“In majesty he is like a firstborn bull;
his horns are the horns of a wild ox.
With them he will gore the nations,
even those at the ends of the earth.
Such are the ten thousands of Ephraim;
such are the thousands of Manasseh.”
-Deuteronomy 33:17
We’re continuing to examine the blessings of Moses for the Joseph tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh.
Right off the bat from verse 17 we’re told how Joseph is like a firstborn bull and that he has horns like a wild ox
Okay, so here’s where our Leviticus knowledge should automatically kick in.
Do you recall what the highest sacrifice is that can be offered at the Tabernacle?
It’s a firstborn bull second only to the mature 3-year old bull.
Hence, what’s being expressed here is the idea of supreme power and strength.
We’re then given this image of a wild ox goring its enemies.
Joseph here is being depicted as the ultimate alpha-male on the block doing whatever he so pleases whether he turns to the left or turns to the right.
The meaning being communicated is that the Joseph tribes will become mighty warriors who will be feared by the nations.
Onward.
Next we’re told there will be “ten thousands” of Ephraim and “thousands” of Manasseh.
Historically, we know this is exactly what happened.
Ephraim’s population became so huge they completely overwhelmed the northern regions of Israel.
I’m talking about one singular tribe dominating nine other tribes including Manasseh.
Now notice the part where it says “with them (referring to the ox horns) he will gore the nations even those at the ends of the earth”.
Hmmm…this is kind of cryptic.
The reason it’s cryptic is because Ephraim and Manasseh didn’t war with every gentile nation to the ends of the earth.
However, they DID extend their reach to the ends of the earth but how they did it was quite ironic.
What happened was they were conquered by the Assyrians who dispersed the 10 tribes across the enormous Asian continent.
Once that happened a good majority of the Hebrews of the 10 tribes became gentiles because they assimilated and mixed so thoroughly with the gentile Asian races that their Israelite identity was pretty much erased.
And by the way, lest you be tempted to think I’m talking out of my rear-end here, know that this event was prophesied hundreds of years in advance by the prophets Isaiah and Hosea.
And if you’re Jewish don’t be offended that I said the 10 tribes became gentiles.
Because even in the Book of Hosea, the Lord Himself said that the 10 tribes would become a LO-AMMI unto him.
And we all know what LO-AMMI means.
Literally, it means a “non-people” but in practical terms, it means a gentile.
Having said that, be of good cheer because them 10 tribes ain’t completely lost.
Here’s what’s been going down.
Over the past several years, a remnant of every one of the supposed “lost” 10 tribes has been discovered!!!
I ain’t even kidding.
All of the 10 tribes have been found with their tribal name and cultural heritage firmly intact and now they’re making Aliyah back to Israel.
And wouldn’t you know it, one of the largest of the “lost” tribes discovered was Manasseh!!!
Holy cow, life just doesn’t get any more exciting than this!
Okay. I have had my suspicions that the ten “lost” tribes weren’t so lost as perhaps simply hidden or unobsevable. As it appears, the Samaritans are a remnant of some of those tribes that were diluted, so to speak, by mixing with their gentile conquers and being resettled in the area of the northern kingdom. But the nagging question for me was that Moses said ALL of Israel would be returned someday. And he said that before there was even a nation of Israel or, subsequently, a northern kingdom called Israel and a southern kingdom of Judah. To my way of thinking those millions of Israelites who were “lost” who disappeared, would no less be gathered back to the Lord than those descendants of Judah, Benjamin and many Levites. The contemporary Jews of the past two plus millennia make up only a portion of the nation of Israel. What of the great majority of Abraham’s, Isaac’s and Jacob’s descendants?
The post above only addresses the matter of the reality of the possible existence of the descendants of the northern kingdom, but lacks any information or speculation of the who, when, where or how regarding such. There must be much more on this matter. Can specifics be forthcoming?!