British-Israelism, Anglo-Israelism Refuted!
Herbert W. Armstrong claimed to be a prophet, an apostle and the "Elijah who was to come". In fact he was a deluded false teacher claiming direct revelation from God when God had not spoken to him. Ronald Weinland, is Armstrong's successor of splinter group called, Church of God, Preparing for the Kingdom of God (CG-PKG). Like Armstrong he claimed to be a prophet, one of the two witnesses of Revelation, a Apostle and Elijah to come. With Ronald Weinlands failed predicting of the end of the world in 2008, the future of Armstrongism looks bleak. "If it doesn't come to pass...starting in April, 2008, then I'm nothing but a false prophet ... (Ronald Weinland, 2008 - God's Final Witness, Church of God) Even worse since Ronald Weinland has refused to give up his date setting and had set a second failed date of May 27, 2012.
See our main Rapture page here.
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British-Israelism refuted!
Britain and the USA (anglo-saxon) races are NOT the ten tribes of Israel.
Detailed refutation of almost every angle of this ridiculous unbiblical and doctrine
See our main Rapture page here.
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Throne of David?
Land Promise to Abraham fulfilled Pictured is the old coronation chair in Westminster Abby, London England. Under it lies a stone which British/Anglo-Israelites imaginatively claim was brought to England by the prophet Jeremiah! |
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Introduction to British-Israelism:
1. British Israelism promotes the false concept that the British people and most of Canada and the USA are the ten lost tribes of Israel that went into Assyrian captivity in 722 BC.
2. British Israelism is a false doctrine whose racist origin is in the British Nationalism (1649 - 1824)
3. Richard Brothers (Canadian) is the true founder of the movement when he wrote: A Revealed Knowledge of the Prophecies and Times in 1794 AD. His prediction for the end of the world which failed.
4. Herbert W. Armstrong popularized the false doctrine in 1954 when he published "The United States and the British Commonwealth in prophecy". This document grew to the now infamous, "The United States and Britain in Prophecy" which was first published in 1980 AD.
5. The book, "The United States and Britain in Prophecy", written by Herbert W. Armstrong, is in fact a deceitful plagiarism of a book written, "Judas' scepter and Joseph's birthright" by J. H. Allen, 1902,1917 AD.
6. Herbert W. Armstrong founded the Plain Truth magazine and the Church of God. They teach extinction, annihilation, Sabbatarians, premillennialists, date setters and uniquely Twinitarians in that they believe both the father and the son are God, but believe the Holy Spirit is electricity like the Jw's.
A. Historical origins of British-Israelism:
1. British-Israelism was first hinted at by the British Member of Parliament, John Sadler, in his Rights of the Kingdom (1649). But the movement began in the eighteenth century after the self-styled 'Nephew of the Almighty', Richard Brothers, published his book A Revealed Knowledge of the Prophecies and Times (1794). Brothers was, as one source puts it, "a Canadian madman". He became troubled by visions, and said that the British parliament was the 'beast' of Revelation. Brothers believed he was a descendant of King David, and that only he had the right to be king of England. Unfortunately for him, King George III disagreed. The Cambridge Biographical Enyclopedia (1994) says:
2. Brothers, Richard (1757-1824) British religious fanatic and ex-naval officer, born in Newfoundland, Canada. He announced himself in 1793 as the 'nephew of the Almighty', apostle of a new religion, the Anglo-Israelites. In 1795, for prophesying the destruction of the monarchy, he was sent to Newcastle and subsequently to an asylum from 1795-1806. Despite this, and the failure of his prophecy that Jerusalem would be restored to the Hebrews in 1798, his movement flourished. By the end of the nineteenth century, there were said to number two million adherents of British-Israelism, most of them Church of England members.
3. In 1859, John Taylor of London expanded the theory into the field of Pyramidology. In the book The Great Pyramid, Why Was It Built and Who Built It? John Taylor tried to show how Israelites built the Pyramid of Cheops, and how British Inches and measurements could be found in its design.
4. In 1950 this outrageous doctrine was promoted by Herbert W. Armstrong who founded the World Wide Church of God and Plain Truth Magazine.
5. After Armstrong died, his successor Joseph Tkach rejected as heresy most of Armstrongs doctrines in 1998 AD. This brought about a great split in the church that produced countless little splinter churches each following a different combination of Armstrong's theology.
6. A key error in Armstrong and all his splinter groups, is failure to accept the clear Bible passages that Israel got all the land promised to Abraham. See Land Promise to Abraham fulfilled
7.
Ronald Weinland, is the creator of an Armstrong splinter group called,
Church of God, Preparing for the Kingdom of God (CG-PKG). With Armstrong
splinter leader Ronald Weinland's failed
predicting of the end of the world in 2008, the future of Armstrongism
looks bleak. Ronald Weinland,
2008 - God's Final Witness, Church of God (Armstrong splinter group) When his
prophecies failed, he revised his timeline he stated Christ's will now return
on May 27, 2012 and that the tribulation began on September 20, 2009. Today,
Weinland calls himself an apostle a prophet, the "Elijah who is to come" and
one of the two witnesses of Revelation... his wife being the other witness.
B. Herbert Armstrong plagiarized his famous book:
1. The book, "The United States and Britain in Prophecy", written by Herbert W. Armstrong, is in fact a deceitful plagiarism of a book written, "Judas' scepter and Joseph's birthright" by J. H. Allen, 1902,1917 AD.
2. Joseph Tkach, Jr.'s replaced Armstrong as head of WCG after he died said: "From an ethical point of view: It is a well known fact that Mr. Armstrong did not originate this teaching. In fact, earlier editions of the US & BC plagiarized vast portions of a book entitled, "Judah's Sceptre and Joseph's Birthright." It is not possible to say that this was revealed to Mr. Armstrong, when in fact, we can see where he copied it from -- including the historical errors." ... "Now, my opinion is that this is an interesting episode in history that needs to be pursued. And, that is what we are doing, but it will take time. It should not stay at the high level of doctrine until we can find proof. This is especially important if it is to remain the central plank in our view of prophecy." (to WCG regional pastor Mike Swagerty, August 10, 1992)
3. Canadian British Israel Association said: "Mr. Armstrong did use the book, "Judah's Sceptre and Joseph's Birthright" as the basis for his identity information and he spent some time at our London headquarters with Mr. Harold Stough the then secretary.... The Tkach people have very recently been at London headquarters again but I was told [the London group] were quite reticent and cautious about dealing with them, realizing I gather they are a different breed of cat, as the saying goes." (President Hubbell responds to a letter regarding the WCG's involvement with the Canadian British Israel Association, August 9, 1991)
4. William F. Dankenbring, Armstrong splinter group leader of Triumph Ministries said: "Let's get serious! Did Herbert restore the truth of the identity of "Israel"? But the British-Israel society restored that truth, and Herbert Armstrong simply borrowed it from them without giving them due credit! Most of his booklet on "The United States and British Commonwealth in Prophecy" was actually copied, word for word, from the book Judah's Scepter and Joseph's Birthright, by J. H. Allen (Destiny Publishers, Merrimac, Mass. 01860, c.1917). The booklet "Was Time Lost?" which bore Herbert's name was actually written years before he became a Sabbath keeper, by a member of the Church of God Seventh Day!"
5. Examples of Armstrong's Plagiarism: A tiny fraction of excerpts
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Herbert
W. Armstrong's 1967
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Rev.
J.H. Allen's 1902,1917 |
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The name Jew is derived from, or rather is a corruption of, the name Judah.... Hence it is that the names Jew and Jews are applied only to the people who composed the kingdom of Judah (p. 66). |
Remember that the term "Jew" is merely a nickname for "Judah." Hence, it applies to only to the one nation, or House of Judah ONLY (p. 80). |
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But the great bulk of Israelites are not the Jews, just as the great bulk of Americans are not Californians, and yet all Californians are Americans (p. 71). |
Jews are Israelites, just as Californians are Americans. But MOST Israelites are not Jews, just as most Americans are not Californians (p. 82). |
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Called as the prophet of God; ... and set by the Divine One "over the nations, and over the kingdoms." What! Surely he was not set over all the nations... He now calls Jeremiah a "Prophet unto the nations," i.e. the "two nations," the "two kingdoms," the two houses--Israel and Judah (p. 108). |
Notice, Jeremiah was set over NATIONS -- more than one kingdom... He was set a prophet over Judah -- but not Judah alone. Over nations -- over kingdoms!.... Jeremiah was set over not just one nation, Judah -- but over NATIONS. Over the kingdoms -- the Kingdom of Israel as well as Judah! (pp. 95-96). |
Section II: Refuting Armstrong's book section by section:
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Section
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Refutation of the most obvious things
There are so many wild, ridiculous and unbiblical things in Armstrong's book, but we have chosen a collection of the most obvious and glaring problems. These should be enough for any honest Bible student to Utterly reject British/Anglo Israelism. A detailed refutation of the entire system is at: click here
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The United States and Britain in Prophecy by H. W. Armstrong |
Refutation |
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"An exciting, pulsating, vital third of al the Bible is devoted to prophecy. And approximately 90% of all prophecy pertains to our time, now, in this latter half of the 20th century." p3 |
This contradicts the book of Revelation! This false view is foundational to many of Armstrong's views! First chapter of Revelation:
Last chapter of Revelation:
For detailed study click here |
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"Dual promises to Abraham... Notice the twofold promise: 1. a great nation... a promise of race ... 2. spiritual promise of grace" p18 |
Armstrong cannot even get the simplest facts right! There were three promises made to Abraham NOT TWO and all are fulfilled:
For more details click here |
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Armstrong incorrectly identifies the "river of Egypt" in Gen 15:18 as the Nile! p22 |
The river of Egypt CANNOT be the Nile! For more details click here |
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Prophecy of USA and Britain: Gen 48:18-20 Manasseh becoming a "great nation", and Ephraim is still a greater "company of nations". p40 |
refuted in detail at: |
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Prophecy of moving to England: Gen 49:22 "Joseph is a fruitful bough by a well whose branches run over the wall" p46 "Over the wall is obvious proof that they would "run over, or past the nation's boundary - in other words, be a colonizing people!" |
Premillennialists always take literal passages that should be taken symbolically and take symbolically, those passages that should be taken literal! Yet using their logic, none of those branches could run to England! For within the same prophecy Jacob said 4 verses later: "Up to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills" which in Armstrong logic means that the land must have high mountains! (England has no mountains) Such interpretations are as ridiculous as they are false! |
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"Where is the throne today? ... Jesus Christ will not sit on Throne of David until His second coming to earth, yet in the future." p51-52 |
The Throne of David is only mentioned twice in the entire New Testament, and Armstrong, like all false teachers won't quote vital information when it proves their whole system wrong! (Lk 1:32) In Acts 2:30-31 "And so, because David was a prophet, and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath to seat one of his descendants upon his throne, 31 he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ" This verse absolutely and conclusively proves that Jesus was seated on the Throne of David at His resurrection! |
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The house of Israel is not Jewish! Those who constitute it are not Jews, never were." p59 "the 10 tribed people called Israel, often prophetically spoken of as Ephraim, are not Jews and never were Jews. Remember that the term "Jew" is merely a nickname for "Judah". Hence it applies to one nation, or house of Judah only - never to the house of Israel. ... The house of Israel are not Jews" p63-64 |
The house of Israel was in Judah during the personal ministry of Christ.—Matt. 10:56. "These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel Here Jesus commanded the twelve to "go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." If "lost" in this passage means that the tribes were physically lost, how could the twelve disciple "go" to them? And if the Jews were "not in the house of Israel," since it is claimed that the ten tribes were not in Judea, but were lost, to whom did the disciples "go," and to whom did they preach? They were specifically told not to go to the Gentiles, and not to go to the Samaritans, so if they did not go to the Jews, to whom were they sent? But if they did go to the Jews, since those to whom they went were the "lost sheep of the house of Israel," it certainly follows that the Jews were "in that house" in fact, the Jews were that house. Again, if "the lost sheep of the house of Israel" were the ten tribes only, as asserted, then the disciples did not belong to the "house of Israel" themselves, and were therefore forbidden to preach to their own tribe! Of course, "lost sheep" does not mean literal sheep, hence they were not literally lost. The expression "lost sheep of the house of Israel" denotes their spiritual condition. F.E Wallace refuted in detail click here |
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"The scriptures plainly tell us that Israel was to lose its identity, its religion, its land, its name. In Deut 32:26, God wanted them through Moses: I said, I would scatter them into corners, I would make the remembrance of the to cease from among men." p69 |
They did 2 Kings 17:22-24 says they were settled and assimilated into Assyria! |
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Armstrong's scriptural proof that Israel would change their native language from Hebrew into English: "The Eternal would cease speaking to them in their own Hebrew tongue, but with "another tongue will he speak to this people" Isa 28:11. This cannot apply to the Jews, who still read their Bible's in Hebrew tongue." |
Incredible twisting of scripture by Armstrong! Actually Isa 28:11 is quoted in full in 1 Cor 14:21 ""By men of strange tongues and by the lips of strangers I will speak to this people, and even so they will not listen to Me," says the Lord. 22 So then tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe" So the "strange tongues" is not a prophecy of moving to Britain and learning English but a prophecy of the GIFT OF TONGUES MANIFEST IN CORINTH, and throughout the first century! |
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Armstrong's scriptural proof that Israel would change the name they are called from Jew to ??? "And the nations will see your righteousness, And all kings your glory; And you will be called by a new name, Which the mouth of the Lord will designate." Isa 62:2 |
Fulfilled: The new name is CHRISTIAN! Praise God!
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"The house of Israel became known as the Lost Ten tribes! Now known by another name, speaking another language!" p72 |
Well Herbert, we have looked at your only two proof texts and they were wildly twisted out of context! So your point is not proven one bit! |
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Armstrong uses this verse as a proof text that the House of Israel will establish the royal throne of David in England: "And the surviving remnant of the house of Judah shall again take root downward and bear fruit upward. For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and out of Mount Zion survivors." Isa 37:31-32 |
Twisting again, read the verse! Notice it mentions "House of Judah" not "House of Israel". |
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Here is Armstrong's proof that the Throne was replanted in England via one of the daughters of Zedekiah! (Jer 41:10; 43:6-8) Armstrong asserts that "a tender one" must mean female or daughter! He said, "Certainly a tender young twig, then, represents a daughter" p88-89 "I shall also take a sprig from the lofty top of the cedar and set it out; I shall pluck from the topmost of its young twigs a tender one, and I shall plant it on a high and lofty mountain. 23 "On the high mountain of Israel I shall plant it, that it may bring forth boughs and bear fruit, and become a stately cedar." Ezek 17:22 |
Of course all this is pure fantasy and very anti-scriptural! The "tender twig" in Ezek 17:22 is not a female, but JESUS CHRIST! This is a messianic prophecy! Isa 53:2 "For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, And like a root out of parched ground" Only Armstrong would twist scripture to such an incredible and unprecedented extent! |
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Between Assyrian captivity to the time Israel got the throne set up in England Armstrong says: "It was during this time the children of the house of Israel were to, "Abide many days without a king Hos 3:4"" p92 |
The "many days without a king" for Israel, who is about to go into captivity is till the time of Christ! Who is the real King of Kings! Not some fantastic imagination story! |
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The actual direction Israel travelled prophecied in Hosea: Hosea 12:1 Ephraim feeds on wind, And pursues the east wind continually; He multiplies lies and violence. Moreover, he makes a covenant with Assyria, And oil is carried to Egypt." Armstrong comments: "An east wind travels west. Ephraim must have gone west from Assyria." p93 |
The east wind refers to a wind of destruction! not some treasure or road map. Re-read Hosea 12:1 and you will see the thought is absolutely parallel with the two passages below: Where does Armstrong dream up this wild stuff? (well actually, we already know he plagiarized it all from another book, then said as a prophet, God revealed it to him!
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Take a map of Europe. Lay a line due North west of Jerusalem across the continent of Europe, until you come to the sea, and then to the island in the sea! This line take you directly to the British Isles!" Behold, these shall come from afar; And lo, these will come from the north and from the west, And these from the land of Sinim." Isa 49:12 Armstrong then says, "The Vulgate renders "Sinim as "Australi" or "Australia"" p95-96 |
Incredible! But get this! Armstrong is using (twisting and contorting) this verse as a treasure/road map to show you the exact prophesied route of travel! Now if "from the North and from the west" means draw a line from Jerusalem to England, then "from the land of Sinim" means draw a line from Jerusalem to Australia! Two opposite directions Armstrong! (We do not agree that Sinim means Australia. Truth is no one knows for sure. But we are merely defeating Armstrong with his own wild speculations! |
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Besides the royal family, Jeremiah brought with them some remarkable things, including a harp, an ark, and a wonderful stone called "lia-fail" or "stone of destiny" Stone of Scone, Jacobs Pillar, A peculiar co-incidence? Is that Hebrew reads right to left, while English reads left to right. Read this name either way - and it still is "lia-fial" p100
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The Hill of TARA in the Royal County of Meath was for centuries in ancient times the seat of the High King of Ireland, the Ard Ri. This monolith is called the Lia Fial, The Stone of Fal or the Stone of Destiny. Fokelore story: The tradition is that the High Kings of Ireland would be crowned here, and that the Stone would roar or cry out loudly if touched by the true High King. Some believe that the original Stone of Fal was taken to England and placed under the Coronation Throne in Westminster Abbey, then in the current Century stolen, taken into safe keeping in Scotland. Who now knows which is the true Lia Fial or where it lies! Here is the actual Lia-fial stone! Notice that Lia-Fial is not written on the stone under the coronation chair! So just another example of Armstrong's imagination being played with by Fables! Stone of Scone, Jacobs Pillar? |
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This monolith is called the Lia Fial, The Stone of Fal, Stone of Scone, Jacobs Pillar, Stone of Destiny. |
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Conclusion:
1. British Israelism is going extinct... what took so long?
2. There is no scriptural foundation for British Israelism.
3. Herbert W. Armstrong claimed to be a prophet, an apostle and the "Elijah who was to come". In fact he was a deluded false teacher claiming direct revelation from God when God had not spoken to him.
4. Ronald Weinland, is the creator of an Armstrong splinter group called, Church of God, Preparing for the Kingdom of God (CG-PKG). With Ronald Weinlands failed predicting of the end of the world in 2008, the future of Armstrongism looks bleak.
5. See our main Rapture page here.
Steve Rudd
We Speak truth in LOVE
tell us if we have misrepresented anything
