The Question of Exile. Why was it? Punishment or Ultimate Reward, or Both?
Contents:
A. The Three Reasons not all the Canaanites were expelled.
1, To test Israel.
2. To teach them warfare.
3 In order that the land remain settled and cultivated.
B. The Bottom Line. When you can: Expel Them!
D. Do civilize and uplift humanity.
E. Elements from the Kingdom of Judah also were exiled.
F. The Tasks of Ephtaim and Judah.
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A. The Three Reasons not all the Canaanites were expelled.
We find three reasons are given as to why some of the Canaanites were
allowed by the Almighty to remain in the Land and it would appear that each
one is correct in its own way:
1, To test Israel - as to whether they would remain faithful to the God of
Israel (Judges 2:22).
Judges (TCTanakh) 2:
20 AND THE ANGER OF THE LORD WAS KINDLED AGAINST ISRAEL AND HE SAID, "BECAUSE THIS NATION HAS TRANSGRESSED MY COVENANT WHICH I COMMANDED THEIR FOREFATHERS AND HAVE NOT OBEYED ME,
21 I TOO WILL NOT CONTINUE TO DRIVE OUT ANY MAN FROM BEFORE THEM, OF THE NATIONS THAT JOSHUA LEFT AND HE DIED.
22 IN ORDER TO TEST ISRAEL THROUGH THEM, WHETHER THEY WOULD KEEP THE WAY OF THE LORD TO WALK THEREIN AS THEIR FOREFATHERS DID KEEP IT, OR NOT."
23 AND THE LORD LEFT THESE NATIONS WITHOUT DRIVING THEM OUT HASTILY, AND HE DID NOT GIVE THEM INTO THE HAND OF JOSHUA.
2. To teach them warfare - so that later they might defeat greater enemies and conquer other peoples and civilize them (Judges 3:2).
Judges (TCTanakh) 3:
1 NOW THESE ARE THE NATIONS WHICH THE LORD LEFT THROUGH WHOM TO TEST ISRAEL, ALL THOSE THAT HAD NOT KNOWN ALL THE WARS OF CANAAN.
2 ONLY THAT THE GENERATIONS OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL SHOULD KNOW, TO TEACH THEM WAR, JUST THE EARLIER ONES DID NOT KNOW THEREOF.
3 THE FIVE LORDS OF THE PHILISTINES, AND ALL THE CANAANITES, AND THE ZIDONIANS, AND THE HIVITES THAT DWELT IN MOUNT LEBANON, FROM MOUNT BAAL-HERMON TO THE PASSAGEWAY OF HAMATH.
3 In order that the land remain settled and cultivated until the Israelites would increase and multiply and be ready to take everything over
from the previous inhabitants (Exodus 23:30, Deuteronomy 7:22 ).
Exodus (TCTanakh) 23
28 AND I WILL SEND THE TZIR'AH (wasp or type of sickness) BEFORE YOU, AND IT WILL DRIVE OUT THE HIVVITES, THE CANAANITES, AND THE HITTITES FROM BEFORE YOU.
29 I WILL NOT DRIVE THEM AWAY FROM BEFORE YOU IN ONE YEAR, LEST THE LAND BECOME DESOLATE AND THE BEASTS OF THE FIELD OUTNUMBER YOU.
30 I WILL DRIVE THEM OUT FROM BEFORE YOU LITTLE BY LITTLE, UNTIL YOU HAVE INCREASED AND CAN OCCUPY THE LAND.
31AND I WILL MAKE YOUR BOUNDARY FROM THE RED SEA TO THE SEA OF THE PHILISTINES, AND FROM THE DESERT TO THE RIVER, FOR I WILL DELIVER THE INHABITANTS OF THE LAND INTO YOUR HANDS, AND YOU SHALL DRIVE THEM OUT FROM BEFORE YOU.
32 YOU SHALL NOT FORM A COVENANT FOR THEM OR FOR THEIR GODS.
33 THEY SHALL NOT DWELL IN YOUR LAND, LEST THEY CAUSE YOU TO SIN AGAINST ME, THAT YOU WILL WORSHIP THEIR GODS, WHICH WILL BE A SNARE FOR YOU.
Deuteronomy (TCTanakh) 7:
22 AND THE LORD, YOUR GOD, WILL DRIVE OUT THOSE NATIONS FROM BEFORE YOU, LITTLE BY LITTLE. YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DESTROY THEM QUICKLY, LEST THE BEASTS OF THE FIELD OUTNUMBER YOU.
23 BUT THE LORD, YOUR GOD, WILL DELIVER THEM TO YOU, AND HE WILL CONFOUND THEM WITH GREAT CONFUSION, UNTIL THEY ARE DESTROYED.
24 AND HE WILL DELIVER THEIR KINGS INTO YOUR HAND, AND YOU WILL DESTROY THEIR NAME FROM BENEATH THE HEAVENS; NO MAN WILL BE ABLE TO STAND UP BEFORE YOU, UNTIL YOU HAVE DESTROYED THEM.
25 THE GRAVEN IMAGES OF THEIR GODS YOU WILL BURN WITH FIRE; YOU SHALL NOT COVET THE SILVER OR GOLD THAT IS UPON THEM AND TAKE IT FOR YOURSELF, LEST YOU BE ENSNARED BY IT, FOR IT IS AN ABOMINATION TO THE LORD, YOUR GOD.
26 NOR SHOULD YOU BRING AN ABOMINATION INTO YOUR HOUSE, LEST YOU ARE TO BE DESTROYED LIKE IT, BUT YOU SHALL UTTERLY DETEST IT, AND YOU SHALL UTTERLY ABHOR IT; FOR IT IS TO BE DESTROYED.
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B. The Bottom Line. When you can: Expel Them!
Numbers 33:
55 BUT IF YOU DO NOT DRIVE OUT THE INHABITANTS OF THE LAND FROM BEFORE YOU, THEN THOSE WHOM YOU LEAVE OVER WILL BE AS SPIKES IN YOUR EYES AND THORNS IN YOUR SIDES, AND THEY WILL HARASS YOU IN THE LAND IN WHICH YOU SETTLE.
56 AND IT WILL BE THAT WHAT I HAD INTENDED TO DO TO THEM, I WILL DO TO YOU.
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C. The Ten Tribes were Punished by Exile!
The Israelites did not drive out the Canaanites when they could have done. They left them in the Land and learned their wicked ways.
That is why the Ten Tribes were conquered and exiled by Assyria.
2-Kings (TCTanakh) 17:
6 IN THE NINTH YEAR OF HOSHEA, THE KING OF ASSYRIA TOOK SAMARIA AND EXILED THE ISRAELITES TO ASSYRIA, AND HE REPATRIATED THEM IN HALAH, AND IN HABOR, THE GOZAN RIVER, AND THE CITIES OF MEDIA.
7 AND IT WAS, WHEN THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL SINNED TO THE LORD THEIR GOD, WHO BROUGHT THEM UP FROM THE LAND OF EGYPT, FROM UNDER THE HAND OF PHARAOH THE KING OF EGYPT, AND THEY FEARED OTHER GODS.
8 AND THEY FOLLOWED THE STATUTES OF THE NATIONS WHOM THE LORD HAD DRIVEN OUT FROM BEFORE THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, AND [OF] THE KINGS OF ISRAEL THAT THEY PRACTICED.
9 AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL FABRICATED THINGS WHICH WERE NOT SO ABOUT THE LORD THEIR GOD, AND THEY BUILT THEMSELVES HIGH PLACES IN ALL THEIR CITIES, FROM WATCHTOWER TO FORTIFIED CITY.
10 AND THEY ERECTED FOR THEMSELVES MONUMENTS AND ASHERIM ON EVERY HIGH HILL AND UNDER EVERY GREEN TREE.
11 AND THEY BURNED INCENSE THERE ON ALL THE HIGH PLACES, LIKE THE NATIONS THAT THE LORD HAD EXILED FROM BEFORE THEM, AND THEY DID EVIL THINGS TO ANGER THE LORD.
12 AND THEY WORSHIPPED THE IDOLS, WHICH THE LORD HAD SAID TO THEM, "YOU SHALL NOT DO THIS THING."
13 AND THE LORD WARNED ISRAEL AND JUDAH THROUGH ALL PROPHETS OF ALL VISIONS, SAYING, "REPENT OF YOUR EVIL WAYS, AND KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS, MY STATUTES, ACCORDING TO THE ENTIRE LAW THAT I COMMANDED YOUR FOREFATHERS, AND THAT I SENT TO YOU THROUGH MY SERVANTS, THE PROPHETS."
14 BUT THEY DID NOT HEED, AND THEY HARDENED THEIR NAPE LIKE THE NAPE OF THEIR FOREFATHERS WHO DID NOT BELIEVE IN THE LORD THEIR GOD.
15 AND THEY DESPISED HIS STATUTES AND HIS COVENANT THAT HE HAD ENACTED WITH THEIR FOREFATHERS AND HIS WARNINGS THAT HE HAD WARNED THEM, AND THEY FOLLOWED WORTHLESS THINGS AND BECAME WORTHLESS, AND AFTER THE NATIONS THAT WERE AROUND THEM, CONCERNING WHOM THE LORD HAD COMMANDED THEM NOT TO DO LIKE THEM.
16 AND THEY FORSOOK ALL THE COMMANDMENTS OF THE LORD THEIR GOD, AND MADE FOR THEMSELVES TWO MOLTEN CALVES, AND THEY MADE AN ASHERAH, AND THEY PROSTRATED THEMSELVES BEFORE THE ENTIRE HOST OF THE HEAVENS, AND THEY WORSHIPPED THE BAAL.
17 AND THEY PASSED THEIR SONS AND DAUGHTERS THROUGH FIRE, AND THEY PRACTICED ENCHANTMENT AND DIVINATION, AND THEY COMMITTED THEMSELVES TO DO WHAT WAS EVIL IN THE EYES OF THE LORD, TO ANGER HIM.
18 AND THE LORD BECAME VERY MUCH INCENSED AGAINST ISRAEL, AND HE SENT THEM AWAY FROM BEFORE HIM; NONE WAS LEFT BUT THE TRIBE OF JUDAH ALONE.
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D. Do civilize and uplift humanity.
Note the Exile was a punishment BUT there was also a hidden meaning behind it.
It was also used as a tool of Divine providence to civilize and uplift humanity.
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E. Elements from the Kingdom of Judah also were exiled.
19 NEITHER DID JUDAH OBSERVE THE COMMANDMENTS OF THE LORD THEIR GOD, AND THEY FOLLOWED THE PRACTICES OF ISRAEL THAT THEY DID.
20 AND THE LORD DESPISED ALL THE SEED OF ISRAEL, AND HE AFFLICTED THEM, AND DELIVERED THEM INTO THE HANDS OF PLUNDERERS UNTIL HE CAST THEM AWAY FROM BEFORE HIM.
21 FOR ISRAEL HAD TORN AWAY FROM THE HOUSE OF DAVID AND HAD APPOINTED JEROBOAM THE SON OF NEBAT AS KING, AND JEROBOAM LED ISRAEL ASTRAY FROM FOLLOWING THE LORD AND CAUSED THEM TO COMMIT A GRAVE SIN.
22 AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL FOLLOWED ALL THE SINS OF JEROBOAM THAT HE COMMITTED; THEY DID NOT TURN AWAY FROM IT.
23 UNTIL THE LORD REMOVED ISRAEL FROM HIS PRESENCE, AS HE HAD SPOKEN THROUGH ALL HIS SERVANTS, THE PROPHETS, AND ISRAEL WENT IN EXILE FROM THEIR LAND TO ASSYRIA UNTIL THIS DAY.
2-Kings (TCTanakh) 18:
11 AND THE KING OF ASSYRIA EXILED ISRAEL TO ASSYRIA, AND HE SETTLED THEM IN HALAH AND IN HABOR, THE GOZAN RIVER, AND THE CITIES OF MEDIA.
12 BECAUSE THEY DID NOT OBEY THE LORD THEIR GOD AND TRANSGRESSED HIS COVENANT, ALL THAT HE HAD COMMANDED MOSES THE SERVANT OF THE LORD, AND THEY DID NOT OBEY NOR DID THEY DO [HIS WILL].
13 AND IN THE FOURTEENTH YEAR OF KING HEZEKIAH, SENNACHERIB THE KING OF ASSYRIA CAME UP AGAINST ALL THE FORTIFIED CITIES OF JUDAH AND SEIZED THEM.
Captives from the 'fortified cities' of Judah according to Midrashim were also taken into exile by the Assyrians. In effect they joined the Ten Tribes in Exile and comprise an element of Ancient Judah among them.
They apparently included descendants of Jethro (the Kenites) in Ireland, and the Children of Moses in Britain, Wales, and France.
It may be that present-day Jews are descended mainly from those in habitants of Judah, Benjamin, and Levi, and the other tribes who were under siege in Jerusalem and not captured by Assyria.SThey Must Go!"
See Also:
"They Must Go!"
Proposed Movement of Arab Populations.
https://www.britam.org/Expulsion.html
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F. The Tasks of Ephtaim and Judah.
Extracts from:
JEREMIAH 51:
20 HE SAYS, YOU ARE MY WAR-CLUB, MY WEAPON OF WAR; AND WITH YOU I SHATTER NATIONS, AND WITH YOU I DESTROY KINGDOMS.
MICAH 5:
8 THE REMNANT OF JACOB WILL BE AMONG THE NATIONS, AMONG MANY PEOPLES LIKE A LION AMONG THE BEASTS OF THE FOREST, LIKE A YOUNG LION AMONG FLOCKS OF SHEEP, WHICH, IF HE PASSES THROUGH, TRAMPLES DOWN AND TEARS, AND THERE IS NONE TO RESCUE.
RABBI VALLE SAYS THAT EPHRAIM INFLUENCES THE REST OF ISRAEL AND ALL OF MANKIND!
HOSEA 13:
1 WHEN EPHRAIM SPOKE, TREMBLING,
HE WAS EXALTED IN ISRAEL.
BUT HE INCURRED GUILT THROUGH BAAL WORSHIP AND HE DIED.
Ephraim will be a power in the world. Rabbi Valley says that all mankind is influenced through Ephraim. When Ephraim transgresses in his deeds and opinions he engenders division and contention to themselves and to all of Israel. This is what is meant by the expression "trembling" (Hosea 13:1). In Hebrew the word is "retet." It connotes "reverbation." When Ephraim speaks or acts it has a resonating effect on the rest of Israel and on the world in general.
Judah was also Punished for Not Reforming the Ten Tribes!
Rabbi Valley understands Hosea to say that Judah was also to be Punished because of Ephraim! Judah did not attempt to turn Ephraim back to the right track. Consequently, says Rabbi Valley, they themselves were influenced by the Ten Tribes and were to be punished in a similar way as to they had been.
HOSEA 12:
2 THE LORD HAS A DISPUTE WITH JUDAH,
AND WILL PUNISH JACOB ACCORDING TO HIS WAYS,
AND REPAY HIM ACCORDING TO HIS DOINGS.
HOSEA (NKJV) 14:
8 EPHRAIM SHALL SAY, 'WHAT HAVE I TO DO ANYMORE WITH IDOLS?'
I HAVE HEARD AND OBSERVED HIM.
I AM LIKE A GREEN CYPRESS TREE;
YOUR FRUIT IS FOUND IN ME.
Valle:
# It is a known matter that Israel did not descend into the Realms of Pollution other than for the Need to Clarify his Destiny. He needed to fulfill the will of God and reform the world through redirecting its forces. When this is done they shall return to their Source. There will be no need to remain in that situation any more. This is the meaning of, 'Ephraim shall say, 'What have I to do anymore with idols?'" (Hosea 14:8). #
The Task of Ephraim, of the Lost Ten Tribes was to civilize humanity and at the End of Time welcome the Messiah son of David.
The Messsiah has not yet come. In the meantime we can all lead good lives, pray to the Almighty, and help Brit-Am/Hebrew Awareness spread this message.