My question is regarding who are the Jews referred to in the Book of Revelation. I know from my study and yours that you must consider who is being addressed when reading prophecy in the Bible. Some prophecy is for the Church and some for the Jewish People.
The question is, who is considered a Jew when reading the prophecy about them. When the Northern Kingdom was separated, 10 tribes where in the Northern Kingdom and 2 in the Southern Kingdom. The Southern Kingdom was taken captive into Babylon and eventually returned and rebuilt Jerusalem before being spread about the earth. The Northern Kingdom was destroyed and
essentially disappeared (hence the 10 lost tribes). When referred to in prophecy, who are the Jews? Those with pure blood only? What about
those who may be 1/2, 1/4 etc? When the Bible states in Prophecy that God tells us that ALL Jews will return to their homeland, who are then
considered the ones who will return? I know that even a small amount of Jewish blood can be detected by DNA tests. Do you think that DNA tests will eventually be used to find out, in some way, who is Jewish?
Regarding the so-called lost 10 tribes, 2 Chronicles 11:13-17 tells us that at the time the Kingdom was divided, the Levites and the faithful of every tribe in the North went south to live in Judah. Therefore the only ones “lost” when the North was conquered were the apostates. Contrary to popular belief, the Lord has always preserved a remnant of all 12 tribes.
In Ezekiel 39:25-28 the Lord promised that after Ezekiel’s battle he would bring Jacob back from captivity, not leaving any behind. The Lord frequently calls His people Jacob when they’re out of fellowship with Him as they all will be when He brings them back since the Temple won’t have been built yet. It’s likely both believers and unbelievers will be among the group of returnees.
According to current Israeli thinking on the right of return, if an applicant’s mother is Jewish, then the applicant is considered Jewish. These are the people who will enter Daniel’s 70th week and subsequently the Great Tribulation. Some will only be biological Jews, some will be only religious Jews and some will be both.
The persecutions they face will soon sort the believers from the non-believers. This is why the Old Testament refers to the Great Tribulation as a “Refiner’s Fire.”