The following "Question" was asked by a member of the congregation at Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, and "Answered" by their pastor, John MacArthur Jr. It was transcribed by Nelly Kaye of Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada, from the tape, GC 1301-E, titled "Bible Questions and Answers Part 7." A copy of the tape can be obtained by writing, Word of Grace, P.O. Box 4000, Panorama City, CA 91412 or by dialing toll free 1-800-55-GRACE. ©1976. All Rights Reserved.
Question
Why are the tribes of Joseph and Manasseh both mentioned in Revelation seven?
Answer
Turn to Revelation seven. This is just one of those curiosity questions and you can go to a party and say, "Why are the tribes of Joseph and Manasseh...? And no one will know but you and it’s a wonderful feeling. So Revelation, chapter seven,…because frankly, no one bothers to ask this question anyway, you’ll have to bring it up. Why are the tribes of Joseph and Manasseh both mentioned in Revelation seven?
Question (continued)
Doesn’t the tribe of Joseph include Manasseh?
Answer
Now, how many tribes were there in Israel? Twelve. Joseph was one of the sons. Joseph had two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. Why is it that you have both mentioned here? Joseph and Manasseh? Well, look at Revelation seven, you have Manasseh at the end of verse six, and Joseph in the middle of verse eight. Now I don’t want to get too involved. If you don’t know what’s going on don’t worry, just pray for a minute or two. Joseph is never really considered a tribe. Joseph was split into two, Ephraim and Manasseh. And Ephraim and Manasseh were considered to be tribes. Manasseh is here and Ephraim’s place is taken by Joseph. And the question is, Why does Joseph appear and not Ephraim?
And the answer is, that it is likely as a punishment for Ephraim’s idolatry. And you will remember that it was Ephraim who was responsible for leading in the split of Israel into the two kingdoms. And it is perhaps because of that, that Ephraim’s name is withheld from that special place of usefulness in preparation for the kingdom. The ten tribes who seceded, remember the ten northern tribes who seceded, took their name from Ephraim who led in that secession and Jeroboam I was their king and he was born of the tribe of Ephraim.
So it may be that because of that terrible thing that occurred in the splitting of Israel, that Ephraim's tribe is left out of that final glorious ministry that occurs in the salvation of Israel in the Tribulation.
It also is interesting to note that the reason you can split Joseph into two is because Dan is omitted. You say, well why is Dan omitted? Because of gross idolatry. In Deuteronomy 29, golden calves were set up in the tribe. You know all the tribes had a territory, you know that? Ephraim and Manasseh shared basically the same territory, but all the others had a territory. But, Dan is left out, in fact, here Dan is replaced by Levi, the priestly tribe.
So Ephraim and Manasseh had the same land but are often spoken of as two separate tribes because they were the sons of Joseph. Levi, replaces Dan, and Levi, the priestly tribe had how much land? No land. But Levi is brought in in Dan’s place, Joseph is brought in in Ephraim’s place because of sin.
But you know what is really kind of exciting, and this is just a footnote to all of that. Ezekiel 37, I think it is, verse 19, gives you a picture of the wonderful grace of God even to Ephraim, who was responsible for such a terrible crime. In Ezekiel 37:19, “Say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: I will take the stick of Joseph which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel, his fellow, and put them with him.” God says, some day, (Ezekiel 37 is talking about the kingdom, the future), I’m going to take that Ephraim gang and all the tribes that revolted with him and put them with Joseph. I love this, even “with the stick of Judah”, I’m going to rejoin...remember the northern kingdom was all the ten tribes, and the southern kingdom was called what?…Judah. Judah and Benjamin, the north all the others. But Judah was the south and Israel was the north. I’m going to bring those ten, I’m going to join them back “with the stick of Judah and make them one stick, and they shall be one in” what?… “My hand.” God says with all of Ephraim’s problems, someday in the kingdom, I’m going to bring Ephraim back.
Now you know why that has to happen, and Dan too? You know that has to happen? Because God is a covenant...what?...keeping God, who never breaks His promise. Oh, by the way, Dan is mentioned in 48:2, I don’t want to leave you just guessing. This is the division of the kingdom and it tells in verse two that Dan is going to have a lovely spot right in the kingdom, during the millennial age. Dan arrives back, Ephraim arrives back. Why? Because God is a covenant keeping God.
Now listen people this is just one reason why I believe in the restoration of Israel in the future. God goes to great pains in Revelation to leave Ephraim and Dan out. And goes in great pains to make sure in Ezekiel he gets Ephraim and Dan back in, because God never breaks His word. And the people today who teach that there is no future for Israel are going to have to live with the problem that they are forcing God to break His word, and He doesn’t do that.
Added to Bible Bulletin Board's "MacArthur’s Questions and
Answers" by:
Tony Capoccia
Bible Bulletin Board
Box 119
Columbus, New Jersey, USA, 08022
Our websites: www.biblebb.com and www.gospelgems.com
Email: tony@biblebb.com
Online since 1986