Judah  
 and the Question of the 
 Ten Tribes of Israel  

Contents:

1. Introduction: "Identity Freaks" who Betray Judah and Joseph!
2. "ARE THE JEWS JEWISH?"
3. Twelve Points: Law, Persecution, Fast Days, Last Days

Four Points Made by Stephen Collins:
(1. Jewish State of "Israel" in "Palestine"
(2. Judah in Jerusalem
(3. "Judah", The "Old-New" State, and Militarily Prowess
(4. Agricultural prosperity.

Points made by Brit-Am:

(5. Jews Persecuted by Gentiles
(6. Jews Keep the Law
(7. Jews Observe the Fasts
(8. Jewish State to be Named "Israel"
(9. Return of Judah Precedes Return of Other Tribes
(10. Jews identified with Judah
(11. Jews Must be Judah also proven from the lack of Contrary Verses
(12. Jewish Judah Loath to Recognize Joseph of Israel

4. Twelve Points Alternate Classification and Summary
5.  Verse References 
6. The Prophesied Return in Ships as Slaves to Egypt Fulfilled in Judah!!
7. Conclusion

Research, Recognition, Reconciliation
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1. Introduction: "Identity Freaks" who betray Judah and Joseph.

      We believe Joseph to be amongst the peoples of Britain and America and their kin since all of the Biblical prophecies point in that direction and also because what information we obtained on the subject helped confirm our findings. Judah and Joseph are the heads of the two branches of Israel who split apart and will re-unite in the future as described by Ezekiel (chapter 37) and the other prophets. There exist some so-called “Identity” movements who do not really believe in “Identity” nor do they really believe in the Bible though they sometimes pretend to. These groups claim that the present-day Jews are not descended from Judah-but rather from Edomites or other people.
They claim that the “true” descendants of Judah are to be found amongst "Gentiles".
Some say of these reprobates say the true descendants of Judah are the Germans, others say they are the Africans!
Perhaps it was the Germans or the Afro-Americans who really killed Jesus?
Maybe it was an African-German Conspiracy?
These claims about the Jews not belonging to Judah are stupid but they do have some influence some times.
Otherwise quite well-meaning sensible people have sometimes gotten mixed up with racist groups and been misled by them. In the case of the so-called “white supremacist” groups they have sometimes been a menace to us, misled otherwise good people, and also misled the public at large as to thinking that they represent “Israelite Identity”. Some people may find the very fact that we found the need to address this “question” about the “identity” of Judah offensive nevertheless,
In Proverbs it says:
“Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like him.
“Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own deceit” (Proverbs 26:4-5).
In other words we do not have to reply to the claims of every misguided or deranged antagonist.
On the other hand, in some cases we should know enough to reply to them if necessary. Sometimes these people can push their opinion quite forcefully at an inopportune moment and it helps to have a ready answer.

2. “ARE THE JEWS JEWISH?”
Biblical Proofs Concerning Judah:
Judah through Tamar begat Pharez (38:29) and Zarah (38:30). From Pharez came the House of David from which will come the future Messiah.
Judah would keep the law and teach his brethren who would eventually acknowledge the righteousness of Judah:

[Genesis 49:8] JUDAH, THOU ART HE WHOM THY BRETHREN SHALL PRAISE:
The expression in Hebrew ("yoducha") translated as "shall praise" should more correctly be rendered as "acknowledge the righteousness of", "own up to" (Genesis 49:8). The righteousness of Judah will be recognized by his brethren, his inheritance acknowledged, and his truth owned up to.
Judah would be like an old lion (Genesis 49:9).
Judah (unlike the other tribes) would always be recognizable as descended from Israel:
"THE SCEPTRE (Hebrew: "SHEVET" , i.e. Tribal Identification) SHALL NOT DEPART FROM JUDAH" [Genesis 49:10].
Judah will keep the Law (Genesis 49:8-10 Psalms 60:7, 108:90, Zechariah 8:19, 23);
Judah was to be persecuted (Zechariah 1:15, Zechariah 8:13, Isaiah ch.53, Isaiah 42:10, Psalm 44:22);
Judah was to be known as "Judah" or "the Jew" (Genesis 49:10 Hebrew text).
Judah will begin to return to the Land of Israel and develop it (Zephaniah ch. 2 Micah 4:8 Hosea 6:11 ).
At first Judah will be reluctant to recognize Joseph (Isaiah 49:21) but eventually Judah and Joseph will re-unite (Ezekiel ch.37).

3.

Twelve Points:
Law, Persecution,
Fast Days, Last Days

The Jews in the present State of Israel have fulfilled all of the conditions below concerning Judah in the Last Days
(The Four Points summarised below were supplied by Stephen Collins  and in their original form are available in a separate article):

(1.  Jewish State of "Israel" in "Palestine" : The Biblical Book of Zephaniah chapter two predicted that Judah would inherit the coastal regions of "Palestine" including Ashdod, Ekron, Ashkelon, and all the coastland when they return from their captivity.

(2.  Judah in Jerusalem : Zechariah chapter 14 supplements Zephaniah and explains how the Jews of Judah will dwell in Jerusalem and fight in defence of Jerusalem during this same period. "Judah" would be a militarily victorious nation in the Middle East.

(3.  "Old-New" State of Judah Predicted : Genesis 49:9 also predicted that Judah in the Last Days will be like an old lion (an old nation) and a young lion (a reborn entity) fighting nation in the End Times that casts terror on those around her.
Theodor Herzl, who helped found the modern Zionist movement, wrote a book called "Alt-Neu [Old-New] Land" in which he described the future Jewish State of Israel as he wished it to be. The city of Tel Aviv was named with this concept in mind, "Tell" denotes an ancient mound whereas "Aviv" is the season of spring.

(4.  Agricultural prosperity. The "Green Line" Predicted : Genesis 49:12 shows how the reborn State of Israel set up by Judah will be agriculturally prosperous.
The border of the modern State of Israel is referred to as the "Green Line" since on one historical occasion it was drawn on an official map in green. In addition, the term in popular understanding has taken on the additional meaning of agricultural advancement and success. When flying over in a plane it stands out that the regions of Jewish settlement are green whereas areas of Arab domination are not.

In addition:
 Brit-Am has shown how:

(5.   Jews Persecuted by Gentiles : The Jews were persecuted by the Gentiles as it had been prophesied Judah would be: Zechariah 1:15, Zechariah 8:13, Isaiah ch.53, Isaiah 42:10, Psalm 44:22
This held from the beginning concerning that portion of Israel (Judah) that would always be obligated by the Law (Leviticus 26:15), e.g. being taken in ships to Egypt and sold as slaves (Deuteronomy 28:68) which was fulfilled at the end of the Second Temple Period and the Bar Kochba Revolt which followed. See the appended note below:
The Prophesied Return in Ships as Slaves to Egypt Fulfilled in Judah!!

(6.  Jews Keep the Law : The Jews kept the Law as it had been prophesied that Judah would: Psalms 60: 9, 108:90 Genesis 49:10, Zechariah 8:23, Hosea 11:12, Ephraim goes away from the Torah yet Judah remains faithful.

(7.  Jews Observe the Fasts : The Jews keep the four fasts of mourning over the Destruction of the Second Temple as prophesied by Zechariah 8:19
i.e.
THE FAST OF THE FOURTH MONTH, -17th Tammuz
THE FAST OF THE FIFTH, - 9th of Av
AND THE FAST OF THE SEVENTH, - 3rd of Tishrei (Gedaliah)
AND THE FAST OF THE TENTH, - 10th Tebeth (Tevet).

(8.  Jewish State to be Named "Israel" : Isaiah predicted that the descendants of Judah would be known as Israel
HEAR YE THIS, O HOUSE OF JACOB, WHICH ARE CALLED BY THE NAME OF ISRAEL, AND ARE COME FORTH OUT OF THE WATERS OF JUDAH [Isaiah 48:1].

(9.  Return of Judah Precedes Return of Other Tribes : Micah 4:8 predicts that in the end times at the beginning of the return "THE FIRST DOMINION" in the final return of Israel shall be "TO THE DAUGHTER OF JERUSALEM" meaning descendants of Judah.
In addition Micah 4:8, Hosea 6:11 say that Judah will lead the way for the other Tribes and prepare the path for their return.

(10.  Jews identified with Judah : Judah would be recognized as Judah or Israel whereas the Lost Ten Tribes would not be so recognized until the end times:
[Genesis 49:10] THE SCEPTRE SHALL NOT DEPART FROM JUDAH, NOR A LAWGIVER FROM BETWEEN HIS FEET, UNTIL SHILOH COME; AND UNTO HIM SHALL THE GATHERING OF THE PEOPLE BE.
"SHILOH COME" usually explained to mean the Messiah who will rule in the Rend Times.
"THE SCEPTRE SHALL NOT DEPART FROM JUDAH":
Menasseh ben Israel explained the above as indicating that
Judah shall always be recognizable as an Israelite Tribe.
The Hebrew word "shevet" translated as "scepter" also connotes Tribal Identification. The word for "Tribe" is "shevet"!
In other words, "The Tribal Identification of Judah as Judah would always remain with him!" [whereas for the other tribes it would not!]
NOR A LAWGIVER FROM BETWEEN HIS FEET, UNTIL SHILOH COME; AND UNTO HIM SHALL THE GATHERING OF THE PEOPLE BE.
The Messiah will enable individuals from the Lost Ten Tribes to know what Tribe they belong to. Until then they will not know or at least not be certain. Also until then Judah will keep the Law.

(11.   Jews Must be Judah also proven from the lack of Contrary Verses : The above points are samples. They show that throughout the Bible and especially in the Prophetic works there are references to Judah that cannot and could not be fulfilled by anybody but the present day Jews. It was prophesied that Judah would suffer for being Jewish, keep the law according to the direction of the Sages (Deuteronomy 17:8), eventually be rewarded and recognized by his brother tribes and the world, and never depart from his basic truth. It was prophesied that the Ten Tribes would lose their identity and the opposite was said about Judah, i.e. it was not prophesied that Judah would be lost. All the identifying characteristics of Judah (Keeping the Law, etc) involve matters that cannot be hidden and are obvious to all!.

12.   Jewish Judah Loath to Recognize Joseph of Israel : Isaiah 49:21 describes Judah as being initially loath to accept the Lost Tribes and as having suffered alone and been persecuted and exiled from place to place alone.
[Isaiah 49:21] THEN SHALT THOU SAY IN THINE HEART, WHO HATH BEGOTTEN ME THESE, SEEING I HAVE LOST MY CHILDREN, AND AM DESOLATE, A CAPTIVE, AND REMOVING TO AND FRO? AND WHO HATH BROUGHT UP THESE? BEHOLD, I WAS LEFT ALONE; THESE, WHERE HAD THEY BEEN?
This description fits the Jews of today and no-one else.
The Jews were the ones who were persecuted for being Judah, captive, and exiled from place to place.

4. The Twelve Points:
Alternate Classifications and Summary

The above points may be more easily remembered under the headings:

Law and Fast Days, Persecution, Self-Recognition.
Law (point 6) and Fast Days (point 7).
Last Days: Points 1,2,3,4, 8, 9.
Persecution: Point 5.
Retain Self-Recognition: Points 10, 11, 12.

Exile and Present-Day Redemption.
Alternately they may be remembered under the two headings of
(a) Exile (points 5,6, 7, 10,11,12) and
(b) Redemption in the form of the State of Israel in our time (points 1,2,3,4, 8, 9).

5.  Verse References 

 Judah will keep the Law :

[Genesis 49:8] JUDAH, THOU ART HE WHOM THY BRETHREN SHALL PRAISE: THY HAND SHALL BE IN THE NECK OF THINE ENEMIES; THY FATHER'S CHILDREN SHALL BOW DOWN BEFORE THEE.

[Genesis 49:9] JUDAH IS A LION'S WHELP: FROM THE PREY, MY SON, THOU ART GONE UP: HE STOOPED DOWN, HE COUCHED AS A LION, AND AS AN OLD LION; WHO SHALL ROUSE HIM UP?

[Genesis 49:10] THE SCEPTRE SHALL NOT DEPART FROM JUDAH, NOR A LAWGIVER FROM BETWEEN HIS FEET, UNTIL SHILOH COME; AND UNTO HIM SHALL THE GATHERING OF THE PEOPLE BE.

[Psalms 60:7] GILEAD IS MINE, AND MANASSEH IS MINE; EPHRAIM ALSO IS THE STRENGTH OF MINE HEAD; JUDAH IS MY LAWGIVER;


[Psalms 108:8] GILEAD IS MINE; MANASSEH IS MINE; EPHRAIM ALSO IS THE STRENGTH OF MINE HEAD; JUDAH IS MY LAWGIVER;


[Zechariah 8:19] THUS SAITH THE LORD OF HOSTS; THE FAST OF THE FOURTH MONTH, AND THE FAST OF THE FIFTH, AND THE FAST OF THE SEVENTH, AND THE FAST OF THE TENTH, SHALL BE TO THE HOUSE OF JUDAH JOY AND GLADNESS, AND CHEERFUL FEASTS; THEREFORE LOVE THE TRUTH AND PEACE.


[Zechariah 8:23] THUS SAITH THE LORD OF HOSTS; IN THOSE DAYS IT SHALL COME TO PASS, THAT TEN MEN SHALL TAKE HOLD OUT OF ALL LANGUAGES OF THE NATIONS, EVEN SHALL TAKE HOLD OF THE SKIRT OF HIM THAT IS A JEW, SAYING, WE WILL GO WITH YOU: FOR WE HAVE HEARD THAT GOD IS WITH YOU.

[Hosea 11:12] EPHRAIM COMPASSETH ME ABOUT WITH LIES, AND THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL WITH DECEIT: BUT JUDAH YET RULETH WITH GOD, AND IS FAITHFUL WITH THE SAINTS.

 Judah was to be persecuted as it had been prophesied: 

[Zechariah 1:14] SO THE ANGEL THAT COMMUNED WITH ME SAID UNTO ME, CRY THOU, SAYING, THUS SAITH THE LORD OF HOSTS; I AM JEALOUS FOR JERUSALEM AND FOR ZION WITH A GREAT JEALOUSY.
[Zechariah 1:15] AND I AM VERY SORE DISPLEASED WITH THE HEATHEN THAT ARE AT EASE: FOR I WAS BUT A LITTLE DISPLEASED, AND THEY HELPED FORWARD THE AFFLICTION.

[Zechariah 8:13] AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS, THAT AS YE WERE A CURSE AMONG THE HEATHEN, O HOUSE OF JUDAH, AND HOUSE OF ISRAEL; SO WILL I SAVE YOU, AND YE SHALL BE A BLESSING: FEAR NOT, BUT LET YOUR HANDS BE STRONG.

[Isaiah 53:1] WHO HATH BELIEVED OUR REPORT? AND TO WHOM IS THE ARM OF THE LORD REVEALED?
[Isaiah 53:2] FOR HE SHALL GROW UP BEFORE HIM AS A TENDER PLANT, AND AS A ROOT OUT OF A DRY GROUND: HE HATH NO FORM NOR COMELINESS; AND WHEN WE SHALL SEE HIM, THERE IS NO BEAUTY THAT WE SHOULD DESIRE HIM.
[Isaiah 53:3] HE IS DESPISED AND REJECTED OF MEN; A MAN OF SORROWS, AND ACQUAINTED WITH GRIEF: AND WE HID AS IT WERE OUR FACES FROM HIM; HE WAS DESPISED, AND WE ESTEEMED HIM NOT.
[Isaiah 53:4] SURELY HE HATH BORNE OUR GRIEFS, AND CARRIED OUR SORROWS: YET WE DID ESTEEM HIM STRICKEN, SMITTEN OF GOD, AND AFFLICTED.
[Isaiah 53:5] BUT HE WAS WOUNDED FOR OUR TRANSGRESSIONS, HE WAS BRUISED FOR OUR INIQUITIES: THE CHASTISEMENT OF OUR PEACE WAS UPON HIM; AND WITH HIS STRIPES WE ARE HEALED.
[Isaiah 53:6] ALL WE LIKE SHEEP HAVE GONE ASTRAY; WE HAVE TURNED EVERY ONE TO HIS OWN WAY; AND THE LORD HATH LAID ON HIM THE INIQUITY OF US ALL.
[Isaiah 53:7] HE WAS OPPRESSED, AND HE WAS AFFLICTED, YET HE OPENED NOT HIS MOUTH: HE IS BROUGHT AS A LAMB TO THE SLAUGHTER, AND AS A SHEEP BEFORE HER SHEARERS IS DUMB, SO HE OPENETH NOT HIS MOUTH.
[Isaiah 53:8] HE WAS TAKEN FROM PRISON AND FROM JUDGMENT: AND WHO SHALL DECLARE HIS GENERATION? FOR HE WAS CUT OFF OUT OF THE LAND OF THE LIVING: FOR THE TRANSGRESSION OF MY PEOPLE WAS HE STRICKEN.
[Isaiah 53:9] AND HE MADE HIS GRAVE WITH THE WICKED, AND WITH THE RICH IN HIS DEATH; BECAUSE HE HAD DONE NO VIOLENCE, NEITHER WAS ANY DECEIT IN HIS MOUTH.
[Isaiah 53:10] YET IT PLEASED THE LORD TO BRUISE HIM; HE HATH PUT HIM TO GRIEF: WHEN THOU SHALT MAKE HIS SOUL AN OFFERING FOR SIN, HE SHALL SEE HIS SEED, HE SHALL PROLONG HIS DAYS, AND THE PLEASURE OF THE LORD SHALL PROSPER IN HIS HAND.
[Isaiah 53:11] HE SHALL SEE OF THE TRAVAIL OF HIS SOUL, AND SHALL BE SATISFIED: BY HIS KNOWLEDGE SHALL MY RIGHTEOUS SERVANT JUSTIFY MANY; FOR HE SHALL BEAR THEIR INIQUITIES.
[Isaiah 53:12] THEREFORE WILL I DIVIDE HIM A PORTION WITH THE GREAT, AND HE SHALL DIVIDE THE SPOIL WITH THE STRONG; BECAUSE HE HATH POURED OUT HIS SOUL UNTO DEATH: AND HE WAS NUMBERED WITH THE TRANSGRESSORS; AND HE BARE THE SIN OF MANY, AND MADE INTERCESSION FOR THE TRANSGRESSORS.

[Psalms 44:18] OUR HEART IS NOT TURNED BACK, NEITHER HAVE OUR STEPS DECLINED FROM THY WAY;
[Psalms 44:19] THOUGH THOU HAST SORE BROKEN US IN THE PLACE OF DRAGONS, AND COVERED US WITH THE SHADOW OF DEATH.
[Psalms 44:20] IF WE HAVE FORGOTTEN THE NAME OF OUR GOD, OR STRETCHED OUT OUR HANDS TO A STRANGE GOD;
[Psalms 44:21] SHALL NOT GOD SEARCH THIS OUT? FOR HE KNOWETH THE SECRETS OF THE HEART.
[Psalms 44:22] YEA, FOR THY SAKE ARE WE KILLED ALL THE DAY LONG; WE ARE COUNTED AS SHEEP FOR THE SLAUGHTER.

Judah to be known as "Judah" or "the Jew"
(Genesis 49:10 Hebrew text):

[Genesis 49:10] THE SCEPTRE (Hebrew:  "SHEVET" , i.e. Tribal Identification) SHALL NOT DEPART FROM JUDAH, NOR A LAWGIVER FROM BETWEEN HIS FEET, UNTIL SHILOH COME; AND UNTO HIM SHALL THE GATHERING OF THE PEOPLE BE.
See also JUDAH, THE JEWS, AND JOSEPH

Re: The Return of Judah to Precede that of the Other Tribes According to Hosea 6:11:
This was explained by Rabbi Zvi Kalisher, 1795-1874, whose explanation has been interpreted and explained in our work,
"Ephraim, The Gentile Children of Israel".