This title passage from Genesis chapter twelve is taken different ways by different people and groups. This article is written specifically to examine the prevailing view held by British-Israelites, most “Identity” believers and virtually every denomination which believes that the phrases, “All the nations of the earth” and “all the families of the earth” means every person of every race. The first occurrence is found in Genesis 12:1-3 and is about the call of Abram and the covenant YEHOVAH God made with him:

Genesis 12:1 (KJV): “Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed”.

Genesis 22:17-18: “That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice."

A person without any Biblical knowledge might well ask why YEHOVAH God would have to take Abram out of his country in order to bless those left behind. There were other people in that land to which Abram was to go to so what was the difference if all the nations of the earth were to be blessed? They may well ask also how those cursed could be part of those to be blessed! This of course is a simplistic question because Israelites themselves are blessed or cursed, according to their obedience and separation. Then we read:

Genesis 26:4: And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the (this) earth be blessed.

This is the verse that is seldom quoted because it shows that Abraham (from this time Abram’s name) would have possession of these countries to which Abraham was told to go. The nations and peoples already there would be dispossessed or killed off, so they were not the ones who would be blessed. Abraham’s seed would be blessed in this (land) possession and this land factor features throughout the Bible. Later on this covenant was confirmed to Abraham’s offspring Isaac and Jacob (Israel). As it contains a defined land covenant, it cannot support the religious view that the blessing is “salvation” to all of every race. We will come to look at whether or not the land possession part of the covenant has been fulfilled, further on in this article.

1). This passage is taken by Zionists and most adherents to Judaism to mean that “the Jews” are to be particularly protected by YEHOVAH God, and that through this blessing they are designed to bless all other peoples by their control over them.

2). Judeo-Christian churches claim that this passage means that “Christians” are to be so protected, and that “The Church” now represents that great nation, because it is made up of “believers” in Yeshua the Messiah. Thus to them this “blessing” is available to all of every race. At the same time they claim that “The Jews” have a place as “racial Israelites” whereas “the Church” means “spiritual Israelites”, and that somehow both have the same destiny. In the Churches view, the land promised to Abraham does not feature other than to “The Jews”, and otherwise the Promised Land is given the meaning of “salvation” for all other races.

3). Others believe that this promise to Abram concerns only the literal physical descendants of Abram, and that the phrase, “families of the earth” and “nations of the earth” refers to those families only who descend from Abram, and that this is winnowed down to the seed of Isaac.

4). Still others believe that this passage concerns YEHOVAH’s justice that is to be returned to earth through this promise to Abram.

5). There are those who believe that “shall all the nations of the earth be blessed” applies only after the restoration of Israel, that is, in the time of the Kingdom.

Any suggestion of selection (election) by the Divine Potter on a genetic basis is unpopular, but it cannot easily be denied that “race” first, and then “belief” must come into the picture somewhere when we read through the Bible. Some try to get over this by saying that one race is the vehicle whereby all the races become as one through this “blessing” promise to Abram (who later became known as Abraham). But it will not take us long to see that this “melting pot” view cannot have any Biblical backing.

This is contingent upon other beliefs, such as whether or not all men descended from Adam, and whether of not there is a “chosen race”. The first may be the popular belief, but the fact of a “chosen race” features right through the Bible. Being so, the issue becomes a matter of belief within the chosen race, who over time, have become many peoples and nations.

The fact of each Israelite tribe continuing as separate identities continues in the Bible right up to the time of the New Jerusalem. This is NOT a Judeo-Christian church acceptance.

Revelation 21:10: “And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel”.

Revelation 21:14: "And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb."

Whether or not we believe this “twelve tribes” limitation determines how we interpret prophecy, what we believe about “race” and how we interpret the phrase, “And in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed”. Note well here that there is no provision for any other “gate” for any other races!! The Messiah maintains that this tribal restriction continues into the time of the “regeneration”. Luke 22:30 tells that this is the time of “My Kingdom”.

Matthew19:28: "And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes tribes of Israel."

Thus there is no provision for “The Church” in any multi-racial/belief format at all! There is no provision for the popular belief that “The Jews” are Israelites and that Judeo-Christians are tied to the Jews for their salvation. The “Jews and Gentiles” concept is in reality rather a House of Judah plus the House of Israel concept, thus adding once again to twelve tribes. The Bible does not present a “Tower of Babel” notion that Judeo-Christian churches support. The essential determinant is between seeing all races as being one as Nimrod promoted, and seeing the separation of races as YEHOVAH God does when He separated peoples after the building of the Tower of Babel.

To continue we will have a general look at “race” and “heredity”.

Separate races are stated as a matter of fact through the Bible, and each race has a progenitor as shown in the format, Genesis 36:9, “And these are the generations of Esau the father of the Edomites”. From that point Edomites are treated biblically as a specific race having “generations”. One race cannot change into another race because each has a different progenitor. Thus it cannot change by any belief factor.

Jeremiah 13:23: “Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots”?

There is no room for prejudice, pre-judgments or pre-positions in this matter. Arguments such as, “Their blood is the same color under their skin” mean nothing. Neither does the argument, “There is only one race and that is the human race”. Any inferences from these claims are totally extra-Biblical!

Racial preferences, racial loyalties, and racial pride are facts of life. But also are such things as medical matters, mental abilities, attitudes, and responses to adversity, facts of life. They vary between races. In these days when we have come to an understanding of racial genes and behavioral genes, we can now see racial separators that indicate that each race has essential differences. The percentage of genetic difference may be very small, but it can be identified. These facts support the Biblical picture that “the seed of Abraham” could never be inclusive of other races by any means at all. “Faith” cannot change YEHOVAH’s Law about this. Of Abraham we read:

Genesis 18:19: "For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment."

Abraham had the faith to obey the eternal Law of YEHOVAH God! That part of the law that “was added because of transgression” (Galatians 3:19) does not come into this picture. There is no record that any other race did or would do what Abraham did.

The Laws of heredity are things we cannot change by environment and culture. We cannot change a donkey into a pig by involving these factors. We cannot change a Jack Russell dog into an Alsatian by putting both into the same cage. We cannot make a well-bred dog out of a mongrel by teaching him tricks. We cannot make a heavy draft horse into a racehorse by racing him on a racetrack. We cannot make a Mexican into an Anglo-Saxon by making them have the same belief. Today it is dawning that education and environment do not fundamentally alter racial values and behavior. No amount of plausible but fallacious reasoning can offset the built-in handicap or advantage of ancestry.

There is a saying, “What goes into the melting pot is what will come out”, and there is evidence that there is no physical or mental advantage in race mixing. Multiculturism does not witness to assimilation. Instead we arrive at a situation where increase in the numbers of cultures only increases the number of cultural conflicts. Racial intermarriage is condemned in Scripture, and for Israelites who are found to be in this position, divorce is commanded -- (see Ezra and Nehemiah).

The Bible has a lot to say about hereditary factors. In the New Testament the word “stock” is used:

Acts 13:26: "Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent."

That Judeo-Christian churches do not accept this limitation will never change it. “Stock” is a generic/racial term.

There is no way whereby we can change bad stock into good stock. Yeshua the Messiah put it this way:

Matthew 7:18: "A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them."

Though this verse is primarily in a spiritual context, one does not read far to discover how “trees” in Scripture are used as symbols of races and nations. They are symbols of “stock”. There is no way we can convert a banana tree into an oak tree, even if popular doctrine tries to say this can be done by belief. The Messiah prefixed the verse above by saying, “Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles”? It just cannot be done! Why try any more?

These all are things we need to keep in mind when we consider the meaning of, “all nations” in “In thee shall all the nations of the earth be blessed”. Then we have a “blessing” verse we can consider later in, “In thee shall all the nations of the earth be blessed”. It is this:

Deuteronomy 7:14: "Thou shalt be blessed above all people:"

This then is not about any equal blessing for all other races!

Israel is designed to “dwell alone”! Jacob wrestled with God alone! So we do well to consider some “alone” and “separate” passages in regard to Israel. Racial separation in regard to Israel is enjoined throughout Scripture.

Nehemiah 9:2: "And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers."

2 Corinthians 6:17: "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the LORD Almighty."

Please note the highlighted words below that demonstrate “alone-ness” and “separated-ness” of Israelites:

Numbers 23:9: "For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations."

Deuteronomy 33:28: "Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew."

Deuteronomy 7:6: "For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth."

Exodus 33:16: "For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth."

Isaiah 51:2: "Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him."

1 Kings 8:53: "For thou didst separate them from among all the people of the earth, to be thine inheritance, as thou spakest by the hand of Moses thy servant, when thou broughtest our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord GOD."

We have already seen that this separateness on a racial and tribal basis persists unto the New Jerusalem. That Israelites did not follow the design does not change the design. The separation will be there in the City of YEHOVAH God. The Messiah tells us about him separating the nations at the appointed time.

Matthew 25:32: "And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:"

In these prophecies, we see the blessings promised to Abram expressed again, and also we read about, “Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee”, as is found in Genesis 12:3, “And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee”. This appears at the end of the next passage.

Numbers 24:16: "And when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he went not, as at other times, to seek for enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness. And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes; and the spirit of God came upon him. And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said: He hath said, which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open: How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel! As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river’s side, as the trees of lign aloes which the LORD hath planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters. He shall pour the water out of his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters, and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted. God brought him forth out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn: he shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce them through with his arrows. He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall stir him up? Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee."

After the exodus from Egypt, those nations that did not “meddle” with the Israelites were left alone. Those that did so meddle had a rough time. In the phrase, “His seed shall be in many waters”, we see confirmation of how the seed of Abraham became different nations. Israelites were living “according to their tribes”. We can now proceed to an examination of some of the popular views listed above.

This is an interesting view some put forth. It is claimed that the history about the covenant YEHOVAH God made with Abraham is told so that mankind could gain insight into his own history and learn about the true nature of justice, and that this is an example for all mankind to follow. The idea is that Israel is the nation that was to be the vehicle of the divine revelation to all other nations. In other words, Abraham’s descendants are the vehicles of revelation but if they do not follow the justice revealed to them they will be subject to the same sanctions of the divine justice. Quoting from an unrecorded source,

“From looking at the consequences and comparing these to the law, we are able to understand the nature of God’s justice. Israel can provide a bad or a good example. And as we understand the nature of the justice revealed to the descendants of Abraham and watch how it works out in their history, we, too, can acquire a blessing. Having looked at the revelation of the divine justice in terms of its nature, we can now move into the history of Israel and watch the outworking of that justice so that we might better understand our own history and problems. In this way we can acquire a blessing according to God’s intentions in Abraham”.

The problem with this view is that we do not see any evidence throughout Scripture of any other peoples being particularly blessed in their association with Israelites. It would not be expected because it is clear that the Israelite people were designed to “dwell alone”.

Numbers 23:9: "For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations."

The separation of Israelites from all other peoples features widely throughout the Bible pages.

Exodus 19:5: "Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:"

There are many verses that detail the separation of Israel from all other peoples.

Exodus 33:16: "For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth."

Deuteronomy 32:8: "When the most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel."

In other words, Israelites were separated from other races by boundaries. The Biblical separation of peoples does not sit well with modern humanistic churches, but it is clear that this remains as it can be seen that Israelites were to be a distinct people, and are seen to still be so, even into the time of the New Jerusalem with its twelve gates bearing the names of the twelve Israelite tribes.

Revelation 21:12: "And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel."

Speaking to his twelve disciples the Messiah said:

Matthew 19:28: "And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel."

Luke 22:30: "That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel."

The word “tribes” is the same word used in the Greek Septuagint in the original Genesis 12:1-3 covenant to Abram in regard to the word “families” and “nations of the earth”!

Then we read about the time of the end:

Zechariah 8:7: "Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country; And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness."

It is “my people” who are saved. This is the same as we read in Matthew 1:21, “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins”. There is no reference to other peoples! The words, “all”, “every” and “whosoever” refer “all” of these Israelite peoples alone.

So Israelites are separated even up to this time. When we consider these stated facts about the non-association of Israel with other people, and of their separateness, it becomes easy to see that there might well be a problem with the way, “And in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed” is usually translated. If we want further confirmation from the New Testament, we can study the detail in the passage below:

Hebrews 11:8: "By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable. These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth."

This multitude that “sprang” = gennao = procreated from Abraham did so in a physical way. Who then are, “the heirs with him of the same promise”? They are a genetic line.

The Translation of “And in Thee Shall All Families of the Earth Be Blessed”

It will help to view parallel passages, because the more verses about this “blessing” that we consider, the less we are likely to make mistakes. The highlighted words below must be considered before looking deeper language-wise into the phrases.

Genesis 18:18-19: "Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him."

In this verse, the subject is Abraham, his children and his household. It is not non-Abrahamic seed being blessed. Because Abraham had apparent foreigners in his camp it is popular to claim that the word “household” refers to these. But the words “after him” are ignored and we can see that this refers to his descendants. The multitude of varying translations only confuses what the Hebrew word “bayith” actually means but it is a common word in Aramaic, Arabic, Akadian and Ugaritic meaning one’s inward family, or descendants as a corporate group. The words “nation” and “nations” are from the same word, but in the LXX Greek (ethnos) it can be taken that this means that all from Abraham will be blessed.

Genesis 22:17: "That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies."

If Abraham’s seed was to “possess the gate of his enemies”, how could this consequence be interpreted as being a blessing to these enemies?

Genesis 22:18: "And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice."

YEHOVAH God had promised to bless Abraham’s descendents through having faith to obey, not any others. Since each nation had its own “earth” or land, e.g. “The land of Israel”, it becomes easy to see how “all the earth” means “all that singular earth belonging to Abraham’s descendents”. Abraham’s seed did indeed become different peoples or “nations” as their “earth” enlarged, and thus were so blessed as promised.

Genesis 26:3: "Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father. And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;"

Here the word “countries” is the same Hebrew word as “earth” in the previous verses above. YEHOVAH God had promised a defined area to Abraham’s descendants, and these became the “nations of the earth” that were to be blessed. Obviously these became very numerous. But this does not mean they would always occupy that area, because Israel was cast out of that land for transgression, for a given period.

Galatians 3:7: "Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham."

This says absolutely nothing about a change from the land blessing to anything other sort of blessing. The word translated as “heathen” is “ethnos” or nations (of Israel) so there is no change in identity. The same word is translated as “Gentiles” in the 14th verse!

When we come to look at, “the same are the children of Abraham”, we can read it with the eyes of tradition, or we can read it analytically. When we view this matter in the light of the Old Testament, we can see that it is only Abraham’s offspring who can have faith. The word “children” should here be translated as “sons” (huios). The “children” (teknon) become “sons” only by faith, so the phrase, “they which are of faith” refers to those of the “children” who become “sons” within the Israelite people as a whole.

Galatians 3:14: "That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith."

The Genesis 18 passage above continues with:

“For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him”.

As was said, the word translated as “Gentiles” in Galatians 3:14 is the word “ethnos” that is elsewhere given as “nations” and Strongs 1484 suggests “Probably from G1486; a race (as of the same habit), that is, a tribe”.

This is the anointed seed we read of in Galations 3:16, “Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ (anointed)”. Paul does not remove this from the context of YEHOVAH’s covenant to Abraham. The “as of one” refers to Isaac as we see in Romans 9:7 that reads, “Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called”. This is the winnowing down mentioned earlier.

There is no doubt that the “shall” as is found in most translations and versions suggest the future tense, but because some versions do not give this in the future tense, further examinations is necessary. For instance, Young’s Literal Translation reads, “And Abraham certainly becometh a nation great and mighty, and blessed in him have been all nations of the earth?” Now, “have been” is not “will be”. So we need closer examination still further to find out which is right. In the Hebrew, the phrase, “shall be blessed” is in the Niphal Stem. What does this mean? Well, the Niphal Stem sometimes expresses a “reflexive” action. That is, the blessing is upon the subject, so then they would “bless themselves” or “bless each other”. Strongs 1288 confirms, “Bless themselves”. Going a step further, the perfect mood in which this is means the action was completed at that point in time.

So what is the blessing itself? The word “barak” has been translated a confusing number of ways such as “bless”, “kneel” “curse” and “blaspheme”, so that is not helpful. The word seems to be derived from the word “berek” meaning “knee”, and is used in relation to submission and obedience. The Harris-Archer-Waltke Theological Word Book Of The Old Testament says, “It was summed up in the expression, ‘They shall put my name upon the Children of Israel”. Then it goes on to say, “That the person addressed was evidently possessed of this power for abundant living”. If we try to put this together with the reflective action, the two add up to confirm that the blessing would be upon the descendants of Abraham themselves, and not upon other races. This “knee” part is the obedience condition whereby Abraham’s descendents would possess the Promised Land. We know from Bible history that Israel was cast out of the land and were appointed a “new place” until national repentance, after which their repentant remnant will return to the Promised Land. YEHOVAH God is not a man that He should lie about this!

Numbers 23:19-23: "God is not a man that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it. He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the LORD his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them. God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn. Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel: according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought!"

Numbers 23:24: "Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion, and lift up himself as a young lion: he shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, and drink the blood of the slain."

Say “Amen” to this and pray, “Thy Kingdom come”!

The next step is to look at the phrase, “All the nations of the earth” and similar phrases.

Various versions give, “nations of the earth”, “kindreds of the earth”, “families of the earth” and “families of the ground”. The word “families” and “kindreds” is the word “mishpachah” that means “a circle of relatives”. So when we read, “And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed”, we find ourselves seeing Abraham being made a “nation” or “people” (goyim) made up of a “circle of relatives” (mishpachah) who are blessed.

Obviously, those nations that are cursed are not so blessed! When we consider the offspring of Abraham became “many nations”, and that “In Isaac shall thy seed be called” -- (Genesis 21:12; Romans 9:7; Hebrews 11:8), we see the “circle of relatives” and the “blessed” offspring being refined down to the Tribes of Israel. These in turn would then bless each other. To complete the equation we need to see further confirmation from the phrase, “nations of earth”, or “families of the ground” to see if it refers to the whole of the globe’s surface, or to that land occupied by the “circle of relatives”.

The major source of error in many passages is what we mean by certain words. We have different words translated as “earth”, “ground”, “countries”, “land”, “nations”, “families” and “kindreds”. Originally Abraham was told to go from his father’s house unto an “‘eretz” or land that YEHOVAH God would show him. If the “’eretz” here is the whole Earth, then Abraham must have gone to another planet! Abraham was told, “all The ‘Earth’ which thou seeth, I will give thee”. He was told to arise and walk through “The earth”. So we need to ask, “Did he walk across the whole globe”? Or does this mean “that” earth which he could see as he walked about obeying, “Arise and walk through The earth”?

Again we have to ask if this particular "earth" is the whole earth or just the Promised Land. We can see it is not all the ‘eretzs (lands) of all the races on earth because Abraham was told to get himself out of his present “earth” and to go to “THE earth”. There are many references that give confirmation of the meaning. “THE earth” (with the article) does not mean the whole globe, but rather that portion belonging to the particular area or person under consideration. We see this again in Genesis 13:12 which states that Abram again dwelt in the “earth of Canaan”, and in verses 14 to 17 YEHOVAH said to Abram: “...lift up thine eyes Northward, Southward, Eastward and Westward For all this The earth that thou seest, to thee will I give it and to thy seed till the end of the Age. And I will make thy seed as the dust of The earth so that if a man can number the dust of The earth then so shall thy seed be numbered. Arise walk through The earth, the length and the breadth of it for unto thee will I give it”.

The use of the words, “earth” and “world” in conjunction is not uncommon:

Psalm 98:7-9: "Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together Before the LORD; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity."

Again, the “earth” is “ ‘eretz” and “the world” is “tebel”. In, “The LORD shall judge his people” there is a limitation to “His people” (= laos) that few might expect. Certainly this limitation is not popular church teaching. Likewise the “earth” is that “earth” of His people.

Obviously there is prophetic content because the passage is about seeing the salvation of the "our God”, that is, “The God of Israel”, in the future. As quoted, Psalm 24 has a tense problem. The “is” in the first verse is an added word as seen by the italics in the KJV, so it can be ignored. The second verse is in the future tense, “Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place”. This is amongst the millennium psalms and concerns the time when, “For the kingdom is the LORD's and he is the governor among the nations”, that is, He is the governor of those nations of the context.

The inclusion of the article here denotes the Israelite nations. At present we are taught to still pray, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven”, so the time of the LORD being “governor” is yet future. This Psalm concerns a generation of the future. “This is (added word in italics) the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O God of Jacob. Selah" (verse 6). All the kingdoms on the globe are not spoken of as belonging to YEHOVAH God, and the word “generation” in the Greek of the LXX is a word meaning “race-stock-family-tribe”.

There is a difference between people and land territory. Some of the territory on the planet is described being "holy" or separate and as belonging to YEHOVAH God. One part is the land promised to his “holy” = “separated” people, known as “The Promised Land”. YEHOVAH says He cares in particular for this piece of land:

Deuteronomy 11:11-12: "But the land, whither ye go to possess it, is a land of hills and valleys, and drinketh water of the rain of heaven: A land which the LORD thy God careth for: the eyes of the LORD thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year."

Here we find YEHOVAH God separating one part of the planet from other parts, and note this is "always". So we see again how this particular piece of real estate is that promised to Abraham, and confirmed to Isaac and Jacob as special.

Genesis 17:7-8: "And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God."

Here again we find the “everlasting” or “always” confirmed. Therefore this piece of land, known as the Promised Land, is YEHOVAH’s forever. It is the inheritance of Israel, even if Israel is expelled so that the Land can enjoy her Sabbaths whilst Israel is in exile. The time of this land becoming “an everlasting possession” will come -- Israelites have had some temporary possession, as shown in Old Testament history, but the whole Land remains Israel’s future inheritance.

These are unique expressions that are all found in Ezekiel 38, a fact that might well upset some people with a traditional British-Israel interpretation of this prophecy.

"My land" is a sanctified place, -- 2 Chronicles 7:20, "Then will I pluck them up by the roots out of my land which I have given them; and this house, which I have sanctified for my name". That being plucked up by the roots does not change the "set apart" or sanctified nature of "My Land". “My land”, and “Upon My mountains”, is where YEHOVAH God says He will come to “break the Assyrian”.

Isaiah 14:25: “That I will break the Assyrian in my land, and upon my mountains tread him under foot: then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulders. This is the purpose that is purposed upon the earth."

“MY LAND” is a select place indeed. It is where YEHOVAH God will come to plead for His people.

Joel 3:2: “I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land”.

What is parted? It is “My land”. Here “nations” is not “‘am”, or YEHOVAH’s people, but is a different word. It is where YEHOVAH God will eliminate the Idumeans (Edomites) -- Ezekiel 36:5. The word “heritage” is “nachalah” that is used in the sense of land property rather than of people.

"MY MOUNTAINS" is an interesting phrase -- one reference is Isaiah 65:9, "And I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah an inheritor of my mountains: and mine elect shall inherit it, and my servants shall dwell there". When? It is after the slaughter of YEHOVAH's people who, "did evil before mine eyes, and did choose that wherein I delighted not" -- verse 12.

“My mountains” is a particular place where a despondent and afflicted Israel becomes eventually comforted.

Isaiah 49:11: "And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted. Behold, these shall come from far: and, lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim. Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the LORD hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted."

Those who declare that YEHOVAH has finished with the Promised Land should note that YEHOVAH’s people are to be gathered from where they were scattered, to the original place where they were expelled from originally. They were expelled from the Holy Land and we will see that eventually they will return there. In the interval Israelites are “placed” outside of the Promised Land because of their iniquity.

Contrary to popular presentation, we must note that in Genesis 12:3, the "them" in "I will bless them" is plural, whereas the "him" in, “I will curse him” is singular. The Hebrew allows for two possible translations of "be blessed," namely:

1). May be blessed in, or by, association with thee, and

2). May bless themselves [as the RV footnote says].

3). Some awkward questions could be posed here if it were to be taken that “all the nations” had the meaning of “every race on earth”:

4). If those who curse Abraham are cursed, how could those so cursed be part of "all nations" that were to be blessed?

5). Were the Egyptians blessed or cursed through Israel’s presence during their captivity and also when Israel left Egypt? (Maybe the Egyptians did have a heap of bricks!).

6). When the Children of Israel went into the Promised Land, they were told to exterminate all the Canaanite nations. Was not that an unusual way of blessing the Canaanites? After all, they were supposed to be part of “all nations”. Likewise Amalek was to be exterminated.

7). In Deuteronomy 23:6, YEHOVAH God commanded Israel that they should not seek the peace or the prosperity of the Ammonites and the Moabites right up to the end of the age. Ezra 9:12 indicates similar treatment of the non-Israelites in the land. This is hardly a blessing on those nations, is it?

8). When The House of Judah was in captivity in Babylon, is there any evidence of Israel being a “blessing” to Babylon? There was a sense of this in Jeremiah 29:7, “And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace”, and also when Daniel and friends had some authority. But the benefit was for the Israelites, not the Babylonians.

9). When the House of Israel was in captivity in Assyria, did this make the Assyrians blossom?

10). When Israel was told to exterminate the entire population of the Perizzites, the Hivites, the Amorites, the Hittites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites and the Jebusites, inclusive of men, women, children and cattle, were these people “blessed in Abraham”?

11). When we consider what we read in Deuteronomy 23:6 how YEHOVAH God had commanded the Israelites NOT to seek peace nor prosperity for the Ammonites or Moabites all their days, these could never be part of “all nations” Israel was supposed to bless.

12). In prophecy why are all the forecasts concerning non-Israel nations always detailing them as being servants to Israel and for them to perish if they refuse this destiny? This is so right up to the end of the age.

13). The promise to Abraham was to “ALL” (Israelite) nations without any exceptions. “All” cannot include those who are cursed and those YEHOVAH God says that He hates -- (Malachi 1:1-4).

If “all the nations” had the meaning of “every race on earth” there would be no such exceptions! This conclusion that “all the nations of the earth” means “all the nations of Israel” thus cannot be escaped, and no one should read further until this has registered fully in his or her mind! As pointed out earlier, throughout Scripture, Israel was to, “dwell alone and shall not be reckoned among the nations” (Numbers 23:9). Prophecy sustains this to the end.

Daniel 7:27: "And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve him."

Dominion of Israel over all others “under the whole heaven” is no sort of racial equality! In Jeremiah 51:20 we read of Israel, “Thou art my battle axe and weapons of war: for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms;"

Isaiah 60:12: "For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted."

The “wasted” nations are hardly blessed. Neither are those that have no rain!

Zechariah 14:16, 17: "And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came up against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. And it shall be that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain."

Israel and Judah were scattered among all nations, but are these other nations to be blessed? Jeremiah does not agree:

Jeremiah 30:11: "…though I make a full end of all nations whither I have scattered thee, yet I will not make a full end of thee…"

Jeremiah repeats this in Jeremiah 46:28, addressing this to Jacob. In all these Scriptures we can see the unique place of Israel among the other nations, but separated racially from them. This continues after the Messiah and YEHOVAH God return and the Messiah reigns over Israel with YEHOVAH God over the other nations. Finally there will be no more death. What a blessing! The blessing is either given by this seed, or by the Act of YEHOVAH God.

We must also consider the timing factors in, “In thee shall all the nations of the earth be blessed”.

To date there has been absolutely no evidence that this has happened in regard to every race on earth. We find many Bible passage contrary to the popular meaning taken from, “In thee shall all the nations of the earth be blessed”.

Isaiah 41:8, 11, 12: "But thou Israel, art My servant Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham, My friend. Behold, all that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish. Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contend with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing and as a thing of nought."

Even of towards the end of the age we read:

Daniel 7:27: "And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him."

Zechariah 14:16: "And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles."

There are versions that appear to say there is a future blessing on other races, such as the Moffat Bible which reads Genesis 27:17 as, “And all nations on earth shall seek bliss like theirs”. This takes no notice of the reflective verbs in this passage.

There are passages such that are often taken outside of the Israelite context such as the following:

Here there is no “all” in “all nations” and “many people” is “‘am” which means, “one’s own people”. The whole context is “The House of Jacob”.

Romans 15:8: "Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers: And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name. And again he saith, rejoice ye Gentiles, with his people. And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people. And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust."

The word translated as “Gentiles” here is “ethnos”. The whole context is Israel. It is of “brethren” = “adelphos” = “of the same womb”. If the Messiah is confirming the “promises made to the fathers” is this not the covenant YEHOVAH God made with Abram and later confirmed this to Isaac and Jacob?

Isaiah 11:9: "They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth."

The phrase, “For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea” is often used to suggest that this means the entire globe, but it is that “earth” occupied by YEHOVAH’s people. The word “Gentiles” does not means non-Israelites -- it means the Israelite nations. The context is about YEHOVAH’s people being gathered “from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea”.

Zechariah 12:2: "Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it."

This is the same as, “and curse him that curseth thee” as is Genesis 12:1-3. This is a picture that never changes.

Yes, there is a sense in which YEHOVAH’s people bless others. When Joseph stored up wheat in the granaries of Egypt, the Egyptians could be fed, but not without selling their land in payment! The Gibeonites were blessed by having protection, but they remained “hewers of wood and drawers of water”. That is, in all cases they were servants to the Israelites!

There are a multitude of passages that declare that the blessing to Abram is primarily the blessing of possession of a specified land area, together with a large posterity.

Jeremiah 7:7: "Then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, for ever and ever."

Jeremiah 16:14: "Therefore, 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; But, 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."

Jeremiah 30:3: "For, lo, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will bring again the captivity of my people Israel and Judah, saith the LORD: and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it. And these are the words that the LORD spake concerning Israel and concerning Judah."

Jeremiah 17:25: "Then shall there enter into the gates of this city kings and princes sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they, and their princes, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: and this city shall remain for ever."

Jeremiah 32:37: "Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely: And they shall be my people, and I will be their God: And 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:"

Ezekiel 20:42: "And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall bring you into the land of Israel, into the country for the which I lifted up mine hand to give it to your fathers. And there shall ye remember your ways, and all your doings, wherein ye have been defiled; and ye shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that ye have committed."

Ezekiel 36:8-11: "But ye, O mountains of Israel, ye shall shoot forth your branches, and yield your fruit to my people of Israel; for they are at hand to come. For, behold, I am for you, and I will turn unto you, and ye shall be tilled and sown: And I will multiply men upon you, all the house of Israel, even all of it: and the cities shall be inhabited, and the wastes shall be builded: And I will multiply upon you man and beast; and they shall increase and bring fruit: and I will settle you after your old estates, and will do better unto you than at your beginnings: and ye shall know that I am the LORD. O ye seed of Abraham his servant, ye children of Jacob his chosen. He is the LORD our God: his judgments are in all the earth. He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations. Which covenant he made with Abraham, and his oath unto Isaac; And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant: Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance:"

It is commonly thought that the land blessing to Abram is not found through the New Testament pages, and that now the “blessing” is of a spiritual nature only. But we have seen that the Messiah confirmed the covenant! When we summarize the Old Testament passages, we find that the prophetical stream shows that the regathering of Israel is:

1). To be fulfilled in only ONE people, Israel, as all the prophets specify.

2). To involve a SPECIFIC PLACE, that is, “the land which I gave to your fathers”.

3). Brought about by YEHOVAH God who does the gathering.

4). For a people, Israel, who are gathered are “out of” all nations -- NOT “of” all nations! Israel was dispersed amongst many nations and will be gathered out from amongst them. (See Revelation 7:9 and how a little word changes the understanding).

5). For a nation, Israel, who remain racially separate from the other races, even after the Second Advent. (Jewry, commonly called “Jews” is not Israel).

6). For two houses, the House of Israel and the House of Judah, who remain two separate parts of Israel, until the present enmity between them is broken under the New Covenant (see Isaiah 11).

7). Not completed in this present age. The gathering is either concurrent with the Messiah’s and YEHOVAH God's return, or post-Second Advent. (This is directly contrary to most of the current popular teachings).

We have clear statements about this, but there were conditions.

Deuteronomy 28:1-14:2: "And all these blessings shall come on you and overtake you, if you will listen to the voice of Jehovah your God. You shall be blessed in the city and you shall be blessed in the field...Jehovah shall open to you His good treasure, The heavens to give rain to your earth in its season and to bless all work of your hand..."

Contained in the blessing was the Promised Land. We know from the teachings of the Messiah that obedience to him guarantees our resurrection. Thus in both Covenants, it is through acts of obedience that blessing becomes operable. Obedience itself is but the fruit of belief and the trust that springs from belief. Acts 3:26 explains that it is the Messiah whom YEHOVAH God raised up and commissioned to be a blessing without exception, to all the Israel families and nations, past present and future. For it was the Messiah alone who was able to lift the bondage of Death from all the People he came to redeem: to remove that curse of death from a Law that was given to the People of only one race, one nation, one family -- Israel. This is the initial fulfillment of the promises of the blessing to the Israel families and nations of The earth. Did not the Messiah say "I was not sent if not to the lost sheep of the House of Israel"? He came to restore to cast-off Israel the hope and potential to regain that everlasting life once enjoyed by Adam, the first family of The ground. Hence both the Old and the New Covenants confirm that:

[a] The blessing of all "The families of The ground" and of "The nations of The earth" refers only to the seed of Jacob.

[b] The blessing is brought about as a result of obedience.

[c] It is the Messiah who brings the blessing.

[d] Israel will bring the blessing upon themselves by believing what the Messiah said and, consequently as a nation, bringing forth the fruits thereof.

[e] There is no change, no deviation, from YEHOVAH’s plan and purpose, from Genesis to Revelation and from the Old Covenant to the New.

In Revelation 11:15, some of our popular editions of the Bible have, “all the Kingdoms of the world becoming the Kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ”, but the Greek word for “kingdom” in that verse is singular, not plural; it means a kingdom, not a sovereignty as some Bibles translate it. While all nations are sovereignties, including kingdoms, a republic is not and never can be a kingdom.

The Greek word for “world” is “kosmos” which means an order or system; in this context it relates to a system or order of Government based in Law. It does not refer to the World as a created entity. The word “Lord” is “kurio” and it refers to the Messiah because YEHOVAH God is addressed as “tou theou” in verse 16.

In Revelation 7:4 we have the sealing of the 144,000 and in Revelation 7:9 we see, “a great multitude which no one could number, out of every nation and kindred-tribes and peoples and tongues”. But this verse simply confirms the identity of those redeemed by the Messiah in the song of Revelation 5:9. Note very carefully that this multitude does NOT consist of people made up out of every tribe, nation, etc.. Israel was scattered among every tribe, nation and tongue and consequently has to be redeemed and raised out from amongst those tribes, nations and tongues whence they had been scattered.

The identification of Israel is repeated time and time again; in Revelation 7:9 the great crowd refers to a multitude of the same class or kind as the 144,000 who were sealed. That is, an Israelite multitude. The 144,000 and the “crowd” are described together to ensure that there can be no doubt as to their identity. In verse 13, one of the Elders in Heaven specifically asks John if he can identify this crowd of people and where they come from, to which John replies "You know!" And the Elder explains "these are they who have come out of The Tribulation, The Great (One)." Since there can only be one Tribulation which is The Great One, this has to be the Great Tribulation prophesied in Jeremiah 30:5-7 and Daniel 12:1.

The Great Tribulation is thus the time of Jacob’s Trouble: therefore the numberless crowd of verse 9 are identified as being Israelites, otherwise it would not be Jacob’s Trouble that they came out of. In verse 10, the crowd refer to YEHOVAH God as our God and throughout Scripture, YEHOVAH God only claims Israelites as being His children and His people. This is confirmed once again in Revelation 18:20. At that point the 1st Resurrection of the Dead has come and gone, Babylon has been destroyed and that entire numberless crowd is called upon to rejoice over Babylon’s destruction.

Thus right through the Bible, there is just one theme and it concerns Israel. Even here in Revelation there is no evidence of Israel being required by YEHOVAH God or the Messiah to do any "blessing" of any other peoples. In fact all the evidence points the other way. It is the Messiah who brings a blessing to all the Families of Israel without exception. And YEHOVAH says:

[a] "They that will not serve thee (Israel) shall perish."

[b] "I will make a full end of those nations whither I have scattered thee (Israel) but I will not make a full end of thee."

And here in Revelation, there is no mention of any others than Israel.

Therefore if "God so loves that “kosmos” that He sent (gave) His only-begotten son Jesus"; and the Messiah declared that he was not sent if not to the Lost Sheep of the House of Israel, then it should be obvious that “The kosmos” of John 3:16 must be The House, Order, or Kosmos of Israel.

Remember also that Paul said in Romans 5:13 "That while death entered into The order through one man’s sin nevertheless sin was not imputed unless the Law was given." But since the Flood the Law was given only to Israel. Other races commit sinful acts, just as Israel did, but no sin is imputed to them because they were not given the Law. Therefore, the Israel “kosmos” is the only “kosmos” that the Messiah could legally redeem.

Now we can go through the New Testament and see that the presentation about the regathering of Israel is exactly the same as it is in the Old Testament. The sequence of events and the time factors have a great bearing on whether or not the present Israeli state could be the fulfillment of prophecy about the regathering of Israel.

It is well to remind ourselves how the gospel writers tell us the purpose for which the Messiah was commissioned. The gospels make it clear that the Messiah came to save and rule his people Israel. These are whom YEHOVAH God selected as His People before they were saved.

Matthew 1:21: "…Thou shall call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins."

Matthew 2:6: "…That shall rule my people Israel."

The expression, “His people” is specific. Throughout the Old Testament, “His People” describes Israel only. John the Baptist declares that this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah and John the Baptist goes on to the first New Testament mention of a gathering of the Lord’s people. In many verses below, look for the word gather and verify for yourself who is being gathered:

Matthew 3:12: "…he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."

That something is gathered and something is burnt shows that there are differences between people in the eyes of YEHOVAH God. Here the Messiah was addressing the Scribes and Pharisees, many of whom were of Edomite extraction. We find elsewhere that their destiny is being burned. Later the Messiah takes up the theme of the wheat in the parable of the tares and the wheat. If one thing bears repeating, it is the statement that the tares are gathered and burned before the wheat is gathered. The chaff are burned after the harvest. What we are looking at in particular is the time frame, or the order of events, of these two gatherings together. The Messiah gives the time as being in the time of harvest and this is given as being at the end of the age. It is at that time when YEHOVAH God sends forth His angels to remove from His kingdom all things that offend and them, “which do iniquity”. (Note: the resurrection occurs before YEHOVAH God sets foot on the Mount of Olives.) Through the Old Testament, the bad are removed from out of the kingdom. It is never the good who are raptured away leaving the bad behind, as some think. The wicked are ever separated from among the just.

Matthew 13:49: "So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth and sever the wicked from among the just."

It is this principle that our popular teachers deny.

Matthew 23:37: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not."

The people gathered are “your children”. They are still the descendants of the same people to whom the prophets were sent. No other peoples are ever indicated.

When it comes to the word “gather”, Matthew 24:29 refers to happenings that are forecast through the Old Testament. We have the tribulation before the gathering, so the elect have not been raptured away. There is again the sun being darkened and the moon not giving her light. If these things are literal, then these things have not yet happened.

Matthew 24:29-31: "Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of heavens shall be shaken. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other."

The language is similar to that seen in the Old Testament where the prophets say Israel will be gathered out of the other nations where they had been scattered. Once again, we see that the gathering of His elect nation is about the same time that YEHOVAH God descends upon the Mount of Olives, thus confirming what all the prophets say. We can again see the consistency of the message through both Testaments that contradicts the popular teaching that says the Israeli state represents the fulfillment of prophecy. Some of the above things that have to happen before the gathering of Israel simply just have not yet happened. So much for the Israeli state! In Matthew 25, we find the matter of the gathering and the separating of the good and from the bad. In this case it is the sheep and the goats.

Matthew 25:34: "Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."

The phrase, “The foundation of the world” does not mean the Genesis One creation but has to do with the founding of Israel. It is the King who does the separating, so the King must have returned at this time to take up the Kingdom and this separation concerns only the potential occupants of the Kingdom. (The separation of the Tares from the Wheat is before this time.) In this verse we have mention of the inheritance. Through the Old Testament, the inheritance is shown to be an area of land (on this earth) that was promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their descendants.

In the other Gospels, there is an interesting prophecy made by Caiaphas in his capacity as High Priest. It is recorded that he spoke not of himself:

John 11:50-52: "Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not…and not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad."

Again, who are “The children of God”? The traditionalists would like to say that this gathering in one refers to Jews and Gentiles (supposedly meaning Israelites and non-Israelites) being gathered together. But Caiaphas isolated the whole nation and their position as children of YEHOVAH God. In this passage we see that the Messiah would not die for the House of Judah only, but for the children of YEHOVAH God, inclusive of the House of Israel, who were then scattered abroad. This confirms what the prophets say about the gathering together of Israel and Judah.

In the first chapter of the Book of Acts the question about the kingdom being restored to Israel was asked. The Greek word used means, “to make it like it was before, or to heal it”. Therefore it cannot refer to the Church in the popular concept.

Acts 1:6, 7: "When they, [the apostles] were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, will thou at this time restore again the Kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power."

The Messiah did not deny the restoration; He told them it was not for them to know the timing. The key point is that the subject is the restoration of the Kingdom to Israel. NO OTHER PEOPLES ARE INCLUDED. The witness “unto Me” is to be taken to the uttermost part of the earth where Israel had been scattered among the nations. The racial universalists say the uttermost part of the earth means the inclusion of every race upon earth. But the Messiah says, “You shall not have gone over ‘THE CITIES OF ISRAEL’ before the Son of Man be come” -- (Matthew 10:23). They were to go ONLY to the lost sheep of the House of Israel (Matthew 10:6). It can be demonstrated that the instruction to go into “all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” was to go unto all the “kosmos” of Israel and proclaim it in every “creature” = “ktizo” or town, city or place where Israelites dwelt. (The word refers to things built by man, not YEHOVAH God).

The question was asked, “Wilt thou, at this time, restore the Kingdom to Israel”? In this restoration time the apostles were told that they would sit on twelve thrones judging the Twelve Tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:28). No mention is ever made of other peoples. There is no suggestion of a multi-racial church ever taking the place of Israel as a people. This message of the restoration of the Kingdom to Israel is a message that is not proclaimed any more. If there were a multi-racial “church”, it would not be a case of restoration to something that was manifest previously, but something altogether new. This we do not find. Through the New Testament, the gathering time is connected with the Second Advent of the Messiah and the return of YEHOVAH God. It can be studied from this aspect. Going back to Matthew 24 we find:

Matthew 24:31: "And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other."

At this trump of YEHOVAH God, the dead in “christ” (an anointed people) are raised (1 Corinthians 15:52 and 1 Thessalonians 4:16). This refers to the elect as opposed to the final steps in the re-gathering of Israel, but both events occur in the era of the Second Advent. Therefore, it is a bit hard to imagine that this trumpet’s reverberation has already happened -- especially if any want to continue to say that the Israeli state today represents this gathering together of Israel. Matthew says that this is immediately after the tribulation of those days (Matthew 24:29), so it cannot be pre-tribulation.

2 Thessalonians 2:1-17: "Now we beseech you brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him."

The subject people are brethren (kinsmen of the womb). These are the kin of the ones who are gathered together. Again, no others are mentioned. The time is at the end-time appearance of Yeshua the Messiah (“the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ”), as this verse says.

What we find today is a great falling away from this fact about the gathering together of Israel that concerns completion of the land promise made to Abram. This is the context of this chapter in which Paul speaks of the mystery of iniquity (verse 7). The visible source of this iniquity is mainly Rome and the doctrines that originate from that source, but there is also the hidden hand of Masonry and Judaism. In the context of Israel, Paul says,

Hebrews 9:28: "…unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

The present Israeli state was formed through Zionist political determination together with political alliances, military might and violence. Because this is contrary to the weight of prophecy showing repentance, trust in YEHOVAH God alone, and a totally different manner and attitude at the time of the regathering, the Israeli state has no “Divine right” as claimed to the inheritance land. Yet, this is the common assumption of most denominational churches. Those calling themselves Jews have fooled them through their use of the name “Israel”. It is this Israeli state who call themselves Jews. These are abiding in unbelief and in hatred towards the Redeemer of Israel. The Messiah says that these “wicked husbandmen” will be destroyed when he appears to take his Kingdom.

There are those who teach that the Abrahamic Covenant has been fulfilled, declaring: “The promise to Abraham concerning territory was fulfilled when David established his dominion from the Euphrates to the Nile [1 Chronicles 18:3, 2 Samuel 8:3] and confirmed with Solomon [1 Kings 8:65, 2 Chronicles 7:8]."

Then they make statements such as, “the seed of Abraham was fulfilled in Jesus, the true seed of Abraham and the covenant’s objective reality”. Both statements completely ignore what YEHOVAH God said concerning the amount of land Israel would inhabit during that period (Exodus 23:20-33) and the statement to David concerning the fact that Israel was not going to remain in the Promised Land (2 Samuel 7:10). Israel would be removed from the Promised Land so that Land could “enjoy her Sabbaths”. This “appointed” place would be one where there would be no strong nations on her borders that could make them tremble (“move”) any more. They would remain there until the time when YEHOVAH God and the Messiah take the Israelites back to fulfill the Abrahamic Covenant. Let is look further into this.

When YEHOVAH God dispossessed His people from “My Land”, He appointed a place for His people so that “His land” might “enjoy her Sabbaths” -- (Leviticus 26:34; 43). The theory that the USA is Zion has arisen because of the failure to separate:

[a] The placement of Israel outside of Palestine for a punishment period, and

[b] The re-gathering of Israel after this.

Saying these things, and what follows, does conflict with those who subscribe to the “USA-Zion” theory, but those who do so subscribe must consider well how the land area promised to Abraham could possibly be other than that Abraham could see as he walked through it. The land is so well defined!

Before we continue, it would be well to establish that there is this same difference as below:

Quoting Revelation 12:14, “And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent”. This sums up an area of prophecy which shows that Israel was cast out to, “where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days”. The point is, the time in the “wilderness” is for a fixed limited and stated time. Something else happens after that. The diaspora (or scattering of Israel among other nations) comes to an end when Israel is delivered or “gathered” from among the other nations. The diaspora is not confined to Judah, as some want to claim to support a view that “Zion” now equates with the USA. This gathering principle starts to be expressed early in the piece, such as in:

1 Chronicles 16:35: “And say ye, Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather us together, and deliver us from the heathen, that we may give thanks to thy holy name, and glory in thy praise. Blessed be the LORD God of Israel for ever and ever. And all the people said, Amen”.

Can we all not agree and say, “Amen” to this? This is not the only passage expressing this with an “Amen” at the end!

The time of the gathering is when, “Behold the LORD God will come”, e.g.:

Isaiah 40:9: “O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God! Behold, the LORD GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young”.

Can we not see that the timing of the two events is different? Can we not see that different time periods are involved, with one temporary and one ongoing?

Isaiah 5:7: “For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer”.

Or as Jeremiah puts it:

Jeremiah 35:1-12: “At the same time, saith the LORD, will I be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people. Thus saith the LORD, The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest. The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee. Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel: thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry. Thou shalt yet plant vines upon the mountains of Samaria: the planters shall plant, and shall eat them as common things. For there shall be a day, that the watchmen upon the mount Ephraim shall cry, Arise ye, and let us go up to Zion unto the LORD our God. For thus saith the LORD; Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the nations: publish ye, praise ye, and say, O LORD, save thy people, the remnant of Israel.

"Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the coasts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together: a great company shall return thither. They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.

"Hear the word of the LORD, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock. For the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he”.

How else can we read, “Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the coasts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together: a great company shall return thither”, and “He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock”.

Jeremiah 32:37: “Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place”.

To what place? So we can see here both the diaspora and the “gathering” in this verse. So we have a definition of “thither” in “a great company shall return thither”.

All this has nothing to do with, Roman Catholic, “Judeo-Christian” or Jewish doctrine as both of these give wrong identification of who is concerned, even if they may have the “this place” right. These two passages say the diaspora is not for all time, and the verse above, and a host of others, declares Israel is to be “gathered”. There are too many verses like Ezekiel 11:17, “Therefore say, Thus saith the LORD GOD; I will even gather you from the people, and assemble you out of the countries where ye have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel”, that confirm this.

Those who say the covenant has been fulfilled also ignore what is said by the post-Solomon prophets, together with what is said in the New Testament, about the re-gathering to the land that was given to the fathers of Israel. Neither David nor Solomon possessed the land “forever” as provided for in the original covenant statement. The House of Israel and the House of Judah will re-unite and return to the Promised Land under the Messiah as King, when he appears to take up his Kingdom.

The second statement generally ignores the fact that Jeremiah observes that the disobedience of the people (verse 23) was the fulfillment of Deuteronomy 4:25-27, Deuteronomy 28:64 and others. If their statement was true, then the present separate identities of Israel and Judah could not also be true. This argument about the seed of Abraham has raged for centuries, but the conclusion above is the straightforward answer to what has been made into a complex matter. The parable of the vineyard clears this up.

The King will return and he possess his Kingdom with its territory (the Covenant Land) and the Messiah will fulfill the “forever” of the Abrahamic Covenant. Those elect “overcomers” -- the Sons of YEHOVAH God, resurrected at YEHOVAH God's return -- will reign with him on Earth.

Revelation 11:15: "…The Kingdoms [singular in the original] of this world [kosmos: order] are become the kingdoms of our LORD [YEHOVAH God], and of His Christ [the Messiah], and He [YEHOVAH God] shall reign for ever and ever."

Then the covenant made with Abram will be fulfilled in the Kingdom of Heaven (on earth).

The land that is YEHOVAH’s is a fixed place, and is not described as that land in the possession of His holy people when outside of the Promised Land. YEHOVAH God cares for wherever Israelites dispersed to in care for His people, and He responds to their repentance both individually and nationally.

We read about of setting land boundaries (“bounds”) for His people where His people should live “alone”, or be separate from other races:

Deuteronomy 32:8-9: "When the most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel. For the LORD’S portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance."

Numbers 23:9-10: "The people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations."

The word “lot” has to do with land, and it appears that this relates to the land promised to Jacob. To “dwell alone” indicates an area or areas with boundaries around them, with only the one race within these boundaries. No other people than “Jacob” are ever spoken of as being “the lot of His inheritance”.

The first part of 2 Chronicles 7:14 is very well known: “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attend unto the prayer that is made in this place. For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be there for ever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually”.

Note the significant words, “My Land”! But how often do we hear the latter part “That My name may be there for ever” quoted? Ask yourself -- where is this?

We see YEHOVAH God setting land boundaries in several places, e.g.,

Genesis 10:32: "These are the families of the sons of Noah, after their generations, in their nations: and by these were the nations divided in the earth after the flood."

Acts 17:26: "And hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;"

Genesis 17:7-8: "And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God."

The exact area of this land promised to the lineal seed of Abraham is clearly defined in Scripture. YEHOVAH God bound Himself with an oath about this. Within this area He defined land as an inheritance for each tribe of Israel. The land was to be held in trust for descendants of each tribe and was not to be sold to foreigners, or outside of each family. The Tribes sinned in not doing this.

Although the Israelites were dispersed for disobedience, the prophets declare that those of His people who are in a non-mixed state will eventually be re-gathered to this piece of defined land that they will occupy during the millennial reign of YEHOVAH God and His Messiah. Ezekiel defined the millennial borders in Ezekiel 47:21 and this includes much of present-day Syria, Jordan and Lebanon.

We have seen that there is a land about which YEHOVAH God says He cares for -- (see also Isaiah 5:1 on about this vineyard). It is described as “His vineyard” to which He will come again.

Mark 12:1-9: "And he began to speak unto them by parables. A certain man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about it, and digged a place for the wine fat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country. And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard. And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty. And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully handled. And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing some. Having yet therefore one son, his well-beloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son. But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours. And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard. What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others."

Luke 19:26 says, “A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return”.

Ask yourself, “would this be about returning to the same place or to a different place”?

Matthew 21:39: “And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?”

So the whereabouts of the “vineyard” is given. Most churches do not accept that the Messiah will destroy those occupying the “vineyard” at his return. They think that the present State of Israel is part of the prophesied re-gathering of Israel. That land where the “vineyard” is will be flattened and “judged by fire” when the Husbandman returns. It will not be Jerusalem in that city’s old form.

The vineyard planted by YEHOVAH God is the Promised Land. Emperor Hadrian rebuilt the present city of Jerusalem in the third century after every stone had been thrown down -- (Matthew 24:2: "There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down"). (Tourist beware -- you will not have been told this! You will not be walking “where Jesus walked”!).

If the husbandman is going to return to the same place, this is the site of the New Jerusalem which John saw descending from above. Some claim that this is the center of the landmass of the earth, as if this has some bearing. The Messiah confined his ministry to the area of the Promised Land, saying in Matthew 15:24, "I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel." This confirms, “He came unto His own” -- (“own” with both meanings). It is those of his own people who are “lost” = “set aside for punishment” whom he came to redeem. It includes no other race at all. No other race can become “lost” = apollumi. The Messiah sought only “lost sheep” or Israelites.

On this the Bible is clear; the Messiah was born in that part of the globe that belonged to him.

John 1:11, 12: "He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he the power to become the sons of God,…"

Hosea 1:10-11: “In the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God. Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together."

This is in the same place!! Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head.

The place where Hosea spoke this was in the Promised Land. Israel will “come up out of the land” where they were with both Houses having “one head” and return to the Promised Land. See below who this “one head” is:

So how could the place Israel was driven to be their final destination if they are to be gathered from there to go back to their “own land”?

In the introduction to this article it was said, “This article is written specifically to examine the prevailing view held by British-Israelites, most 'Identity' believers and virtually every denomination which believes that the phrases, 'All the nations of the earth' and 'all the families of the earth' means every person of every race”. A much stronger opposing view has been presented.