against your souls, to cut off from you man and woman, child and suckling, out of
Judah, to leave you none to remain; 8In
that you provoke me to wrath with the works of your hands, burning incense to other gods
in the land of Egypt, where you be gone to dwell, that you might cut yourselves off, and
that you might be a curse and a reproach among all the nations of the earth? ............11Therefore
thus said the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will set my face against you for
evil, and to cut off all Judah. 12And
I will take the remnant of Judah, that have set their faces to go into the land of Egypt
to sojourn there, and they shall all be consumed, and fall in the land of Egypt; they
shall even be consumed by the sword and by the famine: they shall die, from the least even to the greatest, by the sword
and by the famine: and they shall be an execration, and an astonishment, and a curse, and
a reproach. 13For
I will punish them that dwell in the land of Egypt, as I have punished Jerusalem, by the
sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: So we can see above that even the greatest of them (Kings daughters??) would not be spared. Further
more, God placed one possible escape route, and that was not to Ireland,
but back to
Judah 14So
that none of the remnant of Judah, which are gone into the land of Egypt to sojourn there,
shall escape or remain, that they should return into the land of Judah, to the which they
have a desire to return to dwell there: for none
shall return but such as shall escape.............. 26Therefore
hear you the word of the LORD, all Judah that dwell in the land of Egypt; Behold, I have
sworn by my great name, said the LORD, that my name shall no more be named in the mouth of
any man of Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying, The Lord GOD lives. 27Behold,
I will watch over them for evil, and not for good: and all the men of Judah that are in
the land of Egypt shall be consumed by the sword and by the famine, until there be an end
of them. 28Yet
a small number that escape the sword shall return out of the land of Egypt into the land
of Judah,
and all the remnant of Judah, that are gone into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, shall
know whose words shall stand, mine, or their's. 29And
this shall be a sign to you, said the LORD, that I will punish you in this place, that you
may know that my words shall surely stand against you for evil: 30Thus
said the LORD; Behold, I will give Pharaohhophra king of Egypt into the hand of his
enemies, and into the hand of them that seek his life; as I gave Zedekiah king of Judah
into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, his enemy, and that sought his life.
There would simply seem that after all the warnings, and indeed by the
witness of Jeremiah's own actions and love for his people and lands, that Jeremiah would
have gone no where else except back to Judah if the opportunity presented itself. Indeed by his own
prophecy, Jeremiah himself new their would have been an opportunity
for escape back to Judah!! Interestingly, British Israelites focus on Zedekiah as the last remaining
King in Judah, however after Zedekiah's death, it would seem that Jehoiachin was restored
to favour in some measure as he was released from prison by Merodach, a King of Babylon.
Even the Scriptures then refer to Jehoiachin as 'King of Judah'. Jer 52:31-34 31And
it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of
Judah, in the twelfth month, in the five and twentieth day of the month, that Evil
Merodach king of Babylon in the first year of
his reign lifted up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah, and brought him forth out of
prison. 32And
spoke kindly to him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings that were with him
in Babylon, 33And
changed his prison garments: and he did continually eat bread before him all the days of
his life. 34And
for his diet, there was a continual diet given him of the king of Babylon, every day a
portion until the day of his death, all the days of his life. As Zedekiah the 'bad fig' himself had simply been set up as a 'puppet King'
when the rightful King was taken captive, the Bible indicates in any case he was not the
last surviving King of Judah. Again, this would nullify the Zedekiah's daughters as heirs
to the Throne as it seems there were other males still alive with the Kingly rights. This is the story thus far. There is a lot more that could be said,
especially from the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, but I think I have said enough. When reading through the book of Jeremiah, there is absolutely no hint of anything to do with the modern British Israel theory. Not only that, but even more importantly, the book of Jeremiah speaks decisively against the possibility of any such theory being Scriptural.
|
|||||