It’s remarkable the kind of information one can come across when doing some research. Investigating one topic can, and in this case, lead into an unexpected area. One that I never even thought to question. I do not remember how I came to explore the possibility of King Arthur being a real historical figure. I do, however, recall in college taking an origin of medieval Britain class, and the professor stating that King Arthur was more than likely the son of a retired Roman soldier who held off Saxon invasions. My findings on King Arthur are for another time, but it was during this that I uncovered both primary and secondary sources attesting that the people of Wales belong to one of the lost ten tribes of Israel.
From Assyrian Captivity to Troy and the British Isles
This may sound preposterous but it could be a possibility and I believe the records make for a persuasive argument. Alan Wilson contends that some of the Israelites, to what capacity is unknown, were relocated to the city of Troy following the Assyrian captivity.
“And the sovereign of Ashshur (Assyria) went through all the land, and went up to Shomeron (Samaria) and besieged it for three years. In the ninth year of Hoshĕa, the sovereign of Ashshur (Assyria) captured Shomeron (Samaria) and exiled Yisra’ĕl (Israel) to Ashshur (Assyria), and settled them in Ḥalaḥ and Ḥaḇor, the River of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.” (2 Kings 17:5-6)
Some researchers/ historians support the idea that it is likely that following the fall of Troy, the occupants of the city fled to the Island of Britain. The man that led the refuges was non-other than Brutus of Troy, who according to legend, became the first King of Britain. It is from Brutus that the Island supposedly got its name, and is the reason why the people became known as Britons. Historian Bernard Jones in his book The Discovery of Troy and its Lost History, details why he believes, among other things, that there is historical evidence that the British people in part are decedents of the Trojans.
If it’s possible that a portion of the tribes of Israel was sent to Troy following their captivity, then it might be the case that some of them traveled with Brutus to Britain. Humor me, if you will, and let’s say they were because the following information leads me to believe there might be some validity to these claims.
Early Conversion of the Celtics
The people who lived in Wales before and after the Roman occupation of Britannia (Britain) were known as the Celts. You may be familiar with them and I have spoken of them in my post “Pagan Holidays, Halloween.” It appears to be the case that the Celtics had a blended form of religion, utilizing druidism and Biblical themes.
“Welsh were Gnostic Christians from around 58 A.D.” (Wilson, Alan, and A. T. Blackett. Artorius Rex Discovered. Cardiff: King Arthur Research, 1986. Pg.8)
58 AD or CE, is very early on and vastly sooner than the time of St. Augustine’s arrival who is accredited with converting the island to Catholicism. Wilson and Blackett’s statements are supported with the Old English Chronicles.
“Meanwhile these islands…received the beams of light…that is…Christ…at the latter part, as we know, of the reign of Tiberius Caesar.” (Giles, J. A. Six Old English Chronicles, of Which Two Are Now First Translated from the Monkish Latin Originals: Ethelwerd's Chronicle, Asser's Life of Alfred, Geoffrey of Monmouth's British History, Gildas, Nennius, and Richard of Cirencester. London: George Bell & Sons, 1882. Pg. 302)
Tiberius reigned from 14 CE to 37 CE, Yeshua was crucified in the year 33 CE. That leaves just 5 years from the time of Yeshua’s ascension back into Heaven and the end of Tiberius’ reign. It is speculated that either Paul or Peter, if not both, went to Britain to spread the good news. That’s quite a journey and seems rather expedited as well. For Yeshua told his disciples to,
Yeshua sent these twelve out, having commanded them, saying, “Do not go into the way of the nations, and do not enter a city of the Shomeronim, but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Yisra’ĕl (Israel).” (Matthew 10:5-6)
They were first to go to where the lost sheep of the house of Israel were, this is a bit problematic as no one knows if they belong to one of the lost ten tribes, at least not now. It could be, however, that the disciples knew of possible locations where the tribes could have been scattered, thus their reason to travel to the British Isles so soon.
The Hebraic Traditions followed by the Celtic Church
According to historical records, the Celtic Church fervently resisted the Catholic Church’s attempts to convert the people. It appears the early Celtic Church had strong ties to Torah, which could be due to Peter and Paul teaching them the way.
“Biblical Law began to be introduced into the civil realm. In 432 Patrick wrote Liber Ex Lege Moisi (Book of the Law of Moses), which was applied by local chieftains or kings throughout Ireland.” (The Origin of Common Law, in America’s Providential History by Mark Beliles & Stephen McDowell p.39-41)
Having been taught the true way to follow Messiah, the Celtic people started to keep Torah as they sought to be imitators of Yeshua.
“The shared elements include the keeping of the Saturday Sabbath, tithing, the definition of "first fruits'' and offerings, the establishment of walled precincts for the priestly/monastic families, inheritance of religious office, and fasting and dietary restrictions…Other scholarship suggests that Irish Churchmen of the seventh and eighth centuries actually considered themselves to be Priests and Levites, as defined under Old Testament law.” (Leslie Hardinge "The Celtic Church in Britain", London, 1972, quoted and summarised by Deborah K. E. Crawford, "St. Joseph In Britain: Reconsidering The Legends. Part 2", Folklore 105 (1994): 51-59)
“...the prominence of Hebrew features in Irish canon law collections (including Biblical cities of Refuge and Jubilee Years) together with Mosaic prohibitions on diet and injunctions on tithes...There was also a Hebrew treatment of the sanctuary ...and finally there were many Hebrew words occurring in cryptographic monastic Irish works such as Hisperica Famina.” (Mrs. Winthrop Palmer Boswell, "The Roots of Irish Monasticism", California, 1969.)
“Mosaic parallelisms found amongst early Celtic Christians include the prohibition of sex in the menstrual period and after birth, also ritual animal slaughter was kept, and usury was prohibited…Old Testament Biblical injunctions were generally regarded as binding... Members of the Celtic Church were suspected by the Roman Catholics of Judaizing and its members in Scotland were accused of really being Jews.” (Baigent, Leigh, & Lincoln. "The Messianic Legacy", 1986, 1987 U.K.) Though if the Celtics were part of the house of Israel, they would not be Jews but Hebrews, for further clarification check out “Israel and Judah”.
An Intriguing Possibility
If all of this is true, that some portions of the lost tribes were sent to Troy and then left with Brutus to settle the British Isles, that Peter and Paul traveled to the Isles because they knew some lost sheep from the house of Israel lived there, and following Peter and Paul’s visit the Celtic people remember who they were and started to follow Yeshua Messiah in Torah obedience. Then it does cause one to wonder why the official history is taught so differently from what actually happened?
***Update***
Acts Chapter 29
After reading that subheading you might have opened up your Bible to discover that Acts stops at chapter 28 (unless your using the Cepher version of the Bible). However, in recent years a document was found containing the 29th chapter of Acts. Known as the Sonnini Manuscript, named after Charles Nicolas Sigisbert Sonnini de Manoncourt, a French noblemen and naturalist who was raised in Jesuit education. Acts 29 was found with his other writings detailing his journeys in Greece and the Ottoman Empire in modern day Turkey, along with a document from Sultan allowing Sonnini to travel in the Ottoman Empire. Sonnini’s copy of Acts 29 came from an ‘original’ Greek version of Acts 29, that was housed in the Archives at Constantinople (modern day Istanbul).
The major thing I want to go over, and why it’s applicable to this article, is that Acts 29 details Paul’s journey to the British Isle to visit with the druids. Who Paul claimed to be members of the lost sheep of the House of Israel, corroborating with the aforementioned sources.
“And Paulos, full of the blessings of Mashiach, and abounding in the spirit, departed out of Rome, determining to go into Spain, for he had a long time proposed to journey thitherward, and was minded also to go from thence to Britain. For he had heard on Phoenicia that certain of the children Yisrael, about the time of the Assyrian captivity, had escaped by sea to "The Isles afar off" as spoken of by the Prophet (Esdras), and called by the Romans – Britain. And the Adonai commanded the Good News to be Proclaimed far hence to the Gentiles (nations), and to the Lost Sheep of the House of Yisrael.” (Acts 29:1-3)
This is the exact mission Yeshua gave his disciples, and Paul, to go out to those who had been divorced, the House of Israel, and let them know that a way was made for redemption (Redeeming the Bride, Israel and Judah). And as this message spread across the land, even those of gentile birth would hear the good news, and so be given a chance to enter into covenant with Yah Elohim.
“And they departed out of Spain, and Paulos and his company finding a ship in Armorica sailing to Britain, they were therein, and passing along the south coast, they reached a port called Raphinus. Now when it was voiced abroad that the apostle had landed on their coast, great multitudes of the inhabitants met him, and they treated Paulos courteously and he entered in at the east gate of their city, and lodged in the house of an Hebrew and one of his own nation (tribe).” (Acts 29:7-8)
Paul came from the tribe of Benjamin, which belongs to the House of Judah, informing us that both houses occupied land in Britain. Perhaps this is how Paul knew that some of the lost sheep of the House of Israel lived on the island? After delivering the message of the Kingdom, the druids came to speak with Paul face to face.
“And it shall come to pass that certain of the Druids came to Paulos privately, and showed by their rites and ceremonies that they were descended from Yehudim (from the tribe of Judah) which escaped from bondage in the land of Mitzrayim (Egypt), and the apostle believed these things, and he gave them the kiss of Shalom.” (Acts 29:13)
This makes the Druids distinct from those who arrived to Britain following Assyrian captivity, as the House of Judah was not taken by them, and the Druids point to leaving Egypt as their branching off moment. Are they the decedents of Zerah from the tribe of Judah who left the rest of Israel soon after the Exodus from Egypt? Is it possible that they moved to Greece, Troy, Gaul, before finally settling in Britannia? Whatever the case they felt the need to prove to Paul that they were in fact from that line (tribe of Judah), and after witnessing their rites and ceremonies Paul had concluded that they were telling the truth.
All of this rather exciting, as I feel there is something extremely important concerning the British Isles and Israel. It became the habitation for both Judah and Israel, and that’s not by coincidence, but why? What mysteries are still waiting to be revealed? What piece(s) of history long forgotten or hidden, is waiting to be (re)discovered?
I hope this has sparked some interest in researching the matter for yourself. Continue to test all things, and may the Ruach Hakodesh lead you into all Truths.
P.S.
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