I have always from
my youth heard about the ten (10) lost tribes and I
have heard some say that they are the gypsies.
However, an unusual
happening in Westminster Abbey in London, England,
has sinced launched me to study the facts. In
November of 1965, while a tour guide was telling us
the history of the coronation chair and the stone
under it which is Jacob's pillar or the stone of
Scone, GOD spoke to me audibly. He said, "THAT'S
TRUTH - THAT'S TRUTH - THAT'S TRUTH", three
times over my left shoulder, in a very loud voice,
which no one else seemed to hear. It felt like all
the hair on my body was standing on end.
This caused me to
ponder, and begin studying what, 'THAT'S TRUTH"
is.
First, I found that
there are thirteen (13) tribes and not twelve (12).
In chapter 48, verse
5 of Genesis, Jacob says, "And now
thy two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, which were born
unto thee in the land of Egypt before I came unto
thee into Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they
shall be mine." Jacob (Israel)
here makes two distinct tribes of Joseph.
In verse 19 and 20,
Jacob prophesies that they shall become great and
sets the younger over the elder. Then in verse 22,
Jacob gives Joseph the double portion blessing making
him the elder brother over all the other brothers and
Ephraim inherits this blessing as elder brother when
Joseph dies. Wherever the tribe of Ephraim is today,
they still are the double portion, elder brother
tribe.
Judah is given the
kingly line of Jesus. Joseph is given the double
portion, elder brother or headship of all the tribes.
From Genesis,
Chapter 48, verse 5, until today, there have always
been thirteen tribes.
Revelation, Chapter
7, starting with verse 5, let us count the tribes.
Verse 5, Judah (1),
Reuben (2), Gad
(3), Aser (4), verse 6, Nepthalim
(5), (Manasses
(6), note a full tribe), verse 7, Simeon
(7), Levi (8), Issachar
(9), verse 8, Zabulon (10),
Joseph, Ephraim the
birthright tribe (11), Benjamin
(12). Who is missing that is the number thirteen
(13)? Dan.
I have heard many
theories but no Scripture, "It is written",
to prove the theory. But Revelation shows that there
are thirteen tribes. I have also found in my study
of, "THAT'S TRUTH", in both the Bible and
secular history, that thirteen tribes were carried
away by the Assyrians and not just ten.
Shalmaneser king of
Assyria, in approximately the year 720 B.C., carried
away captive approximately ten and one half tribes of
the children of Israel because of their rebellion -
never to return.
In 2 Kings 18,
verses 9-12, "And it came to pass in
the fourth year of king Hezekiah, which was the
seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel,
that Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against
Samaria, and besieged it. (10) And
at the end of three years they took it: even in the
sixth year of Hezekiah, that is the ninth year of
Hoshea king of Israel, Samaria was taken.
(11) And the king of Assyria did carry
away Israel unto Assyria, and put them in Halah and
in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of
the Medes: (12) Because
they obeyed not the voice of the LORD their God, but
transgressed his covenant, and all that Moses the
servant of the LORD commanded, and would not hear
them, nor do them."
Who did the
Assyrians carry away? Reuben (1), Gad (2), Aser (3),
Nepthalim (4), Manasses (5), Simeon (6), Issachar
(7), Dan (8), Zabulon (9), Joseph, Ephraim (10), and
approximately half of the tribe of Levi.
Ten years later, in
approximately 710 B.C., there is a new king in
Assyria by the name of Sennacherib. And verse 13 of
Chapter 18 of 2 Kings tells us that he came up
against ALL the fenced cities of Judah and took them.
Who lived in those cities? Judah, Benjamin and the
rest of the tribe of Levi. So, all thirteen tribes
are now carried away captive, not just ten. What is
right? The tradition we have been taught or, "It
is written"? All have been carried away captive,
except the remnant that is left in Jerusalem. What
happens to this remnant of approximately one million
Israelites and why are they left??
One hundred
twenty-five years later, in approximately 585 B.C.,
King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon took Jerusalem and
carried away approximately one million Israelites of
the tribe of Judah, Benjamin and the Levites, the
remnant that was left by the Assyrians to fulfill the
prophesy of Jeremiah in Chapter 25 and verse 12,
"And it shall come to pass, when
seventy years are accomplished, that I will punish
the king of Babylon, and that nation, saith the LORD,
for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans,
and will make it perpetual desolations."
And Jeremiah, Chapter 29, verse 10, "For
thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be
accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform
my good word toward you, in causing you to return to
this place." And in Daniel,
Chapter 9, verse 2, it says, "In the
first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books
the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD
came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would
accomplish seventy years in the desolations of
Jerusalem."
Isaiah prophesies in
Chapter 44, verse 28, approximately two hundred years
before he is born, that Cyrus will be king of Babylon
and will let all who want to of the remnant of Judah,
Benjamin and the Levites, return to Jerusalem. "That
saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform
all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt
be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be
laid."
In 2 Chronicles,
Chapter 36, verse 22 and 23, "Now in
the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word
of the LORD spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah might be
accomplished, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus
king of Persia, that he made a proclamation
throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in
writing, saying, (23) Thus
saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the
earth hath the LORD God of heaven given me; and he
hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem,
which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his
people? The LORD his God be with him, and let him go
up."
Also, in Ezra,
Chapter 1, verse 1-3, "Now in the
first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of
the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled,
the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of
Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all
his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,
(2) Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The
LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of
the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an
house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.
(3) Who is there among you of all his
people? his God be with him, and let him go up to
Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of
the LORD God of Israel, (he is the God,) which is in
Jerusalem."
Why, when the
remnant of Judah, Benjamin and the Levites were told
by King Cyrus that they could return to Jerusalem,
didn't they go? Because they were satisfied in
captivity.
A remnant had to
return and bring the records of the genealogies so
they would be in the temple when Jesus was born.
Micah had prophesied seven hundred years before the
birth of Jesus that He would be born in Bethlehem.
And He was. Micah Chapter 5, verse 2, "But
thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among
the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall He come
forth unto ME that is to be ruler in Israel; whose
goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting."
In 70 A.D. these records were forever destroyed. By
Scripture, we have followed a remnant to Babylon and
back to Jerusalem and the birth of Jesus.
What has happened to
the main body of the thirteen tribes? In another
issue of Voices From His Excellent Glory, we will
ponder this thought and see if history can solve this
so called mystery of what happened to the house of
Israel (Jacob).
See other "Notebook" articles.
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