The Tents of Shem ~ Part Three

The Tents of Shem ~ The Two Will Become One   Part Three

The Tribes of Israel were at one time, the most powerful Kingdom on earth.  They were ONE unified people.  The Kingdom of Israel split into two “Nations” or “Kingdoms.”  This happened shortly after the reign of King Solomon.  Since those days until the present time Israel has been TWO groups of people.  In this series we are documenting how Yahweh, at this present time in history is bringing the TWO back together. Yahweh is calling the House of Israel to come together with the House of Judah.  At the same time He is calling Japheth into the tents of Shem, these two prophecies are ONE and are happening simultaneously.

Japheth comes into tents of Shem

In Gen 9:27 there is a prophecy about Noah’s sons Shem and Japheth.  Scripture says that “Japheth will dwell in the tents of Shem.”  In part three of this teaching we will connect Japheth dwelling in the tents of Shem and the coming together of the Two Houses of Israel.  

In Ezek 37:15 -22 there is a very cryptic prophecy recorded about two sticks with the words Judah (the House of Judah) and Joseph (the House of Israel) written on them.  The two sticks are to be joined together and become one stick, one people with one King.  This prophetic declaration is also connected with the prophecy about Shem (the Jews) and Japheth (the Christians) coming back together during the end of days.  Both of these prophecies are speaking of the same reunion.

Ten of the tribes of Israel were scattered into and mixed with the nations, who are the descendants of Japheth.  They lost their Israelite identity and became known as gentiles, acting just like the descendants of Japheth, whom they live among.  Why did they lose their identity?  They mixed the worship of the only living God (i.e., Yahweh), with the way the nations (i.e., Japheth), worshiped their gods.  The consequence of this was that Yahweh gave them a certificate of divorce (Jer 3:8) and they became like the nations whom they imitated.  

In this generation, as never before, the identity of the House of Israel is being revived and revealed.  This is resulting in Israel and Judah coming together.  Ezekiel records that there are people joined to the House of Israel called “companions” (Ezek 37:16); these “companions” are the descendants of Japheth that Yahweh is calling (i.e., enticing ref Tents of Shem Part One)  into the tents of Shem.  In modern vernacular we can say, the Christians from all tribes and nations, are coming to worship together with the Jewish community.  Christians are being called by Yahweh to keep His Sabbath (Ex 20:10) and His Feasts (Lev 23:1).  Many Christians also have a desire to move Israel and literally dwell in the land of promise (i.e. the tents of Shem).  Japheth now contains Ten of the tribes (i.e. the House of Israel), and they are coming into the tents of Shem where the House of Judah dwells.  This is fulfilling both prophecies at the same time Gen 9:27 & Ezek 37:22.

Not all Christians are genetically linked to Israel

Let me make this clear, I am not teaching that all the people in the Christian Church are genetically linked to the House of Israel.  Some are and others are not, ALL are spiritually linked through what is called the “olive tree” by Paul in Romans 11 and “companions” by Ezekiel in Ezek 37:16.  I believe those who are called to His Sabbath and His Feasts have a greater probability of having a genetic link to the House of Israel.  Either way, genetic link or not, Christians are connected to the tribes of Israel.  They are the children of Abraham through Yeshua, who is THE seed of Abraham (Gen 26:3).  This is discussed by Paul in Gal 3:6-9 & 29.   

Israel and Judah Coming Together

Let us look at some Old Testament scriptures that speak of Israel and Judah coming together.

Isaiah 11:11-13 And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.  He will set up a banner for the nations, And will assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.  Also the envy of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off;  Ephraim shall not envy Judah,   And Judah shall not harass Ephraim.

Jer 3:18  'In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given as an inheritance to your fathers.

Jer 50:4  'In those days and in that time,' says Yahweh, ' The children of Israel shall come, they and the children of Judah together; with continual weeping they shall come, and seek Yahweh their God.

Eze 37:19 Say unto them, Thus says Yahweh God; Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which [is] in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand.

Eze 37:15 The word of Yahweh came again to me, saying, Moreover, you son of man, take 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 your hand.

The House of Israel in the New Testament

This is discussed by Paul in Romans.

Rom 9:23-26  What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles (Ephraim has the status of gentiles).

Paul also says quoting Hosea;

As He says also in Hosea: “I will call them My people, who were not My people ,And her beloved, who was not beloved.  And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, You are not my people; there shall they be called the sons of the living God.”

Hos 1:10 And it shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them,
‘ You are not My people, ’ There they shall be called sons of the living God.

Why is Paul using this text to explain how the gentiles are being called to salvation in Yeshua?  He knows the status of the House of Israel, which has been mixed in with the gentiles.  Therefore, he uses this scripture from Hosea that talks about the House of Israel who became “not My people,” (i.e., gentiles) now becoming “sons of the living God” (i.e., Israelites).

“Pilgrims” are the Tribes that are dispersed

Who did Peter write to?

1 Peter 1:1-2 Pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ:

Who are these pilgrims that are dispersed?        

1 Peter 2:9-10 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own  special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

Peter like Paul, is quoting the scripture from Hosea that talks about the House of Israel who became “not a people” (i.e., gentiles) now becoming “the people of God.” 

The Lost Sheep of the House of Israel

Aramaic New Testament

Matt 10:5-6    These twelve Yeshua sent out and he ordered them, saying, Do not follow the way of heathens, and do not enter Samaritan towns. However, go more to the lost sheep of Israel.

Yeshua was sending His disciples into the nations (i.e., Japheth) and He was instructing them, don’t be influenced by the way the heathen live, while you are among them.  Yeshua referred to the House of Israel (i.e., gentiles) who was divorced (Jer 3:8), as “the lost sheep from the House of Israel.”

Matt 15:24 But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 

Who was Yeshua primarily sent to during the time of His first coming?

Answer: “the lost sheep of the House of Israel.”  He revealed Himself first to thousands of Jews, who then took the Gospel of the kingdom into all the earth.  These Messianic Jews or Nazarenes made thousands of disciples from the nations.  Many of those from the nations who came to faith in the Messiah of Israel are from the “lost sheep of Israel.”

Provoking to Jealousy

Paul says in Romans 11:14,

If by any means I may provoke to emulation [them which are] my flesh, and might save some of them.

This “provoking to jealousy” is only going to happen when the Christian church comes to the realization that they are connected to the House of Israel.  When those who are a part of Christianity wake up to their prophetic identity, they will then become aware of the need to keep His Sabbath and His Feasts.  When this begins to take place among mainstream churches, the Jewish community will begin to look at the “Church” and the Messiah with a jealous heart.  This will result in more Jewish people examining the scriptures and the claims of Yeshua as Messiah.  Paul teaches that these events will result in Jewish people getting saved (Rom 11:14).  

The New Covenant

To whom was the New / Re-newed covenant made?

Answer: the House of Israel and the House of Judah

 Jer 31:31  “Behold, the days are coming, says Yahweh, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah—not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says Yahweh.

This is a renewal of the covenant made at Mount Sinai (Ex chapters 19&20) , which is celebrated every year during the Feast Shavuot/Pentecost (Lev 23:15-21).  This Feast is a time to remember a wedding ceremony, it is an anniversary.  During the first Shavuot a mixed multitude from many nations came to the base of The Mountain for a wedding (Ex 19).  Yahweh gave the people the terms of the wedding contract and the people said “we will” do all that you command us (Ex 19:8).  It was at this moment in time, during Shavuot, that Yahweh became married to Israel.  The mixed multitude, foreigners and native born, became His bride and from this time forward became known as Israel.  The New Covenant was initiated during this same Feast and was also given to a mixed multitude of people as recorded in Acts 2:5-12.

Final Thoughts

In Gen 9:27 the scripture says; Japheth will come into the tents of Shem, and in Ezek 37;15-22 scripture says that the two sticks WILL come together.  How is this going to happen, and when will this all take place?  It will only happen when Yeshua changes people’s hearts, and brings forgiveness and reconciliation between the House of Israel (i.e., the Christians) the House of Judah (i.e., Jews).  It will be the work of the Holy Spirit that draws them together.  The two things that they will have in common are His Sabbath and His Feasts.  This will be a common bond that initiates the move toward healing and reconciliation. 

As Christians (i.e., the House of Israel) and Jews (i.e. the House of Judah) begin to fellowship and worship together, the Jews can teach Torah to the Christians and the Christians will reveal the Messiah Yeshua to the House of Judah.  Through the Messiah and the Feasts of Yahweh, The Father is going to bring them together.  

This process of unity is in the infancy stages now.  We will begin to see more Christian churches keeping the Sabbath and the Feasts of Yahweh.  We will also see more Jewish people accepting Yeshua as the Messiah.  As these two things happen, we will see the prophecies spoken about at the beginning of this article begin to manifest; Japheth coming into the tents of Shem and the two sticks, Joseph and Judah coming together. 

Quotes from Orthodox Jewish rabbis and scholars

Yair Davidy

“Ten out of the Twelve Tribes of Israel were exiled and lost their identity. Their descendants are now to be found amongst Western Peoples. This is proven from the Bible, Talmud, and Rabbinical Sources as well as from Secular Studies in Ancient History, Archaeology, Mythology, Linguistics, and related fields. The Prophets spoke of this. Peoples that emerged from the British Isles (including North America) represent Joseph. The Jews of the State of Israel and the Diaspora are Judah. Joseph and Judah are destined to re-unite! “  

“Descendants of the Lost Ten Tribes are today found amongst Western Nations according to the Bible and Rabbinical Commentary supplemented by historical and related studies.”

Babylonian Talmud (Yebamot 16b, 17a) 

“When the Ten Tribes return to join with the house of Judah, they will have the halachic (lifestyle) status of Gentiles.

R. Yitzchak of Karlin

From the Commentary "Keren Orah."  He sums up the case quite succinctly:
“From their understanding of Scripture (Hosea 5:7 ) the Sages declared the Ten Tribes to have the same status as Gentiles for all intents and purposes.  They made this decision through the authority of the Prophets and the Divine Inspiration they [i.e. the Sages] had...all others [i.e. Jews] who were assimilated amongst the Gentiles are assumed to have the same status [as the Ten Tribes, i.e. as Gentiles, but being destined to return.]”

Yair Davidy

“The status of the Ten Tribes at present according to the Bible and Jewish Law is the same, for all intents and purposes, as that of all Gentiles. In the future (today) they will return and re-accept the Torah but at present they are not legally obliged to do so.”   

“The Ten Tribes before their exile worshipped idols (2 Kings chapters 17,18). They were in fact pagans.  For Jewish scholars who find this concept difficult to accept (as many seem to do) it should be mentioned that according to the Torah (as explained by authorities such as the Vilna Gaon) Israelite inhabitants of a city whose inhabitants have all committed idolatry (Deuteronomy ch.13) are also all considered legally the same as Gentiles, regardless of their indisputable Israelite ancestry.”

 “Western Nations need Hebraic Consciousness.”  This is what many Christians today are finding themselves studying, the Hebrew and Jewish roots of their faith.

With these quotes we can easily concur with Orthodox Jewish teachers and Rabbis who see the return of the Tribes consistent with what is going on among Hebraic minded Christians and non-Jews in Messianic Synagogues.