The northern kingdom (ten tribes) were known as Israel and the southern as Judah (basically two tribes, Judah and Benjamin). They were both exiled by other nations, Assyria and Babylon respectively. There is recorded a beautiful restoration after 70 years for Judah (2 Chronicles 36 and Ezra 1) but there are no records of Israel’s restoration either biblically or historically. They seem to be simply lost.
Why? It was their unfaithfulness to their God.
How? It ended with the King of Assyria in approx. 720 BC taking them into exile. But it started with Hosea. If only they had listened!
He married Gomer the prostitute. He named his children with names to support his prophetic declaration to Israel. Jezreel, Lo-Ruhamah and now …
“After she had weaned Lo-Ruhamah, Gomer had another son. Then the Lord said, “Call him Lo-Ammi (which means “not my people”), for you are not my people, and I am not your God.” (Hosea 1 v 8-9)
The third child of Hosea and Gomer is named ‘not my people’. This was the killer blow for the people of God. Not only would God sow punishment to them and not show them love, He is now saying He would not be their God. This was such a damning prospect. To be a nation that would lose their identity.
If they were not the people of God and if God were no longer their God, then who were they?
If ‘ammi’ (God’s people) become Lo-ammi (not God’s people) then what becomes of them? It is judgment. For these northern tribes of Israel they would be taken by Assyria.
Of course we who were ‘Lo-ammi’ have now become ‘ammi’ through the precious blood of Jesus Christ. But the warning is for if we turn our back on the mercy and grace of our Saviour. The warning is for if we reject His love and walk our own path. How many do we know who have done this? The warning is His mercy and protection can be lifted from us.
These northern tribes are now known as the ‘Lost tribes of Israel’ and all around the world in places like India and Africa, tribal groups declare their ancestry belongs to one of these lost tribes.
But lost is their condition. Mission agencies reach out trying to find them and lead them to Jesus Christ for regardless of their ancestry He is their only future. Nothing of their past guarantees them anything but the mercy of Jesus does and will.
Do you know anyone who is ‘lost’ today? The gospel calls you to find them.
Missions Paul 