Letter 196 (The
second nation)
12/09/03
In letter 191 (the second stick/tree), I pointed out that
after having gathered the first stick/tree or nation of Judah, YHVH is now in
the process of gathering the tree/nation “of Joseph in the hand of Ephraim and
all Israel”. I suggested that the
government of this second nation is not like that of Judah (at this point in time) , but is based on the rule and
reign of the Son of David/Son of God, Yeshua Ha-Mamashiach
It is taking a special work of YHVH, through the Messiah,
for the nation of Joseph, in the hand of Ephraim and all Israel , to be gathered again. This
nation was declared to be “not My people”, and the ones that YHVH had “no
mercy” on (Hos. 1:6,9). Paul calls this
etz/tree the “wild olive branch” reminding its ‘members’ not to boast, as they
only stand by faith: “And if some of the branches were broken off, and you,
being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a
partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, do not boast against the
branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but
the root supports you. You will say then, "Branches were broken off that I
might be grafted in." Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off,
and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear” (Rom. 11:17 -20). Neither Abraham nor Sarah
could boast in their flesh at the birth of their son Isaac, as his emergence
into life was a miracle just as it is written: “God has chosen the foolish
things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak
things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base
things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things
which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should
glory in His presence” (1 Cor. 1:27-29).
The northern house of Joseph/Ephraim (or the ten lost
tribes) became the lump of clay that was made into vessels of dishonor. They
were the “foolish, weak, despised and which are not”, as mentioned above. However, “Does not the potter have power
over the clay, from the same lump [Jacob] to make one vessel for honor
and another for dishonor?” (Rom 9:21 ).
By identifying the subject of the preceding statement with the same people whom
Hosea (1:10 ) was
addressing, the apostle reveals a mystery that we are not to be ignorant of
(see Rom. 11:25 ). “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 in the place where
it was said to them, “You are not My people,” there they shall be called sons
of the living God" (Rom. 9:25-26). YHVH gave Ephraim/Israel
over to wrath (that is, sin and death), just as He did to the rest of the sons
of disobedience, or the heathens. “Wherein in time past you walked according
to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air,
the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience, among whom also we
all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling
the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of
wrath, even as others” (Eph 2:2-3).
Paul also describes Israel’s plight in Romans chapter one:
“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and
unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness…although they
knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile
in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened; professing to be
wise, they became fools” (Rom. 1:18; 21-22). Even though these words may pertain to all
humanity, the expression “those who knew God” is a reference to those who
“knew” the truth (Torah) but suppressed it in unrighteousness. Who were the ones “who knew God”? These scriptures are very similar to others,
such as in Deuteronomy 32, Psalm 78 and 106 etc. that speak of Israel .
Peter, addressing his letter to “not My people”, describes
them as foreigners or aliens in the nations. The Greek words that are used here
are very revealing: “Peter,
an apostle of Yeshua the Messiah, to the strangers [or aliens -
parepidemos] scattered [diaspora] throughout Pontus , Galatia ,
Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia
In last week’s letter I pointed out that the apostles had
no reference for the new covenant revelation, other than the Tanach. Keeping this in mind, let us examine the
Greek words and see if there is a connection between the Tanach and the
terminology used in Peter’s introductory statement. “Parepidemos (Strongs 3927) is one who comes
from a foreign country into a city or land to reside there alongside the natives,
or sojourning in a strange place. Who
were the ones living outside of their own territory, who were actually aliens
alongside the heathens? Where did they
come from? The next word indicates that
they were a dispersed (diaspora #1290) people.
In chapter 2, Peter, quoting from the Prophet Hosea, calls them “not my
people”. Who were scattered or dispersed among the nations? Peter, like Paul, uses another Greek word to
describe them, “eklektos” (#1588), which is an elect or chosen nation. They
were the ones that the word “prognosis” (#4268) was applies to. That is, YHVH
had foreknowledge of them, or had pre-arranged their sowing into the nations
and then put His life and light in them that they might be a blessing and a
light to the rest of humanity. Again, I
must ask, where did the apostles get such notions, other than from knowing
about those to whom the promises were given in the first place?
Let
me reiterate, the second/nation is not like Judah ’s. Peter, quoting from the Torah, calls this people,
“a holy nation and a royal priesthood” (Ex 19:6; 1 Pet. 2:9). He then follows
it up with a quote from Hosea 1:10; 2:23 ,
reaffirming their ancestral identity. In other words, he is describing a nation
set apart for holiness; a body of people that have the life and nature of their
Elohim in them. Paul also refers to them
in his letter to the Corinthians, as the “temple of the living God”, and
then quotes from Leviticus 26:12 “I will walk among you and be your God, and
you shall be My people” (2 Cor. 6:16 ).
They are to manifest His righteousness through faith in the finished work of
the crucified Messiah. This will also be
the future destiny of the House of Judah, but YHVH must first fulfill the
prophesies that have to do with Judah’s present circumstances: “For YHVH
will visit His flock, the house of Judah, and will make them as His royal horse
in the battle… they shall be like mighty men, who tread down their enemies in
the mire of the streets in the battle. They shall fight because YHVH is with
them, and the riders on horses shall be put to shame. I will strengthen the house of Judah
Ephraim
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