Summary and Conclusion (5 January, 2015, 14 Tevet, 5775)
A Refutation of the article:
The Not Lost Tribes of Israel
Who and Where Are the Northern Ten Tribes of Israel Today?
by Ernest L. Martin, Ph.D.
http://www.soundchristian.com/tribes/
Re Parts 1 & 2. Truly Earnest
http://hebrewnations.com/articles/polemics/martin.html
Martin largely avoids all Biblical sources identifying the Lost ten tribes apart from a blanket declaration that all the blessings were fulfilled in Biblical times.
We for instance, have thousands of proofs, including many taken directly from Scripture.
See:
BIBLICAL EVIDENCE
http://www.britam.org/Proof/ProofsIntro.html
List of 122 (was 110) Brit-Am Biblical Proofs
http://www.britam.org/ListofProofs.html
Martin doers not relate DIRECTLY to any of these points.
Martin implies that the Ten Tribes returned, were not exiled, yet somehow remained separate and became the Ashkenazic Jews.
He brings no evidence for any of this but rather seeks to sweep the reader up in the momentum of his fantasies.
Martin assumed that when Ezekiel mentioned the House of Israel he meant the Ten Tribes whereas Ezekiel was referring to the Jews amongst whom he dwelt. Martin was confused on this issue as well as on others.
Re Part 3. Earnestly Yours
http://hebrewnations.com/articles/polemics/earnestly.html
Martin quotes from Amos 9:8-9. Assuming this refers to the Ten Tribes (as Martin does) then it would suggest that the Ten Tribes (like Judah) would be scattered, yet faithful to the Jewish religion and apart from others. We however apply this prophecy to Judah.
Amos 9:
8 The eyes of the LORD God are upon the sinful kingdom [of Northern Israel i.e. the Ten Tribes],
and I will destroy it from the face of the earth
except that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob [i.e. Judah],
says the LORD.
9 For lo, I will command,
and shake the House of Israel [Judah] among all the nations
as one shakes with a sieve,
but no pebble shall fall to the ground.
The argument of Martin in this case was mistaken but it did have a point.
It was the only argument Martin had that caused us a temporary difficulty.
At all events the verse apply to Judah. Even if theoretically the prophecy did apply tot he ten tribes it still would not contradict our Israelite identifications, as we explained.
It is worth repeating that the Sages also understood Scripture in this case as we do.
~Rabbi Berachiah and Rabbi Chelbo in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman said: To three places was Israel exiled, one to beyond the Sambation River, one to Daphneh of Antiochia, and one to where the Clouds came down and covered them; in the same way that they [i.e. the northern Israelites west of the Jordan River] were exiled to three places, so too were the Tribes [east of the Jordan River] of Reuben, Gad, and half Menasseh, exiled to three places. (Numbers Rabah 1;6, Eichah Rabah 2;9, Jerusalemi Sanhedrin ch.17, L.6,29).
#The Ten Tribes were not exiled to the same place as Judah. Judah was scattered all over the world. The Ten Tribes were exiled to Afriki. # Talmud Sanhedrin 110,
Rashi: "The Ten Tribes were exiled to one place".
De Gobineau ("Histoire des Perses" 1869) reports that "Afriki" was the name of a center of the Medes apparently close to the Caucasus.
Re Part Four. More Earnest. No Ephod?
http://hebrewnations.com/articles/polemics/more.html
Martin interpreted Hosea 3:4,5 and other verses as saying that the Ten Tribes had once worshipped idols and acted perversely but they had since repented, returned, and become religious Jews in the Diaspora. We found his interpretations unconvincing and easily confounded. Here too, our own understanding corresponded with the simple literal meaning of Scripture and with that of the Sages.
Martin has a descriptive, entertaining, informative style that employs adeptly as a cloak for convoluted illogical argumentation.
Re Part Five. Really Earnest. The Lost Ten Tribes Shall Return as Admitted!
http://hebrewnations.com/articles/polemics/really.html
Martin returns to quote the verse from Amos:
"I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not ONE GRAIN fall upon the earth" (Amos 9:9 Hebrew).
Martin now says that the verse applies to the Ten Tribes and it means that none of them would be lost but they would remain as they are and be recognizable as Jews.
This is not the simple meaning of the verse quoted and it goes against other verses.
e.g.
[Isaiah 49:21]
"THEN SHALT THOU SAY IN THINE HEART, WHO HATH BEGOTTEN ME THESE, SEEING I HAVE LOST MY CHILDREN, AND AM DESOLATE, A CAPTIVE, AND REMOVING TO AND FRO? AND WHO HATH BROUGHT UP THESE? BEHOLD, I WAS LEFT ALONE; THESE, WHERE HAD THEY BEEN?"
In other words, the Jews will ask where were all those now identified as Israel when the Jews needed help and were alone?
According to the Midrash (Pesikta Rabati 32;10) this reaction of the Jews will take place WHEN THEY SEE THE THREE EXILES OF THE LOST TEN TRIBES RETURNING!
See:
Unknown to Judah
http://www.britam.org/Proof/Attributes/roleUnknown.html
We showed how the verses quoted by Martin in favor of his argument actually told against it.
Re Part Six.
Earnest Says. Biblical Truth is on the Side of Brit-Am!
http://hebrewnations.com/articles/polemics/says.html
Martin says that the Ashkenazic Jews are the Ten Tribes. The Sephardic Jews are Judah. The Ashkenazic Jews, he says will become Christians.
A civil war shall be fought between the Christian Jews (i.e. the Ashkenazic Ten Tribes) and the Religious Sephardic Jews of Judah.
The Christians will win and then all the Jews, says Martin, will be better off.
He quotes "I will break the brotherhood between Israel and Judah" (Zechariah 11:14), and a few other controversial verses but does not prove anything.
That just about sums it up.
Martin went after the imagination of his own heart, drew a target and then attempted to graft a few verses into it.
Even then however nothing happened. The verses did not fit the interpretations he gave them.
This is without mentioned the vast space of imaginative bemusings into which he did not even try to fit any proofs whatsoever.
See (for the proofs and links to them):
List of 110 Biblical Proofs
http://www.britam.org/Proof/ProofsIntro.html
http://www.britam.org/ListofProofs2.html
A. GEOGRAPHY
1. Ends of the Earth: Isaiah 24:16, 26:15, 41:8-9 43:6 49:6
2. Isles Isaiah 24:15 49:6 60:9 Jeremiah 31: 9-10
3. Thighs, Peninsulas, and Coasts: Jeremiah 31:8
4. Tarshish (Atlantic Ocean Area) Isaiah 60:9
5. Western Location: Isaiah 24:14, Hosea 1:10
6. Located to the Northwest of the Land of Israel: Isaiah 49:12
7. In the "North" Land: Jeremiah 3:18 31: 6-10
8. Australia ("Land of Sinim") Isaiah 49:12
See also Brit-Am Computer Codes on Australia and New Zealand
9. Best Places (Atziliyah) Isaiah 41: 9
10. Fires in the Isles referring to Celtic Britain Isaiah 24:15
11: Zarephath, meaning France and Britain, Obadiah 1:20
12. Dolmens showing Pathway of Migration Jeremiah 31:21
13. Many Waters (Several Oceans) Numbers 24:7
B. RECOGNIZABLE SYMBOLS
14. Bald-Headed Eagle (symbol of USA) Micah 1:16
15. Lion and Unicorn (Symbol of Britain) Numbers 24:7-9
C. HISTORICAL BEHAVIOR
16. Cyrus: Messiah son of Joseph Isaiah 44:28
17. Rule Over OTHER Peoples:
Genesis 27:29 48:19 "A MULTITUDE OF NATIONS" (Hebrew: "Malo HaGoyim" i.e. Complete the Peoples, Onkelos: = Rule over the nations), Psalms 47:3
18. Being Recognizable as a "Brit-Am" Isaiah 42:6 49:8 Covenant of the People
19. Seafarers Isaiah 42:10
20. Be the Dominant World Power Numbers 24:7-9 Micah 5:7-9
21. Military Might: Deuteronomy 33:27 33:29 Jer. 51:20-21
22. The Battle-Axe of the Almighty or "Police-Man of the Globe"
Jeremiah 51:20 Zechariah 10:7
23. Defeat Edom (Germany and Europe) Ez. 25:14 Obad. 1:18
24. Light for the Gentiles Genesis 12:2-3, 18:18-19, 22:18 Isaiah 42:1 42:6 Amos 5:14-15
25: Alcoholic Drunkards Isaiah 28:1, 3
D. SITUATION
26. Separate from Judah: Isaiah 11:12-13 49:21
27. Not known to Judah: Isaiah 49:13-14, 21. Hosea 1:7
28. Christianity: Note: Christianity is ABSOLUTELY FORBIDDEN TO JEWS!!
It may however have a role to play concerning the Ten Tribes, see Hosea 2:8, 2:13, 2:16 11:12 Jeremiah 31:6.
29. Gomer: Linkage with European nations; Hosea chapter one
E. BLESSINGS
30. Numerous: Genesis 15:5, 22:17, 24:60, 32:12, Numbers 23:10, Isaiah 10:22, 24:16, 26:15 Hos.1:10
31. Agricultural Plenty: Gen 27:28 49:25 Deut 33:13-16 Hoshea 2:8
32. Mineral Resources Genesis 49:25 Deuteronomy 33:13, 15
33. GATE(s) OF YOUR ENEMIES (International Strategic Points) Genesis 22:17 24:60
34, 35, 36. Cush (India), Egypt, Chains in Slaves from Africa to be taken overseas to homeland Isa. 44:28 also Isa 43:3 45:14
37. Ruled by Sons of David Jeremiah 33:22, 26
38. Headed by Kings Genesis 17:6, 16, 35:11
G. ANCESTRAL NAMES IN GENERAL
39. The name Hebrew (The Western "Celts" called themselves "Iberi" meaning "Hebrews"!): Genesis 14:13 39:17 40:15 1:12 43:32 Jonah 1:9
40. Isaac: (Genesis 21:12 48:16). Scythians, Zohak, Ishkuza, Sacasson, Saxon.
41. Jacob: Isaiah 49:6 Tribes of Jacob: Union Jack, Yankee,
42. Israel: "Isru" traditional ancestor of the Irish and Scottish
43. John Bull (nickname for Britain): Deut 33:17 Jeremiah 31:18 "Aegel" (Angle) was a nickname for Ephraim
44-114. Seventy Tribal and Clan Names many of which are still in use.
Each Name deserves to be registered as proof in its own right since it usually occurs several times over in conjunction with other clan names of the Tribe and in similar Line of Camp Marching Alignment as described and illustrated in our work The Tribes.
H. NATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS
115. Nobility Principle associated with Ephraim (UK) Jer. 31:20
116. Representative Democracy associated with Manasseh (USA) Genesis 41:51
117. The name "America" from Machir firstborn of Manasseh. USA the major Capitalist nation and "Machir" denotes Principle of Sale.
118. Zebulon on the shores of the Sea (Gen 49:13) Sabulingoi (People of Zebulon) in Holland who do literally dwell on the sea-shores.
119.Proof from Biblical Brit-Am Computer Codes
120.Ephraimite Criteria
121. Object of Islamic Terror
122. Numerous Other Proofs in Scripture and Related Sources.