Spiritual Return of Israel - Follow up verses for previous post

The verses below are a follow up to the previous post on the Kingdom of God. As you read and meditate on them the joining of Judah and Ephraim will begin to crystalize in your mind and heart.

 Remember that Judah represents the Jews of our time. Ephraim represents Gentiles. Ephraim was scattered among the Gentile nations and lost his Israeli identity.

There were always Gentile nations. Ephraim became part of them and mixed in with the nations thereby losing his identity as described in Hosea 7.

Yahweh is bringing His people together in His time and way. This cannot be forced. Right now it is important that we understand how the Father is bringing this reunification about.

This is why many Christians/Gentiles are being drawn into an understanding of their Hebrew roots.


The next three postings will build upon this topic

 

Abrahamic Covenant (unconditional/everlasting) is not yet fulfilled. (Genesis 17:7-8)

And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee and to thy seed after thee, the land in which thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting inheritance; and I will be their God.

 

Great Commission is not complete if all Israel is not saved. (Isaiah 66:19-20; Romans 11:26)

And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the Gentiles, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have never heard my name, nor seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles. And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the LORD from among all the Gentiles, upon horses and in chariots and in litters and upon mules and upon camels to my holy mountain of Jerusalem, saith the LORD, so that the sons of Israel bring the offering in clean vessels to the house of the LORD.

 

And even if all Israel were saved, as it is written: There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall take away the ungodliness from Jacob;

 

Y‘shua‘s function is to bring salvation to the gentiles and gather both houses of Israel back to the land of Israel. (Isaiah 49:5-6; Zechariah 10:6; Hosea 1:11; Romans 11:25-26)

 

And now, saith the LORD, he that formed me from the womb to be his slave, so that Jacob might be converted unto him. But if Israel will not be gathered, even so, yet I shall be esteemed in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength. And he said, It is a light thing that thou should be my slave to wake up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the desolations of Israel; I have also given thee for a light to the Gentiles that thou may be my saving health unto the end of the earth.

 

For I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will keep the house of Joseph, and I will cause them to return; for I shall have compassion upon them, and they shall be as though I had not cast them off, for I am the LORD their God and will hear them.

 

And the sons of Judah and the sons of Israel shall be congregated together, and they shall raise up for themselves one head, and they shall rise up from the land: for the day of Jezreel is great.

 

For I would not, brethren, that ye ignore this mystery, that ye not be arrogant regarding yourselves: that blindness in part has happened in Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles are come in. And even if all Israel were saved, as it is written: There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall take away the ungodliness from Jacob;

 

The mystery of family membership through Yeshua revealed. (Ephesians 3:4-6, Revelation 10:7)

...by which, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of the Christ), which in other generations was not made known unto the sons of men as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit, that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs and of the same body and partakers of his promise in the Christ by the gospel,

 

But in the day of the voice of the seventh angel when he shall begin to sound the trumpet, the mystery of God shall be finished, as he did evangelize unto his slaves the prophets.

 

There is no other branch of the family tree beside Judah and Ephraim. YHVH has only one family: the promised seed of Abraham, the trunk of Isaac and Jacob; the natural branches from Judah and the grafted-in branches from Ephraim. Together they comprise Messianic Israel.

 

There is only one Commonwealth of Israel comprising one Shepherd with one flock — righteous Jews and lost sheep from the fold of Ephraim. (John 10:16, Acts 15:13-18)

And I have other sheep which are not of this fold; it is expedient that I bring them also, and they shall hear my voice, and there shall be one fold and one shepherd.

 

And after they had become silent, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me: Simeon has declared how God first visited the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, After this I will return and will restore the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will repair its ruins, and I will set it up again, that the men that are left might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who does all these things. Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.

 

Judah and Ephraim are co-heirs, partakers together in Messiah‘s promise. (Ephesians 3:6)

that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs and of the same body and partakers of his promise in the Christ by the gospel,

 

Jew and Gentile must be reconciled becoming = one new man‘. (Ephesians 2:14-16)

For he is our peace, who of both has made one, breaking down the middle wall of separation, abolishing in his flesh the enmity, which was the law of commandments in the order of rites, to edify in himself the two in one new man, making peace, and to reconcile both with God by the cross in one body, having slain the enmity thereby;

 

Both houses of Israel need to recognize each other as brethren off the same olive tree.

 

The House of Judah needs to recognize Messiah and those He has saved. (Romans 11:12, 25)

And if the fall of them is the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles, how much more shall their fullness be?

 

For I would not, brethren, that ye ignore this mystery, that ye not be arrogant regarding yourselves: that blindness in part has happened in Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles are come in.

 

The House of Israel needs to recognize that it has not replaced the natural branches and that Torah obedience is necessary for righteousness. (Salvation is through belief in Yeshua’s sacrifice.)  (1 John 5:1-5)

Whosoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God; and anyone that loves him that begat also loves him that is born of him. In this we know that we love the sons of God, when we love God and keep his commandments. For this is the charity of God, that we keep his commandments, and his commandments are not grievous. For whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcomes the world, but he that believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

 

Ephraim is not to embrace Judaism as Judah also stumbled in adding the oral Torah.

 

Judah will become jealous of Ephraim. Then he will understand that the God who works among Gentiles is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. (Deuteronomy 32:21; Romans 10:13-21)

They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities; and I also will move them to jealousy with those who are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with foolish Gentiles.

 

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach if they have not been sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of those that announce the gospel of peace, of those that announce the gospel of that which is good! But not everyone hearkens unto the gospel. For Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed our report?

 So then faith comes by hearing, and the ear to hear by the word of God. But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their fame went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses says, I will provoke you unto jealousy with people that are not mine, and with ignorant people I will provoke you to anger. But Isaiah is very bold and says, I was found by those that did not seek me; I manifested myself unto those that did not ask after me. And against Israel he says, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.

Each house will recognize its offence after 2 days — 2000 years. (Hosea 5:15; 6:1-2)

I will go and return to my place until they acknowledge their guilt and seek my face; in their affliction they will seek me early.

 

Come, and let us return unto the LORD; for he has torn, and he will heal us; he has smitten, and he will bind us up. After two days he shall give us life: in the third day he will resurrect us, and we shall live in his sight.

 

God is calling for Ephraim's return in repentance. (Jeremiah 31:18-21; Hosea 11:8-10)

I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus, Thou hast afflicted me, and I was chastised as an indomitable bullock: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the LORD my God. Surely after I was turned, I repented; and after I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh; I was ashamed, and even confounded, because I bore the reproach of my youth. Peradventure is Ephraim a precious son unto me? Peradventure is he unto me a delightful child? With all this since I spoke of him, I have remembered him constantly. Therefore my bowels are troubled for him; in tenderness I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the LORD. Establish signs, make thee high markers; consider the highway with great care, even the way which thou didst come; return, O virgin of Israel, return unto these thy cities.

 

How must I leave thee, Ephraim? how shall I give thee up, Israel? how could I make thee as Admah? nor set thee as Zeboim? my heart churns within me; all my compassion is inflamed. I will not execute the fierceness of my anger; I will not return to destroy Ephraim; for I am God, and not man; the Holy One in the midst of thee; and I will not enter into the city. They shall walk after the LORD; he shall roar like a lion; when he shall roar, then the sons shall come trembling from the west.

 

God determines who is included in Judah and Ephraim. (Romans 9:6-27; 11:5, 25-26)

Not as though the word of God has been deficient. For not all the descendants of Israel are Israelites; neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are all sons, but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, Those who are sons of the flesh, these are not the sons of God; but those who are sons of the promise are counted in the generation. For the word of the promise is this, At this time I will come, and Sara shall have a son. And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac (for the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil that the purpose of God according to election might stand: not of works, but of him that calls), it was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

 

¶ What shall we say then? Is there injustice in God? No, in no wise.For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that wills, nor of him that runs, but of God that has mercy. For the scripture saith of Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might show my power in thee and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore he has mercy on whom he will have mercy, and he hardens whom he will. Thou wilt say then unto me, Why does he become angry? For who shall resist his will? Rather, O man, who art thou to reply against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Has not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour and another unto dishonour? What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make his power known, endured with much meekness the vessels of wrath, prepared for death, and making known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he has prepared unto glory? Even us, whom he has called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles!

 

¶ As he saith also in Hosea, I will call them my people, who were not my people, and her beloved, who was not beloved. And it shall come to pass that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there shall they be called sons of the living God. Isaiah also cries out concerning Israel, Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant shall be saved;

 

Even so then at this present time also, there is a remnant by the gracious election of God.

 

For I would not, brethren, that ye ignore this mystery, that ye not be arrogant regarding yourselves: that blindness in part has happened in Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles are come in. And even if all Israel were saved, as it is written: There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall take away the ungodliness from Jacob;

 

Physical Return of Israel

 

The Father will whistle for Ephraim (10 lost tribes). (Zechariah 10:7-9)

And those of Ephraim shall be like a mighty man, and their heart shall rejoice as through wine, their sons shall also see it and be glad; their heart shall rejoice in the LORD. I will hiss for them and gather them; for I have ransomed them; and they shall be multiplied as they were multiplied. It was good that I planted them among the peoples; even in far countries there shall be mention made of me; and they shall live with their sons and turn again.

 

Ephraim will be redeemed, regathered and grafted into Israel. (Zechariah 10:10-12)

I will bring them again also out of the land of Egypt and gather them out of Assyria; and I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon; and place shall not be found for them. And the tribulation shall pass through the sea and shall smite the waves in the sea, and all the deeps of the river shall dry up; and the pride of Assyria shall be brought down, and the sceptre of Egypt shall be lost. And I will strengthen them in the LORD; and they shall walk up and down in his name, saith the LORD.

 

Ephraim will return bringing Judah. (Isaiah 49:22; Jeremiah 33:24-26; Zechariah 8:23)

Thus has the Lord GOD said, Behold, I will lift up my hand to the Gentiles and raise up my banner as an example to the peoples: and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders.

 

Dost thou not consider what this people have spoken, saying, The two families which the LORD has chosen, he has even cast them off? thus they have despised my people, that they should no longer be a nation before them. Thus hath the LORD said: If my covenant remains not with the day and the night, and if I have not appointed the laws of the heaven and the earth, then I will cast away the seed of Jacob and David my slave, so that I will not take any of his seed to be rulers over the seed of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob; for I will cause their captivity to turn, and I will have mercy on them.

 

Thus hath the LORD of the hosts said, In those days it shall come to pass that ten men of all the languages of the Gentiles shall take hold of the robe of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.

 

All Israel will be saved and return to the Land. (Zechariah 8:3, 7, Romans 11:26)

Thus hath the LORD said, I will restore Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem; and Jerusalem shall be called City of truth and the mountain of the LORD of the hosts, the mountain of holiness.

 

Thus hath the LORD of the hosts said; Behold, I will save my people of the land of the east and of the land where the sun sets;

 

Judah will accept Messiah Y‘shua. Apostles will rule 12 tribes. (Matthew 19:28, Luke 22:30)

And even if all Israel were saved, as it is written: There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall take away the ungodliness from Jacob;

 

And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye who have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, to judge the twelve tribes of Israel.

 

Two sticks (Ephraim and Judah) will become one (Israel). (Ezekiel 37:15-28)

And the word of the LORD came again unto me, saying,

Thou, son of man, take one stick and write upon it: To Judah, and to the sons of Israel his companions; then take another stick and write upon it: To Joseph, the stick of Ephraim and to all the house of Israel his companions: and join them one to another that they might become one; and they shall be one in thy hand.

And when the sons of thy people shall speak unto thee, saying, Wilt thou not show us what thou meanest by these? Say unto them, Thus hath the Lord GOD said: Behold, I take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah and make them one stick, and they shall be one in my hand. And the sticks upon which thou dost write shall be in thine hand before their eyes. And thou shalt say unto them, Thus hath the Lord GOD said; Behold, I take the sons of Israel from among the Gentiles, where they be gone and will gather them on every side and bring them into their own land; and I will make them one nation in the land in the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all; and they shall no longer be two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all: neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their abominations, nor with all their rebellions, but I will save them out of all their dwelling places, in which they have sinned and will cleanse them, so they shall be my people, and I will be their God.

 

And David my slave shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd; they shall also walk within my rights and keep my statutes and do them. And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my slave, in which your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they and their sons and their son’s sons for ever; and my slave David shall be their prince forever. Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will plant them and multiply them and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. And my tabernacle shall be in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And the Gentiles shall know that I the LORD do sanctify Israel when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.

 

Israel/Ephraim and Judah reunite. (Jeremiah 3:18; Hosea 1:11; Isaiah 11:12-13; Ephesians 1:10)

In those times they shall go out from the house of Judah unto the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north wind to the land which I caused your fathers to inherit.

 

And the sons of Judah and the sons of Israel shall be congregated together, and they shall raise up for themselves one head, and they shall rise up from the land: for the day of Jezreel is great.

 

And he shall raise up a banner, as an example for the Gentiles and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off; Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim.

 

that in the dispensation of the fulfillment of the times he might restore all things by the Christ, both those which are in heaven and those which are on earth,

 

When the two houses are reunited, they will return to Israel. (Ezekiel 34:11-13)

For thus hath the Lord GOD said: Behold, I, even I, will both search and recognize my sheep. As the shepherd recognizes his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered, so will I recognize my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries and will bring them to their own land and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers and in all the habitations of the country.

 

Ephraim will latch on to Judah for instruction. (Zechariah 8:23)

Thus hath the LORD of the hosts said, In those days it shall come to pass that ten men of all the languages of the Gentiles shall take hold of the robe of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.