Lost tribes of Israel

[Benaiah468]

The 80th annual UN General Assembly will take place from 9 to 23 Sep, with a special High Level Debate session from 23 to 30 Sep. We expect Israel to be heavily criticised during these sessions. In addition, many nations are threatening to recognise a "Palestinian" state during this time. Israel's response to all this needs our prayer support.

King of kings, we pray that Your foreign policy on earth, including at the UN, will be implemented and that You will use Israel to hasten its fulfilment

The Lord shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy G-d, and walk in his ways. And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the Lord; and they shall be afraid of thee. And the Lord shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the Lord thy G-d, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them: Deu 28:9-10 .13
Arise, O Lord; let not man prevail: let the heathen be judged in thy sight. Put them in fear, O Lord: that the nations may know themselves to be but men. Selah. Ps 9:19-20
The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect. The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations. Ps 33:10-11
And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. Lk 11:2

G-d of Israel, as with Balaam, turn the curses against Your people from nations, global NGOs such as the UN, and the mainstream media into blessings, simply because You love them

Nevertheless the Lord thy G-d would not hearken unto Balaam; but the Lord thy G-d turned the curse into a blessing unto thee, because the Lord thy G-d loved thee. Deu 23:5
Yea, he loved the people; all his saints are in thy hand: and they sat down at thy feet; every one shall receive of thy words. Deu 33:3

Abba Father, watch over Job 12:17-21 and Psalm 2:4-5 during the upcoming UN sessions

He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools. He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle. He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty. He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged. He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty. Job 12:17-21
He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. Ps 2:4-5

Almighty G-d, strengthen Your protection and anointing over Israel's UN Ambassador Danny Danon and all others who are part of the Israeli delegation

I am the Lord thy G-d, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it. Ps 81:10
With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth. Ps 119:13

King of Israel, if Bibi is to speak at the upcoming UN meetings, use him so that his words are a prophetic warning from Zion to the world

Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord. Then the Lord put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the Lord said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth. See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant. Jer 1:8-10
And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house. And thou shalt speak my words unto them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear: for they are most rebellious. Ezek 2:6-7

G-d, use this global pressure to move Israel to be the nation that dwells alone

lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations. Num 23:9b

Regarding the recognition of a "Palestine" on Your land, Lord, we confess Isa 7:7 and 8:9-10!

Thus saith the Lord G-d, It shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass. Isa 7:7
Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye of far countries: gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces. Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand: for G-d is with us. Isa 8:9-10

Lord Jesus, reveal to believers how dangerous the recognition of a terrorist state on Your land is for a nation. If their nation supports this, then burden them to cry out for mercy

For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted. Isa 60:12
And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none. Ezek 22:30
For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land. Joel 3:1-2

We praise You for the much more aggressive stance taken by the Israeli Foreign Ministry under Gideon Sa'ar, especially because it speaks the truth and rebukes the lies spread against Israel

Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth? Gal 4:16

Continue to put Your word in the mouths of all Israel's international representatives

Then the Lord put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the Lord said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth. Jer 1:9
Wherefore thus saith the Lord G-d of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them. Jer 5:14

 

[ralliann]

The sojourn and migration of the tribes has left abundant traces everywhere. For example, hundreds of Scythian burial monuments from the area between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea have been documented
American Journal of Archaeology 1914, Vol. XVIII

In the Crimea, one of these tombs (tumuli) contains a manuscript that reads:



The tomb therefore probably dates from the second or third decade before the birth of Christ. The fact that the Israelites made a stopover in the region of present-day Ukraine, the fertile area north of the Black Sea, also appears to be indicated in an apocryphal scripture,

Those are the ten tribes, which were carried away prisoners out of their own land in the time of Osea the king, whom Salmanasar the king of Assyria led away captive, and he carried them over the waters, and so came they into another land. But they took this counsel among themselves, that they would leave the multitude of the heathen, and go forth into a further country, where never mankind dwelt, That they might there keep their statutes, which they never kept in their own land. And they entered into Euphrates by the narrow places of the river. For the most High then shewed signs for them, and held still the flood, till they were passed over. For through that country there was a great way to go, namely, of a year and a half: and the same region is called Arsareth. 4 Ezra 13:40-45

The Hebrew word "'erets 'achereth" is not a well-known geographical name today, but means "other land". The Crimea was also inhabited by Israelites. The Greeks called the Kerch Strait the "Cimmerian Bosporus". The region north of the Black Sea, which was home to the tribes of Israel from the 7th to 3rd century BCE, was called Scythia at this time: the land of the Scythians. The whole of Central and Northern Europe was colonized from Scythia. In his letter to the Colossians, St. Paul, who exclusively proselytized members of the 10 tribes, calls the Scythians

Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all. Col 3:11

The Romans gave the Scythians the name "Germanic"
William Camdon 1610

Scythians who went from German regions to England were called Anglo-Saxons. Danes and Vikings were Scythians who came to Scandinavia via Jutland. Some of them later moved to Normandy and then invaded England as Normans. The Romans were also familiar with the Germanic tribal name "Cimmerians" in the form cimbri teutonique, which is common in German as "Kimbern und Teutonen". The reference to the Cimmerians south of the Caucasus is given
Tacitus, Germania, Ch.37

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Elsewhere, Tacitus describes the Germanic tribes as a people who did not intermarry with foreign ethnic groups, just as G-d had commanded Israel
Germania, Ch.4

And the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the porters, the singers, the Nethinims, and all they that had separated themselves from the people of the lands unto the law of G-d, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, every one having knowledge, and having understanding; They clave to their brethren, their nobles, and entered into a curse, and into an oath, to walk in G-d's law, which was given by Moses the servant of G-d, and to observe and do all the commandments of the Lord our Lord, and his judgments and his statutes; And that we would not give our daughters unto the people of the land, not take their daughters for our sons: Neh 10:28-30


To this day, the Scots preserve the story of their Scythian origins in the most famous document of Scottish history, the Declaration of Arbroath

https://up.picr.de/42219238ot.jpg

This declaration was written in 1320. It contains the statement that the Scots

https://up.picr.de/48320685dt.jpg

The original of this ancient document, described by many as "Scotland's most prized possession", is on display in a glass case in the Registry House in Edinburgh. The seals of the 25 signatory noblemen are attached to the parchment.

If the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt is dated to around 1350 BCE, then the journey from Spain to Scotland took place in the 2nd century BCE.

Art objects and surviving written documents give the impression that white people made a decisive contribution to the high cultural status of the ancient Greek world and the Roman Empire. The portraits and statues of ancient Greek and Roman statesmen and philosophers also bear witness to this. Many representatives of the Roman upper class were of Celtic and Germanic origin. The Celts and Germanic tribes in turn came from the Scythian region north of the Black Sea. During the Renaissance, too, there were many people of Nordic origin in the upper classes and among artists and scientists in northern Italy. The continuing interest of the educated classes of Europe in classical Greek (and also Roman) culture and science is an indication of the essential affinity between the people of the two cultural areas, which is not surprising when identical ethnic groups are involved.

In addition to the German dialects, the Germanic language family of Central and Northern Europeans includes Frisian, Flemish, English, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Icelandic, formerly also Gothic, Anglo-Saxon, etc. These languages have characteristics (sound shift, gemination) that are otherwise only found in Hebrew. There is also much lexical agreement between the Germanic languages and Hebrew. All this indicates that the Germanic language family has its origins in Hebrew
Terry Marvin Blodgett 1981

The English language is a Germanic language originally native to England and belongs to the West Germanic branch. Linguistic research into the Germanic languages shows a strong connection to ancient Hebrew. The Phoenicians who colonized the English Isles were Israelites who gave the Hebrew word for "covenant", b r t (brit), as the name for the islands: Brit-annia.

The Phoenicians founded many colonies, including Carthage, whose original name in Hebrew was Kiriath Hadeshath, meaning "the new city". The people of Carthage worshipped a G-d called El, but later they worshipped Baal, like the ten northern tribes of Israel.

The following note fits into the context of the traces of the migration of peoples:

When the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem began after the Babylonian captivity (535 BCE), Ezra soon afterward reports to King Darius on the progress of the project and reveals something about the construction method: namely, that timbers are placed in the walls

Be it known unto the king, that we went into the province of Judea, to the house of the great G-d, which is builded with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls, and this work goeth fast on, and prospereth in their hands. Ezra 5:8

This type of construction is called half-timbering. It was a fairly inexpensive way of building. It is rather questionable whether the first temple, which King Solomon had built in a time of economic prosperity, used half-timbering technology. But the Israelites evidently knew and practiced this technique. Most half-timbered houses today can be found in Germany, Alsace and England. From the 11th to the 19th century, they were the dominant architectural style throughout Central Europe, England and Scandinavia. In the Middle Ages, Paris and London were purely half-timbered cities. Outside of Central and Northern Europe, there are isolated half-timbered buildings in the areas through which the Scythians and Cimmerians moved towards Europe during the Great Migration, or worldwide in places where white ethnic groups live today. It is not only in Europe that the descendants of Jacob have become a whole host of peoples (Gen 28:3 .35:10-11 .48:17-19):

And G-d said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her. Gen 17:15-16

From the 17th century AD, white Europeans settled in North America, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. In addition, many whites emigrated to South America, to Brazil, Argentina, and many Germans even to the end of the world: southern Chile. G-d's promise to Jacob's physical descendants, to Israel, is that he will call them from the end of the world and bring them back (Isaiah 41:8-10, 43:5-7). G-d had always reserved areas all over the world to be settled by his children.

When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel. Deu 32:8

If Chile is one end of the world from Europe, then Siberia is the other end of the world. G-d had not only promised that nations would come out of Jacob, but that there would be dispersion among foreign peoples.

Acts 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
5 ¶ And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. {was … : Gr. voice was made confounded: or, troubled in mind }
7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?
8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?
9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,
10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,
11 Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.
12 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?
13 Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.
14 ¶ But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:
21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:

These seem to be Israelites. The apostles were called Galileans here.
The tribes were probably still known.
As seen here....
Lu 2:36 And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity;
And Paul a Benjamite considered himself an Israelite...as well
The loss of tribal identity today, does not mean they were unknown in the time of Christ...

 

[CerebralCherub]

At the core, it explains why certain people are calling for the destruction of the West. They want to annihilate God's people.

 

[Benaiah468]

The loss of tribal identity today, does not mean they were unknown in the time of Christ...

Yes, the period of Christ's life was a time when many of the tribes were still known. Josephus makes specific mention of the ten tribes existing beyond the Euphrates River, indicating they were still recognized entities about a thousand years after their original dispersion. The NT itself refers to the tribes, with the Gospels emphasizing Jesus' lineage from the Tribe of Judah. Jewish tradition maintains a record of lineage, including the priestly lineage of the Levites.

 

[Benaiah468]

At the core, it explains why certain people are calling for the destruction of the West. They want to annihilate God's people.

What we are currently experiencing in Europe is a massive change in the living conditions we know.

For years now, there has been intense heat and drought during the summer months, leading to significant problems such as crop failures and forest fires in various European countries. Spain, Greece, Sweden are just a few examples of the nations affected.

For years, millions of Muslim migrants have been immigrating to Europe. Given that the Koran openly calls for the murder of infidels (from a Muslim perspective) and that Muslim subcultures are forming in more and more European cities, this is a more than worrying development.

A study commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Family Affairs found that the increase in violent crime is mainly attributable to young ‘refugees’ from North Africa.

The native populations of individual European countries are increasingly losing their former prosperity.

In view of the increasing Islamisation of the once Christian West, which derives many of its values from the Bible, we must ask ourselves whether G-d can still bless this continent. Is it not essential to live in G-d's blessing?

In fact, there is a blessing that reflects the state of Europe. It is Isaac's blessing over his son Esau.

Esau was known to be Isaac's firstborn son. His twin brother was Jacob. Esau was therefore formally entitled to the birthright blessing. However, YHVH had already decided before the birth to give this blessing to Jacob (cf. Genesis 25:23).

When both children were born, it became clear why YHVH preferred Jacob to Esau. Esau was a wild man who cared little for his family and his father's house. Jacob, on the other hand, was modest and content to stay at home among the tents (cf. Genesis 25:27), an expression that in Hebrew thinking can also be translated as

he remained in the house of the (heavenly) Father.

We know how the story goes: Jacob received the following blessing from Isaac:

Therefore G-d give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine: Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother's sons bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee. Gen 27:28-29

Isaac predicted a prosperous future for Jacob. Jacob would rule over nations and be lord over his brother Esau.

But Esau also received a blessing:

And Isaac his father answered and said unto him, Behold, thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above; And by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck. Gen 27:39-40

Esau was predicted to live a life of drought, with little fertile land and little prosperity. He would live by the sword, that is, by violence. In addition, he would throw off the yoke of his brother Jacob and thus become lord over him.

So if Jacob allowed Esau to become his master, Jacob would also lose his blessing and henceforth live under Esau's blessing: in aridity, poverty, violence and war.

If we want to identify Jacob and Esau today, we see two interesting aspects:

Jacob, especially the ten tribes of Israel, are largely located in Europe by researchers such as Yair Davidi.

Esau, on the other hand, can very well be identified with today's Islam. Indications of this include the fact that the entire ancient territory of Esau (today's Jordan and the Arabian Peninsula) is now predominantly Muslim. In addition, Canadian researcher Dan Gibson suggests in his works that the original Mecca may actually have been located in Petra, in the heartland of ancient Esau. This suggests that Islam has its origins in the religious concepts of Esau.

In summary, it can be said that Europe (Jacob) has been courting Islam (Esau) for years, which has even led to statements by high-ranking German politicians that Islam belongs to Germany. Europe thus refuses to live in Jacob's birthright blessing and chooses to be ruled by Esau, Islam. In doing so, Europe also reaps Esau's blessing.

If this trend continues, we will have to prepare ourselves for even hotter and drier summers (Esau's settlement area was barren mountains in the desert), a further rise in crime and the continued advance of Islamisation.

 

[ralliann]

Yes, the period of Christ's life was a time when many of the tribes were still known. Josephus makes specific mention of the ten tribes existing beyond the Euphrates River, indicating they were still recognized entities about a thousand years after their original dispersion. The NT itself refers to the tribes, with the Gospels emphasizing Jesus' lineage from the Tribe of Judah. Jewish tradition maintains a record of lineage, including the priestly lineage of the Levites.

Jews today know what tribe they are from?

 

[timothyu]

Jews today know what tribe they are from?

Good guess might be Judah

 

[ralliann]

Good guess might be Judah

??? If we dont know the tribes, we don't know who is from the tribe of Judah or not. Israelis from JUDEA, perhaps....

 

[timothyu]

??? If we dont know the tribes, we don't know who is from the tribe of Judah or not. Israelis from JUDEA, perhaps..

So you are saying any one of the brothers tribes could be calling themselves Jews. Why?

 

[ralliann]

So you are saying any one of the brothers tribes could be calling themselves Jews. Why?

I said if they do not know tribal identities. They would not know specifically the tribe of Judah. That was the point.

 

[Benaiah468]

Jews today know what tribe they are from?

Most Jews today are descended from the Kingdom of Judah, which included the Tribe of Judah, Benjamin, and the Levites, the Levites, those from priestly families with the surname Cohen (or Levy/Levite) can typically trace their lineage back to the tribe of Levi. However, in religious and cultural consciousness, knowledge of exact tribal affiliation (e.g. Judah, Benjamin, Levi) has mostly been lost today. For most Jews today, belonging to the House of Judah is more of a historical-religious concept than a personal identity issue. The conscious connection to the tribe of Judah is rarely a topic in everyday life.

Thus, the House of Judah has retained its identity to this day, even during its captivity in Babylon. Over the centuries, they have always known that they belong to the House of Judah, while the House of Israel has lost its identity; not least because of this, it cannot preach about it. The ten tribes have become a large mixed people without their own identity.

The House of Judah maintained its connection to Zion/Jerusalem and felt alienated in exile. The House of Israel found a new home among the nations of the world. They did not weep when they thought of Zion

By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion. We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof. For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion. How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land? If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. Ps 137:1-5

The connection to their roots and their homeland was completely severed.

Ezekiel describes the House of Israel in detail in a vision as a field full of dead bones:

The hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones,... Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord... Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts. Ezek 37:1, 4, 11

Bones are no longer identifiable; only when flesh grows over the bones can the corresponding person be identified again. Just as Joseph's dead bones were brought back to the land of Israel, so the dead bones of the ten lost tribes will be brought back to the land of Israel

Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord G-D; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. Ezek 37:12

During the process of opening the graves, that is, during the return to the land of Israel, the ten tribes will learn that He is their Elohim:

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, And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the Lord have spoken it, and performed it, saith the Lord. Ezek 37:13-14

Until the return, there will be two distinct houses, the house of Judah and the house of Israel.

Judah is explicitly commissioned by G-d to lead the family:

The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. Gen 49:10

Let us look at history to see how Judah accepted this leadership role and tried to fulfil it.

When the Israelites return from Egypt to the Promised Land, it is Judah who leads the entire people (based on the order of the camp). He leads the eastern part of the camp. After Joshua steps down, it is Judah whom G-d wants to lead in wars. Judah is expressly told to take charge:

Now after the death of Joshua it came to pass, that the children of Israel asked the Lord, saying, Who shall go up for us against the Canaanites first, to fight against them? And the Lord said, Judah shall go up: behold, I have delivered the land into his hand. Judges 1:1-2

And the children of Israel arose, and went up to the house of G-d, and asked counsel of G-d, and said, Which of us shall go up first to the battle against the children of Benjamin? And the Lord said, Judah shall go up first. Judges 20:18

While the ten tribes in the north were separated from their covenant with G-d (cf. Jer 3), (the house of Israel separated itself through its Torah-less deeds from the Father), Judah was allowed to remain in the covenant despite its deeds, because they repeatedly repented and did penance! This is something the other tribes can learn a lot from.

As a result, Judah, Benjamin, Levi and many from the other tribes who had defected to Judah (cf. e.g. 2 Chr 15) called themselves ‘Jews’. Mordecai, for example, refers to himself as a Jew from the tribe of Benjamin (Est 2:5). This is important for us to know today. Over the centuries, many from the other tribes joined the house of Judah. However, the house of Judah primarily consists of the tribe of Judah. The division of Israel and the separation of the ten tribes from the covenant had another very significant consequence: the Sanhedrin (the supreme court) fell completely into the hands of the house of Judah!

Judah was blessed by G-d with a special task. And according to these verses, this task includes Judah's right to enact laws.

The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. Gen 49:10

So until Shiloh comes (a reference to the Messiah) and all (!) peoples obey Him, Judah will possess this authority.

Jacob's blessing to Judah also contains the very interesting statement

The sceptre (Hebrew: shebet) shall not depart from Judah Gen 49:10a

Among other things, the word shebet means ‘clan’ or ‘tribe’!

What does that mean?

On a deeper level, the verse says that the identification as a tribe/clan shall not depart from Judah! So while the other tribes lose their identity (they have mixed among the nations), Judah will always be recognisable as Judah!

Today's Jews represent the house of Judah.

The Torah imposes signs of the covenant on G-d's people. The most important of these are the Sabbath, the feast days and circumcision; cf. Gen 17:11; Ex. 31:13, 31:17, 13:3-9.

These signs of the covenant are observed by Jews to this day.

Today's Jews observe the days of fasting prophesied in Zechariah:

Thus saith the Lord of hosts; The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts; therefore love the truth and peace. Zec 8:19

Isaiah indirectly promised that the name Israel would pass to Judah. In this respect, it is no coincidence that today's state is not called Judah State or something similar, but Israel:

Hear ye this, O house of Jacob, which are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah, Isa 48:1a

These points, together with the statement about tribal identification, are the clearest signs that the biblical references to the house of Judah must be attributed to today's Jews. No other ethnic group can claim to have this wealth of scriptural references applied to them.

In many places, it is stated that the house of Judah will return to the land of Israel. And this is exactly what we are witnessing today.

 

[ralliann]

Most Jews today are descended from the Kingdom of Judah, which included the Tribe of Judah, Benjamin, and the Levites, the Levites, those from priestly families with the surname Cohen (or Levy/Levite) can typically trace their lineage back to the tribe of Levi. However, in religious and cultural consciousness, knowledge of exact tribal affiliation (e.g. Judah, Benjamin, Levi) has mostly been lost today.

Ok, that is what I thought....

For most Jews today, belonging to the House of Judah is more of a historical-religious concept than a personal identity issue. The conscious connection to the tribe of Judah is rarely a topic in everyday life.

Yes, that is why I used the term Judea, to express this exact thing.

Thus, the House of Judah has retained its identity to this day, even during its captivity in Babylon. Over the centuries, they have always known that they belong to the House of Judah, while the House of Israel has lost its identity; not least because of this, it cannot preach about it. The ten tribes have become a large mixed people without their own identity.

The House of Judah maintained its connection to Zion/Jerusalem and felt alienated in exile. The House of Israel found a new home among the nations of the world. They did not weep when they thought of Zion

By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion. We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof. For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion. How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land? If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. Ps 137:1-5

The connection to their roots and their homeland was completely severed.

Ezekiel describes the House of Israel in detail in a vision as a field full of dead bones:

The hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones,... Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord... Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts. Ezek 37:1, 4, 11

Bones are no longer identifiable; only when flesh grows over the bones can the corresponding person be identified again. Just as Joseph's dead bones were brought back to the land of Israel, so the dead bones of the ten lost tribes will be brought back to the land of Israel

Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord G-D; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. Ezek 37:12

During the process of opening the graves, that is, during the return to the land of Israel, the ten tribes will learn that He is their Elohim:

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, And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the Lord have spoken it, and performed it, saith the Lord. Ezek 37:13-14

Until the return, there will be two distinct houses, the house of Judah and the house of Israel.

Judah is explicitly commissioned by G-d to lead the family:

The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. Gen 49:10

Let us look at history to see how Judah accepted this leadership role and tried to fulfil it.

When the Israelites return from Egypt to the Promised Land, it is Judah who leads the entire people (based on the order of the camp). He leads the eastern part of the camp. After Joshua steps down, it is Judah whom G-d wants to lead in wars. Judah is expressly told to take charge:

Now after the death of Joshua it came to pass, that the children of Israel asked the Lord, saying, Who shall go up for us against the Canaanites first, to fight against them? And the Lord said, Judah shall go up: behold, I have delivered the land into his hand. Judges 1:1-2

And the children of Israel arose, and went up to the house of G-d, and asked counsel of G-d, and said, Which of us shall go up first to the battle against the children of Benjamin? And the Lord said, Judah shall go up first. Judges 20:18

While the ten tribes in the north were separated from their covenant with G-d (cf. Jer 3), (the house of Israel separated itself through its Torah-less deeds from the Father), Judah was allowed to remain in the covenant despite its deeds, because they repeatedly repented and did penance! This is something the other tribes can learn a lot from.

As a result, Judah, Benjamin, Levi and many from the other tribes who had defected to Judah (cf. e.g. 2 Chr 15) called themselves ‘Jews’. Mordecai, for example, refers to himself as a Jew from the tribe of Benjamin (Est 2:5). This is important for us to know today. Over the centuries, many from the other tribes joined the house of Judah. However, the house of Judah primarily consists of the tribe of Judah. The division of Israel and the separation of the ten tribes from the covenant had another very significant consequence: the Sanhedrin (the supreme court) fell completely into the hands of the house of Judah!

Judah was blessed by G-d with a special task. And according to these verses, this task includes Judah's right to enact laws.

The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. Gen 49:10

So until Shiloh comes (a reference to the Messiah) and all (!) peoples obey Him, Judah will possess this authority.

Jacob's blessing to Judah also contains the very interesting statement

The sceptre (Hebrew: shebet) shall not depart from Judah Gen 49:10a

Among other things, the word shebet means ‘clan’ or ‘tribe’!

What does that mean?

On a deeper level, the verse says that the identification as a tribe/clan shall not depart from Judah! So while the other tribes lose their identity (they have mixed among the nations), Judah will always be recognisable as Judah!

Today's Jews represent the house of Judah.

The Torah imposes signs of the covenant on G-d's people. The most important of these are the Sabbath, the feast days and circumcision; cf. Gen 17:11; Ex. 31:13, 31:17, 13:3-9.

These signs of the covenant are observed by Jews to this day.

Today's Jews observe the days of fasting prophesied in Zechariah:

Thus saith the Lord of hosts; The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts; therefore love the truth and peace. Zec 8:19

Isaiah indirectly promised that the name Israel would pass to Judah. In this respect, it is no coincidence that today's state is not called Judah State or something similar, but Israel:

Hear ye this, O house of Jacob, which are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah, Isa 48:1a

These points, together with the statement about tribal identification, are the clearest signs that the biblical references to the house of Judah must be attributed to today's Jews. No other ethnic group can claim to have this wealth of scriptural references applied to them.

In many places, it is stated that the house of Judah will return to the land of Israel. And this is exactly what we are witnessing today.

I think it might be this way.....The fullness of promises and blessing to Abraham Was divided up among the tribes. Each having a portion. Each tribe shares in the portion of the others when in unity. When divided the portions are missing for fullness.
Isreal in the division of the kingdom.
2Sa 20:1 And there happened to be there a man of Belial, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he blew a trumpet, and said, We have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to his tents, O Israel.
1Ki 12:16 So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents.
But there is one which is also the first born......which receives a portion above his brethren too.....always among the tribes that inheritance through the firstborn only.