The Ten Lost Tribes of Israel

The Ten Lost Tribes of Israel

I have always been amused by the various speculations about what happened to the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel. The bible tells us all about it but still people come up with weird theories about what “really” happened to them.

I first heard about them when driving in Texas in the 1960’s and a radio preacher preached about how they went to England and took the stone that the throne of King David sat on. It is now under the throne of England according to him. He also said the Jesus spent his twelve lost years in England with those tribes.

Joseph Smith, the founder of the Mormon church, needed a reason for Jesus to come to the Americas so he wrote about the Ten Lost Tribes sailing to central America and that Jesus went there to preach the gospel to them.

The January issue of the Smithsonian published an article about the Ten Lost Tribes settling in Japan and that Jesus ducked out on the crucifixion and traveled to Japan to Join that at the village of Shingo where he lived a long life, married and had children and died. In 1964 they suddenly discovered his grave and now the place is a tourist site.

What the Bible tells us clearly is that after the death of Solomon about 930 BC the ten northern tribes broke for Jerusalem and formed the Kingdom of Israel and the tribes of Judah and Benjamin formed the Kingdom of Judah. According to the Book of Kings Assyrians conquered Israel in 721 BC and dispersed those tribes assimilating them into their empire. Resistance was futile.  Some lower class members of those tribes evaded capture and became the Samaritans and there are still a few of them left in the Holy Land.  

What Does "Lord" Mean?

The term “Lord” literally means owner, ruler, master or one who is obeyed.

It has many uses both secular and religious. We often use it when referring to God or Christ. It is sometimes used in a less than a spiritual sense in casual conversation such as “O my lord!”

I wonder what difference it would make if when we called God or Christ “Lord” we actually meant it. If instead of being a title with little meaning for us, we actually mean it and obeyed God in all aspects of our lives. We would obey the Ten Commandments at all times. We would follow the teachings of Jesus at all times. What if we really loved our neighbors as much as we love ourselves? What if we returned good for evil instead of getting even? What if we shared the love of Christ with everyone we met?

I think the world would be a different place if every Christian all over the world obeyed the Lord of all the universe.

Is God really your LORD?