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Originally Posted by
KingsX
God divorced the Northern Kingdom, Assyria destroyed it and the vast majority of Israelites were forced out of the holy land and those Israelites became "gentiles" [the word gentiles means nations] beginning in the 8th century BC.
It simply isn't true that the Israelites became the "gentiles". Israel in captivity is always distinguished from the nations to which she was sent and the remnant of Israel will ultimately be gathered from the nations and returned to the Land of Israel:
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Jer 31:7 For thus says the LORD, “Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout for the chief of the nations: publish, praise, and say, ‘LORD, save your people, the remnant of Israel.’
Jer 31:8 ’Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the uttermost parts of the earth, along with the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her who travails with child together: a great company shall they return here.
Jer 31:9 They shall come with weeping; and with petitions will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by rivers of waters, in a straight way in which they shall not stumble; for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.’”
Jer 31:10 Hear the word of the LORD, you nations, and declare it in the islands afar off; and say, “He who scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as shepherd does his flock.”
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Ezek 28:25 ”Thus says the Lord GOD: ‘When I shall have gathered the house of Israel from the peoples among whom they are scattered, and shall be sanctified in them in the sight of the nations, then shall they dwell in their own land which I gave to my servant Jacob.
Ezek 28:26 They shall dwell securely therein; yes, they shall build houses, and plant vineyards, and shall dwell securely, when I have executed judgments on all those who do them despite all around them; and they shall know that I am the LORD their God.’”
And the New Covenant is made with both houses, Israel and Judah, united as one nation and returned to their own land:
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Jer 31:31 Behold, the days come,” says the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
Jer 31:32 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they broke, although I was a husband to them,” says the LORD.
Jer 31:33 ”But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” says the LORD: “I will put my law in their inward parts, and in their heart will I write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people:
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Ezek 37:21 ”Say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, I will take the sons of Israel from among the nations, where they are gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land:
Ezek 37:22 and I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all; and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all;