In certain churches in South Africa, Christians are being warned against the so-called "Ephraim Error", prevalent in what is generally referred to as the "Ephraim Movement". Different people have different opinions of what exactly this movement is all about, but there is a widespread view that it is a movement consisting of believers in the Messiah who are convinced that they are the remnants of the ten Lost Tribes of Israel. In a recent Teaching letter of a well-known Christian Organization in South Africa, certain aspects of the so-called Ephraim Movement are being highlighted and discussed. I believe the contents of this letter (and other similar types of criticism) are relevant to many sincere believers in South Africa. Not only those who are involved in the so-called "Ephraim Movement", but those, too, who truly believe, and hold as precious, some of the things that are being criticized and stigmatized in this letter – irrespective of whether they see themselves as Ephraim or not. Let us take a look at some of these points of criticism.

1. The main criticism from the side of the anti-Ephraim contenders is that the ten tribes who went into Assyrian exile 2700 years ago, were never really lost and that people up to this day should know full well whether they are part of these ten tribes or not. Scriptures: Eze 11:16-17; Eze 28:25; Eze 36:24; Jer 30:10; Jer 31:10; Amo 9:9
2. Another criticism is the question "What if someone who holds onto this view, finds out that he or she is not in any way related to one of the tribes of Israel?"

Scriptures: The story of Ruth; Isa 56; Peter’s vision in Acts 11. Any person who truly wishes "to join Yahweh" is free to do so and will receive a name that is better than the name of sons and daughters!

3. Then there is the criticism that believers who link themselves to Ephraim tend to return to a legalistic Torah way of life. The above mentioned letter states that these people engage in certain "Jewish" practices not because they want to, but because they have to, as remnants of the Ten Tribes.

Scriptures: The nature of the New Covenant – Jer 31; Heb 8 and Heb 10. The Shabbat and the feasts and the Torah are not the Jews’ but the Father’s!

4. It is also alleged that people who see themselves as Ephraim, reveal a legalistic insistence on using only the Hebrew Name of the Almighty, despite the fact that they acknowledge "that no one can really be sure of the pronunciation of the Name".

Scriptures: Exo 3:15; The fact that the Name YHWH appears in 6800 places in the Old Covenant Scriptures; The fact that people like Abraham, Moses, David, Eliyah and the Messiah (!!) called upon the Name of the Almighty; Luk 19:38-40; Many references in Revelations to the importance of the Father’s Name, eg. Rev 15:3-4.

5. It is said that Ephraim theorists view the Almighty as a non-caring and covenant-breaking Elohim, because He allowed Ephraim to disappear into the nations. The truth is that Scriptures reiterate two very clear facts: (1) Those who turn their back on the conditions of Yahweh’s covenant will receive the punishment for their disobedience, and (2) The love of the Almighty for his people is so strong that He cannot let go of them completely. The fact that at least some of the increasing number of people from the nations of this world who are currently turning back to the Elohim of Israel, may well be descendants of the Ten (or twelve) Tribes of Israel, is indeed an amazing proof of the faithfulness and the complete work of the Almighty. Truly, He has not forsaken a single one of his promises!!