There is a great fascination with the lost tribes of Israel. Joseph Smith, founder of the Mormons, taught that the American Indians were among the lost tribes, and there was a television special not long ago that tracked down people in Asia and Africa who believed they were remnants of these forgotten bloodlines.

But there is, in the Bible, a prophecy about all the tribes of Israel at the end time. It is found in Genesis 49: And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days. If old Jacob is really talking about the last days, then the distinct tribes of Israel should all exist as political entities at the very end of days.

So let’s proceed on that assumption. The descendants of Abraham were supposed to become as the sands of the seashore in number. And they were supposed to be a blessing to the rest of the world. All this implies a coherent people. And the prophecies of old Israel also imply a coherent people at the end time. So what exactly did he have to say?