© 2007 Fergus O’Donoghue
“The reason why it is so important to know what happened to the ten northern tribes of Israel is that they foreshadow the lost sheep of Israel. Jesus Christ came to seek and return these to the restored kingdom, thereby fulfilling the prophesy of the throne of David.”
There is some confusion surrounding the tribes of Israel, and whether or not 10 of them were lost. Some believe these tribes (temporarily) disappeared after the Kingdom of Israel was destroyed, and that these were exiled by the Assyrians. Judaist doctrine holds to a continued hidden existence and future return of these people. Generally, when people refer to these lost tribes, they are speaking about the ten tribes who rebelled against King David’s line and became the Northern kingdom of Israel.
Are these lost? The apostle James did not believe that any of the twelve tribes were lost, and even addressed them in his epistle:
James 1:1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.
James was greeting the saints of his day in the first century; the spiritual seed of Abraham, and he addresses them as ‘the twelve tribes’.
Toward the end of his reign, king Solomon fell into idolatry, and God prophesied the division of Israel’s Kingdom as judgment for this (1 Kings 11:10-12). Solomon’s son Rehoboam succeeded him as king, but as prophesied, the kingdom split under Rehoboam and became two separate kingdoms.
One of these was the kingdom of Judah which comprised; Judah, Simeon and Benjamin together with the Aaronite kohanim, Levites and Nethinim who lived amongst them.
The other was the northern kingdom of Israel, made up of 10 tribes; Asher, Reuben, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Issachar, Zebulun, Ephraim, both divisions of Manasseh, and the remainder of the Levites.
1st Kings 12:20-21 And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was come again, that they sent and called him unto the congregation, and made him king over all Israel: there was none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only. And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah, with the tribe of Benjamin, an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, which were warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam the son of Solomon.
The remaining ten tribes set up the Northern kingdom ‘Israel’, with Jeroboam as king, though he too fell into idolatry, therefore many left to return to Rehoboam’s Southern kingdom, which was the original lawful house of David. A careful examination of the scriptures reveals what happened to these people who defected from the Northern Kingdom and returned to the house of David, contrary to the claim that these are lost.
2 Chronicles 11:14-17 For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing the priest’s office unto the LORD: And he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made. And after them out of all the tribes of Israel such as set their hearts to seek the LORD God of Israel came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice unto the LORD God of their fathers. So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong, three years: for three years they walked in the way of David and Solomon.
According to this passage, a remnant out of all the tribes of Israel returned to the house of David from Israel. When King Asa (Rehoboam’s grandson) began to reign over the Southern kingdom, he put an end to idolatry in the land, and a remnant out of the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon returned to the house of David.
2 Chronicles 15:9-10 And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and the strangers with them out of Ephraim and Manasseh, and out of Simeon: for they fell to him out of Israel in abundance, when they saw that the LORD his God was with him. So they gathered themselves together at Jerusalem in the third month, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa.
Clearly, a remnant from Israel was returning to the House of David and the Southern kingdom. Meanwhile, Israel’s continuing idolatry (which began with Jeroboam) caused them to be cut them off from God, and they were cast out of His sight.
2 Kings 17:22-23 For the children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they departed not from them; Until the LORD removed Israel out of his sight, as he had said by all his servants the prophets. So was Israel carried away out of their own land to Assyria unto this day.
King Shalmaneser of Assyria invaded the Northern kingdom of Israel and exiled the inhabitants, dispersing them into the surrounding regions of Halah ,Habor, and the cities of the Medes. However, under a proclamation from King Hezekiah, a remnant of these returned to Judah.
2 Chronicles 30:6 So the posts went with the letters from the king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying, Ye children of Israel, turn again unto the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and he will return to the remnant of you, that are escaped out of the hand of the kings of Assyria.
2nd Chronicles 30:10 So the posts passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh even unto Zebulun: but they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them. Nevertheless divers of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem.
According to scripture, although the Northern tribes were dispersed, they are perfectly accounted for in the remnant that returned to the house of David. The idolatrous members of the tribes were assimilated into the surrounding nations, where they remain to this day (2 Kings 17:23). As prophesied, the remnant was restored to Judah, as God had never intended for the idolatrous element to return.
This can be further verified in 2 Chronicles chapter 34:
2 Chronicles 34:5-7 And he burnt the bones of the priests upon their altars, and cleansed Judah and Jerusalem. And so did he in the cities of Manasseh, and Ephraim, and Simeon, even unto Naphtali, with their mattocks round about. And when he had broken down the altars and the groves, and had beaten the graven images into powder, and cut down all the idols throughout all the land of Israel, he returned to Jerusalem.
2 Chronicles 34:9 And when they came to Hilkiah the high priest, they delivered the money that was brought into the house of God, which the Levites that kept the doors had gathered of the hand of Manasseh and Ephraim, and of all the remnant of Israel, and of all Judah and Benjamin; and they returned to Jerusalem.
These passages further confirm that the Northern tribes are perfectly accounted for in God’s Word. The idolatrous element was cut off, but a remnant returned. This principle wasn’t exclusive to Israel. Over a century later, Judah also transgressed the laws of God and faced judgment in the form of captivity under King Nebuchadnezzar. During this time, the temple was destroyed and Judah was subjugated until 539 B.C, at which time Babylon fell to King Cyrus (of Medes and Persia). Cyrus made a proclamation which alowed a remnant of exiles from both Judah and Israel to return to Jerusalem (Ezra 1:5). This remnant from both the house of Israel and the house of David (Judah) were now one people again. It was never God’s plan to divide His people into two groups. It was always His plan to remove the idolatrous element from each tribe, and that those remaining would be one people. Note that in Ezra Chapter 7, king Artaxerxes makes a decree that every person in Israel was free to return to Jerusalem if they so wished:
Ezra 7:12-14 Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace, and at such a time. I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and of his priests and Levites, in my realm, which are minded of their own freewill to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee. Forasmuch as thou art sent of the king, and of his seven counsellors, to enquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of thy God which is in thine hand;
The decree clearly states that “all they of the people of Israel” were free to return to Jerusalem, so there can be no argument that anyone from Israel was excluded. The only way one can claim that the tribes are still lost, is to believe that the idolatrous element which was ‘cut off’ from God and assimilated into other nations were lost, but will one day return. However, this does not mean that the tribes are lost, but rather that some within the tribes were lost, as the remnant are perfectly accounted for in scripture.
The only remaining question, is whether or not one believes that those who were cut off will one day return, though this idea is inconsistent with the theme within scripture, which clearly demonstrates the principle of refinement through the preservation of a remnant throughout. Since Ezra returned to Jerusalem to establish the law in 458 BC, there is no longer any recorded distinction in scripture between Israel and Judah, since the combined remnant makes up the entire people of God. This remnant comprised the faithful from out of all the tribes:
Ezra 7:7 And there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, unto Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king. Scripture reveals that the northern Kingdom was still identified with the southern Kingdom, even during the time of separation:
2nd Chronicles 11:16 And after them out of all the tribes of Israel such as set their hearts to seek the LORD God of Israel came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice unto the LORD God of their fathers.
The faithful Israelites were identified with the faithful from the house of David, and scripture records that the God fearing kings from the southern Kingdom like Asa, Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah, and Josiah spoke about the twelve tribes and offered up sacrifices on behalf of them all:
2nd Chronicles 21:2 And he had brethren the sons of Jehoshaphat, Azariah, and Jehiel, and Zechariah, and Azariah, and Michael, and Shephatiah: all these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel.
Ezekiel 37:16-17 Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions: And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand.
This prophecy in Ezekiel states that Judah and Israel would become joined as one again.
Jeremiah 50:4-6 In those days, and in that time, saith the LORD, the children of Israel shall come, they and the children of Judah together, going and weeping: they shall go, and seek the LORD their God. They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward, saying, Come, and let us join ourselves to the LORD in a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten. My people hath been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains: they have gone from mountain to hill, they have forgotten their resting place.
This prophecy in Jeremiah shows both Israel and Judah returning as lost sheep to the fold. and refers to the perpetual covenant which was fulfilled in Christ. Both Houses were restored, therefore those that contend that Judah alone was restored are in error. All of the tribes of Israel are represented here. The Remnant as prophesied, rather than the whole body, as Ezra also illustrates:
Ezra 6:17: And offered at the dedication of this house of God an hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin offering for all Israel, twelve he goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.
Ezra 8:35: Also the children of those that had been carried away, which were come out of the captivity, offered burnt offerings unto the God of Israel, twelve bullocks for all Israel, ninety and six rams, seventy and seven lambs, twelve he goats for a sin offering: all this was a burnt offering unto the LORD.
Rather than for a divided Israel, sacrifice was offered for the entirety of Israel who were present. Twelve bullocks; one for each tribe of the ‘children of those that had been carried away’ and come out of captivity. Following the Babylonian captivity, the terms ‘Jew’ and ‘Israelite’ are used in scripture synonymously. This was a shadow of Christ’s coming; to deliver Israel from bondage and captivity; to seek and to gather the lost sheep of the House of Israel. The ‘type’ prefigured the ‘true’ which was to Come.
The reason why it is so important to know what happened to the ten northern tribes of Israel is that they foreshadow the lost sheep of Israel. When Jesus Christ (the greater Cyrus) would come, He would seek and return them to the restored kingdom, thereby fulfilling the prophesy of the throne of David.
Acts 1:6: When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
The Apostles were asking Jesus when Israel would become a restored Kingdom once again. Jesus had promised the 12 Apostles that they would sit judging the 12 tribes of Israel in the regeneration, which could hardly happen if the 12 tribes were lost or unaccounted for.
Matthew 19:28: And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which 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, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Jesus is declaring that when He sits to rule on the throne of His Glory, the apostles would also sit as Kings and priests unto God to rule. And Christ clearly identifies the time of His sitting to rule in His Glory as, “in the regeneration.”
When is the regeneration where Christ reigns in His Glory?
Titus 3:5: Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he Saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
John 17:4-5: I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
1st Corinthians 15:25: For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
The Greek word for regeneration is [paliggenesia] from the root words [palin] meaning ‘again’ or ‘repeat’, and [genesis] meaning a ‘birth’ or ‘nativity’. In other words, to be born again. A spiritual birth where a believer is renewed by the Holy ghost. This is when the apostles would reign as they sit on thrones to rule Israel. It is in the regeneration (after being born again from the dead). At this time, the apostles became kings and Priests unto God, to sit and rule with Him when they were raised up with Christ by the Holy Ghost.
Ephesians 2:6: And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
When the apostles were regenerated, they were raised up in Christ to sit and rule with Him on His throne in heaven. When Jesus Christ ascended to the throne of David to rule the kingdom, He fulfilled the prophesy of the restoration of the Kingdom of David, and of Christ sitting on the throne of Glory.
Acts 2:29-31: Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
The Prophesy was not referring to an earthly reign on the throne of David, but of the resurrection of Christ to sit in on His throne in heaven, with the apostles raised up to sit and rule in heavenly with Him; the gathering of the remnant of the tribes of Israel. The Old Testament restoration of the twelve tribes to the land of their fathers was the ‘type’ fulfilled by Jesus (the Greater Cyrus). The Restoration of the Kingdom of God of which the Apostles inquired, was accomplished in Christ; the seed of David who reconciles all to God in one body (one Israel). This was accomplished by His death, resurrection, and ascension to the throne. This means that the twelve sit, and reign with Christ. The anti-type of the type clarifies other verses in scripture:
Matthew 15:24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
This is clear reference to the fulfilment of the Messiah to restore the Kingdom of Israel. Not in a geographical Israel, but in the seed of Abrahan; Spiritual Israel, lost through captivity and exile, as prefigured by the Northern tribes; Though some are ‘cut off’, a remnant returns. Another prophetic reference is uttered by the angel speaking to Mary of Christ’s purpose and His reign:
Luke 1:31-33: And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
Acts 2 makes reference to the prophesy that speaks of the resurrection of Christ to sit on the throne of David, which cannot be a literal 1000 year earthly reign, but rather is a reign forever over the house of Jacob. This is clearly a reign in the regeneration, in Glory, on the throne of God; the only kingdom ‘of which there shall be no end’. This is the fulfilment of the prophecy. It is important to gain understanding of who the 12 tribes were, how some were cut off, and some returned (a remnant only), how the Temple is built again, and how the nation is restored as one, we will not understand the anti-type in Christ where the lost sheep of the house of Israel (a remnant only) return, the Temple is rebuilt, and the Kingdom is restored.
The lost of Israel had to be delivered from bondage and restored. According to biblical prophecy, the return of the lost tribes of Israel signals the coming of the Messianic Kingdom. When Christ came, he restored Israel by freeing the captive from spiritual Babylon, bringing the lost sheep of Israel home. For this anti-type to occur (Matthew 12:29), the type had to have occurred previously (Jeremiah 50:4-6):
Matthew 15:24-28: But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs. And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.
The lost sheep of the house of Israel were those spiritually separated from God, rather than a people who were unaccounted for. Christ has come to restore the Kingdom to the lost sheep of Israel; his lost people. The New Covenant was promised to Israel and Judah (Jeremiah 31:31-34), and when Christ established the New Covenant, He fulfilled that promise. Jesus Christ came into the world to redeem Israel and bring the restoration of the Kingdom, which He fulfilled on the cross.
Matthew 10:5-7: These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Luke 1:68-69: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David
The Apostle Paul referred to a united 12 tribes in the present, when he spoke about the promise of Christ:
Acts 26:6-7: And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers: Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope’s sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.
Paul is referring to Israel, without any suggestion of a lost tribe. He himself is of the tribe Benjamin (clearly not lost), Aser is one of the 12 tribes mentioned in the 7th chapter of Revelation (also not lost), and in Revelation chapter 17 God names the tribe of Levi as one of the 12 tribes sealed of God. This tribe is not lost either according to the following scripture:
Acts 4:36: And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus
Following the restoration of the dispersed from captivity we find the terms ‘Jew’ and ‘Israel,’ are conversant. which Paul demonstrated during his own ministry; calling himself a Jew in Acts 21:39 and 22:3, an Israelite in Romans 11:1, and a Hebrew in Philippians 3:5.
Acts 21:39 But Paul said, I am a man which am a Jew of Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: and, I beseech thee, suffer me to speak unto the people.
Acts 22:3 I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.
Rom 11:1 I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
Philippians 3:5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
There is no distinction between Jews and Israel. The unconditional promises made to Israel have been fulfilled in Abraham’s Seed:
Galatians 3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
Those who are in Christ are the blood-bought Israel of God, and these are those who constitute God’s elect who were lost, but are now found.
Ephesians 4:8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
