In the previous blog, we saw that Ezekiel speaks of the future restoration of all Israel. Another Scripture passage frequently cited to support the doctrine of the lost ten tribes is found in Romans 9. There, Paul quotes two statements from the prophet Hosea.
Romans 9
24 us, whom He also called, not only from the Jews but also from the nations,
25 just as He also says in Hosea: I will call “not-My-people” “My-people,” and “not-beloved” “beloved.”
26 And it shall be in the place where it was said to them, “You are not-My-people,” there they shall be called: sons of the living God.
Proponents of the doctrine of the lost ten tribes see this as a significant indication supporting their view. After all, Hosea’s words originally concerned the ten-tribe kingdom. They therefore conclude that the nations to whom Paul was sent are, in reality, descendants of the lost ten tribes.
But is that the conclusion Paul draws?
Hosea and the ten-tribe kingdom
To answer that question, we must first return to Hosea. He prophesied during the days of the ten-tribe kingdom, well over two hundred years before the return under Cyrus. His words are therefore addressed primarily to Israel in the period prior to the exile.
That is important to keep in mind. In previous blogs, we saw that after the return under Cyrus, Scripture no longer speaks of two tribes and ten tribes, but once again of one Israel.
Because of the idolatry and persistent disobedience of the ten-tribe kingdom, God announces His judgment. For this reason, one of Hosea’s children is given the name Lo-Ammi.
Hosea 1
8 (…) And she conceives and bears a son.
9 And He says: Name him Lo-Ammi [not My people], for you are not My people, and I am not there for you.
The meaning of the name is clear. God says to the Ten-Tribe Kingdom: “You are not My people.” With this, He announces that Israel will lose its special position and be scattered among the nations. But the prophecy does not end there.
Judgment does not have the final word
Immediately following the judgment comes a promise of restoration.
10 And the number of the sons of Israel shall be like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or counted. And it shall come to pass that in the place where it was said to them, “You are not My people,” it shall be said to them, “Sons of the living God.”
And immediately after that, Hosea says:
11 And the sons of Judah and the sons of Israel shall be gathered together. And they shall appoint one head over themselves (…)
That is an important detail. The prophecy does not end with Lo-Ammi. It ends with the restoration of Israel.
Judah and Israel will be gathered together again under one Head. This aligns closely with Ezekiel 37, where Judah and Ephraim become one people again under one King.
Paul quotes Hosea
When Paul writes about God’s electing action, he cites these very words from Hosea.
The fact that Paul speaks of Jews and nations is not, in itself, a refutation of the doctrine of the lost ten tribes. Proponents of this view actually assume that the ten tribes were absorbed into the nations and are therefore referred to as nations.
The question, therefore, is not *whether* Paul speaks about the nations. The question is what he intends to demonstrate by citing Hosea.
as He also says in Hosea
The phrasing Paul uses is striking. He says:
As He also says in Hosea.
He does not say: Hosea spoke about the ecclesia. Nor does he say: Hosea spoke about the nations. And neither does he say: the nations are the lost ten tribes.
Paul uses Hosea to illustrate God’s actions. Just as God in the past called people who were “not My people” His people once again, so He now calls people from among the nations. That is an important distinction. Paul does not say that Hosea was originally speaking about the ecclesia. He shows that God’s actions are consistent with what Hosea had already demonstrated.
a people that is not a people
This is also evident from the subsequent part of the Epistle to the Romans. Paul writes:
Romans 10
19 But I ask: Did Israel not understand? First, Moses says: I will make you jealous of what is not a nation; I will provoke you to anger by a foolish nation.
Paul applies these words to his ministry among the nations. But consider what this implies. According to Paul, God uses a people that is “not a people” to provoke Israel to jealousy. How would that work if the nations were, in reality, the lost ten tribes?
In that case, God would be making Israel jealous by means of Israel. That very contrast drawn by Paul would disappear if that were the case. Paul distinguishes between Israel on the one hand and a people that is “not a people” on the other. That distinction forms a key part of his argument in Romans 9 through 11.
Israel and the nations
We encounter this contrast time and again.
Romans 9
30 That the nations, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained righteousness (…)
31 But Israel (…)
Here, Paul contrasts Israel with the nations. Not Judah versus Ephraim. Not two tribes versus ten tribes. But Israel versus the nations. This contrast runs like a common thread through Romans 9, 10, and 11.
What does Paul do with Hosea?
Paul does not deny that Hosea originally spoke about the ten-tribe kingdom. On the contrary; that is precisely why the quotation is so powerful. God called a people who were once called “not My people” His people once again. This demonstrates that God can still grant a place in His plan to people who have no share in His people.
That is exactly what Paul sees happening in his ministry. God calls not only from among the Jews but also from among the nations. The emphasis lies not on their origin, but on God’s call.
Conclusion
Hosea’s prophecy originally concerns the ten-tribe kingdom. There can be no misunderstanding about that. Yet when Paul quotes Hosea in Romans 9, he is not saying that the nations are actually the lost ten tribes. In that same context, he consistently distinguishes between Israel and the nations.
Paul does not use Hosea to explain the identity of the nations, but to illustrate God’s way of acting. Just as God once again called Israel—which had become Lo-Ammi – His people, so He now calls people from the nations as well.
Romans 9:24–26 therefore does not provide evidence for the doctrine of the lost ten tribes. Instead, it demonstrates the magnitude of God’s grace, which extends to people from all nations.