Ephraim

Gen 48:17  And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him: and he held up his father's hand, to remove it from Ephraim's head unto Manasseh's head. 

Gen 48:18  And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head.
Gen 48:19  And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations.

Jacob gave the greater blessing to Joseph's younger son Ephraim. Later when Israel was a great nation, it split into Israel, the northern kingdom and Judah in the south. The tribe of Ephraim was the northern most tribe of Israel and it had grown so that the name  Ephraim often was used instead of the name Israel. Israel eventually strayed away worshipping idols and they were taken into captivity. Some of Israel and Ephraim were brought to Babylon and others were spread across the nations. After the prophecy of a 70 year exile was completed,  some of Israel returned to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem and the temple. They were allowed to return, all who chose to return, but many enjoyed the cities. Often we hear of the lost tribes of Israel, but they chose to remain in the world. I suppose that Ephraim was given the prophecy by Jacob that he would be a multitude of nations and not just Israel because they chose to remain in the nations of the world. thousands of years in the future when the holocaust came during world war 2, many of the scattered Jews returned to the new nation of Israel. There are still more Jews in the United States then in Israel. There is a family bond with the Jews, but not all know or seek their God. Paul, a jew, a pharisee and then a Christian apostle spoke of the true Jews.

 

Rom 2:28  For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
Rom 2:29  But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

 

The church did not replace Israel and the Jews. Israel still has been given promises as a nation and a people. These promises will be fulfilled in the last days.

 

Rom 11:26  And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
Rom 11:27  For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
Rom 11:28  As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes.
Rom 11:29  For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

Isa 10:20  And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again stay upon him that smote them; but shall stay upon the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. 

Isa 10:21  The remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God. 

Isa 10:22  For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant of them shall return: the consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousness. 

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem and for the Jewish people.  Many are bitter because of the holocaust when a "Christian" nation, Germany killed six million Jews and treated them as less than humans. Many hate Christians and do not trust them. The true Christian is a friend to Israel and the Jews. Pray that many will be saved now before many are killed in the coming years. Those who survive will be few. 

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