Is Two-House Theology, Core Theology?

Posted on March 9, 2007
Filed Under Ephraim (Multitude of Nations), House of Joseph (Joes), Know Thyself, Last Days, Torah Observance, Two House (Reality) Theology

If you’re simply curious what Two House Theology is and you haven’t already done so, first read: Two House Theology (Reality) defined and defended.

Apparently, understanding Israel’s two kingdom (house) reality has been of little importance to spiritual shepherds leading and feeding Jewish and Christian peoples for many centuries. Many of those who are aware of the distinctions between Judah and Israel simply relegate the topic to a simple matter of Eschatology (study of the End Times) and not a matter of core theology. Yet, there are at least some who may deviate from that line of preaching and teaching. Prof. C.A.L. Totten [1851-1908], of Yale University, once said this:

“I can never be too thankful to the Almighty that in my youth he used the late Professor Wilson to show me the difference between the two houses. The very understanding of this difference is the KEY by which almost the entire Bible becomes intelligible, and I cannot state too strongly that the man who has not yet seen that Israel of the Scripture is totally distinct from the Jewish people, is yet in the very infancy, the mere alphabet, of Biblical study, and that to this day the meaning of seven-eighths of the Bible is shut to his understanding.”

Totten’s quote was taken from Judah’s Sceptre and Joseph’s Birthright by Rev. J. H. Allen, p. 79. At first reading, it would seem Totten doesn’t believe the Jewish people are Israelites. But that is simply not the case. He believed the Jewish people were descended from Jacob (Israel), but they weren’t representative of the House of Israel, instead, the House of Judah (Jew-dah). The authors of the various books of the Hebrew Scriptures refer to the divided Kingdom as “Israel” and “Judah”. You just can’t escape the two house identifications: “Judah and Israel”, “Judah and Joseph”, “Judah and Ephraim” are frequent idiomatic references to the divided kingdom, references which litter the Prophets and the Writings of the Bible.

Levant Neighborhood

Honestly, I’m not certain why the Northern Kingdom was called “Israel” and not more frequently called “Joseph”, since Joseph’s descendents would eventually make up the bulk of the population, as Jacob foretold in Genesis 49:18. Jacob (Israel) passed on his birthright of nations to his grandson Ephraim, so it has been suggested that that is the reason for the Northern kingdom as a whole being called “Israel”. I would love to hear what others think about this.

But for now, back to the original purpose of this blog.

As a young man, before I learned of the two house reality, I absolutely devoured the Hebrew Scriptures. Much of the text seemed very cryptic to me. I always felt like something or someone was hiding something from me. Maybe that is why I searched the Scriptures so frantically for so many years. But when I started to learn the history of Israel’s captivities coupled with all I consumed as a youngster, it was like someone gave me the password to decrypt all the random unintelligible code I had been starring at for so many years.

But why should “two house theology” be a matter of “core theology”?

Many Christian and Jewish scholars will use the phrase “proper exegesis” when teaching on topics from their Scriptures, especially if they are refuting an opposing position. One huge element of the meaning of exegesis is: “examination of general historical and cultural contexts surrounding a specific text in order to extract applicable meaning and interpretation”. You can see how exegesis of scripture comes into play by considering this example:

Two Christians are arguing about whether or not a Christian should obey the Written Torah of Moses. The Christian opposed to the idea, says, “We know the Torah isn’t for us because it was given to the Jews, not to us.” The other Christian responds, “Well, Jesus taught his disciples to walk in the Torah, so we should too since we are His disciples.” The other Christian responds, “Well, His first disciples were Jews, not Gentiles!”

The Christian opposed to following the Torah was applying what he would consider “proper exegesis” of the scriptures based on his knowledge of the historical contexts and recipients of the Torah. But what if his knowledge of the greater picture is blurred not by a false context, but an absent context? [Although when historical facts are absent, context is intrinsically blurry] What if many so-called “Gentiles” (goyim), are actually Hebrew, non-Jewish descendents of the so-called “Lost Ten Tribes of Israel”? With that added possibility or probability, the first Christian’s proper contextual exegesis is bumped a little bit. Some would say his entire glass of exegesis is knocked over. And I would support that view. (=

In my opinion, Two-House Theology is fundamental. It should be a part of every Christian, Jew, or Messianic Jew’s “core theology” and they should use it when extracting meaning from the text of the Scriptures. I believe if Israelite nations truly understood the reality of the two Houses in the modern world (in essence, self-awareness), it would have a broad impact on that world. I know for certain, pork, shrimp, and lobster sales would decline. Clean meat sales would go up. General retail sales would decline on Shabbat (Saturday), but would go up on 6th and 1st Days (Friday and Sundays). I’m being humorous, but I believe the impacts would be real and serious, real serious. And the list of ramifications could go on and on. But here is probably the most important ramification. If the nations of Joseph begin to wake-up to their identity, and began to do and teach others to do the Torah and Prophets, look what their reward would be:

Matthew 5:17-19: reads [bold mine]:
17 “Do not think that I came to destroy the Torah or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to complete.
18 “For truly, I say to you, till the heaven and the earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall by no means pass from the Torah till all be done.
19 “Whoever, then, breaks one of the least of these commands, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Now, I know by simply realizing you’re an Israelite won’t cause you to do and teach others to do the Torah. For example, look at our ancient Israelite ancestors who knew who they were, but still committed adultery against the Creator (Jeremiah 3). Also, look at much of the Jewish population today, who know they’re Israelite, but still do not observe the Torah (only small portions do). The issue here is a matter of degrees. Many Christians in the world today could care less, but many millions would gladly observe the Torah if they had even the smallest reason to do so. Many of those Christians are within nations highly suspect to be Israelite, descendents of the scattered House of Joseph, and they certainly have a reason to do and teach the Torah. And the Prophet Hosea certainly indicates they will wake-up, repent, and return (Hosea 13 & 14).