What Difference Should Membership of the Tribes of Israel Make?
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were the forefathers of the Hebrew People.
Of Abraham it was said that he would become:
"A GREAT NATION, AND IN YOU WILL ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH BE BLESSED" (GENESIS 12:2-3).
"ABRAHAM SHALL SURELY BECOME A GREAT AND MIGHTY NATION, AND ALL THE NATIONS OF THE EARTH SHALL BE BLESSED IN HIM. FOR I KNOW HIM THAT HE WILL COMMAND HIS CHILDREN AND HIS HOUSE AFTER HIM, AND THEY SHALL KEEP THE WAY OF THE LORD TO DO JUSTICE AND JUDGEMENT; THAT THE LORD MAY BRING UPON ABRAHAM THAT WHICH HE HAD SPOKEN OF HIM" (GENESIS 18:18-19).
Abraham was the first Hebrew. The Israelite Nations are the direct descendants, and the inheritors, of Abraham. These peoples consist of the Jews (Judah) and the Ten Tribes. Brit-Am/Hebrew Awareness says that the Lost Ten Tribes are now among Western Peoples. Why should they care?
Why Do the Ten Tribes Matter?
The Bible says that the Lost Ten Tribes lost consciousness of their ancestry. Despite that they retained a physical cohesion as communities.
Over the course of centuries they all moved to the west and converged in certain areas.
They ultimately became a constituent element and a dominating influence in different nations.
These nations even show Hebrew Tribal Characteristics of whatsoever of the individual Tribes left their marks among them.
Finland may be identified with Issachar.
Sweden with Gad.
Niorway with Naphtali
Denmark with Dan
Netherlands with Zebulon
Belgium with Benjamin and Simeon
France with Reuben
Switzerland *(like Finland) with Issachar
Ireland with Dan (like Denmark) and Asher
Wales with Levi and Simeon
England with Ephraim and Manasseh
Scotland with Manasseh
In all of the above places representatives of several other of the Tribes or even all of them may also be present but we concentrate on the majority influence.
Joseph was divided into Ephraim and Manasseh
The UK and USA both represent Joseph but in the UK Ephraim was dominant whereas Manasseh left more of its imprint on the USA.
We repeat:
The question is what does it matter?
What difference does it make?
Why should we care?
The Ten Tribes were part of the 12 Tribes confederation of Israel.
They separated from the Kingdom of Judah about 3000 years ago.
They were exiled in under 200 years after that.
Meantime they moved around a lot. They changed their language, religion, culture, etc, several times over.
They took in other peoples, whether in large numbers or small ones over time the additions have a cumulative effect.
Those of the Israelites who remained behind, who were not exiled by Assyria became the Jews of today.
They today went through permutations.
Different climates and environments also have their influences.
In cold climates white peoples became whiter and more blondish, in hot climates they darken.
What does it matter if some of the different peoples once had the same ancestry?
The Bible says it matters!
According to Prophecy:
The two parts of the Hebrew People had different national tasks that in the Last Times will converge. Hiastorically we trace the Lost Ten Tribes to certain areas. The Bible says that peoples in those areas are Israelites and they have a task in the world. Accept it. Why argue with the Bible?
It is worth knowing what the task of each one of us is. Knowing something about the Tribe we live among and probably belong to may also help us with this!
Judah had to learn and develop the Torah and in the End Times begin re-settlement of the Land as Preparation for all the Other Tribes. This seems to be taking place in our time.
The Ten Tribes, especially Joseph, had to reform the world, elevate mankind in general through influence and example. This too to some degree has been done by peoples we identify as descended from the Ten Tribes.
For the present every single person has their own life to leave.
Being aware of what your own group should be doing is worthwhile. The individual should merge their own lives with what the task of their group is.
We need to:
Believe in God.
Believe in the Bible.
Learn the Bible.
Be honest.
Aim for the greater good which means doing the best you can with what you have and helping others as needed according to your means at the time concerned.
We all need to recognize that we probably descended from Israel and have to act in accordance to that.
Brit-Am cannot give you specific answers but we can begin to show you the way both for ourselves and for others.