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The Found Tribes of Israel
One of the most common mistakes made about Biblical history is the
supposedly lost tribes of Israel. We know God divided the
descendants of Jacob into 13 different tribes: Reuben, Simeon,
Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun,
Benjamin, Ephraim and Manasseh. The last two were the double
portion granted to Joseph.
Rehoboam’s folly caused the kingdom
to be divided. Only Benjamin and Levi stayed with Judah; the rest
formed the northern kingdom of Israel. Years later, because of
idolatry and sin, Israel was taken captive by the Assyrians. At
that time, Judah was delivered because Hezekiah turned to God.
While Israel was in Assyrian captivity,
Babylon became the ruling power. Babylon conquered Assyria and
eventually conquered Judah taking her captive and dispersing most
of the Judeans among the Babylonian lands.
About 70 years after the Babylonian
captivity began, Cyrus, king of the Medo-Persians conquered
Babylon and allowed the Jews to return home. But which Jews? Did
this only apply to the Judeans? That is how most people view it.
The 10 tribes taken captive by the Assyrians are simply viewed as
lost.
However, those tribes are found in Luke
2:36. Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, did not depart from
the temple. She praised God when Jesus was brought there for
purification and went about telling everyone of the redemption of
Jerusalem. Did you notice her tribe? She was not of Benjamin,
Judah or Levi. She was of the tribe of Asher, one of the
supposedly lost tribes.
Don’t misunderstand. I have no doubt
over the years of Assyrian captivity, many of the Israelites
blended in with their captive nation and lost their identity as
Israelites. But clearly the tribes were not lost. They were
restored as God promised.
The fact is, the prophets are filled
with passages that Israel would also be restored along with Judah.
That is, when Cyrus released the Jews, he released them all
whether their captivity originated with Babylon or Assyria.
Consider just a few prophecies.
Isaiah
11:12 promised God would assemble banished Israel and
gather the dispersed of Judah. Jeremiah
3:18 promised Judah and Israel would be joined and walk
again in the land of their heritage. In Ezekiel
37:15-23, God used the picture of a broken stick brought
back together to discuss the restoration of the kingdom. Part of
it represented Judah, the other part Israel. There are many other
passages in addition to these.
The fact is there were no lost tribes of Israel. God
restored all of His people. God keeps His promises and in Luke
2:36 we see that truth.
Edwin L. Crozier
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