You asked an excellent question. It is difficult to offer a blanket statement in response to your question because you did not state specifically WHY your parents are opposed to the interracial relationship. A parent may be opposed to an interracial relationship because of some concern they have about the person's character, or due to concerns about their own child's ability to handle the challenges and difficulties of such a relationship.

I think that whether the relationship is interracial or same-race, a child should demonstrate honor to their parents by listening intelligently to their parent's counsel. This does not mean that a child must always follow the parent's counsel, for at some point a child must be considered emancipated. They should continue to maintain honor for the parent, but they are responsible before God for their own decisions. (See Luke 14:26).

If you want to discuss your situation specifically, please feel free to e-mail me as a comment field is not the best place to conduct such a correspondence.

May you be blessed with peace and understanding in these days,

Joseph

What if your parents don't agree with your interracial relationship? They threaten to disown you and say they will never accept simply because of your significant others skin color. I know the bible says honor thy father and thy mother and if you disobey your parents you will be short lived. Does this apply when race is the main factor?!

You have made claims without providing any support for them. You would have me and others to believe that the Israelites were black based on the argument that several Jewish people went down to Egypt to dwell and they were able to "hide" there. You also mention that Joseph's brothers did not recognize him.

These are very poor arguments both from a scriptural and a logic standpoint. The Egyptians in the time of Moses, Joseph, and Christ were not black people. The Egyptians own ancient drawings, sculptures, and iconography reveal that they were not a race of black people. I am familiar with a few authors who attempt to make the argument that the Egyptians, at least the very ancient ones, were a black race, but their claims have been readily refuted by serious scholars.

From a Biblical and logical standpoint, your statements do not stand up to scrutiny. Pharaoh's daughter at once recognized the baby Moses as one of the Israelite's children (Exodus 2:6).

Additionally, the reason Joseph's brothers did not recognize him is that they had not seen him in twenty years, and he spoke to them through an interpreter, hiding from them the fact that he was a Hebrew. He was also dressed as a ruler of the Egyptians for he was appointed by Pharaoh as the second ruler in the land. All of these are sufficient to explain why his brothers did not recognize him.

One can also look to other Scriptures to understand that the Hebrews were not a black race. The fact that the Shulamite in the Song of Solomon mentions that the Hebrew women look at her with disdain because she is "black" reveals that the Hebrews were not a black race. David is also described as "ruddy" which means he had a rosy complexion, showing the blood in the coloring (I Samuel 16:12).

From a Biblical standpoint, the claim that the Jews were black is easily refuted. From a historical perspective the claim that the Egyptians were black is also readily refuted. I encourage you to study their ancient images. You will see that they depicted themselves quite differently from some of the black nations that they had commerce with.

There is no shame in being a black man or woman. I do not see the need to resort to historical reconstruction to assert things that are not true. God created all nations and peoples and all are declared to bear His image.

May you be blessed with peace and understanding in these days.

I was reading your blog and found it very disturbing that every time blackness is mentioned in the scriptures that it has to do with negativity or non importance when in fact it's just the opposite. You are a very intelligent man, but the truth has been revealed to who the ancient israelites were Examples. Deut 28,Exodus 4:6,Moses hid amongst the Egyptians and was himself mistaken as an Egyptian,Yahshua hid amongst the Egyptians and Joseph lived amongst the Egyptians and his brothers didn't recognize him. Everyone know that the Egyptians were people of shade, so how would Yahshua, Moses and Joseph hide amongst their enemies if they was a different color? There have been billions maybe trillions of dollars spent throughout the years with various translations of the scriptures just to perpetuate the lie. We are all Yah's children. Each and every one of us have to account for our works, but there is a distinction between the Gentiles (Gen 10 King James) and the Israelites who Yah calls his chosen. Those Israelis in Israel are not the descendants of the Hebrews and the so called African Americans are not Africans or Hamites. Deut exposes all truth. This comment is not intended to cause friction amongst blacks and whites but the truth has to be revealed.

May God bless you as you continue to do His work.

I, too, was born in the South. Unlike you, I was raised in the South and have always lived here. I was raised in an environment where racism was prevalent. I grew up using the "N" word in daily conversation, most often as a pejorative.

In college, I came to realize that we are all the same in God's eyes. As I aged and matured, I followed for a number of years the teachings of those who hold that miscegnation is forbidden in the Bible. However, when I began to study and allowed the Holy Spirit to lead me into Truth, I discovered there is no such Biblical injunction; that the teachings of those I had listened to were based on one or two Scriptures that were not relevant to race or ethnicity.

The new understanding Father gave me has been tremendously liberating. I understand the difference between Judah and Israel, between the Jews and the nations (gentiles). Some teach that only those genetically descended from the stock of Jacob/Israel will be among the overcomers who rule and reign with Christ during the Millenial Kingdom. They fail to see (refuse to see-and there are none so blind as those!) that adoption into "Israel" is a spiritual thing, not based on the physical.

Thank you for your continuing inspired insights. May you be blessed in all ways, according to His Will.

Kevin

Your comment is an interesting one. It presupposes that because mankind has somehow advanced in this later hour from ancient times. Many people hold this view as they see the increase of knowledge, the technological advances, etc.. It is error, however, to equate the outward signs of material progress with an inner growth of man morally, or spiritually.

The prophet Isaiah spoke of the last days before the return of Christ, stating that darkness would cover the earth, and deep darkness the people. As one looks at the condition of "civilization," it becomes evident that man's moral conscience is becoming increasingly seared. Homosexuality is spreading rapidly. Women are going to clinics to have the babies in their wombs killed in massive numbers. Violence, and corruption are everywhere present. Mankind cannot be said to be improving in those areas that are truly important. It should therefore be little wonder that prejudice of all types exists and is increasing.

I find it hard to believe people can have this kind of belief in this day and age.

Behind the question of whether it's alright fir people of different ethnicities(I don't believe in races) to marry is the presumption that one is better than the other. A marriage between equals would not be question.

It's a shame some Christian people think this way. I'm sure God could care less what skin color anyone is on the day of judgement. I being a person of many mixed ethnicities, including black, would never have been born if people stuck to this way of thinking, but it know God meant for me to live—no matter what anyone thinks about it.

The judgment God made at Babel was upon Adamic men who were held in bondage to sin. For the preservation of humanity, Yahweh determined that it was expedient for men to be separated into tongues and tribes and nations to hinder their free cooperation with one another. Man's cooperation with one another was only deemed a negative thing because the sinful nature would lead them to pursue ungodly goals.

When a man is born again and becomes a partaker of the divine nature, a new creation in Christ, they pass from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light. There is no need to hinder spiritual men from cooperating with one another. In fact, the opposite is true. As men are guided by the Holy Spirit they are able to accomplish more in advancement of Yahweh's kingdom when they work together as one homogenous whole. For this reason those who are in Christ are described as "one body" who are all directed by one Head. What was expedient to prevent unregenerate men from descending into great wickedness and evil is not expedient for those who are "in Christ."

Therefore, I still see it as God's will for unregenerate man to be slowed in their descent into sin and in the accomplishment of their wicked goals. I see it is a work of Satan to erase the distinctiveness of nations and to bring mankind under one language, with one mind, one monetary system, and a single ruler. In effect, Satan is mimicking the work of God in Christ, but he is doing so with the unregenerate and Christ is doing so with those who have been given a new nature and a new heart.

To be clear, I am NOT stating that interracial marriage is only God's will among those who are Christians. My point is that the distinctiveness of nations, languages, and people groups is designed by Yahweh to slow down the advancement of grievous sin among mankind.

May you be blessed with peace and understanding in these days,

Joseph Herrin

There may be spirits that promote racism, but I would not have any to think that all racism is the result of someone having an unclean spirit of racism. If this were the case then the solution to racism would be to cast out a spirit.

I think too often Christians look for quick solutions to their sin issues and it has become popular to address every struggle (overeating, sexual lust, anger, covetousness, etc.) by praying that the spirit of the thing be cast out. Rather than buffeting their bodies to keep them under subjection, and daily choosing to crucify the passions and desires of the flesh, many Christians expect to have God completely remove some temptation or struggle for them.

I recommend to you the teaching titled "Possessing the Land" which you will find on the Heart4God website under the Presentations page.

May you be blessed with peace and understanding in these days.