This Olivet Discourse Deception study page covers the regathering of the House of Israel and the House of Judah.
Many modern teachers proclaim that Messiah came to only minister to the Jews, but that’s off-target, as Scripture points to descendants of the House of Israel regathering in the areas north of Jerusalem before Messiah carried out His ministry.
You’ll see that Messiah started His ministry not in Jerusalem, but in Galilee, where some from the House of Israel had regathered.
Messiah confirmed that some of the house of Israel had regathered when He said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Matthew 15:24
Messiah was in Jerusalem during feast days and when He went the final time to die on the cross of Calvary. But the majority of the time He ministered in the areas north of Jerusalem, where the house of Israel used to live before the Assyrians scattered them, and where they had regathered.
The prophet Isaiah told the house of Israel that the Anointed One would shine on them.
In the midst of Isaiah telling the house of Israel that the Assyrians would come to disperse them from the land, he gave them hope that the Messiah would shine on them when they would be regathered before His coming.
Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations. The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. Isaiah 9:1-2
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. Isaiah 9:6-7
The land of Zebulun and Naphtali in Galilee, were the parts that principally suffered in the first Assyrian invasion. And they were the first that enjoyed the blessings of Messiah (the promised light) preaching the Gospel, and exhibiting His miraculous works among them.
Matthew 4:12-17 says that Messiah began His ministry in Capernaum, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, where the ten tribes of the House of Israel used to live.
Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee; And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim:
That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up. From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Messiah found most of His disciples in Galilee. Simon Peter and his brother Andrew, James and his brother John, were all fishing in the Sea of Galilee when Jesus called them.
The disciples were from the house of Israel and the house of Judah.
Modern teachers make us think that the disciples were all Jews, but that is not true. Most of them were born and lived in the areas where the ten tribes of the house of Israel used to live, indicating that their families had returned to the land that was once theirs.
- Simon Peter and his brother Andrew were from Bethsaida, Galilee.
- John and James, the sons of Zebedee, were also from Bethsaida, Galilee.
- Philip also was from Bethsaida, Galilee.
- Matthew the Evangelist was from Nazareth, Galilee.
- Simon the Zealot was from Galilee.
- Bartholomew was from Endor.
- Thomas was from Jerusalem.
- Jude, the son of James, who was surnamed Thaddaeus, was from Jerusalem.
- James, the son of Alphaeus, aka James the Less, was from the Jordan.
- Judas Iscariot, the betrayer, was from the town of Sekharyût.
- John the Baptist was of the tribe of Levi.
Here’s some other notable figures who were from different tribes of the House of Israel.
- Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, was from the tribe of Asher.
- Paul was of the tribe of Benjamin. He was a Roman citizen, as he was born in Tarsus, which proves that he had regathered to Jerusalem.
Messiah and His disciples preached the gospel to the House of Israel.
He ministered in Bethsaida Julias, Caesaria Philippi, Cana, Capernaum, Chorazin, the Decapolis, Gennesaret, Jericho, Nain, Nazareth, Perea, the Region of the Gadarenes, Samaria, Sidon, Sychar, and Tyre.
Jerusalem is marked by RED. YELLOW marks the places where Jesus ministered.
When Messiah sent His disciples out, He said, “These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Matthew 10:5-6
Messiah came to fulfill the law and the prophets, which pointed to Him.
Ezekiel 36:24-26 foretells the time of the regathering, and it speaks of a time when God would write His laws on their hearts.
For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
Jeremiah 31:31-34 echoed the same promise of a time when Messiah would offer a new covenant to the house of Israel and the house of Judah, where the laws would be written on their hearts. In Hebrews 8:8-10, Paul confirmed that this was fulfilled during Messiah’s ministry.
Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, 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 when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the LORD. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
Ezekiel 37:16-19 points to Messiah rejoining the two houses again.
Moreover, thou son of man, take thee 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 thine hand. And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee, saying, Wilt thou not shew us what thou meanest by these?
Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord 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.
Ezekiel 37:22 points to Messiah fulfilling this prophecy,
I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king over them all; they shall no longer be two nations, nor shall they ever be divided into two kingdoms again.
Ezekiel 37:24 points to the promised king, Messiah.
David My servant shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd; they shall also walk in My judgments and observe My statutes, and do them.
Ezekiel 37:26 points to Messiah who came to confirm the everlasting covenant with His blood.
Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them, and it shall be an everlasting covenant with them; I will establish them and multiply them, and I will set My sanctuary in their midst forevermore.
Ezekiel 37:27 points to the temple which is made without hands, as Messiah is the cornerstone, the disciples the foundation and the saints the stones which make up the walls.
My tabernacle also shall be with them; indeed I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
Ephesians 1:10 confirms that Messiah gathered the Houses back together.
In the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth–in Him.
Ephesians 2:20-22 tells us that the tabernacle of David is a spiritual temple, not one made by man. It’s a temple that unites those from the house of Israel, the house of Judah and Gentiles together, under the Good Shepard, Messiah.
Having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone, in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
Hebrews 13:20 confirms that Messiah came as the Shepherd to offer them an everlasting covenant.
Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant.
The early church consisted of people from the house of Israel and the house of Judah, who accepted their promised Messiah.
3,000 Jews repented and were baptized that day; and the Lord added daily those who were being saved.
In Acts 2:36, Peter said, Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.
These verses point to the Gospel being proclaimed to Israel, not just the Jews:
Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord. John 12:13
When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? Acts 1:6
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel. Acts 4:8
Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. Acts 5:31
This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear. Acts 7:37
But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: Acts 9:15
The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:) Acts 10:36
Of this one’s seed God, according to promise, did raise to Israel a Saviour–Jesus, John having first preached, before his coming, a baptism of reformation to all the people of Israel; Acts 13:23-24
For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: Hebrews 8:8,10
Can you now see that the regathering of the house of Israel and the house of Judah has already occurred?
The covenant to the house of Israel and the house of Judah was offered by Messiah during the 70th week of Daniel. To read a study about that, click on the 70 Weeks Of Daniel 9.
