chapter four

About this chapter:
a. We see Israel as one nation, God sees Israel as two nations.
b. The one nation will come to Christ before the tribulation.
c. The other will come to Him during the tribulation.

In Ezekiel 37, God spoke to Ezekiel again, and told him what he wanted him to do.

Ezekiel 37:16-17:

Ezekiel 37:19:

One of the mysteries the Church doesn't see or understand today is that God still sees Israel as two nations. They are all Israel for sure, but God Himself separated Israel when Solomon had sinned a great sin against the Lord.

Solomon was from the tribe of Judah. God allowed Solomon to remain king over Judah and the tribe of Benjamin but gave the other ten tribes to King Jeroboam (II Kings 11:28-37). The tribes of Judah and Ephraim had struggledfor leadership over Israel from the time Israel left the wilderness and had entered the Promised Land. I believe that this struggle for power was created by the promises given to these tribes over the birthright and the promise of the great king.

In I Chronicles 5:1-2 scripture says that the birthright belonged to Joseph and his two sons. Of course we know that the greater part of the birthright went to Ephraim, Joseph's youngest son. God had promised that out of Judah would come the promise of the great king. Because of these two promises the people of Israel had difficulty in choosing which one to follow. The birthright or the great king, Ephraim or Judah?

The emblem or ensign on the flag or banner of Judah was the lion, the emblem on the banner of Ephraim was the Oxen. The temple that Solomon built for the Lord was decorated with images of Lions and Oxen (1st Kings 7:29). This shows us that even before Israel was divided, God knew that it would happen. Jeroboam was the first king to rule over the ten northern tribes of Israel. He was from the tribe of Ephraim.

Because leaders of the tribes of Ephraim ruled the northern tribes, God often called the Northern Kingdom of lsrael Ephraim. The southern two tribes were called Judah. From the 8th century BC in the Old Testament, God called the whole house of Israel either Israel and Judah, or Ephraim and Judah, which were one and the same. For example: Isaiah 11:13:

This is a prophecy of the time that God will bring all of Israel back together again.

Israel, the Northern Kingdom called Ephraim, was invaded by the Assyrians in 721 BC. They were then taken captive and scattered into all the countries around the Mediterranean Sea, and in parts of Africa and Asia. They for the most part never returned to Israel. Down through the centuries they have been scattered into the entire world as well.

Later the Southern Kingdom, called Judah, was taken captive by the Babylonians for 70 years. Afterwards they returned to the land of Israel, but many of these never returned to Israel, and like their brothers and sisters from the Northern Kingdom, they have been scattered into all of the world as well.

At the time of Christ, after Israel had rejected Him, Jesus told them that Israel would go into captivity once more. In 70 AD. the Jews in Israel, then called the land of Judea, were once again scattered into the earth.

Although we don't know for sure where each individual from the children of Israel went, we do know that God does. In Ezekiel, and in the story of Israel in the wilderness, God tells us more. In Ezekiel, God is speaking a great mystery. God still sees Israel under two different banners. As we take a look at the two sticks, God will reveal to our hearts what He is about to do with the nation of Israel, and their regathering.

God told Ezekiel (Ezekiel 37:15-28), to take a stick and write upon it the name of Judah, for Israel and his companions (which means all 12 tribes). He then told him to take another stick and write upon it the name of Ephraim. This would be for Joseph's sake and for all the house of Israel and his companions (which means all 12 tribes of Israel as well).

Then He told him to put the two sticks together and they would then become one in his hand. God also told him that He would gather Israel back to their land to become one nation, to never be divided into two kingdoms any more. This will happen in our time. Do you now understand how God sees Israel as two groups? Israel is scattered all over the world, but God is going to put them into two groups.

The mystery of these two sticks is this; God is saying that He would make a stick out of part of Israel for Judah's sake, and that He would make a stick out of part of Israel for Ephraim's sake, because of his father Joseph. In order to do this He must gather them together into two different locations. He has already begun this process but most people are unaware that it is even taking place.

It is easy to see that one of these places is the nation of Israel itself located in the Middle East. He has been assembling Jews in Israel over the past one hundred years. The nation of Israel has really developed since World War II. This will continue to happen until God puts this group together with another group of Jews in another location. This location is in the Western part of the world. The Jews living in the nation of Israel today is the stick of Judah, not the tribe of Judah, but for his namesake. There are children of Israel from all 12 tribes living in the land of Israel today, but He has gathered them there in the land for Judah's namesake.

The children of Israel are scattered all over the world. It would be impossible for us to say where each individual is located, but God has a plan. All the eyes of the world are on the nation of Israel itself, but God has been gathering Jews in another nation, almost unnoticed, for a long time. In fact this nation has more Jews living in it than any other nation in the world, including the land of Israel itself. This nation is the United States of America! I believe with all my heart that the gathering of Jews that live in America is part of the other gathering, Ezekiel's other stick, Ephraim. There are only two places in the world today that have large numbers of Jews living in them, and that is the nation of Israel and the United States of America.

Some folks believe that I am wrong because they think that I am saying that the Israelites in America all come from the tribe of Ephraim. But I am not saying that at all. The Israelites in America are from all 12 tribes, but, God has simply gathered them together in America under the banner of Ephraim, for Joseph's sake. Ephraim was Joseph's son. Joseph pleased God more than any of his 11 brothers who made up the 12 sons of Jacob (Israel).

God told Ezekiel concerning both sticks; for Israel and his companions. He is gathering Israel under these two names, in two different locations in the world, all of Israel! But God told Ezekiel to put them together and that they would become one in his hand. God is going to put these two sticks together before the whole house of Israel in her entirety returns to the land of Israel, to reign with Christ in their land. Before this can take place there is something that many of us overlook concerning Moses in Deuteronomy 30:1 3:

God was telling Moses that if Israel failed to keep his commandments and did not love God with all their heart and soul, that they would be scattered into all the nations. This has happened to Israel. God also told Moses that if Israel would repent and turn to God to serve Him with all their hearts, that He would return and gather them out of the nations and place them back in their land to bless them there.

Israel has sinned, and God has made a way for them to be restored to the relationship that He wants them to have with Him. That way is Jesus Christ the son of God. Until they have received Him that relationship cannot be restored.

John the Baptist declared it, Jesus himself declared it, Paul went to the nations to declare it, but Israel refused. Why do so many people believe that the gathering of Israel to their land that we are seeing today is the final gathering? Why are so many trying to get Israel to return to the land when Israel hasn't repented and returned to God with all their hearts and souls?

Jesus himself said to Israel in Matt. 23:37-39:

At the time Jesus came to Israel, there were millions of Israelites living in nations all around the Mediterranean Sea. These are the children He was talking about. Jesus was talking about gathering Israel together. He wanted to, but couldn't. Why couldn't He gather Israel? Because they rejected Him! Do you believe that God's word is true? Then we must believe that Jesus is not going to return and re-gather Israel until they accept Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. But the time will come that they will accept Him, we have this promise in His Word.

I do believe that the gathering of Israel that is taking place in the Middle East is the work of God. He is gathering it for Judah and the whole house of Israel, one of Ezekiel's sticks. But that part of Israel is headed for a very serious event. Trying to live in the land without repentance is going to cause a very grievous happening in the land of Israel.

God is going to force the Israelites in Israel to repent and come to Jesus. He is going to use the Antichrist and his armies to cause this. Israel, or the stick of Judah, will escape to a place in the wilderness that God has prepared for her and they shall feed her there for 3 1/2 years, Ezekiel's other stick, Ephraim.

As little as two hundred years ago, America was still very much a wilderness. But God is not slack concerning His promises. America is that place that God prepared in the wilderness, a place to feed Israel for 3 1/2 years. Those that will feed her are already here. By the time Israel from the East comes to America, The Israelites in America will have been saved, These people, along with the Gentile Church in America, will all feed Israel together. The Israelites in America will be waiting for them when they arrive. Only all of these will be Christians, waiting to feed them the Bread of Life, when they arrive. These of course are Ezekiel's other stick, Ephraim. This is how God is going to put these two sticks together. The Israelites from the land of Israel, who God has gathered under the name of Judah, will receive Jesus as their Saviour after they arrive in America. They will all become one stick in Jesus Christ. Now it will be possible for Him to return and gather them out of every nation in the world.

The thing that will cause the Israelites to accept Jesus after they come to America is this. Think about it. At the present time Israelites are gathering into Israel from every nation in the world, especially from Russia and other Asian countries. Not as many from America as people would like to think. The Israelites in Israel believe that God has re-gathered them, and that they will never be driven out of Israel again. But they haven't accepted Jesus yet. This is the problem.

After the seven year treaty with their enemies is signed, everything will seem to be going great for 3 1/2 years. The Antichrist will invade Israel so fast, and so sudden, they will be taken completely off guard. God will help them escape. America, because of their involvement with Israel, will help them to escape. Think of it! They will be in complete shock. They will wonder what did we do wrong? We had returned to the Law, we were offering sacrifices on the altar, we had rebuilt the temple. What did we do wrong? Why would God allow such a thing to happen to us? When they come to America the children of Israel who are here will show them in Matthew 24 and then they will understand. Hindsight is better than 20/20. They will actually read about themselves right out of the Gospel of Matthew, just like a newspaper. I am sure that God will use other things as well, but this is a certainty.

The reason I know that God is going to save the Jews in America first is this. God said In Jeremiah 31:9:

I am a Father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.

The Jews in America are gathered under Ephraim's name for his namesake. This is what God was talking about when He said that Ephraim was his firstborn. If you remember Ephraim wasn't Joseph's firstborn, he was the youngest son. It has to be a Spiritual birth.

There is another reason that I know that this gathering of Jews in America is part of the stick called Ephraim. In the tabernacle in the wilderness, which was a shadow, or allegory of salvation through Jesus Christ, we see Israel camped around the tabernacle in four different groups, There were three tribes in each group. Ephraim was camped on the West side, Judah was camped on the East side. We also know that all of Israel would eventually be included into these two groups. As long as Israel was in the wilderness, Ephraim camped in the West, Judah camped in the East. But, while Israel lived in the Promised Land, Ephraim was in the North and Judah was in the South. This shows us that as long as Israel is not in the Promise of God (Jesus Christ) that Ephraim will dwell in the West and Judah will dwell in the east. This is exactly where they are today!

The Northern Kingdom of Israel, also called Ephraim, has lost its identity down through the centuries. There are millions of these people who don’t realize that they are Israelites. I believe that God knows who and where they are. I also believe that there are some that do know. But, whether they or anyone else knows, I believe that God has gathered them to the United States just as he has the Jewish people from the Southern Kingdom and that they and the Jews in America make up the stick of Ephraim, for Ephraim’s namesake.

The Church in America has a lot to do in getting ready for these events. During the times that are ahead of us we need to prepare to help rescue people from all over the world. America was created to be a refuge in the earth, and God is not finished with her yet. Jews and Gentiles alike will be fleeing from the anti-Christ. They will come to America by the millions; we must be ready to help them. Not only physically, but spiritually as well.

I am very concerned because of the hardness of the hearts of the Christians in America. It seems that no matter how many people's lives are at stake, we would rather argue about the rapture, than to become compassionate enough to help God's people Israel in their time of distress. Don't you think that six million men, women, and children being slaughtered was enough? Do you want it to happen all over again? If you are still unmoved, it is a possibility that Satan has influenced you into becoming anti-Semitic. You don't hate the Jews, but you don't plan on doing anything to help either. Do you think that God will let you get away with that? Do you think that He will rapture you with that in your heart?

During World War II, The killing of the Jews by the Germans became so intense, that they were throwing little children into the furnaces without killing them first. Little children burned alive in these furnaces, while Christians in America went to Church and their children laughed and played in the streets without a care in the world. If the Church in America has always been so close to God, why didn't they know what the devil was doing in Europe! Why didn't they do something to help? I believe with all my heart that if we don't shake loose from our doctrines and become human beings for a change, and try to do something, that the blood of these people will be on our hands.

It was Satan that blinded the eyes of the Church and the world, while he killed six million Jewish people, along with several million Christians in Europe. But, God wouldn't let anything like that happen, would He? It did happen and the reason it did was because people would not listen to what they were being told. When the truth came, they did not recognize it. Can we be so proud of our doctrines that we can't possibly hear the voice of God? I pray that this is not your case.

What can we do? We must start with prayer. We need to organize groups to reach the Jews in America with the Gospel, and not give up the first time they get mad when you give it to them. God said it would make them angry. Then we must prepare the nation of America by sharing with them what God's plan is for the world. This is part of God's work for the Church in America. Won't you help? Please pray for Israel.