BHI Identity vs. Christ Identity
I like to start by asking the so-called Black Hebrew Israelites who sense they are being awakened to their true “Jewish/Israelite” identity: (1) Where does the Bible say the Israelites will lose their identity? & (2) Where does the Bible teach it is the job of disciples to help Israelites find their lost identity?
GENESIS 12:1-3 (KJV)
1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: 2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
MATTHEW 28:19-20 (KJV)
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
ACTS 13:46-48 (KJV)
46 Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles*. 47 For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles*, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth. 48 And when the Gentiles* heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.
*Ethnos, see Matthew 28:19 word study
ROMANS 1:16-17 (KJV)
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
GALATIANS 3:26-29 (KJV)
26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek*, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
*Hellen, see Romans 1:16 word study
ROMANS 11:11-15 (KJV)
11 I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles*, for to provoke them to jealousy. 12 Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles*; how much more their fulness?
13 For I speak to you Gentiles*, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles*, I magnify mine office: 14 If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them. 15 For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?
*Ethnos, see Matthew 28:19 word study
REVELATION 5:9 (KJV)
And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred*, and tongue, and people**, and nation***.
*Phyle, see Genesis 12:3 word study because the LXX used this Greek word for the Hebrew word, mispahah
**Laos, see below
***Ethnos, see Matthew 28:19 word study
IN SUMMARY
- God promised Abraham that through his new nation (Israel), all families of the earth would be blessed (Genesis 12:3).
- Jesus commanded His Jewish followers to go first to the Jews then to all the other nations to teach them what He commanded so they could be His disciples (Matthew 28:19 & Acts 1:8).
- The first disciples preached both to Jews and Gentiles (non-Jews) and saw this as a fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecies about Gentiles joining Israel in obedience to God’s commands (Isaiah 42,49,52,60 & Acts 13:46-48, Romans 1:16).
- Paul taught the reason it was possible for the Gentiles to join with the Jews was because they could be ingrafted in by faith in Christ (Galatians 3:26-29 & Romans 11:11-15).
- John recorded that heaven will be full of disciples from “all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues” (Revelation 7:9).