Dear Doves,
 
I was happy and grateful to see the "So What" if we are from the lost tribes of Israel question come up.  This is a good question and I would like to try and partially answer it.
 
I am an American, born and raised here.  I am also of Irish descent which is part of my identity, the rich cultural influence passed down to me from my parents/grandparents.  We are proud of our Irish roots even given that the Irish have done bad, as well as good.  We can acknowledge the good and the bad.  My friends of different ethnic roots are the same way I am.  I imagine just about everyone feels this way.
 
Imagine if I had the following conversation with my parents and grandparents...
 
ME:  I'm so glad I am an American.
THEM:  So our we, but don't forget your Irish roots lovies.
 
ME:  Irish roots?  So what if I am of Irish blood, who cares?  I'm an American now and that's all that matters.
THEM:  Wait a minute, our Irish roots are a part of who we are.
 
ME:  I don't care and I'm not willing to talk about this anymore.
 
I believe my ancestors would be angry with me for this attitude.  At the very least they would be disappointed and ashamed of me.  There is one of them that might even smack me for this.  If my grandparents, who had many grandchildren, were to think of just who in their progeny were to be given gifts upon their death, I fear this ungrateful attitude of mine might affect that selection of gifts.  I know it would affect our relationship in a negative way.  I wouldn't be disowned, but I'm sure they would be hurt.
 
Now imagine having this conversation with Jesus...
 
ME:  I'm so glad I am saved, Lord.
JESUS:  So am I.  I have a great surprise and want to tell you that not only are you my Spiritual Brother, but you are my Physical Brother as well.  We share the same blood, and mine was spilled for your salvation.
 
ME:  Well, that's cool Lord that I am your Spiritual Brother, but who cares if I am your Physical Brother too?  I'm saved and that's all that matters.
JESUS:  Wait a minute, our Israel roots are an important part of who you are.  I want to show you the magnificent work of my Hand that I did for you to come to the place you are today.  This is a great story and a great testimony to me, your Brother.
 
ME:  I don't care and I'm not willing to talk about this anymore.
 
How do you suppose Jesus will react to this attitude?  Will He be angry, disappointed, ashamed, hurt?  Or do you think He will shrug it off and not care?  Will you lose your salvation?  No.  But how about those gifts and rewards He has promised us in heaven?  If there is one attached to gratitude for being of Israel, I want it.
 
I've thought of some other reasons to pursue this study...
 
1.  A renewed and increased sense of AWE of God.  To learn about how He brought the lost tribes to where they are today is flabbergasting.  I think God likes it when we are in AWE of Him.  He deserves this.
 
2.  A much greater understanding of the OT and the NT.  I don't see a downside to this.  A much greater excitement in reading about the Bible characters knowing they are my forefathers/mothers.
 
3.  The study of this will help to start preparing us for our ultimate destinies.  God likes us to prepare.
 
4.  I believe that God is now revealing this to the world and that it must be revealed before He comes back.  Therefore, this revelation is going to happen sooner or later, and I prefer sooner.  He began to unveil this information around 1800 (although some of the people groups were aware of it from day 1), and it is just now starting to explode around the world.
 
5.  I don't believe that Satan wants us to know about who we are.  That makes me want to know all the more.  I believe that God does want us know, now, at this point in history.
 
Yair Davidiy, in his book "The Tribes, The Israelite Origins of Western Peoples", http://www.britam.org/
addresses this "So What?" factor much better than I.  I will give you some excepts here...
 
"When a person realizes who he is and where he and those around him came from then his own task in life becomes clearer...The requirement of Hebrew Tribal self-awareness from ALL of Israel is for their own sakes and to fulfill the purpose of all creation.  There is a principle that in the Time of the Messiah everyone will know to which Tribe he belongs to and receive an inheritance in his Tribal territory.  This means that knowing your Tribe is the way things should be.  Each tribe has its own unique task and every person has his role to play within his Tribal framework.  God spoke in the Bible to the people of Israel.  If you are an Israelite you should want to hear what is being said to you."
 
I, like Stephan Coneglan, had heard about the lost tribe studies years ago, but shrugged it off.  There is much more information readily available NOW.  The reason I fell into this study again was because my son wanted to know more about his Irish roots.  I believe God lead me into the study of the lost tribes.  We Doves are watchers and pass along what we believe God reveals to us.  I am doing the same.
 
To answer the question about God not wanting us to do endless genealogies.  This really isn't something I have done.  This is a study of history and migrations and people groups.  This study involves a great deal of Biblical reading.  I am not delving into trying to find out about my specific family ancestors and feel that would be a waste of time.  I have however looked into the family surnames I know about already and have looked up the family histories, locations, and heraldry of those family names.  This takes very little time and I found out enough to know I am of Israel descent.  What I have spent my time on is the BIG picture involving the history/migrations/people groups and being in the Word as it relates to these subjects.  It has brought me closer to the Lord, and I strive for this all the time in as many ways as I can.  This is ONE of those ways.
 
I would like to once more attempt to address the issue of where are the lost tribes.  First of all, of course they aren't "lost" to God, He loses nothing.  "Lost" refers to the idea that they themselves have "lost" the knowledge of their own identity, just like God said would happen.  I believe that members of the lost tribes are to be found in all nations of the world.  We hear of a pocket of them here and there from time to time.  But the fact is that GREAT numbers of them have congregated in BI, North America, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.  They are also to be found in SIGNIFICANT numbers in France, Holland, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Switzerland, Sweden, and Finland.  They are also to be found in every other country of the world you can think of in LESSER numbers.  They come in all sizes, shapes and colors.  Aren't you curious about how they got there?  I am because God lead them there and if it was His Hand that did this, I as His very own, want to know all about it.  I'm interested in the marvelous works of our Great God and I believe this pleases Him.  That alone is worth the effort of studying this subject.
 
God talks in the Bible about how He actually CULLED His people Israel into certain areas.  If He didn't want us to know about this, He wouldn't have mentioned it.  He LOVES it when we search for deeper insight into Him and His Word.
 
I think Stephen Coneglan addressed the racism issue pretty well.  I am at a total lack of understanding how this knowledge can lead to "white supremacy" outside of Satanic influence.  So thanks Stephen.  Why one would brag about being Israelite doesn't make much sense to me if one understands Anti-Semitism at all.  Why put a target on your back voluntarily?  After all, Islam wants to destroy Israel, ALL of Israel.  Notice that first they want to destroy Judah/State of Israel, then the USA?  I believe they instinctively know we (the US) are of Israel due to the birthright blessings we receive here.  They have said that after the destruction of Israel and the USA, the rest of the nations will fall that much more easily.  They are right about that.  There is a BIG picture here and understanding it will help you understand past, current and future world events better.
 
The available information on this is vast, but here is another on-line book I found to be interesting and easy to read, http://www.biblestudy.org/bibleref/jsceptre/jsceptre.html, for those of you who might want to pursue this study.  It is entitled "Judah's Sceptre and Joseph's Birthright" by J. H. Allen.
 
Thanks to Stephen for your information, links, and encouragement.  Keep 'em comin'.
 
IT IS THE GLORY OF GOD TO CONCEAL A THING, BUT THE HONOR OF KINGS IS TO SEARCH OUT A MATTER.  Proverbs 25:2.