Neither was Isaac or Jacob. They were Hebrews. They spoke the Hebrew language. Abraham and Isaac were not even Israelites. The name Israel was given to Jacob by the Lord in Gen 32:28 and 34:10. It means "as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed".Jacob had 12 sons and at least one daugther, Dinah. These sons are called the sons of Jacob, but also called the sons of Israel, because these were his two names. One was given by his earthly father and the other by his heavenly Father. As the sons of Israel married and had children, they became the "tribes of Israel". In Numbers, chapter 26, we see that the descendents were called by their family names, even by the names of Jacob's children's children.
In Gen 49, we see that each tribe was given a blessing by Jacob. Verse 1 tells us this blessing is for the last days, so they must be here today. A close look at this chapter would indicate each child has a national identity except Levi and Simeon. Due to their cruel and deceitful handling of the Hivites (concerning Dinah), Jacob in vs 7 says they will be "divided in Jacob and scattered in Israel". In Deut 33, Moses reiterates and expands the blessings of each of these children. No reason not to believe this blessing is also for the last days as was Jacob's.
Who then is a Jew? The descendents of Judah! Judah was the fourth born of Jacob and by his wife Leah. Details of Judah's marriage and children can be found in Gen 38. He married a Canaanite. Both his first two children, Er and Onan, were wicked and slain by the Lord. His third born, Shelah, went on to have children but these were not part of the Godly line to David and Jesus. It is recorded that he slept with Er's widow, Tamar. Judah was out and about lusting after women when Tamar "played" the part of a prostitute, though she was not. Judah had neglected his promises to her as Er's widow. She became pregnant and bore him the twins Pharez and Zarah. Pharez was born first though Zarah stuck his hand out first and had the scarlet thread. Pharez became the Godly line.
This story is continued, though I will not cover it here, except to say: After Nebuchadnezzer wiped out the Pharez line, God said He will overturn the throne, abase the higher and raise the lower, i.e. the breach with Zarah would be healed. But God had promised David that he would have a descendent on the throne over at least a portion of his people for all generations. When this appears to be ended, Jesus was not to be born for another 600 years. This story is hidden in scripture and quite controversial. I will not cover it here, except to say I believe God kept his promises. I certainly do not know, but I kinda suspect if we could follow this story to the end, we just might find this antichrist fellow.
Gen 49:8-12 and Deut 33:7 tells us Judah's blessing. He received the sceptre, the right to the throne and thereby, the bloodline of David and Jesus. Let me state, the blessing of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob should have by right went to the firstborn, Reuben. However, Reuben slept with one of his father's concubines and lost his birthright (Gen 35:22).
Joseph, Jacob's 11th born, but first by Rachel his true love, received the great material blessing of the patriarch's which included great numbers, wealth, fruitfulness, strength and power (see Gen 49:22-26 and Deut 33: 13-17). Jacob's blessing on Joseph actually begins in Gen 48, when Jacob blesses and adopts Joseph's children, Ephraim and Manasseh, as his own. Verse 16 tells us that his children received the name "Israel", but also that the names of Abraham and Isaac were on them. Joseph was given a double portion (Gen 48:22) above his brethren. A great nation and multitude of nations (states) they were to be in the last days. This double is an incredible clue in prophecy as is the fact that Joseph lived separate from his brethren, a crown was to be on his head and he wore a multi-colored coat. In Joseph is a lot of clues about the rapture, i.e the separation. Judah though had the sceptre and the kingly bloodline.
There was a reason for this splitting of the blessing. Each had a role to play in God's Master Plan. There was a plan for salvation, a plan for individual man. There was also a plan for the nations. You can bet, though, not a single child of Jacob is today a second or third world nation. Don't think for a second, God did not carry out HIs blessings on the children of Jacob. Some were blessed more than others, but they were and are all materially blessed. That said, remember Moses in the book of Deuteronomy talked of blessing and cursing. Both are conditional. You could receive double blessing and you could receive double cursing, and one child surely will.
Of the tribes of Israel (sons of Jacob), only one carries the title Jewish, though all the way through David and Solomon, the tribes were all called Israelites and indeed the nation called Israel. But after Solomon, the nation split in two. The northern kingdom of Samaria (10 tribes led by Manasseh and Ephraim) rebelled and split off because of high taxation. They became known as Israel.
The southern kingdom (Judah, Benjamin and their portion of Levi) remained loyal to the descendent of Solomon. They became known as Judah, hence the name "Jew" has tended to apply to Benjamin and Levi as well. In reality, there were individuals of all the tribes which resided in Judah as well as in Israel. This split was never healed though Jesus plainly states He will bring a remnant of both Israel and Judah back together again and put them in the promised land when He returns. Indeed, of the 144,000 sealed during the tribulation, 12,000 are from each tribe.
What famous Biblical leaders were of what tribe? Moses was a Levite. Caleb was from Judah. Joshua was from the tribe of Ephraim and it was he who led them into the promised land. The Bible says the Spirit of the Lord was in him. I htink those are important clues. Jerubbaal (Gideon) was from Manasseh. Tola was from Issachar. Samson was from Dan. Saul was from Benjamin. Of course, David and Solomon were from Judah. The most famous and the name above every name, Jesus, was a Jew.
Elijah was a Tishbite from Gilead. It is hard to identify for sure what tribe he was from, but Gilead was a child of Machir, a child of Manasseh. The city belonged to the children of Manasseh and was on the border with Ephraim. Elijah was a prophet over the nation Israel, not Judah. His main battles were with Ahab, the king of Israel.
Interestingly, Elijah was a moutain man who truly lived separate. He only came into the city to prophecize or warn. Elisha, on the other hand wore normal (city) clothes and like to live in the city. Elisha did not want to be separated from Elijah (like the 10 virgins?). Elijah crossed a river to get to his "rapture". Then Elisha received a double portion of Elijah's spirit. This may all parallel the Luke 9:5-13 response of Jesus to those left behind, a promise of a great Pentecostal type outpouring of the Holy Spirit.Notice though that Joshua is a child of Joseph and Elijah appears to be also or at least is a prophet over this group (Israel). The crossing over into the promised land and the rapture of the living are closely linked to these two. The blessings on Joseph, i.e., the living separate, the crown on his head, the fruitfulness, the multicolored coat (peoples of all nations, tongues, kindreds etc -- see Rev 5:9 and 7:9), and the double portion are linked to the rapture (two parts, pre-trib and trib, to go) as well. All believers are the adopted seed of Abraham as was the children of Joseph the adopted sons of Jacob. Hence the names of the patriarchs are on all believers as are the blessings.
The bush is linked to Joseph in Deut 33:16 at the same time as the separation. Even Jesus told us of the bush clue (Mark 12:26-27), as a marker for the resurrection of the dead (1 Thes 4:13-17). Needless to say, the crown on Joseph's head will rest on those of goodwill in this verse. I can think of no better place to put the bush than over the mighty children of Joseph. Satan probably couldn't think of a better one either. In verse 17, Joseph pushes the peoples of the world together. In the story of the famine in Egypt, Joseph is second in Egypt (the world) behind the Pharoah. Notice the money fails, then the people lose their cattle and finally the Pharoah owns all their land, even the people themselves. Only the priests (of Pharoah) are the exception. The tribulation will be the same and as Deut 33:17 indicates, Ephraim and Manasseh are leaders in it.
I often wondered if Babylon in Revelations involved Joseph. The other night, God showed it to me. Look at chapter 18, the destruction of commercial Babylon. Remember the themes (clues) about Joseph. Verse 4, "Come out of her my people", is the separation for those who lived separate. Verse 6, "Reward her ...double....fill to her double". It was Joseph who received the double portion. But in the blessings and cursings of Moses in Deuteronomy, falling away from God would get you a double helping of cursing, even fire, destruction, famine, death etc. Even your land would be turned into brimstone and salt (see Deut 28:15-68 and 29: note especially 23-27). These curses and the destruction of Rev 18 sound eerily similar. Rev 18:10 tells us it is God's judgement. Verse 14 tells us it was once a fruitful land, another Joseph clue. Verse 23 is the strongest clue of all and links the blessings on Joseph in Gen 49 and Deut 33 with Rev 18, "And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee; for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived." Remember the Joseph clue, that in him are those who live separate and will receive a crown on their head because they lived separate. The great men, the merchants, the sorceries, the deception are all part of the bush. Well, I am satisfied that the Babylon of Rev 18 is the USA.
Yes, Joseph and the other tribes of Israel became mixed with the Assyrians and gentiles. They forgot who they were, their God, their heritage and even their language. But, God told them He would give them a new language. He never told them they would remember who they were. When Jesus told the disciples to take the Word to the "Lost sheep of the house of Israel", he knew that Judah would reject him. Joseph and Israel carried out God's plan to carry the gospel to the everlasting hills of all the gentile nations. And they, and particularly Joseph, were blessed mightily for it. But the age old problem continues to come around. In times of abundance, the children forget their God.
Yes, Jesus was a Jew, as was David. There is no name in heaven or earth greater than Jesus. He is the only door to the Father and the only name by which we might be saved. We are to love Jesus and to love the Jews. But, God distinguishes throughout scripture between the tribes, for His purposes and His glory. It is not right to lump all them together and refer to them as Jews and it is surely not Biblically correct. Besides, if you want to understand prophecy, you have to figure this out.
The secrets (plural) of wisdom are double to that which is (Job 11:6). The double clue has several applications. There is the double portion, the double blessing and the double cursing. The nation of Judah (state of Israel) and the people Israel are two separate identities. There is a double firstfruits harvest yet to be accomplished, the pre-trib and tribulation raptures. There is even a feast which has a double portion. Both Solomon's (fall) and Hezekiah's (spring) feasts were doubled in length, 7 + 7 days, and were the greatest (most joyous) of any ever held in Jerusalem. The pre-trib rapture of 1 Thes 4, has a double portion, the dead first, then the living, taken up into the clouds (plural)(two separate events). In the destruction of Babylon, the cursing reward is double to her double and doubled again.
Wow, this doubling thing, particularly on Joseph is a powerful thing, both good and bad. It kinda reminds me of our (the world's) most treasured commodity, money. When compounded daily, it doubles rapidly. But Joseph's pride, all her fruits and the dainty and goodly things she lusted after, shall be departed (separated) from thee (Rev 18:14). Surely, separation and departure is a double edged sword, both on the good and on the evil. And we have had two Bushes as president and the second is in his second term, a double, double. And it coincides with the 40 year marker from the budding of the Fig Tree in Mat 24, i.e. the Spring 67 war. As they say, there's nothing like it when a plan comes together.