The Two Houses of Israel

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At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the LORD; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart. {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 for an inheritance unto your fathers.
Jer 3:17-18 (KJV)
  • The Two House Concept

  • Prophecy and Theory

  • Ideaologies of the Two Houses

  • Ancestry and the Two Houses

  • Scripture Passages

  • Summary





    The Two House Concept

    • The Kingdom of Israel was split into two groups known as the Northern House and the Southern House of Israel after the reign of King Solomon.

    • After several centuries in the Promised Land, both Houses fell into idolatry.

    • The Northern House was then taken into captivity by Assyria and has disappeared into the world.

    • The Southern House was taken into captivity by Babylon, but was later allowed to return to their own land at a later time.

    • The prophetic books speak of a time when the Northern and Southern Houses will come together again in the Land of Israel as one Kingdom.
    Outline of the Two Houses of Israel

    Prophecy and Theory

    The State of Israel

    Since the start of the modern State of Israel in 1948, many questions about Israel's existence and the possible return of all 12 tribes to that land have grown in magnitude and scope. Many different ideas have been proposed. Some of these ideas seem to have a strong basis in Scripture while others seem far off and have even been called heresy. The Two House Concept is one such idea that is receiving some attention around the world, but because of numerous versions of the concept being passed around, much confusion exists as to whether it is real or fake and whether it is good or heresy. Within this paper, it is hoped that what is historical and what is prophetical can be distinguished so that what is Scriptural and what is man-made theory can also be distinguished.

    Real or Theory

    A serious question must be asked as to whether this idea is a reality or just a theory. As this entire report deals with that isseue in detail, I hope it will suffice to state here that much is stated in the Scriptures about the two houses and therefore it seems reasonable to assume that it is indeed a factual idea to follow. This should especially be so for those aspects of the idea that are historical in nature and have already occurred. There must be much room for doubt given for anything that deals with the prophetic future because manknd has seldom been able to foresee the great plns of the Almighty. In fact, since this deals with an eschatological time frame (end-time events), we should be highly critical of any exact layouts for future events. Thus we hint at the historical aspects as being real and the future aspects as being theory and we will do well if we remember that difference.

    In the Prophets

    In the writings of the prophets, we often see language used in a descriptive or poetic way. When the prophets speak of the Kingdoms, they may refer to them with other phrases and words. The most commonly used phrases for the north are the Northern Kingdom, Northern House, and the House of Ephraim (named after the largest tribe in the Northern group from which the leaders came). The most commonly used phrases for the south are Southern Kingdom, Southern House, and the House of Judah (named after the primary tribe in the south from whom the leaders came). It is the phrase Northern House and Southern House that have been picked up most from the prophets and thus we have the Two-House idea.

    Ideaologies Related to the Two Houses

    Other Names

    In recent decades, it has had the alternate names of Restoration of Israel, the Church as Ephraim, and Messianic Israel. Some groups have many similarities to what was known as British Israelism a few decades ago. These are each different viewpoints with somewhat different doctrines on the idea and having different leaders that teach the idea.

    Replacement Theology

    Most of the doctrine and ideas that come out of the Two- House Idea seem to try and figure out who is who in today's world. If a person or group or nation is decided to be descended from Israel, then that means they are heirs to certain promises given to Abraham. Once that information is known, may people try to act on that information today ... not necessarily waiting on the Almighty's time scale for when events are supposed to happen. Different groups today believe they are the physical descendants of Israel and most of these want to claim the land of Israel as being theirs. The groups that use a concept of a new spiritual Israel can go so far as to have the anti-semitic idea built in that the Jews have been rejected by the Almighty (which completely disregards what is spoken of them in prophecy) and that the Jews should be pushed out of Israel to make room for the New Israel. This has also gained the name of Ephraimite Heresy. Whatever it is called, the extreme forms of this concept do seem to cross boundaries that should not be crossed.

    British Israelism

    British Israelism is the idea that the ancient British people and/or royal lineages are direct descendants of the lost tribes. There are a number of similarites to British Israelism found in some of the two-house groups. One similarity is that both groups tend to look at how oftern an english word has an etymological root in the Hebrew language. Second, many people have a hostility towards both Roman Catholicism and Orthodox Judaism. Third, they both claim the first-born status as heirs of Ephraim. Fourth, they look at the possible general migration of the Northern Tribes to where they would become known as Saxons. This line of thought eventually leads to proof being in the nobility of the Anglo-Saxon lines. Once again, all of these reasons and statements make assumptions and cannot be proven.

    General

    There are several groups out there that pick up on this theme. Some are by religions and others are small groups like a city or village in various countries China. Some of these small groups carry ancient traditions with them that do match the teachings of the Old Testament.

    Mormons

    The most notable group is the Mormons (Latter Day Saints). In their writings they claim Joseph as a patriarch. They also refer to themselves as Joseph and as having close kinship with Judah and a sacred mutual covenant.

    Lines in Nations

    Other groups claiming descendancy are: Children of Ephraim in Southern India, Children of Manasseh in Northern India, Falashas from Ethiopia (most claim to be Jews but some claim to be from Dan), the Bukharan from Persia (some of which claim to be from Ephraim), and the Igbo Jews of Nigeria (some of whom claim to be from Ephraim, Menassah, Levi, Zebulun, and Gad).

    In Judaism

    Rabbinic / Orthodox Judaism believes that the coming together of the Two-Houses has already occurred. It is believed that After the Babylonian exile, those of the Southern Kingdom returned to the Land and those who remained of the Northern Kingdom also came, though in smaller numbers. This combined group of people from both the Northern and Southern Kingdoms then collectively became known as the Jews and are what we think of as the Jewish people today. Through this perspective, the prophetic writings in Scripture use the phrases of 'Ephraim' and 'Judah' poetically to show equality and not to show the seperation that other interpretations give.

    Messianic Movement

    The idea of Israel becoming re-unified comes up every so often through the centuries. The occurrance of such groups now is just the most recent. It may well have been a result of the Messianic Jewish Movement. One of the main reasons seems to be the need for gentiles to feel included within the Messianic Jewish Movement. The formal movement teaches that the Jews are to keep the Torah (Old Testament laws) and that the gentiles do not need to. This creates a sort of 1st and 2nd class citizenship in Messiah. [This is incorrect because we are called to be one body within Messiah]. This 2nd class feeling has prompted people to find a way to be included in keeping the Torah and certainly be learning that one is descnded from Israel through a northern tribe has great appeal for this reason.

    Keeping Torah

    We must be careful when we decide how the Scriptures apply to our individual lives today because it has such a weighty impact on our life and our lifestyle. Some of those who follow the Two-House idea do say that because they are descended from Israel that they should keep the Torah. However, this line of thinking has problems. We should instead be following Torah because of who we are in Messiah. In other words, to make being a part of Israel more important than being a part of the body of Messiah is wrong. In this regard, the topic of the Two-Houses is almost irrelevent. As part of the Almighty's people in Messiah, we will observe the covenant whether we are literal Israel or not.

    Ancestry and the Two Houses

    Israelite Ancestry or Not

    The question asked by those who support this idea is generally something about if they are a literal or legitimate descendant of one fo the Northern Tribes of Israel that is now considered lost among the gentiles. Answering this question is far from easy and in fact may not be answerable by any prvable means. Speaking geneologically, do a family tree will not work because the paper trail of names and dates only goes so far. Some people will follow not just a family line, but entire cultures of people andsuggest the tribes migrated to certain locations and descendants whose family can be traced to that region are "likely" to be of Israel.

    My Example

    For example, I am able to trace my own family tree person by person back to Ireland. There, the trail seems to end. However, it seems that by general history, everyone with the surname of "Elder" has dscended out of the Clan of MacIntosh in Scotland almost 500 years ealier than the oldest direct ancestor I can trace. Some would say that the Northern tribes migrated into what would now be called Europe and thus there is a good chance I am of Israel. This type of logic has many flaws in it and is ultimately unprovable in the physical. [just for the record, I have prayed about this issue and I believe that I am not descended from Israel.]

    Genetic Research

    With the modern work in genetics, scientists are trying to make connections within family lines by genetic sequences that can be tagged and recorded. This practice may or maynot be useful to individuals at this time. The prime example here is that scientists believe they have isolated a gene that shows if a man is descended specifically from the tribe of Levi. How reliable is this type of information? I am not sure, it is a relatively new science, but it seems somewhat credible. As of yet, I have not heard if they have a gene for Israel in general.

    Spiritual Decision

    Other people will follow a strictly spiritual route in determining their status in Israel. Such statements range from the general belief that if one feels called to keep the Torah (the Old Testament laws), then one must be descended from Israel. Others will pray about the matter in other ways. As I state that I am a believer of revelation in prayer, I cannot say anything against this method direcly, but we must always be wary of those who want something to be true so much that they finally decide it is true or who have been lied to by others to think it is true. Ultimately, these forms of declaring one's part in or out of Israel is based on faith and is not provable in the physical.

    Passages of the Two Houses in Scripture

      Promises to the Patriarchs of Israel

    1. Gen12:1-3 - Promises to Abraham
    2. Gen 12:6-7 - Land given to Abraham's Seed
    3. Gen 17:19 - Covenant through Isaac
    4. Gen 27:28-30 - Isaac blesses Jacob
    5. Gen 28:12-15 - Promises to Jacob by Elohim
    6. Gen 32:27-28 - Jacob renamed Israel
    7. Gen 35:21-26 - Twelve sons of Jacob
    8. Gen 41:50-52 - Joseph's two sons
    9. Gen 48:14-16 - Israel Blesses Joseph's sons
    10. Gen 49:8-12 - Israel blesses Judah
    11. Gen 49:22-26 - Israel blesses Joseph

      Covenant with Israel

    12. Ex 12:37-38 - Mixed multitude leaves Egypt with Israel
    13. Deu 4:23-31 - Keep covenant or perish from land
    14. Deu 30:1-5 - Return to covenant and be gathered from nations

      Israel Divided into the Two Houses

    15. 1 Sam 18:14-16 - United kingdom under David
    16. 1 Kin 11:9-13 - Kingdwom will be divided after Solomon
    17. 1 Kin 11:28-32 - Jeroboam receives northern ten tribes
    18. 1 Kin 12:19-24 - Tribe of Judah follows House of David

      Prophecies of Israel Regathered

    19. Hosea 1:8-11 - Children of Judah and of Israel gathered
    20. Amo 9:13-15 - Israel planted in land again
    21. Is 8:13-16 - Rock of Offence to both houses of Israel
    22. Is 11:10-13 - Assemble outcasts of Israel and gather dispersed of Judah
    23. Is 49:1-8 - Raise tribes of Jacob, restore preserved of Israel, light to Gentiles
    24. Jer 3:13-18 - House of Judah shall walk with house of Israel
    25. Jer 25:8-13 - 70 years of Babylonian captivity
    26. Jer 50:17-20 - No iniquity of Israel and no sins of Judah
    27. Jer 31:31-34 - New Covenant with House of Israel and House of Judah
    28. Ez 37:15-25 - Stick of Judah and Stick of Ephraim become one stick
    29. Ez 47:21-23 - Strangers inherit land in Israel
    30. Dan 9:4-8 - Daniel confesses sins of people
    31. Zec 12:5-8 - Tents of Judah saved first

      Messiah's Work for Israel

    32. Luk 1:31-33 - Messiah reigns over House of Jacob
    33. Joh 11:47-52 - Messiah dies for Nation and Children of Elohim scattered abroad
    34. Act 1:4-8 - Restoring kingdom to Israel
    35. Rom 11:17-26 - Gentiles grafted into Israel, all Israel saved, ungodliness from Jacob
    36. Act 26:5-7 - Twelve tribes hope to come
    37. Eph 2:13-17 - Those far off are nigh in Messiah

    Todd Elder is a believer in the Messiah who wants to help people understand Scripture and know the message of Salvation. For more information from the Covenant Relationship series, please visit my website at http://www.exploringsalvation.info and look under 'Covenant'.
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