Matthew 13:44 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hides, and for joy thereof goes and sells all that he hath, and buys that field.”
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The Parable of The Prodigal Son, Luke 15:11. The son who stayed “near” is the House of Judah. The son who went “far off” is the House of Israel. Christ told us a bit more detail about the treasure he came to seek.
Matthew 15:24 “But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
Paul explains who those Gentiles or nations are in Romans 9:24-26 sending one back to Hosea for context.
Romans 9:24-26 “Even us, whom he hath called, not of Judah only, but also of the Gentiles? As he saith also in Hosea, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved. And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.”
Hosea 1 is the story of the final warning to the House of Israel concerning the upcoming Assyrian captivity for their sin. It was not without hope however.
Hosea 1:9-11 “Then said God, Call his name Loammi: for ye are not my people, and I will not be your God. Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God. Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head (Christ), and they shall come up out of the land: for great shall be the day of Jezreel.”
The prophecy is shown fulfilled in Ephesians 2:11-19. Those near are of the circumcision, the House of Judah. Those far off are the uncircumcision and alienated from the commonwealth of Israel without Christ and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world, the House of Israel. Remember though the future promise in Hosea that the House of Israel would become Sons of God or Christians. This has all been fulfilled.
Ephesians 2:11-19 “Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
The treasure is still hidden. Most of the special treasure or “peculiar people” do not know who they truly are today.
“…wherefore there are but two tribes in Asia and Europe subject to the Romans, while the Ten Tribes are beyond the Euphrates till now (Europe), and are an immense multitude, and not to be estimated by numbers.” Flavius Josephus, historian, 95 AD.
“They were peopled by descendants of the Hebrew Race.” Ptolemy on the Western Isles of Britain and Ireland.