An emerging religion called “Israel United in Christ” is creeping into Anguilla. It is being promoted by four Anguillian young men who were seen casually standing near the stoplight at the Mahogany Tree Corner on Saturday, July 28, delivering their mission.
The leader of the group is ‘Soldier Isayah’ and the others are ‘Soldier Gideon,’ ‘Brother Zebediah’ and ‘Brother James’. “We are repented Israelites, have been born again and came back into the truth about two to three years now,” Soldier Isayah told The Anguillan after stopping the newspaper to talk with them.
Asked the meaning of their names, Isayah and his companions read what they said were explanatory sections from the King James Bible which they constantly referred to at every other question relating to their beliefs.
“We, as a people, have been lost and we are looking for a way to find out how to come back to God’s laws, statutes and commandments,” Soldier Isayah went on. “The Book of Isaiah, chapter 45, verse 4, says: ‘For Jacob my servant’s sake and Israel my elect, I have even called thee by thy name. I have surnamed thee though thou hast not known me.’ We have been in the world. His worldly name (pointing to each of his companions) would have been one name; this one’s worldly name would have been a next name; that one’s name would have been a next; and my name, another. But we, as children of God, our names should be of God.”
In conclusion, he said: “The reason we are out here is to wake up our people. We are here to teach that you are not an Anguillian or a West Indian. You are an Israelite according to the Bible. You will not learn this in any church. This is thus said the Most High. We are out here trying to tell our people to come back to the laws, statutes and commandments of God.”
The group, who said they were living in the Cauls Pond area, explained that they were spreading their message on Kool FM every Tuesday, and were going on the street every Sabbath Day and during the week days to do so as well. Attired in purple long shirts, with frills at the end, the young men are not operating from any church or worship building.