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From: Ephraim & Rimona Frank
To: heb_roots_chr@hebroots.org
Subject:Judah and Jerusalem - In the End of Days - and the Ten Lost Tribes

Judah and Jerusalem - In the End of Days - and the Ten Lost Tribes

Shalom Fellow Israelite,

There seems to be a lot of stirring in the camps of the tribes of Israel these days; a stirring that may be even comparable to the time in the wilderness, when our forefathers looked up and saw that the cloud had lifted and was beginning to move away from their comfortable campground. Many a heart is beginning to respond to the deep workings of the Spirit of YHWH, as He moves through the camps, or nations, of the scattered seed of the Lost Ten Tribes of Israel. TV and radio programs, books, seminars, sermons, conferences, internet sites, and everyday conversations are beginning to be filled with talk about Jerusalem, the Land of Israel, the Jews, Hebrew roots, the Ten Lost Tribes and the two sticks or houses of Israel (Yehuda and Ephraim).

In recent days I have been getting letters from people asking me about the Two Houses, and how to define them in today's world and terminology. Some, who are involved in the Messianic movement, view the Messianic Jews and the Gentile Christians who understand their Hebrew roots, as Yehuda and Ephraim. Some believe that only the Jews make up the Two Houses. Others believe that the Church, which is made up of Jewish believers and Gentile believers in Yeshua (the latter having replaced the natural house of Yoseph or Ephraim), is the 'new' Israel, the 'one new man'. Then there are those who deem that all the Jews are Yehuda, and all the Christians are Ephraim, or that all the Gentiles are Ephraim. Then there are those who have a firm belief as to their own Israelite identity, and are wondering how soon the doors will open for them to come home.

Ever since meeting Orthodox Jews who are cognizant of this Two House phenomenon, I feel that YHWH has been helping me answer some of these enquiries. In light of this, I have had to conclude that the 'Messianics', from both sides of the family, do not make up the entire Two Houses (that is not to say that they are not included in them). The Two Houses have been around longer than Messianism, therefore we must take a closer look at the Tanach along with history. As I mentioned in last week's letter, the heavens and the earth are bearing testimony to these two sticks. This phenomenon may be of much greater dimensions than what we had conjectured thus far. Yehuda is a nation at this time, and one of the sticks. If we are to define the House of Yehuda in another way, being, for example, made up exclusively of Messianic Jews, what do we do with the present day Jewish nation? Conversely, if the Ten Lost Tribes are a company of Gentile nations (even without knowing who they are), how can we attribute this identity only to the born-again Christians?

These and other questions are arising as we face a very uncertain future here in the land. Today's brutal murder of two Jewish teenagers only highlights the growing tensions caused by the gathering forces of the nations surrounding Yehuda and Yerushalayim. The capture of a fishing boat, loaded with very potent weapons provided by terror organizations via Syria and Lebanon, again points out that scriptures are being fulfilled right before our very eyes. This is why we must define Yehuda's identity accurately at this time, as well as Ephraim's. If we think that Yehuda is anything other than this nation over here in the Middle East, we will be prevented from seeing biblical prophecy unfold, and will be also confused about the identity of the Ten Lost Tribes. This will leave us in a state of perplexity as to each party's role during these prophetic days of "Yehuda and Yerushalayim".

Yoel and Zechariah speak of the days of "Yehuda and Yerushalayim". "For behold, in those days and at that time, when I bring back the captives of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also gather all nations, and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; and I will enter into judgment with them there on account of My people, My heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations; they have also divided up My land" (Joel 3:1-2).  "Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it" (Zech. 12:2-3).

As far as which tribes make up Yehuda and Yerushalayim, from a scriptural viewpoint it would be safe to say that it is Yehuda and Binyamin, while in the context of "Yeruahalayim" there are also the Houses of David, Nathan, Levi and Shimei the Benjaminite (the latter was a relative of Saul and the one who cursed David; Mordecai the Jew in the story of Esther was his descendent). These are the main components that make up the citizenry of the House of Yehuda. However, as Ezekiel 37 points out, Yehuda also had companions from the other tribes. These companions form a small remnant from the house of Yoseph who had lost their identity, as it were, within the nation of Yehuda

In the days of the latter rain YHWH says that He will "visit His flock, the house of Judah, and will make them as His royal horse in the battle. From him comes the cornerstone, from him the tent peg, from him the battle bow, from him every ruler together. They shall be like mighty men, who tread down their enemies in the mire of the streets in the battle. They shall fight because YHWH is with them, and the riders on horses shall be put to shame" (Zech 10:3-5). It was out of the Holocaust that the nation of Yehuda was birthed. Their return to the land of promise, the battles that they miraculously won and the enemies that they still face each and every day, have made them like a mighty horse in battle. They have stretched the tent begs, or the boundaries of their territory, not because they had set out to do so, but because, like Yehoshua (Joshua) the enemy forced them to pursue this course of action. This fact is seen very clearly, as the surrounding nations with their representatives in what is called the Palestinian people, refuse to make peace with Yehuda. The latter group (the 'Palestinians') was offered almost everything it had demanded, but it was still not good enough, because only everything in its full entirety is what they are after. One of Syria's elder statesmen expressed it well, when he said a couple of days ago: "When I see a Jew before me, I kill him. If every Arab would kill a Jew it would bring an end to the Jews". A former right wing Knesset Member said yesterday that Yasser Arafat is planning a holocaust for the Jews.

Zechariah continues, and lets us know what will be happening to the House of Yoseph during these latter day rains spoken of in Zech 10:1. "I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph. I will bring them back, because I have mercy on them. They shall be as though I had not cast them aside; for I am YHWH their God, and I will hear them. Those of Ephraim shall be like a mighty man, and their heart shall rejoice as if with wine. Yes, their children shall see it and be glad; their heart shall rejoice in YHWH. I will whistle for them and gather them, for I will redeem them; and they shall increase as they once increased. I will sow them among the peoples, and they shall remember Me in far countries; they shall live, together with their children, and they shall return" (Zech 10:6-9).

The prophet Ezekiel describes the whole House of Israel as lifeless dry bones, entombed in graves of non-existence, but when the Spirit of resurrection blows on them they stand on their feet and become a mighty Army. This Army shows up on the scene of history during the time when Yehuda and Yerushalayim are surrounded by a host of enemy nations.

As mentioned above: Is the cloud lifting and are our hearts being stirred to arise from the valley of the dead dry bones and be recognized again as the House that will burn like a flame? For: "The house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame" (Obadiah 1:18).

"Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, You who lead Joseph like a flock; You who dwell between the cherubim, shine forth! Before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, Stir up Your strength, and come and save us! Restore us, O Elohim; cause Your face to shine, and we shall be saved!" (Ps. 80:1-3)

Shabbat Shalom

Shevet Achim

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