The Assyrian Captivity

Last Monday I addressed the difference between Judah and Israel. One may ask what happened to the house of Israel? Well this is the answer in short. After the two houses split, (Judah and Israel) there was great sin that transpired in Israel. Although the two houses did split the house of Israel did last for a little over 200 years in their rebellion to Yahweh. One of the first acts of Jeroboam the leader of Israel did was to establish a system of worship that is non conducive to the laws of Yahweh. For example in the book The History of Israel and Judah in Old Testament Times by Caste, Jeroboam had a statue of a bull erected in Samaria (their capital) and called it Yahweh. This move he made was for political reasons as the bull appealed to the pagans and the name Yahweh appealed to the Israelites. Which basically watered down the faith for true believers.

God is very patient and loving as it took 200+ years to destroy Israel and he used the Assyrians to do it. God always uses our enemies to punish us for disobedience to him. It started in around the year 745 B.C. when Assyria had military excursions into Israel, and 721 B.C. was when they had finished, capturing, and relocated the Israelites of the Northern Tribe. Most Israelites were relocated just south of the Caucasus mountains, which is located in modern day Georgia (the country not the state). This movement of Israelites is called the Assyrian Captivity.

Flavius Josephus, a first century General and Scribe, in his book, Antiquities of the Jews, book XI chapter V. says "Wherefore there are but two tribes in Asia and Europe subject to the Romans, while the ten tribes are beyond the Euphrates till now, and are an immense multitude , and not to be estimated by numbers." He wrote this around the time of Yashua (Christ). Eventually most of the Israelites migrated North away from the Assyrians and traveled   North and West through the Caucasus mountains, which is where the Israelites got their new name called Caucasian. They traveled on a route called the "Pass of Israel" once coming out on the other side they migrated to the fertile valleys of Europe to establish a new homeland. These Israelites are called the lost sheep of the house of Israel that Yashua (Christ) spoke about when he walked the earth, they also carry the name of the Lost Tribes of Israel. Although most did go to Europe, there were however some of the lost sheep that went to other parts of the world. 

Map showing the general locations where the House of Israel and the House of Judah were relocated to.

This is a map of Israel's migration to Europe, taken from a Bible Study site. 

This is a video of the famous archaeologist E Raymond Capt and Pastor Sheldon Emry discussing the Lost Tribes of Israel. The interview with Mr. Capt begins 23 minutes into the video. I think they do a much better job of explaining the migrations of Israel than I.