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The Ten 'Lost' Tribes Of Israel Were Never Actually Lost

Of all the dozens and dozens of signs pointing to the imminent return of Christ, two clearly stand above the rest:

1. In a technical sense the Gospel has now been preached to every nation on earth in fulfillment of Mark 13:10.  Some scholars argue that we must interpret the Greek word for "nation" strictly as an individual ethnic group, but even if that is the correct interpretation, this prophecy was likely fulfilled sometime toward the end of the 20th century or the beginning of this century.  There are certainly still several isolated tribes where the Gospel has not been preached, but the biblical "nation" must necessarily encompass a larger people group than merely a single tribe or else Paul could not have said of the Mediterranean world of his time in Colossians 1:23:


This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.



2. The return of the twelve tribes of Israel to the land of Israel is on the cusp of completion.  But wait... what about the ten lost tribes?  Isn't the only tribe back in the land the tribe of Judah - the Jews?  

For starters, the return of the Jews from Babylon to Israel included not only the tribe of Judah, but also the tribe of Benjamin.  When Solomon's sons split the Kingdom of Israel between the ten tribes in the north and the Kingdom of Judah in the south, Benjamin remained with Judah as part of the Kingdom of Judah.  In the strictest sense the term Jew is understood to mean someone who is either a Judahite or a Benjaminite as can be seen in the case of the Apostle Paul who was actually from the tribe of Benjamin (see Philippians 3:5), but referred to himself as a Jew (see Acts 21:39).

The Bible is crystal clear that the ten northern tribes of Israel were and are not to this day lost, but are part of the Jewish people.  Before I explain where the Bible tells us this I want to first explain that the myth of the "Ten Lost Tribes" came from the false triple witness of British-Israelism, Mormonism, and the common belief that the northern ten tribes never returned from Assyrian captivity because they eventually intermarried with the nations' Gentiles, gave up their Jewish customs, and in effect ceased to be a unique people.

British-Israelism dates back at least to the 19th century and essentially teaches that the ten northern tribes never returned to Israel and eventually migrated to western and northern Europe, becoming the Anglo-Saxons of today, who in turn colonized North America, Australia, and parts of South Africa.  In modern times this nonsensical belief was popularized by the heretic and false prophet Herbert W. Armstrong.

The Book of Mormon taught a similar belief, the difference being that the ten tribes were said to have migrated to the Americas becoming the Native Americans.

What the Bible actually says about the ten northern tribes is quite clear.  First, they were dispersed to Egypt, Assyria (see Zechariah 10:10) and other surrounding nations.  Second, and most importantly, there was a remnant from the ten northern tribes that had fled the north during the Assyrian invasion and had come to live in the Kingdom of Judah (see 2 Chronicles 34:9 and 2 Chronicles 35:17-18).  Therefore the Jews that were later exiled to Babylon and their children and grandchildren who returned from captivity included those from all twelve tribes.  Third, the New Testament writers wrote to those in the Diaspora with the understanding that those Jewish communities included members from all twelve tribes (e.g. James 1:1, Acts 26:7).

In summary, the Jews are made up of those from all the twelve tribes of Israel and they are now back in the land in fulfillment of a great number of prophecies (e.g. Isaiah 11:10-12, Ezekiel 36:22-28, Ezekiel 37:12, Ezekiel 38:8, Jeremiah 30:3-4, Zechariah 10:10).  Also, many Jews from nations north, south, and east of Israel returned to the land in the 20th and 21st centuries, these likely constituted the bulk of the remaining northern tribes (the Jews from Russia, Iran, Yemen, Egypt, Ethiopia, etc).


For a more detailed analysis of the topic check out this article.

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13 comments:

  1. Excellent piece. JR Church did quite a lot of work on this as it pertained to the Tribe of Dan in his book the Bloodline of the Anti-Christ. Truly fascinating.

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  2. Excellent piece. JR Church did quite a lot of work on this as it pertained to the Tribe of Dan in his book the Bloodline of the Anti-Christ. Truly fascinating.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Found a link to it: http://www.amazon.com/Daniel-Reveals-Blood-Line-Antichrist/dp/094124122X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1463077570&sr=8-1&keywords=bloodline+of+the+antichrist

      I might have to give that a read! Thanks Dolley.

      Delete
  3. The US School of World Missions and other Mission groups use the term, people groups. Some say there are , were, maybe 2000+ people groups and nearly 1900 of them have been reached with missions, Bibles, sharing, translations. The problem as I see it, is that so many people groups here in Western civilization might have to be reached again: so many are really smoothed over pagans. With Christianity actually growing in Africa, in spite of Muslim murdering them, and in parts of Asia, it seems that the homes of the Reformation need revival and renewal now and the US is a huge major area of said secular humanistic liberal paganism.

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  4. It is sad that most Christians believe this line of reasoning. Where do I begin? First, to use the term "nonsense" and equate with a "false prophet" as in conjoining those who believe what the scriptures truly say, to Herbert Armstrong, is also unfortunate. Those who have not actually searched the scriptures on this matter are discouraged to do so in fear of being "demonized" as well. But God's plans are much bigger than man's reasoning. And to ignore the truth in this matter, is to miss His plan to protect His people, both the house of Judah and the house of Israel at the end days.

    When Israel separated from Judah, we read that there were those of the "sons of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah (and) Rehoboam reigned over them." (1 Kings 12:17) So, from the very time the house of Israel separated from the house of Judah, there was always a remnant of "Ephraim" that lived among Judah.

    From the time of separation God begins to make a distinction throughout the scriptures, between the "house of Judah" and the "house of Israel" (1 Kings 12:21) And God made it known "this thing has come from Me." (1 Kings 12:24)

    We only need to go back to the days of Jacob when he blessed his sons, but before doing, he passed his name "Israel" to Ephraim, and then he, in the literal Hebrew translation, proclaimed to Ephraim that he and "his descendants shall become the fullness of the gentiles." (Genesis 48:19)

    At around 550 BC, we read where Zechariah broke his "staff called union" after Judah's return from Babylon, not before. This means the brotherhood between Judah and Israel was broken after Ezra offered a sin offering for all Israel. Ezra even wrote that Ephraim was scattered in "Halah, Habor, Hara and to the river Gozan, to this day." (1 Chronicles 5:26) Ezra wrote these words more than 250 years after Ephraim was scattered, and more than 50 years after Judah's return from Babylon. Ezra obviously did not think Israel was reunited.

    God makes it plain in Jeremiah chapter 31, that Ephraim is entirely separate from Judah at the end of days, and that He is going to bring each group back together, as separate and distinguishable, but re-united. Not by being mixed together and all called Jewish, but remaining Jewish (Judah) and the other Ephraim (goy/nations/gentiles)

    We read in Ezekiel 37:16 that God is uniting two separate sticks at the end of days, one is Judah and his companions, and the other is Ephraim and his companions. These are two very different and separate groups of people. And this is who God calls the "whole house of Israel." (Ezekiel 37:11) Ezekiel actually uses the word "etz", or tree (branch) to speak of the union of the two sticks.

    Irrespective of his wild and rebellious state, the Lord is using Ephraim. He gave wild-branch Ephraim a Divine mandate: Make Judah want what you have. Ephraim must take this mandate to heart.

    "I will shake the House of Israel (Ephraim) among ALL the nations as a grain is shaken in a sieve, but not one kernel will fall to the ground" (Hosea 8:8 and Amos 9:9)

    God is getting ready to bring Ephraim back.

    And Judah will (then) be saved, and Israel will dwell in safety. (Jeremiah 23:6)

    Bendiciones!

    Redroksaz

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  5. According to this article, and I state: ​"The Bible is crystal clear that the ten northern tribes of Israel were and are not to this day lost, but are part of the Jewish people."

    If the above statement is true, then Jesus should have been aware of this as well?
    Before I give you Jesus' answer, let's lay some foundation. We read a prophecy about the future Messiah in Isaiah that proclaims, "He treated the land of Zebulun and Naphtali with contempt, but later on He shall make it glorious, by the way of the sea, and the other side of Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles." (Isaiah 9:1-2)

    And who was on the other side of the Jordan (River)? We find our answer from those who complained about the ministry of Christ!..."The Jews therefore said to one another, where does this man intend to go that we shall not find Him? He is not intending to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks is He?" (John 7:35) The Dispersion the Jews were referring to were the Ten Tribes. So, the 10 Tribes, at the time of Christ, were dispersed throughout the Roman Empire among the Greek peoples.

    And we also read where the Jews stated, "...search and see that no prophet arises out of Galilee." (John 7:52) The Jewish leaders and people had no love lost for the 10 Dispersed Tribes.

    The definition of "Galilee" is "circuit" or "cylinder", "circle of the earth". If you map out the ministry of Jesus, you will find that He was the original "circuit preacher". His ministry was a circle around the Sea of Galilee, back and forth across the Jordan River. And who was on the east side of the Jordan?...The Greeks..and among them, the lost or dispersed of the ten tribes. They had actually become Greeks.

    Remember the story of the Canaanite woman who came to Christ? She was from the region of Tyre and Sidon and was a Syrophoenician. One of the sons of Canaan was Sidon (Genesis 10:15) Canaan was cursed by Noah (Genesis 9:25) Isaac charged Jacob not to take a wife from the daughters of Canaan (Genesis 28:1) Esau took wives from the daughters of Canaan (Genesis 36:1)

    God instructed Israel to utterly destroy the Canaanites....along with the ancestors of the sons of Canaan." (Deuteronomy 20:17)

    However, we read that Israel did not obey God, "Zebulun did not drive out the inhabitants of Kitron or the inhabitants of Nahalol..." (Judges 1:30)

    Kitron and Nahalol were located where the tribe of Nebulun once lived, and during the days of Christ would have been a part of northern Galilee.

    The curse on Canaan and his ancestors has never been removed. It was in place at the time of Christ and it is still in effect to this very day. When God told Israel to utterly destroy the Canaanites, He meant what He said.

    We are going to see God's instructions completed in our lifetime. How do we know this? The book of Zephaniah is about the end of days. We read in the second chapter of Zephaniah where God Himself is going to (utterly) destroy the Canaanites (Zephaniah 2:5) What Israel did not do, God said He is about to do.

    "And there will be no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the Lord of Hosts in that day." (Zechariah 14:31)

    So, what did Jesus tell the Canaanite woman? He told her that He was sent only to the "lost sheep of the House of Israel." (Read Matthew 15:21-27) And where were the lost sheep (the 10 tribes) to be found?...They were dispersed among the Greeks. Jesus was very aware that the woman was not just a gentile, but was a Canaanite, and He was very aware that the curse was still upon the house of Canaan.

    So, Jesus, Himself, said the 10 tribes were lost. Remember, Ephraim was given the name "Israel" by Jacob (Genesis 48:16)...Ephraim is called the "house of Israel" (Ezekiel 37:16)

    Redroksaz


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  6. Have we ever paid attention to what the writer of Hebrews says? He makes a clear distinction between the "house of Israel" and the "house of Judah" (Hebrews 8:8) And then read these amazing words: "For this is the covenant that I will make with the House of Israel..."(Hebrews 8:10) Have we ever paid attention to this distinction that is clearly made in the book of Hebrews? Even the writer of Hebrews makes clear there are two separate houses. Jesus knew it and Paul knew it...he was called to the gentiles, where the 10 tribes (the house of Israel /Ephraim) were dispersed. To this day!

    God is going to bring His lost sheep back. The entire chapter of Ezekiel 34 is about this end of days plan of God. Ezekiel let's us know who the lost sheep are in case we are in doubt..."Then they will know (Who?), that I, the Lord their God am with them, and they, the House of Israel, are My people, declares the Lord God."
    (Ezekiel 34:30)

    Bendiciones!

    Redroksaz

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  7. What is so amazing is that the Jewish people in Israel are well aware of the OT prophecies concerning the return of Joseph/Ephraim/10 lost tribes at the end of days.

    There is a magazine called "Israel Today" that is published in Israel by Jewish believers in Yeshua. They have written several articles concerning the return of Ephraim in the last days and that this must take place before Messiah returns.

    However, it is the movement in Israel among the Jewish Rabbis that should cause us to pay attention and learn.

    First, there is a movement by Orthodox Jewish Rabbis called "Kal Hator" or the "Voice of the Turtle Dove" that is simply amazing. They call it "the greatest event the world has ever seen" in referring to the end time return of the 10 lost tribes. They rightfully believe Ephraim must return in order for the Messiah to come. Even though they are looking for the first coming. what they believe about the return of the lost tribes and re-uniting of the 12 tribes is based out of the OT scriptures that us Christians have perverted to mean something entirely against God's plans! Their site is loaded with scriptures and proof. Amazing!

    And there is also another movement in Israel called "facing each other." It is also through very Orthodox Jews who teach that the House of Jacob (Ephraim/lost tribes) must unite with the "house of Judah" in the last days! However, they are saying that Jesus needs a retrial because He had the "rights of the first-borne." I have no problem with this...they even say new evidence will prove Him innocent. This is just amazing! The point is that they are teaching that the lost tribes must return to Israel in order for all things to be fulfilled!

    Why are Believers in Christ/Yeshua stiff-necked and hard-hearted to this truth of the lost tribes being Ephraim/Gentiles, and God's plan of returning them to the mountains of Israel? We seem to be content to wander on the hills instead. If we continue to do so, we will miss His perfect plans for us.

    Read the entire book of Hosea. This is totally about God calling the ten tribes Ephraim, why He was going to scatter them and they would become the nations (goy/gentiles)...And His plan to bring them back. "Ephraim I love" Wake-up Ephraim! Hosea makes it clear that Ephraim would become the gentiles.

    Bendiciones!

    Redroksaz

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  8. PROJECT MEGIDDO is an FBI strategic assessment of the potential for domestic terrorism in the United States undertaken in anticipation of or response to the arrival of the new millennium. The report was released in 1999 but was put together around 1997.

    This sobering report needs to be read by every believer. Why? Because of who they label as domestic terrorists. Keep in mind this report was written several years before the Twin Towers fell to the ground!

    Keeping in mind this report was written before the turn of the century and the tragic events of 9/11....it contains an entire section discussing a group they label as "Christian Identity" and anyone who falls under this category should be considered a "domestic terrorist." Do not read the Wikipedia explanation of the Megiddo report. Wikipedia attempts to connect "Christian Identity" with white supremacist theology. In reading the actual report, you will find the FBI assessment of "Christian Identity" is much broader in scope and would apply to most people who are reading this right now! They (FBI/gov.) are "hiding" in plain sight who they are really referring to and that is those who identify as Christians.

    And what are some of these terrorists beliefs?....1) those who believe in the end of the world and the second coming of Christ, 2) those that believe people will be forced to wear the mark of the beast to do business, 3) those that believe there will be a final battle in order for God's kingdom to be established...and hence the name of the report itself, Meggido from Armageddon.

    The reason for bringing this report to light is because it applies to our conversation regarding the question of the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel. The FBI (US Gov.) says you identify as a Christian and thus a domestic terrorist if you believe the "gentiles could be descendants of the ten lost tribes of Israel." This comes directly from the Project Megiddo report. Apparently the government knows this is true as well.

    So, if you believe what the Bible says, that the Ten Lost Tribes are Ephraim and have become the gentiles (nations/goy) then feel good about yourself. The FBI calls you someone who identifies as a Christian. We need to wake up....

    Bendiciones and Shalom!

    Redroksaz

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  9. The Lost Tribes of Israel can not return to the land of Israel until Christ returns.

    Revelation 2:9 – “I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.”

    The Israelites were a nation of dark skinned people which makes there descendants today black. Biblical Egypt was a nation of dark skin peoples.

    Jesus, hair of wool, feet of burnt brass (black), is dark skin (black as you call us).

    I'm not making this up, the Bible (inspired word of God) says this. Stop cherry picking the Bible for your advantage and comfort and accept it for what it really is.
    Reality is the Israelites today are black, not white. And don't tell me color doesn't matter because if it didn't you wouldn't have made Jesus white with blue eyes and blonde hair! Stop this madness and read and accept the word for what it really is!

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  10. I've enjoyed reading your thoughts on the signs of the times, but please permit me to correct your description of LDS (Mormon) beliefs. The purpose of the Book of Mormon is to aid in gathering the ten lost tribes. (See: https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2006/10/the-gathering-of-scattered-israel?lang=eng). It’s primarily an account of a people who "migrated to the Americas" (not all Native Americans, just the ones whom the Book of Mormon focuses on) who are descendants of Joseph (Manasseh specifically). One aspect of LDS beliefs I love is the depth it brings in understanding the role of God's covenant people prior to the second coming of Jesus Christ. The Book of Mormon specifically says its purpose "... is to show unto the remnant of the house of Israel what great things the Lord hath done for their fathers; and that they may know the covenants of the Lord, that they are not cast off forever—And also to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations" (Book of Mormon, Title Page). This convincing is something we desperately need today. It is a second witness to the divinity of Jesus Christ (See: Deuteronomy 19:15, 2 Cor 13:1, etc.)

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  11. In actuality, many from the northern tribes migrated southward and joined with Judah over the periods of various northern kings. As Israel degraded, those that wanted to remain faithful migrated south. Many of those who migrated, their tribes are specifically mentioned.

    When Ezra and Nehemiah brought their remants back from the Babylonian captivity, references were made to all the tribes.

    The Septuagint translation of the Bible into Greek was put together in the 2nd century BC. It included 6 from each of the 12 tribes as translators.

    4 of the tribes are specifically references in the NT as being present. All 12 tribes have specific letters written to them in scripture.

    the 10 tribes were never lost. They commingled with the southern tribes before the Babylonian captivity and have been ever since. The only possible exception is Dan.

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