What is the House of Jacob?

Answer

The term “house of” someone can refer to the actual structure in which he or she lives, but it can also refer to the “household” of that person, which would include their family and ultimately their descendants and even their dynasty. “House of” is used extensively this way in the Old Testament: the house of Eli in 1 Samuel 13:14, the house of Saul and the house of David in 2 Samuel 3:1, and the house of Jeroboam in 1 Kings 14:10 are just a few examples.

The term “house of Jacob” is simply another way to refer to the nation of Israel. Israel the patriarch was originally named Jacob (see Genesis 32). The interchangeability of the terms is illustrated in Exodus 19:3–4: “Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, ‘Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob and tell the sons of Israel: “You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians.”‘

There is a religious organization called The House of Jacob Bible Study Class. The following is taken from their official website: “The House of Jacob Bible Study Class is a Church for those who seek entrance into the Kingdom of God. We recognize and teach all that is written in the Holy Bible (Old and New Testament). We teach faith in the testimony of Jesus Christ and observance of God’s laws including the Ten Commandments [sic], God’s Dietary Law, and God’s Feast Days. We teach the lineage of the families of the earth including the Gentiles, Hamites, and Israelites (Genesis 10). We show how the ‘so-called’ African Americans, and others who were historically taken on slave ships into various countries, are the true descendants of the Biblical Israelites (Deuteronomy 28). We also teach how salvation is open to all people who desire to serve God according to His commandments (Titus 2:11-13) and (Isaiah

(Deuteronomy 56:5-7)” (accessed on 9/27/20).

The House of Jacob Bible Study Class is situated in Chicago but disseminates its teachings through podcasts, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. The congregation appears to be predominantly black, as one of its distinctive teachings asserts that “African Americans” are indeed the physical descendants of Jacob— the house of Jacob. This belief aligns with the Black Hebrew Israelite Movement.

The House of Jacob Bible Study Class also emphasizes obedience to Old Testament commands, particularly focusing on feast days, Sabbaths, and dietary laws. It is suggested that compliance with these laws is essential for one to be in right standing with God. However, the New Testament clearly refutes this notion. Addressing the church leaders in Jerusalem, Peter vehemently argues against imposing the law on Gentiles and highlights that even Jews were unable to fully adhere to it: “After much debate, Peter got up and addressed them: ‘Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are’” (Acts 15:7-11).

The fundamental teaching of every false religion remains consistent: adherence to specific commands is required to attain righteousness before God. While some stress Old Testament laws, others focus on New Testament directives, church regulations, or humanitarian values such as kindness and general morality. Despite the variations, the common theme is the belief that obedience is necessary to achieve righteousness before God.It is a false gospel. Salvation is not attained through obedience but by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9).