| "If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." II Chronicles 7:14; |
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The Two-fold Aspect of the Promises to Abraham
Judah's Scepter and Joseph's
Chapter 3
Children of Israel Become Two Nations
The House of Israel Is Not Jewish! Those who constitute the House of Israel are not Jews, and never were! We shall now see that fact conclusively, beyond refute.
After David's death, his son Solomon succeeded to the throne. Solomon taxed the people excessively, reigned in a gorgeous splendor probably never equaled before or since. In addition, he married Gentile wives, sacrificed to their idols, and committed other sins. The ETERNAL CREATOR spoke to Solomon saying:
1 Kings 11:11,13 "...you have done this, and have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you ...However, I will not tear away the whole kingdom; I will give one tribe to your son for the sake of My servant David..."
Israel Separated from David's Throne
Note it! It is THE KINGDOM, not part of it, which will be rent away. It is the PART, one tribe, which is to remain. Note that right here is expressed the great WHY of this whole question. Although Solomon himself deserved to have it rent away--ETERNAL will leave one tribe, not because of leniency toward Solomon, but "FOR DAVID'S SAKE"! David's dynasty, through Solomon, cannot be broken. The Mighty One WILL NOT break His Covenant!
When Solomon died, his son Rehoboam succeeded to David's throne. At once, the people demanded a reduction in the heavy taxes imposed by Solomon. Their spokesman, Jeroboam (Solomon's servant), pleaded with Rehoboam:
1 Kings 12:4-24 "Your father made our yoke heavy; now therefore, lighten the burdensome service of your father, and his heavy yoke which he put on us, and we will serve you."
:11 "And now, whereas my father put a heavy yoke on you, I will add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scourges!"
:16 "Now when all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered ...We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, O Israel! Now, see to your own house, O David!" So Israel departed to their tents.
:19-20 "So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day. Now it came to pass when all Israel heard that Jeroboam had come back, they sent for him and called him to the congregation, and made him king over all Israel. There was none who followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only.
:21 Then "Rehoboam ...assembled all the HOUSE OF JUDAH with the tribe of Benjamin...to fight against the House of Israel, that he might restore the kingdom..."
:24 Then YHWH said, "You shall not go up nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel. ...for this thing is from Me."
Israel Divided into Two Nations
Notice it carefully! The House of Judah, now including the tribe of Benjamin and Levi, under King Rehoboam of David's dynasty, was about to fight against the other ten tribes, headed by Ephraim and Manasseh, DIFFERENT AND SEPARATE NATIONS.The term "Jew" is merely a nickname for "Judah." It applies to the one nation or House of Judah only--never to the House of Israel. To see the first place in Scripture where the word "Jew" is used, read in context in your Scriptures 2 Kings 16:1-6 (KJV):
Ahaz began to reign as king of JUDAH (verse 1). He sat on David's throne (verse 2). At this time, a man named Pekah was king of ISRAEL. With King Rezin of Syria as an ally, this king of Israel came against Jerusalem in war, and besieged King Ahaz of Judah, but could not overcome him (verse 5). At that time Rezin king of Syria (the ally of ISRAEL fighting with ISRAEL against Judah, the Jews) recovered Elath to Syria, and drove the JEWS from Elath" (verse 6).
NOTE IT! The first place in Scripture where the word "Jew" is used, they are at war with Israel.*
*See our article "What is the Difference Between the Jews and Israel?"
Israel's ally, Syria, DROVE THE JEWS out of the town of Elath! Certainly, this proves that the Jews are a different nation altogether than Israel. It is WRONG to call the Jews of today "Israel." They are not the nation Israel--they are Judah! Wherever Israel is today, remember that Israel, as a national name does not mean Jew! Whoever the lost Ten Tribes of Israel are today, they are not Jews! Wherever you see the name "Israel," or "House of Israel," or "Samaria," or "Ephraim" used in prophecy, remember this: IT NEVER REFERS TO THE JEWS, BUT TO ISRAEL, who was at WAR against the Jews!
There is no place in Scripture where the term "Israel" refers to the "Jews" exclusively. When the usage of the noun is not national but individual, then the term "Israel" alone or "Children of Israel," or "men of Israel" may, and sometimes does, include the Jews, where all thirteen tribes are included. Jews are Israelites, just as Californians are Americans. However, MOST Israelites are not Jews, just as MOST Americans are not Californians. The Jews are the House of Judah only, only a part of the Israelites. However, when Scripture speaks of these people as NATIONS, rather than as collective individuals, the term "Israel" never refers to the Jews. "House of Israel" NEVER means "Jews." The three tribes at Jerusalem under the Davidic king are called, merely, the House of JUDAH.
However, of Ephraim and Manasseh, sons of Joseph, the dying Israel had said, "Let my name be named on them" (Genesis 48:16). Moreover, they truly now bear the name of ISRAEL.
From here on, the tribe of Judah (with Benjamin and the tribe of Levi) is called "JUDAH"--not Israel. The ten tribes, headed by Ephraim and Manasseh, from this point on are called "ISRAEL." They are not Jews and never were called Jews! From this point on, the children of Israel thirteen tribes in all, are divided into TWO NATIONS, Israel, and Judah!
Now, for the first time, the BIRTHRIGHT goes into one nation, ISRAEL, headed by Ephraim-Manasseh, while the SCEPTER remains in another nation, called the "House of JUDAH." ETERNAL divided the two phases of the promises to Abraham BETWEEN TWO ENTIRELY SEPARATE NATIONS!
For many generations Israel and Judah remained as separate nations, in adjoining territories, having their own separate kings. Why should ministers, rabbis, and professed Scripture students be in ignorance of this, when four whole books of Scripture, I and II Kings and I and II Chronicles, are devoted to explaining it and recording the history of these separate, rival kingdoms? Look at the maps in the back of your own Bible. There you will see the territory of each nation plainly shown.
Judah retained the city of Jerusalem, its capital, and the territory known as Judea. Israel occupied the territory north of Judea. Samaria became its capital city, and the House of Israel is often called "Samaria" in prophecy. This, too, is a vital "key" to understanding prophecy. "Samaria" never refers to the Jews in prophecy--but always the ten tribes, the House of ISRAEL.
House of Israel not Jews
We want to impress, here, that Israel and Judah are not two names for the same nation. They were, and still are, and shall be until the Advent of the Mashiach, TWO SEPARATE NATIONS. The "House of Judah" ALWAYS means "Jew." This distinction is vital, if we are to understand prophecy. Because most so-called Scripture students are in ignorance of this basic distinction, thus they are unable to understand prophecy rightly!The next place where the term "Jew" is mentioned in Scripture, the House of Israel had been driven out in captivity lost from view and the term still ONLY applies to those of the House of Judah.
Israel Driven Out and Lost!
Immediately on becoming king over the House of Israel, Jeroboam (tribe of Ephraim) set up two golden calves, introducing idol worship in the kingdom (I Kings 12:28-33).This idolatry combined with Sabbath-breaking (Ezek 20:10-24) was the great national sin which became such a curse to Israel. Generation after generation the Mighty One pleaded with the House of Israel to turn from tradition--from their fathers' ways--and to return to keeping CREATOR's Commandments. Yet, through nine different dynasties under 19 kings, Israel continued these national sins--sins so great in CREATOR's sight that finally He caused them to become a conquered, captive nation.
In the years 721-718 BCE the House of Israel was conquered and its people were soon driven out of their own land--out of their homes and cities--and carried captives to Assyria, on the southern shores of the Caspian Sea! Then they became lost from view!
2 Kings 17:18 "Therefore YHWH was very angry with Israel, and removed them from His sight; there was none left but the tribe of Judah alone."
The Mighty One removed who? ISRAEL! It is Israel, which was removed and driven from the ETERNAL's sight until they became lost from view. Who is left? Judah ONLY--only the Jews! Israel was now gone! They became known as the LOST Ten Tribes and are so designated today.
In Leviticus 26, we find CREATOR's solemn warning to all of the children of Israel. If they would worship Him alone, avoiding idolatry, and keep His Sabbath, walk in His Statutes and keep His Commandments, they would inherit the national material promises to Abraham. They would become a great, rich, and powerful--the dominant nation of all earth. However, they refused, rebelled, and were finally punished by the stripes of men resulting in captivity and slavery (2 Sam 7:11-14).
Only during the reign of Solomon was there a time of peace for all of Israel. However, due to the continued worship of the `baals' by the people, being led by Solomon and the majority of the following kings--both nations went in captivity. Consequently, the promise was only delayed, it was not forgotten, for the promise of The Mighty One is sure, it will happen. We will explain this delay later.
Why Israel Became the Lost Tribes
Israel simply had to obey their SOVEREIGN, keep His Commandments, and not commit spiritual adultery by worshipping idols (the `baals') in order to receive His blessings:Ezek 20:20-21 Observe "My Sabbaths, and they will be a sign between Me and you, that you may know that I am YHWH your SOVEREIGN. Notwithstanding, the children rebelled against Me; they did not walk in My statutes, and were not careful to observe My judgments, `which, if a man does, he shall live by them'; but they profaned My Sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out My fury on them and fulfill My anger against them..." Read the entire chapter to get the context.
BECAUSE the House of Israel lost the identifying SIGN the Sabbath--the sign, which identified them as ISRAEL--they utterly LOST THEIR IDENTITY! They lost knowledge even of their national name. They came to be considered GENTILES!
Exodus 31:12-17 records that ETERNAL made the Sabbath the Covenant Sign between Him and Israel. A sign identifies. At creation CREATOR rested on, blessed, sanctified, and set apart for man the one day for man's rest and worship which could keep him always in the true worship of the true CREATOR--the day that pointed back to creation. Creation is the PROOF of who The Mighty One is. It identifies Him as the true CREATOR. The intended purpose of the Sabbath is to keep man in the true knowledge of the true SOVEREIGN.
When Israel threw aside ETERNAL's Sabbath, they soon threw aside YHWH Himself, and went into idolatry. The Sabbath identified Israel as CREATOR's own people because all other nations had long since departed from its observance and gone into idolatry. Because Israel rejected this SIGN, they were driven out, and lost their identity (Ezek 20:10-24).
Judah, too, went into captivity largely because of Sabbath rejecting (see Jeremiah 17). However, those Jews who returned 70 years later under Ezra and Nehemiah had learned their lesson. They became legalistically strict Sabbatarians--adding so many of their own restrictions to it that made the Sabbath a pain instead a delight to keep.
To this day orthodox Jews have retained the original Sabbath.* Because those Jewish people who descend from the Ezra-Nehemiah leadership have retained ETERNAL's Covenant identifying SIGN, the world today looks upon them as ISRAEL!
*The orthodox Jews have maintained the time frame for the Sabbath, yet you can look at Jerusalem today and see that the Jews as a whole do not keep it.
Israel Never Returned
Israel's problem was that:2 Kings 17:22-23 "the children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did. They did not depart from them, until YHWH removed Israel out of His sight, as He had said by all His servants the prophets. So Israel was carried away from their own land to Assyria, as it is to this day."
They LEFT the land of Samaria and have never returned! Assyria placed Gentiles in their homes and cities (Vs 24), and these Gentiles were known as Samaritans at the destruction of the second Temple. [A more detailed account of the captivity of Israel is found in II Kings 18:9-12, and 17:5-18.]
Now the House of Israel began to "abide many days without a king" (Hosea 3:4). Since THEY were the people who carried the title "Israel," it is THEY, not Judah, who must become LOST in identity! Now they must lose their language, their religion, their land (Isa 8:17; 28:11; 40:27; 62:2; Jer 16:13; Hosea 1:8-10; 2:5-6).
The House of Israel did NOT return to Palestine with the Jews in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah, as some erroneously believe. Those who returned to rebuild the temple and restore worship in Jerusalem at that time, 70 years after JUDAH'S captivity, were only those of the House of Judah whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried to Babylon. Note well these facts.
1. In 721-718, BCE ISRAEL began to be "carried away out of their own land to Assyria" (II Kings 17:23). Soon they were ALL removed completely. "There was none left but the tribe of Judah only" (II Kings 17:18). JUDAH, only, remained.
2. More than 130 years later, Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon carried the Jews, JUDAH who remained in Palestine, away to Babylon. So very few, if any, of the House of Israel dwelt in Palestine at the time of this captivity of Judah.
3. Those who returned to Palestine to rebuild the Temple and restore worship 70 years after Judah's captivity were ALL of the House of Judah--all JEWS--of those whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away. They returned "unto Jerusalem and Judah, every one unto his city" (Ezra 2:1).
4. Only those of the tribes of Judah, together with remnants of Benjamin and Levi, who constituted the House of Judah, returned at that time (Ezra 1:5). Consequently those in Jerusalem in the time of the destruction of the second Temple were of these three tribes, not of the House of ISRAEL.
5. The House of Israel became known as the LOST Ten Tribes! They are now known by ANOTHER name, speaking a different language! Yet, they kept the false religion that Jeroboam introduced, which we will cover later.
By WHAT name are they known today? Whoever they are, wherever they are, it is THEY, and not the Jews, who are the BIRTHRIGHT possessors. It is THEY, not the Jews, who, beginning in the early 1600's CE, must inherit the UNbreakable promises to Abraham of national greatness, resources, wealth, and power. MANASSEH was to become the world's greatest single nation and Ephraim as a great Commonwealth of Nations! Who can they be today?
Continued in Chapter 4
[ Chapter 4 ] [ The Promises to Abraham - Introduction Index Page ]
