The Cult that calls themselves 'Black Hebrew Israelites'(also Black Hebrews, African Hebrew Israelites, and Hebrew Israelites) are groups of African Americans mainly in the United States who believe they are descendants of the ancient Israelites. Founder: Various leaders for different sects. There is no primary leader today. First started in the United States was before the Civil War. Headquarters: Various major cities across the United States with state chapters.
There does not appear to be a central headquarter of leadership for the movement. Membership: Approximately 200,000 among the dozens of offshoot branches. Approximately 50,000 Black Hebrews, while the number who follow some form of Judaism (broadly defined) could be up to 200,000. There is a vast amount of diversity amongst various groups who claim to be descendants from the ancient Israelites. It is difficult to distinguish between all the various offshoots and movements within the broad movement of "Black Jewish Identity." Therefore, the range of possible adherents could be between 40,000-200,000. Origins: One sect originated before the Civil War. There was another sect founded later in 1896, the Church of God and Saints of Christ, by William Crowdy.
In the 1980s other sects began to appear, such as those lead by Yahweh Ben Yahweh (1935 - 2007), or Hulon Mitchell, Jr. There are a number of other sects of this broad Black Hebrew Israelite movement known as the Commandment Keepers, The Law Keepers, House of Judah, and the African Hebrew Israelites of Jerusalem, just to name a few. You will notice that they DO NOT believe in the Deity of Christ, nor that through Him and Him alone can anyone be saved.
A better name for the Cult would be The Cheery Pickers because they love to Cherry pick the parts of the word that they can twist, take out of content and pervert in an attempt to try to harbor their hatred and to justify it. If you see these people RUN the best that you can do for them is to pray for them. As mentioned below these people are very combative and hostile. They do not listen with reason at all. I have put together a list of their known practices (may not include all).
Their Practices and Why It's False:
False Practice #1
They believe that they are the 'real' Hebrew People spoken of in the Bible. What they base this OPINION on is unclear....and is NOT based on any fact! They believe that salvation is based on 'Nationality' and works. This Cult completely rejects the FINISHED WORK OF THE CROSS and they do not believe that Christ laid down His Life for our sins.
Truth: Salvation is based on only one thing but IT IS NOT NATIONALITY. Any person of ANY NATIONALITY can be accepted by God. Christ Jesus is the key to salvation. Here is Biblical proof.
Ephesians 2:8 "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9) not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10) For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them"
Galatians 3:28 "There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus".
Romans 10:9 "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved". 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation
False Practice #2
They believe that Jesus was ONLY a prophet and no more divine then you or me. They further believe that the so called "false" Jews murdered Jesus.
Truth: Jesus Is the ONLY BEGOTTON SON of the MOST HIGH GOD. Jesus was NOT Murdered but HE willingly laid down HIS LIFE.
John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." The key words are highlighted.
John 10:30 "I and the Father are one.""
1 John 5:7-12 "For there are three that testify: 8) the Spirit and the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. 9) If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater; for the testimony of God is this, that He has testified concerning His Son. 10) The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son. 11) And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12) He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life"
Matthew 16:16 "Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Peter, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18“I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hell will not prevail against it. 19“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” 20: Then He warned the disciples that they should tell no one that He was the Christ"
Mark 2: 6-11 "But some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, “Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming; who can forgive sins but God alone?” Immediately Jesus, aware in His spirit that they were reasoning that way within themselves, said to them, “Why are you reasoning about these things in your hearts? “Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven’; or to say, ‘Get up, and pick up your pallet and walk’? “But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the paralytic, “I say to you, get up, pick up your pallet and go home.”
Truth: John 10:17-18 "For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. "No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father."
False Practice #3
Some groups stand on the street corners of major cities and condemn people for their allegedly false beliefs while using vulgar language including yelling racial slurs and other verbal attacks against white people. One of the main hostilities that they have against whites in general steams from the slavery days. The Cult seem to hang on to this hatred even though no one who ever owned slaves is alive today-they blame today's white race for the faults of their ancestors, which they had no control over. The member of the cult totally dismiss the acts of the Blacks who sold them into slaver-but that's another story.
Truth: God is Love and WE ALL OF HAVE SINNED AND COME SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD.
A great example to dispute this point is found in Luke 18:9-14
Parable of the Pharisee and Tax Collector
9 Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else: 10 “Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer[a]: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else. For I don’t cheat, I don’t sin, and I don’t commit adultery. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! 12 I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’
13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ 14 I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”#
#1: The members of this cult are extremely delusional and they have a warped since of understanding. We have all sinned against God. NO ONE IS FREE FROM SIN!
Romans 3:22 Even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; 23) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24) being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;…"
Even the members of this Cult have sinned and do continue to sin, but these people are notorious for twisting the scriptures contained in the Word of God.
#2: God is Love - God does not require, or request hostility or Racial hatred. This practice is of Satan.
The Greatest Commandment that Christ gave us is found in Matthew 22:36-40
36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
The Word of God is FULL of scriptures that command us to walk in love. The very character of God is love and longsuffering. Lets look at 1 John 4:8
"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8) The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9) By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him"
#3: GOD REQUIRES US TO FORGIVE
Matthew 6:14 "For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you."
They view all white people as "the enemy" but they have made white people an enemy, however look at the Word of God about how we are to deal with our enemies:
But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, -Matthew 5:44
Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. – Matthew 5:11-12
But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink, for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. – Romans 12:20-21
Good is not standing on the street corner screaming out racial slurs.God is not an evil racist tyrant who wants to seek revenge on whites for slavery!
Take a look at Matthew 5:38-48King James Version (KJV)
Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
Now does that sound like an angry bitter God-who would condon these people to dress up in costumes and scream insults and other racial slurs? NO! Again, God is LOVE and He wants all to be reconciled to Him. Take a look at 1 Timothy 2:3-8 "For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and e not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.
I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting"
#5: The Character of God is LOVE, joy PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, faithfulness, GENTLENESS, SELF-CONTROL. None of these traits are found in the message of these cult members. How can these people claim to be "the chosen people of the Most High" yet they spread hatred, strife, ill-will, bitterness, raft, revenge....people that's not the God of the Bible, but that is the god of the world -Satan.
Take a look at the Fruits of God's Holy Spirit are:
Galatians 5:23 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
Again, it is the desire of The Most High God to see ALL of mankind reconciled to Himself.
2 Peter 3:8 "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance"
False Practice #4
They do not believe the God deals with individual people but with Nations. So if you believe this lie, then based on what the members of your race does or do not do, you will be punished by God.
Truth: If God were to hold (lets use blacks) All blacks for the sins of others we would all burn in hell. That is doctrine that this cult likes to say is easily disputed by scripture.
Jeremiah 31:30 "But every one shall die for his own iniquity: every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge."
Romans 2:5:6 "But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who WILL RENDER TO EACH PERSON ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS:"
False Practice #5
The Hebrew Israelites are very combative and generally do not want to listen when their views are challenged. They love petty debates over such mute points such as the skin color of Christ, the fact that Paul may or may not of been a Roman (I suppose in an effort to discount his writings) est.
Truth: Again I say, petty arguments with MUTE points! First of all, lets deal with the "skin color" of Christ. The Body used to carry the Spirit of God called Jesus could have been pal grey, so black that he looked blue, white as a leaper, pink as a hairless monkey or clear. He could of had pimples, had bucked teeth, and had all manner of physical flaws. Here is my point WHO CARES!! The Body that was used was a vessel....BUT what that BODY HOUSED was the SPIRIT OF GOD. The fact that CHRIST JESUS WILLINGLY DIED FOR MY SINS AND HE ROSE FROM THE TUMB matters to me and anything else is a MUTE POINT. The reason why its a mute point is because #1 its just their opinion. #2 Salvation is not based on any one nationality...but ONLY Christ Jesus-and US as the HUMAN Race accepting Him and keeping HIS commandments.
Isaiah 53:2-12 Gives a very detailed description of Christ.
False Practice #6
They frequently use Hebrew words such as Yah [the name of God, Yahweh, shortened as Yah], Yahoshua [Jesus], Shabbat [Sabbath], etc.
Truth: No Comment. Its just another one of the twisted views that they have.
False Practice #7
They keep the Jewish Sabbath and many other Jewish customs including circumcision, dietary laws, and the observance of certain Jewish holidays and festivals like Yom Kippur and Passover. As if their 'works' is what saves them.
Truth: I have already showed per the scriptures that we are not saved by works. But to just explain this point of the "works" that they feel they can earn by keeping the law (that is no longer relevant).
#1 Jesus Himself broke the Sabbath: Matthew 12:1-2 "At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath, and His disciples became hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat. But when the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him, "Look, Your disciples do what is not lawful to do on a Sabbath."…
#2 Jesus reply: Matthew 12:3-5 "But He said to them, "Have you not read what David did when he became hungry, he and his companions, how he entered the house of God, and they ate the consecrated bread, which was not lawful for him to eat nor for those with him, but for the priests alone? "Or have you not read in the Law, that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple break the Sabbath and are innocent?…
#3 Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath Matthew 12:7-8 "But if you had known what this means, 'I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT A SACRIFICE,' you would not have condemned the innocent. "For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath"
#Why it is no longer required to keep the Dietary Law, let take a look at a few scriptures beginning at Acts 10:14-15
But Peter said, “By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything unholy and unclean.” Again a voice came to him a second time, “What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.” This happened three times, and immediately the object was taken up into the sky.
Now lets take a look at I Timothy 4:1-5, especially verse 4: "For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving." The flaw with most people's understanding of this verse is that they fail to read what it and the surrounding verses really say. They lift verse 4 out of its context, not bothering to include relevant details from adjacent verses.
False Practice #8
They use the Old and New Testament to support their teachings, especially the five books of Moses (Genesis to Deuteronomy). They are notorious for twisting and even taking scripture out of content in order to justify their exclusive and hateful views.
Jesus Fulfilled the Law. Matthew 5:17 "Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill."
Take a look at Hebrews 10:6-18 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.
Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.
WE ARE NO LONGER UNDER THE LAW OF MOSES!
Hebrews 12:24 -and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel. 25See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven.…
False Practice #9
They do not consider themselves to be Jews in the modern sense of the term as associated with Orthodox, Reformed, Conservative, or Hasidic Judaism. They do not accept that the real Jewish people (currently occupying) the Holy Land siting that they are imposters and even Caucasians. They further believe that these same people MURDERED Christ against His will.
Truth: John 10:17-18 "For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. "No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father."
False Practice #10
This cult loves to point out the flaws of Born Again Believers of Christ and all other Christians. Often pointing out people such as the false Celebrity Prosperity Preachers. I suppose that because there are some nut cases who call themselves Christian then that makes the entire faith null and void. In speaking with a member of this cult, I was told by him that the word Christian is not in the Bible. Lets take a look.
The name Christ-ians was born during the movement of the early church. They were labeled "Christians" by the Romans and Jewish leaders because they followed the doctrine of Christ Jesus.
Truth: The title Christian does appear in scriptures several times:
In the King James Version it appears 3x: (Acts 11:26, Acts 26:28, and I Peter 4:16)
Acts 11:26, "and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And it came about that for an entire year they met with the church, and taught considerable numbers; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch."
Acts 26:28, "And Agrippa replied to Paul, "In a short time you will persuade me to become a Christian."
1 Peter 4:16, "but if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not feel ashamed, but in that name let him glorify God."
More False Practices:
Most members are preparing for a war against the white man and the American Government. Members are encouraged to purchase all weather tents and stock pile food. They believe that the Government will go around collecting all blacks and putting them in Fema camps. They also believe that it is a sin to work unless you involved in one of their many pyramid schemes. Again, there is no point in trying to argue with the members of this cult. The best thing to do is to pray for them that God will reveal His truth and love to them before its too late. Jesus is soon to return and we have been warned in the Word of God that false prophets and anti Christ would appear....today is the day. When you see cults such as this, homosexuality at an all time high, crime rate rising, and an all around hostility against God
Continue to pray for the REAL Children of Israel for God's Peace and Protection Always.
By Julia Butler
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