what if I told you that not every Israelite was considered a Jew and not not every Jew can claim dissent from all the tribes of Israel it's a complex history that has left many confused are Israelites and Jews the same is Israel a land a people or both this question has come up so often in the comments that today we're going to dive deep to answer it for you these terms Jews Israelites and Israel seem interchangeable at first but each one carries unique meanings and histories that shift how we understand the Bible and God's unfolding
Covenant today we'll Journey Through the lives of the Patriarchs from Jacob the man later known as Israel to the 12 tribes heathered and the divided kingdoms that eventually emerged will look at the Exile and return of the Jewish people and finally The Rebirth of Israel as a Modern Nation but before we get started I want to thank each one of you for watching sharing and subscribing to deep Bible stories so if you've ever wondered about these terms if you've been curious about the differences between Jews Israelites and the meaning of Israel this video is for
you make sure to stay till the end to get the full picture of how God's covenant stretches across these identities ready to explore let's dive in and see how these names reveal the intricate Timeless relationship between God and his people to truly understand these identities we need to go back to where it all began with Abraham the father of faith God called Abraham from his home in ER to journey to a new land promising him descendants as numerous as the stars and establishing a covenant that would pass down to his son Isaac and then to
Isaac's son Jacob Jacob is the key to understanding the term Israelite because Jacob whose name was later changed to Israel became the father of the 12 tribes in Genesis 32 Jacob wrestles with an angel and in that pivotal moment God gives him a new name Israel meaning one who struggles with God from that point on his descendants are known as the Israelites the people of Israel named after their forefather the 12 tribes of Israel traced their lineage back to Jacob's TW Sons each of whom became the head of One Tribe this tribal identity as Israelites
signified their inclusion in God's covenant and Promises set apart as his chosen people here's where it gets interesting at this stage they're all called Israelites because they're descended from Israel Jacob but this identity was shared by all all 12 tribes not just the tribe of Judah the term Jew would come later and initially it only referred to people from the tribe of Judah one of the 12 tribes however over time the term evolved and became associated with all those who were faithful to the god of Israel so at this early point in history Israelite refers
to all descendants of Jacob while Jew has not yet emerged as a term for any of them after the reign of King Solomon Israel reached a turning point around 9:30 BC internal conflicts led to a division of the Kingdom into two distinct entities the northern kingdom which retained the name Israel and the southern kingdom known as Judah this division significantly shaped the identities of both groups the Northern Kingdom of Israel consisted of 10 tribes while Judah the southern kingdom included the tribes of Judah and Benjamin the capital of the northern kingdom was Samaria and the
capital of Judah was Jerusalem because of this split people from Judah became distinct from the other Israelites and began to identify primarily with their tribe and territory the term Jew originates from this period primarily referencing the people of Judah in the southern Kingdom as years passed Jew became synonymous with those from the kingdom of Judah who continued to Worship in Jerusalem and follow the teachings of the Torah this period marks the beginning of the association between the term Jew and specific religious beliefs and practices centered around the temple in Jerusalem in 722 BC the Northern
Kingdom of Israel was conquered by the Assyrians leading to the Exile and scattering of the 10 tribes these tribes became known as The Lost tribes of Israel meanwhile the southern Kingdom of Judah where the term Jew had become prominent survived longer the people of Judah continued to live in their land maintaining their Traditions Temple worship and adherence to the laws of Moses this historical split is crucial while all Jews were Israelites not all Israelites were considered Jews Israelites still referred to anyone from the 12 tribes of Israel while Jew increasingly referred to those specifically from
the tribe of Judah or the kingdom of Judah in 586 BC the Babylonian empire under King Nebuchadnezzar conquered the southern Kingdom of Judah Jerusalem was destroyed the temple was burned and many of the people of Judah were taken into Exile in Babylon Bon this traumatic event forced the people of Judah to adapt and preserve their faith without a central Temple or Homeland during the Babylonian exile the people from Judah now known as Jews had to find ways to hold on to their identity and faith in a foreign land in Exile their identity became deeply tied
to the study and observance of the Torah synagogues emerged as centers for communal worship and learning and rabbis became crucial leaders for maintaining the Jewish laws and customs unlike their Israelite ancestors whose identity had been tied to a physical Homeland and a central Temple the Jews in Babylon developed a unique cultural and religious identity that was portable and resilient they strengthened their commitment to monotheism and distinctive Customs like the Sabbath dietary law laws and circumcision in this way the term Jew began to signify not just ethnicity or geography but a specific faith and cultural practice
centered around worshiping Yahweh after about 70 years when the Persian Empire conquered Babylon King Cyrus allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem many Jews went back to rebuild the Temple but not all returned those who stayed behind continued to spread Jewish culture and beliefs across various parts of the ancient world resulting in communities that maintained a strong Jewish identity even while living outside their Homeland this period further entrenched the term Jew as not merely an ethnic identifier but a people Bound by covant and shared religious practices this Babylonian exile and return created a foundational identity
for Jewish people that carried through into later centuries and can be seen even in modern Judaism the survival of the Jewish people through Exile and return is a testament to their enduring relationship with God and their commitment to preserving their faith no matter the circumstances after King Solomon's Reign the Kingdom of Israel split into two parts around 930 BC the northern kingdom retained the name Israel and included 10 of the original 12 tribes while the southern Kingdom became known as Judah encompassing the tribes of Judah and Benjamin this division had far reaching consequences for the
identities of Israel and Judah and ultimately for the Jewish people the Northern Kingdom of Israel fell to the Assyrian Empire in 722 BC leading to the Exile of the 10 tribes these tribes were dispersed across various regions of the Assyrian Empire and over time they lost their distinct identity and were assimilated into surrounding cultures these are often referred to as the 10 lost tribes of Israel the term Israel became more complex after this Exile while it originally referred to the United 12 tribes after the fall of the northern kingdom it began to refer primarily to
the spiritual and ancestral identity rooted in God's covenant many Jews especially those in the southern Kingdom saw themselves as carrying forward the legacy of Israel in preserving God's covenant the southern Kingdom of Judah with Jerusalem and the temple continued to represent the center of Jewish religious life and identity the 10 lost tribes became a significant theme in Jewish Christian and even Islamic thought with prophecies foretelling their eventual return in Ezekiel 37 the prophet speaks of a future restoration where God will reunite Israel and Judah as one this prophetic hope of a unified people under the
Messiah is tied to the idea that all descendants of Jacob will one day return to their land the stories of the 10 lost tribes give rise to themes of restoration and redemption in Jewish tradition symbolizing the hope of bringing all Israelites back to God's covenant the idea of a reunified Israel has influenced Jewish identity where Israel refers not only to the historic people but also to the Future United people of God the distinction between Israel and Judah then reveals a dual layer in Jewish identity it is both a present reality seen in the identity of
Jewish people today and a future hope where the Covenant with God reaches its full fulfillment in 586 BC the southern Kingdom of Judah fell to the Babylonians resulting in the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem and the Exile of many people from the land unlike the 10 tribes of the northern kingdom the exiled people of Judah maintained a stronger cultural and religious identi identity as they continued to preserve their laws customs and traditions during this time in Exile the identity of the Jewish people began to center around the tribe of Judah the lineage of King
David and the covenantal promise the term Jew derived from Judah began to refer specifically to the people who had maintained their covenantal Heritage through this Exile marking a shift from identifying strictly as Israelites by the time they returned to their land under Persian rule the descendants of the tribe of Judah and those who had joined them were collectively known as Jews this is why in later historical texts such as in the New Testament references are made to the Jews rather than the Israelites under Persian Emperor Cyrus the Great the Jewish Exiles were allowed to return
to their Homeland around 500 38 BC and began to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem the construction of the second temple renewed the religious life centered around the worship of God and adherence to the laws given to Moses the return to the land and the rebuilding of the temple reinforced the Jewish people's commitment to preserving their Covenant with God the term Israel continued to hold spiritual and ancestral significance as the Jewish people saw themselves as inheritors of the original covenant made with Abraham Isaac and Jacob also known as Israel however their identity was more specifically tied
to being Jews descendants of Judah symbolizing those who remained loyal to the Covenant during and after the Exile thus Jew began to Encompass not only a tribal lineage but also a spiritual commitment to God's laws and Promises following the Exile Jewish religious leaders placed greater emphasis on the study of the Torah and adherence to God's Commandments this emphasis led to the rise of Rabin Judaism where rabbis became teachers and interpreters of the law guiding the people in their relationship with God and their observance of his Commandments this practice of studying and observing the Torah became
a defining characteristic of Jewish identity transcending tribal lineage rabbinic Judaism also further solidified the concept of a Jew as someone who maintained the Covenant relationship with God regardless of specific ancestry within Israel's tribes the unifying identity of being Jewish symbolized continuity with God's original promise to Israel the people chosen to be his own as the covenantal people the Jews carried forward the legacy of the 12 tribes even though much of Israel's original tribal identity had been lost in today's world Jewish can refer to a broad identity that encompasses religious beliefs cultural practices and a shared
Heritage rooted in the covenantal history of Israel a Jewish person may follow the religious teachings of Judaism identifying closely with the covenantal laws given through Moses and celebrated in synagogues around the world but Jewish identity is also cultural linking those with a shared Heritage from ancient Israel even if they no longer observe Jewish religious practices strictly in Jewish communities this Heritage can include language such as Hebrew Yiddish or ladino Customs from holidays like Passover and hanuk and rituals passed down through generations to be Jewish today means to belong to a people who Trace their roots
to the Israelites specifically the descendants of Judah Benjamin and Levi who preserved their Heritage through centuries of diaspora whether through religious observance cultural expression or lineage being Jewish carries an enduring connection to the original Covenant made with the god of Israel the formation of the state of Israel in 1948 introduced a new dimension to the identity of the Jewish people following centuries of persecution and displacement the Jewish people sought a Homeland where they could preserve their culture and religion without fear of Oppression Israel became that Homeland but the definition of Israeli was then born as
a separate national identity distinct from Jewish today Israeli refers to citizenship within the modern nation state of Israel a country with a Jewish majority not all Israelis are Jewish Israel is home to diverse ethnic groups including Arab Muslims Christians Drews and beduins thus while all Jews can identify with Israel as their historical and spiritual Homeland not all Israelis identify religiously or culturally as Jewish this distinction between Jewish and Israeli highlights the complex layering of identity within the modern state to be Jewish is to belong to a people with an ancient Covenant and cultural history whether
or not one resides in Israel being Israeli however is a national identity that includes people from various religious and ethnic backgrounds within the modern political state of Israel throughout the Bible we see God make Promises to the people of Israel promises that form the foundation of their identity as a covenant people this Covenant started with Abraham extended through Isaac and Jacob and continued with the 12 tribes of Israel forming a nation chosen by God for his purposes from Abraham's call to leave his homeland to the giving of the law at sin Israel's Legacy has always
pointed back to a relationship with God built on obedience faith and promise even as Israel faced challenges Disobedience and Exile God's covenant remained constant prophets like Isaiah Jeremiah and Ezekiel spoke of a future hope where God would gather Israel from the corners of the earth promising restoration and renewal this eternal Covenant is the Bedrock of Jewish identity and Heritage serving as a reminder of God's unwavering commitment to his people for believers today the existence of Israel holds significant prophetic importance biblical prophecies speak of Israel as Central to God's ultimate plan for the world a role
culminating in the Messianic age scriptures like Zechariah 12:10 and Ezekiel 36-37 for tell a Time when the Jewish people will fully turn to God recognizing his Messiah and when Israel will be spiritually and physically restored in Matthew 24 Jesus himself mentions Israel and Jerusalem as focal points for the end times events highlighting the prophetic significance of Israel as the epicenter of God's work in the world these prophecies have implications not just for Israel but for all All Nations emphasizing that God's covenant people will play a leading role in the Redemption and restoration of creation while
Israel is Central to the biblical story the prophets also foretold that God's blessing would extend to all nations in Isaiah 49 col 6 God declares that his servant the Messiah would be a light to the Gentiles bringing salvation to the ends of the Earth This Promise was fulfilled in Jesus Through whom the covenant blessings extended Beyond Israel to Every Nation through Jesus both Jews and Gentiles are invited into a new covenant a spiritual family united in faith yet Israel's unique calling Remains the Apostle Paul in Romans 11 explains that God has not abandoned his promises
to Israel rather Israel's restoration is part of God's grand plan to bring all people to himself Paul's analogy of Gentiles being grafted in to the Olive Tree of Israel highlights this shared inheritance while respecting Israel's foundational role in the divine plan from the beginning Israel's calling was not only to be a chosen people but to serve as a conduit for God's blessing to All Nations God's words to Abraham in Genesis 123 All Peoples on Earth will be blessed through you reveal his intention for Israel to impact the world through Israel God revealed his law His
prophets and ultimately the Messiah the message of Salvation that emerged from Israel has changed the course of history shaping cultures and bringing hope to countless Generations Israel's Legacy is a testament to God's faithfulness his enduring promises and his commitment to bless Humanity through a people set apart for believers recognizing Israel's role in God's plan is both humbling and inspiring reminding us of our own place in a story that spans Generations the people of Israel are a living symbol of faith resilience and God's enduring promises in them we see a story that transcends borders languages and
time a narrative woven with Divine Purpose that brings us all closer to the heart of God's story for every believer Israel's role is a reminder of God's steadfast promises and his divine plan that includes Every Nation as we reflect on the distinctions and connections between these identities we're invited to see the bigger picture of God's work in the world a story in which we all have a role United in the Faith and Hope that began with God's promise to Abraham if you found value in this deep dive into the origins and identity of Israel don't
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