The History of the Ten "Lost" Tribes

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The History of the Ten "Lost" Tribes (1915)
by David Baron

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British Israelism (sometimes called Anglo-Israelism) is a complex set of theories, not necessarily compatible with each other, that have in common the idea that some ancient British people and/or royal lineages were direct lineal descendants of some of the Lost Tribes of Israel.

This work is intended primarily as a thorough examination and debunking of Anglo-Israelism, the theory that Anglo-Saxons are somehow the actual historical Israel to the exclusion of modern day Jews. The work also tackles to a lesser degree the more common theory of "Replacement Theology" or "Supersessionism" and gives it similar treatment. The author, David Baron, was a Hebrew-Christian, long before that movement, or the often intertwined Messianic Judaism movement, became more widely popularized circa the 1960's.

84656The History of the Ten "Lost" Tribes1915David Baron

The History

of the

Ten "Lost" Tribes:

Anglo-Israelism Examined

BY

DAVID BARON

Author of

"Visions and Prophecies of Zechariah." etc

FOURTH EDITION

MORGAN & SCOTT LTD.

12 PATERNOSTER BUILDINGS. LONDON. E.C. 4

PREFACE

A FEW words of explanation are needed by way of preface to this little book. More than twenty years ago, being often appealed to by friends for my judgment on Anglo-Israelism, or to answer questions which were addressed to me on this subject, I finally, after making myself acquainted with the positions and arguments by which the theory is supported, drew up a statement in the form of "A Letter to an Inquirer." This "Letter," somewhat amplified, was printed in the form of an appendix in my book, "The Ancient Scriptures and the Modern Jew," whence by special request it was subsequently reprinted in pamphlet form under the title, "Anglo-Israelism, and the True History of the Ten Lost Tribes"—a separate edition of it having also been published in America. This pamphlet is now out of print, and, being appealed to by prominent Christian friends to bring out a new edition, I felt constrained before doing so to re-examine the whole question anew, and more thoroughly than before. To this end I have read through, with much inward pain I must confess, a number of the more recent Anglo- (or "British") -Israel publications, which for the most part are mere repetitions of one another. The result is the treatise now in the reader's hands, which will be found to consist of three Parts.

In Part I. I have dealt with Anglo-Israel assertions and claims, and the arguments by which they are supported; in Part II., which is constructive in its character, and in which the greater part of my original "Letter to an Inquirer" will be found embodied, I have tried briefly to trace the true history of the supposed Lost Tribes; and in Part III., which is altogether new, I have further analysed some of the scriptural "proofs" of a separate fate and destiny of the Ten Tribes from that of "Judah," and have added notes and explanations on some of the more plausible points brought up by all Anglo-Israelite writers.

The epistolary form, which is retained in Parts I. and II., is accounted for by the relation of this new booklet to the original "Letter to an Inquirer," which is embodied in it.

Let me ask the reader's Christian forbearance for any expressions in this little work which may be regarded as too severe. I would only say that if the unbiassed reader had had to wade through the amount of Anglo-Israel literature, with all its fearful perversions of Scripture and history, which the writer has had to do in the course of the preparation of this little work, he would most probably have felt as he did—the difficulty of putting a restraint upon his spirit so as not to use much stronger language. Toward the persons of the propagandists of this theory I have, I trust, no other feelings than those of Christian charity; but the theory itself I cannot help regarding, after a close study of its principles, as subversive of the truth, and as one of the dangerous delusions of these latter days.

After this little book was finished, an honoured friend in Brighton sent me the article by the late Dr. Horatius Bonar, which appeared in The Sunday at Home in 1880. I add it, with the permission of the proprietors of that magazine, as an appendix in the assurance that the testimony on the subject of so honoured and eminent a servant of God will be welcomed and carry weight with many.

David Baron.

CONTENTS

PART I.

PAGE

I.

Anglo-Israel Assertions and Claims

.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..

7

II.

The Way Anglo-Israel Writers Interpret Scripture

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11

III.

Fictitious Histories of the Tribes

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15

PART II.

I.

Are the Tribes Lost?

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22

II.

The Condition of Things at the Time of Christ

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33

III.

The Testimony of the New Testament that the "Jews" are Representative of "All Israel"

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39

IV.

Early Misconceptions and Confusion on the Question of the Ten Tribes

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44

V.

The Testimony of Prophecy in the Light of History

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48

VI.

A Solemn Warning

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51

PART III.

NOTES AND EXPLANATIONS.

I.

Anglo-Israel "Proofs" of a Separate Fate and Destiny of "Israel" and "Judah"

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54

II.

The Promises to the Fathers of a Multitudinous Seed

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65

III.

The Perpetuity of the Davidic Throne

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72

IV.

The So-called Historic Proofs of Anglo-Israelism

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76

V.

"The Gate of his Enemies"

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80

APPENDIX.

Are We the Ten Tribes? By the late Horatius Bonar, D.D.

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82

This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1929.

The longest-living author of this work died in 1926, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 97 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.

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