The Apostle Paul noted that he and the other apostles had been given the “ministry of reconciliation” by which God would reconcile the two Houses of Israel (2 Cor. 5:18-20), making them one House–the Commonwealth of Israel) again. During this time God would be drawing to Himself “whosoever will” seek after Him from among the Gentiles. This drawing and reconciling process He referred to as “raising again the Tabernacle of David: “After this I will return (to earth at the Second Advent) and will build again the tabernacle of David which had fallen down (been destroyed due to sin), and I will build again the ruins thereof ….” (Acts 15:14-17). Recall that during the reign of David the two houses, having been reunited, became the most powerful nation on earth. To reconcile means to return to a former condition. The 12 tribes of Israel had been with God, had split into two kingdoms (houses–Judah and Israel), had rebelled against Him, had fought each other, then, having rejected numerous opportunities to return to Him, had been defeated and enslaved by Babylon and Assyria respectively. From their enslavement locations God sent them into all the world where they took on the characteristics of the Gentiles among whom they lived. During this time the 10 northern tribes lost their religion, language, customs, etc. Within several generations many of them had no knowledge of their Israelite heritage. Though they had forgotten their God, He had not forgotten them: “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget you” (Isa. 49:15). In Jeremiah 2:32;23:39 He warns those of Israel who refuse to return to Him that He will forget them eternally. God forces no one to accept Him or to return to Him, not even His chosen people.

The Lord had promised to bring Israel (10 northern tribes) and Judah (3 southern tribes) back together as one nation in the latter days. This He began to do some 2000 years ago on the Day of Pentecost. Before ascending to be with the Father, Jesus commissioned His apostles to go “into all the world” to reconcile the Houses of Israel and Judah, making them one people again, then to reconcile them back to Himself by “grafting” them back into Him “again” (Eze. 37/ Rom. 11:23). Israel’s reconciliation back to God “again” was addressed by Jesus when He told the Jews in John 10:16: “I have (already possess) other sheep that are not of this (Jewish) fold, them (the 10 tribes) I must bring also.” In so doing He would make them “one flock and one Shepherd” (“again”). He was compelled to do this because “the gifts and calling of God (to Israel) are irrevocable” (Rom. 11:29). The Bible was written to, for and about Israel. Gentiles were mentioned only when they had dealings with Israel. Just as Israel comprised the Old Covenant “Church in the (physical) wilderness” of Sinai headed by Christ (Acts 7:38/ 1 Cor. 10:4), the modern day descendants of those Israelites comprise the bulk of the New Covenant Church in today’s spiritual wilderness headed by the same Christ (Joel 2:27-29/ Jer. 31:31-34/ Heb. 8:8-12). The main difference between the two churches: The Wilderness Church practiced blood sacrifices in order to appease their God (the One who became Jesus of Nazareth); the New Covenant Church recognizes that same God as the blood-sacrificing Messiah. To be continued. L.J.