Prophetic Excellence In Exile

Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus,

giving thanks to God the Father through Him. Colossians 3:17



           Over the course of this blog I have examined prophetic issues as it relates to the history of mankind and how it is determined from the divine perspective of God.  I have maintained that Israel is the fulcrum upon which history turns and identifying the correct Israel of Jesus’ speaking on that fateful day that he spoke over Jerusalem is paramount.   I have shown in previous articles that it is impossible that the Jews we know of today specifically the white Askenazim Jews are the Jews of Jesus’ audience when the desolation of Jerusalem’s house was foretold by him.  This is for two reasons: (1) The Askenazim Jews are the sons of Japheth Noah’s oldest son and additionally identified as being of the gentiles.  This is how he is differentiated from the sons of Ham. 
     
           Also, we are in the age of Japheth the last age of the fleshly governance of man in which Jesus designated as the times of the gentiles. The previous age was the black sons of Ham.  (2) Jesus foretold in keeping with the previous history of Israel that they would be taken captive by the nations or in exile again which occurred approximately around 70 a.d. White Jews have never been taken captive by the nations this side of Jesus’ resurrection and furthermore, Noah prophesied that Japheth would dwell in the tent of Shem.  A tent is akin to someone’s house and identity and can only be taken over if the original owner is no longer there.  The Roman siege of Jerusalem would serve to fulfill Noah’s prophesy.  

            Moreover, Jesus said that Judah would be gone in captivity until the times of the gentiles are fulfilled.  Therefore, since we are still in the time of the white sons of Japheth Judah is still gone in captivity from the land and the times of the gentiles which did not end when Israel became a nation again under white Japheth lets us know they were not the people of Jesus’ speaking.   One may ask why does it matter that the correct descendants of the 70 a.d. Jerusalem be identified?  Isn’t anyone practicing Judaism or some form of the Torah sufficient for the task of being Israel?  I would suggest that one read my article Prophetic Particularity.

            After much reading , reflection, research and inquiry of the Lord, I concluded that Black Americans aka African-Americans, Negroes or better from my standpoint People X  are the pertinent Israel of the Ultimate Dispersal because whenever God sent Israel into captivity it was always in the dominant empire of the day which America (symbolically the Egypt and Babylon) of her day would qualify.  My coming to the people of Judah conclusion about Black Americans was not one that filled me with any particular joy but with a sense of bleakness.  When I look over the landscape of Black America I see a people scattered in many directions with Jesus’ words weighing heavily upon us.  There is nothing more desolate than being stripped of your identity because you have nothing in which you are united.  There is nothing so to speak that draws you around the camp fire together. 

          It will take nothing short of a reverse Damascus road experience for the scales of a lost identity to drop from the eyes of the Israel who is really Israel among Black Americans.  Yet, it is evident that God is doing that among some people and I don’t mean the Black Hebrews who are shown on video being combative with people.  In the course of last year and this year there have been riots in Ferguson, Baltimore and New York over the police killing of Black males.  There have been reports of such happenings with Black females.  When that is not happening, you have killings of Black males and females at the hands of their fellow Black citizen.  Whether the police killings are legitimate is often divided along racial lines.  When it is other Black on Black crime we seem to have no words as to why we contribute so heavily to our own cutting down.  Either way that amongst many things contributes to a desolate house among the Black collective.

            Whether or not a Black American who happens upon this page agrees with me or not about being the Israel of Ultimate Dispersal, one fact that is incontrovertible is that we are a people in exile, but even in the midst of that we can be excellent in exile.  I give by way of example four young men of the royalty and nobility of the house of Judah who if there was anyone I would want to meet after Jesus in the hereafter it would be them especially Daniel. I cannot say enough how much deep respect and admiration I have for Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah.  Their names were changed in their captivity by the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar to Belteshazzar, Meshach, Shadrach and Abednego.

 Although Nebuchadnezzar changed their names, he could not change their identity.  Daniel and his fellow Judeans decided early on they would not be consumed by the culture of Babylon and begin their spiritual resistance by refusing to defile themselves with the king’s food. (Daniel 1:8).  Because of their stance God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom and to Daniel the understanding in all visions and dreams. (id. 17)  When the king interviewed them he found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. (id.19).

            Perhaps like many a bible acolytes, my favorite accounts of the Hebrew boys are when Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold which he wanted everyone to worship and Meshach, Shadrach and Abednego with gumption and conviction told the king they would not worship it and of Daniel being thrown into the lion’s den for refusing not to worship God under a devious decree instituted by his enemies.   In the case of the image of gold Nebuchadnezzar was so angry with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego that he ordered the fiery furnace which he was to throw them in to be seven times hotter as he surely replayed their words of defiance If that is the case our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace and He will deliver us from your hand, O king.  But if not, let it be known to you O king, that we do not serve your gods nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up  (Daniel 3:17) in his head. 

            What Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah did was basically give the spiritual middle finger to Nebuchadnezzar.  They were the real NWA (Negroes With Attitude) and I am convinced that as God observed their confidence in His ability to deliver them His ears perked up.  However, it was the "But if not" I am inclined to believe that propelled him to leave His throne and show up in that fiery furnace with them.

            Daniel exhibited the same gumption when He was thrown in the lion’s den and God rescued him.  Throughout his time in Babylon Daniel exemplified a spirit of excellence in whatever he did so that his enemies could find no error or corruption in him.  He may have been a captive in Babylon but Babylon was not a captive in him.  My word to Black Americans is be prophetically excellent in exile particularly those who are born of the spirit of God as your forefathers were.  In a culture which presents many images of gold for us to worship before such as doing whatever makes you happy if it means engaging in all sorts of fornications, abortions (child sacrifice), homosexuality, transgender, fatherless homes, misguided feminism, worship of money and material things, selfish ambition, crude language and thoughts, rudeness and general unkindness let us resolve not to worship before those images. 

              In reference to a sermon given long ago about Stephen the martyr by my pastor, be so determined in your commitment to God that He literally stands up from His throne when He sees you defying the cry to worship the images of gold set up by the culture of Babylon.  When you exhibit that type of excellence of devotion and commitment to him, you can bypass a lot of the devious schemes of your enemies, but if you are doing what is violative of his law and of men do not expect to escape the sword.