In order to better understand the difference between Jews and the other tribes of Israel we need to briefly discuss how the twelve tribes came to be two separate nations/houses. We find in First Kings 12:1-21 the story of the split. Solomon’s son, Rehoboam, assumed the throne of Israel following his father’s death. Instead of being kind to the already heavily-taxed people, the new king raised their taxes. Because of this the ten tribes living in the northern part of the Holy Land (Samaria) rebelled and created a separate nation/house. Thus the tribes of Judah, Benjamin and most of the Levites came to be known as Judahites (dwellers of Judea), nicknamed “Jews” by the King James translators. The other tribes retained the name “Israel.” From that time forward the two kingdoms were called the House of Judah and the House of Israel respectively. The first use of the word “Jews” is found in 2 Kings 16:6 where we find the Jews AT WAR WITH ISRAEL. It must be understood that all Jews are Israelites but not all Isrelites are Jews in the same way that all Texans are Americans, but not all Americans are Texans. The world, being ignorant of Bible history, believes that those called “Jews” comprise the entirety of the 12 tribes of Israel. However, the Jews number approximately 20 million globally and maintain the label of “Jews” while the other tribes number in the hundreds of millions and are called “Gentiles.” Let us consult the Scriptures to determine how the northern tribes became “lost” among the Gentile nations and were absorbed by them.

In 722 B.C. God sent the House of Israel into Assyrian captivity due to her sins. He late scattered them throughout the Gentile world. Immerse in heathenism, they quickly became Gentilized, and in so doing lost their conscious connection to God. Jeremiah 3:8 tells us that God had “divorced” Israel, declaring them “not My (a) people.” This is also shown in Hosea 1:4,9 where God tells of His rejection of them. From that time on they were never again known by the name of “Israel,” meaning “power with God.” In Scripture only the twelve Tribes of Israel have ever been called “Israel,” only Israel has ever been called “God’s people” and God has called only Israel “My people.” Gentiles have never been called God’s people, have never known Him, have no history with Him and are never called His “elect,” His “remnant,” His “called,” His “foreknown,” His “predestined,” His “reward” or His “inheritance.” In Scripture, each of the above labels have been applied to Israel. God made His Biblical promises only to Israel. For a Gentile to enter into those promises he must become part of the Commonwealth of Israel– God’s “good olive tree–His church which obeys His Ten Commandment Law with faith in Jesus Christ. The professing church refuses to obey His Fourth Commandment, thereby breaking the entire Law (Jam. 2:10,11). Because of this she worships Jesus in vain (Mat. 15:3-9).

Scripture reveals that the House of Israel was “swallowed up among the Gentiles” (Hos. 8:8). These Israelites are the “Gentiles who are called by My name” (