From this post recently bumped (WHO IS "ISRAEL? The "chosen of God" are TWO FAMILIES...Not just one!!! ), we have to acknowledge completely that the word "Jew" is erroneously used collectively when in fact, it does apply only to a very few. Once that can be understood and accepted we can see the Scriptural history does point to the two houses of Israel becoming ONE. However, I'd like to point out that when Jesus Christ gave His Life to make it possible for us to become Born-Again, he had to carry all the qualifications necessary. For instance, if it were not for His step-father Joseph being of the tribe of Judah, he would not have been able to lay claim to being of the Tribe of Judah and a descendant of Abraham (Gen. 12:3, 22:18; Gal. 3:16) and David (2 Sam. 7:12-19, Jer. 23:5). God knew that the Jews would need proof of that claim according to Jewish Law, there-fore He provided a father, who, not only had those credentials but who was also willing to be the legal father to Mary's son. Through that genealogy, the "Birth-Right" was given. Through Mary, whose blood-line goes all the way back to King David, Jesus Christ could lay claim to the Royal Line. The listing of Mary's genealogy in Luke also gives the blood-line of Levi, which gives Him the title of High Priest. Do we see why Jesus Christ, who had the many titles that bore both Birth-Right and the Royal Line, which speaks of the Scepter not departing from Shiloh until the coming of the Messiah were established at His First Coming. The fulfillment of the two Houses becoming one, someday (?), was accomplished by Jesus Christ at His First Coming. He became the Kinsman Redeemer to all, therefore all Israel (those Gentiles and Hebrews who accepted His Gift of Redemption and acknowledge who He is) would be saved. gerlinda

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WHO IS "ISRAEL? The "chosen of God" are TWO FAMILIES...Not just one!!!

http://pub39.bravenet.com/forum/static/show.php?usernum=3330765498&frmid=8549&msgid=919528&cmd=show

The Covenant promise of the BIRTHRIGHT was given to one of these families, and that of the SCEPTRE to the other family. Rachel was to be the mother of "thousands of millions" while Leah was to be the mother of royalty. Genesis 49:10 shows us that Judah represents the SCEPTRE family; and I Chronicles 5:2 tells us "THE BIRTHRIGHT is Joseph's." Never try to apply a BIRTHRIGHT blessing to the Jews. Judah and the Jews were excluded from the BIRTHRIGHT promises, Joseph from the SCEPTRE. The BIRTHRIGHT people are not, and are never in the Scriptures called Jews.

In Ezekiel the 37th chapter we are told that "the two sticks" which are still separate, but which are yet to be reunited, represent Judah on the one hand, and Joseph and the "House of Israel" on the other. One of these sticks represents the SCEPTRE people and the other the BIRTHRIGHT people. Judah, the inheritor of the SCEPTRE, is only a half bother to Joseph, the inheritor of the BIRTHRIGHT. The SCEPTRE and the BIRTHRIGHT inheritors are "two families" with different mothers. How could the distinction between the SCEPTRE and the BIRTHRIGHT families Judah and Israel be more emphatic?