In order
for full restoration to come to both the house of Judah (Judaism)
and the house of Israel (Christianity), both houses of Israel
need to understand the Biblical terms "church" and "Israel."
In today’s world, the term "church" is traditionally identified
and associated with the house of Israel (Christianity) while the
term "Israel" is traditionally identified and associated with the
house of Judah (Jews/Judaism).
In this
chapter, we will examine the Biblical terms "church" and
"Israel." In doing so, we will discover that the "church" was
born at mount Sinai.
Furthermore, we will discover that the Biblical term "Israel"
refers to the family (mishpochah) of the G-d of Israel that is
likened in the Bible to an "olive tree." In the Biblical
"olive tree" allegory, "Israel" consists of the natural
root of the olive tree (natural born Jews). The wild olive
branches are those who have been
grafted (non-Jews
from the nations who believe in the G-d of Israel and have accepted
Yeshua/Jesus as the Jewish Messiah [Mashiach]) (Romans
11:13-26) into the natural root. As long as there is a sun, moon and
stars in the heavens, the natural root (natural born Jews) will
remain a part of the olive tree of the G-d of Israel (Jeremiah
[Yermiyahu] 31:35-37).
THE GREEK WORD FOR CHURCH IS EKKLESIA
In the
King James translation of the Bible, the English word "church" is
only found in the New Testament (Brit Hadashah). For this reason,
the word "church" is most often associated with the house of
Israel (Christianity). The English word "church" is the
Strong’s word 1577 in the Strong’s Greek dictionary. It is the Greek
word, "ekklesia." In the Strong’s Greek dictionary, the Greek
word, "ekklesia" is defined as "a calling out, a popular
meeting, a religious congregation, a Jewish synagogue or Christian
community of members on earth or saints in heaven or both."
THE HEBREW WORD FOR CHURCH IS KAHAL
In the
Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament numerically
coded to the Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, it will give a more
complete and detailed definition of the Greek word, "ekklesia."
The Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament will
define the Greek word, "ekklesia" to mean "an assembly"
and will explain that the corresponding equivalent word in the
Septuagint (Jewish Scriptures translated into the Greek language/the Old
Testament [TeNaKh]) as being the Hebrew word, "kahal." The
Hebrew word "kahal" is the Strong’s word 6951 in the Strong’s
Hebrew dictionary and is defined to mean, "an assembly, congregation,
company, multitude."
ECCLESIASTES IS DERIVED
FROM THE GREEK WORD FOR CHURCH
The book
of the Bible named "Ecclesiastes" is derived from the Greek word
"ekklesia." In the introduction to the book of Ecclesiastes
in the Hebrew-Greek Key Study Bible (King James Version) by
Spiros Zodhiates published by AMG publishers, the following observation
is made about the title of the book, "Ecclesiastes":
"The title of this book in Hebrew, Qoheleth
(6953), is the word translated as ‘Preacher’ in chapter one, verse
one. The English title is the transliteration of the title in the
Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament. The Greek
word Ekklesiastes, which means ‘speaker of a called out assembly,’
is derived from the word ekklesia (1577) which is the New Testament
word for ‘church’."
THE CHURCH WAS BORN AT MOUNT SINAI
I was
taught within Christianity (house of Israel) from the time that I
was a little boy that the "church" was born in Acts 2 with the
outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh) upon those who
were gathered in Jerusalem (Yerushalayim) for the Biblical feast
of Pentecost (Shavuot). After being taught this, I discovered
that I was told the correct DAYthat the church was born (the Biblical feast of Pentecost/Shavuot),
however; as I began to study the Hebraic/Jewish roots of Christianity, I
discovered that the birth of the "church" actually happened
nearly 2,000 years earlier at mount Sinai.
In
Stephen’s sermon in Acts 7, he makes mention of Moses (Moshe) and
the event that happened at mount Sinai in Acts 7:37-38 as it is written:
"This is that
Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the
Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him
shall you hear. This is he, that was in the
CHURCH
in the wilderness with the angel
which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who
received the lively oracles [the Torah]
to give unto us."
In Acts
7:37-38, Stephen is referring to Deuteronomy (Devarim) 18:15-16
as it is written:
"The Lord thy God
will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy
brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken; According to all
that thou desiredst of the Lord thy God in Horeb in the
DAY OF THE ASSEMBLY…"
The word
in Deuteronomy (Devarim) 18:16 translated in the King James Bible
as "assembly" is the Hebrew word "kahal" which is the
Greek word "ekklesia" and is the English word "church." In
the King James translation of the New Testament (Brit Hadashah),
the Greek word "ekklesia" translated into English as "church"
in Acts 7:38 was referring to Deuteronomy (Devarim) 18:16 which
describes the event that happened at mount Sinai (Horeb) as the
day of the assembly/kahal/church/ekklesia.
Three
times in the book of Deuteronomy (Devarim), the G-d of Israel by
the pen of Moses (Moshe) through the inspiration of the Holy
Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh) describes the event that happened at
mount Sinai as the day of the assembly (kahal/church/ekklesia).
The occurrence in Deuteronomy (Devarim) 18:16 has already been
quoted. The other two references are in Deuteronomy (Devarim)
9:10 and Deuteronomy (Devarim) 10:4. In Deuteronomy (Devarim)
9:10 it is written:
"And the Lord
delivered unto me two tables of stone written with the finger of
God; and on them was written according to all the words, which the
Lord spake with you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the
DAY OF THE ASSEMBLY."
In
Deuteronomy (Devarim) 10:4 it is written:
"And he wrote on
the tables, according to the first writing, the ten commandments,
which the Lord spake unto you in the mount out of the midst of the
fire in the DAY OF THE
ASSEMBLY: and the Lord gave
them unto me."
G-D’S CHURCH/ASSEMBLY IS
A MIXED MULTITUDE OF PEOPLE
The G-d
of Israel is not a respecter of persons but considers all those who call
upon His name to be members of His family (mishpochah). In Acts
10:34-35 it is written:
"Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a
truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every
nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness is accepted
with him
."
Those who
were at mount Sinai when the "church" was first born consisted of
the natural born descendents of Abraham (Avraham), Isaac
(Yitzchak) and Jacob (Ya’acov) and a mixed multitude who
believed in the G-d of Israel and who left Egypt (Mitzrayim) with
the children of Israel. At mount Sinai, they were called the house of
Jacob. In Exodus (Shemot) 19:1-3 it is written:
"In the third month, when the children of Israel
were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they
into the wilderness of Sinai. For they were departed from Rephidim,
and were come to the desert of Sinai, and had pitched in the
wilderness; and there Israel camped before the mount. And Moses went
up unto God, and the Lord called unto him out of the mountain,
saying, Thus shalt thou say to the
HOUSE OF JACOB,
and tell the children of Israel."
In
addition to the natural born descendents of Abraham (Avraham),
Isaac (Yitzchak) and Jacob (Ya’acov) who are called the
house of Jacob, a mixed multitude who believed in the G-d of Israel
and who left Egypt (Mitzrayim) with the children of Israel were
also present at mount Sinai. In Exodus (Shemot) 12:29-31, 37-38
it is written:
"And it came to
pass, that at midnight the Lord smote all the firstborn in the land
of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto
the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the
firstborn of cattle. And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all
his servants and all the Egyptians … and he called for Moses and
Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, and get you forth from among my
people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the Lord,
as ye have said ... and the children of Israel journeyed from
Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot that were
men, beside children. And a
MIXED MULTITUDE
went up also with them; and flocks,
and herds, even very much cattle."
Therefore,
the "church" that was born
at mount Sinai consisted of the natural born descendents of Abraham
(Avraham), Isaac (Yitzchak) and Jacob (Ya’acov) called
the house of Jacob and a mixed multitude from Egypt
(Mitzrayim) who feared and became believers in the G-d of Israel
following the plagues in the land of Egypt (Mitzrayim). It was
the mixed multitude who sojourned out of Egypt (Mitzrayim) with
the house of Jacob and became an assembly/kahal/church/ekklesia
of people unto the G-d of Israel at mount Sinai.
G-D’S SPIRITUAL CHURCH
IS A MIXED MULTITUDE OF PEOPLE
WHO BELIEVE IN THE JEWISH MESSIAH
The
spiritual (eschatological) assembly/kahal/church/ekklesia
of people unto the G-d of Israel consists of both natural born Jews and
non-Jews who accept the Jewish Messiah (Mashiach)Yeshua/Jesus
as the promised Messiah (Mashiach) of the G-d of Israel. In
Galatians 3:26, 28 it is written:
"For ye are all
the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus [Yeshua
HaMashiach] … there is neither Jew
nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor
female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus [Yeshua
HaMashiach]."
In Romans
10:9-13 it is written:
"That if thou
shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in
thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be
saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with
the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture
[TeNaKh / Old Testament]
saith, Whosoever
believeth on him shall not be ashamed
[Isaiah 28:16]. For there is
no difference between the Jew and
the Greek; for the same
Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever
shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
[Joel 2:32]"
WHO IS ISRAEL?
What does
the Biblical term Israel mean and how does it relate to the family
(mishpochah) of the G-d of Israel and believers in Yeshua/Jesus
as the Jewish Messiah (Mashiach)? In the Bible, the house of
Jacob (consisting of the house of Israel and the house of
Judah) is allegorically described as being likened to an olive tree.
In Jeremiah (Yermiyahu) 11:1, 6, 16-17 it is written:
"The word that
came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying … Proclaim all these words in
the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying … The
Lord called thy name. A green
olive tree
… and the
branches of it are broken.
For the Lord of hosts that planted
thee … of the house of
Israel AND of the house of
Judah…"
The
branches of the original natural olive tree (the house of Israel
AND the house of Judah) were broken. Therefore, the broken
branches needed to be redeemed, restored and grafted again back into the
original natural olive tree. How did this happen?
JACOB’S NAME IS CHANGED TO ISRAEL
In order
to understand who is Israel (Yisrael), you need to understand the
origin of the name of Israel (Yisrael). Israel (Yisrael)
is the name give to Jacob (Ya’acov) by the G-d of Israel. In
Genesis (Bereishit) 32:24-28 it is written:
"And Jacob was
left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of
the day. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he
touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was
out of joint, and he wrestled with him. And he said, Let me go, for
the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou
bless me. And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said,
Jacob. And he said, Thy
name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel:
for as a prince hast thou power with
God, and with men, and hast prevailed."
JACOB HAS TWELVE SONS
WHO BECOME THE HOUSE OF JACOB
Jacob
(Ya’acov)/Israel had twelve sons. The descendents of Jacob
(Ya’acov)/Israel were called the children of Israel or the house
of Jacob. The descendents of Jacob (Ya’acov)/Israel, the
house of Jacob, entered into a covenant with the G-d of Israel at
mount Sinai (Exodus [Shemot] 19. The descendents of Jacob (Ya’acov)/Israel,
the house of Jacob, broke this covenant. In doing so, the
branches of the original
olive tree were
broken.
THE HOUSE OF JACOB IS DIVIDED FOLLOWING
THE REIGN OF SOLOMON
Followed
the reign of Solomon (Shlomo), the house of Jacob (Ya’acov)
was divided into the Northern Kingdom (house of Israel) and the
Southern Kingdom (house of Judah). This was done because the G-d
of Israel judged Solomon (Shlomo) because he broke the
Torah/covenant of the G-d of Israel by marrying foreign wives who caused
the nation of Israel to worship foreign gods. In I Kings (Melachim)
11:1-5 it is written:
"But king Solomon
loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh,
women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites;
Of the nations concerning which the Lord said unto the children of
Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto
you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods
[Deuteronomy 7:1-4]: Solomon
cleaved unto these in love. And he had seven hundred wives,
princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away
his heart. For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives
turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not
perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father.
For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and
after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites."
Therefore,
Solomon’s (Shlomo) kingdom (the house of Jacob) was
divided into Northern Kingdom (house of Israel) and Southern
Kingdom (house of Judah). In I Kings (Melachim) 11:9-13 it
is written:
"And the Lord was
angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the Lord God
of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice, And had commanded him
concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but
he kept not that which the Lord commanded. Wherefore the Lord said
unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not
kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I
will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy
servant. Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy
father’s sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son.
Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; but will give one
tribe to thy son for David my servant’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s
sake which I have chosen."
THE NORTHERN KINGDOM IS CALLED
THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL
Jeroboam,
Solomon’s (Shlomo) servant, became the ruler of the Northern
Kingdom who consisted of ten tribes. In I Kings (Melachim) 11:26,
28-32 it is written:
"And Jeroboam the
son of Nebat, an Ephrathite of Zereda, Solomon’s servant, whose
mother’s name was Zeruah, a widow woman, even he lifted up his hand
against the king .. and the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valor:
and Solomon seeing the young man that he was industrious, he made
him ruler over all the charge of the
house of Joseph.
And it came to pass at that time when
Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the
Shilonite found him in the way; and he had clad himself with a new
garment; and they two were alone in the field: And Ahijah caught the
new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces: And he
said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the Lord, the
God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of
Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee: (But he shall have one
tribe for my servant David’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake, the
city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel:)"
The
Northern Kingdom was called the following names in the Bible:
The house of Israel (I Kings 12:21, Jeremiah 31:31)
The house of Joseph (I Kings 11:28)
Samaria (Hosea 7:1, 8:5-6, 13:16)
Ephraim (Hosea 4:17, 5:3, 7:1)
THE SOUTHERN KINGDOM IS CALLED
THE HOUSE OF JUDAH
Rehoboam
became the leader of the Southern Kingdom. The Southern Kingdom was
called the house of Judah. Both the Northern Kingdom (house of
Israel) and the Southern Kingdom (house of Judah) broke the
Torah/covenant that the G-d of Israel made with the house of Jacob
(Ya’acov) at mount Sinai. Therefore, according to the words of the
covenant, both the Northern Kingdom (house of Israel) and the
Southern Kingdom (house of Judah) were dispersed into the nations
of the world. In Deuteronomy (Devarim) 28:15, 36-37, 64 it is
written:
"But it shall come
to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy
God, 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 … The Lord shall bring thee, and thy king which
thou shalt set over thee, unto a nation which neither thou nor thy
fathers have known; and there shalt thou serve other gods, wood and
stone. And thou shalt become an astonishment, a proverb, and a
byword, among all nations whither the Lord shall lead thee … And the
Lord shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the
earth even unto the other; and thou shalt serve other gods, which
neither thou nor thy fathers have known, even wood and stone
."
THE NORTHERN KINGDOM
IS TAKEN CAPTIVE TO ASSYRIA
The
Northern Kingdom (house of Israel) was taken captive by the
nation of Assyria (II Kings [Melachim] 17:7-23). In the fullness
of time, they lost their identity as the house of Israel and
became assimilated into all the nations of the world.
THE SOUTHERN KINGDOM
IS TAKEN CAPTIVE TO BABYLON
Meanwhile,
the Southern Kingdom (house of Judah) was initially taken captive
by the Babylonians. The G-d of Israel declared through the prophet
Jeremiah (Yermiyahu) that the duration of the Babylonian
captivity was to last for 70 years (Jeremiah [Yermiyahu]
25:1-11). Following the 70 years of Babylonian captivity, a remnant of
people from the Southern Kingdom (house of Judah) returned to the
land of Israel during the days of Ezra and Nehemiah.
THE SOUTHERN KINGDOM
IS THE JEWISH PEOPLE
Those
from the Southern Kingdom (house of Judah) who returned from
Babylon with Ezra and Nehemiah were called Jews. In Ezra 2:1, 5:1 it is
written:
"Now these are the
children of the province that went up out of the captivity, of those
which had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon
had carried away unto Babylon, and came again unto Jerusalem and
Judah, every one unto his city … Then the prophets, Haggai the
prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied unto
THE JEWS
that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel,
even unto them."
In
Nehemiah 1:1-2 it is written:
"The words of
Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month of
Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace, That
Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain
MEN OF JUDAH;
and I asked them concerning
THE JEWS
that had escaped, which were left of
the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem."
THE ROMANS TAKE THE HOUSE OF JUDAH
INTO WORLDWIDE CAPTIVITY
Following
the destruction of the second Temple (Beit HaMikdash), the Roman
Empire took the Southern Kingdom (house of Judah) captive. From
this captivity, the Southern Kingdom (house of Judah) was
eventually taken captive into every nation of the world. In spite of
this worldwide captivity, the Southern Kingdom (house of Judah)
has never lost their identity of being a nation of people called Jews
from the Southern Kingdom (house of Judah) even unto this day.
WHO ARE JEWS AND WHO ARE ISRAELITES?
The
descendents of Jacob (Ya’acov)/Israel (house of Jacob
consisting of all twelve tribes) are Israelites. The descendents of
Jacob (Ya’acov)/Israel (house of Jacob) were divided into
Northern Kingdom (house of Israel) and Southern Kingdom (house
of Judah). The descendents of the Northern Kingdom (house of
Israel) lost their identity of being a nation of people from the
Northern Kingdom (house of Israel) when they were taken captive
by the nation of Assyria (around 721 BCE) and assimilated into all the
nations of the world. However, the Southern Kingdom (house of Judah)
never lost their identity of being Jews from the Southern Kingdom
(house of Judah) during their worldwide captivity.
In a
strict definition of the literal (peshat) Biblical word Jew, Jews
are descendents from the tribe of Judah. However, in a broader
definition of the literal (peshat) Biblical term Jew, those
tribes from the Southern Kingdom (house of Judah) were also
called Jews in the Biblical books of Ezra and Nehemiah. The Southern
Kingdom (house of Judah) consisted of the tribes of Judah, Levi
and a part of Benjamin.
Meanwhile,
those tribes from the Northern Kingdom (house of Israel) are not
Biblically called Jews because they are not from the Southern Kingdom
(house of Judah). Instead, the Northern Kingdom (house of Israel)
is called Israelites.
Therefore,
ALL Jews (those from the Southern
Kingdom) are Israelites (a subset of all twelve tribes). However, not
all Israelites (those from the Northern Kingdom) are Jews (from the
Southern Kingdom).
THE NORTHERN KINGDOM IS CUT-OFF
FROM THE NATURAL OLIVE TREE
The
judgment of the Northern Kingdom (house of Israel) for forsaking
the Torah/covenant of the G-d of Israel at mount Sinai was that they
would be cut off from the natural olive
tree. Their judgment is given in Hosea (Hoshea) 1. In this
chapter, the G-d of Israel told the prophet Hosea (Hoshea) to
marry a whore named Gomer (Hosea [Hoshea] 1:2-3. The children
born from this marriage would be a prophecy of the future judgment of
the Northern Kingdom (house of Israel). There are three children
born from this marriage who are mentioned in Hosea [Hoshea] 1.
The names of these three children are Jezreel (Hosea [Hoshea]
1:4, Lo-ruhamah Hosea [Hoshea] 1:6 and Lo-ammi
Hosea [Hoshea] 1:9).
Jezreel
is the Strong’s word 3157 in the Hebrew dictionary. The Hebrew word
Jezreel comes from two Hebrew words. These two Hebrew words are
Zarah (2232) and El (410). Zarah means "to sow or
scatter."El is the Hebrew word for G-d. Therefore, the
Hebrew word Jezreel means "G-d will sow or G-d will scatter."
Lo-ruhamah
is the Strong’s word 3819. The Hebrew word Lo-ruhamah comes from
two Hebrew words. These two Hebrew words are Lo (3808) which
means "no or not" and Ruhamah which comes from the
Strong’s word (7355) racham which means "mercy or compassion."
So, the Hebrew word Lo-ruhamah means "no mercy or no
compassion."
Lo-ammi
is the Strong’s word 3818. The Hebrew word Lo-ammi comes from two
Hebrew words. These two Hebrew word are Lo (3808) which means
"no or not" and ammi which comes from the Strong’s word
(5971) am which means "people." So, the Hebrew word
Lo-ammi means "not my people."
The
forefathers of the Northern Kingdom (house of Israel) along with
the Southern Kingdom (house of Judah) were called together the
house of Jacob (Ya’acov). In Exodus (Shemot) 19:3, the
house of Jacob (Ya’acov) entered into a marriage covenant
(Jeremiah [Yermiyahu] 2:1-3) with the G-d of Israel at mount
Sinai. At that time, they became a called out people unto the G-d of
Israel known in Hebrew as a kahal (assembly) and in Greek as an
ekklesia (church). In doing so, the rights of this covenant gave
the house of Jacob (Ya’acov) an eternal inheritance if they were
obedient in keeping the covenant (Exodus [Shemot] 19:5-6).
However, by breaking the terms of the Torah/covenant that the G-d of
Israel made with His people, the G-d of Israel is now telling the
Northern Kingdom (house of Israel) that they are no longer His
people and He will no longer have mercy upon them. In doing so, the G-d
of Israel divorced the Northern Kingdom (house of Israel).
In Jeremiah (Yermiyahu) 3:6, 8 it is written:
"The Lord said
also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen that
which backsliding Israel [house of Israel]
hath done? she is gone up upon every
high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the
HARLOT
… And I saw, when for all the causes
whereby backsliding Israel [house of Israel]
committed
ADULTERY[was
unfaithful to the terms of the Torah/marriage covenant at mount
Sinai] I had put her away, and
given her a bill of
DIVORCE…"
In giving
the Northern Kingdom (house of Israel) a divorce (get),
they lost the inheritance that was rightfully theirs by being a member
of the family (mishpochah) of the G-d of Israel. The G-d of
Israel declared that they would not be His people and that He would have
no mercy upon them. Therefore, they were
cut off (karet) (3772) from the
natural olive tree.
THE HOUSE OF JUDAH
IS AN UNFAITHFUL WIFE TO THE G-D OF ISRAEL
Both the
Northern Kingdom (house of Israel) and the Southern Kingdom
(house of Judah) broke the marriage covenant that the G-d of Israel
made with His called out assembly (kahal/church/ekklesia)
at mount Sinai. In Jeremiah (Yermiyahu) 3:6-8, 10 it is written:
"The Lord said
also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen that
which backsliding Israel [house of Israel]
hath done? she is gone up upon every
high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the
harlot … and her treacherous sister Judah [house of Judah]
saw it. And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding
Israel[house of Israel]
committed adultery I had put her away
and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister
JUDAH
feared not, but went and played the
HARLOT also … and yet for all
this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her
whole heart but in falsehood saith the Lord."
G-D DOES NOT DIVORCE THE HOUSE OF JUDAH
Even
though the Southern Kingdom (house of Judah) broke the
Torah/marriage covenant at mount Sinai along with the Northern Kingdom
(house of Israel), the G-d of Israel proclaimed that the Southern
Kingdom (house of Judah) would be punished for their sins but
that He would not remove His mercy (chesed) from them or divorce
them because of His love for David and the city of Jerusalem
(Yerushalayim). In Psalm (Tehillim) 89:1-3, 28-37 it is
written:
"I will sing of
the MERCIES
of the Lord forever: with my mouth will I make known thy
faithfulness to all generations. For I have said, Mercy shall be
built up forever: thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very
heavens. I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto
David my servant … my
MERCY will I
KEEP
for him forevermore, and
MY COVENANT SHALL STAND
fast with him. His seed also will I
make to endure forever, and his throne as the days of heaven. If his
children forsake my law [Torah],
and walk not in my judgments; If they break my statutes, and keep
not my commandments; Then will I visit their transgression with the
rod, and their iniquity with stripes. Nevertheless my lovingkindness
will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to
fail.My covenant
will I not break, nor alter
the thing that is gone out of my lips. Once I have sworn by my
holiness that I will not lie unto David.
His seed shall endure FOREVER,
and his throne as the sun before me. It shall be established forever
as the moon, and as a faithful witness of heaven. Selah."
THE NORTHERN KINGDOM
IS PROMISED MERCY IF THEY REPENT
The G-d
of Israel is slow to anger, quick to forgive and abundant in mercy. In
Psalm (Tehillim) 103:8-9, 17-18 it is written:
"The Lord is
merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He
will not always chide:
neither will he keep his anger forever …
But
the mercy of the Lord is from
everlasting to everlasting
upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s
children; To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember
his commandments to do them."
In
Jeremiah (Yermiyahu) 3:5, 12-13 it is written:
"Will he reserve
his anger forever? … Go and proclaim these words toward the north,
and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord; and I will
not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for
I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I
will not keep anger forever.
Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that
thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God, and hast scattered
thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not
obeyed my voice, saith the Lord."
The G-d
of Israel promised that if the Northern Kingdom (house of Israel)
would repent that they would again be called His people. In Hosea
(Hoshea) 1:10 it is written:
"Yet the number of
the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot
be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the
place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it
shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God."
THE NORTHERN KINGDOM
BECOMES FUTURE CHRISTIANITY
Once
again, in Hosea (Hoshea) 1, the G-d of Israel proclaimed that the
Northern Kingdom (house of Israel) would not be His people (Lo-Ammi
— Hosea 1:9) and He would have no mercy (Lo-ruhamah — Hosea 1:6)
upon them. But, if they would repent, (teshuvah) (Jeremiah
[Yermiyahu] 3:5, 12-13) they would be called again His people (Hosea
[Hoshea] 1:10). The Apostle (Shaliach) Peter (Kefa)
makes a direct link with those from among the nations who have accepted
Yeshua/Jesus as the Jewish Messiah (Mashiach) with the
prophecy that the G-d of Israel made to the Northern Kingdom (house
of Israel) in Hosea (Hoshea) 1. In I Peter (Kefa)
2:5-6, 9-10 it is written:
"Ye also, as
lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to
offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ
[Yeshua HaMashiach]. Wherefore
also it is contained in the Scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief
corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall
not be confounded [Isaiah 28:16] …
But you are a chosen generation
[Deuteronomy 7:6], a royal
priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people [Exodus
19:5-6] … which in time past were
not a people [Lo-Ammi
— Hosea 1:9] but are now the
people of God [Hosea 1:10]:
which had not obtained mercy
[Lo-ruhamah — Hosea 1:6],
but now have obtained mercy
[through the Jewish Messiah (Mashiach) Yeshua/Jesus who
is of the seed of David (Revelation 5:5)]."
The
Apostle (Shaliach) Paul (Rav Sha’ul) also wrote about how
the G-d of Israel would pour out His mercy upon the Northern Kingdom
(house of Israel) through the Jewish Messiah (Mashiach)
Yeshua/Jesus. In Romans 9:23-26 it is written:
"And that he might
make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy
[those who would accept the Jewish Messiah (Mashiach)
Yeshua/Jesus], which he had afore
prepared unto glory, even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews
only, but also of the
Gentiles[those from
the house of Israel and from the nations who previously assimilated
into Gentile culture]. As he saith
also in Hosea, I will call them my people, which were not my people;
and her beloved, which was not beloved [Hosea 2:23].
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 the children of the living God
[Hosea 1:10]."
THE MESSIAH IS THE AGENT
OF G-D’S MERCY UPON HIS PEOPLE
Even
though both the Northern Kingdom (house of Israel) and the
Southern Kingdom (house of Judah) was an unfaithful wife to the
G-d of Israel, G-d promised MERCY/GRACE
to both houses of Israel if they would repent (teshuvah). In His
judgment upon His people, the G-d of Israel divorced the Northern
Kingdom (house of Israel) but He did not divorce the Southern
Kingdom (house of Judah). Why did the G-d of Israel not divorce
the Southern Kingdom (house of Judah) because of their
unfaithfulness to Him? The reason is because of the G-d of Israel’s love
for David and for the city of Jerusalem (Yerushalayim). In I
Kings (Melachim) 11:34, 36 it is written:
"Howbeit, I will
not take the whole kingdom out of his hand: but I will make him
prince all the days of his life for David my servant’s sake, whom I
chose, because he kept my commandments and my statutes … that David
my servant may have a light always before me in Jerusalem
[Yerushalayim] the city which I
have chosen to put my name there."
The G-d
of Israel promised that He would ALWAYS
have mercy upon the seed of David (Psalm [Tehillim] 89:1-3,
28-37). The Jewish Messiah (Mashiach) was promised to come
through the seed of David. In Isaiah (Yeshayahu) 11:1 it is
written:
"And there shall
come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch
[a term for the Messiah] shall
grow out of his roots."
David was
a man after the G-d of Israel’s heart. In Acts 13:22-23 it is written:
"…he raised up unto them David to be their king;
to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son
of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfill all my
will. Of this man’s seed hath God according to his promise raised
unto Israel a Savior, Jesus
[Yeshua]."
The
Jewish Messiah (Mashiach) Yeshua/Jesus is the root and
offspring of David (Revelation 22:16) and has the key of David
(Revelation 3:7).
The G-d
of Israel did not divorce the Southern Kingdom (house of Judah)
because of His love and mercy for David, the city of Jerusalem
(Yerushalayim), and all those who believe upon the Jewish Messiah
(Mashiach)Yeshua/Jesus for their salvation
(deliverance/redemption).
The G-d
of Israel made provision in the Torah that if a family member of the G-d
of Israel sold his possession or inheritance (which the Northern Kingdom
[house of Israel] did when the G-d of Israel divorced them) that
one of his kin (somebody from the Southern Kingdom [house of Judah]
— the Jewish Messiah [Mashiach]) could redeem a near kinsman
(go’el), which was sold away. In Leviticus (Vayikra) 25:25 it
is written:
"
If
thy brother be waxen poor, and hath sold away some of his possession
[Northern Kingdom (house of Israel) Hosea
1], and if any of
his kin [Southern
Kingdom (house of Judah) through the Jewish Messiah (Mashiach)
Yeshua/Jesus]come
to redeem it, then shall he redeem that which his brother sold."
The
Jewish Messiah (Mashiach)Yeshua/Jesus is the agent of the
G-d of Israel’s mercy upon His people. In Luke 1:54-55, 72-73 it is
written:
"He hath helped
his servant Israel, in remembrance of his
MERCY;
As he spake to our fathers, to
Abraham, and to his seed forever … to perform the
MERCY
promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; the oath
which he swore to our father Abraham"
THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL IS GRAFTED
INTO THE NATURAL OLIVE TREE
The
physical descendents of Abraham (Avraham), Isaac (Yitzchak)
and Jacob (Ya’acov) are the root
and natural branches of the
G-d of Israel’s olive tree. The
physical descendents of Abraham (Avraham), Isaac (Yitzchak)
and Jacob (Ya’acov) who are members of the Southern Kingdom
(house of Judah) will remain as a natural people as long as there is
a sun, moon and stars. In Jeremiah (Yermiyahu) 31:35-36 it is
written:
"Thus saith the
Lord, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of
the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the
sea when the waves thereof roar, The Lord of hosts is his name: If
these ordinances depart from before me, saith the Lord, then the
seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me
forever."
Following
the reign of Solomon (Shlomo), the house of Jacob (Ya’acov)
split into the Northern Kingdom (house of Israel) and the
Southern Kingdom (house of Judah). For being disobedient to the
terms and conditions of the marriage contract (ketubah) made with
the G-d of Israel at mount Sinai, the G-d of Israel divorced the
Northern Kingdom (house of Israel). By repenting of their sins,
the G-d of Israel promised mercy to the divorced Northern Kingdom
(house of Israel). The agent of the mercy of the G-d of Israel is
the Jewish Messiah (Mashiach) from the seed of David and from the
Southern Kingdom (house of Judah). By repenting of their sins and
by putting their faith, trust and confidence (emunah) in the
Jewish Messiah (Mashiach)Yeshua/Jesus for their
salvation, redemption and deliverance, the assimilated Northern Kingdom
(house of Israel) and all people from among the nations are
GRAFTED into the
natural olive tree and become
members of the commonwealth of Israel. In Ephesians 2:11-13 it is
written:
"Wherefore
remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are
called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in
the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ
[Mashiach], being aliens from
the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of
promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: but now in
Christ Jesus[Yeshua HaMashiach]
ye who sometimes were far off are
made nigh by the blood of Christ [Mashiach]."
While the
natural seed from the Southern Kingdom (house of Judah) will
remain a remnant of people as long as there is a sun, moon and stars,
because they have been unfaithful (Jeremiah [Yermiyahu] 3:6-10)
in their marriage covenant (Jeremiah [Yermiyahu] 2:1-3) made with
the G-d of Israel at mount Sinai (Exodus [Shemot] 19), they also
need the mercy that the G-d of Israel promised David through the Jewish
Messiah (Mashiach)Yeshua/Jesus.
When they
accept Yeshua/Jesus as the Jewish Messiah (Mashiach), the
natural branches will be grafted into their own olive tree. The
grafting of the
wild olive branches (those from
the nations not from the Southern Kingdom [house of Judah]) with
the natural root and the
natural branches (those from the
Southern Kingdom [house of Judah]) into
ONE olive tree by accepting
Yeshua/Jesus as the Jewish Messiah (Mashiach) is mentioned by
the Apostle (Shaliach) Paul (Rav Sha’ul) in Romans 11. In
Romans 11:13, 17-19, 24, 26 it is written:
"For I speak to
you Gentiles,
inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles[the
grafted Northern Kingdom/house of Israel]
… and if some of the branches be
broken off, and thou, being a
wild olive tree, wast
grafted
in among them, and with them
partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; Boast not
against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root,
but the root thee. Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off,
that I might be grafted in … For if thou wast cut out of the olive
tree which is wild by nature, and wast grafted contrary to nature
into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the
natural branches
be
grafted
into their
own olive tree? …
And so all Israel [both
the grafted house of Israel (wild branches) and the grafted house of
Judah (natural branches)] shall be
saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer
[kinsman redeemer/go’el], and
shall turn away ungodliness in Jacob [Isaiah 59:20]."
WHO IS THE CHURCH AND WHO IS ISRAEL?
In
today’s world, the term "church" is traditionally identified and
associated with the house of Israel (Christianity) while the term
"Israel" is traditionally identified and associated with the
house of Judah (Jews/Judaism). In this chapter, we learned that the
Biblical "church" was born at
mount Sinai. It consisted of physical natural born descendents of
Abraham (Avraham), Isaac (Yitzchak) and Jacob (Ya’acov)
and a mixed multitude from among the nations who came out of Egypt
(Mitzrayim).
Biblical
Israel is the olive tree of the
G-d of Israel. The physical natural born descendents of Abraham
(Avraham), Isaac (Yitzchak) and Jacob (Ya’acov) will
remain a remnant of people and a part of the redemptive plan of the G-d
of Israel as long as there is a sun, moon and stars. Biblical Israel
consists of the natural root of
Abraham (Avraham), Isaac (Yitzchak) and Jacob (Ya’acov)
and the assimilated Northern
Kingdom (house of Israel) and all people from among the nations
who are grafted into the natural olive tree by repenting (teshuvah)
of their sins and accepting Yeshua/Jesus as the Jewish Messiah
(Mashiach). Those from the Southern Kingdom (house of Judah)
who accept Yeshua/Jesus as Messiah (Mashiach) are natural
branches grafted into their own olive tree. So, Biblical Israel consists
of the physical descendents of Abraham (Avraham), Isaac
(Yitzchak) and Jacob (Ya’acov) and a mixed multitude from
among the nations who are grafted into the natural olive tree.
Therefore, the Biblical terms "church" and "Israel" are
synonymous terms.
The
traditional understanding of the word "church" (associated with
Christianity) has NOT replaced "Israel" (associated with the
traditional understanding as Jews who have not accepted Yeshua/Jesus
as the Jewish Messiah). On the contrary, the non-Jews from among the
nations who have repented (teshuvah) of their sins and have
accepted Yeshua/Jesus as the Jewish Messiah (Mashiach) are
grafted into the natural olive tree. While all Jews (those from
the Southern Kingdom [house of Judah]) are Israelites, not all
Israelites (those from the Northern Kingdom [house of Israel] and
who have been grafted into the natural olive tree from among the
nations) are Jews. Those grafted in from among the nations to the
natural olive tree are Biblical Israelites.
In
conclusion, in order for restoration to come to both the house of
Israel (Christianity) and the house of Judah (Judaism), both
houses of Israel need to recognize who each other are Biblically. The
house of Israel (Christianity) needs to recognize that they have NOT
replaced the natural seed of Abraham (Avraham), Isaac
(Yitzchak) and Jacob (Ya’acov) but have been grafted
into the natural olive tree. The house of Judah (Judaism) needs
to recognize the house of Israel (Christianity) as being
Messianic Israel. Therefore, both houses of Israel need to
understand that they are brethren (Psalm [Tehillim] 133) and
members of the SAME olive tree.
May the G-d of Israel bring redemption, restoration, reconciliation and
unity to both houses of Israel speedily in our days. Amen!
The Northern Kingdom (Ephraim) and the
Southern Kingdom (Judah) differed both politically and religiously. They
have never been united since the split between them following the days
of Solomon. The Northern Kingdom was taken captive by the Assyrians.
Upon their captivity, the Ten Tribes have been assimilated and
intermingled into the nations of the world. The intermarriage of the
Assyrians and the descendents of the Northern Kingdom who lived in the
land of Israel were known as Samaritans. The Jews and the Samaritans
never got along with each other. Joseph being sold by his brothers
foreshadows the dividing of the nation of Israel into Northern Kingdom
and Southern Kingdom. Joseph's unification with His brothers foreshadows
the unification of Ephraim and Judah in the end of days. Ezekiel lying
on his side foreshadows the sin and punishment of the Northern Kingdom.
The suffering of a righteous individual can atone for the sins of the
nation of Israel. The suffering of Ezekiel foreshadows the suffering of
the Messiah for His people. The Ten Tribes did not unite with Judah at
the end of the Babylonian captivity during the days of Ezra and
Nehemiah. Orthodox Jews pray three times a day for the ingathering of
the exiles of Israel. The Ten Tribes will return to the land of Israel
and be united with Judah at the dawn of the Messianic Era. It is the
Messiah who will gather the exiles of Israel.
In order
for full restoration to come to both the house of Judah (Judaism)
and the house of Israel (Christianity), both houses of Israel
need to understand the Biblical terms "church" and "Israel."
In today’s world, the term "church" is traditionally identified
and associated with the house of Israel (Christianity) while the
term "Israel" is traditionally identified and associated with the
house of Judah (Jews/Judaism). 