TREASURE IN THE FIELD

Matthew 13:44

By: Angelo B. Traina (Revised by Philip B. Wisman)

INTRODUCTION

   This little book is based on a series of articles published in 1938 under the title, "The Election of Grace from the Selection of Race." It is intended primarily for believers who are already somewhat familiar with the Bible. Its significance should be apparent to Bible students in direct proportion to their knowledge of the Scriptures. By its light, one may comprehend hitherto obscure passages and see unsuspected connections and relationships between sacred and secular writings.

   It seems to me that the greatest contribution made by Treasure in the Field is in its correlation of the well-established and non-controversial facts of secular history, archeology and ethnology with Bible history and prophecy, producing an end result which helps to clarify all of these fields. This book also dissolves the seeming paradox of race and grace; the great absolute, unconditional promises to Abraham's descendants on the one hand, and the equally unconditional and absolute New Testament promises on the other, without apparent reference to race or descent, i.e., on a strictly "whosoever will" basis. Thus "literal Israel" and "spiritual Israel" are placed in correct historical and doctrinal perspective; and the way is pointed toward doctrinal concepts on which both conscientious Christians and conscientious Jews have good prospects of agreement. Many of the difficulties in understanding the Bible, it becomes clear, result from restricting one's perspective and seeking to interpret the Almighty's promises in too short a period and on too meager a scale. Faithful believers have, therefore, failed to perceive to what extent the very march of world history has been and continues to be the fulfillment of these promises.

   By providing another forceful demonstration of the internal harmony of the Bible, Pastor Traina has taken a further step to dispel popular misconceptions and to bring about that doctrinal integrity which impels belief.1

   If the ideas conveyed by Treasure in the Field seem new or strange to the reader, this seems to me a reflection on the modern humanistic teaching to which we have all been exposed, rather than any fault of the contents of the book, which are in perfect agreement with Biblical concepts and with the well established facts of history and ethnology. Throughout, the author has shunned the customary substitution of the names of pagan idols for the Names2 of the Creator, (Yahweh) and the Messiah, ucwhy (Yahshua). The Name by which the Almighty identified Himself to the prophets of the Old Testament and the Name of the Saviour--the only one by which He was known to His followers--are used. If these Hebrew Names seem strange, it is only because we have become so accustomed to the heathen substitutions (Gott, God, Zeus, Di-Zeus, Dios, Hlaf-weard, Pan Bog, etc.). A fairly complete explanation of the Names is given in the Preface of the Sacred Name New Testament.

   Because of the huge amount of material available to document the statements of the author, it has been necessary to guard against digression in order to preserve the thread of continuity. Some portions of the text may therefore seem oversimplified because of the author's need to select and condense, but this was thought preferable to exploring the many fascinating side roads at the risk of losing perspective. It is hoped that time and resources will permit the future publication of some of this source material.

   Pastor Traina is one of those individuals--rare in this day--whose knowledge in various specialized fields is integrated and whose eye is single. He is to be congratulated on his treatment of a complex subject.

   The Scripture Research Association (now defunct) holds that "dogmatic rejection of Scriptural enlightenment leads to spiritual barrenness and rigidity, whereas its acceptance, after proper investigation, brings continued spiritual growth."3 It is our hope that many others will investigate and test the material here presented in Treasure in the Field, for we believe that it is true and that it will stand under scrutiny.

Philip B. Wisman
Baltimore, MD
November 1956
________________________

1  Cf. Sacred Name New Testament: 1950, Scripture Research Association, Irvington, New Jersey, Preface, p. 6.
2  The Name, , pronounced "Yahweh," has been changed by translators to the name of whatever national idol was worshipped; the Name, ucwhy, pronounced "Yahshua" was changed to Iesus, Di-Zeus and Jesus partly as an aid to early missionaries in their efforts to convert the worshippers of Zeus. Traina merely returns to the Names as originally given in the Old and New Testaments.
3  Ibid., p.13.

CHAPTER 1

   Modern improvements in transportation and communication which have shrunk our globe and made neighbors of strange peoples have also forced upon everyone a semi-awareness, at least, of racial aspirations and pressures throughout the world, though we may not have thought of them as being racial.

   But recall for a moment that well-known slogan of the 1930's, "Asia for the Asiatics" and its variations, "The Orient for Orientals." True, the Japanese were unsuccessful in their primary effort to implement the slogan, but here we are in the late 1950's, having watched the Chinese Communist government acting out with crude violence that which was largely talk in the 30's and 40's. Also, let us not forget another racial manifestation of relatively recent origin, the African Mau Mau terror which is still running its bloody course in spite of everything the white overlords can do to quell it. In our own country we have witnessed a less serious indication of racial ferment, largely in the form of violent words about "integration," "segregation," "white supremacy," "racial dilution," etc., but with actual violence in areas where both negro and white populations are numerically large. And we have heard arguments about "discrimination," and "lack of discrimination" repeated ad nauseum.

   Unpleasant as all this is, and much as we might like to close our eyes and forget the racial aspects of this turmoil, we cannot. Some of the milder "liberals" do seem to feel that if we could only act as though there is no such things as race and never mention it, the problem will quietly disappear; others would solve all such problems by force. It happens that racial instincts and aspirations, however, lie much too deep to be ignored or discounted. There is no basis, either in history or in current events, for assuming that such problems will be more than temporarily mitigated in the foreseeable future. It is therefore the part of common sense to know something about the origin, nature and outlook of the three races of man according to the prophecies of the Holy Bible.

   It may come as a surprise to some that all of these authorities confirm each other to an astounding degree. Let's begin with the first chronologically, the Bible. To understand man and his performance, the Bible calls upon us to consult the instructions given by his Designer, who knows "what is in man" (John 2:25) and has said, "Ask of Me things concerning My sons and the works of My hand: Command ye Me," (Isaiah 45:11).

Origin and Growth of Races

Witness No. 1: the Bible

   It is a fair question to ask, as many have asked, "If Yahweh Elohim created the first man, Adam, and if Adam was the father of all the races, why do we have white, black, and yellow-brown peoples? Why the differences and where did they originate? If one gives the book of Genesis an even break, and approaches it with the attitude that it may very well be correct, if properly understood, it will provide a wonderful insight and we will find it in perfect harmony with all the impersonal facts of the laboratory, and with truly objective scientific analyses of eminent anthropologists and ethnologists. Genesis 2:7 states, "Yahweh Elohim formed man of the dust of the ground" and there we should explain for any readers who may not be aware of it, that in the Bible the name of a person or object is often intended to signify its nature. Thus the word "Adam" literally has the meaning of "red clay" in the Hebrew language, and denotes that Adam was created of red clay. The composition of red clay is such that its color can be made to vary by changes in moisture, heat and sunlight. Red clay, under the sun's rays will change to pink, yellow, or black. Similarly, we have in Adam, the red-clay man, the original from which developed white, yellow-brown, and black races.

Races Developed After the Flood

   This development of races, however, did not take place in the antediluvian world. One reason is that in the era before the Flood, civilization was closely knit and occupied a small geographic area in the fertile crescent of Mesopotamia. It was the intermarriage of the previously law-abiding sons of Seth with the women of the violent outlaw line of Cain which brought about the great apostasy of those days and ended in the judgment of "the world that then was" (II Peter 3:6) "wherein only eight souls were saved" (I Peter 3:20) namely Noah, his wife, their three sons and their wives (Genesis 7:7 and II Peter 2:5). After the flood disaster the survivors made a new start. The Scripture states, "these are the three sons of Noah, and by them was the whole earth overspread," (Genesis 9:19). Some people use the term "races" quite loosely and would have us believe there are innumerable races, but in the basic classification of the Bible, as well as that of science, there are only three. Now let us call some other witnesses from among the top men in their field, whose disinterested statements confirm the reliability of the Biblical account.

Witness No. 2:

   The late Dr. Alex Hrdlicka, Curator, Division of Physical Anthropology, Smithsonian Institution, United States National Museum, Washington, DC, says, "There are three primary Stems or Races of Man. They are the White, the Yellow-brown, and the Black; or the Caucasoid, the Mongoloid, and the Negroid." See Chapter VII, page 166, "Human Biology and Racial Welfare," edited by Edmund V. Cowdry, 1930.

   In the 1947 World Almanac, page 672, under the caption, "The Races of Mankind," the same Dr. Hrdlicka is given as the authority for the statement that, "three main human races are recognized today, which are: 1, the whites; 2, the yellow-browns; and, 3, the blacks. WHITES: The Mediterraneans, the Alpines and the Nordics. YELLOW-BROWNS: The Mongoloids, the Malays and the American Indian. The last named race is now generally believed to have come originally from Northern Asia, and therefore of ancient Mongolian descent. Some of the natives of Central America and Western South America may have crossed over from the South Seas, it is conjectured. BLACKS: The Negrito, Negrillos and Bushmen, the Melanesian Negroes and Austrialians, and the African Negroes."

Witness No. 3:

   "All mankind according to Prof. A. C. Haddon, Cambridge University ethnologist, can be divided into three kinds--wooly hair, wavy hair, straight hair. Most Americans of European origin are wavy haired," (Ibid.)

   Thus, when scientific evidence is objectively collected and properly evaluated, we find it leads eventually to the truth which has been there, unchanged, all along in the Holy Bible.

   Now, actually, all three witnesses are referring to the same three groups of peoples. Those to whom the Bible refers as the descendants of Shem are the very same group which Dr. Hrdlicka calls the Caucasoid or Whites and Professor Haddon classifies as Wavy-haired. The descendants of Ham are the same as Hrdlicka's Negroid or Blacks and Haddon's Wooly-haired. And the descendants of Japheth are the Mongoloids or Yellow-browns of Hrdlicka, whom Haddon calls the Straight-haired.

   During the 1940's, there appeared in this country a series of politically motivated and encouraged books and articles about the races of mankind, apparently designed to curry favor with certain racial and political groups and purporting to be "scientific." But scientific claims which are not based on fact are worse than worthless, serving only to confuse the uninformed and to make the informed indignant. The idea which these writers of "scientific fiction" tried to convey was that heredity is unimportant and racial characteristics are virtually non-existent. However, we need only go as far back as 1930 to find the foremost anthropologists and ethnologists in the world agreeing on the basic and significant heritable differences between the three races and, basing their agreement on the evidence of the laboratory, on countless thousands of tests and measurements and on a wealth of documentation which is not likely to be successfully challenged. Contemporary scientific effort is continuing to discover more details which confirm the position taken by the three reliable witnesses cited above. As recently as June 25, 1956, an Associated Press dispatch from New York announced the discovery by blood scientists that the unique "Diego factor" had been found in the blood of the people of Mongolia. Previously it had been thought to be present only in the blood of American Indians. It is not found in the blood of Caucasians or Negroes. Two Venezuelan scientists, Miguel Layrisse and Tulio Arends have been testing Caribe and Arawaco Indians, Chinese and Japanese. Meanwhile, Mario Lewis, Hiroko Ayukawa and Bruce Chown of Winnipeg, Canada, and Philip Levine of Ortho Research Foundation, Raritan, New Jersey, had much the same idea. Tests have been made in the Netherlands of 200 Dutchmen, in Spain of 150 Spaniards. In addition, 200 Italian blood samples were used, as well as 1000 from White individuals in the USA. In none of these did the Diego factor show up: only in the Yellow-Brown sons of Japheth. The American Indians are thus once more traced to Asia. Scientists plan to test thousands more of each race, but the facts so far are said to be "impressive."

   Perhaps it would be well to clarify the oft quoted expression, "All nations are of one blood," since it has frequently been misused and taken out of context. The word "blood" actually does not appear in this passage in the Revised Version nor in the best manuscripts. It is used in the King James Version but it is generally accepted that the word was inserted without authority. Even in the King James Version, however, the context makes it clear that boundaries are set up between the races and that it is not desirable for them to intermarry even though it is possible for them to do so. Within a species there can be many breeds, whether we are speaking of horses, dogs, sheep, or any other. Percherons may be bred with Polo ponies, Black Angus cattle with Brahmas, or Chow dogs with Collies, but the usefulness of each breed would be lost in the process. The fact that it can be done does not establish the need for, nor desirability of, doing so.

"And hath made of one all nations of men for to dwell on the face of the earth and hath determined their appointed seasons AND THE BOUNDS OF THEIR HABITATION." Acts 17:26

Dominant Characteristics

   In starting a breed of horses, dogs, cattle, or of men, certain principles of heredity have to be observed. Wherever there is continual inbreeding, the common characteristics tend to become the dominant characteristics. The traits of each of Noah's sons were, of course, the common characteristics of the descendants of each son. The three sons and their families were separated after the flood in the three great Continents of the world, and their traits thus became racial characteristics as the families inbred and multiplied. The character of each of Noah's sons has tremendous significance in terms of the three races of man as they exist in the world today, and we should therefore, note carefully even minor attributes of these sons.

   In Genesis 9:20 we read that Noah became a farmer, planted a vineyard and became drunk on the wine. As he lay uncovered in his tent, one of his three sons, Ham, "saw the nakedness of his father," then told his two brothers about it.  In this statement there is more than meets the eye. The meaning has been purposely obscured in the English translations of the Bible, but any mature person may see what is involved by referring to Leviticus 18:6-8. This prohibition in Leviticus indicated the prevalence of sex perversion and how great a sin Yahweh considered it to be. When Shem learned what his brother had done, he persuaded Japheth not to follow the evil ways of Ham, but instead to join him in covering his father's nakedness.  When Noah awoke from his wine and became aware of what his youngest son had done to him, he said, "Cursed be Canaan" (Ham's offspring). "A servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren." Noah also said, "Blessed be Yahweh Elohim of Shem and Canaan shall be his servant."

Outline of History

   This is an amazing prophecy. If we will only investigate it, we will find a key to what has happened and is still happening; the clue to history if we do not shut our eyes to it. The Shemites, or Caucasians (in other words, the White Race), has taken and is taking the constructive leadership; the Hamites, Negroid (or Black Race), has been the most retarded and the subject race of the world; whereas the Japhethites, the Mongoloid, Oriental, Asiatic (that is, the Yellow-brown Race), may be persuaded to follow the ways of the Caucasians or Shemites. If we can but use our eyes to see, we must admit that though heaven and earth may pass away, the Word of Yahweh does not fail. For today, where the Hamites are controlled or dominated, it is only by the White Race or Shemites. Not one inch of Hamitic territory is controlled by the Japhethites or Mongoloids. Time and again the Asiatics have attempted to control Negroid territory. The USSR which now is predominantly Japhetic (Mongoloid) has tried and failed, so far. Japanese diplomats thinking by intermarriage to gain a foothold on African soil, tried to arrange for the son of Haile Selassie to marry a Japanese noblewoman but this strategem did not succeed. The Word of Yahweh stands true. It was prophesied that Shemites should control the Hamites and history testifies to this monumental truth.

The Yellow-Brown Race

   Of Japheth (whose descendents were originally known as "Gentiles") Noah prophesied, "Elohim shall enlarge [persuade] Japheth and he shall dwell in the tests of Shem, and Canaan shall be his servant" (Genesis 9:27). Notice this language, since it is essential for clearly understanding the exposition and prophecies of both Old and New Testaments. The word translated "enlarge" has the additional meaning of "persuade." The Japhetic or Mongoloid Race is both the largest numerically and is also being "persuaded" by the White Race to follow Western ways. Although the greatest religious missionary effort has been made by Shemites to persuade and convert the sons of Japheth so that they might share the blessings of Shem, they seem to have been persuaded chiefly in respect to our materialism.

   Now to summarize: The sons of Ham were to have been subservient, the sons of Shem were to take the leadership and Japheth was to be given a choice of sharing the blessings of Shem or the curse of Ham (see also Isaiah, chapters 60 to 63).

The Open Door: Few Have Entered

   It now appears, after 4400 years that very few descendents of Japheth have decided to accept a share in Shem's blessings. Generally speaking, Japheth is still without Yahweh Elohim and without hope, despite the great missionary efforts put forth by the Shemitic witnesses since the first advent of the Messiah. Comparatively few of the Mongoloid Gentiles have taken the advantage offered them in the Gospel of the Messiah, to share in the Atonement that will--when permitted--take away the sins of anyone in the world, be he black, white or yellow-brown. No one is prevented from sharing these blessings. It is rather that the prophets foresaw and foretold that certain things would happen because of the inherent traits of Noah's sons. In Noah's pronouncement was a prophetic delineation of the long-range development of his sons' offspring; culturally, morally, spiritually and physically. Also, their location (each in a separate continent), climatic conditions, and inbreeding contributed to intensify the distinctive characteristics which mark each of these racial groups:

   After the separation at the Tower of Babel and the attending confusion, Japheth went north, Ham went south, and Shem remained between so that eventually he might, according to Yahweh's plan, control the other two. In their respective locations, the families multiplied into nations and peoples whose differing physical and spiritual characteristics to this day defy assimilation.

   Let us now turn back to the Bible for a clearer picture of the racial identities of Noah's descendants.

The Sons of Japheth: Orientals

   "These are the sons of Jepheth: Gomer, Magog [Asiatic Russia--Ezekiel 38:2], Javan [Java--Japan], Tubal, Meshech [Tobolsk and Moscow--parts of USSSR], Madai [the original inhabitants of Media], Tiras [the original inhabitants of Thrace]. The sons of Gomer: Askenaz and Riphath and Togarmah [Turcoman--modern Turkestan]. The sons of Javan: Elishah [sometimes known as Ellasar and Larsa of ancient history] and Tarshish, Kittim [also known as Chittim, Akita, Kithay, Cathay, Sinim or China] and Dodanim" (Genesis 10:1-4). Note carefully the next verse of the same chapter. It is a qualifying verse: "By these were the Isles [or coasts] of the GENTILES divided" (Genesis 10:5).

   As you notice from the above quotations, it was the sons of Japheth who were originally called GENTILES and, as you can see by the identifying names, they belong to the Mongolian (Yellow-brown) Race and are not to be confused with the Caucasian (White) Race, who are descendents of the sons of Shem. When the Bible speaks of the Gentiles as a race, it refers to the descendents of Japheth. When the word Gentiles is used of nations the word is simply used to designate political units. It is written that the descendents of Joseph, for example, were to become a multitude of Goyim (Gentiles), Genesis 48:19. The word "Gentiles" which originally was not used to designate the other races, is later sometimes applied to them ironically because they have identified themselves with the Gentiles by copying their customs and embracing their gods.

The Sons of Ham are Not "Gentiles"

   In Genesis 10:6 we read, "And the sons of Ham: Cush [Ethiopia], Misraim [Egypt], Phut [Libya] and Canaan." As we continue down the list of descendants, when we reach the 20th verse, we read, "These are the sons of Ham, after their families, after their tongues, in their countries and in their nations." The word "gentile" is not used to describe the sons of Ham.

The Sons of Shem: European and Western Peoples

   In verse 21, we read, "Unto Shem also, the father of ALL the children of Heber, the brother of Japheth, the elder, even to him were children born." Note the expression "the father of ALL the children of Heber." Heber is the root of the word "Hebrew" as you notice in Genesis 10:25 and in Luke 3:35. Eber and Heber are the same word. Hebrew means "from Heber," so then from the sons of Shem the Heber stock was selected to carry on the potentialities of the Semitic blessings. What the 21st verse says, in effect, is that Shem, the progenitor of the Hebrew race, was selected to become the primary candidate for grace. He Who knows the end from the beginning knew that from this seed He would be able to find the faithfulness essential to carry out His eternal purposes by the process of elimination and "survival of the fittest." He chose the "Hebrew" a term which came to have additional meaning of "one who has passed over the Euphrates westward."

   Out of this race Yahweh called Abram and promised He would multiply him to populate and dominate the world, and that his seed should control the gates of his enemies, both Japhetic and Hamitic (Genesis 22:17). We know from anthropology and history that the Semitic or Hebrew race (of which the Jews are a small part) is the same race from which the entire western or Caucasian population of the world is descended.

   Genesis 10:31 says, "These are the sons of Shem, after their families, after their tongues, in their lands, after their nations." Here again we might note that nothing is said about the Semitic race producing any Gentiles. To close the chapter we have this statement, "These are the families of the sons of Noah after their generations, in their nations; and by these were the nations divided in the earth after the flood."

   There were only three sons of Noah and these three were marked by the Creator into three separate and distinct races, each in a separate continent, each developing peculiar bone structure, color pigment and hair formation.

• The sons of Shem are identified as the White Race or Caucasoid.

• The sons of Japheth are identified as the Yellow-brown Race or Mongoloid.

• The sons of Ham are identified as the Black Race or Negroid.

   If we remember and hold to this classification throughout the Scriptures, we shall be in a far better position to understand past, present and future events in fulfillment of the prophetic program. In the 11th chapter of Genesis we read the genealogy of Abram whom Yahweh selected to demonstrate wisdom, power and grace, and to teach men concerning His love. And when the Saviour returns to earth again to receive to Himself the blood-bought children of Abraham, the world will have to acknowledge that Yahweh did indeed make the best choice, as He says in Romans 9:22-23.

CHAPTER II

   Heber, the great grandson of Shem and the father of the Hebrew race, possessed traits, tendencies and righteous possibilities which were passed on to his descendant Abram, in whom Yahweh saw proper clay for His purpose: to mold a people in whom He could demonstrate His glory.

Abram's Disobedience and His Faith

   However, when Yahweh called Abram and directed him to go to Canaan, he was delayed because he tried to take his family along. Abram's father, Terah (whose name has the literal meaning of "Delay" or "Weight") was indeed a burden to his son and was instrumental in delaying the progress of Abram toward his destination. Instead of going to Canaan he settled with his family in Haran where he remained until Terah's death. Then, released from his delaying burden, he remembered Yahweh's promise and call (Genesis 12:1-4).

   But, for a second time, we see good-hearted Abram disobeying Yahweh's orders and thereby delaying Yahweh's purpose to bless him. For He had commanded Abram to leave his kindred as well as his father's house. This time it was his nephew, Lot, who became the stumbling block to him and still further delayed the promised blessings.

   On the way from Haran to Canaan they passed through Sichem and into the plains of Moreh where the Canaanites had settled.

"And Yahweh appeared unto Abram and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land; and there he builded an altar unto Yahweh, who appeared to him." (Genesis 12:6-7)

   As we read on in this chapter, we find Abram moving about from place to place, but always remembering to build an altar to Yahweh, thus testifying to his faith in Yahweh's promise that he and his seed were going to inherit this land, even though the Canaanites were already occupying it.

Abram's Testing and Weakness

   A testing of faith came then to Abram as to all believers. There was famine in the land but Abram heard that there was plenty of food in Egypt and he set out to find it. In Egypt his troubles really began, but Yahweh saved him out of it all and even made provision for him through Pharaoh. Leaving Egypt, Abram and his family and also Lot and his family finally arrived at Bethel where they camped, built a place of worship and proceeded to settle down. Only strict obedience is pleasing to Yahweh and Abram's disobedience bore its fruit.

   Yahweh had told Abram to leave his kindred; and since he did not, there was continued strife between Lot's herdsmen and Abram's herdsmen so that the unbelieving Canaanites observed the believers quarrelling (Genesis 13:7).

   Hoping for a peaceful solution, Abram proposed to divide the land with his nephew and offered Lot first choice. Lot, yearning for material things, saw the well-watered Jordan plain that looked like a garden and chose it, settling near the twin cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, in order that he might keep in touch with the people. Abram, yearning for Yahweh and His righteousness, dwelt in Canaan that he might better commune with Yahweh.

An Unconditional Promise

"And Yahweh said unto Abram after that Lot was separated from him, Lift NOW thine eyes and look from the place where thou art northward and southward and eastward and westward; for all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it and to thy seed forever. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth, so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee." (Genesis 13:14-17)

   Surely this is a potent promise. Stop and consider whether a few million Jews can fulfill such a promise? Certainly not. Our Heavenly Father is no liar. Let us, like Abram, have sufficient faith in the integrity of the Most High to believe that His promises meant what they said. Only then may we have our eyes open to see their glorious fulfillment; that we are physically, as well as spiritually the descendants of Abraham. This we shall seek to show later.

   The next recorded incident involving Abram was the Battle of the Kings which might never have been recorded and preserved for us, had not Abram's nephew, Lot, been caught in the melee and made a prisoner by Chedorlaomer and his allies. But one of the other prisoners escaped and brought the news to Abram the Hebrew. The result is given in the 14th chapter of Genesis.

Melchizedek: Priest and King

   Abram, after spoiling the spoilers, met the Priest and King, Melchizedek, who gave him the communion of Bread and Wine, sacred emblems which foreshadowed the shed blood and broken body of our Saviour, Yahshua the Messiah. This, of course, was long before the establishment of the Levitical Priesthood by whom, for a time, the killing of a lamb and eating it at Passover typified the Lamb of Yahweh Who was to come and take away the sins of the world. After the Saviour came and accomplished the redemption which those emblems typified, He reestablished the Melchizedek Priesthood. Our Saviour, on the night in which He was betrayed, took Bread and Wine, the original emblems of His life, to commemorate His death until He comes again. Thus Yahshua became our "Priest after the order of Melchizedek," (refer to the seventh chapter of Hebrews). Abram paid tithes, had communion and was blest by Melchizedek.

   The King of Sodom whom Abram had also rescued, wanted to reward his benefactor with the spoils of war, but Abram declined feeling that he was far richer than any material reward could make him, since he had received the rich promises of Yahweh's blessing.

The Promises Repeated and Clarified

   After refusing the rewards of men, Abram had a vision in which Yahweh said, "Fear not, Abram, for I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward." Abram took advantage of this opportunity to make a request, the nature of which is highly significant.

"And Abram said, Yahweh Elohim, what wilt Thou give me, seeing I go childless and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damasus? And Abram said, Behold to me Thou hast given me no seed; and, lo one born in my house shall be mine heir." (Genesis 15:2-3)

Since Abram had no natural heir to inherit his possession, he desired to adopt Eliezer as his legal heir and asked Yahweh's sanction of the adoption. Having no natural heirs, he asked for a spiritual seed to whom he could turn over all the promises as well as the blessings he had already received from Yahweh. But what was Yahweh's answer?

"And behold the word of Yahweh came unto him, saying, this shall NOT be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. And He brought him forth abroad and said, Look now toward heaven and count the stars if thou be able to number them; and He said unto him, So shall thy seed be." Genesis 15:4-5)

Natural Seed to Inherit

   Honest meditation must lead us to the realization that Yahweh repudiated Abram's attempt to spiritualize His promises. Yahweh meant what He said: He had promised natural blessings. The meaning is obvious, that Abram's own natural descendants were to be the recipients, to inherit the potentialities contained in the promises. As we know, all faithful believers in the Atonement become heirs WITH faithful Abraham, but not to the EXCLUSION of his own seed.

   Consider in this connection, the third chapter of Galatians in which we read,

"Even as Abraham believed Yahweh, and it was counted unto him for righteousness, know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same ARE the children of Abraham." (Galatians 3:6-7)

This verse contains a great treasure, for it provides a key to the identification of Abraham's natural seed. For they have the capacity for faith, having inherited it from Abraham their ancestor.

The Heathen Also May Qualify

   Others are not excluded, of course, provided they meet the same prerequisites. We read further in the same chapter:

"And the Scripture, foreseeing that Yahweh would justify the heathen through faith, preached beforehand the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall ALL the nations of the earth be blessed. So then they which be of faith are blessed WITH faithful Abraham." (Galatians 3:8-9)

Real, Tangible Promises

   Returning to Genesis 15, we read

"And he believed Yahweh, and it was counted unto him for righteousness, and He [Yahweh] said unto him, I am Yahweh that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees to give thee THIS LAND [not pink clouds] to inherit it." (Genesis 15:6-7)

And this land grant was not the small strip we today call Palestine. It was a great deal more than Canaan. It contains over 2,500,000 square miles, as we learn in verse 18:

"In the same day, Yahweh made a covenant with Abram, saying Unto thy seed [natural, not spiritual] have I given this land from the River of Egypt [the Red Sea] unto the River Euphrates." (Genesis 15:18)

It is suggested that the reader look at his Bible map in order to comprehend the extent of this gift. It embraces all of Arabia, Mesopotamia and Canaan. It is today in the possession of some of the natural seed of Abraham. It took great faith to believe that this would happen and Abram asked for a sign (verse 8). Yahweh answered him with a vision and a promise. Then was Abram thoroughly convinced and entered into a covenant with Yahweh.

   We have seen in this chapter how Abram a descendant of Heber and of Shem, was of proper clay but had to be molded and shaped to receive and accept the blessings of Yahweh; that he failed to give prompt and complete obedience and thereby brought upon himself unnecessary tribulation; that Yahweh spoke in a very real sense of Abraham's descendants and that His promises would not be "spiritualized" away but applied to literal descendants; and that Abram's clay (natural children) provide the raw material or "vessels of mercy" (Romans 9:23) though not to the exclusion of the converted heathen who are to share the blessings WITH faithful Abraham (Galatians 3:8-9).

   May Yahweh give us sufficient faith and vision to understand the literalness of His vast promises; and may we, like our forefather, enter into covenant with Him to share freely all He has provided for us.

CHAPTER III

   After being thus reassured, Abram did not waver in his belief that he would have a natural son to inherit the promises and blessings of Yahweh. No doubt he shared with his wife, Sarai, the visions and promises he had received; surely they rejoiced in the prospect.

Sarai's Anxiety and Intervention

   But time cast a shadow on Sarai's faith and she began to doubt that she was to have any part in the promises made to her husband. Sarai was no unbeliever, but when she began to think things out to herself, she concluded that, after all, the promises were made not to her, but to Abram. She believed Yahweh would keep HIS word to her husband, but felt that she herself would have no part in it. She reasoned that she was barren and beyond the possibility of bearing. As a result, she tried to suggest a way out of the impasse in order to help both her husband and Yahweh. Such human aid is, of course, in vain. Sarai tried to work out Yahweh's plan in man's way. Invariably such meddling leads to trouble. Sarai called Abram and said to him,

"Behold now, Yahweh hat restrained me from bearing; I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her." (Genesis 16:2)

Not that Sarai doubted the validity of the promise. She merely doubted her own part in the plan. "Yahweh hath restrained me," she said. And it seemed to her the best thing she could do was to step aside so that another might be the means of fulfilling the promise of an heir.

   Now Abram hearkened to his wife's suggestion without ever asking Yahweh's confirmation of the idea. Thus, they set about seeking to help Yahweh keep the promise He had made. Obviously this could lead only to trouble.

Result: Domestic Strife

   No sooner had Hagar conceived than she began to feel superior to her mistress and to show that she looked down upon her. This wrought havoc in Abram's household. Sarai would not endure being despised by her own maid and disciplined her. Hagar then fled from their home. But as she stopped by a fountain of water in the wilderness an Angel of Yahweh said to her:

"Hagar, Sarai's maid, whence camest thou? And whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai. And the Angel of Yahweh said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands. And the Angel of Yahweh said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude. And the Angel of Yahweh said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because Yahweh hath heard thy affliction. And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren." (Genesis 16:8-12)

   It should be observed that the Angel addressed Hagar as "Sarai's maid," in spite of the fact that she was to become the mother of Abram's son. And Yahweh directed her to return to her mistress so that the child might be born in its father's home and receive proper care, for Yahweh had promised that Ishmael would establish a populous nation--a fact which seems to have escaped the observation of our Western intellectuals, but not that of the Hindoos who are rather proud of their Abrahamic descent. Abram was eighty-six years old when Ishmael was born.

"And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, Yahweh appeared to Abram and said unto him, I am El Shaddai [Almighty El]; walk before Me, and be thou perfect. And I will make My covenant between Me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. And Abram fell on his face; and Elohim talked with him, saying, As for Me, behold, My covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of MANY NATIONS. Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. And I will make thee exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. And I will establish My covenant between Me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generation for an everlasting covenant, to be Elohim unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. And I will give thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger: all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their Elohim." (Genesis 17:1-8)

Circumcision Not A Condition

   All of these promises were made to Abram unconditionally. There were no strings attached. It is noteworthy that the covenant of circumcision was given to Abraham after the promises and not as a condition for obtaining them.

The Promises Elaborated

   Yahweh then explained His promises further and this time included Sarai, for we read,

"And Elohim said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her; yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of NATIONS, KINGS of people shall be of her." (Genesis 17:15-16)

Abraham's Doubt

   Even though he humbled himself before Yahweh at the tine, Abraham disclosed his doubt:

"Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?" (Genesis 17:17)

Abraham could not understand the absolute integrity and literalness of Yahweh's promises. He already had a son, Ishmael who seemed much more real than the hypothetical son by Sarah. So Abraham said to Elohim,

"O that Ishmael might live before Thee! And Elohim said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him."
"And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee; Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation. But MY covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year." (Genesis 17:18-21)

To the great joy of Abraham and Sarah, Yahweh did keep His promise and Isaac was born. And as can well be imagined, when the child of promise was old enough to be weaned, a great feast was prepared in celebration.

Sarah's Jealous Fears

   But again, because of inability to await calmly, Yahweh's performance of His promises, more trouble was caused:

"And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had borne unto Abraham, mocking. Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son; for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac. And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight because of his son. And Elohim said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called. And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed." (Genesis 21:9-13).

Thus directed by Yahweh, Abraham rose early in the morning and sent away Hagar and Ishmael after making provision for their journey.

   When Hagar and her son had traveled for a while she became very discouraged and while Ishmael rested she went aside to pray. Yahweh heard her prayer, sending an Angel to comfort her and to reassure her that her son would live to become a great nation (Genesis 21:18). Further, we read that Elohim was with the lad, that he grew and dwelt in the wilderness, and that his mother arranged for him to marry an Egyptian wife.

Identity of Ishmael's Descendants

   There is a great body of weighty circumstantial evidence linking Ishmael's descendants with the high-caste Hindus of India, known as the Brahmans. These hold themselves aloof from the others and consider themselves superior because they are high born. Social equality has not come to India largely because of the superior attitude of these Hindus who hold themselves above all other races in India. These Brahmans have a large proportion of Caucasian or Semitic blood. But then, we should not forget that Ishmael was of mixed lineage and his wife was also an Egyptian.

   The Standard American Encyclopedia describes the Brahmans as "one of the Aryan conquerors of India who discharged religious duties and priestly functions, whose ascendancy over their fellows, however, is intellectual and spiritual, but not political."

   The word "Brahman" itself is considered by some to be a transliteration of, or a derivation of "A-Braham."

   The Brahmanical or Epic era of Hinduism begins with the invasion of India by the Aryans from the west subsequent to the time of Abraham. Hinduism contains, as might be expected, contrasting elements of primitive heathen worship together with teachings strikingly similar to the faith of Abraham. This mixture of religions is symbolized by the Indian title "RAJAH," which is a compound of the Egyptian RA or chief Sun deity of Hagar's country with YAH, the short for of Yahweh, the Mighty One of Abraham.

   Ishmael's descendants are listed in the 25th chapter of Genesis:

Nebajoth, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, MISHMA, DUMAH and MASSA, Hadar, Temah, Jetur, Naphish, Kedemah.

For the casual reader, the names of these twelve princes, their towns and their castles mean little. But there is food for thought if one digs below the surface. Names in ancient times, particularly Hebrew names, signify identifying characteristics. And so, trivial things sometimes become meaningful. Thus, we have from the East a sentimental ornament in the form of three little monkeys. One, "Mishma" (Hebrew, hearing) covers his ears with his hands so as to "hear no evil"; another, "Duman" (Hebrew, Silence) covers his mouth to "speak no evil"; the third, "Massa" (Hebrew, rising smoke--i.e., cloudy) covers his eyes to "see no evil." And the tell-tale monkeys, a trinket form India, bear silent testimony of their origin, for they correspond to the fifth, sixth and seventh sons of Ishmael.

Other Children of Abraham

   The Brahmans are not the only sons of Abraham in India, for after them came the Buddhists whose religion has since been corrupted to an even greater extent to make it more acceptable to the lower castes. (For instance, their doctrine of the transmigration of souls is a badly twisted version of Biblical immortality.) After these came the Mohammedans whose faith is also a corruption of Abraham's beliefs. Mohammed, its founder, was one of the Ishmael's descendants in Arabia. The Mohammedans still hold to the Hebrew Old Testament. Their Koran has been added instead of the New Testament. All three religions of India are thus warped versions of the Abrahamic faith inherited from their forefather. Numerically the descendants of Ishmael are a great nation as Yahweh said they would be.

   Still other descendants of Abraham may be found in Persia (Iran) and iin Arabia. These are almost certainly the children by Keturah: "Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah" (Genesis 25:2).

   As the descendants of Abraham increased, both the children of Ishmael and the children of the concubine Keturah kept moving toward the east infiltrating the land to which Abraham had allocated them.

"And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac. But unto the sons of the concubines which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward, unto the east country." (Genesis 25:5-6)

It appears that the children of Keturah received as a possession Arabia and Persia, which lands were part of the original "LAND-GRANT" made by Yahweh to Abraham. Later, the children of Ishmael invaded India en masse about 1000 B.C. and subjugated the Yellow-brown Mongolians who were there and made slaves of them. These coolies are the lower castes in India.

   We have seen in this chapter that human intervention in Yahweh's plan can lead to trouble unless He has confirmed or authorized it. As the Psalmist has said, "Except Yahweh build the house, they labour in vain that build it:" (Psal 127). Sarai had to learn this the hard way.

   It was also seen that Yahweh's promises to Abraham were both literal and unconditional. Yahweh promised that Abraham and Sarah would have a son and it was so. The Most High rejected any solution except the meticulous fulfillment of His promises. Nor were there any strings attached. The blessings did not depend upon action or performance such as circumcision, which came later.

   Although Ishmael with an Egyptian mother, was not the son of promise, he was nevertheless greatly blessed because he was the son of Abraham. Multitudes of Ishmael's descendants today inhabit Iran, Arabia and India where they are known as Brahmans.

   Isaac was the promised heir of Sarah and Abraham who gave all that he had to Isaac, but unto the sons of the concubines Abraham gave gifts and sent them away while he yet lived, eastward into the east country.

CHAPTER IV

Addition or Multiplication?

   It cannot be stressed too emphatically that Yahweh did not say He would add to Abraham exceedingly. What He actually said was,

"I am the Almighty El, walk before Me and be thou perfect. And I will make My covenant between Me and thee and I will multiply thee exceedingly." (Genesis 17:1-2)

Bible students of the past, because they did not have the ethnological and anthropological data available to us today, or because they did not recognize the significance of these facts in the light of the many biblical and historical references to them, have been prone to "spiritualize" the promises away, not understanding the manner of their literal fulfillment. Fortunately, our ignorance does not circumscribe Yahweh's power. In making excuses and spiritualizing scriptures which are obviously literal, we have failed to see that Yahweh has literally performed His promise to multiply Abraham exceedingly. Notice carefully this language:

"As for Me, behold My covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. Neither shall thy name be any more called Abram; for a father of many nations have I made thee. And I will make thee exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of thee and kings shall come out of thee. And I will establish My covenant between Me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be an Elohim unto thee and to thy seed after thee." (Genesis 17:4-7)

   If Yahweh did indeed establish His covenant with Abraham "in his generation and with his seed in their generation, for an everlasting covenant," where do many religious people get their idea that Yahweh has forsaken His people, the seed of Abraham, and chosen some other people, the "Gentiles"? Did not Yahweh know that the descendants of Abraham would sin and come short of His glory? Could He not foresee they would fail Him? Why then, did He establish a permanent covenant with so fickle a people, and seal it for time and eternity (for so the word "everlasting" implies) if He were later going to change His mind and reject or annul the agreement?

The Covenant Remains Binding

   On the contrary, this covenant seems to be unconditional. Regardless of the actions of Abraham's children, Yahweh having made the agreement unconditional, would be obliged to keep it for His own glory. This point is frequently confirmed in the scriptures.

"For I, Yahweh, change not; therefore ye, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed." (Malachi 3:6)

   In order to make the children of Abraham fit to receive the blessings, Yahweh has made use of the process of elimination. He has thus kept faith with Abraham and Abraham's seed which have become many nations. These nations do now possess the potentialities of the Abrahamic blessings. In the same everlasting covenant, Yahweh also said,

"And I will give unto thee and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession; I will be their Elohim. And Elohim said unto Abraham, thou shalt keep My covenant therefore, thou and thy seed after thee in their generations." (Genesis 17:8-9)

There is in this covenant no provision for abrogating it. And there are no conditional clauses, only an appeal to loyalty for compliance. In effect, Yahweh says, "Because I am going to do this for you, I shall expect you to keep My covenant." But even if Abraham's children failed to keep it, Yahweh had made provision for them to become the beneficiaries through faith in the Messiah. For in and through His Son, Immanuel, all Yahweh's promises attain fulfillment (see II Corinthians 1:20).

Symbolic Foreshadowing: Abraham's Progeny Saved--A Substitute Sacrifice Provided by Yahweh.

   In the 22nd chapter of Genesis, we read of Abraham's great temptation. Yahweh tested him to see whether he truly loved Him more than his only sob, Isaac. Abraham did not fail, but proved his love by taking Isaac to the mount and binding him as a sacrifice. He had proved his faith in Elohim, believing that even though he sacrificed Isaac, Yahweh would somehow fulfill His promise that his seed would dominate and populate the earth (cf. Hebrews 11:17-19).

   Elohim came to the mount and seeing Abraham's faith, caused an angel to stop the knife in Abraham's hand, pointing to the substitute ram that Elohim had provided:

"And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. And Abraham called the name of that place Yahweh-jireh; as it is said to this day, in the Mount of Yahweh it shall be seen. And the angel of Yahweh called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time and said, By Myself have I sworn, saith Yahweh, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand which is upon the seashore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies. And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed My voice." (Genesis 22:13-18)

Earthly Nations and Earthly Blessings

   If we are intellectually and spiritually honest, how can we fail to perceive that this covenant is earthly? It pertains to temporal and natural blessings and seed; its blessings are not contingent upon the works of Abraham or his children but can be attained through faith.

   Surely ten to thirteen million Jews do not represent the fulfillment of these promises. At present they are not even a nation, though they shall eventually possess all of Palestine and shall have a nation of their own. (Written in 1938. Today, this has partially taken place.)

   As we shall show, the Jews are but a fraction of the literal, earthly descendants of Isaac, being greatly outnumbered by the many millions of his bearded Aryan or "barb"-arian Caucasian descendants who today populate Europe, the Americas and the British dominions, including most of what is rather loosely termed "western civilization." This is a most important point which has been missed probably because Bible students have hitherto paid insufficient attention to ethnology and ethnologists little attention to the Bible.

A Suitable Wife for Isaac

   After his own troubles with Hagar and Ishmael, Abraham was aware of the importance of a proper wife for Isaac. Since the promises were to be passed on to future generations, he knew he must not permit Isaac to marry a Canaanite woman and he also knew that Yahweh, Who had proved faithful before, would not fail him now in designating a wife for his son; an appropriate partner for the propagation of an enduring race.

   Abraham, informed that his kinsman, Nahor, had been blessed with numerous descendants, called his servant Eliezer of Damascus to him and entrusted him with the responsibility of finding a mate for his son,. Abraham made him swear that he would bring Isaac a wife fro among his own kindred, and that under no condition would he allow Isaac to return to the land that his father had left, but should remain in the land of promise. One should read the account carefully in the 24th chapter of Genesis, especially the prophecy uttered by Laban to his sister Rebecca, the chosen bride, on the eve of her departure, when he said,

"Thou art our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them." (Genesis 24:60)

Compare this verse with Genesis 22:17, and remember the rule, "by the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established." It was Yahweh who put the prophetic words in the mouth of the Syrian Laban, confirming to Rebecca what He had promised to Abraham.

   Rebecca, accompanied by Eliezer, left the country of her birth and went to be married to Isaac. They waited twenty years, but the promise of multiplication of seed had not been fulfilled. This was enough to discourage anyone. "Isaac entreated Yahweh for his wife, because she was barren; and Yahweh was entreated by him and Rebecca, his wife, conceived" (Genesis 25:21).

   And it became apparent that she had been blessed with children for,

"The children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to inquire of Yahweh. And Yahweh said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger." (Genesis 25:22-23)

   Notice, especially verse 23. Yahweh did not say two children, or two sons, but two nations. As they struggled together in the womb, so throughout recorded history have the descendants of Jacob and Esau, struggled. They are still involved in serious controversy and violent bloodshed at this very moment. The descendants of Esau, the Edomite Arabs of Palestine, today are in conflict with both the Jewish and the non-Jewish or barbarian descendants of Jacob.

   In this chapter we studied the promises made to Abraham; that he would be multiplied exceedingly and become many nations; that his descendants would dominate the earth; and that in his seed all the nations of the earth would be blessed. We saw, too, that the Abrahamic blessings did not depend upon performance, but were unconditional, Yahweh Himself undertaking to bring them about in His own time. Yahweh provided for Abraham's earthly descendants to obtain these earthly blessings through their faith in the Messiah. And Yahweh even demonstrated this principle in a symbolic sacrifice to teach Abraham that his seed would be saved from death by a substitute sacrifice to be provided by Him.

   In this chapter it was also affirmed that the "many nations" descended from Abraham through Isaac and Jacob are to be found principally among the Caucasian peoples of Europe and the West. Among these western peoples are found the great majority of those who, through faith in the Messiah will assuredly receive in full the promised earthly blessings.

We, at Yahweh's Assembly in Messiah, sincerely pray that you are finding Elder Traina's book to be informative, enlightening and a blessing to you.  You may continue on with Chapter V by clicking here.