The two kingdoms were divided. 10 tribes in the north that came to be known as the House of Israel (or Ephraim) and the two tribes to the south that we're known as the House of Judah. Unfortunately, the House of Judah started worshipping other gods. As a result of Israel's unfaithfulness to God, God divorces the northern kingdom of Israel. (Jer 3:8 - "I divorce faithless Israel because of her adultery"). The Assyrians then come in and invade and conquer the House of Israel. As it was prophesied in Genesis 48:19 ("Manasseh will also become a great people, but his younger brother will become even greater. And his descendants will become a multitude of nations") the 10 northern tribes were 'lost' and scattered into many nations. However, the prophet Jeremiah says that the House of Israel will return and "they will bind themselves to the Lord with an eternal covenant that will never be forgotten.". (Jer 50:5).

This was a great mystery to the House of Judah (Jews). After all how can God re-enter into a covenant with adulterous Israel. Does not God's law state (Deut 24:4), "Her former husband, which sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after that she is defiled; for that is abomination before the Lord.". As far as the House of Israel is concerned, they are cursed! They could never come back into covenant/marriage with God. After all, God IS the WORD. (John 1:1), and his law is holy, righteous and perfect.

So how, then, can The House of Israel enter into the new covenant of Jeremiah 31:31? ( - "The day is coming when I will make a new covenant with The people of Israel and Judah.....they broke that covenant , though I loved them as a husband loves his wife," says the Lord."). This puzzled the Jews for many centuries! After all, only death could make this law null and void.

So how does God bring the House of Israel,now a multitude of gentile nations, back into covenant with him? Through death. The death of his son Jesus. With Jesus's death, God is now free to re-marry. And he wants to re-marry both the House of Judah and the House of Israel. No longer is the House of Israel 'cursed by the law'!!

Paul explains this wonderful story in Romans 7:1-5.