Nationality is a word often used but misrepresented. Many consider the term “nationality” as the country (land mass) you were born in, or the color of your skin; while others characterize it by what language you speak. Job 8:8 “For enquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers:” As the scripture states, we must inquire and learn according to the former age (past) as to how it is truly determined. Our question is answered; in the search of their fathers. In other words, by searching your father’s lineage your nationality is determined.
Ezra 2:59 “And these were they which went up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsa, Cherub, Addan, and Immer: but they could not shew their father's house, and their seed, whether they were of Israel:” Contrary to the modern Jewish belief that a person is deemed a Jew by the lineage of their mother (matrilineal); the Bible explains that your nationality is based on your father’s house. An example of this is the genealogy of Jesus Christ. Matthew 1:1 “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.” Verse 2: “Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren;” As you can see the lineage of a man or woman is determined by the fathers only.
The history and prophecies pertaining to Israel, show that they are dispersed throughout the four corners of the earth. Due to worldly tradition they are naming themselves after the lands they were born in. This they do without research or regard for ethnic roots. The word nationality comes from the Latin “natio”; which means race as in the tribe, people, family, or lineage you come from. In the Apostle Paul’s time period, Israelites were born in Rome, Egypt, India, Asia Minor, etc. However they never called themselves by the lands where they were born. Acts 2:5 “And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.” Verse 6: “Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded [confused], because that every man heard them speak in his own language.” Neither did those Israelites call themselves by the languages they spoke.
Acts 2:8 “And how hear we every man in our own tongue [language], wherein we were born?” Verse 9: “Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,” Verse 10: “Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,” Verse 11: “Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.” These are all the locations where the children of Israel were scattered to and they all spoke different languages. Nonetheless these devout men sought their heritage of being Israelites (Jews). In this day and age, you will find our people devoted to the languages of their captors; calling themselves by it such as Latino, Spanish, French, etc.. Disconnecting themselves from those of their race.
The Apostle Paul is a perfect example of how we should be. Acts 21:39 “But Paul said, I am a man which am a Jew of Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: and, I beseech thee, suffer me to speak unto the people.” Paul explained that he was a Jew (Israelite) of the city Tarsus. Acts 21:37 “And as Paul was to be led into the castle, he said unto the chief captain, May I speak unto thee? Who said, Canst thou speak Greek?” Although he was able to speak in other languages such as Greek yet he said, Romans 11:1 “I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.” Regardless of where we are born or what language we speak; we should be like the Apostle Paul, maintaining our heritage according to the Bible.
The land you were born from can not determine your nationality. Have you contemplated where the names of the places comes from? Most lands of this world are named after the names of men. Psalms 49:11 “Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever, and their dwelling places to all generations; they call their lands after their own names.” An example is America which was named after Amerigo Vespucci an Italian explorer. Are you a descendant of that man’s seed (lineage)? If land mass is the way you resolve the question, then what is the nationality of a person born in an airplane? Let’s say the plane was over the Atlantic Ocean, what nationality does that make you?
Hence we must seek again to the word of God to find all our answers. Wisdom of Solomon 7:2 “And in my mother's womb was fashioned to be flesh in the time of ten months, being compacted in blood, of the seed of man, and the pleasure that came with sleep.” We all came from the seed of man, there is no denying it. Thus it declares who we are regardless of where we are born. Just as if you were to plant a seed of any bearing fruit tree, regardless of what land, the fruit’s name will not change. If an apple seed is planted in two different locations, let’s say one in America and the other in China. Will the fruit type change? Will one be an apple and the other an orange? As we all know it doesn’t change its kind, since the seed determines what fruit it will be. This is likewise with man, 1st Corinthians 15:38 “But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body.”
Since we now understand how to determine our race, we could say with confidence that there is no such thing as being “mixed”. The seed of man determines our nationality, we could only show our origin by our fathers. An example is king David, an Israelite from the tribe of Judah. His great grandfather Boaz married a Moabite by the name of Ruth and they had Obed. Out of Obed came Jesse the father of David. Matthew 1:5 “….and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;” Verse 6: “And Jesse begat David the king;….” At no point in the scriptures do we read of Obed or any of his lineage being referred to as “mixed” or an Israelite Moabite. Instead the scriptures confirm king David being solely of the seed of Israel of the tribe of Judah. See, Ruth 4:9-22.
Nehemiah 13:3 “Now it came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude.” Would David have been part of this group called mixed that was separated? No! The word mixed is not referring to a person with parents or ancestors of two different nationalities. But what caused this generation to take such action? Nehemiah 13:1 “On that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people; and therein was found written, that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever;” That law is found in Deuteronomy 23:3 and it specifies that even to the tenth generation they could not enter for ever. This means that if there was such a thing as mixed, David would not have been able to come into the congregation of God for ever. At that time within the congregation there was a multitude meaning a group of great number. Although individually each person would have been identified by a single nation. Our forefathers explained there were numerous people of different nations that attended. Instead of listing each nation they came from they were explaining that there was a fair mix of the different type of nations that were in the temple.
According to the Bible there is no such thing as being of mixed blood. Acts 17:26 “And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;” All nations of this earth came of one blood, namely of Adam. The Apostle Paul also points out that the Heavenly Father from the beginning had decided the bounds of their habitation. Meaning the separation of nations, Deuteronomy 32:8 “When the most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel.” The Heavenly Father separated the nations and chose one nation to be holy above all unto himself. This is why we recommend reading “Is it important to know my nationality?” to receive more information.
Ezra 2:62 “These sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy, but they were not found: therefore were they, as polluted, put from the priesthood.” During Ezra and Nehemiah’s time period they had records to prove their genealogy. With these records it was easy to determine from which tribe of Israel you belonged to. Today most do not have those genealogical records outside the Bible to help determine their tribes. In fact some of our people can not determine their father's house due to slavery. They are like those brethren in Ezra that sought their genealogy but they were not found. However they are not left without hope.
Deuteronomy 28:45 “Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed; because thou hearkenedst not unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee:” Verse 46: “And they shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder, and upon thy seed for ever.”
Hopefully you read “Who are the Children of Israel?” that explains in detail the curses of slavery. These prophecies narrate the life of suffering of our people and oppression that this generation is going through. It is a sign for us of our history and meant to help us and our children to determine who we are. Christ said he will not leave us comfortless. Through searching the scriptures you will come to find out about your true heritage. Romans 8:16 “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:” The Spirit of the Heavenly Father reveals unto Israel his sympathy and pleasure by calling us to remember ourselves unto repentance.
This he will not do so with any other nation. Psalms 147:19 “He sheweth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel.” Verse 20: “He hath not dealt so with any nation: and as for his judgments, they have not known them. Praise ye the LORD.”
The love of our God is what moves all the Israelites that are scattered through out the four corners of the earth to come and follow Christ. John 6:44 “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.” Verse 45: “It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.” Again he said, John 10:27 “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:”
As a result those brothers and sisters that can trace their lineage and learn that their fathers were slaves have confidence in the Lord. And those who were called but were unable to find out anything concerning their fathers have hope in that they were called. Deuteronomy 29:29 “The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.”
Remember brothers and sisters there is no hope being ignorant to your heritage. See, Ephesians 2:11-12. Some in Churchianity try to disguise this fact by claiming to be a spiritual Israelite. Romans 9:3 “For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:” Verse 4: “Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;” Verse 5: “Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.” If those that claim spiritual Israel could acknowledge the blessings that pertain to the Israelites to the point they wished they actually were them, why not take care to learn who the Israelites are and receive the promises? Shalam (Peace)!
