Delight in Zion
Twelve Tribes
THE BIBLE DISPROVES THE MYTH OF THE 'LOST TEN TRIBES'
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I regularly get asked about the 'Lost tribes of Israel' when I am speaking in different nations, and find that many believers are confused, and some even think they are members of a lost tribe!
Although some Jewish people were, no doubt, lost in their dispersion around the world through the ages, we need to understand that the Jewish people today are descended from all twelve tribes, with clear biblical evidence, so as to avoid confusion.
In order to bring clarity to this matter, I am referencing the writings of Bob (Raymond Robert) Fischer, who was a much loved and respected fellow Messianic Jewish believer and Bible teacher, who went to be with the Lord a few years ago. I am drawing from his book entitled 'Full Circle.'
Fischer states (pages 276 – 278):
'I am confident that any honest and objective study of the Scriptures would reveal that beliefs in the so called ‘Two House Theology’ (believing that the Jews are only from Judah, and that Israel / ten tribes were all lost, and therefore not Jewish) would not have emerged to be foisted upon the
spiritually starved and vulnerable legions of Gentile Christians who constitute the majority of the Church.'
To add some clarity to Fischer’s quote, it seems that many Christians are not content with their salvation and identity, or are, as Fischer states, 'spiritually starved,' causing some to seek to identify themselves as a member of a lost tribe of Israel.
Fischer lists some of the most compelling biblical verses that disprove the teaching that Jewish people today are only descended from the tribe of Judah. In truth they are descended from all 12 tribes (bold emphasis mine):
'For the Levites left their common-lands and their possessions and came to Judah and Jerusalem, for Jeroboam and his sons had rejected them from serving as priests to the LORD. Then he appointed for himself priests for the high places, for the demons, and the calf idols which he had made. And after the Levites left, those from all the tribes of Israel, came to Jerusalem
to sacrifice to the LORD God of their fathers. So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong for three years, because they walked in the way of David and Solomon for three years.' - 2 Chronicles 11:14-17
This is an abundantly clear reference in God’s Word to the unquestionable truth that Levites or priests, and ‘those from all the tribes of Israel' such as set their heart to seek the Lord God of Israel left the northern tribes and aligned themselves with the kingdom of Judah in Jerusalem. So from this biblical account, we understand that the Jewish people today are descendants of all
the tribes of Israel.
Here are two other biblical references Bob Fischer cites which provide further evidence:
'Then he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and those who dwelt with them from Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon, for they came over to him in great numbers from Israel
when they saw that the Lord his God was with him. So they gathered together at Jerusalem
in the third month, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa.' - 2 Chronicles 15:9-10
'Then the runners went throughout all Israel and Judah
with the letters from the king and his leaders and spoke according to the command of the king: “Children of Israel, return to the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel; then He will return to the remnant of you who have escaped from the hand of the king of Assyria.' - 2 Chronicles 30:6
Fischer explains:
'We can see clearly in these preceding references that a remnant (some would say much more than a remnant, as the scripture clearly states ‘large numbers’) from the separated Northern Kingdom were returning to the Southern Kingdom, that is, to the House of David. Those who were returning included members of the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh and Simeon. Although these tribes were dispersed, they were neither lost, nor unaccounted for.'
Fischer then references this Scripture:
'And Jehoshaphat rested with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. Then Jehoran his son reigned in his place, He had brothers, the sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azaryahu, Michael, and Shephatiah; all these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel.' (2 Chronicles 21:1-2)
Fischer points out that the Israelites clearly identified with Judah and with the House of David. Here we have a king from the Northern Kingdom choosing to be buried in Judah, in the Southern Kingdom. Despite their rivalry, there was always a deep spiritual bond between the southern and northern kingdoms.
Fischer explains:
'Those who insist that the division between Israel and Judah never ceased, or that it is continuing still in our day, are ignoring the Scriptures which show otherwise.'
Fischer also points us towards Ezekiel's prophecy that Judah and Israel would be reunited and restored to one kingdom (in fact the two kingdoms are reunited to make up the whole of the Jewish people today):
'As for you, son of man, take a stick for yourself and write on it: ‘For Judah and for the children of Israel, his companions.’ Then take another stick and write on it, ‘For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel, his companions. ‘Then join them one to another for yourself into one stick, and they will become one in your hand.'
- (Ezekiel 37:16-17)
Fischer references other New Testament scriptures, including Matthew 15:24, where Yeshua / Jesus states clearly that His initial calling was to 'the lost sheep of the House of Israel.'
The word 'lost' in this verse clearly refers to the Jews' need for salvation, and not to 'lost tribes,' as some take it to mean.
Additionally, in Acts 2:36, Peter says, 'Therefore let all the house of Israel
know assuredly that God has made this Jesus / Yeshua, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.'
Fischer comments:
‘If the Holy Spirit who authored these words was not fully aware of the fact that the entire nation of Israel, that is, all twelve tribes, were reunited and in the Land at the time of Yeshua / Jesus, the words 'all the House of Israel' would surely not have been included in this verse.
God doesn’t lie, and He has made it very clear that His words are true and carefully chosen.’
To conclude, it is clear to me that the Jewish people are descendants of all twelve tribes of Israel.
The attempt to argue, for example, that the White Caucasian races, including Britain and the US are somehow members of the ‘lost tribes’ (a false teaching sometimes called ‘British Israelism’), or that the Jews are only descended from ‘Judah’, ignores the important evidence revealed in the Scriptures.
In my view, such views are akin to another form of replacement theology
(i.e. ‘God has finished with the Jews and replaced them with the Church / Christians). A consequence of such a view could be that some Gentile people would declare the present land of Israel their inheritance!
Gentiles who receive salvation in Yeshua / Jesus are joined spiritually to the ‘commonwealth of Israel’, and become the ‘One New Man’ of Ephesians 2: 15, alongside their Messianic Jewish brothers and sisters. However, this unity is a unity in diversity. We are one in Christ / Messiah, but different.
The Jewish people today are biblical descendants of all twelve tribes, and in today’s Body of Messiah / Church, we need Jews to be Jews, and Gentiles to be Gentiles. Our identity in Messiah is vital whether we are Jewish or Gentile believers, and this is the most important truth to recognize and rejoice over.
We need each other, but we should rejoice in the differences, and embrace ‘One New Man’ unity.
Colin Mitchell
Reference: 'Full Circle' by Raymond Robert Fischer (Olim Publications, PO BOX 2111 Tiberias, Israel)
