Hope of Israel Ministries (Ecclesia of YEHOVAH):

The Heirs of Jacob-Israel

by Arnold Kennedy

This means that Ephraim and Manasseh would be included in the sons of Jacob. This perpetuates the name of Jacob in Ephraim and Manasseh. In listings of Israel through the Bible, in differing contexts and circumstances, two sons are deliberately left off each time to make the total twelve only each time. One of the extra names often replaces Levi who had no inheritance among the other twelve, and the other sometimes replaces Dan, for example, because of the golden calves. "Let my name be named upon them" indicates, to proclaim -- to nominate -- to cry or call out. So this is important. In Isaiah 43:7 and 48:1 this naming is a proclamation of racial identity, so that Ephraim and Manasseh are henceforth part of Israel and are sons of Jacob.

In addition to their birthright blessing, the name “Israel” was passed on to Ephraim and Manasseh as part of all the other twelve tribes. This includes the names of Abraham and Isaac, according to verse sixteen; this shows that all were part of the same racial line through Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. What is believed here conditions what is believed prophetically in the remainder of the Bible.

This is found in Genesis 48:15-22 and should be read and re-read until it is understood. The traditional blessing (mitzvos) is imparted by placing the right hand on the person’s head, but here the patriarch crossed his hands and placed the hand of blessing upon Ephraim thus giving primacy to Ephraim over Manasseh. In various places through the Old Testament where we are told, "Ephraim is My firstborn" (Jeremiah 31:9); he is also spoken of as being YEHOVAH’s firstborn, the one with the blessing.

Ezekiel 37:19: "…the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim…"

With the birthright being Joseph’s, Ephraim has the stick or is ates (fastened in place) in relationship to the other sons of Jacob. This stick must not be confused with the scepter (shebet) that shall not depart from Judah (Genesis 49:10). Psalm 108:8 says, Ephraim is the strength of my head; Judah is my lawgiver. This establishes the relationship between Ephraim and Judah. That Judah has the scepter does not remove the birthright from Joseph.

1 Chronicles 5:2: "For Judah prevailed above his brethren, and of him came the chief ruler; but the birthright was Joseph’s."

In this, as in many places in Scripture, we see the principle of birthright, where the natural firstborn may be passed over. We see Ishmael being the natural firstborn to Abraham being out of favor to Isaac. Isaac’s natural firstborn was passed over in favor of Jacob. Jacob, in turn, blessed his eleventh son and then we see how Ephraim, the last born, received the birthright. The birthright was always given to a kinsman, who is a blood descendant. That is why the Messiah can only be the Kinsman-Redeemer of Israel. We are told that he came, "To save his people from their sins." "His people" is a specific limitation; they were his people before they were saved. To most in the denominational churches, and even amongst the Messianic Jews, the ideas held are either:

(b) Judah or “Jews” are Israel.

(c) The multi-racial “church” is now Israel.

The promise to Abraham and the promise to Ephraim are not the same. Abraham was to become a qahal of am, or a congregation of people, whereas Ephraim was to become a melo of goi or a full hand of nations. Manasseh was to become an ‘am, a people.

What is vital to understanding of prophecy, is the division of the twelve tribes into the two Houses. They have enmity between them. Ephraim and Manasseh both come from the one House, but Judah represents the other House. This division is not generally recognized today, with the consequence that prophetical interpretation is totally confused. What we have commonly presented is a church that is completely foreign to prophecy. In other articles, it has been shown how the assembly is drawn out from among Israel who are of the physical blood descendants of Abraham through Isaac. They become manifested as “sons” through resurrection in the New Testament.

It is common to hear that the House of Israel has disappeared, leaving only “The Jews” who can be identified. It has come to the point where it is commonly said that the Jews are Israel. However, the House of Judah is only part of “all Israel” and modern Jewry is a multi-racial conglomeration that adheres to a common religion.

But, since the House of Judah are Israelites, there is nothing wrong in referring to them as Israelites. This can be found in Scripture. The two houses went into separate captivities and it is common to hear false teaching how Israel (suggesting the whole nation) returned from captivity under Ezra and Nehemiah. This is entirely wrong as it was the House of Judah that went into captivity in Babylon. The House of Israel (ten tribes) has never returned “to the Land” as a nation or nations after their captivity in Assyria. The timing of this event is shown in the article, The Re-gathering Of Israel.

Throughout Scripture we find parts or the whole of the twelve tribes, spoken of as all Israel, Jacob, Judah, Ephraim and the two Houses, in a way that is not generally understood. Each rightly is entitled to be called Israel as part of all Israel. This is wrongly used to try to support the popular teachings that there is now no separation between the Houses or the Tribes. Sometimes prophecy is directed at one part and not another, so careful reading is essential to determine just who is being addressed. It is commonly thought that all the ten tribes of the House of Israel have disappeared into a foreign milieu and that no identification of any part is possible. This is far from the truth.

The 10-tribed House of Israel are never described in Scripture as “Jews”. That they became like the foreign nations in many ways is not disputed. They were called Greeks in New Testament Scripture and the uncircumcision by the Judeans, but the disciples still knew exactly where to find them and to tell them the gospel story. It is evident that they got results. Remember how the Messiah sent the disciples only to the lost sheep of the House of Israel? (Matthew 10:6 and 15:24). The Messiah made this limitation which the churches today refuse to allow or believe. They subsequently became lost in history and blind to their own identity and, collectively, (that is, in the common knowledge of the general population), nobody knows where they are today.

Jacob prophesied that Ephraim’s descendants would become a m’loh (or melo) of goyim or a fullness or a full hand of nations. With the popular, but wrong translation, this has become “the fullness of the Gentiles”! This terminology, together with the other examples listed below, is used to try to prove that these expressions mean something other than what the Hebrew or Greek means.

1. EPHRAIM AND MANASSEH ARE SAID TO BE "TYPES"

Some people will go so far as to recognize the position of Ephraim and Manasseh, but then they will say that Manasseh is a “type” of the Old Testament with Ephraim being a “type” of the New Testament. They have to say that to keep believing the traditional teachings about “Jews and Gentiles”. When YEHOVAH God said that He would make Abraham’s descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky, they say this myriad represents the Gentiles’ conversion to become the Church. But, as we have seen, Abraham’s descendants could not be both Israel and a multi-racial Church!

2. “GALILEE OF THE GENTILES”

In Isaiah 9:1 we find the expression, Galilee of the Nations or Galilee of the Gentiles according to one version. This is quoted in Matthew 4:15 where the word “Gentiles” is picked up and used to say these were non-Israelites. But, the Messiah’s ministry was mainly in Galilee, rather than in Judea, and all the people ministered unto were Israelites. Isaiah, who is being quoted, does not even remotely suggest non-Israelites -- the context in these passages relates to Jacob/Israel. The section starting in Isaiah 9:8 confirms the exclusiveness of Israel outside of the so-called Gentile non-Israel nations.

“Jacob” and “Israel” cannot mean every race. One of the marks of Ephraim/Israel today, as the heirs of Jacob, is the place of the Word of YEHOVAH God found among this people. This does not mean that all this people believe in the Messiah, but that the Word of YEHOVAH God has a place in the affairs and laws of these people. Ultimately, the one blessing given in the original covenant is fulfilled in both the Houses when:

Isaiah 9:7: "Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the Throne of David…"

It is often wrongly said that, as Creator, YEHOVAH God is Father to all men, but He is the "spiritual" Father only to believers. However, Moses was to tell Pharaoh on YEHOVAH's behalf, “ISRAEL IS MY SON, EVEN MY FIRSTBORN” (Exodus 4:22). Under YEHOVAH’s law "all the firstborn of thy [Israel's] sons shalt thou redeem" (Exodus 34:20). YEHOVAH God says, "all the firstborn [of Israel] are mine" (Numbers 3:13). "All the firstborn of my children [Israel] I will redeem" (Exodus 13:15). YEHOVAH God does not break His own law of redemption to include everyone else, as is commonly taught today.

4. THE ISRAEL OF GOD…AND…CIRCUMCISION OF THE HEART

Jeremiah 31:31-33: "Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that 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 bring them out of the land of Egypt;… I will put my law in their inward parts, and write in their hearts…"

As usual, there are the two parts, namely the House of Judah and the House of Israel as has been pointed out many times before. When the prophet goes on to describe how the law would be put in their inward parts, and be written on their hearts, this is said to be what happens when a non-Israelite joins Israel. They are supposed to have become circumcised in heart and somehow then become “Israel”.

In Scripture, “Ephraim” is used of the single tribe, as well as the leader of the ten-tribed House of Israel. One of the very sad stories through prophecy is the story of Ephraim. They are cut off, become not a people, and are described as drunkards. Ephraim becomes like a silly dove and as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke. They become much punished by YEHOVAH God. But through it all, through prophetical Scriptures we can sense the yearnings of YEHOVAH God for Ephraim:

Jeremiah 31:20: "Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him;…"

Isaiah 7:8 foretold that Ephraim would become not a people. They came to the place where they no longer recognized who they were; nationally they lost knowledge of their identity, as being YEHOVAH’s people. They lost all knowledge that they carried the patriarch’s as well as YEHOVAH God’s blessing. YEHOVAH says:

Traditionally, the churches spiritualize the prophetic messages. Whenever nations and races are considered, this is made a matter of personal belief or disbelief. This is because the foundation in Moses’s writings are destroyed.

Psalm 11:3: "If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?"

These Psalms differentiate between righteous people and wicked people, in terms of nations and races, as well as good and bad people within Israel. To most churchgoers there is only some kind of spiritual message. Once again, the problem doctrine is the all the world doctrine. It does not exist through the Old Testament. Moses did not write one word about this all the world doctrine. Moses prophesied about the sons of Jacob and what would happen to them in the last days. They have not somehow disappeared. The sons of Jacob have not somehow become all races. All races have not become the sons of Jacob. These sons of Jacob cannot therefore be modern Jewry that comes from almost every race and color on Earth. The New Testament teaching about the re-gathering of Israel is exactly the same as that in the Old Testament and the heirs of Jacob/Israel remain the same.

 

Hope of Israel Ministries -- Preparing the Way for the Return of YEHOVAH God and His Messiah!

Hope of Israel Ministries P.O. Box 853 Azusa, CA 91702, U.S.A. www.hope-of-israel.org

Scan with your Smartphone for more information