Lost tribes of Israel

[timothyu]

Unfortunately, the southern kingdom does not learn from the northern kingdom. In fact, it should have seen that the house of Joseph's unfaithfulness would be its undoing.

It is most likely that just like today, most people were looking upon life from a secular angle and not from the ways portrayed in the Bible. It is rare in politics, media, or even churches, that the question is asked, are we putting our will ahead of the will of God. Carry on.

 

[Benaiah468]

I often get the same questions. Here are some questions and answers.

Why was the Northern Kingdom/Ephraim called the “House of Israel”?

This is due to the blessing of Jacob. Jacob, who received the name “Israel” from G-d, blessed Ephraim and Manasseh, whose tribes were the leading ones in the later Northern Kingdom, as follows:

And he blessed Joseph, and said, G-d, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the G-d which fed me all my life long unto this day, The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth. Gen 48:15-16

Where do you find the different names for the Northern Kingdom?

The Northern Kingdom is given different names in the Bible (certainly for a reason). We read about it in the following passages:

House of Israel (e.g. 1 Kgs 12:21; Jer 31:31)
House of Joseph (1 Kgs 11:28)
Samaria (Hos 7:1; 8:5-6; 14:1)
Ephraim (Hos 4:17; 5:3; 7:1)

Does the tribe of Levi belong to the southern kingdom or the northern kingdom?

The passage in 2 Chr 11:13-16 states that all the Levites from the northern kingdom went to the southern kingdom.

This is not only remarkable because they were able to clearly classify Jeroboam's apostasy spiritually, but also because this is the second time in their history that they have NOT worshipped a golden calf!

This time they even draw believers from all parts of Israel (!).

In this respect, we can assume that all 12 tribes are represented among today's Jews - plus the Levites.

Are Manasseh and Ephraim counted as independent tribes?

Yes, Manasseh and Ephraim were counted as independent tribes, both then and in the future (cf. Jos 15-19, or also Ez 48).

Someone told me that the Galatians were descendants of the Northern Kingdom. Is that true?

Yes, I assume so because of the following verse:

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, Elect according to the foreknowledge of G-d the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. 1 Pe 1:1-2

The brothers and sisters in Galatia were “strangers”, scattered and chosen. In my opinion, they could only be Israelites.

When the NT speaks of strangers, who is meant?

In principle, this is of secondary importance, because the lost ten tribes also became Gentiles.

In this respect, they were either descendants of the 10 tribes or from the Gentile nations.

In general, however, the focus was already on the House of Israel. Gentiles had enough idols and it would be illogical for hundreds of thousands of them to “convert”. Jesus sent his disciples primarily “unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel”.

What applies to Gentiles who are accepted into the covenant with G-d?

Our identity is Israel. No matter what our background, we are grafted into the noble olive tree (Israel) and now belong to it - and are thus assigned to a tribe (which is generally not yet known to us).

The Bible is very clear about what applies to foreigners:

One ordinance shall be both for you of the congregation, and also for the stranger that sojourneth with you, an ordinance for ever in your generations: as ye are, so shall the stranger be before the Lord. Numbers 15:15

Isaiah 56:4-7 is also very interesting in this respect!

I would also like to draw your attention to Isaiah 14:

For the Lord will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land: and the strangers shall be joined [Hebrew: lavah] with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob. Isa 14:1

The Hebrew word for “join” is interesting here, namely lavah. It has - certainly not by chance - the same root as Levite. People who join Israel are also called upon to “levite”, i.e. to submit to the teaching of the Torah (the Levites were responsible for teaching the Torah).

Nineveh was in Assyria, in the area to which the Northern Kingdom was deported. Is there any connection?

Good question. I could well imagine that the reason Nineveh was so dear to G-d's heart was because there were so many descendants of the 10 tribes there.

It could also be that Nineveh only repented because they were the descendants.

In general, the fact that the prophet Jonah is placed in a different era speaks against this theory. But this classification is not necessarily correct.

Why was there no reunification of Judah and Ephraim in the first century?

G-d was thinking bigger:

For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. Rom 11:25

If He had already established His kingdom, the masses of descendants from the northern kingdom would have been lost. That is why it took two more “days” (= millennia):

Come, and let us return unto the Lord: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. Hos 6:1-2

Moreover, the reunion of Judah and Ephraim will take place in Israel (Ez 37:22). And at that time Ephraim could not yet return to the land because the punishment had not yet been removed.

Assuming this theme about Judah & Ephraim is true: Then why hasn't it been preached about in recent centuries?

After all, it makes a big difference.

For one thing, it was certainly our punishment. In Leviticus chapter 26 we read about the 2730 years that the people had to pay their debt.

But I think it was also often preached without naming it.

I find it interesting that the primary content of the sermons in the last centuries was:

Grace and love!

That is certainly no coincidence!

Because these messages go straight to the heart of the “prodigal son”. It is what we want and need to hear as a runaway son, as a lonely sheep, as an outcast wife. Our identity is encoded in this message.

We were lost and it is by the grace and love of G-d that we are allowed back into the covenant!

 

[Benaiah468]

We have already gained an overview of the topic of the divided kingdom of Israel.

Before we move on in the timeline and see what role the Messiah plays in this story, let's take a short break today. First, let's take a closer look at the prophets.

“Suddenly” many images appear there that represent the House of Judah and the House of Israel and with which the Bible now reads completely differently. Especially the NT!

But first a short summary:

- The division of Israel is already prefigured in the blessings of the twelve tribes
- Judah receives the royal blessing and thus the leadership or leadership in the family
- Ephraim, on the other hand, receives the firstborn blessing and thus a huge portion of the inheritance: “the full number of the nations”
- Israel is divided into the Southern Kingdom and the Northern Kingdom due to Solomon's sins
- Ephraim becomes the head of the Northern Kingdom, Judah the head of the Southern Kingdom
- Names of the Southern Kingdom: House of Judah, Judah, Jews
- Names of the Northern Kingdom: House of Joseph, Ephraim, House of Israel
- The Northern Kingdom commits three serious types of sins
- the sins of Jeroboam, “replacement theology”
- the cult of Baal
- wars against Judah

- The Southern Kingdom does even worse than the Northern Kingdom. But G-d does NOT divorce them - unlike the Northern Kingdom, to whom
G-d gives the letter of divorce.
- While the Northern Kingdom is scattered among all nations and mixes with the pagans, the House of Judah returns after 70 years of captivity.

In any case, I hope that these characteristics of Israel have already broadened your view. There is so much to discover! And we will come back to most of these images.

A hard time lies behind them. After returning from the Babylonian captivity, the House of Judah had to suffer a lot, and kings kept coming and taking over the land. Currently it is the Romans.

Judah longs for freedom and independence. Every child knows the writings about the legendary King David and the glorious times under Solomon.

Now they are waiting for a king who will even put them in the shade: The Messiah. He will come and re-establish the kingdom of Israel.

The prophets say that He will reunite the House of Judah and the House of Israel. And if we understand the prophet Daniel correctly, the coming of the Redeemer is imminent.

The brothers of the House of Israel (the former Northern Kingdom) still live scattered in many countries and in the midst of the Gentiles. (The historian Josephus reports from 70 AD that many millions of the remaining 10 tribes live on the other side of the Euphrates, for example). They live in exile and have not returned to this day.

Many Jews at that time were waiting for the Messiah. We also find references to this in the NT:

And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ. Lk 2:25-26

And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity; And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem. Lk 2:36-38

But we know the story: many of the Jews recognized him and followed him, but there were also many who rejected him.

They did not understand how Jesus could be the Messiah. He had to come from Bethlehem. But this Jesus came from Nazareth!

And they said, Is not this Joseph's son? Lk 4:22b
And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? John 1:46a


But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; Micah 5:2a

Many have missed the Messiah because he did not fit into their concept of faith. And so we too should be very careful and regularly review our belief patterns, because even if the Messiah has already come and everyone will realize it the second time around, we must not get carried away and think we have it all figured out or know what the future holds!

In the Gospel of Matthew, we find a statement that certainly seems strange to many:

But he [Jesus] answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Mt 15:24

We know and have heard all our lives that the gospel is for all Gentiles. So how does this statement fit in with that?

Where do we need to question and review our concept of faith?

Don't be afraid. I am not saying that Gentiles can no longer be saved! But I do believe that we need to take a radically new look at the whole story - in order to better understand the work of Jesus, the gospel, indeed the whole Bible.

Perhaps you have read the statement by Prof. CAL Totten (1851-1908; Yale University):

If you don't know the difference between Jews and Israel, seven eighths of the content of the Bible is closed to you. If you understand the difference between Judah and Ephraim, you have THE KEY to being able to understand the Bible at all.

And I am just as convinced of that!

So why exactly did Jesus come?

If you remember, you will be able to deduce very easily who these “lost sheep” are. The answer, namely the “house of Israel”, is already in the verse.

But now you know who the house of Israel is: the northern kingdom!

Sheep are only ever associated with Israel in the Bible (which interprets itself!). And we have heard which of the two kingdoms is considered “lost”: it is the Northern Kingdom.

So Matthew 15:24 says that Jesus was only sent to the Northern Kingdom!

This is of course a very pointed statement that we must read in the context of the Bible. We must never rely on a single verse or build a doctrine on it.

 

[Benaiah468]

We have already combed through the OT and gained a good overview. We know the expectations of the House of Judah: they are waiting for the Messiah and for the unification with the brothers of the Northern Kingdom, the House of Israel.

So what does this Messiah accomplish and teach? Does this fit into this context?

Let's look at what the high priest prophesies at the time of Jesus:

And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of G-d that were scattered abroad. Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death. John 11:49-53

That is an amazing statement! Especially because the Bible writes that the high priest “prophesied”.

Jesus (also) came to unite the scattered children of G-d. This fits wonderfully into our new picture.

We also find another important keyword here with “scattered”. We know who is scattered according to the Bible. Exactly, the northern kingdom.

By the way, do you know what Jesus did after this prophecy was made by Caiaphas? We read in the verse immediately afterward:

Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with his disciples. John 11:54

I wonder if it's a coincidence that he then went to a town called “Ephraim”! I don't think so.

But well, let's look further...

The next verses have it all!!! We know who the “house of Israel” is. It is not the Jews, but the ten lost tribes. What commission does Jesus give his disciples?

These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Mt 10:5-6

Another statement like that! Again the “lost sheep” and again the “house of Israel”.

Do you think it is a coincidence that Jesus lost exactly 12 disciples at this point? It is about the restoration of Israel. All 12 tribes are to become one again. That is the mission of the Messiah!

Do you remember who the biblical sheep are? It's Israel. But which ones are lost?

What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. Lk 15:4-7

We have always said that you and I are those lost sheep. That is true! But there's something bigger behind it: It's about the Northern Kingdom coming back from this lostness.

We read later that this coming back is actually very strongly linked to repentance - as it says in this passage.

But what happens in the passage in which Jesus sends out the 12 disciples?

And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. Mt 10:7-8

This job is brilliant! And easy to understand, isn't it? It is the sign of the new (united!) kingdom.

But there is much more to this passage. Jesus speaks in parables and hidden to many. If we don't know Him/His Word, such treasures are hidden from us.

The miracles that Jesus and His disciples perform are tremendous. They are signs of the dawning of His kingdom. The Messiah appears on earth and brings His glory with Him.

But there is another reason for the sick to be healed.

Because, remember. What did we know: Who is sick? Who is dead? Who is unclean? Who is deaf? Who is blind?

It is the northern kingdom!

So Jesus' commission to His disciples is also a commission within a commission: Heal those who have been called sick. Make alive those who have been called dead...

We receive hidden messages everywhere. Jesus has come to bring back the Northern Kingdom! He has come for the “lost sheep of the house of Israel”.

John the Baptist wanted to make sure:

And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another? Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached. Lk 7:19 .22

Do you understand what is happening here? Jews who knew the Torah by heart are talking to each other here. It is Torah language: The house of Israel was blind, lame, deaf and spiritually poor. But now it is becoming sighted, pure, alive and rich!

John: “Are you the Messiah?”

Jesus: “Yes, I am. I have come to bring back the lost sheep! Ephraim may return to the covenant!”

Brilliant, isn't it!

This is THE message. This is what the Northern Kingdom (and the Southern Kingdom) has been waiting for for centuries. It is allowed back into the covenant!

This message is carried into the world and what happens? Thousands, hundreds of thousands turn back!

Who “converts” there? Who is waiting so eagerly for this moment at this time?

I believe it is the house of Israel. They were excluded from the covenant, but now this covenant is being renewed:

But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their G-d, and they shall be my people. Jer 31:33

And what is necessary for this? Repentance and conversion!

And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins; Lk 3:3

From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Mt 4,17

And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of G-d is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. Mk 1:15

I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. Lk 15:7

And the Torah itself confirms this. It is about repentance (conversion) and turning one's heart to our Creator - loving Him with all one's heart and soul:

And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations, whither the Lord thy G-d hath driven thee, And shalt return unto the Lord thy G-d, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul; That then the Lord thy G-d will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the Lord thy G-d hath scattered thee. […] And the Lord thy G-d will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy G-d with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live. […] And thou shalt return and obey the voice of the Lord, and do all his commandments which I command thee this day. […] If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy G-d, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law, and if thou turn unto the Lord thy G-d with all thine heart, and with all thy soul. Deu 30:1-3 .6 .8 .10

Why do John the Baptist and Jesus preach about repentance, conversion and love for G-d? Why was this necessary?

Deuteronomy 30 gives us the answer: only then may the people return to the covenant. It is the first step.

And this message must now go out to the whole world! Why? Because the northern kingdom was scattered all over the world!

It was not by chance that Jesus sent out 70 disciples another time:

After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come. Lk 10:1

The seventy stands for the number of nations (cf. Deu 32:8 and Ex 1:5). Jesus therefore sends the disciples to all peoples - and thus to the scattered ten tribes (“the fulness of the Gentiles”).

It is also interesting how Jesus described his disciples: “I will make you fishers of men.” (Mt 4:19). Who was to be fished?

Who were the fish again? It's Israel!

He sends His disciples into all nations to fish for the lost house of Israel. Come back into His covenant. The Messiah is here!

Not quite convinced yet?

No wonder, since we have heard it differently for centuries. But now is the time when G-d brings revelation.

Perhaps the parable of the prodigal son will help you - or rather the parable of “the two sons”!

A certain man had two sons: Lk 15:11

We know the story. The younger one asks for his inheritance, goes away, squanders everything, ends up with the pigs and returns.

But in all this, it is easy to forget that there is another son in the background. This one is at home all the time (! Judah was not separated from the covenant!) and complains at the end.

Who are these two sons? It is obvious: Judah & Ephraim.

Ephraim has removed himself from the house of YHVH. Judah has remained in the covenant. Ephraim ends up with the pigs, which is symbolic of life outside the Torah:

They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst, eating swine's flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the Lord. Isa 66:17

But the “prodigal” (! that keyword again.) son turns back. He is allowed to re-enter his destiny as a son (what a mercy!). The father forgives him.

What was necessary for this? Recognition of sin:

And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. Lk 15:21

But the father takes him back and says:

For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. Lk 15:24a

What did we find out? The northern kingdom was lost. But it will be found again.

And why was the Northern Kingdom dead? Does that fit the picture?

It corresponds to a spiritual death. The house of Israel was trapped in its sins:

When Ephraim spake trembling, he exalted himself in Israel; but when he offended in Baal, he died. Hos 13:1

Ephraim was in a spiritually dead state. He could not come back to life on his own. He could not re-enter the covenant without divine help. The Messiah was needed!

It is remarkable what is said about the other son who was at home all the time:

Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. Lk 15:31b

But Jesus has come to bring the other sheep back into the covenant:

I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. John 10:14-16

Who will become one again? The northern and southern kingdoms!

Who are the sheep?

Israel!

And who are “other sheep..., which are not of this fold:”? He is speaking here to the Jews, the house of Judah. So the other sheep are the northern kingdom, right?

For many, this may be a completely new view of the NT and the Gospels. I can understand if you don't want to jump straight on this bandwagon.

But as I said, much of the Bible is closed to our eyes if we don't have this topic in mind. And at this point, of course, we notice this in a very extreme way.

What I don't want to say with all this, however, is that everything we have believed so far is now wrong! Of course that is not the case. First of all, we only realize that our view of Jesus' work is expanding - and yet, of course, all previous beliefs must now be examined.

Because now many questions follow:

- What about the Gentiles?
- Why has no one ever taught this before?
- Why has the reunification of Judah and Ephraim still not taken place?
- And then what about... ?

There is much more to discover. Also in the Gospels.

But first we must recognize this important aspect of the “kingdom of G-d”. It is about the restoration of the united kingdom of Israel!

As we know, it has not yet happened. But it will come. That is promised!

The kingdom of G-d is, of course, much more. It is a kingdom in which G-d himself rules. It has many other - above all spiritual - aspects.

But we must not forget the fundamental characteristic of this kingdom. It is about the reunification of Judah and Ephraim, of the southern and northern kingdoms.

And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. Mt 4:23

And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. Mt 24:14

When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? Acts 1:6

Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord G-d Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. Rev 11:17

He is in the process of restoring his kingdom. We are right in the middle of it.

It will be ONE kingdom, with ONE King. It is ONE body. And we are part of it. We are brothers and sisters. Why is that?

Because we are one family. The family of Abraham, Isaac and ... Jacob (= Israel)!

Next, we will deal with one of the greatest mysteries of the Bible. Because the northern kingdom is not actually allowed back into the covenant...

 

[timothyu]

Absorbing all this with interest. However it seems to me the idea is still one of looking for a king and kingdom here in the way expected during Jesus' time, rather than where He went to prepare us another place. John 14: 2

 

[Benaiah468]

Absorbing all this with interest. However it seems to me the idea is still one of looking for a king and kingdom here in the way expected during Jesus' time, rather than where He went to prepare us another place. John 14: 2

Many Christians want to live forever in heaven after they die.

Why is this desirable?

According to Greek understanding, the goal of salvation is to escape this world and reach the dwelling place of G-d in heaven.

The kingdom of G-d exists in heaven, not on earth. Lord Jesus comes to take us away from this world. The message of the gospel for the Greek mind is:

Get your ticket now or you might miss the flight!

To the Hebrew mind, redemption is the preparation of a place suitable for G-d to dwell here among his people (now it makes more sense why there is now a concerted effort to build the third temple in Jerusalem!).

The kingdom of G-d is the reign of G-d among the people here on earth. Messiah/Lord Jesus comes to reign over and through us in this world.

The message of salvation in the Hebrew sense is: The kingdom of G-d is coming. Get ready to serve the King and manifest the kingdom.

So which of these two attitudes of mind do we have?

Or maybe it's a combination of both.

Christ says

In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. John 14:2

The Greek word used for “house” here (#G3614 oikia) is slightly different from that used of the material temple on earth in John 2:16 (#G3624 oikon). The exact meaning will be at once seen from a comparison of 2 Cor 5:1, the only other passage in the NT where it is used metaphorically.

The temple (Father's house) was surrounded by rooms. This meant that the priests who served G-d could also live in the immediate vicinity.

The saints will hold offices as kings and priests and reign together with Christ here on earth; cf. Rev 5:10.

Understood like this the mansions in John 14:1-3 simply mean ”rulership” positions of authority given to the saints here on earth, at Christ's return; cf. Jer 35:2-4; 1 Pe 2:5.


#101

 

[timothyu]

The kingdom of G-d exists in heaven, not on earth. Lord Jesus comes to take us away from this world. The message of the gospel for the Greek mind is:

Get your ticket now or you might miss the flight!

To the Hebrew mind, redemption is the preparation of a place suitable for G-d to dwell here among his people (now it makes more sense why there is now a concerted effort to build the third temple in Jerusalem!).

Yes, but both are right but wrongly referenced IMO because the Kingdom (both government and place) comes down out of Heaven. A new world and life, not in heaven or earth. But yes, God will dwell there among us once again.

 

[ExTiff]

Odd isn't it that the Jews would choose to call their post 1948 land 'Israel' after purposely separating from Israel thousands of years before to become Judah. That's like the US suddenly calling itself England.

And claiming they speak 'English'!

 

[S.ilvio]

Jews in Israel amd around the word who are descendents of David and reject Christ are not God's chosen people. Paul makes thus crystal clear in Romans.

 

[Benaiah468]

Ephraim may return to the covenant! Jesus is the way back to the Father's house.

This wonderful message is to be carried into the world. To all peoples. For the house of Israel has scattered among them.

For example, they live among the Greeks:

Then said the Jews among themselves, Whither will he go, that we shall not find him? will he go unto the dispersed among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles? John 7:35

Josephus, the Jewish historian from the 1st century, writes of millions of descendants of the House of Israel on the other side of the Euphrates.

It is news that the lost tribes never dared to dream of. The Messiah has arrived and the former northern kingdom may return to the covenant with YHVH. Jesus' disciples pass on this gospel, this good news.

But there is actually a huge problem: the secret of the letter of divorce!

Ephraim is divorced. The house of Israel was given the letter of divorce (see also Part 4) because it committed spiritual adultery:

And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; Jer 3:8a

Now the Torah itself prevents the way back:

When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house. And when she is departed out of his house, she may go and be another man's wife. And if the latter husband hate her, and write her a bill of divorcement, and giveth it in her hand, and sendeth her out of his house; or if the latter husband die, which took her to be his wife; Her former husband, which sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after that she is defiled; for that is abomination before the Lord: and thou shalt not cause the land to sin, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance. Deu 24:1-4

This means that a divorced woman may not return to her first husband if she had another man in the meantime!

And this is precisely the situation here. YHVH has divorced the house of Israel. For they have committed adultery with other g-ds:

I have seen an horrible thing in the house of Israel: there is the whoredom of Ephraim, Israel is defiled. Hos 6:10
For they are gone up to Assyria, a wild ass alone by himself: Ephraim hath hired lovers. Hos 8:9

And now the way back into the covenant, back to YHVH (the “first husband”) is blocked!

The Torah itself forbids it and YHVH cannot act against His own law!

And now?

This problem was a huge mystery in the house of Judah. They knew about it and racked their brains. Ephraim was divorced and the Torah forbids his return. How will YHVH solve this problem?

Because the prophecies are clear: YHVH will forgive them and accept them back. They will be allowed to return. And they will form a nation with Judah again.

How will that be possible?

They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man's, shall he return unto her again? shall not that land be greatly polluted? but thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; yet return again to me, saith the Lord. Jer 3:1

They have been pondering this problem for many centuries.

It is an absolute mystery, a secret!

But now a Pharisee enters the stage who knows the solution. He is probably the best-trained Torah teacher of his time.

He is a Jew who is as zealous for the faith as few others (to be precise: he is from the tribe of Benjamin).

He will reveal the secret.

The solution was revealed to him directly from heaven.

His name is Saul. We know him by the name Paul.

We read in several passages how he refers to this mystery:

Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting G-d, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith: To G-d only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen. Rom 16:25-27

Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: Eph 1:9

For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of G-d which is given me to you-ward: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of G-d given unto me by the effectual working of his power. Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in G-d, who created all things by Jesus Christ: Eph 3:1-9

And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, Eph 6:19

The mystery of the gospel was revealed to Paul.

We find it in the letter to the Romans!

In chapter 7, Paul refers to this mystery and writes to the Romans with the solution to this riddle.

We begin with verse 1:

Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth? Rom 7:1

Paul is talking “to them that know the law” here. This is important insofar as one can apparently only understand the following if one knows the law of G-d!

Moreover, a clue to the topic is already given here: Laws can only rule over people as long as one lives.

For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. Rom 7:2

All of a sudden Paul makes reference to man and woman.

Why?

Because he refers to this mystery that we described above: How is the woman (the house of Israel) to come back into the covenant with YHVH (the husband, cf. Jer 3)?

So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man. Rom 7:3

Do you remember? The house of Israel is called an adulteress. She has served other gods and thereby committed adultery.

If the first husband dies, she is free from the law. Which law is Paul referring to here? The one in Deuteronomy 24:1-4, namely that she must not return to her first husband.

The first husband, YHVH, dies. As a result, she is no longer an adulteress.

Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto G-d. Rom 7:4

And now, through the death of Jesus, Israel can marry the one who was raised from the dead: Jesus!

They can also die in the same way - to sin. And thus to apostasy from the law and above all to spiritual fornication through idol worship.

This idolatry also prevented the northern kingdom from coming back into the covenant. But now Jesus died not only for the forgiveness of these sins, but also so that the way back to the Father and into His covenant is free again!

It is interesting that Paul writes in verse 4 that the brothers in Rome can now become Jesus' own. This reveals a reference between the Roman church and the ten tribes.

For we also find something about this in Romans 9:

Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved. And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living G-d. Rom 9:24-26

Paul is quoting Hosea here. We must bear in mind to whom Hosea was speaking. Who were no longer His people?

Then said G-d, Call his name Loammi: for ye are not my people, and I will not be your G-d. Hos 1:9

Hosea prophesied 99% about the house of Israel! So here too it is about nothing other than the northern kingdom.

And Paul interprets it in such a way that now is the time for it to be called “children of the living G-d” again!

 

[Benaiah468]

Please note that in all of this we are only picking out one particular aspect of the gospel and looking at it in the context of the Bible. It is a very, very important one, but of course the work of Jesus is much more comprehensive. The house of Judah was also dependent on this work of redemption. And all the more so could all other nations benefit from it.

And this brings us to a very important question: what about the Gentiles?

We have already read in Ephesians 3 that “the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel” (verse 6).

But first we must realize who the Bible also describes with “Gentiles”! Who has the northern kingdom become? To Gentile nations!

Ephraim himself received the prophecy from Jacob that his descendants would become “melo hagoyim”, the “fullness of the nations” or also the “fullness of the Gentiles”.

Paul even takes up this prophecy from Jacob to Ephraim in his letter to the Romans (!):

For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: Rom 11:25-26

How is this to be understood?

Ephraim was cast out as the people of YHVH. It became a heathen nation itself and then mixed with other nations:

Ephraim, he hath mixed himself among the people; Hos 7:8a

What happens when YHVH accepts these ten lost tribes as His people again (as He has prophesied many times)? All other Gentile nations will then have the opportunity to count themselves among the ten tribes.

It then doesn't matter whether someone is a direct descendant of the ten tribes or whether they are descended from the Gentiles. Because people from other peoples have always had the opportunity to be accepted into Israel.

There are some interesting theories and research about the whereabouts and descendants of the ten tribes. For example, it is assumed that Denmark is a descendant of the tribe of Dan. This is certainly possible. There are also some references to this. However, it is not decisive for entry into the covenant. The Bible says that the northern kingdom mixed with the Gentiles. In this respect, you cannot know whether you are an actual descendant of the House of Israel or not.

However, I am convinced that YHVH knows. To be honest, I even believe that many, many millions of people (especially in the western world) are descended from the twelve tribes.

For what was promised to Israel/Jacob:

And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. Gen 28:14

And only Ishmael received a similar blessing for his descendants. In this respect, one can consider to what extent nations can have many descendants if they have not received such a blessing from YHVH!

So it is not decisive whether you are one of the direct descendants of Ephraim. Either way, we become part of the house of Israel.

Paul sums it up as follows:

Even as Abraham believed G-d, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that G-d would justify the heathen [including the Ten Tribes!] through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. Gal 3:6-9

So those who accept this in faith are part of the house of Israel!

In Romans 9 we find an even more comprehensive view of this whole story:

Not as though the word of G-d hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of G-d: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. […] What if G-d, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved. And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living G-d. Rom 9:6-8 .22-26

Do you recognize the connection between Gentiles as opposed to Jews (verse 24)? Just one verse later, Paul makes reference to the house of Israel (the northern kingdom) by quoting Hosea (verses 25-26).

So far we have always been taught that there are Jews and Gentiles. And indirectly that is true. But when we look at the big picture, we realize that it is more about the house of Judah and the house of Israel. The house of Israel became Gentiles and now represents the mixture of the actual descendants and the remaining Gentile peoples.

What changes decisively is our understanding of Israel:

When we are justified by the faith of Abraham, we are counted among this great family of Israel. We are included in it. And only then do all the blessings and prophecies that apply to Israel apply to us.

This is a completely different view to replacement theology! This says that the Christian church is the new Israel and has therefore replaced the people of G-d.

In my opinion, this is a terrible heresy and not tenable in the context of the Bible!

Understanding Judah and Ephraim as the whole of Israel gives us a completely new perspective on understanding the Bible:

You are part of Israel!

This is what Paul writes in Ephesians 2

Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of G-d; Eph 2:19

He speaks to those who were “dead in trespasses and sins”. Do you remember how Ephraim was named?

When Ephraim spake trembling, he exalted himself in Israel; but when he offended in Baal, he died. Hos 13:1

The new (renewed) covenant is made for Israel - for the northern and southern kingdoms (not for the Gentile nations):

Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: Heb 8:8b

In the heavenly Jerusalem, which will come to earth, there are twelve gates according to the twelve tribes. Which gate do we go through if we do not belong to one of these twelve tribes?

If one of us is allowed to belong to the 144,000, must he not also belong to one of the twelve tribes?

The role of the Jews also becomes clearer now. The believing Jews are still part of Israel. They have not been replaced. However, they are also not “the chosen people”, but belong to the “chosen people”. They are part of it.

The decisive factor is that all those who are included in the covenant are counted as one tribe, because they become part of Israel!

And it is the same with us: we enter into this covenant with YHVH through Jesus and are then part of Israel. Then we will also be counted among one of the tribes (even if we don't yet know which one). And this is independent of our origin.

It is an absolutely ingenious plan of YHVH.

He has plucked the branches (of Ephraim) from the wonderful olive tree:

The Lord called thy name, A green olive tree, fair, and of goodly fruit: with the noise of a great tumult he hath kindled fire upon it, and the branches of it are broken. Jer 11:16

And now that they have mixed with all peoples, they have the chance to be grafted back in.

This offer to other peoples to come into YHVH's covenant is nothing new. We also find several people in the OT where this happened.

YHVH's intention has always been that He wants to show Himself to a particular people in such a way that all other peoples want to live in the same way (with Him):

Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. For what nation is there so great, who hath G-d so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for? And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day? Deu 4:6-8

We see this, for example, in the Egyptian people, some of whom came out of Egypt with them:

And a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks, and herds, even very much cattle. Ex 12:38

In the same way, Rahab and Ruth were taken into Israel as strangers.

In my opinion, this number of strangers who are grafted into the tribes can be found in other biblical passages:

Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim and for all the house of Israel his companions: Ez 37:16

Here we read of Judah and the covenant partners and of Ephraim and the covenant partners. Doesn't it make sense that this refers to those who want to be included in this covenant out of faith?

Jacob's wives could also be a reference to this: Leah and Rachel were Jacob's real wives. Leah stands for the house of Judah (she is the mother of Judah) and Rachel for Ephraim (she is the grandmother of Ephraim). And Bilhah and Zilpah could then stand for the respective “co-relatives”.

And so all the world can indeed be blessed.

Everyone has the chance to enter into this wonderful covenant with YHVH and become part of Israel.

That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; 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. Gen 22:17-18

What a wonderful and ingenious plan.

Are you in on it?

 

[Benaiah468]

The Messiah will sit on the throne of King David and judge the world from Jerusalem as King of Israel. This is why HaSatan is so angry about the restoration of Israel today.

Why do so many in the Body not see this, or realize what the spiritual battle for Israel is all about?

Lord Jesus, move Your Body to abandon all prideful and racist attitudes toward Jews - saved and unsaved - and bless them instead (Prov 8:13; Isa 37:23; Rom 11:17-18 .22).

Eternal G-d, expose replacement theology as demonic, anti-Christian and Jew-hating doctrine (1 Tim 4:1).

Christ Jesus, remove the curse of generational anti-Semitism in Your body (Num 14:18b).

Lord Jesus, appoint anointed elders who will teach and preach from Your whole Word and unashamedly proclaim Your eternal love for Israel (Acts 20:27; Eph 4:11-14).

Lord, show Gentile believers that their eternal destiny is connected to Israel and not to their country of birth (Eph 2:11-22), and let them act like ambassadors of Your kingdom (2 Cor 5:20).

Show them also that the destiny of their nation of birth is connected to its relationship with Israel (Num 24:9b; Jer 2:3 .10:25 .30:20 .51:24; Zec 2:8-9).

May the practice of genuine corporate prayer permeate the worldwide body (Mt 18:20; Heb 4:16).

 

[timothyu]

And now that they have mixed with all peoples, they have the chance to be grafted back in.

And of course that could take many millennia

 

[timothyu]

Lord, show Gentile believers that their eternal destiny is connected to Israel and not to their country of birth (Eph 2:11-22), and let them act like ambassadors of Your kingdom (2 Cor 5:20).

Rare to hear any mention of the Gospel of the Kingdom in churches, let alone reference to the fact Jesus said to go and take it to all nations, meaning the 12 first among all and their offspring.

 

[Benaiah468]

What actually happened to the ten tribes?

- The Bible tells us how they were displaced and scattered by the Assyrian Empire.
- Hosea writes that they mixed with the Gentiles.
- The Pharisees speak of the dispersed among the Greeks.
- And in Josephus, the Jewish historian from the 1st century, we read of a huge number of descendants of the ten tribes on the other side
of the Euphrates (today's Iraq and Iran).

But what happened to them over the centuries?

We know that today there is almost no ethnic group that says of itself that it is descended from this part of Israel. They have given up their identity.

And yet that does not mean that there are no descendants! Especially not from G-d's point of view.

The report by Josephus already shows that the people had grown enormously by the 1st century. This is certainly due to the blessing they received through Abraham.

That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; Gen 22:17

When Jesus told his disciples to go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, they did not ask who they were or where they would find them. They knew where to go.

Only a short time after the Spirit came upon them on Shavuot (Pentecost), they set out in all directions. As far as India, Africa and, of course, Europe. This alone shows that the ten tribes must have spread to these parts.

James' letter is also addressed to all twelve tribes in the dispersion:

James, a servant of G-d and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered [gr. diaspora]! abroad, greeting. James 1:1

This is no surprise. After all, it was prophesied to Jacob:

And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. Gen 28:14

It is known from many historical accounts how Scythians from the areas “beyond the Euphrates” increasingly colonized Europe. Research into the lost House of Israel concludes that a high percentage of them (as with the Saxons and Goths) must have been descendants of the former Northern Kingdom.

This is highly interesting because our Europe of today was in fact largely shaped by these peoples and even descended from them. And not only that. We know to what extent even the American continent was populated by Europe.

Of course, I am not saying that today's entire Western world is the descendant of the ten tribes. But it is very likely that there are indeed many descendants of Israel living in these parts of the world.

In the following, I would like to point out some really fascinating connections between the House of Israel and Christianity.

Many physical descendants of the ten tribes are among today's Christians. And YHVH alone knows how many there actually are.

What is so fascinating about all this, however, is the similarity between Ephraim (i.e. the House of Israel) and the Christians.

For example, both the Northern Kingdom and Christianity have separated themselves from their Jewish roots.

Christianity became a new religion, which was never the intention of the Messiah or the apostles. In the 4th century, a theological demarcation took place, just as the ten tribes did at the time of Jeroboam.

Do you remember?

The sins of Jeroboam were not only repeated by subsequent kings, but the whole nation lived in them:

For the children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they departed not from them; 2 Kings 17:22

Could it be that the Northern Empire took this spiritual heritage with it and repeated it at the Council of Nicaea in the 4th century?

There, too, new feast days were introduced, a new type of priest was elevated to office, Rome is known as a new “holy place” and churches were built on mountains (heights).

Is this all a coincidence?

What did Jeroboam do back then?

He introduced new idols, a new priesthood, high altitude shrines, new festivals and new holy places!

Exactly the same thing happened again around 1300 years later. And again it was a separation and turning away from the house of Judah - the tribe with the royal leadership role. Once again, people wanted to submit to anything but this leadership.

This is no coincidence. The spiritual legacy of Ephraim and the sins of Jeroboam persisted and found their way back into the people at the time of Constantine.

What does the Bible say?

There is nothing new under the sun:

The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. Ecc 1:9

But we find even more characteristics of Ephraim in the Bible that are very reminiscent of Christianity.

We know that Ephraim mixed with other peoples. Isn't it interesting that there are Christians all over the world? You can find them in every country and they live in the midst of other cultures.

But Christians have also mixed spiritually with other pagan customs. Christmas and Easter are the best examples of this. It is not difficult to see that these festivals have nothing to do with the Bible or the actual Christian faith. They are peppered with symbols and signs familiar from pagan cults.

And interestingly, this is already in Ephraim's family tree: Ephraim's mother (Joseph's wife) was an Egyptian.

Have you ever noticed that YHVH accuses Ephraim of having a cult with green trees!

Instead of serving their G-d and loving Him the way He wants them to, they committed spiritual adultery under green trees.

The Lord said also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen that which backsliding Israel hath done? she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot. Jer 3:6

What do these green trees in Christianity remind you of?

Surely you have noticed that the name of G-d is often mentioned here (YHVH). Why do so many Christians now pay attention to this?

How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies? yea, they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart; Which think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbour, as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal. Jer 23:26-27

Ephraim did not address his G-d by His name. In fact, the name was long forgotten.

Isn't it amazing that Christians also regularly address YHVH as “G-d” or “Lord”, even though these are only titles and not names?

Ephraim often heard about the Torah. Again and again, prophets came and wanted to call them back to the life of the Torah. But they considered it something foreign and incomprehensible. They neither understood it, nor did they live by it.

I have written to him the great things of my law, but they were counted as a strange thing. Hos 8:12

And what about Christians? Who of us has not grown up believing that the Torah is something outdated, abolished, fulfilled, unimportant,...?

It is foreign to us!

But what do we read in the NT?

Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. Mt 5:19

He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Heb 10:28

If ye love me, keep my commandments. John 14:15

And isn't it the same with our diet? Is there a problem with crabs, shrimps, pork and roast rabbits?

Ephraim was promised that he would have to eat such things again (as punishment?!):

And the Lord said, Even thus shall the children of Israel eat their defiled bread among the Gentiles, whither I will drive them. Ez 4:13

They shall not dwell in the Lord's land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean things in Assyria. Hos 9:3

Are we perhaps the ones who (have to) live out this punishment, or have lived it out!

Could it be that Christians are the spiritual descendants of the house of Israel (the ten tribes)? In my opinion, this is anything but absurd. Especially when you consider that many descendants of the House of Israel live in our countries.

I have heard about the following experiment several times, but have never done it myself. I would find it very interesting, but I'll leave the test to you. It's about the Hebrew term for “Christians”.

When Jews talk about Christians today, they use the Hebrew word “notzrim”. That's nothing unusual at first.

However, there is a verse in the Bible that contains this word and talks about Ephraim:

For there shall be a day, that the watchmen upon the mount Ephraim shall cry, Arise ye, and let us go up to Zion unto the Lord our G-d. Jer 31:6

So here Jews actually read as follows [but they are not necessarily aware of the connection]:

For there shall be a day, that the Christians upon the mount Ephraim shall cry, Arise ye, and let us go up to Zion unto the Lord our G-d. Jer 31:6

Isn't that spectacular?

So today's Jews bring a connection to Ephraim in their designation for Christians!

By the way, the hill country of Ephraim is the heartland of what was then the Northern Kingdom.

What about you?

How do you feel about such thoughts?

It's not all that far-fetched, is it?

In this respect, the question of what YHVH thinks about us must be allowed. What does He think about our mixing, our attitude to unclean food and our behavior with regard to His law?

We have seen how YHVH dealt with His people when they lived in the sins of Jeroboam and fought against their “big brother” Judah.

Why did judgment come upon the northern kingdom? Because of its turning away from the commandments and guidelines of YHVH. Because of idolatry and because of wars against the southern kingdom.

And what have we Christians done? We have repeated everything that the Northern Kingdom was guilty of: replacement theology, turning away from our Hebrew/biblical roots, wars and battles against the House of Judah, etc.

I have the impression that this makes the prophets Hosea and Amos (who both spoke to the Northern Kingdom) very relevant again today.

Do we not have to ask ourselves to what extent we have offended YHVH as much as our forefathers?

Ephraim provoked him to anger most bitterly: therefore shall he leave his blood upon him, and his reproach shall his Lord return unto him. Hos 12:14

Please don't get me wrong. I don't want to point the finger at us and denigrate us. Instead, I would like us to broaden our view:

We are Israel! You are part of Israel. Grafted into the noble olive tree. And unfortunately, there were only a few periods in history in which our people (i.e. Israel!) walked in His ways in such a way that He was glorified.

We have often not covered ourselves in glory.

Why should it be any different today?

Unfortunately, many believe that today's prosperity and peace is a blessing and a confirmation of our walk with YHVH.

But Ephraim also believed this and only a few decades later it was conquered by the Assyrians and separated from YHVH:

And Ephraim said, Yet I am become rich, I have found me out substance: in all my labours they shall find none iniquity in me that were sin. Hos 12:8

Isn't that a call to our times?

Wealth feels good, of course. But it is very treacherous! It is very easy to be seduced into forgetting YHVH:

According to their pasture, so were they filled; they were filled, and their heart was exalted; therefore have they forgotten me. Hos 13:6

The house of Israel had not only forgotten their G-d, but also His commandments. They were strangers to them and could do nothing with them.

But we are now living in a time when the house of Israel is learning more and more how wonderful His commandments really are. They are perfect (Ps 19:8) and a joy to live by (Ps 119).

It's not just about being saved. It is much more. Salvation is just the beginning.

The Bible is filled with how we are called to grow in faith, make sacrifices and not compromise.

But who wants to hear that today?

To what extent do we still have reverence for our Creator and a hatred of sin - as He does?

Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit. Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other g-ds whom ye know not; And come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations? Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the Lord. Jer 7:8-11

YHVH desires radical followers.

“I am the way” says Jesus about Himself. And we know that our life of faith always brings new challenges and trials.

The prophet Malachi warned the people when they had lost their way:

But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the Lord of hosts.
Mal 2:8

In this respect, I have made it a habit to pray regularly that He will lead me on the right path. That He will lead me back if I should stray.

We are sheep. Sheep have many things - but not a good sense of direction. They are dependent on a shepherd.

He is the good shepherd and He wants to lead us. No matter where the path leads us...

Father, give us open ears so that we can hear your voice.

I spake unto thee in thy prosperity; but thou saidst, I will not hear. This hath been thy manner from thy youth, that thou obeyedst not my voice. Jer 22,21
Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him. Dan 9:11
But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries. Ex 23:22

YHVH calls. He is calling us back to His ways and back to the land (graves represent the exile of Israel - cf. Ez 37:12):

Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, John 5:28
To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. John 10:3
And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. John 10:16

For centuries the ten tribes were lost. But now they reappear.

Next we will see that the time of punishment is over.

The Spirit is preparing us... ...for one of the most eventful times in human history.

 

[Benaiah468]

The world's anti-biblical attitude towards Israel and its G-d has led to a great darkness settling over the earth. It is therefore time for Israel to rise up and openly display God's glory before the world (Isa 60:1). And G-d's glory is the basis for all our prayers.

King of kings, may your foreign policy be shaped on earth as it is in heaven, and let Israel play a central role in it
(Deu 28:9-10 .13; Ps 9:20-21 .33:10-11; Lk 11:2).

G-d, hasten the prophesied time when Israel will be the head of the nations (Deu 26:19 .28:13).

Lord G-d, use Trump and his administration for the good of Israel and for Your glory (Prov 21:1).

G-d, empower Trump's inner circle of advisors right now to warn him against dealing with Israel as if it were just another nation in the world
(Deu 7:6-8; Zec 2:12).

Abba Father, keep distracting Israel from trusting in the US at all (Ps 118:8-9; Isa 30:1).

You tell Moses that you hath made man's mouth and teach what shalt say, so please speak to Israel's politicians and diplomats and through them when they speak to the world (Ex 4:11-12).

Abba, transform Gideon Sa'ar, Israel's foreign minister, into a wise and fearless diplomat (Lk 1:74).

Continue to grant G-dly boldness to Israel's UN ambassador Danny Danon (Ps 81:11 .119:13).

G-d, when it's time for Israel to wipe the dirt off her feet and leave this antichrist-infected UN, remove all fear of leaving this world's camp
(Mt 7:6 .10:14; John 14:27).

Awaken believers, especially in the West, to warn their leaders not to curse Israel, but to be a true friend during her restoration that leads to her salvation (Num 24:9b; Isa 60:12; Zec 12:9).