Of course He was referring to Israel in the broader sense. After all, the divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah were all descended from Jacob/Israel. Jesus referred to all of Abraham’s children, including both the dispersed tribes and the Jews who rejected him.
All Jews are Israelites, but not all Israelites are Jews.
In Romans 10 and 11, the apostle Paul paints a rather lovely portrait of love for the entire Israelite nation, including those of us Gentile believers who have been adopted in.
I have no opinion to achieve, just an old grandma’s knowledge of both the old and new testaments.
The phrase ‘lost sheep’ of the House of Israel is not including the House of Judah.. House of Judah was in and around Jerusalem when Christ walked this earth... Christ first instruction after He elected His disciples was for them to ‘go but to the lost sheep of the House of Israel... These disciples were of Judah and Benjamin...
IF you follow the ‘footsteps’ of Christianity you will follow the footsteps of the ‘lost tribes’ of the House of Israel. God promised it back in Genesis, as He also promised that those of the 10 tribes would not know who they are.
**In Romans 10 and 11, the apostle Paul paints a rather lovely portrait of love for the entire Israelite nation, including those of us Gentile believers who have been adopted in.**
Actually, Paul starts his lament about the Israelites in Chapter 9:2-4:
“That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my BRETHERN, my KINSMAN according to the flesh: Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises...”.
Paul made no tribal distinction. He simply referred to the Israelites according to the flesh. Yes, the Gentiles can be grafted in to become spiritual Israelites. But, Jesus made it clear that he was not sent to the Gentiles, when he spoke to the Canaanite woman. He followed the law blameless, such as when he told the healed leper to go and show himself to the priest, and offer the things that Moses commanded. He didn’t say that to the Canaanite woman.