The Babylonian Talmud (Mishnah) Sanhedrin 110b quotes the OPINIONS of Rabbi Akiba ben Joseph and Rabbi Eliezer ben Hurcanus in regards to the eventual prophetic return of the House of Joseph (10-Israel):
"THE TEN TRIBES WILL NOT RETURN [TO THE PROMISED LAND], FOR IT IS SAID, AND CAST THEM INTO ANOTHER LAND, AS IS THIS DAY: JUST AS THE DAY GOES AND DOES NOT RETURN, SO THEY TOO WENT AND WILL NOT RETURN: THIS IS R. AKIBA'S VIEW. R. ELIEZER SAID: AS THIS DAY - JUST AS THE DAY DARKENS AND THEN BECOMES LIGHT AGAIN, SO THE TEN TRIBES - EVEN AS IT WENT DARK FOR THEM, SO WILL IT BECOME LIGHT FOR THEM."Ironically, many blind Christian "scholars" side with Rabbi Akiva... while One-House Messianic "scholars" claim 10-Israel already returned and reunited with Judah after the Babylonian Captivity... long before Akiva or Eliezer were even alive. Both of those claims are either unfounded and not scriptural and/or an affront to the Promises of יהוה.
The Prophetic Promise of 10-Israel's Return
The biggest problem with the claim that 10-Israel already rejoined Judah arises when one considers the prophecies that have a "Last Days" backdrop where both Houses are still divided... and are subsequently united. We must beg the question, how do you unite two groups if they are already united in antiquity? The following passages are important examples which should answer those questions (text in bold for emphasis/text in brackets mine). They will show how Rabbi Akiva and the Christian scholar's lack of attention are both wrong... while also showing 10-Israel's reunification could not have happened prior to the Last Days.
Zechariah 10:1-12
(1) Ask יהוה for rain in the time of the latter rain, יהוה who makes storm clouds. And He gives them showers of rain, the plants in the field to everyone.
(2) For the household idols spoke emptiness, the diviners saw falsehood, and relate dreams of deceit, they comfort in vain. Therefore they have wandered about like sheep. They are afflicted, for there is no shepherd1. [Footnote: Ezekiel 34 and 37, the One Shepherd unites both Judah and Joseph]
(3) “My wrath burns against the shepherds, and I lay a charge against the leaders. For יהוה of hosts shall visit His flock, the house of Judah, and make them like His splendid horse in battle.
(4) “From him comes the corner-stone, from him the tent peg, from him the battle bow, from him every ruler, together.
(5) “And they shall be like mighty men, who trample down the mud of the streets in the battle. And they shall fight because יהוה is with them, and the riders on horses shall be put to shame.
(6) “And I shall make the house of Judah mighty, and save the house of Joseph. And I shall bring them back, because I have compassion on them. And they shall be as though I had not pushed them aside. For I am יהוה their Elohim, and I answer them.
(7) “And Ephrayim shall be as a mighty man, and their heart shall rejoice as if with wine. And their children shall see and rejoice, their heart exulting in יהוה (YHVH).
(8) “I shall whistle for them and gather them, for I shall ransom them. And they shall increase as they once increased.
(9) “Though I sow them among peoples, they shall remember Me in places far away. And they shall live, together with their children, and they shall return.
(10) “And I shall bring them back from the land of Mitsrayim (Egypt), and gather them from Ashshur, and bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon, until no more room is found for them.
(11) “And He shall pass through the sea of distress [Jacob's Distress/Trouble], and strike the waves of the sea, and all the depths of the River shall dry up. And the pride of Ashshur shall be brought down, and the sceptre of Mitsrayim be taken away.
(12) “And I shall make them mighty in יהוה, so that they walk up and down in His Name,” declares יהוה (YHVH).
One of the most widely overlooked and/or misapplied passage is the following one from the Prophet Ezekiel (note: there are TWO sticks/peoples being referred to):
Ezekiel 37:1-28
(1) The hand of יהוה was upon me and took me out by the Spirit of יהוה, and set me down in the midst of the valley. And it was filled with bones.
(2) And He made me pass among them, all around, and see, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and see, they were very dry.
(3) And He said to me, “Son of man, would these bones live?” And I said, “O Master יהוה, You know.”
(4) Again He said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and you shall say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of יהוה (YHVH)!
(5) ‘Thus said the Master יהוה to these bones, “See, I am bringing into you a spirit, and you shall live.
(6) “And I shall put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, and cover you with skin and put a spirit in you, and you shall live. And you shall know that I am יהוה (YHVH).” ’ ”
(7) And I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a noise, and there was a rattling. And the bones came together, bone to bone.
(8) And I looked and saw sinews and flesh came upon them, and skin covered them, but there was no spirit in them.
(9) He then said to me, “Prophesy to the spirit, prophesy, son of man, and you shall say to the spirit, ‘Thus said the Master יהוה, “Come from the four winds, O spirit, and breathe on these slain, so that they live.” ’ ”
(10) And I prophesied as He commanded me, and the spirit came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, a very great army.
(11) And He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are all the house of Yisra’el. See, they say, ‘Our bones are dry, our expectancy has perished, and we ourselves have been cut off!’
(12) “Therefore prophesy, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus said the Master יהוה, “See, O My people, I am opening your graves, and shall bring you up from your graves, and shall bring you into the land of Yisra’el.
(13) “And you shall know that I am יהוה, when I open your graves, O My people, and bring you up from your graves.
(14) “And I shall put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I shall settle you in your own land. And you shall know that I יהוה have spoken, and I have done it,” declares יהוה (YHVH).’ ”
(15) And the word of יהוה came to me, saying,
(16) “And you, son of man, take a stick for yourself and write on it, ‘For Judah and for the children of Yisra’el, his companions.’ Then take another stick and write on it, ‘For Yoseph, the stick of Ephrayim, and for all the house of Yisra’el, his companions.’
(17) “Then bring them together for yourself into one stick, and they shall become one in your hand.
(18) “And when the children of your people speak to you, saying, ‘Won’t you show us what you mean by these?’
(19) say to them, ‘Thus said the Master יהוה, “See, I am taking the stick of Yoseph, which is in the hand of Ephrayim, and the tribes of Yisra’el, his companions. And I shall give them unto him, with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in My hand.” ’
(20) “And the sticks on which you write shall be in your hand before their eyes.
(21) “And speak to them, ‘Thus said the Master יהוה, “See, I am taking the children of Yisra’el from among the gentiles, wherever they have gone, and shall gather them from all around, and I shall bring them into their land.
(22) “And I shall make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Yisra’el. And one sovereign shall be sovereign over them all, and let them no longer be two nations, and let them no longer be divided into two reigns.
(23) “And they shall no longer defile themselves with their idols, nor with their disgusting matters, nor with any of their transgressions. And I shall save them from all their dwelling places in which they have sinned, and I shall cleanse them. And they shall be My people, and I be their Elohim,
(24) while David My servant is sovereign over them. And they shall all have one shepherd and walk in My right-rulings and guard My laws, and shall do them.
(25) “And they shall dwell in the land that I have given to Jacob My servant, where your fathers dwelt. And they shall dwell in it, they and their children and their children’s children, forever, and My servant David be their prince forever.
(26) “And I shall make a covenant of peace with them – an everlasting covenant it is with them. And I shall place them and increase them, and shall place My set-apart place in their midst, forever.
(27) “And My Dwelling Place shall be over them. And I shall be their Elohim, and they shall be My people.
(28) “And the gentiles shall know that I, יהוה, am setting Yisra’el apart, when My set-apart place is in their midst – forever.” ’ ”
Another passage of critical importance regarding יהוה REMEMBERING and restoring Ephraim (10-Israel) to the Land:
Jeremiah 31:16-22
(16) Thus said יהוה, “Hold back your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears, for there is a reward for your work,” declares יהוה, “and they shall return from the land of the enemy.
(17) “And there is expectancy for your latter end,” declares יהוה, “and your children shall return to their own country.
(18) “I have clearly heard Ephrayim lamenting, ‘You have chastised me, and I was chastised, like an untrained calf. Turn me back, and I shall turn back, for You are יהוה my Elohim.
(19) ‘For after my turning back, I repented. And after I was instructed, I struck myself on the thigh. I was ashamed, even humiliated, for I bore the reproach of my youth.’
(20) “Is Ephrayim a precious son to Me, a child of delights? For though I spoke against him, I still remembered him. That is why My affections were deeply moved for him. I have great compassion for him,” declares יהוה [YHVH].
(21) “Set up signposts, make landmarks; set your heart toward the highway, the way in which you went. Turn back, O maiden of Yisra’el, turn back to these cities of yours!
(22) “Till when would you turn here and there, O backsliding daughter? For יהוה has created what is new on earth: a woman encompasses a man!”
Did you notice the Last-Days backdrop throughout the above passages? Jeremiah 31:17 comes right out and says "latter end". How then could 10-Israel and Judah already have been united in antiquity? That claim makes no sense to Prophecy and it makes no sense when compared to historical events (or rather, the lack of historical events). 10-Israel will return and will be joined to Judah. It does not matter what anyone says, including the Jewish Sages, in regards to this eventuality.
