God Lifted the Blindness
I suppose all of us sometimes reflect as to why God chose to lift the blindness from our eyes and revealed our identity as Israelites. It sure made the difference in our faith because every line in the Bible then made sense. We can certainly understand the beauty of John 9:1-7, the blind man having his sight restored. Or, Jesus advice to us in Revelation 3:18, “….. and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.”
You know, I spent many years in Bible studies, seminars and conferences trying to understand scripture but in the mid-1980’s I just fell away, I wasn’t able to believe. Then, a few years later, somebody loaned me a book that had two lines about our identity. I had to give the book back before I completely read it and couldn’t locate it in any bookstore. I dropped in to see an acquaintance and he had a copy but it was like finding a needle in a haystack, there were thousands of books in his bookshelves and still unpacked boxes. I recall saying that I couldn’t locate a copy in Vancouver and a man sitting at a table said, “You can get a copy at my bookstore”. It was Tom Mitchell, the manager of the Vancouver British-Israel Bookstore. Now this must have been God at work because Tom was later to say he was never in that office before but just dropped in to rest after a long walk. Anyway, the next day I was at his bookstore and bought the book and he gave me a tape “Who Are We.” Two minutes after I played that tape, everything I had ever studied made perfect sense. It made an instant believer out of me. That was in 1991 and I have been studying ever since.
From time to time, I ask others how they first came to the Israel Truth, or as some refer to it, British Israel. It’s interesting how God employed different ways to have them open their eyes but all of them told me that after the blindness was lifted, their faith in both the Israel Truth and the Gospel of the Kingdom has been strengthened by their keen desire to study the word of God, as the Apostle Paul counselled, “Study to show yourself approved.”
The old and esteemed National Message magazine from time to time carried small reader inserts on “Why I Believe in British-Israel”.
Rev. J.V. Hammond wrote, “I believe in British-Israel because it illuminates the whole Bible, elucidates the true office of the Church, explains history—sacred and secular—with its unique message today to the nation, opens out a vista of Divine eternal purpose for the salvation of mankind, confirms Christian faith, stimulates Christian endeavour, enlarges Christian vision, consummates Christian hope.
A.T. Pierson D.D. was very poetic in his testament, “With clouds He covereth the light.” No human life is without some experience of clouded skies and stormy days, and sometimes “the clouds return after the rain.” It is a blessed experience to recognize the silver lining [British-Israel] on the darkest storm cloud, and, better still, to be sure of the shining of God’s light behind a sky that seems wholly and hopelessly overcast.”
Mr. C. Wilson explained how he became a British-Israel believer, “Having read the Bible through twice and being unable to make sense of it, I gave it up as a bad job and became an Atheist. Later I lost my business and money and was pleased to accept the offer to manage a newsagents’ business. One day a customer asked me to keep a copy of The National Message for him. Being an inquisitive person I asked him what it was about. Well, do I remember his face when I asked that question. He beamed and, of course, gave me a short British-Israel lecture and followed it with an invitation to hear Dr. Pascoe Goard, who was shortly visiting the town. I accepted the invitation, and the outcome was that I found the key to the Bible. Instead of a mass of contradictions, it was a complete story. How I thank God that He used His servant to show a copy of The National Message to me. If only all our readers will do the same, I am sure that God’s blessing will be upon their efforts.
Rev. R.G.F. Waddington, a longtime believer, wrote on being an Israelite, “This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise.” “The Old Testament Scriptures ought to be very precious to us, if only for the fact that they were the Scriptures which Jesus Christ used and loved. . . . It is undeniably stated in the Bible, and is therefore to be received as correct by every Christian, that Israel stands out amongst the nations as the elect of God, and that to them were committed the oracles of God and the task of bearing witness.”
Judging from comments we receive from time to time, there is a frustration from enlightened Israelites because they are not able to convince brethren as to their identity. But, don’t be frustrated, that’s God’s job, he will open eyes when the time comes. Our job is simply to sow the seeds of the Israel Truth as a prelude to the great unveiling. As to why we have been chosen to know the truth, I suppose it is because each of us has some mission to follow. Knowing our identity is one of God’s great gifts to us and we must accept the responsibility that goes hand in hand with it. What did Christ say, “….For whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required ….” Luke 12:48
