Lost tribes of Israel

[Benaiah468]

How can what you say be true? They have not kept the covenant of circumcision.

The people of Israel in the desert receive two clear commandments:

And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. Lev 12:3

Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked. Deu 10:16

Israel (the northern kingdom) repeatedly committed adultery. After 700 years of Northern Israel's apostasy and adultery, JHVH

had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; Jer 3:8b

The children of Israel were scattered among the nations of the earth.

Nevertheless, JHVH passionately calls His wayward wife to return (repent) to Him, and presumably He would have to find a way to work things out.

#45

 

[Benaiah468]

The circumcision of the heart is G-d's foremost concern (cf. Deu 10:16).

And so circumcision of the flesh can only be understood as an expression of circumcision of the heart. It is an expression of our faith. This was also the case with Abraham (cf. Rom 4:11). And since circumcision of the flesh is considered a sign of the covenant for his entire house/seed (cf. Gen 17:13-14) and every follower of the Messiah is also counted as the seed of Abraham (cf. Gal 3:29), we also show our faithfulness to the covenant by allowing ourselves to be circumcised, among other things.

Circumcision of the heart and circumcision of the flesh are both required by the Torah. And both will continue to play a role in the future:

Thus saith the Lord G-d; No stranger, uncircumcised in heart, nor uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter into my sanctuary, of any stranger that is among the children of Israel. Ez 44:9

 

[ralliann]

The people of Israel in the desert receive two clear commandments:

And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. Lev 12:3

Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked. Deu 10:16

Israel (the northern kingdom) repeatedly committed adultery. After 700 years of Northern Israel's apostasy and adultery, JHVH

had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; Jer 3:8b

The children of Israel were scattered among the nations of the earth.

Nevertheless, JHVH passionately calls His wayward wife to return (repent) to Him, and presumably He would have to find a way to work things out.

#45

The Children of Israel are circumcised by their fathers, as keeping the covenant of circumcision.....
Ge 17:10 This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.
Ge 17:12 And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed. {he that is eight … : Heb. a son of eight days }
Ge 17:13 He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.


Joh 7:22 Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision; (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers and ye on the sabbath day circumcise a man.

Ge 17:14 And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.

 

[Benaiah468]

The Children of Israel are circumcised by their fathers, as keeping the covenant of circumcision...

Circumcision is a sign of the covenant between Abraham and G-d. As proof of faith in the one G-d, Abraham is supposed to have his descendants circumcised. At this point, Abraham has already obeyed G-d by leaving his country and going to a new, foreign land. In return, G-d will ensure that Abraham's clan will not perish, but will even become an entire nation one day.

Ge 17:14 And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.

There were some commandments which, if broken, were to be separated from the people of Israel. This was usually done by killing (the Torah speaks of being cut off from the covenant). They were given for the following offenses:

General disobedience, rebellion against God's commandments, rebellion (Num 15:30-31)
Eating blood (Lev 7:27)
Eating asphyxiated food: animals whose blood has not flowed out (Lev 17:13-14)
Various types of fornication (Ex 20:10-21)
Idol worship (Lev 20:1-7)
Offenses against the tabernacle/temple (Ex 30:33ff .7:20ff .17:9 .19:13)
Uncircumcision (Gen 17:14)
Eating leavened bread during the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Ex 12)
Do not humble yourself on Yom Kippur (Lev 23:29)
Do not celebrate the Passover (Num 9:13)
Desecrate the Shabbat (Ex 31:14)

 

[Benaiah468]

So far, we have been able to establish the following on the basis of the Bible:

The name Jesus means redemption, because He is redemption.

The 2nd covenant at Sinai and the New Covenant were only made with Israel, but the foreigner is allowed to be grafted into Israel.

Lord Jesus was the Lawgiver at Sinai.

Love for the Lord Jesus consists of obeying His commandments, which can be found in the Torah (the 5 books of Moses).

Lord Jesus definitely did not die to do away with His Torah and issue a free pass for persisting in sin, but for the forgiveness of sins already committed.

The task of the Holy Spirit is to guide us in the truth or Torah.

Whoever does not have the Spirit of truth and instead carries the spirit of lawlessness has no part in Lord Jesus.

Why did Lord Jesus heal on the Sabbath?

Nowhere in the Torah does it say that it is forbidden to care for or heal a sick person on the Sabbath.

Furthermore, this also prophetically pointed to the restoration of Israel, which will be completed in the 1000-year Messianic kingdom of peace.

According to Jewish tradition, there were no sick, lame, blind, stupid or lepers among the children of Israel at the time of the covenant at Sinai. However, after the people fell away and worshipped the golden calf, this changed, and all these curses and infirmities came out.

Israel is described as a people afflicted with various afflictions

We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noon day as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men. Isa 59:10

Hear, ye deaf; and look, ye blind, that ye may see. Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I sent? who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the Lord's servant? Isa 42:18-19

Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the coasts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together: a great company shall return thither. Jer 31:8

Israel is called an unfaithful wife

Surely as a wife treacherously departeth from her husband, so have ye dealt treacherously with me, O house of Israel, saith the Lord. Jer 3:20

The beginning of the word of the Lord by Hosea. And the Lord said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the Lord. Hos 1:2

 

[Benaiah468]

Because the children of Israel turned away from G-d's Torah and disobeyed His commandments, they were punished with these afflictions. This can be read in detail in the Fifth Book of Moses (chapter 28), where the children were about to enter the Promised Land. From Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim, the blessing for observing the Torah and the curse for not observing it were read out to the people.

Sin (= transgression of the Torah; cf. 1 John 3:4) can lead to the outbreak of the plague of leprosy. When Miriam blasphemed her brother Moses,
G-d struck her with the plague of leprosy. In the Fourth Book of Moses it is written

And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them; and he departed. And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous. And Aaron said unto Moses, Alas, my lord, I beseech thee, lay not the sin upon us, wherein we have done foolishly, and wherein we have sinned. Num 12:9-11

Moses is representative of the Torah. The name Miriam means rebellious. The blasphemy against Moses (the Torah) came from a woman who bore the name rebellious. This led to the plague of leprosy.

Another consequence of disobedience to the commandments of G-d is exile. This already began in the Garden of Eden, when Adam and Eve were driven eastwards out of the Garden of Eden after the Fall, cf. Gen 3:24. Cain was also driven eastwards by G-d after he slew his brother, cf. Gen 4:16. The punishment for disobedience is separation from G-d into exile. This was always in the direction of the East. Thus the children of Israel were also taken into exile to Assyria and Babylon. These countries are located to the east of Israel. In the book of Ezekiel we read

Son of man, when the house of Israel dwelt in their own land, they defiled it by their own way and by their doings: their way was before me as the uncleanness of a removed woman. Wherefore I poured my fury upon them for the blood that they had shed upon the land, and for their idols wherewith they had polluted it: And I scattered them among the heathen, and they were dispersed through the countries: according to their way and according to their doings I judged them. Ez 36:17-19

In the book of Zechariah we read

Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the Lord of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the Lord of hosts.Therefore it is come to pass, that as he cried, and they would not hear; so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the Lord of hosts: But I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations whom they knew not. Thus the land was desolate after them, that no man passed through nor returned: for they laid the pleasant land desolate. Zec 7:12-14

Psalm 44 says

Thou hast given us like sheep appointed for meat; and hast scattered us among the heathen. Ps 44:11

The banishment into exile is equated with being sold

How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the Lord had shut them up? Deu 32:30

The Rock is Lord Jesus, as we already know; cf. 1 Cor 10:2-4. Because Israel had broken the commandments of Jesus, He "sold" them among the Gentiles.

Israel is the chosen covenant people of Almighty G-d. However, Israel had forsaken the covenant of their G-d by pursuing other idols and not honoring the commandments/Torah of G-d. Originally, Israel consisted of the 12 tribes:

Reuben, Simeon, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Azhar, Issachar, Zebulun, Manasseh, Ephraim and Benjamin.

There was also the priestly tribe of the Levites, who were not assigned their own tribal area.

The Levites drew their livelihood from the contributions of the children of Israel for the temple service and had Levite cities throughout Israel. This ensured that all of Israel had Levites in their respective areas who could instruct the people in the Torah.

King David and at times his son Solomon were the only kings who ruled over the whole of Israel. David was a king who ruled according to the Torah, which brought him and the people much blessing and wealth. His son, King Solomon, also ruled according to the counsel of G-d at the beginning of his reign, but towards the end of his life he allowed himself to be seduced into idolatry by his many wives, cf. 1 Kgs 11.

Solomon's son, Rehoboam, ruled only over the House of Judah, which consisted of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. This was the southern kingdom.

Jeroboam was proclaimed king over the house of Israel, consisting of the remaining 10 tribes, cf. 1 Kgs 12:20.

The division of Israel resulted from the apostasy of Solomon, who went after other gods. One of Jeroboam's first official acts was the introduction of a false worship of G-d and the erection of two golden calves. He rejected the feasts of G-d (Lev 23), introduced new holidays that were not ordered by G-d and appointed priests without authority who did not come from the line of Aaron, cf. 1 Kgs 12:25-33. As a result, the Levites, who feared G-d, left the northern kingdom and joined the house of Judah. The southern kingdom of Judah thus consisted of the tribe of Judah, the tribe of Benjamin and the Levites.

Since then, there has not been a king in the Northern Kingdom who would have led the people back to the Torah. The ongoing idolatry eventually led to G-d had the 10 tribes led into exile by the king of Assyria, cf. 2 Kgs 17.

In the southern kingdom, the House of Judah, there were at least four G-d-fearing kings over the entire period. But even there, G-d finally had King Nebuchadnezzar lead the people into exile in Babylon due to their continued disobedience. He destroyed the temple in Jerusalem and had the city walls torn down, cf. 2 Kgs 25.

The 10 tribes from the Northern Kingdom are scattered all over the world to this day.

 

[Benaiah468]

In the Gospel of Matthew, the Lord Jesus was asked by the disciples of John the Baptist whether He was the Messiah. To this the Lord Jesus answered them

Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. Mt 11:4-5

To underline the fact that Lord Jesus is the Messiah of whom the Torah, the Scriptures and the prophets speak, He refers to the fact that He heals the blind, the lame, the deaf and the lepers. For all these afflictions were transferred to Israel in the scriptures. He wants to show that He will restore Israel by healing them from the diseases that have come upon them because of sin.

All the works of salvation of Lord Jesus, which He accomplished during His first ministry on earth, pointed prophetically to the restoration of Israel. Indeed, people were healed, demons were cast out and sins were forgiven. But in a deeper sense, Lord Jesus wanted to show that He is the Messiah who will restore Israel. The evangelist John confirms this. We read in the Gospel of John

And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. John 20:30-31

Accordingly, of the many things that the Lord Jesus accomplished here on earth, only those that pointed prophetically to the restoration of Israel were specifically included in the Gospels. In the Gospel of Matthew we read the following

And Jesus departed from thence, and came nigh unto the sea of Galilee; and went up into a mountain, and sat down there. And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus' feet; and he healed them: Insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the G-d of Israel. Mt 15:29-31

The term great multitudes refers to the house of Israel (10 tribes/ northern kingdom). When Jacob blessed the younger son of Joseph, Ephraim, he gave him the promise that a great multitude would arise from him

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. And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him: and he held up his father's hand, to remove it from Ephraim's head unto Manasseh's head. 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 it, 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. Gen 48:16-19

Furthermore, the crowd sat down at His feet. As we have already seen, Lord Jesus was respected as a rabbi by all the people, including the Pharisees. This honorary title was given in Israel to people who taught the Torah to their disciples. In Hebrew thought, sitting at the feet of a rabbi is a term for studying the Torah. In Acts we read about the training of the apostle Saul

I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day. Acts 22:3

Here too, in the context of the whole of Scripture, we can see very clearly the deeper meaning of this account. Lord Jesus gathers the sick, the crippled and the unclean, who are representative of Israel. These lay down at his feet (to receive the Torah) and were healed of their infirmities. Thereupon they praised the G-d of Israel. For they had recognized that only the Messiah can heal His people of their sins (= transgression of the Torah) and lead them to repentance (= turning from their sins). The diseases of the people came about because they did not keep the Torah

But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy G-d, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee:... Moreover he will bring upon thee all the diseases of Egypt, which thou wast afraid of; and they shall cleave unto thee. Also every sickness, and every plague, which is not written in the book of this law, them will the Lord bring upon thee, until thou be destroyed. Deu 28:15 .60-61

 

[Aaron112]

The diseases of the people came about because they did not keep the Torah

Very poignant to me, as this has happened for over a century in the usa.

Whoever does not have the Spirit of truth and instead carries the spirit of lawlessness has no part in Lord Jesus.

 

[Benaiah468]

Very poignant to me, as this has happened for over a century in the usa.

The real danger facing America is the lawless spirit spreading from within. A great civilization will not be conquered from without until it has destroyed itself.

 

[Benaiah468]

Among the disciples of Lord Jesus were men who had previously worked as fishermen. In the Gospel of Matthew we read

And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. Mt 4:18-19

In the book of Jeremiah we read that G-d will send fishermen to regather his people Israel

Behold, I will send for many fishers, saith the Lord, and they shall fish them; and after will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks. Jer 16:16

Indeed, Lord Jesus chose fishermen whom He sent out as apostles to gather the lost sheep of Israel.

We already know from John that Lord Jesus is the Word of G-d, cf. John 1:14. He is the walking, living Torah sent by the Father to give the world an example of how to walk in G-d's commandments. In the Gospel of John, the Messiah says that He is the Bread of Life, cf. John 6:35. The Word of G-d is also symbolized in the Bible by bread. When Lord Jesus was tempted by the devil in the desert to make bread out of stones, He replied

But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of G-d. Mt 4,4

Our body needs normal bread to live, but the word of G-d should be our spiritual food. Those who do not regularly receive the word of G-d and occupy themselves with the Holy Scriptures will starve spiritually and run the risk of one day completely abandoning the faith, just as a person without natural food will die of starvation after a certain time.

We read in the Gospel of Matthew that the Father may give us our daily bread; cf. Mt 6:11. Daily or regular study of the Bible is of great importance in order to come closer to our G-d and to better understand his immeasurable counsel. In addition, it is of course also very important to remain in constant prayer. Lord Jesus repeatedly urged his disciples to pray, cf. Luke 18:1.

In the First Letter to the Thessalonians we read

Pray without ceasing. 1 Thess 5:17

In the Gospel of Luke we read of a widow who served G-d by fasting and praying day and night; cf.Lk.2:7.

The Gospel of John tells of the feeding of a large crowd. We have already established that the crowd that sat down before Lord Jesus (at His feet to receive the Torah) points to the House of Israel (Northern Kingdom). To feed the people, Lord Jesus had five barley loaves and two fish, cf. John 6:9. The two fish symbolize the two houses of Israel, cf. Jer. 16:16. The five loaves point to the five books of Moses (the Torah). In the Gospel of John we read the following

And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would. When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten. John 6:11-13

Lord Jesus taught His disciples the Torah and the resulting Good News of salvation. They in turn were now called to proclaim this message to the whole world. Thus we read in Matthew

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. Mt 28:19-20

After the disciples distributed the bread to the crowd, they gathered 12 baskets full. The 12 baskets refer to the gathering of the 12 tribes of Israel.

The blind beggar Bartimaeus was sitting by the road near Jericho

And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging. Mk 10:46

And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way. Mk 10:51-52

In Psalm 119 we read

Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord. Psalm 119:1

The blind man who was restored to sight walked in the way from then on. In the biblical context, walking in the way is to be equated with walking in the Torah. Bartimaeus shows how Israel's blindness (to the Torah) is healed and that the people henceforth follow Lord Jesus on his way. We already know that Jesus' walk was free from all sin.

Earlier, Lord Jesus healed a blind man in the town of Bethsaida. The name Bethsaida means: House of the fish.

The fish are the two houses of Israel. In the Gospel of Mark we read

And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought. And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking. After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly. Mk 8:23-25

Two things are noteworthy here. Firstly, Lord Jesus had to lay his hands on the man's eyes twice. The Messiah could certainly have healed the man of his blindness after the first laying on of hands. The evangelist wants to give us a prophetic message with this detail.

When Lord Jesus laid his hand on the man for the first time, he could not yet see clearly. This points to His first appearance on earth as a man, where He brought about atonement for sins through His death. To this day, the majority of Jews do not see that Lord Jesus is their Messiah. The second laying on of hands points to His return as reigning King on Zion. At His return, His people, and the rest of the world, will finally recognize clearly that He is the Son of G-d.

 

[Benaiah468]

The name Lazarus is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Eleazar. This name means:

"To help G-d, or to assist G-d".

This is a term that was also used for Israel in the First Testament. In the book of Isaiah it says

But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend... Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the Lord, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. Isa 41:8 .14

We remember that Lord Jesus is the Redeemer and the Holy One of Israel

Thus saith the Lord that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen. Isa 44:2

In the Gospel of John we read

Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. John 11:3

Lord Jesus loves his people Israel

For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy G-d: the Lord thy G-d hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: But because the Lord loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Deu 7:6-8

In the Gospel of John we read that the illness is not for death, but for the glory of G-d, so that the Son of G-d may be glorified through it; cf.John 11:3-4. The glorification of the Messiah will finally happen through the gathering of the 12 tribes of Israel

They will see the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our G-d.


they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our G-d. Isa 35:2... Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion;... Isa 51:11 Sing, O ye heavens; for the Lord hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel. Isa 44:23... Israel, in whom I will be glorified. Isa 49:3

Lazarus lived in the city of Bethany. The name is translated as the house (= bayith (beth)) of misery (= ani) (the construction form of the subsantive bayith is transliterated as beth and means "house of"), which mean "house of the poor" or "house of affliction/poverty", also semantically speaking "poor-house".

In the prophets, Israel was referred to as "the sick" or "the wretched"

O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires. Isa 54:11

The Hebrew word for wretched in this verse is the word ani.

So Lord Jesus came to the house of the wretched (Bethany) to heal Eleazar (=to help G-d), who was sick or dead. As we have already seen from these verses, this points to the restoration of Israel. This concept also unfolds through further details of this incident.

After Lord Jesus heard that Lazarus was sick, He waited two days before going to him, cf. John 11:6.

In the book of Hosea there are calls to repentance for the two houses of Israel and the promise of restoration. In Hosea we read

After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. Hos 6:2

The two days point to the 2000 years that lie between the Lord's first coming and His imminent return as King, when He will gather and restore the lost tribes of Israel. In the second letter of Peter we read

But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 2 Pe 3:8

The return of Lord Jesus marks the beginning of the 1000-year Messianic kingdom of peace on earth. After this comes the resurrection of the dead, who must appear before the judgment seat of the Messiah.

Finally, Lord Jesus stood before the tomb of Lazarus to raise him from the dead. At this point, Lazarus was already in a rock tomb, which was sealed by a large stone. Lord Jesus commanded the crowd to move the stone and called out to Lazarus to get up and come out, cf. John 11:38-45. We have already mentioned the bones of the dead in Ez 37, which are raised to life again and stand for the whole house of Israel. In this context, Ezekiel should be mentioned again here

And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, Ez 37:13

The raising of Lazarus is to show us that Lord Jesus, as Messiah, will gather and restore the 12 tribes of Israel, who were described as sick and dead during their exile. So we also read that the reason for the resurrection of Lazarus was so that people might believe that Lord Jesus is the Messiah. This is what happened, as we read in the Gospel of John

Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him. John 11:45

Lazarus had two sisters, Miriam and Martha. The name Miriam translated from Hebrew means "rebellious" and the name Martha means "she was rebellious". Based purely on the interpretation of the names, we are talking here about two rebellious sisters. In the book of Ezekiel we read about two sisters who committed fornication

Son of man, there were two women, the daughters of one mother: And they committed whoredoms in Egypt; they committed whoredoms in their youth: there were their breasts pressed, and there they bruised the teats of their virginity. And the names of them were Aholah the elder, and Aholibah her sister: and they were mine, and they bare sons and daughters. Thus were their names; Samaria is Aholah, and Jerusalem Aholibah. Ez 23:2-4

Samaria was the capital of the northern kingdom and Jerusalem the capital of the southern kingdom.

In Ezekiel we read about a rebellious people

And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me, even unto this very day. Ez 2:3

The Hebrew word there is marad, which is translated as "rebellious" in the Strong's Concordance. In the King James Version, as well as in the Complete Jewish Bible and The Scriptures, this word is translated as rebellious.
(The Scriptures by the Institute for Scripture Research (ISR) is the first complete messianic version, and it is complete with the holy names reinserted into the text. Not only that, but it is written in the original Hebrew characters without vowel points so that people can pronounce it as they prefer).

Again, there is a clear connection to the two houses of Israel. Thus we read in the Gospel of Luke

Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. Lk 10:38-42

The House of Judah has never completely lost its connection to the Torah, while the Northern Kingdom is still scattered to this day. The good part is the teaching and observance of G-d's word, in a relationship with the Messiah, Lord Jesus.

 

[Benaiah468]

Aren't the laws of the Torah only for Jews?

Unfortunately, this misunderstanding exists in both Judaism and Christianity.

While a common traditional Christian belief (based on the decision of the Apostolic Council in Jerusalem described in Acts 15) states that non-Jews follow only four commandments

Abstinence from pollutions of idols, fornication, strangulation, blood,

Jewish tradition says that gentiles or the children of Noah should keep only seven commandments

Recognize that there is only One G-d, who is infinite and above all things,
Honor the Creator,
Do not murder,
Honor marriage,
Do not steal,
Honor G-d's creatures,
Practice justice

In contrast, Jews are bound by all 613 commandments of the Torah.

Both misunderstandings presuppose that G-d has a double standard, one for Jews and one for gentiles. This is not supported in the Torah. Since sin is the transgression of the Torah, it should be understandable that the Jerusalem Council did not abrogate all but four of the OT commandments. How else could all scripture, inspired by G-d, be useful for education in righteousness?

The Council of the Apostles in Acts 15 is a high point in the narrative of the Book of Acts. The Acts of the Apostles is actually a letter from Luke to Theophilus. Luke wanted to record the most important events of the first decades after Lord Jesus.

The Council of the Apostles is one of the few chapters in the Acts of the Apostles that deals with theological disputes.

In today's Christianity it is often ignored, simply not understood or even interpreted in such a way that it was decided at that time that the law no longer applies to Christians. Some even do violence to it and speak of two different ways of salvation.

Why did the Apostles' Council take place?

Paul and Barnabas (they were still on a missionary journey together) were staying in the church in Antioch. Then the following happens:

And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. Acts 15:1

So some “scholars” come proclaiming that you have to be circumcised to be saved.

This was a teaching that apparently met with a great deal of approval at the time (Paul probably talks about this situation in Gal 2:11ff). Paul is very convinced to the contrary, but he realizes that there are too many who disagree.

So what to do?

What is Paul guided by?

How does Paul proceed?

What is his guide?

Of course - the Torah!

So let's look up what it says

If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, being matters of controversy within thy gates: then shalt thou arise, and get thee up into the place which the Lord thy G-d shall choose; And thou shalt come unto the priests the Levites, and unto the judge that shall be in those days, and enquire; and they shall shew thee the sentence of judgment: And thou shalt do according to the sentence, which they of that place which the Lord shall choose shall shew thee; and thou shalt observe to do according to all that they inform thee: According to the sentence of the law which they shall teach thee, and according to the judgment which they shall tell thee, thou shalt do: thou shalt not decline from the sentence which they shall shew thee, to the right hand, nor to the left. Deu 17:8-11

Ingenious, isn't it?

The Torah says:

In a dispute where no solution is found... off to Jerusalem!

Convene the judges who are currently in office there and resolve the issue.

That's it!

So the next step is to go to Jerusalem (Paul is an ingenious Torah follower)

When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question. Acts 15:2

And when they arrive in Jerusalem, they are first told (surely the reason for their journey, right?)

And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them. Acts 15:4

What comes next is very important!

The issue has just been presented. But now the next group stands up

But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses. Acts 15:5

Do you see the important difference?

 

[Benaiah468]

In verse 1 we had those who came down from Judea (those “of the circumcision” Gal 2:12; Tit 1:10) and now we have believing (!) Pharisees!

Just because they are Pharisees does not make them bad. Paul was also a Pharisee and even admits to it later (Phil 3:5; Acts 26:5)!

They were believers who were learned in the Torah and had something to say in response: Gentiles who convert must live according to the law (after their conversion)!

Circumcision is mentioned here as a substitute for keeping the Torah.

So here are two different groups with two different demands!

And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter. Acts 15:6

Let us therefore summarize the two issues to be negotiated

The first question:

“Must one be circumcised (keep the Law of Moses) in order to be saved?”

The second question:

“If Gentiles are converted. Should they still be circumcised/keep the Torah?”

Here we go with the answers.

But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they. Acts 15:11

After that, everyone is silent (verse 12) - probably by mutual agreement?

It seems that this point of discussion has been dealt with. Everyone agreed that salvation can only happen by faith through grace. This is followed by some reports from Paul and Barnabas (verse 12) and then we move on to the next point of contention.

What happens when a Gentile converts?

Should he keep the Torah?

Doesn't that overburden them?

Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to G-d: But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood. Acts 15:19-20

So what is this statement all about?

Why these four commandments in particular?

There were some commandments that, if transgressed, were to be “separated” from the people of Israel. This was usually done by killing (the Torah speaks of being “cut off” from the covenant). They were given for the following offenses

General disobedience, rebellion against God's commandments, rebellion (Num 15:30-31)
Eating blood (Lev 7:27)
Eating asphyxiated food: animals whose blood has not flowed out (Lev 17:13-14)
Various types of fornication (Ex 20:10-21)
Idol worship (Lev 20:1-7)
Offenses against the tabernacle/temple (Ex 30:33ff .7:20ff .17:9 .19:13)
Uncircumcision (Gen 17:14)
Eating leavened bread during the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Ex 12)
Do not humble yourself on Yom Kippur (Lev 23:29)
Do not celebrate the Passover (Num 9:13)
Desecrate the Shabbat (Ex 31:14)


It is interesting that the four commandments from the Council fit into these categories (the 2nd to 5th). So they wanted to make sure that new converts were not excluded from the community again immediately after the law.

The last four are just as interesting, as we will see in a moment.

The next verse!

For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day. Acts 15:21

What is being said here?

The Gentiles who convert should start with these 4 commandments!

And what about the rest of the Torah?

The rest of the commandments have always been taught in the synagogues. Every Sabbath anew. There the new converts will then hear the rest and can slowly grow into the rest.

Ingenious, isn't it?

So simple...

So how can we understand James?

Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to G-d: But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood. Acts 15:19-20

Should grafted-in people live by the Torah?

Yes!

But in order not to overwhelm them, they should start with these four commandments (so that they would not have to be excluded again) and learn the rest week by week.

Yes, the Gentiles should of course learn to live in the ways of G-d (after all, it would be bad if they were denied the blessing)! Everyone who was grafted into Israel adapted and lived according to the Torah.

This is an extremely important statement for us too, isn't it?

Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you. Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Acts 31:13-14

It would therefore be a further criterion for exclusion if they did not keep the Sabbath.

In verse 19 we read that no burden should be laid on the Gentiles/no trouble should be caused. How can we understand this?

Telling fresh converts that they have to keep over 600 instructions (mitzvot) overnight definitely brings restlessness and would be a burden, right?

That has been abolished with this regulation.

What about us?

Isn't this regulation that was made back then highly topical for us?

If we realize that the Torah is also meaningful for us, isn't it a huge help if we are given a timetable like this one?

Are we not given six wonderful steps for the beginning of our spiritual life?

The 4 commandments, resting on the Sabbath and the Statutes (“holy feasts”)?

When we begin to keep the Sabbath and gather for Torah study (if possible), don't we automatically grow into the rest of the teachings?

What we get light on, we put into practice with His help and in His power. He writes His teachings on the tablets of our hearts through His Spirit (Ez 36:26-27).

This is circumcision of the heart. A circumcised heart keeps the Torah.

What happens after the Apostles' Council?

Paul and the other brothers and sisters continued to follow the instructions in Devarim:

And all the people shall hear [the decisions of the elders], and fear, and do no more presumptuously. Deu 17:13

Then pleased it the apostles and elders with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas and Silas, chief men among the brethren: And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia. Acts 15:22-23

It was therefore important that the other communities heard the resolutions. The decision of the council was - also according to the Torah - valid for all believers.

And what does that mean?

At the Apostles' Council the Torah was not abrogated - no, it was confirmed!

And that is a gift! We are allowed to apply these wonderful instructions in our lives. Because they bring life and blessing.

And in a very practical way. Eating blood, for example, is not only unhealthy, but our Father is even pleased when we abstain from it for his sake. He wants the best for us and we can show that we love Him in everyday life in a very practical way.

 

[Benaiah468]

What I encounter in the biblical writings of the prophets is indeed spectacular. For the images used there for Judah and Ephraim sharpen our view of the NT. Nowhere does anything happen by chance. Lord Jesus and all the other writers had the OT as their basis and therefore took up these images.

So let's search these scriptures a little.

We already know that Judah and Ephraim are depicted as women, even wives, of G-d; cf. Jer 3. G-d sees Himself as the husband of these two peoples.

He divorces one wife (Ephraim/House of Israel), but not the other (House of Judah). Nevertheless, both have committed adultery by “whoring after” foreign idols.

While Judah repents, Ephraim remains in this state!

So Ephraim is still considered an adulterous woman.

But this is not the only time we encounter the image of two women

Son of man, there were two women, the daughters of one mother:... And the names of them were Aholah the elder, and Aholibah her sister: and they were mine, and they bare sons and daughters. Thus were their names; Samaria is Aholah, and Jerusalem Aholibah. Ez 23:2a .4

Samaria, the capital of the Northern Kingdom, and Jerusalem, the capital of the Southern Kingdom, are equated in this chapter with two women who belong to G-d and commit adultery.

It describes how this adultery happened, and how G-d will punish the House of Judah for it (after He has already done so with the Northern Kingdom).

This passage is certainly very prophetic. Egypt, for example, is mentioned again and again, which stands for a life “in the world” and for which the people have always longed.

In my opinion, Leah and Rachel are also prophetic images for Judah and Ephraim. Leah is the mother of Judah. And Ephraim is even the firstborn of Rachel.

It is interesting that Leah and Jacob are buried in the same grave. Rachel's grave, on the other hand, is near Bethlehem.

I believe that Jacob's concubines, Bilhah and Zilpah, also have a prophetic aspect.


Is it a coincidence that the only spies who brought good news from Canaan were descended from Ephraim (Joshua) and Judah (Caleb)?

Surely there is something hidden here.

Perhaps the other spies would have done better to subordinate themselves to the “leaders”? (Ephraim became the head of the northern kingdom, Judah of the southern kingdom, or of all twelve tribes).

One could also say that when Judah and Ephraim lead the way together, blessing comes forth!

When I have bent Judah for me, filled the bow with Ephraim, and raised up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Greece, and made thee as the sword of a mighty man. Zec 9:13

Must not the lives of Judah and Joseph themselves also play a prophetic role in the whole (Ephraim is also called the house of Joseph)?

The accounts of their lives and experiences (Tamar, Joseph in Egypt,...) are certainly also to be understood prophetically.

However, not only people, but also animals are an image for Judah and/or Ephraim

The most frequently used animal for Israel is sheep. The prophets are filled from front to back with this metaphor.

My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them. Ez 34:6

Therefore thus saith the Lord G-d of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the Lord. Jer 23:2

He himself will gather his sheep again from all countries

And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase... Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that they shall no more say, The Lord liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; But, The Lord liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land. Jer 23:3 .7-8

Here is a prophetic picture of the end of the tribulation (as I interpret it)

In those days, and in that time, saith the Lord, the children of Israel shall come, they and the children of Judah together, going and weeping: they shall go, and seek the Lord their G-d. They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward, saying, Come, and let us join ourselves to the Lord in a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten. My people hath been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains: they have gone from mountain to hill, they have forgotten their restingplace. Jer 50:4-6

 

[Benaiah468]

What we can observe here:

Sheep in the Bible ALWAYS stand for Israel - the Northern Kingdom and the Southern Kingdom. Never for the Gentiles or other nations!

Thus shall they know that I the Lord their G-d am with them, and that they, even the house of Israel, are my people, saith the Lord G-d. And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord G-d. Ez 34:30-31

Let's move on to other animals: Fish!

It is not just that G-d will send fishermen to fish for His people

Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that it shall no more be said, The Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; But, The Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all the lands whither he had driven them: and I will bring them again into their land that I gave unto their fathers. Behold, I will send for many fishers, saith the Lord, and they shall fish them; and after will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks. Jer 16:14-16

G-d even refers to His people as fish. For the following verse

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 48:16

...can also be translated as follows

Let the angel who delivered me from all evil bless the boys, and through them let my name be called, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, and let them become fish on the earth! Gen 48:16

So here too:

Fish in the Bible represent Israel.

Well, let's stay in nature. How about...

olive trees?!

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. For the Lord of hosts, that planted thee, hath pronounced evil against thee, for the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have done against themselves to provoke me to anger in offering incense unto Baal.Jer 11:16-17

And it gets even more interesting if we choose a literal translation

The Lord has called you a green olive tree with beautiful, well-formed fruit. Now he sets fire to it with a mighty roar, and its branches break off. Jer. 11:16

Grapes, figs, vineyard... again and again images for Israel.

Really interesting, isn't it?

Thus saith the Lord, the G-d of Israel; Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge them that are carried away captive of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans for their good. Jer 24:5

I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the firstripe in the fig tree at her first time: but they went to Baalpeor, and separated themselves unto that shame; and their abominations were according as they loved. Hos 9:10

For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry [of wickedness]. Isa 5:7

Next, let's collect a few characteristics about Israel.

Israel is deaf and blind

Hear, ye deaf; and look, ye blind, that ye may see. Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I sent? who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the Lord's servant? Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not. The Lord is well pleased for his righteousness' sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable. But this is a people robbed and spoiled; they are all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in prison houses: they are for a prey, and none delivereth; for a spoil, and none saith, Restore. Who among you will give ear to this? who will hearken and hear for the time to come? Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? did not the Lord, he against whom we have sinned? for they would not walk in his ways, neither were they obedient unto his law. Isa 42:18-24

Israel is blind and lame

For thus saith the Lord; Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the nations: publish ye, praise ye, and say, O Lord, save thy people, the remnant of Israel. Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the coasts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together: a great company shall return thither. Jer 31:7-8

Israel is captive and in darkness. They hunger and thirst

Thus saith the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the Lord that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee. [...] That thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Shew yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places. They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them. Isa 49:7-9 .10

For, lo, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will bring again the captivity of my people Israel and Judah, saith the Lord: and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it. Jer 30:3

The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the Lord; and what wisdom is in them? Jer 8:9

Of course, Israel was also often physically trapped, hungry or thirsty. But in all these verses, of course, a spiritual condition is also described. By whom?

By Israel!

In the OT we often see how G-d chooses someone or something:

For example, Abraham; cf. Neh 9:7, Jerusalem; cf. 2 Chr 6:6, or even the Levites; cf. Deu 18:5.

One thing is particularly striking:

There is only one people that G-d has chosen:

Israel!

Is that unjust?

No. As Creator you are allowed the freedom to do so, aren't you?

For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy G-d: the Lord thy G-d hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: Deu 7:6-7

For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy G-d, and the Lord hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth. Deu 14:2

Finally, a few important key words that we must also remember in all of this:

Scattered - Lost - Mixed up!

Who was scattered - and remained so?

The northern kingdom!

Hear the word of the Lord, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock. Jer 31:10

Who was considered lost and in need of salvation?

The northern kingdom!

Thus saith the Lord G-d; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them. Ez 34:10

And who has mixed with the nations?

The northern kingdom!

Ephraim, he hath mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake not turned. Hos7:8

And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the Lord, as the showers upon the grass, that tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of men. Micah 5:7

 

[timothyu]

The northern kingdom!

Did not God seek to reunite the 12 without the politics? Did the infighting between the north and south over who God liked best have anything to do with His plan, even if it was the divider between the two in their eyes?

 

[Benaiah468]

Did not God seek to reunite the 12 without the politics? Did the infighting between the north and south over who God liked best have anything to do with His plan, even if it was the divider between the two in their eyes?

With the death of the Messiah, Israel's completely hopeless situation as a divorcee and Judah's status as an adulterous wife were annulled. The house of Judah and the house of Israel became one again and the wall of separation between them was removed.

The house of Israel (Ephraim/Pagans) can now return to their husband. They are no longer

without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: Eph 2:12

Jesus is now Israel's and Judah's

peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Eph 2:14

When He died on the cross, He put away in His flesh the enmity

to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto G-d in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: Eph 2:15-16

Therefore Jesus brought good news to both the house of Israel and the house of Judah when He

came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. Eph 2:17

Through Jesus' work on the cross, the two houses now both have

access by one Spirit unto the Father. Eph 2:18

And the members of the house of Israel are

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

the reunification is not yet complete and will not be complete until the fullness of the nations/Israel comes in

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

 

[Benaiah468]

Did not God seek to reunite the 12 without the politics? Did the infighting between the north and south over who God liked best have anything to do with His plan, even if it was the divider between the two in their eyes?

The prophets have spoken of G-d's plan to bring the children of Israel home. In Isaiah we find some of these promises:

And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. Isa 11:12

Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west; I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; Isa 43:5-6

Thus saith the Lord G-d, Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people: and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders. Isa 49:22

Jeremiah hinted that there would be a return into the land of Israel that would surpass the exodus of the children of Israel from Egypt. Chapter 16 states:

Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that it shall no more be said, The Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; But, The Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all the lands whither he had driven them: and I will bring them again into their land that I gave unto their fathers. Jer 16:14-15

And in chapter 30, G-d asks Jeremiah:

Write thee all the words that I have spoken unto thee in a book. For, lo, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will bring again the captivity of my people Israel and Judah, saith the Lord: and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it. Jer 30:2-3

 

[Benaiah468]

Did not God seek to reunite the 12 without the politics? Did the infighting between the north and south over who God liked best have anything to do with His plan, even if it was the divider between the two in their eyes?

Since the coronavirus pandemic, we have seen an increase in political and military movements on our planet. In view of the prophesied events before Jesus' return, it is not surprising that Israel is at the center of all these events. Jerusalem is increasingly becoming the burden of the nations. This is bound to happen before all nations come against Jerusalem, as prophesied by the prophet Zechariah

And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it. Zec 12:3

 

[timothyu]

the reunification is not yet complete and will not be complete until the fullness of the nations/Israel comes in

Yet even today Judah which now calls itself Israel refuses entrance to the 10.