The Uphill Struggle
Getting the Israel Truth message out has always been an arduous task. Right from the beginning we have faced opposition, and in the present time we face even more opposition. Much of this opposition has come from misunderstanding our official declarations and ascribing to us beliefs which individuals have had rather than what is taught by the movement as a whole.
When the British Israel movement was strong, Bishop James Mountain lamented the opposition to it in his book, “The Triumph of British Israel”. (1930) He mentioned movements of God that experienced tremendous opposition, such as the Methodist Revival, the Salvation Army, the Midmay Missions, the Moody and Sankey Revival Meetings, and the Special Church of England Missions. He went on to say, “And it has been even so with British-Israel. The opposition has been as unaccountable as it has been unreasonable and unjust. The motives imputed; the heresies alleged; the spirit exhibited; the terms employed; and the bitterness manifested; – these features have been such that we forbear further to characterize them.” Today we find the same opposition, with the same spirit of condemnation, but for different reasons.
In our day we are confronted with allegations of heresy as people link us with the Armstrong movement. We have never had any connection with that movement or with Herbert W. Armstrong. Herbert W. Armstrong copied various teachings from British Israel and used them for his own purposes. On the television program “The Key of David”, which is put out by the Armstrong movement, they teach spiritual elitism, that people with their beliefs will rule over other Christians in the Kingdom Age. They also teach that no one will perish, that all of mankind will have eternal life. These are doctrines which are not officially held by the various Israel Truth organizations. Believers in Israel Truth may have a special knowledge which God gave us, but this does not make us better than other Christians, and if a person believes all of mankind will be saved, I believe it douses the Pentecostal fire of evangelism that was put on the early church. This subject has been debated to the full in the Israel Truth movement and I believe we must now leave it in God’s hands and ask Him to bless the doctrine that He approves.
In the November issue of “Thy Kingdom Come” there was a letter from someone in the Netherlands who was concerned about a doctrine that was put forward at a British Israel conference about the two seed line (that Eve had children by Adam and also by Satan). This highlights a problem that has existed in the Israel Truth movement for many years. People within the movement have been promoting various doctrines that are outside the scope of what God called us to preach. Many years ago, when Victor Harper took over the presidency of the British Israel World Federation, he said the Federation had to be cleansed of four false doctrines: Unitarianism, anti-Paulism, reincarnation, and extreme exclusivism (that only Israelites are saved). These were doctrines that were being put forward by some speakers and individuals in the Israel Truth movement. This is something we need to be on guard against, since error can gain a foothold and eventually bring down an organization. A little leaven eventually grows to affect the whole loaf.
Another problem the Israel Truth movement has faced is the accusation that we are Jew haters. This amazes me because most of us come from families that served with the Allies in the Second World War against the Nazis. Recently, my wife and I purchased an internet security program which was recommended by Focus on the Family to protect our son and daughter from going to websites that may be harmful to them. When I tried to access the Association of Covenant People website, it was blocked, and the reason given was – a website promoting hatred. Israel Truth organizations do not condone hatred of any race or cultural group. Read the original books of the Israel Truth movement. There is nothing but praise for Jewish scholars that have recognized the identity of the lost tribes.
If God has inspired this Israel Truth knowledge, it will continue as a witness in Israel nations, but we need to pray, work, and support our organizations financially. Let us continue in the uphill struggle to get the message out despite opposition.
