When the Apostle James, about thirty years after the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, wrote the epistle which remains till this day, and which is part of the Scriptures written by inspiration of God, and profitable, "That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works," (2 Timothy 3:17) he addressed it "to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad." (James 1:1)
That greeting is just as pertinent and timely today as when it was penned, because the Word of God "lives and abides for ever." (1 Peter 1:23)
It is as though the Spirit of God were still breathing those words into our ears. Let us see what they teach us.
1. We may learn from these words that the twelve tribes were all in existence when James wrote his epistle. There were no "ten lost tribes," but all were equally well-known, or else all were equally lost.
2. The twelve tribes were all scattered abroad. This is as plain is language can make it.
3. Glancing onward in the epistle, and comparing the first verse of the 2nd chapter with the first verse of the 1st, we find that these twelve tribes, to whom the epistle is address, had "the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ." (James 2:1) That is, they were all Christians. This is so important a matter, yet one so almost universally misunderstood, that we must emphasise it.
Read the words of the Apostle Paul, in Acts 23:6; 26:6-8, and it will be seen that the twelve tribes are those who are "earnestly serving God night and day," (Acts 26:7,RV) and hoping in the promise of the resurrection. It was so then, and it is so now, as surely as God's Word is living.
These three items, are self-evident from the text. This one verse is of itself sufficient to overthrow all the theories and speculations about Israel, which come in swarms like the flies in Egypt. The reading of the Word with attention and faith will disperse these plagues. But let us note further.
The Twelve Tribes and the New Jerusalem
We see from these plain, simple statements of Scripture that the twelve tribes of the children of Israel are all Christians. The New Jerusalem, the capital city of their redeemed kingdom of God, "lies foursquare," (Revelation 21:16) and has twelve gates, three opening to each of the four cardinal points of the compass, so that the saints from every quarter of the new earth may march up and enter in without turning to the right or to the left; but these gates have written on them "the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel." (Revelation 21:12)
That is to say, that none will "have the right to come to the tree of life, [and] enter in through the gates into the city," (Revelation 22:14,RV) except the twelve tribes of the children of Israel. Not only are the twelve tribes of Israel all Christians, but all Christians are enrolled in and compose those twelve tribes. In short, the twelve tribes of Israel are identical with the church of Christ, the saints of God.
"Scattered Abroad" According to God's Plan
"To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad." (James 1:1)
Note the expression "scattered abroad," or, "of the Dispersion," as in the Revision. The Greek word in this place has the signification, "to sow seed." This tallies exactly with the words of Christ in: "The field is the world, the good seed are the children of the kingdom." (Matthew 13:30)
The good seed is sown broadcast over the land. Each individual is not sent everywhere, but everywhere one may be, there is where he has been sown, that he may bear fruit to swell the harvest. God's people, the tribes of Israel, are scattered over the face of the whole earth, and are to be found among every nation, kindred, tribe and people, and are not recognisable from the peoples and tribes of the earth except as the truth of God marks them as "a peculiar people, zealous of good works." (Titus 2:14)
This is exactly in harmony with God's original design for Israel. No one should imagine that God's plan has been frustrated, because the twelve tribes of Israel are now scattered abroad. Quite the contrary. God chose Israel at the first that they might be a missionary people. Only as they are a missionary people, and scattered abroad, widely dispersed, is there any use for their existence, or, in fact, can they have any existence.
Why Abraham Was Chosen
Take Abraham, the father of the tribes of the faithful. He was chosen because he answered and came when He was called. To all God says, "Come," those who heed the call are His chosen ones, and to them He says, "Go."
Abraham was a wandering preacher to the heathen, and Isaac and Jacob followed his example. Wherever they went, they built an altar, and "proclaimed the name of Jehovah." (Exodus 34:5)
When they were few men in number, and strangers and the land, "When they went from one nation to another, from one kingdom to another people; He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, He reproved kings for their sakes; Saying, Touch not my anointed, and do my prophets no harm." (Psalm 105:13-15)
The Spirit of Colonization
Those men were Christians, trusting in Christ to save them from sin by the power of His victory over the grave. It was not so, however, with the most of their descendants, except for certain short periods. "They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in His law. ... They believed not in God, and trusted not in His salvation." (Psalm 78:10,22)
They desired a king from their own number to deliver them, that they might be like the heathen around them. They chose to colonise, rather than to be scattered abroad as seed, and consequently they had to be carried away by force. They could not learn the lesson, that Israel's country, the real Canaan, is an heavenly country, and even the earth made new, but persisted in making this earth as it now is their home. Being therefore utterly useless for the purpose for which God chose them, their house was left to them desolate, and others were raised up in their stead, from among the Gentiles, as they themselves had been, to build up the tabernacle of David that had fallen down.
That same desire to colonise, to gather in groups to be preached to by men who will preach just what they like to hear, still characterises the professed church of God. Nevertheless His people are scattered abroad, and fulfilling their mission to an extent never before known except in the few years immediately following the notable Pentecost. Day and night the twelve tribes of Israel, scattered abroad in every part of the earth, serve God in Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus.
All Israel God's Children
All of the twelve tribes of Israel are children of God. When God sent Moses to deliver His people from Egyptian bondage, He said, "Israel is my son, even my firstborn." (Exodus 4:22) "When Israel was a child, and I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt." (Hosea 11:2)
This prophecy was said to be fulfilled when the Infant Jesus was taken to Egypt to escape the fury of Herod, and was called out, (Matthew 2:14-15) thus showing the identity of Christ with Israel. Indeed, Christ himself declares that God has directly addressed Him as Israel, in whom He will be glorified. (Isaiah 49:1-6) In harmony with this, is the statement that: "they are not all Israel, which are of Israel; ... That is, they which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are accounted for the seed." (Romans 9:6,8) "Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise." (Galatians 4:28)
Being children of promise, as Isaac was, we are children of God, true Israelites; for it is by the "exceeding great and precious promises [of God], that [we become] partakers of the Divine nature," (2 Peter 1:4) and so birthright members of God's own family. Receive, then, into your hearts and lives these promises of God, which are all yea and amen in Christ Jesus, (2 Corinthians 1:20) and you will be "no more strangers and foreigners," ... aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, ... but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God, And [be] built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone; In whom all the building fitly framed together grows unto a holy temple in the Lord." (Ephesians 2:19,12,19-21)--Present Truth, November 14, 1901.