Y-Chromosome Test May Help Fulfill Biblical Prophesy

The Old Testament prophets Daniel and Ezekiel predicted that Jews would some day re-establish temple worship and sacrifices.4,5 But to make this re-establishment possible, some means must be found for identifying who among the Jewish people are true descendents of Aaron. As 2 Samuel records, misidentification may carry a severe consequences.6 No wonder Israel’s Jews have been reluctant to reinstitute the priestly practices.

Recent developments in genetic research, however, could pave the way. Here’s some background: Jewish law instructs Jews to marry Jews1 and descendents of the first high priest, Aaron, to marry only fellow descendents of Aaron.2 To the degree that these instructions were followed, Jews’ genetic material would have become much more uniform over the centuries than non-Jews’, and the genetic material of the priestly line much more uniform than that of other Jews.

An international team of eight molecular biologists has just confirmed that these genetic distinctions are indeed, discernible. The findings are based on measurements of Y-chromosome differences among many different populations of Jews.3

For centuries Jewish tradition has acknowledged the Cohanim clan (typical English surname, Cohen) as the priestly line. Membership in this clan carries certain social and religious obligations. These have helped preserve the clan’s identity and genetic purity. Here’s what the research team discovered: a certain component (the allele YAP+ DYS19) of the Cohanims’ Y-chromosome rarely shows up in non-Cohanim5 Y-chromosome. Other subtle chromosomal differences were apparent as well.

Not all Cohanims (or Cohens) are descendants of Aaron, but with just a little more research on Y-chromosome distinctives, researchers expect to develop a definitive genetic test to identify those descendants. It will be even easier to develop a genetic test distinguishing Jews from non-Jews. Given humanity’s track record for racism and intolerance, the availability of such a test seems dangerous. But this test, too, could prove important in fulfillment of biblical prophecy. Scripture indicates that before the return of Jesus Christ, all the world’s Jews will be living in Israel.7

References

  1. Deuteronomy 7:3-6, New International Version, The Holy Bible.
  2. Leviticus 21:7-22:15, New International Version, The Holy Bible.
  3. Karl Skorecki et al, "Y-Chromosomes of Jewish Priests," Nature, 385 (1997), p. 32.
  4. Daniel 9:25-27, New International Version, The Holy Bible.
  5. Ezekiel 40-48, New International Version, The Holy Bible.
  6. 2 Samuel 6:3-11, New International Version, The Holy Bible.
  7. Ezekiel 36:8-12,38:8,39:28-29, New International Version, The Holy Bible.
N.B. The research cited above carries additional ramifications. Since the gene pool of Jews has remained relatively undisturbed for the past 4,000 years or more, any changes or differentiation we observe in Jews’ Y-chromosome makeup would be the result of natural evolutionary processes. Y-chromosome studies, then, should prove useful for establishing rates and mechanisms of chromosome evolution.

This page, and all contents, are Copyright © 1997 by Reasons To Believe.

Return to the Reasons To Believe Home Page

Return to the table of contents for the Facts & Faith, Second Quarter 1997 Issue