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Brit-Am Now no. 1794.
Contents:
1. New Article.
THE PROPHETIC FUTURE OF ISRAEL Part Four
by Alexander Zephyr (final article in this series).
2. John: A Possible Reference in Daniel to the Ten Tribes.
3. The Situation.
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1. New Article.
THE PROPHETIC FUTURE OF ISRAEL
Part Four
by Alexander Zephyr (final article in this series).
http://www.britam.org/AIzephyr4.html
Extract:
In the Messianic Era the Israelites under the leadership of their King, the Messiah, son of David, will become 'a Covenant for the Gentiles', and bring God's salvation to the World.
'This is what the LORD Almighty says: "In those days ten men from all languages and nations will take firm hold of one Jew by the hem of his robe and say, 'Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you.' (Zechariah 8:23).
2. John: A Possible Reference in Daniel to the Ten Tribes.
From: "Globetrotter" <globetrotter@firenet.ws>
Re: BARS-13
Brit-Am Research Sources.
#7. Midrash: The Ten Tribes were taken as one group to specific areas whereas the Jews of Judah were scattered all over.
http://www.britam.org/BARS/BARS-13.html#7
Hi again Yair
My first point is that in Isa 11:12 there is a clear dichotomy of terminology in the text between the "outcasts" (i.e. those 'cast out') of Israel and the "dispersed" of Judah (KJV, NKJV).
In this verse "dispersed" is from the Hebrew 'naphats', which the Septuagint (LXX) renders as 'diaspeiro' -- from which we get the term 'Diaspora'. Interestingly the LXX also uses 'diaspeiro' in reference to Gen 9:19 (also Heb. 'naphats') when the nations deriving from Shem, Ham and Japheth were divided and dispersed all over the world after Babel. This is variously translated as "overspread" (KJV, JPS, IAV) and "populated" (CJB, NKJV, NASB). Thus the concept is that of 'enforced scattering' rather than 'cutting off'. In the latter context the Brenton translation of the LXX renders "outcasts" as "lost ones" (Gk. 'apollumi'). It is the only place in the LXX where this Greek word is used.
However the same word 'apollumi' is used in the NT a number of times. Strong's dictionary gives its meaning as 'to destroy fully (reflexively to perish, or lose), literally or figuratively: - destroy, die, lose, mar, perish.' The following are some references from the book of Matthew (cf. Matt 3:13, 9:17, 10:6, 10:39, 42; 15:24 and 18:11,14). Note especially the wording in Matt 10:6, 15:24 and 18:11 concerning 'lost Israel'.
Now that is a very different concept from 'dispersal' or 'scattering' (Diaspora). It denotes 'cutting off' or 'losing'. And when we go back into history we find that in the case of the northern kingdom Israel God "removed them from His sight; there was none left but the tribe of Judah alone" i.e. the later was still visible in His sight and not 'out of sight' or 'lost'. Thus "the Lord rejected all the descendants of Israel..., and delivered them into the hand of plunderers, until He had cast them from His sight." (2 Ki 17:19-20, NKJV).
While the Jews later suffered a similar fate c. 600BC they were not 'lost'. They returned to Judea until finally scattered in the Diaspora after 70 AD - but they remained 'visible' in God's (and the nations') sight even to this day -- as distinct from the ten tribes who became 'invisible' i.e. no longer associated with Him as His people.
Following on from this passage in Isaiah, I've never read of Daniel being cited as having any relevance to the 'Lost Israel' debate. I've read the book many times, and like anyone can cursorily 'read over' Scripture - concentrating on what is generally perceived as the 'main subject matter' - particularly in the case of Daniel.
However, let us focus on Dan 9:7 (NKJV): "O Lord, righteousness belongs to You, but to us shame of face, as it is this day--to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, those near and those far off in all the countries to which You have driven them, because of the unfaithfulness which they have committed against You."
Here we have Daniel, around 538 BC, now an even wiser old man, just after the fall of Babylon and approximately 200 years after the captivity of the northern tribes, praying/writing of three elements: a) the men of JUDAH b) the inhabitants of Jerusalem and c) ALL Israel. This is the FIRST category subdivision he makes. He then makes a SECOND subdivision into 1) "those NEAR" (i.e. in Babylon/Persia - Jerusalem was yet a demolition site, the ink not yet dry on Cyrus' decree) - and 2) "those FAR OFF in ALL THE COUNTRIES to which YOU HAVE DRIVEN THEM". Now God had not "driven" Judah to "all the countries" at that time -- they were taken captive as a nation to Babylon (cf. Jer 25:11-12; Ezek 1:1) -- and only began to spread out (and/or return to Judah) under the Persians after release from captivity.
So Daniel's prayer cannot just refer to his fellow Jewish countrymen -- he is talking about an earlier 'driving' i.e. of the 10 tribes and the earlier migrations from Egypt etc. Moreover the 'driving' does not necessarily mean under a metaphorical 'whip' (as into Assyrian or Babylonian captivity), but could refer to 'driven by events' e.g. voyages, changing weather patterns, exploration, voluntary migration -- as with the Danite/Phoenician alliance, the voyages in Solomon's day, the establishment of Judaic Troy under Darda, the coming of Brutus to Britain etc. Clearly Daniel in his prayer has in mind different historical waves of voluntary/involuntary migrations of all 12 tribes, and in particular the 'other tribes'.
The term "ALL Israel" is repeated in v.11. The CJB translates this verse: "all Isra'el flouted your Torah and turned away". In verses 15, 16 and 19 Daniel prays to God of "Your people". But who, in Daniel's mind, are 'Your people"? They are those brought "out of the land of Egypt" (v.15); "a reproach to all those around" (v.16) and "called by Your name" (v.19). In other words, all twelve tribes of Israel (cf. Ex 32:11; Neh 9:32). Indeed, all Israel had 'flouted the Torah'.
Then, by contrast, beginning with the archangel Gabriel's announcement of the 70 weeks' prophecy (vv. 24-27), the terminology changes to "your people", i.e. without capitalisation of 'Your' (v.24, see also Dan 10:14; 11:14; 12:1). In this case "your people" are not God's chosen nation Israel, but Daniel's own people (tribe), and in the context of these passages more specifically, the Jews.
My long-time and growing experience of Scripture is that ruach ha-kodesh never wastes words, and, just as in peeling an onion, there are often layers beneath full of equally nutritious, equally pungent material. Eyes sometimes misty and unclear, it just takes a little more perseverance!
Shalom
John
3. The Situation.
The Ten Tribes are mainly amongst Western Peoples. Not everyone in those areas is of Israelite Descent.
We cannot know for sure who is and who is not. We can only point to the fact that is where the Ten Tribes are to be found.
The Lands they live in are also Ten Tribes Lands. They give expression to the destiny of individual Israelite Tribes.
They have corresponding responsibilities.
This is the message that needs to be spread and internalized.
What should be done in continuation will be an outcome of how this message is received.
Below is an excerpt from the Prayer of King Solomon after the building of the Temple had been completed:
36 'When they sin against You (for there is no one who does not sin), and You become angry with them and deliver them to the enemy, and they take them captive to a land far or near; 37 yet when they come to themselves in the land where they were carried captive, and repent, and make supplication to You in the land of their captivity, saying, 'We have sinned, we have done wrong, and have committed wickedness'; 38 and when they return to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, where they have been carried captive, and pray toward their land which You gave to their fathers, the city which You have chosen, and toward the temple which I have built for Your name: 39 then hear from heaven Your dwelling place their prayer and their supplications, and maintain their cause, and forgive Your people who have sinned against You [2-Chronicles 6:36].
The Ten Tribes are still in their Places of Captivity.
We all need to return to the ALMIGHTY and to the Bible and HE will answer us.
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