Lost Israel Found
In the Anglo-Saxon Race

CHAPTER II

   The promise of a numerous offspring shown to be literally true  --  Traced from Abraham down to Moses, thence to Solomon  --  The division of the nation into two kingdoms  --  The Assyrian captivity  --  Israel lost  --  The hunt for lost Israel  --  The history by "Oxonlan".

The promise of a numerous offspring shown to be literally true

   It is appropriate now to show that Abraham has, at the present time, a literal offspring in the world, very numerous, and that they are increasing at an unparalleled rate.

   It is known to all readers of the Bible, how cursorily so ever may be that reading, that Abraham begat Isaac, that Isaac begat Jacob, and that Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs; that these patriarchs went down into Egypt, where they dwelt some 400 years; that they were brought out from thence, some two millions or more of people, by Moses; passing through the Red Sea on dry ground, they were led on by the divine direction to Mount Sinai, where God gave to his people Israel his law, written by the finger of God himself.

   From thence, after the institution of the Mosaic ritual, this people were led on, by a cloudy pillar by day but of fire by night, through that great wilderness, being fed on manna, a bread from heaven, and water from the rock, so that no one suffered from either hunger or thirst for forty years in that great wilderness, until they reached the very borders of the promised land; that here they entered the land of Canaan by passing through the river Jordan on dry ground, although the waters of the river at that time overflowed all its banks, (Joshua, 3:15.)

 Traced from Abraham down to Moses, thence to Solomon

 So also, all know how this people, the descendants of Abraham the whole nation of twelve-tribed Israel  were planted in Canaan; each tribe being assigned his portion by lot, B. C. 1491. Here this people lived some four hundred years under Judges, till B. C. 1095, when Saul was anointed as their first king. As the successor to Saul, David was anointed by divine command, as king, during whose reign the nation prospered greatly. Next Solomon, David's son, was anointed king', and he builded the Temple, surpassing ill splendor all buildings the world has ever seen.

The division of the nation into two kingdoms

   This temple was built by divine direction, "according' to the pattern shown in the Mount." After Solomon's death, Rehoboam came to the throne; immediately a trouble arose, caused by the vast expenditure in building the temple. The old men, therefore, came to Rehoboam, to inquire if something could not be done to lighten this terrible burden. But his only reply was, "I don't know; I'll think about it." Rehoboam then conferred with the young men, who advise him to "make his finger thicker than his father's loins."

   This advice he follows; and proclaiming an assembling of all the people, he closed his speech by saying', "My father chastised you with whips, I will chastise you with scorpions." (1 Kings, 12:1-11.) As the result of this speech ten tribes went off with Jeroboam, a political leader at that time, and thus formed the Kingdom of Israel, leaving the other two tribes to constitute the Kingdom of Judah. (1 Kings, 12:12-16.)

   Here now let it be distinctly understood and borne in mind, that the whole Hebrew nation was at this time divided, thus becoming two kingdoms; the kingdom of Israel, with ten tribes, and the kingdom of Judah, of two tribes, Judah and Levi: ( It is found that Benjamin remained with Rehoboam by divine appointment, and that he continued to constitute a part of that kingdom until the return from Babylonish captivity. And indeed, Benjamin did not entirely separate himself until the final destruction of the temple by Titus, the Roman General. (I kings, 11:34-36. Also, Josephus' Ward, B.V,, 10, 1; Jer 6:1) Editor's comment: Read Josephus account for yourself and see that the Jews divided into three factions. These three Jewish groups were fighting amongst themselves. Rome tried, but failed to act a peacekeeper. The Jews destroyed the temple while fighting each other and have blamed Titus ever since. While the temple was burning the Romans tried to put out the fire. The Romans were so disgusted and frustrated with the conduct of the Jews of Jerusalem that, when it was all over, they finished the job by leveling the city as an example to the rest of the world.)

   These two kingdoms continued henceforth separate, Judah having for its capital Jerusalem, while Israel's capital was Samaria. So, also, from this time on to the final consummation, it is found that the divine predictions are no longer uttered to the twelve-tribed Israel, but either to the Kingdom of Judah, or to the Kingdom of ten tribed Israel. The failure to notice this fact has been one great obstacle to the proper apprehension of the prophesies.

   The failure, I say, to have noticed that the prophesies, for most part, are not directed to the whole Hebrew nation, but directly to Israel, (ten-tribed) on the one hand, or to Judah as distinctly on the other. By the observance of this rule much confusion may be avoided.

   This division of the Hebrew nation into two kingdoms took place B.C. about 980; and from this time on these two kingdoms are addressed, the one as Judah and the other as Israel And it will be found that by this latter term "ten-tribed Israel" is commonly, if not always, meant.

HISTORY OF ISRAEL, (TEN TRIBES.)

   Immediately after the separation of these two kingdoms, Jeroboam made two golden calves (1 Kings, 12: .a29), and set, the one in Dan and the other in Bethel, to prevent his people from going up to Jerusalem to worship. This seems to have been the beginning of that system of idolatry which finally culminated in "Baalism," one of the chief rites of which was the public prostitution of every female before the altar of Baal upon her entering the state of puberty.

The Assyrian captivity

   By the practice of these diabolical ceremonies, therefore, Israel became so corrupt that the divine patience could no longer forbear; and hence Shahnaneser, King of Assyria, was sent by God to besiege Israel and carry the nation captive, which was accomplished by destroying Samaria, the capital, and transporting all of its inhabitants to Assyria and placing them in the cities of the Medes, on the River Gozan, ]3. C. 720. (2 Kings, 17: 6.)

   Here these tribes became lost, as to the history of the world, but not to the all seeing eye of Him who had placed them there for their discipline and for the development of that wondrous plan by which the world was to be brought unto obedience to Jesus Christ, and Satan and all his works utterly overthrown.

  Israel lost

   From that time to the present the inquiry has been, "What has become of lost Israel?" And this inquiry has been so urgently made during the last hundred years that every nook and corner of the globe has been searched in the hope of finding these lost ten tribes of Israel; but all in vain.

  The hunt for lost Israel

   So that now, in their despair, some exclaim "There are no lost tribes of Israel, and hence there are none to be found." But how has this search been made? What has been the order of it? What were the objects sought? And would they be known if found? Let us look at the facts.

   The facts are, this search has been made without any definite plan. The "detective" in searching for a criminal must have the exact description given of his ma -- his age, complexion, indeed his very photograph so that he may distinguish this man from all others in the world wherever found, or in whatever multitude so ever he may have concealed himself.

   But in the hunt after "lost Israel" who has consulted the one only record where both the whereabouts and the photograph of Israel is to be found? Who ? What is the description there given ? The "whereabouts" is said to be "the isles of the sea," (see Jer. 30:3, and 3: 12, Isa. 41:15; also 10:2023, Isa. 42:10 and 49:1,) and the photograph is given in Gen. 28:12-13, viz.: The wealthiest of all nations, "thou shalt lend unto many nations, but thou shalt not borrow." "And the Lord shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and not beneath."

   This photograph, then, is of a nation whose wealth is unparalleled by that of any other nation, and whose political influence is to be high above all other nations. But instead of hunting for a nation having these peculiarities, we have ransacked the nooks and by places of earth to find the nation "high above all others" and searched the poor houses of the world to find the wealthiest of all nations! (Elias Boughdenot wrote a book some seventy-five years ago, in which he tried to prove that the Northwest Indians in America were the lost Israel.)

   And all in vain. But as soon as this divine description of lost Israel was discovered, the hunt has not been at random, nor in vain. The great wonder now is, why had this not been seen before? Ah, why? Because this is just as Israel's God would have it. Why is it that of all the histories that' have been written in two thousand years now past, not one contains the first mention of the "Kingdom of Israel" that was placed in the cities of the Medes, on the River Gozan, about eight hundred miles northeast from Jerusalem, on the southwest coast of the Caspian Sea?

  The history by "Oxonlan"

   Why is this? Why, of all the histories of ancient or modern times has no one ever undertaken the task, till recently, of gathering up the fragments, searching out and arranging in their due order the traces of the wanderings of Israel? Who can answer this question? But this work has now been performed, now in these ends of the earth, in which the wanderings of this people have been traced for 2,500 years. ("Israel's Wanderings." By Oxonian. Second edition, price 5s. (Post free, 5s. 4d.) John Heywood, 11 Paternoster building; W. H. Guest, Paternoster Row, London.)

   We are, therefore, now prepared with materials suitable for hunting up and identifying "lost Israel" when found.

   Our first inquiry, then, will be touching the captivity of Israel; whether all of the "ten tribes" were indeed carried away by Shalnmneser ?

   In answer to this question, it is found that Dan and Simeon were not disturbed; they remained still in Palestine, in their original lot. But here, it must be noticed, that some time after the twelve tribes had been located in Canaan, Dan, found his lot too small for the great increase of his people. Hence, a company was formed for finding another place unoccupied, to which they might migrate, and there settle.

   Such a place was found in the extreme north of Canaan, occupied by the natives whom Joshua had been commanded to destroy, -- a little city called Laish. This they destroyed with all its inhabitants, and on the ruins built for themselves a city, and called it Dan, after the name of their' tribe. This branch of the tribe of Dan was carried captive into Assyria and placed on the River Gozan with the others. But the other Dan, he that occupied the old homestead, what shall he do? To unite with Judah, he and Simeon, that they cannot do; for with Judah they are at "sword's point."

   What shall they do, then? They must go somewhere; not only because Judah is their enemy, but more especially because of the fear of their greater enemy Shahnaneser. Now it is known that Dan was a mariner, that "he abode in his ships," (Judges, 5:17), and also it is known that when Solomon was building the temple some 250 years before this, Dan was employed in company with the Phoenicians, in importing tin, from Brittany, (now Cornwall) in England, for the making brazen vessels for the temple.

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