PART 3 GOD IS BUILDING HIS NATION WHILE THE NATIONS RAGE

In this post we will explore why the nation of Israel split in two and how the northern kingdom was scattered among the Gentiles losing their identities. Before we do that a short review.

Our approach is to allow the Bible to interpret itself. This requires us to use both Old and New Testaments to witness to each other. We also must seek truth. Truth can disturb us—but it will set us free. The Bible says what it means and means what it says. I have learned to read more carefully.

For example: If the Sabbath is the seventh day then that is the day of worship. Nowhere are we commanded to change it to Sunday. That is a man made “Christian” tradition. Understanding that, and how the Bible keeps time, will give a totally different reading to Acts 20.7-11.

What day did Paul leave? If we understand Bible time he left on Sunday morning—not Monday morning. A new day in the Bible begins at sunset. “Upon the first day of the week,” would be what we, on the Roman calendar, call Saturday night. Biblically that is the beginning of Sunday. Paul then spoke all night and left in the morning—Sunday morning when the sun was rising. A Biblical day is sunset to sunset. Now we understand the truth in these verses.

“My people are destroyed by lack of knowledge.” Hosea 4.6

We have also briefly looked at the history of the church and world. We have to acknowledge the shameful actions of what we call the Christian Church down through history and how it turned from anything “Jewish” when establishing its own traditions (of men).

We also need to go back to the time of Yeshua and look forward rather than looking back from a 21^st Century mindset. We need to understand the times and customs of Yeshua’s era. Our 21^st Century mindset does not comprehend the time and customs of Yeshua’s time. We need to understand Bible time and calendar.

Nation Divided

First Kings 11 and 12 describe how the nation became divided. Please carefully read these chapters.

Solomon loved many strange women and their pagan gods. The Lord chastised him by allowing the northern 10 tribes to separate. Solomon’s son Rehoboam listened to the counsel of the young men and increased taxation on the nation.

Jeroboam, an Ephrathite, (tribe of Ephraim) was proclaimed king of the northern tribes by the prophet Ahijah because of Solomon’s sin (1 Kings 11.26-40). He was told God would bless and prosper him if he walked in the way of the Lord. Jeroboam was given specific instructions.

He was from the tribe of Ephraim—Joseph’s descendants. His lineage was through Asenath, the daughter of the high priest of the Egyptian pagan gods. He would lead the northern tribes into idolatry by establishing his own feasts, in a different month, and set up idols in Bethel (1 Kings 32-33). He was afraid if the people continued to go to Jerusalem to worship they would turn away from him and he would lose the kingdom—he did not trust the word of the Lord. Also see the book of 2 Chronicles 10-12.

He led the northern kingdom astray. He established feasts “devised after his own heart” and turned away from the word of God. This is a type and shadow of the modern church which has turned away from the Biblical truths during the preceding two millennia. We have forgotten much truth. The Holy Roman Empire has taken over—their time and calendar.

Elohim has allowed all of this to happen according to His plan! This plan is hidden in plain sight in His word! He is revealing the wicked heart of mankind to His creation (Jeremiah 17.9). This is BIG PICTURE! It has been going on for almost 6,000 years now. Every knee shall bow and tongue confess in that Day. There is a future day of justice coming to this world (Revelation 20.

All of this is types and shadows—mankind has not changed at all. Jeroboam created his own religion according to his own heart. It was a deception based on the truth—very subtle. The northern kingdom never returned to Elohim and they were judged by a foreign nation—Assyria!

God sent the prophets to warn them. Every king in the north refused to listen. Ahab and Jezebel would become infamous for their disobedience and idolatry. Read 2 Kings 16 and 17 for the story of judgment by Assyria. Note 2 Kings 17.3-18. The Lord used Assyria to remove and replace the people in Samaria (2 Kings 17.24-41). These people became the Samaritans. Remember Yeshua talking to the woman at the well (John 4)? That’s who she was.

As you read remember: Judah is the southern kingdom (2 Kings 18.1). Israel is the northern kingdom removed and replaced by other peoples by Assyria. The kingdom of Judah would continue for more than one hundred years before their sins led to Babylonian captivity. They would return to the land after 70 years—but the northern kingdom people did not return they were scattered among the nations.

Restoration

This brings us to the Book of Hosea. This book prophetically explains what happened next. Read this book and it will begin to become clear. God is telling us what happened to Israel and why. These prophecies describe the last two thousand years of God’s dealing with the “lost tribes” which have been scattered among and represent the Gentiles.

Here are a few key scriptures:

And I said unto her, Thou shalt abide for me many days; thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be for another man: so will I also be for thee. For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim:  Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord their God, and David their king; and shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter days. Hosea 3.3-5

Ephraim, he hath mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake not turned. Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not: yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knoweth not. Hosea 7.8-9

They shall not dwell in the Lord's land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean things in Assyria. Hosea 9.3

Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himself: according to the multitude of his fruit he hath increased the altars; according to the goodness of his land they have made goodly images. Their heart is divided; now shall they be found faulty: he shall break down their altars, he shall spoil their images. For now they shall say, We have no king, because we feared not the Lord; what then should a king do to us? Hosea 10.1-3

Please read the entire Book of Hosea. It explains Elohim “rejecting” His people with the plan of reuniting them in the latter days! Now look at Ezekiel 37.15-28. At the end of the age the sticks of Judah and Ephraim (Joseph) are going to be united as one. This is a type and shadow of the one new man in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3.27-29).

Elohim is building His Nation in these last days! We are heirs in Yeshua and grafted into the promises to those of the commonwealth of Israel. We become part of the olive tree which represents the Jewish people. Abraham is the father of us all.

BUT, all must become “Hebrews” one who crosses over into Yeshua (Jesus) before they can become a citizen of the nation. Both a Jew and a Gentile must “cross-over” into Yeshua to become a citizen of His Kingdom. Genesis 14.13 says Abram was a Hebrew—nowhere in the Bible is he called a Jew. A Hebrew has “crossed over.”

These are literally the “Days of Elijah” preparing the hearts for the Day of the Lord. It is a day of restoration. God is calling His people back together—Jew and Gentile—one new man. It is not about being “Jewish” but it is all about becoming “Yeshu-ish”!

The northern tribes of Israel were scattered among the Gentile nations and lost their identities. The Jewish people were scattered among the nations after the destruction of the second temple and kept their religion alive for the past two centuries. They did not mix with Gentiles.

Now the mystery of the Gospel is taking place in plain sight as Elohim is restoring the divided kingdom back into ONE.

This is what Paul is taking about in Romans 11 when he talks about whether God has forsaken His people. He is talking about both Jews and Gentiles becoming one new man in Yeshua. This is happening NOW at a fast pace in these last days.

Gentiles are discovering their Biblical roots and are restoring the calendar and feasts of the Lord. Secular Jews in Israel are receiving Yeshua as Messiah. Slowly the nation is being re-united in Elohim.

Gentiles are flocking to Israel to celebrate the feasts of the Lord—especially the feast of Tabernacles. The rabbis are astounded. “Christians” are coming to participate in the feasts—what is going on? It is restoration.

Rabbi Yeshua is bring His people together in this day. Yeshua said this to the twelve:

These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go onto the road of the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel.  As you go, preach this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is near.’…Matthew 10.5-7.

This has been the mission for the past two thousand years—with plenty of detours along the way. But Elohim is patiently bringing the two sticks together prior to His second coming. He is building his assembly!

I hope this series has and will help you to understand what the Father is doing in these days. Seek the truth and you will find it—then you will be free!

Two more parts to come.