By John Conrad
King Solomon observes in Ecclesiastes 4:9 Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor; 10 for if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up! The necessity for two is spelled out in Genesis 2 where Yah declares that Adam was alone and it wasn’t good. From Adam’s side Yah creates a companion for him. According to scripture every matter is established in the mouth of two witnesses. One alone is not considered reliable. Two separate people, two perspectives, two conclusions.
Romans 1:20 For since the creation of the world His invisible [attributes, that is,] His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, being understood by what has been made, so that they are without excuse.
Paul’s statement reminds us that studying creation will reveal YHWH’s character. His fingerprints appear on everything he has made. One of the fingerprints we observe in looking at creation is the creator’s fascination with the number 2.
Look at our bodies and the bodies of animals. Everything is bilateral—our external organs have two sides or there are two of them—two hands, two eyes, two ears, two feet. Our two eyes are what gives us the ability to gauge depth perception. Our two ears allow us to distinguish the direction of a sound. Our bodies are temples of the Ruach and they echo the command to establish everything by the testimony of two witnesses. Our left hand is the mirror image of the right hand. Similar but opposite—their uniqueness necessary for proper function and use. So many activities require both hands—shoveling, washing dishes, turning pages in a book, the list is endless. The same with our two legs and two feet—walking, running, jumping, standing up are impossible or very difficult without both legs and feet.
The patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were established by God as the fathers of the nation of Israel. Through this nation YHWH promised to bless the whole world. The 12 tribes of Israel existed as a united kingdom during the reigns of King Saul, King David and David’s son King Solomon. However, a close reading of scripture reveals the nation also had a bicameral nature—two houses or families. This is clear in David’s reign as he ruled over Judah for seven years at Hebron before ruling both Judah and Israel from Jerusalem for the next 33 years. Under King Solomon’s son Rehoboam the two groups split and became two separate kingdoms—the kingdom of Judah or southern kingdom and the kingdom of Israel or northern kingdom.
These two kingdoms were divided by antagonistic political and religious loyalties. The southern kingdom had kings descending from the Davidic line and worshiped at Jerusalem at the temple constructed by Solomon at God’s command. The northern kingdom was ruled by kings from several different dynasties that usually came to power by destroying the one prior to them. They worshiped golden calves at idolatrous shrines located at Bethel in the south and Dan in the north.
These two kingdoms were hostile and often at war with each other. In 721 BC the northern kingdom was defeated by the Assyrians and banished from the Promised Land and seemingly lost to history as they assimilated into other cultures and countries and lost their identity as Israel. The southern kingdom was similarly defeated by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BC and the majority of its aristocracy, princes, priests, and soldiers, exiled to Babylon. In distinction to the northern kingdom, those of Judah were allowed to form communities in exile and thus retained their Israelite identity. After 70 years of exile they returned and reestablished Jewish communities in Israel and rebuilt the temple.
When the prophet Jeremiah prophesies that God will make a new covenant with his people he specifically states that this covenant will be made with the House of Israel and the House of Judah. All through the prophets it is prophesied that the two houses will be reunited and again become one nation. The people of both houses were dispersed but the House of Israel/Ephraim assimilated and literally became “not a people” and “not my loved one.” Judah and the tribes associated with him largely remained identifiable. Their loyalty to Torah separated them from the world and both protected them and conversely subjected them to disdain and virulent Antisemitism.
Both these groups are members of the whole house of Israel yet distinct. The prophets Hosea and Zechariah testify to this uniqueness. Hosea foretells that the northern kingdom will become “not a people and not my loved one” all while prophesying that YHWH will save the House of Judah. Zechariah sees Judah and Ephraim as a bow and arrow. Judah the bow upon which the arrow of Ephraim rests and together they become a weapon against their enemies.
It is important to recognize that the value of two is completely predicated on their independence and uniqueness and yet dedicated to a common God and goal. An arrow that stays adhered to the bow will be useless in battle. Similarly, a bow that flies with the arrow renders both impotent. Looking at creation we see this need for independence. Try walking down the road and swinging your arms in the same direction. We maintain balance by the two operating in opposite fashion. Our legs function in much the same way serving the body in harmony but each participating in its own special way often acting in the opposite direction to its corollary appendage.
The failure to see the identity of these two has led to much anguish and rivalry. Just as in Egypt Joseph revealed himself to his brothers and transformed the relationship by revealing their common brotherhood these two kingdoms today will be transformed when they see each other’s identity. Family joined together in their identity as a nation but still individuals. Many seek to turn Jews into Christians or vice versa. Both houses have considerable repenting and turning to do but this must occur in response to YHWH and not to family pressure. To be everything Yah has created us to be we do not succumb to pressure to become like the other. The right hand’s value to the left hand stems from its uniqueness and its mirror-image likeness. Even the two hemispheres of our brain are similar but distinct in size and function. Each has many unique roles necessary for normal life. The two serve each other and support each other in harmony not unison.
Much of the angst in the Biblical world today can be traced to this problem of misidentification or complete lack of it. The nation of Israel consists of two definite, recognizable parts—Judah and Israel/Ephraim. The recognition of each other is essential to full restoration of the nation. It is also essential to being whole, fulfilled and functioning in the world as a light to the nations. Two are better than one.
