Judah's Sceptre and Jacob's Birthright
Below we answer questions concerning the book, “Judah’s Sceptre and Joseph’s Birthright” by J.H. Allen. Despite the questioner’s reservations concerning the two points below, we highly recommend this classic book, first published in 1901, which is available from us for US$12 plus US$5 shipping.
QUESTION #1:
“…let me say that I was troubled to note that J.H. Allen took two verses out of context. Isaiah 37:31-32, having to do with the “remnant which will take root downward and bear fruit upward”, was a message to King Hezekiah, concerning the deliverance of Judah from the advancing Assyrian armies. This took place over 100 years before the fall of Jersualem, and had no more to do with Jeremiah and Tea Tephi, than a prophecy given to Abraham Lincoln would have to do with George W. Bush!”
Our Reply:
Regarding Isaiah 37:31-32, I too believe that this verse is speaking primarily of the Assyrian conquest. But it is interesting in light of the cyclical view of Israel’s history that a similar thing happened a century later in the Babylonian conquest; namely, a remnant escaped “to build and to plant.” (Jer. 1:10) Jeremiah presided over the downfall of Judah, and his commission also included its re-establishment. But where? The commentaries I consulted give no guess as to how Jeremiah ever fulfilled the prophecy of building and planting. I think it is possible that Allen didn’t see the fulfillment of bearing fruit and taking root happening until after the fall of Judah in Jeremiah’s time and linked Isaiah’s prophecy to Jeremiah’s similar prophecy above. Although I see a possible fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy in King Josiah’s time, Allen may have argued that if they were taken into servitude in Babylon a few years later then they weren’t really survivors. Without reading Allen’s exact words, these are only my thoughts on what he may have been thinking. Sincerely, Pastor Jory Steven Brooks, CBIA-The Servant People
QUESTION #2:
“Jeremiah 15:11-14 is used to buttress the claim that Jeremiah would be sent “into a land which thou knowest not”—i.e., Ireland. But a more careful reading of the context shows that only verse 11 is addressed to Jeremiah—verses 12-14 deal with God’s anger against the nation of Judah, which would “pass WITH THINE ENEMIES” into a land which thou knowest not.” That land was, of course, Babylon. ...I think what we have here is a phenomenon which, sadly, is all too common among so many who advocate so many different causes: they decide what they want to believe, and then look for verses to support their point of view. Peter gravely warns us against ‘wresting the Scriptures to [our] own destruction’ (II Peter 3:16).”
Our Reply:
On Jeremiah 15:11-14, I wouldn’t limit this prophecy either to Babylon
or Ireland alone. There is a principle involved, that God would remove
Judah to distant lands, a very great punishment with serious consequences.
There is a Jewish Sephardic tradition that says the Jews were dispersed
to Spain as well as Babylon. But of course this verse alone could not
be used to prove where Jeremiah went. I suppose Allen may have used
this reference only as additional supporting evidence that Judah would
be removed to distant lands.
I didn’t have the page numbers you were referring to in Allen’s book,
but this is my guess at what he may have been trying to convey. It is
always hard trying to speak for a man who is no longer able to answer
for himself, but we hope that this helps you in your study. Sincerely,
J.S. Brooks, CBIA-The Servant People
