A Remnant
Although the ten northern tribes were lost to the world, they were not lost to God. It is the Lord’s pattern to preserve unto Himself a remnant who will serve Him in righteousness. “Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, which are borne by me from the belly, which are carried from the womb; and even to your old age I am He; and even to hoar [gray] hairs will I carry you; I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.” [Isaiah 46:3-4; read also Isaiah 10:20-22; Isaiah 65:8-9, 2 Kings 13:23, Micah 7:18-19].
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Thus the first book of Chronicles records that not all of Ephraim and Manasseh dwelt in the northern kingdom when it was scattered, for “in Jerusalem dwelt the children of Judah, and of the children of Benjamin, and of the children of Ephraim, and Manasseh.” [1 Chronicles 9:3]. Not only was this true before the fall of Israel but after its fall as well for King Hezekiah, who was the king of Judah, “wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, to keep the passover unto the Lord God of Israel… saying, Ye children of Israel [meaning the northern kingdom], turn again unto the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and He will return to the remnant of you, that are escaped out of the hand of the kings of Assyria.” [2 Chronicles 30:1 and 6].
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Over two hundred years later this same remnant was preserved again as Lehi, who was a descendant of Manasseh [1 Nephi 1:164-165 and Alma 8:3], was commanded by God to flee Jerusalem before its destruction at the hands of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, similar to those of the tribe of Benjamin [Jeremiah 6:1] and the inhabitants of Hazor [Jeremiah 49:30-31]. “And it came to pass that the Lord commanded my father [Lehi], even in a dream, that he should take his family and depart into the wilderness. And it came to pass that he was obedient unto the word of the Lord, wherefore he did as the Lord commanded him…And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto me, saying, Blessed art thou Nephi, because of thy faith, for thou hast sought me diligently, with lowliness of heart. And inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall prosper, and shall be led to a land of promise; yea, even a land which I have prepared for you; yea, a land which is choice above all other lands.” [1 Nephi 1:26-27 and 53-54].
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The blessing which Jacob bestowed upon Joseph’s sons was therefore preserved by the providence of God, who separated Lehi’s family for His own purpose, for “thus saith the Lord, I have led this people forth out of the land of Jerusalem, by the power of mine arm, that I might raise up unto me a righteous branch from the fruit of the loins of Joseph. Wherefore, I, the Lord God, will not suffer that this people shall do like unto them of old.” [Jacob 2:34-35]. It was part of God’s plan of redemption that this righteous branch should retain a holy record containing the testimony of Jesus Christ and the covenants of the Lord in order that it might one day be brought forth in its purity from the dust unto the convincing of men of the Only Begotten Son of God and of His eternal Kingdom.
Scriptures to Consider
Isaiah 46:3-5 (KJV)
46:3 Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, which are borne by me from the belly, which are carried from the womb: 46:4 And even to your old age I am He; and even to hoar [gray] hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you. 46:5 To whom will ye liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like?
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1 Chronicles 9:3 (KJV)
9:3 And in Jerusalem dwelt of the children of Judah, and of the children of Benjamin, and of the children of Ephraim, and Manasseh;
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2 Chronicles 30:1, 6 (KJV)
30:1 And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, to keep the passover unto the LORD God of Israel. 30:6 So the posts went with the letters from the king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying, Ye children of Israel, turn again unto the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and He will return to the remnant of you, that are escaped out of the hand of the kings of Assyria.
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Jeremiah 6:1 (KJV)
O ye children of Benjamin, gather yourselves to flee out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and set up a sign of fire in Beth-haccerem: for evil appeareth out of the north, and great destruction.
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Jeremiah 49:30-31 (KJV)
49:30 Flee, get you far off, dwell deep, O ye inhabitants of Hazor, saith the LORD; for Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon hath taken counsel against you, and hath conceived a purpose against you. 49:31Arise, get you up unto the wealthy nation, that dwelleth without care, saith the LORD, which have neither gates nor bars, which dwell alone.
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2 Kings 19:30-31 (KJV)
19:30 And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall yet again take root downward, and bear fruit upward. 19:31 For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of mount Zion: the zeal of the LORD of hosts shall do this.
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1 Nephi 1:26-27, 53-54, and 164-165 (Book of Mormon)
1:26 And it came to pass that the Lord commanded my father [Lehi], even in a dream, that he should take his family and depart into the wilderness. 1:27 And it came to pass that he was obedient unto the word of the Lord, wherefore he did as the Lord commanded him… 1:53 And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto me, saying, Blessed art thou Nephi, because of thy faith, for thou hast sought me diligently, with lowliness of heart. 1:54 And inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall prosper, and shall be led to a land of promise; yea, even a land which I have prepared for you; yea, a land which is choice above all other lands.
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1:164 And it came to pass that my father Lehi also found upon the plates of brass a genealogy of his fathers; 1:165 Wherefore, he knew that he was a descendant of Joseph, yea, even that Joseph who was the son of Jacob, who was sold into Egypt and who was preserved by the hand of the Lord, that he might preserve his father Jacob and all his household from perishing with famine.
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Alma 8:3 (3in1)
8:3 And Aminadi was a descendant of Nephi, who was the son of Lehi, who came out of the land of Jerusalem, who was a descendant of Manasseh, who was the son of Joseph, who was sold into Egypt by the hands of his brethren.
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Jacob 2:34-35 (Book of Mormon)
2:34 Wherefore, thus saith the Lord, I have led this people forth out of the land of Jerusalem, by the power of mine arm, that I might raise up unto me a righteous branch from the fruit of the loins of Joseph. 2:35 Wherefore, I, the Lord God, will not suffer that this people shall do like unto them of old.
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