TWO ISRAELS Exist Today

[Davy]

There exists TWO Israels today per God's Word. One of them simply is not known by the majority as God's Israel, and dwells safely as the Western Christian Nations and its ally Christian nations in the world. This is not about what Apostle Paul was saying in Romans 9 that, "For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel;" (Rom.9:6). Paul was speaking of 'spiritual' Israel, all those who believe on Lord Jesus Christ regardless of the flesh, as spiritual Israel. I'm not talking about that.

This matter of TWO Israels is strictly about the actual Israelite 'seed'.

In Ezekiel 37, God gave a prophecy about the end when Jesus comes using those two symbolic sticks He told Ezekiel to hold up to the children of Israel that were captive north of Babylon (i.e., the ten tribes; See Ezekiel 37:15-26).

On one symbolic 'stick', God told Ezekiel to write, "For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions". On the other symbolic 'stick' God told Ezekiel to write, "For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions."

Then God said there that He is going to in final join both sticks back together, and they would no more be "two nations", and specific events are associated with it that shows that joining back into one nation will only occur at Jesus' 2nd coming.

Ezek 37:21-26
21 And say unto them, "Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land:

22 And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all:

23 Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be My people, and I will be their God.

24 And David My servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in My judgments, and observe My statutes, and do them.

25 And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob My servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children's children for ever: and My servant David shall be their prince for ever.

26 Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set My sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore.
KJV

It should be very obvious the above has not happened yet today. King David is not there upon a throne in Jerusalem today, nor is any Israelite king of the house of David sitting upon a throne there in Jerusalem today. But there will be, when Lord Jesus returns. Jesus is that "one shepherd", and He is 'King of kings, and Lord of lords'.

How can there exist TWO Israels then?

This topic I have tried many times to get through to many of my Christian brethren about. All that is required is to do some reading starting at 1 Kings 11 forward thru 2 Kings 17. And then study the Book of Hosea which was specifically written to the northern ten tribe "kingdom of Israel" that God scattered out of the holy land first.

 

[markalan]

On one symbolic 'stick', God told Ezekiel to write, "For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions". On the other symbolic 'stick' God told Ezekiel to write, "For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions."

Then God said there that He is going to in final join both sticks back together, and they would no more be "two nations", and specific events are associated with it that shows that joining back into one nation will only occur at Jesus' 2nd coming.

I am pretty sure we are not supposed to tell God when we think things should happen. Taking Israel out of Egypt and into the Promised Land did not happen overnight - it took many stages over many decades to get there and settle the land. Israel today is one nation ... and we await Jesus' second coming.

 

[Jay Ross]

Ezek 37:21-26
21 And say unto them, "Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land:

22 And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all:

23 Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be My people, and I will be their God.

A more accurate contextual paraphrasing of these three verses is: -

Ezekiel 37:21-23: - 21 "Then say to them, 'Thus says the Lord God: "Surely I will take the children of Israel from among the nations, wherever they have gone, and will gather them from every side and bring them into their own fertile field/soil; 22 and I will make them one nation on the earth, on the religion of Israel; and one king shall be king over them all; they shall no longer be two nations, nor shall they ever be divided into two kingdoms again. 23 They shall not defile themselves anymore with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions; but I will deliver them from all their dwelling places in which they have sinned and will cleanse them. Then they shall be My people, and I will be their God."​

Corrected NKJV ​

The question is when will God gather the children of Israel to Himself from among the nations?

I would be bold by suggesting that this will happen when the fullness with respect to time of the Gentiles is completed.

Now the time of the Gentiles will be completed when Isaiah 24:21-22 is completed and the kings of the earth are gathered at Armageddon around the year 2045 AD.

Shalom

 

[Davy]

I am pretty sure we are not supposed to tell God when we think things should happen.

What are you insinuating with the above? That Ezekiel 37 Scripture is simple if... one reads it with simplicity instead of allowing men's doctrines to get in its way.

Taking Israel out of Egypt and into the Promised Land did not happen overnight - it took many stages over many decades to get there and settle the land. Israel today is one nation ... and we await Jesus' second coming.

The Ezekiel 37 joining of the two symbolic sticks of Israel is not about God leading them out of Egypt. You are adding to that Ezekiel 37 Scripture if you think it is.

Furthermore, I showed where God's Word is written when God split old Israel in Solomon's days into "two nations", "two kingdoms", so you should have recognized that easily. Because your post doesn't address that, but instead is trying to present ideas that go against that written Ezekiel 37 and 1 Kings 11 Scripture tells me you care more about what man says instead of what God has said in His Word about this.

 

[Davy]

LINE UPON LINE: 1 Kings 11 about God splitting the nation of Israel in Solomon's day...

1 Kings 11:1-13
11 But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites;
2 Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, "Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods:" Solomon clave unto these in love.
3 And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.
4 For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.
5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.
6 And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as did David his father.
7 Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon.
8 And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods.

Because of what Solomon allowed his many wives and concubines to do with bringing in their pagan idol worship among the children of Israel, and even after God had warned Solomon twice to repent of this, God said He would rend (break, split) the kingdom of Israel and take out of Solomon's hand, but that He would wait and do it in the days of Solomon's son Rehoboam...


9 And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, Which had appeared unto him twice,
10 And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the LORD commanded.
11 Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, "Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.

Later in this 1 Kings 11 Chapter we will discover who that "servant" of Solomon was that God mentioned above.

12 Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father's sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son.
13 Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; but will give one tribe to thy son for David My servant's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake which I have chosen."
KJV

God then revealed that He would leave "one tribe" to Solomon's son Rehoboam, for David's and Jerusalem's sake. That would be the tribe of Judah at Jerusalem-Judea, and eventually the tribe of Benjamin joined with the tribe of Judah.

Then God began to move adversaries against Solomon also as a punishment...

1 Kings 11:14-25
14 And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite: he was of the king's seed in Edom.

Edom (means 'red') was a nation south of Judea, of the seed of Esau, the brother of Jacob. Because when the children of Israel were traveling to the lands of Canaan per God's commandment, Edom would not allow Israel to pass through their land (Num.20:18-20), but made Israel go around. So God ordained Edom to be destroyed and Saul the first king of Israel accomplished it, and David again forty years later (1 Samuel 14; 2 Samuel 8).

15 For it came to pass, when David was in Edom, and Joab the captain of the host was gone up to bury the slain, after he had smitten every male in Edom;
16 (For six months did Joab remain there with all Israel, until he had cut off every male in Edom:)
17 That Hadad fled, he and certain Edomites of his father's servants with him, to go into Egypt; Hadad being yet a little child.
18 And they arose out of Midian, and came to Paran: and they took men with them out of Paran, and they came to Egypt, unto Pharaoh king of Egypt; which gave him an house, and appointed him victuals, and gave him land.
19 And Hadad found great favour in the sight of Pharaoh, so that he gave him to wife the sister of his own wife, the sister of Tahpenes the queen.
20 And the sister of Tahpenes bare him Genubath his son, whom Tahpenes weaned in Pharaoh's house: and Genubath was in Pharaoh's household among the sons of Pharaoh.

When king David died, Hadad wanted to return to his own land.

21 And when Hadad heard in Egypt that David slept with his fathers, and that Joab the captain of the host was dead, Hadad said to Pharaoh, "Let me depart, that I may go to mine own country."
22 Then Pharaoh said unto him, "But what hast thou lacked with me, that, behold, thou seekest to go to thine own country?" And he answered, "Nothing: howbeit let me go in any wise."

23 And God stirred him up another adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah, which fled from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah:
24 And he gathered men unto him, and became captain over a band, when David slew them of Zobah: and they went to Damascus, and dwelt therein, and reigned in Damascus.
25 And he was an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon, beside the mischief that Hadad did: and he abhorred Israel, and reigned over Syria.
KJV

(Continued...)

 

[Davy]

(Continued...)

1 Kings 11:26-40
26 And Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephrathite of Zereda, Solomon's servant, whose mother's name was Zeruah, a widow woman, even he lifted up his hand against the king.

Jeroboam was born of the tribe of Ephraim, one of the ten tribes that dwelt in the northern holy land. Notice the name similarity with Rehoboam, Solomon's son of the tribe of Judah.

27 And this was the cause that he lifted up his hand against the king: Solomon built Millo, and repaired the breaches of the city of David his father.
28 And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valour: and Solomon seeing the young man that he was industrious, he made him ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph.

Solomon had made Jeroboam of Ephraim governor over the ten northern tribes in the northern holy land. That is who that "house of Joseph" represents here, i.e., the ten northern tribes with Ephraim as the largest tribe of Israel in the north. Joseph was the father of his two sons Ephraim and Manasseh. Recall the Genesis 48 prophecy about Joseph's two sons Ephraim and Manasseh, with Jacob blessing the two lads, and said let his name Israel be named upon the two lads, and that Ephraim's seed would become "a multitude of nations" and... that his elder brother Manasseh would also become "great."

That meant the name Israel applied not only to the nation of Israel in the holy land at this split by God's Hand, but also to the separated ten tribe kingdom under Jeroboam of Ephraim. God's Word will now cover that separation...

29 And it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; and he had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field:
30 And Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces:

Jeroboam of the tribe of Ephraim, was in the field, and God's prophet Ahijah caught him, and tore the brand new coat Jeroboam had on, took it off and ripped it into 12 pieces. Would that get your attention brethren if that was you and your brand new coat? Obviously our Heavenly Father wanted to get Jeroboam's attention.

31 And he said to Jeroboam, "Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, "Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee:

Ahijah gives Jeroboam ten pieces of his new coat, and repeats what God told him to say to Jeroboam of Ephraim. God said He would rend (split, break) the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and instead would give Jeroboam to reign over ten tribes (pointing to that "house of Joseph" the ten northern tribes of Israel).

32 (But he shall have one tribe for My servant David's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel:)

But for Solomon, God said He would leave "one tribe" there at Jerusalem for David's and Jerusalem's sake, because that is the city which God had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel to dwell there. That tribe would be the tribe of Judah, the king tribe and descendants from the house of David, including our Lord Jesus Christ.

33 Because that they have forsaken Me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in My ways, to do that which is right in Mine eyes, and to keep My statutes and My judgments, as did David his father.

God reveals above that because of Solomon's rebelliousness against Him by allowing false worship, and Solomon even participating in it, is why He did this separation of Israel into two separate kingdoms.

34 Howbeit I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand: but I will make him prince all the days of his life for David My servant's sake, whom I chose, because he kept My commandments and My statutes:
35 But I will take the kingdom out of his son's hand, and will give it unto thee, even ten tribes.

However, God said He would not do this split in the days of Solomon, but would wait and do it in the days of Solomon's son Rehoboam. But He will give Jeroboam of the tribe of Ephraim "ten tribes".

36 And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David My servant may have a light alway before Me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen Me to put My name there.

God repeats that He will leave "one tribe" at Jerusalem to Solomon's son, for David's sake, so that there will always be a light before God in Jerusalem, because that is the city God has chosen to put His Name there and dwell there. That tribe would be the tribe of Judah.

37 And I will take thee, and thou shalt reign according to all that thy soul desireth, and shalt be king over Israel.

Ahijah the prophet is still speaking God's prophecy to Jeroboam of the tribe of Ephraim. God said to Jeroboam that he will then be "king over Israel" with God giving him those "ten tribes".

38 And it shall be, if thou wilt hearken unto all that I command thee, and wilt walk in My ways, and do that is right in My sight, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as David My servant did; that I will be with thee, and build thee a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel unto thee.

Recall Jesus' parable of the vineyard in Matthew 21. Lord Jesus was pulling from Isaiah 5 that identifies the vineyard as the northern ten tribe "house of Israel", and Judah as its pleasant plant. Jesus showed that because the leaders of Judah were rebellious against God, that He removed them being over the vineyard, and would instead give His vineyard ("house of Israel", ten tribes) in care to a nation that would bring forth its fruits thereof. That "nation" of Matthew 21:43 would represent the believing Gentiles where the ten northern tribes were scattered among. And that "fruit" Jesus said His "vineyard" would then produce is a symbol for The Gospel, as Lord Jesus said that He was not sent but unto the lost sheep of the "house of Israel" (ten tribes).

39 And I will for this afflict the seed of David, but not for ever."

God then said to Jeroboam that He would not afflict the seed of David, meaning Judah, forever with this split. That's what He's talking about here. The Ezekiel 37 joining of the two symbolic sticks representing each separate kingdom, or nation, after this split, is about their future joining back together in the holy land, which will only happen when Lord Jesus returns at His 2nd coming. We know that is when, because Jesus warned the daughters of Jerusalem in Luke 23 that they will be in shame when He returns, and will say, "Blessed are the barren..." which is about the symbolic woman who stayed "a chaste virgin" waiting on Christ. And then those daughters of Jerusalem will wish for the mountains and hills to fall upon them because of their shame, because it shows they will not have remained spiritually chaste when Jesus returns.

40 Solomon sought therefore to kill Jeroboam. And Jeroboam arose, and fled into Egypt, unto Shishak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon.
KJV

Because of this Blessing to Jeroboam of the tribe of Ephraim, when Solomon heard of it, he sought to kill Jeroboam. So Jeroboam fled into Egypt, but then returns after Solomon's death.

(Continued...)

 

[Davy]

(Continued into 1 Kings 12 ...)

1 Kings 12:1-15
12 And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king.

Solomon had died, and now it was time to crown his son Rehoboam of the tribe of Judah as king, continuing the line of kings from the house of David in Jerusalem. Israel was still a whole kingdom at this point, with its capital at Jerusalem-Judea under Rehoboam.

2 And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was yet in Egypt, heard of it, (for he was fled from the presence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt;)
3 That they sent and called him. And Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came, and spake unto Rehoboam, saying,

Some of the Israelites went to Egypt and told Jeroboam of the tribe of Ephraim that Solomon had died, and to come back to Israel. This "congregation of Israel" at this point represents the northern ten tribes only, because that is who God had given in the hand of Jeroboam, so their going to see king Rehoboam, Solomon's son, at Jerusalem, to plead a matter with him, and it actually turned into a type of rebellion against king Rehoboam of Judah. And Jeroboam of the tribe of Ephraim is here speaking on behalf of the Israel of the ten tribes.

4 Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee.

Jeroboam says the above to Rehoboam, the son of Solomon. Ease up bro, your father Solomon's yoke was too heavy upon us, so lighten up.

5 And he said unto them, "Depart yet for three days, then come again to me." And the people departed.

Rehoboam then says to Jeroboam and those of Israel with Jeroboam, like give the king three days to think about it.

6 And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, that stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, "How do ye advise that I may answer this people?"
7 And they spake unto him, saying, "If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever."

Rehoboam's wise men give him good advice, but Rehoboam doesn't take it.

8 But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him:
9 And he said unto them, What counsel give ye that we may answer this people, who have spoken to me, saying, "Make the yoke which thy father did put upon us lighter?"
10 And the young men that were grown up with him spake unto him, saying, "Thus shalt thou speak unto this people that spake unto thee, saying, 'Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins.'
11 And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father hath chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.'"

The young men Rehoboam listened to told him to say the above to Jeroboam and the ten tribes.

12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had appointed, saying, "Come to me again the third day."
13 And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the old men's counsel that they gave him;
14 And spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, "My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions."

Then Rehoboam, king of Judah, makes Jeroboam and the ten tribes of Israel to wait yet another three days for an answer. Then Rehoboam gives Jeroboam and the ten tribes a harsh proclamation instead of listening to his advisers.

15 Wherefore the king hearkened not unto the people; for the cause was from the LORD, that He might perform His saying, which the LORD spake by Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
KJV

God Himself influenced Rehoboam's answer to Jeroboam and the ten tribes, making sure this separation would take place.


(Continued...)

 

[Davy]

(Continued...)

1 Kings 12:16-20
16 So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, "What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David." So Israel departed unto their tents.

This "Israel" that split off from Rehoboam, and departed unto their tents, were the ten northern tribes of Israel that had been under the leadership of Jeroboam of Ephraim, the one Solomon had made governor over in the norther lands of Israel where the ten tribes dwelt. These ten tribes would become known as the "house of Israel". That's the "house" the above is pointing to as discovered later in these Scriptures.

17 But as for the children of Israel which dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.

But the remnants of the children of Israel that lived in the cities of Judah at Jerusalem-Judea, they remained under Rehoboam king of Judah.

18 Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the tribute; and all Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. Therefore king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.
19 So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.

There we have a distinction being made between the "house of David" with Rehoboam as king of Judah, and this "Israel" which is actually pointing to the northern ten tribes God gave Jeroboam to be king over back in 1 Kings 11.

20 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.
KJV

And there it is, "all Israel" here is meant only about the northern ten tribes of Israel under Jeroboam of the tribe of Ephraim. The ten tribes gathered together and made Jeroboam "king over all Israel", and that means just the northern ten tribes who then became known as Israel.

But the "house of David" still remained, with the "one tribe" God said He would always leave at Jerusalem for David's and Jerusalem's sake, the tribe of Judah.

1 Kings 12:21-24
21 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.

In the above we see the clear... separation of the two kingdoms, or 'houses' of Israel. The "house of Judah" represented Solomon's son Rehoboam, king of Judah, at Jerusalem, with only the tribe of Benjamin with him. But the "house of Israel" meant only the northern tribes under Jeroboam of Ephraim. Both labels appearing in the same verse verifies this clear distinction of a separation of the nation of Israel into "two nations" in the days of Solomon's son Rehoboam of the house of David.

When Rehoboam of Judah got those of the tribe of Benjamin to go up to the ten northern tribes and try to bring the whole kingdom back together, God sent His prophet Shemaiah to Rehoboam to tell him to not go up and fight against his brethren of the children of Israel, i.e., the ten tribe "house of Israel."

22 But the word of God came unto Shemaiah the man of God, saying,
23 "Speak unto Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and unto all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the remnant of the people, saying,
24 Thus saith the LORD, 'Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel: return every man to his house; for this thing is from Me.'" They hearkened therefore to the word of the LORD, and returned to depart, according to the word of the LORD.
KJV

1 Kings 12:25-33
25 Then Jeroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and went out from thence, and built Penuel.
26 And Jeroboam said in his heart, 'Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David:
27 If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah.'

This is where Jeroboam of the tribe of Ephraim, whom God had given ten tribes to be "king of Israel" over, really messed up. At that time under the old covenant going to Jerusalem to worship was required each year by God. So Jeroboam was afraid when the northern ten tribes went to worship at Jerusalem they would stay there, and augment Judah's armies against him.

28 Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
29 And he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan.

That's actually blasphemy against God that Jeroboam said in the above, claiming those calf idols brought the children of Israel up out of Egypt. Both those cities were located in the lands of the northern ten tribes. And recall that the tribe of Dan was first to turn to idol worship in its history.

30 And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan.
31 And he made an house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi.

Not only did Jeroboam, king of Israel, of the tribe of Ephraim, prevent the Levite priests in the north from performing their priest duties, but he made common priests of the people. Under the old covenant God had ordained only the tribe of Levi to be the priests of Israel. It's not written here, but 2 Chronicles 11 about this reveals the Levites in the north then left and went south and joined with the tribes of Judah and Benjamin at Jerusalem-Judea. So now the "house of Judah" at this point represents the 3 tribes of Judah, Benjamin, Levi, and a small remnant out of the northern ten tribes that also rejected Jeroboam's calf idol worship, and left and went south and joined with Judah.

32 And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah, and he offered upon the altar. So did he in Bethel, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made: and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made.

Jeroboam even followed the traditional feast days with his idols to make sure the northern ten tribes remained in the north on those days for worship, instead of going south to Jerusalem like they were supposed to.

33 So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Bethel the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and ordained a feast unto the children of Israel: and he offered upon the altar, and burnt incense.
KJV

(Continued...)

 

[Davy]

(Continued into 1 Kings 14...)

This 1 Kings 14 Chapter covers Jeroboam of Ephraim, king of Israel over the ten northern tribes, and his folly, and God's anger because of it, that God would remove the ten tribes out of the holy lands and scatter them.

1 Kings 14:1-16
14 At that time Abijah the son of Jeroboam fell sick.

2 And Jeroboam said to his wife, "Arise, I pray thee, and disguise thyself, that thou be not known to be the wife of Jeroboam; and get thee to Shiloh: behold, there is Ahijah the prophet, which told me that I should be king over this people.
3 And take with thee ten loaves, and cracknels, and a cruse of honey, and go to him: he shall tell thee what shall become of the child."

Jeroboam of Ephraim sends his wife to God's prophet Ahijah at Shiloh to inquire about the health of Jeroboam's son. Ahijah is the prophet who caught Jeroboam in the field and tore his new coat into twelve pieces, and gave Jeroboam ten pieces to represent God giving him to be king over the ten tribes in the north.

4 And Jeroboam's wife did so, and arose, and went to Shiloh, and came to the house of Ahijah. But Ahijah could not see; for his eyes were set by reason of his age.

5 And the LORD said unto Ahijah, "Behold, the wife of Jeroboam cometh to ask a thing of thee for her son; for he is sick: thus and thus shalt thou say unto her: for it shall be, when she cometh in, that she shall feign herself to be another woman."

6 And it was so, when Ahijah heard the sound of her feet as she came in at the door, that he said, "Come in, thou wife of Jeroboam; why feignest thou thyself to be another? for I am sent to thee with heavy tidings.

God's prophet Ahijah then tells Jeroboam's wife to tell Jeroboam God said whats up.

7 Go, tell Jeroboam, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, 'Forasmuch as I exalted thee from among the people, and made thee prince over My people Israel,

Again, per the end of 1 Kings 11 God gave ten tribes to Jeroboam of Ephraim to reign over, and ordained Jeroboam as "king of Israel". So now the "kingdom of Israel" is meant only about the northern ten tribe kingdom.

8 And rent the kingdom away from the house of David, and gave it thee: and yet thou hast not been as My servant David, who kept My commandments, and who followed Me with all his heart, to do that only which was right in Mine eyes;

God tells Jeroboam he failed to do right as His servant David did. He can say that again, since Jeroboam setup two calf idols in false worship in the northern lands of the ten tribes, and even fired the Levite priests from being able to do their priest duties. Jeroboam thus caused the ten tribes to fall into a great sin.

9 But hast done evil above all that were before thee: for thou hast gone and made thee other gods, and molten images, to provoke Me to anger, and hast cast Me behind thy back:

Remember God said we would have no other gods before Him, nor in place of Him as one of His commandments. Jeroboam of Ephraim created other gods by setting up the calf idols in the north.

10 Therefore, behold, I will bring evil upon the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel, and will take away the remnant of the house of Jeroboam, as a man taketh away dung, till it be all gone.
11 Him that dieth of Jeroboam in the city shall the dogs eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat: for the LORD hath spoken it.'"

God then proclaims that He will end the family of Jeroboam and all his house.

12 Arise thou therefore, get thee to thine own house: and when thy feet enter into the city, the child shall die.
13 And all Israel shall mourn for him, and bury him: for he only of Jeroboam shall come to the grave, because in him there is found some good thing toward the LORD God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam.
14 Moreover the LORD shall raise him up a king over Israel, who shall cut off the house of Jeroboam that day: but what? even now.
15 For the LORD shall smite Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water, and He shall root up Israel out of this good land, which He gave to their fathers, and shall scatter them beyond the river, because they have made their groves, provoking the LORD to anger.
16 And He shall give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, who did sin, and who made Israel to sin.
KJV

God's prophet then pronounces what God will do to the ten northern tribes that He gave Jeroboam of Ephraim to be king over as the "house of Israel." God would scatter the ten tribes out of the holy lands, beyond the river Euphrates (per Jewish historian Josephus where the ten tribes still were scattered in his day around 100 A.D.).

Notice in all this that once God split the "house of Judah" under Solomon's son Rehoboam apart from the northern ten tribe "house of Israel" under Jeroboam of the tribe of Ephraim, that Judah at Jerusalem-Judea was then no more known as Israel, but the ten northern tribe kingdom under Jeroboam was then known as "Israel". There exists other Scriptures in 1 & 2nd Kings that clearly reveal this distinction in a single verse.

(Continued...)

 

[Davy]

(Continued...)

1 Kings 14:17-31
17 And Jeroboam's wife arose, and departed, and came to Tirzah: and when she came to the threshold of the door, the child died;
18 And they buried him; and all Israel mourned for him, according to the word of the LORD, which He spake by the hand of His servant Ahijah the prophet.

19 And the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, how he warred, and how he reigned, behold, they are written in the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel.

The Bible student can find more details about Jeroboam and this split in the Book of 2 Chronicles.

20 And the days which Jeroboam reigned were two and twenty years: and he slept with this fathers, and Nadab his son reigned in his stead.

Jeroboam, "king of Israel" in the north over the ten tribe "house of Israel", dies. His son Nadab reigns instead.

21 And Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the LORD did choose out of all the tribes of Israel, to put His name there. And his mother's name was Naamah an Ammonitess.

Ammon was about the peoples of one of the sons of Lot by his younger daughter. Naamah, Rehoboam's mother and one of the wives of Solomon, most likely was of that people.

22 And Judah did evil in the sight of the LORD, and they provoked Him to jealousy with their sins which they had committed, above all that their fathers had done.
23 For they also built them high places, and images, and groves, on every high hill, and under every green tree.
24 And there were also sodomites in the land: and they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.

After God had split Israel into two separate kingdoms here, even the "kingdom of Judah" under Solomon's son Rehoboam began to fall away from Him and into false worship at Jerusalem.

25 And it came to pass in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem:
26 And he took away the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house; he even took away all: and he took away all the shields of gold which Solomon had made.
27 And king Rehoboam made in their stead brasen shields, and committed them unto the hands of the chief of the guard, which kept the door of the king's house.
28 And it was so, when the king went into the house of the LORD, that the guard bare them, and brought them back into the guard chamber.

29 Now the rest of the acts of Rehoboam, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Judah?

30 And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all their days.

31 And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. And his mother's name was Naamah an Ammonitess. And Abijam his son reigned in his stead.
KJV

Notice that war existed between king Rehoboam, Solomon's son of the tribe of Judah at Jerusalem against Jeroboam, king of Israel which God had given to be king over the northern ten tribe kingdom of Israel.

How can that be, that Jeroboam's ten tribe northern kingdom is now at this point called "Israel"? but the three tribe kingdom under Rehoboam at Jerusalem-Judea is known as "Judah"?

Most likely it is because the majority of the seed of Israel was made up of the northern ten tribes. The "house of Judah" at Jerusalem under Rehoboam, Solomon's son, would still be known as Israel also, but not at this point. Once God scattered the ten northern tribe kingdom of Israel out of the holy land, then Judah, Benjamin, and Levi were the only Israelites left in the holy land, in the south at Jerusalem-Judea, and they would then be known as Israel, as it still is to this day.

(Continued...)

 

[Davy]

(Continued... Jump to 2 Kings 17...)

From 1 Kings 14 forward, all the way to 2 Kings 17 here, the two kingdoms remained separate, and both kingdoms began to fall away to idol worship. But the northern kingdom of "Israel" under king Jeroboam of Ephraim was first that God dwelt with.

At this point it is important to not miss which kings and their fathers are being spoken of, for the kings of Judah represent the descendants of Rehoboam, Solomon's son of Judah at the southern kingdom, but the kings of Israel represent the northern kings over the ten northern tribes of Israel, then known as "Israel" or "house of Israel".

2 Kings 17:1-18
17 In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah began Hoshea the son of Elah to reign in Samaria over Israel nine years.

Now this is speaking about Hoshea, the son of Elah of the northern ten tribe kings that reigned from Samaria in the northern lands over the ten northern tribes. Samaria in the northern land was Israel's capital city at this time, which happened when God gave to Jeroboam of the tribe of Ephraim ten tribes to reign over as "king of Israel" (1 Kings 11).

2 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, but not as the kings of Israel that were before him.
3 Against him came up Shalmaneser king of Assyria; and Hoshea became his servant, and gave him presents.

God thus began His campaign against the northern ten tribe kingdom because of their calf idol worship and forgetting Him. King Hoshea apparently bowed down to the king of Assyria on the surface, but had a secret plan against him.

4 And the king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea: for he had sent messengers to So king of Egypt, and brought no present to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year: therefore the king of Assyria shut him up, and bound him in prison.

King Hoshea of the ten northern tribe kingdom of Israel sent for help by Egypt, but Egypt's response was to do nothing.

5 Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land, and went up to Samaria, and besieged it three years.

Then Shalmaneser king of Assyria went through all the lands of the northern ten tribes, and surrounded the city of Samaria, Israel's capital of the northern ten tribe kingdom. This siege did not involve the Jews of the southern "kingdom of Judah", the Jews. This event involved the northern ten tribe kingdom of Israel only.

6 In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away into Assyria, and placed them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.

The king of Assyria (in stages actually per history), took Samaria, and all the northern ten tribes captive, placed them in those lands north, into Assyria, in Halah and Habor by the river Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes. There actually exists archaeological artifacts in those areas that prove this happened. One of those is called the Behistun rock in northern Iraq, a group of huge mountain side carvings in three languages, about a hundred feet from the ground level.

7 For so it was, that the children of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God, which had brought them up out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods,
8 And walked in the statutes of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they had made.
9 And the children of Israel did secretly those things that were not right against the LORD their God, and they built them high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city.
10 And they set them up images and groves in every high hill, and under every green tree:
11 And there they burnt incense in all the high places, as did the heathen whom the LORD carried away before them; and wrought wicked things to provoke the LORD to anger:
12 For they served idols, whereof the LORD had said unto them, "Ye shall not do this thing."
13 Yet the LORD testified against Israel, and against Judah, by all the prophets, and by all the seers, saying, "Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep My commandments and My statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by My servants the prophets."

Notice both "Israel" and "Judah" are mentioned in the same verse, showing how they were then applied to the two separate kingdoms.

Both 'houses', or kingdoms, the northern ten tribe "house of Israel", and the southern three tribe "house of Judah", fell away from God to idol worship. The ten northern tribe kingdom then called "Israel" was first that God dealt His punishment to by bringing the kings of Assyria upon them to take them captive to Assyria and the lands of the Medes up north of Babylon. That first captivity did not involve the "house of Judah" (or Jews) of the southern kingdom, for the "house of Judah" would go into captivity later, about 120 years later, by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.

Thus there were two... separate captivities of all... the tribes of Israel because of their falling away into Baalism.

14 Notwithstanding they would not hear, but hardened their necks, like to the neck of their fathers, that did not believe in the LORD their God.
15 And they rejected His statutes, and His covenant that He made with their fathers, and His testimonies which He testified against them; and they followed vanity, and became vain, and went after the heathen that were round about them, concerning whom the LORD had charged them, that they should not do like them.
16 And they left all the commandments of the LORD their God, and made them molten images, even two calves, and made a grove, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served Baal.

Those "two calves" were specific to the false worship that king Jeroboam of the tribe of Ephraim setup in the northern ten tribes to prevent them from going south to worship at Jerusalem, as he feared they would stay and augment Judah.

17 And they caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, and used divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke Him to anger.
18 Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of His sight: there was none left but the tribe of Judah only.
KJV

Thus the ten northern tribes of Israel were totally removed from the holy land, with the Jews of the "house of Judah" at Jerusalem-Judea being the only Israelites left in the holy land at this point. That meant an obvious separation by God of His people into two separate peoples and nations, or houses, the "house of Israel" put for the ten scattered tribes, and the "house of Judah" put for the Jews at Jerusalem-Judea for the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, and Levi. That is mainly who the Jews are to this day, just mainly those three tribes that dwelt in the southern land at Jerusalem-Judea under king Rehoboam of the tribe of Judah of the house of David.

What God would do to the ten northern tribes after their scattering out of the holy lands is shown through His prophet Hosea. They would lose their identity as God's Israel, and live as Gentiles among the Gentiles, changing their names so they would be hard to recognize as having been the northern "kingdom of Israel" that God established through Jeroboam of the tribe of Ephraim.

They became known to the world as the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel. But God didn't lose them, for He knows where He scattered them among the nations, and promised He will gather them, and not the least grain will fall to the ground, and the throne of David breach will then be healed also, which is still yet to happen to this day, since that is dependent upon Lord Jesus' future return... sitting upon David's throne in the city of Jerusalem...

Amos 9:9-11
9 For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth.

10 All the sinners of My people shall die by the sword, which say, "The evil shall not overtake nor prevent us."

11 In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old:
KJV