What of the Dawn

This past August, the Association of the Covenant People celebrated its 109th birthday. Our original name was British-Israel Association. 1909 is a long time ago and going back through archival material; it is impressive to note the magnitude of the unfolding of previously undiscovered truths. We were very blessed, particularly in those formative years, to attract so many great men and women dedicated to spreading the Gospel of the Kingdom and news of the Israel Truth. The ground was very fertile and during those early years, people by the hundreds flocked to meetings to learn their identity and accept their special role in God’s wonderful plan. Despite two tragic wars and a worldwide depression, it still very much looked as if the road to God’s Kingdom would be a time of great joy as Israelites everywhere would learn the truth. It was a time when Christian roots and values were being widely upheld anyhow, so the potholes along the route were not considered stumbling blocks. Indeed, the atmosphere among mainstream churches was supportive of the message and at the 1924 London Conference of British-Israel-World Federation, over twenty members of the clergy attended and participated. It was the golden moment for what was known in those days as “British-Israelism.”

This is not to say they could not see the Satanic influences at work or the falling away that threatened the Anglo-Saxon standing in the world. Nevertheless, there was an optimism fueled by an openness to learn. And a growing desire to get in step with God’s Law. The one variable that wasn’t given enough credence was God’s decision to force Israel to turn over the dominion to Esau, as prophesied thirty-eight centuries earlier when Isaac administered a secondary blessing to Jacob’s brother, after Jacob used trickery to obtain the blessing. (Genesis 27) Because, as years passed, the openness turned to derision and together with the assault on Christianity and a new reality of life foisted upon Israelites through the false prophet media, the role of our and similar type organizations changed to simply sowing the seeds of truth. A few are quick to grasp the truth, but mostly the seeds are dormant, awaiting a sprinkling from God Almighty Himself.

We first began publishing a monthly magazine in 1939 and “Thy Kingdom Come” is our third name. What is interesting is to view the archival material from those magazines and see a constant message about the falling away but noting at the same time, the increased severity of the consequences decade over decade. I’m sure if those early correspondents could see the sorry conditions of today’s world, they would hardly believe the deterioration, despite their Scriptural study.

And so, in these days of true ignorance of Biblical prophecy and a population composition that hardly resembles the population of a half-century ago, there is a real nervousness taking hold in western Israel nations, along with a realization that the clock cannot be turned back to better times and the way ahead is littered with troubles for which there seems no solution. Interestingly enough, whether Christian or otherwise, people seem frightened about the future and perhaps for the first time, the majority realize that looking to government for a quick fix is futile. They may still wave the flag, but people are beginning to understand the huge cost of government decisions, in terms of incomes, taxes, freedoms, inflation, wars on things like poverty and drugs, loss of life through foreign wars and internal security. Christians, at least, may still pay lip service to the immoral issues pushed by government and churches alike but deep down are weeping for what such evil has done to their once wonderful country. Deep down, as well, older Christians know they have adopted compromised Christian values and must be sad about this. Of course, younger Christians have known nothing more than the milk-toast doctrine preached by the churches. As well, most young people, who grew up in the declining moral state of our nations and have no knowledge of what it was like when television, movies and newspapers weren’t filled with teenage promiscuity, pornography, the drug culture, perversion, crime, violence, etc., are sad losers.

If you look at our archival material, you would quickly come to the conclusion that the reason it was so easy to interest people in the truth during the first half of the twentieth century was because the teachers and ministers fed sound doctrine to the people. They called a spade a spade and did not compromise doctrine for the sake of staying on radio or television, or, pacifying a specific group or another religion. They believed God. When He said, “Ye are my witnesses, … whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the Lord; and beside me there is no saviour,” there was no trying to equalize the false gods of other religions. The men of God in those days instinctively knew that if you don’t know the purpose of God’s Plan, it’s difficult to understand it. And the more astute ones learned that if you have the key of the Israel Truth, God’s Plan opens before your very eyes. This is why He was able to say to us through the prophet Amos, “Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.” [teachers].

Now, let’s look at the evil perpetrated by countless theologians of the last half of the twentieth century. These are the teachers who via radio, television and churches have moulded young people, many of whom today are our leaders, who have legislated immorality, who have tossed the word of God from schools, government offices, etc., who have condoned the ravages of Satan, and have delivered true Israel into the hands of our enemies. The prophet Jeremiah describes this thusly, “A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land; The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?” (Jer. 5: 31)

Jeremiah was troubled throughout his career by men who pretended to be true prophets. They preached an easy message and were no doubt as popular as some our theologians today. Still, then or now, the Lord God Almighty will not condone a deliberate distortion of His word. I have often wondered why some of the best-known televangelists, who can practically quote the Bible by heart, preach falsehoods. Is remaining on the airwaves that important or are the comforts derived from preaching that enticing, when compared to the rewards of the everlasting Kingdom. Can they not see themselves in God’s words to Ezekiel (13:3-4) “Thus saith the Lord God; Woe unto the foolish prophets …. O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts.”

Jeremiah 23:28-40, excerpts of which appear below, answers the question from the preceding paragraph, as he records God’s words:

“the prophet ….. that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully …..Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that steal my words …..I am against the prophets….that use their tongues, and say, He saith. Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams ….. and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness, yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all …. I will even forsake you, saith the Lord ……. And as for the prophet, and the priest, and the people …. I will even punish that man and his house …. And I will bring an everlasting reproach upon you, and a perpetual shame, which shall not be forgotten.”

So, what of the dawn! What shall we do, this is something each and every one of us must carefully consider in our personal ministries? Still, I suppose we can do no better than adhere to the message taught by the founding fathers of Protestantism and of course, the Lord Jesus Christ and His inspired Word. In this Association, we have the wonderful pattern left us by our great teachers of the early 20th century. God bless them.