Chapter 21

Abrahamic Covenant

When Abram was called forth from his homeland, the Lord made an unconditional covenant with him that applies to all the nations and families of the earth. This one covenant speaks mightily of God's plan for all the nations in the fulfillment of His purpose to become all in all new.

(1) Now the LORD said to Abram, "Go forth from your country, and from your relatives and from your father's house, to the land which I will show you; (2) and I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and so you shall be a blessing; (3) and I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed." (Genesis 12:1-3 NASB)

"I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth, so that if anyone can number the dust of the earth, then your descendants can also be numbered." (Genesis 13:16 NASB)

(5) And He took him outside and said, "Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them." And He said to him, "So shall your descendants be." (6) Then he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness. (Genesis 15:5-6 NASB)

(2) "I will establish My covenant between Me and you, and I will multiply you exceedingly." (3) Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying, (4) "As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you will be the father of a multitude of nations. (5) "No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. (6) "I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you, and kings will come forth from you." (Genesis 17:2-6 NASB)

(17) The LORD said, "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, (18) since Abraham will surely become a great and mighty nation, and in him all the nations of the earth will be blessed? (19) "For I have chosen him, so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice, so that the LORD may bring upon Abraham what He has spoken about him." (Genesis 18:17-19 NASB)

In essence, there are three parts to this covenant. The first part pertains to his blood descendants becoming a great and mighty nation; the second part pertains to him being the father of a multitude of nations; and the third part, which is the much greater one in its reach, pertains to all the nations and all the families being blessed. The first part was fulfilled in the days of Solomon. The third part is dependent on the second part, and both are a work-in- progress that began to be manifested after Calvary but kicked into high gear, so to speak, in the 18th century and is being played out in our day and will continue in the ages to come.

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First Part Fulfilled

Abram was promised to become a great nation made up of a multitude of descendants. "I will make you a great nation, and your descendants will be as numerous as the dust of the earth or the sand that is on the seashore." The promise relating to the sand was passed on to Abraham's son Isaac and his son Jacob (Genesis 22:17-18; 28:14; 32:12). All these expressions simply were the Lord's way of telling these patriarchs that their descendants would be many or a great multitude that could not be counted. They would be fruitful and multiply greatly.

This promise was literally fulfilled during the days of Solomon when he reigned over the United Kingdom of Israel that consisted of Judah and Israel.

(20) Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand that is on the seashore in abundance; they were eating and drinking and rejoicing. (21) Now Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the River to the land of the Philistines and to the border of Egypt; they brought tribute and served Solomon all the days of his life. ... (24) For he had dominion over everything west of the River, from Tiphsah even to Gaza, over all the kings west of the River; and he had peace on all sides around about him. (25) So Judah and Israel lived in safety, every man under his vine and his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon. (1 Kings 4:20- 21, 24-25)

Not only had the descendants of Abraham become a great multitude, but they had peace all around them. This was also a fulfillment of the prayer of David for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6).

These are important points, for it seems that many today are looking for this same kingdom to be reestablished on earth in the next age through one nation, the modern state of Israel made up of apparent Jews, as if the promise to Abraham to become a great nation, that is, one great nation, has yet to be fulfilled. The earth witnessed the fulfillment of the first part of the covenant during the reign of Solomon from 970-931 BC. This is what the above verses tell us.

Unfortunately, some historians have ignored the fact that the United Kingdom of Israel of the tenth century BC was one of the greatest kingdoms ever to exist on earth. Without doubt, Solomon's kingdom was great in its breadth and in its wealth. There was no war, and there was great prosperity. Solomon's ships sailed to the far reaches of the earth on three-year journeys, definitely to the British Isles, as well as to the Far East, and probably to North America.

King David had taken control of most of the land routes for trade and established a strong relationship with King Hiram of Tyre whose ships plowed the water routes of the Mediterranean and beyond. This combination produced a powerhouse kingdom that had great influence. Solomon inherited this and, through his wisdom, greatly increased what his father had begun. Truly, the glory of the Lord shined brightly, at least in the formative days of his kingdom until his heart began to turn from the Lord and fulfilled the first part of the covenant on a national level.

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Second Part ­ A Work-in-Progress

"You will be the father of a multitude of nations. ... for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you, and kings will come forth from you."

Strictly on the level of the number of sons that were begat of Abraham, it is apparent that he truly was the father of a multitude of nations, even in the ancient days. After all, Abraham had three wives, Sarah, Hagar, and Keturah. From them came the twelve sons of Jacob that became known as the sons of Israel, the five sons of Esau that became known as the Edomites and Amakelites, the twelve princes of Ishmael that became known as the Ishmaelites (Arabs today), and six other sons from Keturah, one of which became known as the Midianites. This does not include Abraham's sons born to concubines.

From these sons alone, it could be argued that the promise to Abraham of becoming a multitude of nations has been fulfilled, just as he had become the father of a great nation.

However, this is only part, even a very small part, of the history, for this promise continued to be worked out among the nations but in a new and hidden way, starting with the breakup of Solomon's kingdom and the subsequent scattering of the ten tribes of Israel (not Judah, at least initially). God wrote a writ of divorce and sent them out of His house (Hosea 9:15). The ten tribes of the kingdom of Israel became known as the Lost Ten Tribes.

When the Assyrians captured Israel and sent them into captivity from 745-721 BC, Israel, the holder of the birthright name (Genesis 48:16; 1 Chronicles 5:1-2), lost its national identity as Israel and became the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Matthew 10:6; 15:24).

As a side note; the name Israel has a broad and a restrictive meaning. The broad meaning refers to the twelve tribes of the sons of Jacob-Israel as long as they remained united as one kingdom. However, the restrictive meaning refers to the birthright name given to Joseph's two sons. As long as all the sons of Israel remained together, they were Israelites. However, once they were split apart into two kingdoms following Solomon's death, the name Israel went with the northern kingdom of ten tribes of which Ephraim and Manasseh were part, and the name Judah went with the southern kingdom of the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin. From this point on, generally speaking, the prophets kept this distinction.

But herein lies the mystery: What happened to the lost sheep of the house of Israel? Where did they go? How are they identified today?

There is too much history wrapped up in these questions to cover in one chapter, let alone in one book, so only a few points will be highlighted, starting with Isaac and his wife Rebekah.

But God said to Abraham, "... for through Isaac your descendants shall be named." (Genesis 21:12 NASB)

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To Isaac, the Lord promised: "Indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies. In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice" (Genesis 22:17-18 NASB).

In leaving home to become Isaac's wife, Rebekah was sent away with a blessing: Thus they sent away their sister Rebekah and her nurse with Abraham's servant and his men. They blessed Rebekah and said to her, "May you, our sister, become thousands of ten thousands, and may your descendants possess the gate of those who hate them" (Genesis 24:59-60 NASB).

These promises were fulfilled in part, not in whole, with Solomon's kingdom, for God began to do a mighty work in the scattering of the house of Israel.

Knowing how some think when they see the word lost, it must be emphasized that the term lost simply means that they lost their national identity as they were removed from their ancient land, which led to their migration to foreign lands.

Based on the historical record and archeological evidence, the ten tribes were not even lost in the sense of no one knowing where they were or where they had gone. They did not simply vanish as a people, never to be seen or heard from again. Quite the contrary; they left a path of migratory evidence, etymological and anthropological, that is widely accepted even amongst some Orthodox Jews today. They became a great people.

After all, James wrote "to the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad" (James 1:1), and Peter wrote "to those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia" (1 Peter 1:1). These areas constituted northern Asia Minor, which is modern Turkey today. This was a pathway for the Israelites who migrated westward to Europe where they became a large population.

To understand the migration of the sons of Israel, we need to go back a bit further in their history to the Hebrews.

Hebrew ­ One Who Migrates

The word Hebrew (Hebrew: ibriy) is a patronymic name derived from the patriarch Eber, a fourth generation son of Noah. Thus, a Hebrew is a descendant of Eber, an Eberite. The name Eber means "the region beyond." Eber had a son named Peleg, which means "division" or "separation," for in his days the earth was divided (Genesis 10:25). Of the families of the sons of Noah, it is said: "Out of these the nations were separated on the earth after the flood" Genesis 10:32). Obviously, this separation or division occurred during the life of Peleg.

Some say this means that the continents or land masses were divided during his day, for they believe the water from the flood fully receded during his days to form the present continents.

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Some of this could have occurred during this time, but this does not seem to be the primary meaning.

More commonly, it is believed that the earth being divided in Peleg's day refers to events surrounding the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9). Some date the building of the Tower and the Lord confusing the language of the builders close to the birth of Peleg, and others date it in the year of his death. I am more inclined to accept the latter.

At any rate, the word Hebrew came to mean "opposite side of the river," "passing beyond," or "a region across."

Abram was the first person in Scripture to be called a Hebrew (Genesis 14:13), for he was called by God to go forth from his country to a land which God would show him (Genesis 12:1). In other words, he passed beyond to another region or migrated to a new land. Given this, the word Hebrew has built into its meaning "one who migrates." Some commentators state that the word also means colonist, as in a person who plants colonies away from his homeland.

It seems apparent that the word Hebrew is prophetic on several levels, starting with the fruitfulness blessing that Elohim bestowed on mankind through Adam: "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth" (Genesis 1:28). This is the very beginning of the concept of migration that is contained in the word Hebrew. Actually, it was more than a blessing; it was a command and a prophecy, and God fully intended this blessing to be manifested through migration of His people throughout the whole earth, not just a strip of land in what was called Canaan and later Palestine.

This prophetic blessing given to Adam is the basis of the covenant the Lord made with Abram.

The building of a tower and the city of Babel were impediments to this blessing, for the ancients were saying: "Let us make for ourselves a name, otherwise we will be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth" (Genesis 11:4). This was a flagrant snubbing of Elohim's fruitfulness blessing bestowed upon His creation.

However, God's plan for mankind and the earth could not, cannot, and will not be thwarted. By confusing the language of the whole earth, meaning the emergence of many new languages, not only then but over time, God forced mankind to move out from the land of Shinar. But there was more to it, for, at the same time, God called forth the Eberites as a migratory and colonist people called Hebrews. This was prophetic of how God was going to fulfill the fruitfulness blessing.

There is a long-term prophecy built into God's promise to Abraham the Hebrew that led to his descendants migrating outside of the land of Israel so that they have blessed and yet will bless all the nations of the earth.

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The sons of Israel were not a static people, as if they were all neatly compacted into the land of promise and they remained there from birth to death. It is true they had their inheritance in the land, but this did not restrict them to this land nor did it constrain some of them from migrating to and exploring other lands, either to colonize some or to plant some seeds of Hebrew or Israelite life, culture, language, and religion.

Many people might look at this migration as beginning with the forced exile of the tribes out of the land of Israel through the invasion of the Assyrians and Babylonians, which is called the Diaspora, but evidence indicates that more migration occurred as early as the 40-year wilderness journey.

Migration from the Wilderness

There is some evidence as far back as the days of Moses and the sons of Israel when they sojourned through the wilderness from 1447-1407 BC. Most of us probably think the twelve tribes remained intact during those 40 years. After all, God revealed Himself to them through many signs and wonders and even spoke directly to them from the midst of the mountain. By our way of thinking, they must have been so awe-struck by these things that they all would have stuck it out in the wilderness. Maybe, or maybe not! Let us not forget that they worshipped the golden calf and grumbled and rebelled their way through the wilderness. It would seem more likely that some could have decided to take their chances elsewhere. After all, the first generation knew they could not enter the land of Canaan.

In his article The Missing Simeonites, Steven M. Collins makes the argument that some of the Simeonites, along with some from the other tribes, did just that. He makes his conclusion based on the change in population of the tribes between their first and second census (Numbers 1:20- 46; 26:1-51). Since their numbers showed normal growth, most of the tribes were rather static. However, Simeon, Ephraim, and Naphthali showed abnormal reductions in their populations. Plagues and other events do not necessarily explain these significant drops, at least based on the Biblical record. The plague that occurred before the second census took 24,000 lives, and the combined reduction of these three tribes after the plague was over 48,000; but the overall total for all twelve tribes had been reduced by only a little over 1,800 due to significant increases in some of the other tribes. For example, Manasseh increased by over 20,000. So where did some of the members of these three tribes go?

One possibility is they left the camp and migrated to other lands outside that region. In particular, there is some evidence that the Simeonites became the Spartans of ancient Greece who were known to be non-native to Greece, descendants from ones who had migrated there. The Spartans lived by the sword, which fits Jacob-Israel's prophecy over his son Simeon: Their swords are implements of violence. I will disperse them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel (Genesis 49:5, 7). Truly, they were scattered to a foreign land. The most compelling proof comes from the book of 1 Maccabbees 14:16-23. In a correspondence to Simon, a Jewish High Priest, the Spartans claimed the Jewish people (i.e., of the tribe of Judah) as their kinsmen. This is only one migratory clue among many.

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Sea People during the Time of the Judges

After Israel entered Canaan, during the time of the Judges in which the sons of Jacob faced attacks from the surrounding "ite" nations, it is believed that some of the tribes were seafarers who traveled not only the Mediterranean but also up the coast of Europe to Britain.

"Zebulun will dwell at the seashore; and he shall be a haven for ships, and his flank shall be toward Sidon." ... "Gilead remained across the Jordan; and why did Dan stay in ships? Asher sat at the seashore, and remained by its landings. ... (Genesis 49:13; Judges 5:17 NASB)

In Jacob-Israel's blessing of his sons, Zebulon was prophesied as one who would help his seafaring brethren. Later, during the time of the Judges, both Dan and Asher are associated with the sea, with Dan staying in ships. They were most likely associated with ones called the Sea People. Thus, at least two and possibly three tribes of Israel set out to sea, giving them the opportunity to migrate and colonize. This was no static culture.

Some scholars have provided evidence, based on the seafaring people called Tuatha de Danan, that the tribe of Dan may have founded civilizations in Greece, Spain, Britain, and Ireland. Scholars claim that the word Tuath means "tribe" and that an was added to the name Dan to make up the name Danan. Thus, these scholars believe the European colonists were of the tribe of Dan. Further, Cyprus was called Ia-Danan or the Island of Dan(an). According to Greek tradition, their founder (eponymous ancestor) migrated from the Nile to Greece and was named Danuna. Of course, as we know, all the tribes of the sons of Israel were delivered (migrated) out of Egypt.

Colonizers during Solomon's Reign

But perhaps, the greatest migration and colonization occurred during Solomon's reign.

Solomon had at sea the ships of Tarshish (1 Kings 10:22), which is similar to Tartessus, one of the ancient names for Spain, which has led to the theory that they traveled to this region and colonized it. However, it is also theorized that these ships traveled much further, for they went on three-year journeys, which indicates areas to the east.

For the king had at sea the ships of Tarshish with the ships of Hiram; once every three years the ships of Tarshish came bringing gold and silver, ivory and apes and peacocks. (1 Kings 10:22 NASB)

It is also believed that Solomon's ships sailed to the British Isles to obtain tin from the mines of Cornwall. Later, as the Assyrians began their siege of the northern kingdom of Israel, it is thought that some migrated as far away as Britain to escape these cruel invaders.

But there are other possibilities. There is some evidence that King Solomon's navy traveled to other continents, including the Americas, in search of ore for the king's smelting operation,

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which could explain why some of his ships returned every third year. It would have been quite a labor-intensive undertaking to do so every year.

In the history of the Israelites, only during Solomon's reign did they have the resources for such an undertaking. Further, the three-year lag time could have been necessary due to the long journey across the Atlantic. Simply, it would have taken time to travel to and from, and time to collect or mine precious goods such as gold, silver, copper, and tin. Others claim these ships traveled to an area in Arabia or India.

Lost Civilizations of North America

These theories might be corroborated by other evidence that has been discovered in North America, namely, through what are called the lost civilizations of North America. When the early settlers and explorers arrived in America in the 1600's to 1700's, they discovered large mounds of earth in many areas, indicating others had occupied the land and built what some call mound cities. It is estimated that some of these cities were quite large and sophisticated. In particular, one mound called Monk's Mound had a footprint larger than the Great Pyramid of Giza. It is estimated that the entire city had a population greater than that of ancient Rome. To add to the intrigue, at a site called the Newark Hopewell City, archeologists discovered that the layout of the city had the same architectural mathematics as the Great Pyramid of Giza.

But the intrigue does not stop here, for archeological scientists turned to DNA in an attempt to identify the origin of these mound builders. Where did they come from? Were they related to Native Americans? By examining the mitochondrial DNA (maternal DNA) of the remains of these mound builders, they discovered that they were, in fact, related to Native Americans, both ancient and contemporary. But another fascinating find came out of the DNA analysis. They discovered a form of DNA called haplogroup X2. There is only one area in the world identified as the origin of the haplogroup X2, and that is "from the hills of Galilee." Let the implications of this find sink in. [Source: The Lost Civilizations of North America, DVD written and directed by Rick Stout.]

The evidence does not stop here, for linguistic studies of American Indian (Native American) languages indicate common roots with ancient Hebrew. Further, some artifacts have been discovered with ancient block Hebrew inscriptions on them. In particular, one actually contains the Ten Commandments and another contains the words "tribe of Asher." Another study of North American Indian tribal names discovered that one language group was based on the morpheme "Dan," which makes sense since we know that Dan stayed in ships and his tribe could have found their way to the Americas.

These fragments of data have led to the conclusion that extensive contacts occurred between the Old World of Eurasia and the New World of the Americas. It is believed by some that much colonization of the Americas occurred by the Israelite/Phoenicians and then the Carthaginians, well before Columbus and the Vikings.

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Of course, true to the nature of man, there is controversy over these findings, and some, for political and other reasons, would rather keep these findings hidden. For those who believe these findings to be irrefutable, the only question that seems to be unanswered is when this migration and colonization occurred. The most probable answer is that it occurred over 2,000 years ago and possibly as far back as during the reign of Solomon.

Men might argue over such things and even obscure or hide the facts in order to advance their personal agendas and biases, but as Christians, we do not have to get caught up in controversy. We must trust God's Word, for He has revealed His plan to all who desire and seek to know.

Of Abraham, it is said: "Your descendants will also be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and in you and in your descendants shall all the families of the earth be blessed" (Genesis 28:14 NASB).

Of Jacob, it is said: His seed shall be in many waters (Numbers 24:7 LITV).

In speaking of God in relation to the sons of Jacob and Joseph, it is said: Your way is in the sea; and Your path is in the great waters; and Your footsteps are not known (Psalm 77:19 LITV). Is this not a prophecy that God's people would migrate by way of the sea and their paths would not be known? When one travels by land, he often leaves a trail where he has trodden, but when one travels by sea, he leaves no trace in the wake of the waves.

Of His servant David, the Lord said: And I will set his hand in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers (Psalm 89:25 LITV).

In reference to himself, King Solomon asked the Lord: May he also rule from sea to sea (Psalm 72:8 NASB).

What has been presented is a mere fragment of evidence compiled by others that the Hebrew- Israelites migrated throughout the world. What is of great interest is the thought that these ancient people may have colonized parts of the Americas even before the Israelite Diaspora of 745-721 BC.

Israelite Diaspora

Some might refute the evidence cited so far, but when it comes to the Diaspora of 745-721 BC, the evidence becomes compelling that the lost sheep of the house of Israel truly became mighty nations, especially in Europe and America.

The word diaspora is from the Greek, meaning "scattered or dispersed." To some, the Diaspora refers to the scattering of the Jews (Judahites) that occurred in 70-74 AD when God's Roman army laid siege to the cities and towns of Judea, leading to the total destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, thus driving the Old Covenant and Judaism into obsolescence (Matthew 22:7; Hebrews 8:13), at least as far as God is concerned.

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About 25 years earlier, James had written to the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad (James 1:1), and about 6 years earlier, Peter had written to the aliens scattered throughout the region of Asia-Minor (1 Peter 1:1). Obviously, James and Peter could not have been writing to the ones scattered in the so-called Jewish Diaspora of 70-74 AD.

So, to whom were they writing? Some have spiritualized the answer by concluding that it was to the church in general, but this cannot be, for it is clear they were writing to their brethren of the flesh. Consequently, the dispersion they had in mind had to refer to the Israelite dispersion that occurred about seven centuries earlier. Further proof of this is discovered in John's gospel when the Jews questioned one another over Jesus' word that He was leaving them and they could not go with Him: "Where does this man intend to go that we will not find Him? He is not intending to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks, is He?" (John 7:35 NASB). The word dispersion is the Greek word diaspora.

Again, after the twelve tribes had split into two separate kingdoms, the northern kingdom of Israel was invaded by the Assyrians and taken captive in 745-721 BC. The ten tribes were deported northeast from their land to the area of Media in northern Mesopotamia along the shores of the Caspian Sea. As a united group they never returned to Palestine, and the national identity of the name Israel was lost.

To round out this dispersion, we should also keep in mind that some of the kingdom of Judah probably dispersed as well when the Babylonians conquered Assyria and then Jerusalem in 607- 604 BC. The name Judah was not lost, for it returned to Jerusalem in 534 BC; nevertheless, not all Judahites returned but instead became part of the dispersion to other lands, as evidenced by James' reference to the twelve tribes. But there is more, for, undoubtedly, there were some from the tribes who sought to avoid captivity by migrating out of Palestine, trekking westward.

This is the real Diaspora and the very reason why Jesus was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Matthew 15:24). The Judahites in Jerusalem and Judea heard Him as He stood in their midst, but the good news of His arrival and identity as Messiah and Son of God had to go the lost tribes of Israel that were no longer united with Judah and were dispersed among the nations.

It is estimated that upwards of 6 million Israelites went into captivity and only about 50,000 Judahites returned to Jerusalem (Ezra 2:1, 64, 65). This has led some to conclude that over 99% of God's people were lost to history, but only in name. It is pretty hard to hide such a large number of people, considering the world population at that time was probably between 50-150 million people.

But how are the lost tribes to be found in the world? Actually there are many ways to identify them, for as they migrated away from the land of their captivity, they left artifacts along the way in the form of Biblical symbols and stories and heroes, language, culture, customs; you name it. It was like leaving crumbs along a path or breaking twigs of trees so that one can find his way home. Instead, they left telltale signs to let others know the path they had trod. Also,

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an indication of their path is discovered in the names by which they became known, which were many.

Through the Name of Isaac

One such name is that of the Saka or Scythians (Greek form). Saka or Sacae referred to the House of Isaac. In Behistun, 500 miles northwest of Susa where Queen Esther lived, stands a giant rock carving depicting a battle with the Saka. The accompanying text describing the battle is repeated in three languagesPersian, Susian, and Babylonian. From these texts, it was discovered that the Persians called these people Saka and the Babylonians called them Gimirri. The Scythian became known as a wanderer or tent-dweller, which aptly described the Israelites in dispersion.

This is evidence that God's promise to Abraham was being fulfilled: But God said to Abraham, "... for through Isaac your descendants shall be named" (Genesis 21:12 NASB).

Another name by which they were known was Khumri, which is how the Assyrians referred to the Israelites. The Black Obelisk of Assyrian king Salmanasar III (859-824 BC) is covered with script and reliefs that picture Jehu, the son of Khumri, paying tribute to the king. The name Khumri translates as the House of Omri, which refers to an Israelite king (1 Kings 16:16; Micah 6:16). It is thought that the Assyrians first became acquainted with the northern kingdom during the time of Ahab the son of Omri, which led them henceforth to refer to the kingdom as Beth-Omri or House of Omri.

Scholars seem to be in agreement that the Saka, Gimirri, and Khumri all refer to the lost tribes of Israel. Even The Jewish Encyclopedia (Vol. 12, p. 250) is in agreement: "The Sacae, or Scythians ... were the Lost Ten Tribes." The Gimirri also became known as the Cimmerian.

But there is more, for it is believed that the Saxons are descendants of the Saka, the House of Isaac people. For those of us who remember our history, the English are considered descendants of the Anglo-Saxons, and many of us, whose forefathers migrated to America, have long thought of ourselves as Anglo-Saxons.

But there is even more, for the tribes migrated through the Caucus Mountains on their trek to Eastern Europe and became known as the Caucasians. True to form, historians debate some of this, but it seems that the Caucasians originated in Mesopotamia and migrated north through the Caucus Mountains to Europe.

It has been noted that tribes located in the Scandinavian area spoke a language similar to ancient Iranian (Persian), an early Mesopotamian dialect. Further, on historical maps, Iberia or Hebrew Land is shown to be located in the Caucus region between the Caspian and Black Seas, north of the Euphrates. Add to this the fact that Spain is known as the Iberian Peninsula, and Ireland is known as Ibernion, and our vision of the Hebrew connection enlarges even more. The ancient name of the Israelites was Ibri or Iberi, which is derived from the name Eber or Heber.

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Finally, the Omri, Khumri, Cimmerian, and Kymry became associated with the Celts, a people group associated with Britain. Add to these names others like the Welsh (Cymry), the Goths, and the Germans, and the history of the hand of God in migrating the Hebrews grows even more interesting.

There is so much evidence of the migration of the Hebrew-Israelites that these mere fragments do not do the subject justice.

On a personal note, I recall when I was growing up that whites were classified as Caucasians. Interesting? I find all of this fascinating since my ancestry consists of Scottish-Irish (mostly), German, French, and Native American, to name a few.

This leads to the conclusion made by many historians, including some Orthodox Jews. The millions of dispersed Hebrew-Israelites were called by many names as they migrated from Asia Minor through the Caucus Mountain region into southeastern Europe in the many centuries before the Christian era. They formed the beginning of the company of nations promised to Jacob-Israel (Genesis 35:11) that became many of the modern nations of the Western World.

Where is Israel Today?

This leads to the question: Where is Israel today? Let us be clear that the Israel of Scripture is not the modern Jewish nation called Israel in the ancient land of Palestine. Israel is now hidden within many nations of the world that go by many other names, including the United States and Great Britain.

Orthodox Jew Yair Davidy, author of The Tribes, states on his website:

"Most of the Lost Ten Tribes migrated to Northwest and Western Europe and their descendants are now in those areas of North America, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. We do not claim that all residents are descended from Israel. We do however affirm that most descendants of the Lost Ten Tribes are residents of those nations. Even so in the course of history the Israelite origins of people in those areas have influenced national development and national characteristics. The Tribe of Joseph was divided into two other Tribes: Ephraim and Menasseh. People from All of the Israelite Tribes congregated in North America but in general the U.S.A. is dominated by Menasseh. Britain has characteristics of Ephraim. Reuben was important in France, Issachar in Switzerland, Benjamin in Belgium, Zebulon in Holland, Dan in Denmark, Naphtali in Norway, Gad in Sweden, the country of Finland was influenced by the Tribes of Simeon, Issachar, and Gad; Simeon, Dan, and Ephraim were important in Ireland."

In his book The Tribes, Davidy states:

"This book shows how most of the ancient Israelites were exiled and lost their identity and that today their descendants are to be found mainly amongst the "Gentile" peoples

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of North America, Northwest Europe, Australasia and South Africa. The present-day Jews in the Diaspora and Israel are mainly descended from only two of the original tribes whereas the offspring of the remaining majority are in the above areas. These claims are not far-fetched. They are supported by Biblical, Historical, and other evidence much of which is, in effect, even recognized by the academic world. The Israelites were transported en-masse first mainly to areas in northern Mesopotamia and to Hara and from those regions they later moved northward into "Scythia" (roughly the area encompassed in the past by the U.S.S.R.) whence they migrated in waves to the extreme north and west of Europe from which their descendants settled North America, Australasia, and South Africa. The peoples in these said nations today are thus in the Biblical and historical sense brothers of the Jews who came from the remaining southern kingdom of Judah and comprised the second half of the Hebrew nation with the Lost Ten Tribes comprising the remainder."

An excerpt from a tract titled Ancient Hebrew Sea Migrations (website: israelite.info) states:

Europe was left virtually empty in ancient times, prepared for the number of Israelites to be sent there in God's Providence. "When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance; when He separated the Sons of Adam, He set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel." (Deuteronomy 32:8) Israel was to expand in the seas: "Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not known." (Psalm 77:19) "I will set his hand also in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers." (Psalm 89:25) "Ask of me, and I will give thee of the heathen for thy inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. (Psalm 2:8) "He shall have dominion from sea to sea..." (Psalm 72:8) "His seed shall be in many waters." (Numbers 24:7) How wonderfully have these promises of sea migration and colonization been fulfilled! Abraham's descendants were to "spread abroad" to the ends of the earth. (Genesis 28:14) Israel had already settled colonies in the isles of the west when Jeremiah wrote this in circa 600 B.C.: "Hear the word of the Lord, O ye nations and declare it in the ISLES afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him and keep him, as a shepherd does his flock." (Jeremiah 31:10) True to prophecy, Israel was gathered to the great shepherd, Jesus Christ, through faith, and the Israel nations became known as Christendom, or 'Christ's Kingdom on earth.' "Sing...His praise from the end of the earth..." (Isaiah 42:10) And they do!

Many commentators seem to be in agreement that it is no longer a question of whether Hebrews migrated to Europe and North America, but a question of how many people in these areas today are of Hebrew (not Jewish) descent. Of course, only the Lord knows.

We should not be surprised that this is God's doing, for it is the fulfillment of the long-term prophetic blessing given to Abraham, the father of nations.

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A Treasure Hidden in a Field

The name Jezreel means "God sows," and Hosea prophesied that God sowed His lost tribes in the land in order to reap them as His people.

(22) And the earth will respond to the grain, to the new wine and to the oil, and they will respond to Jezreel. (23) "I will sow her for Myself in the land. I will also have compassion on her who had not obtained compassion, and I will say to those who were not My people, 'You are My people!' And they will say, 'You are my God!'" (Hosea 2:22-23 NASB)

Keep in mind that this does not refer to Jews; it refers to God's people who were once not "My people." They were the lost sheep of the house of Israel that were divorced from the Lord and scattered among the nations. Who are "My people" today? They are ones who believe on Jesus, Christians. Many from the dispersed house of Israel received the gospel and became "My people," and these same ones formed or populated many of the European nations that also colonized the world, including America. In this process, many others became "My people," based on circumcised hearts, not on genes.

Jesus repeated this truth in one of His parables on the mysteries of the Kingdom of the Heavens: "The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field" (Matthew 13:44 NASB). Jesus is that man and His treasure is the lost tribes of Israel. He came to the lost sheep of the house of Israel and found them but then hid them again in the field, which is the world that He purchased with His own blood, so that He would not only redeem His treasure but all mankind as well. What a glorious gospel!

Many teach that the treasure is the bride of Christ; others teach it is the conquerors; and yet others teach it is the lost sheep of the house of Israel. In a sense, all are correct. However, the point is that the Lord hid what today could be called His spiritual Israel. He has hidden this fact so well that very few seem to know the history of this treasure and that it is about Christian nations and not the modern-state of Israel.

Do not miss the import of all this. The Lord began to scatter the Hebrews throughout the world probably 4,000 years ago in preparation for His arrival 2,000 years later in order to send forth His gospel, starting with the Jews of Jerusalem and continuing beyond, spreading to all the regions in which the house of Israel had been scattered, even to the remotest parts of the earth (Acts 1:8).

The gospel was preached first to the Jew, but it did not stop there. The believing Jews (Judahites of the good figs) sought out their brethren of the ten tribes of Israel to tell them the good news. Again, there are glimpses of this in the epistle of James and 1 Peter. Also, it is believed that Paul traveled to the regions of Spain, Switzerland, and Britain to share the gospel with the descendants of Israel.

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The gospel began to spread throughout the regions that the ten lost tribes had migrated to in previous centuries and became known by other names. Over time, the seed of God was planted in many of these Hebrew-Israelites and the gospel began to spread beyond their adopted nations and to every tribe and tongue and people and nation (Revelation 5:9).

The fact of the matter is that some of the Hebrew-Israelite descendants formed and named the many nations of Europe and America.

Keep in mind that, although we have been considering the natural Hebrew-Israelite, under the New Covenant, being born from above with the seed of God is not based on genealogy but on faith. Those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer (Galatians 3:9). No one gets a free pass based on genealogy. It is not about a gene pool; it is about a heart pool.

Nevertheless, it is abundantly clear that God planned for the gospel to go to the Jew first, then to their brethren of the Diaspora, the Hebrew-Israelites. It is no coincidence that the Western World or Western Civilization became the heart of Christendom. Many of these Christianized nations sought to colonize many parts of the world. As they moved out into the rest of the world, they took the gospel with them.

This is why some of us stress that the Western Christian nations are clearly Israelite nations and the present-day state of Israel is not, which should have been named Judea, not Israel. Of course, there is a prophetic reason for this, but that is another topic unto itself.

It is also no coincidence that this same civilized world has, on a nationalistic level, mostly turned from God in our modern day, just as the ancient Israelites did.

This should remind us of a word from the Lord: I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hidden from Me; for now, O Ephraim, you have played the harlot, Israel has defiled itself. Their deeds will not allow them to return to their God. For a spirit of harlotry is within them, and they do not know the LORD (Hosea 5:3-4 NASB).

It is time to wake up and return to the Lord! The grand migration from mortality to immortality is coming soon, and the Lord's true treasure that He has kept secret will be revealed to the nations. Let us be Hebrews like Abraham who sought for the holy city, New Jerusalem!

Third Part Blessing for the Whole Family

This leads to the third part of the covenant with Abraham that deals with all the nations and all the families of the earth being blessed through Abraham.

The Lord intended this blessing to go forth, not through one great nation but through the multitude of nations that were to come forth through Abraham. In other words, the Hebrew- Israelite nations that we know as the Western Christian nations were to be a blessing to all the nations and to bring the entire world the good news of Jesus and His Kingdom.

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Historically speaking, this began in earnest in 1776 AD with the founding of America and the establishment of its capital in Philadelphia, which corresponds to the ecclesia in Philadelphia (Revelation 3:7-13). Of course, America was not (is not) alone in spreading the gospel, for other nations had been (have been) doing this leading up to this period and through to our day. Great Britain, one of the greatest colonial empires in history, took Christianity with them wherever they colonized, and so did the Spanish, the French, the Dutch, and others.

In a spiritual sense, as Christians, we are Hebrews, for we have a genetic code within us as well. When we are born from above with the seed of God (1 John 3:9) taking up residence in us, we are given a spiritual genetic code that drives us to go beyond as well, except our land is not a tract someplace on earth. Our new land is an immortal body in the image of Christ. In other words, our genetic code drives us so that one day we can and will migrate from mortality (death) to immortality (life) through resurrection and transfiguration. In another sense, it is a migration from the earthly Jerusalem to the heavenly New Jerusalem.

But why is God driving toward this end for "My people"? It is for the rest of the nations and all the families. The Lord's covenant with Abraham is to bless all the nations and all the families on earth. King Solomon blessed his people based on the heart of this covenant: "So that all the peoples of the earth may know that the Lord is God; there is no one else" (1 Kings 8:60).

Who has been given the privilege of bearing this fruit? They are the ones who belong to Christ in this age, the ones with the faith of Abraham, who are his true descendants. They are the lovers of Christ and the ones who express His love to all mankind in this age and in the ages to come.

And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendants, heirs according to promise. (Galatians 3:29 NASB)

(14) For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, (15) of whom the whole family in the heavens and on earth is named, (16) that He may give to you, according to the riches of His glory, with might to be strengthened through His Spirit, in regard to the inner man, (17) that the Christ may dwell through the faith in your hearts, in love having been rooted and founded, (18) that ye may be in strength to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, (19) to know also the love of the Christ that is exceeding the knowledge, that ye may be filled--to all the fulness of God; (20) and to Him who is able above all things to do exceeding abundantly what we ask or think, according to the power that is working in us, (21) to Him is the glory in the assembly in Christ Jesus, to all the generations of the age of the ages. Amen. (Ephesians 3:14-21 YLT)

The entire race of Adam is the whole family of God on earth. Without a doubt, Paul had the Abrahamic Covenant in mind when he wrote these words. He bowed the knee unto the Father because he knew that every nation and all the families of God's entire creation one day would do likewise. The love of God will do this, for love never fails. Let us have our Father's heart.

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