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7/28/2019 Theseedofabrahamuk Com Israel Scattered Not Lost My Thoughts on Identity Doctrine
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Just a heads up before we start, this isnt levelled at anyone who I interact with on a subtext level. I
have shared a version of this article several times in recent weeks, firstly to refute some of the identity
based theologies that are catching people up in these days. Examples of these include: Two
House/Brit Am/Anglo Israel/True Hebrew/Black Hebrew Israelite schools of thought.Its been received
positively more than negatively, but I know this is a contentious issue in the Torah observant
movement. For me I see my identity in Yeshua as being the prime signifier as a Talmidim. I see this
issue (Tribal Identity) as being a point I can differ with someone and still share fellowship. However
some of the subtle insinuations of these doctrines relating to the Jewish People and their relationship
to YHVH are what I hold umbrage with, the se are particularly subtle within Two House, but veer off
into downright anti-semetic within the True Hebrew school of thought.
Now, Ill put my hands up Im a recovering Two Houser, I studied and convinced myself of its merits,
and invested a fair bit of time and head space previously to it. However over the last couple of years
the rising tide of identity based theologies has really caused me to look again at the interpretation of
scripture pertaining to versions of this doctrine. So I stand today no longer convinced of its teachings
(nor do I want be convinced) or its teachers (more on this another time).So I lay these scriptures
before you, not to convince or coerce but to hopefully spur people to look again and reassesss their
understanding around the issue of identity.
So Im sharing the article today, because the question of the Tribes and Identity keeps cropping up in
my interactions with people, so I guess by posting my thinking here I can signpost anyone interested
to the page:
Many tweeps espousing theories about the supposed ten lost tribes and their possible modern-
day tribal counterparts. I feel there are many issues that need to be addressed regarding these
teachings. There are many strains of lost tribe theologies out there, you know my strong feelings
The Seed of Abraham UKFor the Gentile seeking his Hebraic heritage and the Jew searching for the Messiah of Israel .
Manchester UK [email protected]
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Home YESHUA PAGAN CHRISTIA NITY ABOUT US ISRAEL
MYSTERY BABYLO N REFRAM ING. REPENT AN D BELIEVE
THE FE ASTS OF IS RAEL WALKING IN TORAH.
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around them. My aim will be to maintain a scriptural basis to this response, but I will touch upon these
theories in one or two places. However, I never call Gentiles, Israelites, and this puts some people
off my teachings, as they are seeking an identity based on something other than Yeshua I dont want
to play to that desire but to stay rooted in sound doctrine and scripture.
Before we start Ill just give you two examples of the theories and highlight an interesting point before
we move into the scripture:
Typical Ephraimite Tribal List
Tribe of Dan, Tribe of Joseph, USA (Manasseh), Machir first-born son of Manasseh gave his
name to America (Ha-Macheri in Hebrew) and this name means Capitalism,
Menasseh means Responsibile Representation,
Ephraim is Britain along with Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, and part of South Africa.
Issachar, Finland, Switzerland, Sweden,
Gad, Norway,
Naphtali, Ireland,
Simeon and Dan, Wales,
Dan, Simeon, and Ephraim, France,
Reuben, Holland,
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Zebulon, Belgium,
Benjamin, the Jews: Judah, Benjamin, Levi, plus representatives portions of all the other Tribes.
Typical True Hebrew Tribal List
Reuben - So called Seminole Indian/Aboriginal Australians
Simeon - So called Dominicans
Levi - So called Haitians
Judah - So called African Americans / Negroes
Zebulon - Guatemalans / Panamanians
Issachar - So called Mexicans Gad - So called North American Indians
Asher - Brazilians / Argentines / Venezuelans
Naphtali - Hawaiians / Samoans / Tongans / Fijians
Ephraim - So called Puerto Ricans
Manasseh - So called Cubans
Benjamin - So called Jamaicans / Trinidadians / Guyanese
Or variations on the above theme.
I could go onto give various theories backed up with interpretational reading from forgotten history,
citing reasons why jewish people are usurpers of the True Hebrews. Or how certain nations are the
Lost Tribes, and those returning to Torah are Israelites Which one appeals would generally be
chosen by our own racial grouping and pressupositions. But ultimately the two groupings l isted
above, boil down to black/white racial identity theology. My aim is to show that the initial
presupposition, that the tribes are lost is a flawed one, and hopefully this will help you see the
divisive/replacement agenda behind true hebrew and to a lesser extent two house theology.
*Lost Tribes
Israel split into two kingdoms somewhere around 926 BCE when the house of Israel rebelled against
King Rehoboam. Their succession meant there were then two houses the House of Israel
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(Northern Kingdom) and the House of Judah (Southern Kingdom). Judah consisted of the tribes of
Judah and Benjamin plus many of the Levites; and Israel consisted of the remaining tribes (Ephraim
and Manasseh were counted separately a total of ten tribes). Around 723 BCE, Israel was
conquered by Assyria and many from the House of Israel were deported from Israel into regions
within the Assyrian kingdom (and substituted within their own cities and regions by foreigners).
Around 585 BCE, Judah was deported and taken from Israel to Babylon in captivity (coming after an
earlier Babylonian attack of Jerusalem in 597 BCE). Sometimes it seems as if the ten lost tribes
theory is based more on the imagined silence of Scripture than from stated fact (argument ex nihilio).
One argument maintains that since the return of Judah is described in such detail, and the return of
Israel isnt described in the same detail, Israel surely must not have returned. However the record of
scripture does show Israel back within Judah some had never left, and some returned prior to the
Babylonian captivity. Lets look:
And after them out of all the tribes of Israel such as set their hearts to seek YHVH God of Israel came
to Jerusalem, to sacrifice unto YHVH God of their fathers. So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah,
and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong, three years: for three years they walked in the way
of David and Solomon. IIChronicles 11:16-17
For if you return to YHVH, your brothers and your sons will find compassion before those who led them captive and will return to this land. For YHVH your God is gracious and compassionate, and will
not turn His face away from you if you return to Him. So the couriers passed from city to city through
the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, and as far as Zebulun, but they laughed them to scorn and
mocked them. Nevertheless some men of Asher, Manasseh and Zebulun humbled themselves and
came to Jerusalem. The hand of God was also on Judah to give them one heart to do what the king
and the princes commanded by the word of YHVH. II Chronicles 30:9-12
They came to Hilkiah the high priest and delivered the money that was brought into the house of
God, which the Levites, the doorkeepers, had collected fromManasseh and Ephraim, and from all the
remnant of Israel, and from all Judah and Benjamin and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. II Chronicles 34:9
The Kethuvim (Writings) in Scripture with certainty evidence Israels presence within the land whilst
being among Judah. There faithfulness was questionable at times, but there was no denying their
presence. The Neviim (Prophets) also strongly indicate their presence within the land among Judah:
Then He said to me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is very, very great, and the land is
filled with blood and the city is full of perversion; for they say, YHVH has forsaken the land, and YHVH
does not see! Ezekiel 9:9
If the scattering of Israel so beloved of lost tribes theorists had occurred at the time of this prophecy,
then why is she included here as being within the land also?
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Ezekiel continued to prophesy until about 590 BCE He was then taken to Babylon amidst the first
Babylonian attack on Yerushalayim in 597 BCE. Yet he places both houses in the land of Israel at the
time of his writing.
He laments the sin of Israel among Judah:
He said to me, Son of man, now dig through the wall. So I dug through the wall, and behold, an
entrance.
And He said to me, Go in and see the wicked abominations that they are committing here.
So I entered and looked, and behold, every form of creeping things and beasts and detestable things,
with all the idols of the house of Israel, were carved on the wall all around.
Standing in front of them were seventy elders of the house of Israel, with Jaazaniah the son of
Shaphan standing among them, each man with his censer in his hand and the fragrance of the cloud
of incense rising.
Then He said to me, Son of man, do you see what the elders of the house of Israel are committing in
the dark, each man in the room of his carved images? For they say, YHVH does not see us; YHVH
has forsaken the land.
And He said to me, Yet you will see still greater abominations which they are committing. Ezekiel
8:9-13
These events are being written of the House of Israel a people some are claiming had already
been lost approx 125 years earlier! Evidently, Israel constituted more than just a presence within the
land of Israel among the House of Judah when Ezekiel i s writing -YHVHS revelation to Ezekiel is of
their presence within the temple itself and their accompanying sin. Sin with which Judah became
wayward,as in Jeremiah 32:29-35:
29 And the Chaldeans, that fight against this city, shall come and set fire on this city, and burn it with
the houses, upon whose roofs they have offered incense unto Baal, and poured out drink offerings
unto other gods, to provoke me to anger.30 For the children of Israel and the children of Judah have only done evil before me from their youth:
for the children of Israel have only provoked me to anger with the work of their hands, saith YHVH.
31 For this city hath been to me as a provocation of mine anger and of my fury from the day that they
built it even unto this day; that I should remove it from before my face,
32 Because of all the evil of the children of Israel and of the children of Judah, which they have done
to provoke me to anger, they, their kings, their princes, their priests, and their prophets, and the men of
Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
33 And they have turned unto me the back, and not the face: though I taught them, rising up early and
teaching them, yet they have not hearkened to receive instruction.
34 But they set their abominations in the house, which is called by my name, to defile it. 35 And they built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and
their daughters to pass through the fire unto Molech; which I commanded them not, neither came it
into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin. Jeremiah 32:29-35
Not only was Israel present, Judahs sin is apportioned to Israel.Israel resultingly receives a double
dose of punishment through Assyria and again *with Judah* through Babylon:
Israel is a scattered flock, the lions have driven them away. The first one who devoured him was the
king of Assyria, and this last one who has broken his bones is Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.
Jeremiah 50:17
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Israel was taken to Babylon this surely indicates their inclusion at this point with the tribe of Judah.
Further Israel was also counted among Judah in the return to the land of Israel after the Babylonian
captivity:
Some of the sons of Israel and some of the priests, the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers and the
temple servants went up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes. Ezra 7:7
Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace.
And now I have issued a decree that any of the people of Israel and their priests and the Levites in my
kingdom who are willing to go to Jerusalem, may go with you. Ezra 7:12,13
The exiles who had come from the captivity offered burnt offerings to the God of Israel: 12 bulls for all
Israel, 96 rams, 77 lambs, 12 male goats for a sin offering, all as a burnt offering to YHVH. Ezra 8:35
Now, did all of Israel return? No. And did all of Judah return? No. Yet no one is spending a lot of time
researching where the Lost House of Judah is today. YHVH maintained a remnant of Israel *and*
Judah and it was this remnant that did return.
In the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, we see Jews/Israel being used so often, sometimes even
interchangeably. In fact, the term Israel appears more often than Jews in Ezra.
These came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar,
Bigvai, Rehum and Baanah. The number of the men of thepeople of Israel: Ezra 2:2
Now the priests and the Levites, some of the people , the singers, the gatekeepers and the temple
servants lived in their cities, and all Israel in their cities. Now when the seventh month came, and the
sons of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered together as one man to Jerusalem. Ezra 2:70,
3:1
*Other Writings
The reality that YHVH kept a remnant of Israel is evident in other writings, consider Tobit:
The book of the acts of Tobit the son of Tobiel, son of Ananiel, son of Aduel, son of Gabael, of the
descendants of Asiel and the tribe of Naphtali who in the days of Shalmaneser, king of the Assyrians,
was taken into captivity from Thisbe, which is to the south of Kedesh Naphtali in Galilee above Asher.
I, Tobit, walked in the ways of truth and righteousness all the days of my life, and I performed many
acts of charity to my brethren and countrymen who went with me into the land of the Assyrians, to
Nineveh. Now when I was in my own country, in the land of Israel, while I was still a young man, the
whole tribe of Naphtalimy forefather deserted the house of Jerusalem. All the tribes that joined in
apostasy used to sacrifice to the calf Baal, and so did the house of Naphtali my forefather. But I alone went often to Jerusalem for the feasts, as it is ordained for all Israel by an everlasting decree. Taking
the first fruits and the tithes of my produce and the first shearings, I would give these to the priests, the
sons of Aaron, at the altar. Tobit 1:1 -61 (approx. 200 BCE)
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Mention is made in Sirach that this remnant of Israel was given to Jacob:
So that the sovereignty was divided and a disobedient kingdom arose out of Ephraim. 22 But the
Lord will never give up his mercy, nor cause any of his works to perish; he will never blot out the
descendants of his chosen one, nor destroy the posterity of him who loved him; so he gave a remnant
to Jacob, and to David a root of his stock. Sirach 47:212 (approx. 180 BCE)
Further:
Then the men of Israel came down from their city and found him; and they untied him and brought
him into Bethulia and placed him before the magistrates of their city, who in those days were Uzziah
the son of Micah, of the tribe of Simeon, and Chabris the son of Gothoniel, and Charmis the son of
Melchiel. .18 Then the people fell down and worshiped God, and cried out to him, and said, O Lord
God of heaven, behold their arrogance, and have pity on the humiliation of our people , and look this
day upon the faces of those who are consecrated to thee. Judith 6:15,18,193 (approx. 150 BCE)Josephus also displays knowledge of where the supposed lost tribes are:
When Esdras (Ezra) had received this epistle, he was very joyous, and began to worship God, and
confessed that he has been the cause of the kings great favor to him, and that for the same reason he
gave all thanks to God. So he read the epistle at Babylon to those Jews that were there, but he kept
the epistle itself and sent a copy of it to all those of his own nation that were in Media; and when the
Jews had understood what piety the king had towards God, and what kindness he had for Esdras,
they were all greatly pleased; nay, many of them took their effects with them and came to Babylon, as
very desirous of going down to Jerusalem; but then the entire body of the people of Israel remained in
that country; wherefore there are but two tribes in Asia and Europe subject to the Romans, while the ten tribes are beyond the Euphrates til now, and are an immense multitude, and not to be estimated in
numbers. Josephus Antiquities4
Within historical record, we have no evidence of lost tribes, the ten tribes know who they are and the
remaining tribes also know who they are. In Tobit a we have a man returning to Yerushalayim for the
annual moedim! As occurred in Acts 2 during Shavuot:
They were amazed and astonished, saying, Why, are not all these who are speaking Galileans?
And how is it that we each hear them in our own language to which we were born? Parthians and
Medes and Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,
Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya around Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both
Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabswe hear them in our own tongues speaking of the mighty
deeds of God. And they all continued in amazement and great perplexity, saying to one another,
What does this mean? Acts 2:7-12
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Here again we see those gathered in Yerushalayim for Shavuot had come from all over. These are
Jews who are NOT residents in Israel, maintaining observance! And we see them having come from
the lands where supposedly thelost tribes had been lost? Lets look:
So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul, king of Assyria, even the spirit of Tilgath-pilneser king
of Assyria, and he carried them away into exile, namely the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe
of Manasseh, and brought them to Halah, Habor, Hara and to the river of Gozan, to this day. 1
Chronicles 5:26 Then the king of Assyria carried Israel away into exile to Assyria, and put them in Halah and on the
Habor, the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes. 2 Kings 18:11
Medes is one of the places the ten tribes were taken and we see it mentioned in Acts, this is in
addition to other areas in upper Mesopotamia, beyond Euphrates and towards the west of Nineveh
(areas of the Assyrian empire). Some of the observant returnees to Yerushalayim have travelled form
these areas for Shavuot! And not from Assyrian places alone,in addition they have travelled from
many other places, where both Israelites and Jews had been dispersed. A noteworthy point is found
in Acts,this Jewish audience is addressed by Kefa as the house of Israel. ( Acts 2:36 Therefore let all
the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ this Yeshua whom you crucified. ) Here we see YHVH declare his intention towards the kept remnant, so much for
Lost?
* The Remnant
YHVH has already promised to keep sheerit Yisrael a remnant of Israel in spite its actions not
because of them:
Now in that day the remnant of Israel, and those of the house of Jacob who have escaped, will never
again rely on the one who struck them, but will truly rely on YHVH, the Holy One of Israel. A remnant
will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God. For though your people, O Israel, may be like the
sand of the sea, Only a remnant within them will return; A destruction is determined, overflowing with
righteousness. For a complete destruction, one that is decreed, the Lord YHVH of hosts will execute in
the midst of the whole land. Isaiah 10:20-23
Its significant to note that when YHVH keeps a remnant, the rest are destroyed, completely and
irrevocably. The remnant represents those whom YHVH is saving out of the total. Spending ones time
searching for those not in the remnant will never be a productive use of time they are gone forever.
It is only to the remnant that this promise of being regathered is made.
*What is the scattering and regathering of Israel referring to?
The Scattering of Both Tribes
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after the first century. To my understanding this prophecy is regarding the regathering of the remnant
by YHVH, rather than the finding of Lost Tribes. Those outside the remnant are not regathered by
YHVH Isa 10:20-23)
.Isaiah undertook his prophetic ministry between 740-
686 BCE, throughout the time when this division between Israel and Judah happened, so it makes
sense he would imply two houses rather than one unified country. We see a parallelism employed
within this prophecy, the dual threads of the removal of animosity and the final regathering spun
together. This duality may not have been known to Isaiah.Irrespective of his awareness, it is clear thattwo separate occurences are portrayed here.
I believe prophecies that have fulfillments at different times are difficult and lead to incorrect ideas
(like, the theory of lost tribes). Isaiah 11:11-13 clearly has two fulfillments: The ending of animosity
between the two houses (already fulfilled) and one about the regathering (not fulfilled).
History shows us that the twelve tribes have been dispersed for over two millennia. Yachov(James)
confirms this fact: Yachov, a servant of YHVH and of the Adonai Yeshua HaMashiach, to the twelve
tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. (James 1:1)
Yachov(James) understood Israel as a unit, when one house is scattered, so is the other house the
twelve tribes were a uni t forming Israel. As mentioned earlier, scattering is about Israel being among
the nations not being irrevocable destroyed (lost). Being scattered is one thing, being lost is
another. A scattered people know who they are, they are simply not in their own land. Being lost is
permanent, they can never be regathered because they were not included in the remnant YHVH
saved. That said, it is certainly possible that someone who has lost their identity (picture someone
who is 1/100 Jewish through successive inter-marriage more on this later), then that person could
still enter the kingdom through Yeshua, but they would be counted quite rightly as non-Jewish (non-
Israeli). Foreigners were/are always welcome to worship YHVH and obey His Torah.
This parallelism of woven predictions with separate fulfillments is seen again in Isaiah. Predictions
with a dual fulfillment, one in Yeshuas earthly ministry and the 2nd to be fulfilled during His 2nd
coming.( Isaiah 51:5 where Yeshua is seen as Sacrifice for Salvation and Judge
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My righteousness is near, My salvation has gone forth, And My arms will judge the peoples; The
coastlands will wai t for Me, and for My arm they will wait expectantly I believe prophecies that have
fulfillments at different times are difficult and lead to incorrect ideas (like, the theory of lost tribes).
Isaiah 11:11-13 clearly has two fulfillments: The ending of animosity between the two houses (alreadyfulfilled) and one about the regathering (not fulfilled).
Behold, the days come, saith YHVH, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and
with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I
took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although
I was an husband unto them, saith YHVH: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the
house of Israel; After those days, saith YHVH, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their
hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. Jeremiah 31:31-33
Notice in this passage, it begins by saying the covenant is made with both houses (v 31) but a fewlines later in the passage the covenant is made only with the House of Israel. (v 33) At the time this
was written, there was still conflict between the two houses (hence it being mentioned at all). But
notice that following the phrase after those days only the house of Israel is mentioned they are
one unit again a t this point. And notice, only to the house of Israel goes the promise that His Torah will
be written on mens hearts. Now, you can wrongly assume Judah is left out of this prophecy, or you
can realize that the house of Israel included both houses. To interpret otherwise is to assume that
Judah doesn t receive Torah on his heart too. Clearly by v 33 the two houses are already considered
joined as solid unit.
Now, to look at a prophecy sometimes oft quoted and much used to defend lost tribe theology:
The word of the YHVH came again to me saying, And you, son of man, take for yourself one stick
and write on it, For Judah and for the sons of Israel, his companions; then take another stick and
write on it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim and a ll the house of Israel, his companions. Then join
them for yourself one to another into one stick, that they may become one in your hand. When the
sons of your people speak to you saying, Will you not declare to us what you mean by these? say to
them, Thus says the Lord YHVH, Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of
Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel, his companions; and I will put them with it, with the stick of Judah,
and make them one stick, and they will be one in My hand. The sticks on which you write will be in
your hand before their eyes. Say to them, Thus says the Lord YHVH, Behold, I will take the sons of Israel from among the nations where they have gone, and I will gather them from every side and bring
them into their own land; and I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel; and
one king will be king for all of them; and they will no longer be two nations and no longer be divided
into two kingdoms. They will no longer defile themselves with their idols, or with their detestable
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things, or with any of their transgressions; but I will deliver them from all their dwelling places in which
they have sinned, and will cleanse them. And they will be My people, and I will be their God. My
servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd; and they will walk in My
ordinances and keep My statutes and observe them. They will live on the land that I gave to Jacob
My servant, in which your fathers lived; and they will live on it, they, and their sons and their sons
sons, forever; and David My servant will be their prince forever. Ezekiel 37:16-25
This powerful prophecy also indicates a reunification of Israel and Judah and note, it is Israel who
is joined to Judah (not vice-versa) which is exactly what happened. We saw earlier in this article inII Chronicles 30:9-12 that the Northern Tribes (Israel) were invited to come join Judah in the South
and many did indeed join Judah during that time (though some had never left, choosing to go south
rather than stay under King Jeroboam). Many from Israel also returned to Israel after being taken to
Babylon we see through-out Ezra and Nehemiah that Israel was indeed a part of Judah again. But
this prophecy also includes unfulfilled portions ones which await the return of Yeshua for
completion. I think it would be in error to assume that if one part of the prophecy hasnt been fulfilled,
then neither has the other. It is just this sort of thinking that makes many Jewish people today reject
Yeshua they ask where is the kingdom of peace? Where is the temple with YHVH on His throne?
They ask why there has been no resurrection if Messiah has come. These are valid points which
Yeshua Himself addressed in the gospels and these kingdom questions tie directly into the falsenessof the lost tribe crowd. Yeshua indicated that His kingdom was at hand if only the people would have
received it He could not have made that offer only to the House of Judah unless Israel was there to
accept it also, since the promise was made to both houses. Yeshua could not have offered the
kingdom to Judah UNLESS Israel was already unified with Judah! Yeshua offered: The time is
fulfilled, and the kingdom of YHVH is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel. (Mark 1:15)
But I say to you that Elijah has indeed come, and they did to him whatever they wished, just as it is
written of him. (Mark 9:13)
Yeshua is basically saying that if the people would have accepted the kingdom, then Yochanan(John) the Immerser was qualified to fulfill the role of Elijah. The kingdom could have been
established then and there among JUDAH (which would have to include Israel since YHVHs
promise of the kingdom was to BOTH houses). And the Judahite and Israeli population in Israel at the
time fit the bill ! His own disciples thought He would establish his kingdom then and there:
While they were listening to these things, Yeshua went on to tell a parable, because He was near
Jerusalem, and they supposed that the kingdom of God was going to appear immediately. Luke
19:11
But sadly we know His kingdom offer was rejected, Yeshua prophecied:
Behold, your house is left to you desolate; and I say to you, you will not see Me until the time comes
when you say, BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF YHVH!(Luke 13:35)
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In the Olivet
Discourse in Luke, the new plan for the establishment of the kingdom is mentioned as a future event.
It wont occur until after Israel falls to the sword and is led away captive into the nations and
Jerusalem is trampled until the times of the Gentiles is fulfilled. (Luke 21:24) But Yeshua reassured
them the kingdom was still coming (they must have been frightened at the picture he was painting
here) so He comforted them by explaining:
But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your
redemption is drawing near. Then He told them a parable : Behold the fig tree and a ll the trees; as
soon as they put forth leaves, you see it and know for yourselves that summer is now near. So you
also, when you see these things happening, recognize that the kingdom of YHVH is near. Luke
21:28-31
Not only had Yeshua offered the kingdom to Israel, but his disciples couldnt accept that He could
leave without establishing it especially since the kingdom message had been such a prominant
teaching of Yeshua as well as the expectation of the people . They asked:
Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel? (Acts 1:6)
Another way we know the kingdom was offered to both houses (Judah and Israel) is from Matthew.
Yeshua sent His disciples only through-out Israel, telling them NOT to go among the Gentiles with His
message,(Matt 10:5,6) this is because Yeshua was only offering the kingdom to Israel. If tribes werelost, Hed have to send his disciples outside the land to find them. Instead, Israel is *within* the land
already! We can trust that Yeshua knew the right people to offer the kingdom to, and the Brit
Chadasha makes it clear that the kingdom was offered only to the Jews who were and remain, the
unified houses of Judah and Israel.
A further point: the Brit Chadasha treats the terms Israel, Israelite, Jews, and Circumcised as being
one and the same. The Brit Chadasha writers seem to have no knowledge of a separation still
existing. Note the wonderful event in Luke:
Blessed be the YHVH Elohim of Israel, For He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people, and has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of David His servant. Luke: 1:68,69
Shaul himself seems to think Israel is a unit also, before Agrippa he attests:
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And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers: Unto
which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hopes
sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews. Acts 26:6,7
Shaul often speaks as if being Jewish is synonymous with being an Israelite:
I say then, God has not rejected His people, has He? May it never be! For I too am an Israelite, a
descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. Romans 11:1
Although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more: circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of
Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as
to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless. Philippians 3:4-6
If Israel hadnt been reunified, then shouldnt Shaul have said he was a Yehudi (Judahite from the
House of Judah) instead?
We know Benjaminites and Levites are counted as Judah, but so are other tribes. Weve seen that lots
of Brit Chadasha passages show Israel is synonymous with the Jewish people, now we see an
Asherite mentioned:
And there was a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. Luke 2:36
Nothing in this passage indicates that being an Asherite was unusual. But had there really been lost
tribes, this passage would have drawn specia l attention to Asher and commented how her presence
was possible wouldnt she be the last of her kind if there were lost tribes? But notice instead it is
mentioned simply and matter-of-factly, as if nothing is unusual about the presence of a supposed lost
tribe member. No wonder, since no tribes were missing!
When Yeshua was approached by a Gentile, He pointed out He wasnt sent to her, but only to the lostsheep of Israel:
But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Matt 15:24
And just who were these lost sheep of Israel? The Jews. We know He considered the Jews the lost
sheep of Israel because of His actions in the gospels the gospels record He and His disciples took
His message to the Jews not the Gentiles. This clearly identifies the lost sheep of Israel as
Jewish. Further, In Matthew 10:5,6 Yeshua was very clear about what people His disciples were to
approach:
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. And as ye go, preach,
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saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Matthew 10:5,6
Now what people did the disciples take the message to after Yeshua told them this? Jewish people.
So we see that Israel again is identified as the Jewish people l iving in the land of Israel. Basically, the
lost sheep of Israel are within the House of Judah the Jewish people. (The lost sheep were not
physically lost here but spiritually lost the disciples had no difficulty finding them).
Romans 11 (Israel and Gentile Nations cant be one and same)
11 I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.
12 Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the
Gentiles; how much more their fulness?
13 For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:
14 If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of
them.
15 For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be,
but life from the dead?
16 For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.
17 And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;
18 Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.
19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in.
20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but
fear:
21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. For if God
spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.
22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee,
goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again.
24 For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature
into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their
own olive tree?
25 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 .
26 And so a ll Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and
shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers sakes. For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. Romans 11:11-
28
It has been suggested by some that Israel mixed with the Gentiles and that the Gentiles are the true
House of Israel. This passage flat out disputes that possibility. Throughout the passage (which begins
with Shaul referring to himself as an Israelite [v 1]) Israel is being contrasted to the Gentiles. Gentiles
are the wild branches being grafted into a foreign tree a tree not their own. Gentiles are NOT
natural branches, they do not naturally fit into this tree, they are contrasted to Israelite branches which
would fit in perfectly, lest Gentiles boast. How much more of a boast could Gentiles have than to
actually claim they are natural when Shaul has just announced they are wild and should NOT
boast? Shaul is revealing a mystery here, not previously understood, that YHVHs covenant was
open to Gentiles to non-Israelite Gentiles. Imagine, Gentiles, who have ABSOLUTELY NO TIES TO
ISRAEL OR ITS COVENANTS being offered such a blessing of inclusion! Amazing, yet this is exactly
the offer Shaul is explaining to them, by virtue of their faith in Yeshua! Now, if this passage was really
about the ten lost tribes being grafted back into their own tree, that wouldnt be much of a mystery
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Did Shaul forget about the lost Israelites? Clearly, the Israelites are already being counted among
the Jews. Shaul is taking the gospel to all Israel first, and then to the Gentiles.
Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by
the so-called Circumcision, which is performed in the flesh by human hands remember that you
were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to
the covenants of promise, having no hope and without Elohim in the world. But now in Yeshua
HaMashiach you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Mashich.
Ephesians 2:11-13
Now, if the Gentiles were the lost tribes then they wouldnt be of the uncircumcision but of the
circumcision; further, they wouldnt have been strangers to the covenants since their forefathers
received them along with Judah. Why mention in Ephesians 2:15 that YHVH was creating one new
man when it would really be just the same old Israel comprised of the same 12 tribes. The reason
Shaul is writing this in Ephesians is because i t isnt about lost tribes rejoining but about non-Israelite
Gentiles being brought in. This was the mystery Shaul taught throughout his epistles, that non-
Israelites were being given a chance to partake of the same covenants Israel had been given!
One argument that insists Israel must include Gentile nations is to explain how Israel would be so
numerous as the dust of the earth (Genesis 13:16; 28:14; et al) or the sand on the sea (Genesis
22:17; 32:12, et al) A reading of II Chronicles 1:9 Now, O YHVH God, Your promise to my father
David is fulfilled, for You have made me king over a people as numerous as the dust of the earth.
indicates this may be an idiom for many and not intended to be taken literally. If we made every
single person in the world today an Israelite (6 billion) we still dont outnumber the sand or dust, so its
not a convincing argument.
Further, we addressed this earlier regarding the remnant, Ill requote: For though your people, O
Israel, may be like the sand of the sea, Only a remnant within them will return; A destruction is
determined, overflowing with righteousness. For a complete destruction, one that is decreed, the Lord YHVH of hosts will execute in the midst of the whole land. Isaiah 10:20-22,23
Yes, they may have been numbered l ike the sand of the sea but only a remnant was saved only a
remnant remains. So much for needing the Gentiles to make up the immense numbers required
only a remnant is brought through and saved the rest received complete destruction.
*Melo Goyim
And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his
head. And his father refused, and said, I know i t, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people,and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall
become a multitude of nations. Genesis 48:18,19
In Romans 11:25,26 we read: For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery so that
you will not be wise in your own estimation that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the
fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as i t is written, There shall come
out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.
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The similarity in phrases (fullness of Gentiles vs. Gen 48 melo goyim multitude of nations) seems to
prove to some that Ephraim was referring to the Gentiles. Yet if we examine the Romans passage, the
opposite is true. What is happening to Israel is different from what is happening to the Gentiles
Israel is being hardened against the faith until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in. In Greek, this
phrase contains pleroma ethnos eiserchomai or repletion/completion of a race or tribe that has
come or entered. Basically, until such a time that all the Gentiles who will believe, do believe. Israel is
being HINDERED here wai ting for something to occur in a DIFFERENT people. Israel is contrasted
by being in disbelief while another group finds belief. The best drash we could apply in Romans 11
from Genesis 48 is perhaps: Just as YHVH brought Ephraim to completion, He now brings Gentiles
into their own completion. Such a drash doesnt alter the Israelite roots of Ephraim or the non-
Israelite roots of Gentiles though it can only state that both will achieve such repletion.
*Has YHVH completely forsaken Israel through Divorce?
And I saw that for all the adulteries of faithless Israel, I had sent her away and given her a writ of
divorce, yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear; but she went and was a harlot also. Because of
the lightness of her harlotry, she polluted the land and committed adultery with stones and trees. Yet
in spite of all this her treacherous sister Judah did not return to Me with all her heart, but rather in
deception, declares YHVH. And YHVH said to me, Faithless Israel has proved herself more
righteous than treacherous Judah. Go and proclaim these words toward the north and say, Return,
faithless Israel,declares the YHVH; I will not look upon you in anger. For I am gracious, declares
YHVH; I will not be angry forever. Only acknowledge your iniquity, That you have transgressed against YHVH your God And have scattered your favors to the strangers under every green tree, And
you have not obeyed My voice, declares YHVH. Return, O faithless sons, declares YHVH; For I am
a master to you, And I will take you one from a city and two from a family, And I will bring you to Zion.
Then I will give you shepherds after My own heart, who will feed you on knowledge and
understanding. Jeremiah 3:8-15
Israel did accept YHVHs offer to return. Weve al ready looked at passages through-out this that show
Israel returned to Judah and that Scripture shows the terms Jew and Israel were being used
interchangeably. Those insisting Israel is forsaken are ignoring passages like this, which
acknowledge the divorce yet offer Israel forgiveness and return.
Such lost tribe teachings displace the true Israelites by usurping their title for Gentile nations. That is
a type of replacement theology. For centuries the church has been insisting that the church replaces
Israel in theology on the basis that Israel rejected Yeshua and the church embraced Him. But this
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theory is going a step further, and saying Israel is no longer the people described in Scripture, but
instead are the non-Israelite nations she became lost in. The fact is that YHVH had many chances to
tell Isaiah, Jeremiah or Ezekiel (or other prophets) that His real plan was to replace Israel with a
Gentile nation of the same name and He doesnt. Even Shaul, who wrote so much about the Israel
of YHVH and insisted that Gentiles have their own place in YHVHs kingdom, even he NEVER once
made a stance that Gentiles EVER became natural Israel. Instead, he contrasted Gentiles to Israelites.
We can be thankful we have a merciful Elohim Who allows His people Israel AND others who arent
Israelite to join His covenant. We can be thankful we have a Elohim who doesnt require Israelite
genes in order to obtain salvation! His covenant is open to anyone who wishes to believe in Yeshuaand follow His Torah.
Why do you suppose, in all the pages of the Brit Chadasha, there is no mention of finding the ten lost
tribes? Given the prophecies involving both houses, it would seem that if there are lost tribes, then
someone, somewhere, would have made some mention of them. If the Gentiles were true lost
Israelites coming home, then wouldnt their return would have been heralded? Wouldnt it have been
like a kill the fatted calf the prodigal ones have returned celebration? How could the Brit
Chadasha neglect to mention the lost tribes if they truly were lost? How could the Brit Chadasha
writers fail to mention that the Gentiles coming into the faith were really the lost tribes? Wouldnt it
have been worthy of mention? Clearly, the Brit Chadasha writers viewed Israel as al ready united withJudah. There were no lost tribes and the unification of the houses was no longer an issue.
Theres an interesting anecdote about when the Septuagint was translated into Greek in Alexandria
back in the third century BCE. It says that 6 men from each of the 12 tribes joined together forming a
group of 72 to translate the Torah into Greek.5 How could such a legend develop and survive even
until today if 10 of the tribes were lost?
The Kethuvim (Writings), the Neviim (Prophets), and the Brit Chadasha all indicate that the remnant
of Israel is already a part of the remnant of Judah. Yeshua and Shaul used the terms Israel and Jews
interchangeably. It seems clear that the regathering of Israel was referring to an end times event and
referred to both houses, Judah and Israel, who were already reunited at that point. We see that
Romans 11 cannot be reconciled to any Israel which is Gentile in nature. And we can be cautioned
that by making the believing remnant Israelite by descent, it closes the door YHVH says He opened
for non-Israelite believers to enter. To this end you can see why I strongly discourage the various
flavours of the Lost Tribe theorists.
Our identity is in Yeshua, our call to Torah is by the Ruach, we who were outside the covenants,
promises and blessings of YHVHs redemptive relationship to Israel are brought in by grace..This is
our identity, I see no crisis.
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R E C E N T P O S T S
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1 Tobit (approx. 200 BCE) Apocrypha
2 Sirach (approx. 180 BCE) Apocrypha
3 Judith(approx. 150 BCE) Apocrypha
4 Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews from The Works of Josephus, translated by Whiston, W.,
Hendrickson Publishers. 1987. 13th Printing. p 294
5 Abegg, M., Flint, P., Ulrich, E. The Dead Sea Scrolls Bible: The Oldest Known Bible Translated for
the First Time into Engl ish. HarperCollins Publishers. 1999. 1st Edition. p xiii
Sources: Avram Yehoshua, Yair Davidy, Ellen Wimbaugh.
Washed by the Word or WaterboardedPosted on July 12, 2013
A few thoughts on a subject Im still learning (painful and tough as it seems!!)
qinah: ardor, zeal, jealousyOriginal Word:
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: qinah
Phonetic Spelling: (kin-aw)
Short Definition: jealousy
chen: favor, grace
Original Word:
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: chen
Phonetic Spelling: (khane)
Short Definition: favor
Zeal is necessary, zeal is evidence of a passion for YHVH. I have no problem with zeal, its the
grace that evades me at timesA word of correction in season, delivered with zeal in grace
can be a cool drink of water. The thirsty can drink deep as you pour it in a fashion and manner
enabling them to drink of the Living Water.
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A word of correction delivered in zeal without grace is akin to waterboarding:
The captive feels the relentless torrent of our rapidfire delivery, we pump it out, but- without
grace- the Living Water does little to quench the thirst. And the recipient gags, chokes and
struggles, and the Water ends up spilt on the floor, to soak into the dust.
In haste to share my understanding I have definitely had my fair share of dishing out the latter,
as well as being blessed to have been used in doing the former.
Its my heart for the waterboarding to be WHOLLY replaced by pouring the Living Water in my
dealings with others!!
So if this sounds familiar to any of you, join me in my prayer today:
Precious YHVH,
May your Ruach be the guide in all we say and do this day.
Forgive us of the times when our qinah ardour, passion and zeal becomes the driver
and not the engine of our interactions.
We ask for your chen,favour,grace to steer us through our day.
May we be lead by your Ruach and your Word:
As we preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and
exhort, with complete patience and teaching.
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F O L L O W B L O G V I A E M A I L
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I thank you that you take us,rough hewn rocks, and turn us into smooth stones.
Help us to allow the Living Water to wash us smooth this day..
In Yeshuas NameOmein
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