The Two Houses Of Israel

The Two Houses of Israel: State Formation and the Origins of Pan-Israelite Identity bridges the gap between the biblical narrative of the great united monarchy ruled by David and Solomon and archaeological and historical reconstructions of a gradual, independent formation of Israel and Judah. Based on a thorough examination of the material remains and settlement patterns in the southern Levant during the Late Bronze Age and the Iron Age and on a review of the relevant historical sources, this book provides a detailed reconstruction of the ways in which Israel and Judah were formed as territorial polities and specifically how the house of David rose to power in Jerusalem and Judah. Omer Sergi further situates the stories of Saul and David in their accurate social and historical context in order to illuminate the historical conception of the united monarchy and the pan-Israelite ideology out of which it grew. Sergi provides a new history of the early Israelite monarchies, their formation, and the ways in which these social and political developments were commemorated in the cultural memory of generations to come.

Based on a thorough examination of the material remains and settlement patterns in the southern Levant during the Late Bronze Age and the Iron Age and on a review of the relevant historical sources, this book provides a detailed reconstruction of the ways in which Israel and Judah were formed as territorial polities and specifically how the house of David rose to power in Jerusalem and Judah. In light of that, it further situates the stories of Saul and David in their accurate social and historical context in order to illuminate the historical conception of the united monarchy and the pan-Israelite ideology out of which it grew.

My book covers the biblical account of the history of the nation of Israel, beginning with the birth of their patriarch Abraham and continuing through their four-century stay in Egypt to the Exodus from Egypt and their formation of a formidable nation in the Land of the Covenant. It will cover their expulsions from that land and what happened to them after. A large portion of these Israelites are believed to be lost or have been completely annihilated by God or they have been assimilated in other cultures. This book will provide many biblical references that completely contradict these claims and that these so-called lost Israelites exist today.

In the tradition of 1997's How Wide the Divide? A Mormon & an Evangelical in Conversation, old Dartmouth roommates Johnson, an LDS high priest, and Leffler, a retired Reform rabbi, enter into a dialogue about Mormonism and Judaism. But this t?te-?-t?te never quite matches the level of the historic 1997 book, because the writing is mediocre and because the authors lack the fundamental attitude of interfaith respect that characterized the earlier work. After discussing their traditions' history, theologies and basic practices, the authors focus on areas of common misunderstanding, including Mormons' claim to be descendants of the 12 tribes of Israel (a lineage many Jews dispute or find offensive). Some intriguing issues arise hereAe.g., the controversy over Mormons' former practice of performing proxy baptisms for Holocaust victimsAbut these points of interfaith controversy are underdeveloped. The book may have been aided by a less stilted, impersonal tone; we know from the author biography that Johnson converted to Mormonism thirty years ago, but we never learn why. The authors refer to each other as "Mr. Johnson" and "Rabbi Leffler," rather formal titles for men who have been friends for half a centuryAperpetuating the sense that this is not an interfaith conversation but a standard debate, with a projected winner and loser.

The Houses of Israel and Judah dominate the scriptures from the time of King David until they both were sent into captivity. Each House had a destiny to fulfill. These destinies are being worked out today. What drives the destiny of these Houses? The Birthright is a term that many in the Church are aware of but without an understanding of its presence throughout the scriptures. It is manifested as the Dominion Mandate and the Fruitfulness Mandate through the Houses of Israel and Judah. What are the implications for the coming Kingdom of God and the Sons of God? We cannot know or comprehend this answer unless we understand the many foundational scriptures and concepts that establish God's Heart and Plan for the 'last days'. This study will challenge each person to be 'teachable' and open to another perspective of God's Plan for Redemption. God will reveal His Plan for you and your place in His Coming Kingdom. God is maturing His Believers to 'rule and reign' with Him.