THE 12 TRIBES

James addressed the 12 tribes of Israel in his letter. It is a reminder that the 12 tribes are still relevant. The 12 tribes in the Old Testament and the 12 disciples in the New Testament represented God’s government. The 12 disciples didn’t replace the 12 tribes. John mentioned the 12 tribes in Revelations 7. The names of the 12 tribes and the 12 apostles will be found in the New Jerusalem - Revelations 21.

James 1:1 KJV
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.

Jacob’s 12 sons became the 12 tribes of Israel. Due to Solomon’s sin the tribes were seperated into 2 kingdoms.

1 Kings 11:11-13 MEV
Therefore the LORD said to Solomon, "Since you have done this and have not kept My covenant and statutes, which I commanded you, I will surely take the kingdom from you and give it to your servant. [12] I will not do this in your lifetime for your father David's sake, but I will tear it out of the hand of your son. [13] However, I will not take the whole kingdom away, but will preserve one tribe for your son for David My servant's sake and for the sake of Jerusalem which I chose."

The Southern Kingdom or Juda consisted of Benjamin, Levi and Judah. 
The Northern Kingdom, Israel, Joseph or Ephraim consisted of the other 10 tribes - 1 Kings 12, 2 Chronicles 10-11. Israel made Samaria their capital and worshipped idols. The prophet Hosea prophesied that God will have mercy over Judah, but Israel will be dispersed amongst the nations.  However there will come a time when God will restore Israel.

Hosea 1:6-7,10 MEV
Then Gomer conceived again, and bore a daughter. And the LORD said to Hosea: "Call her name Lo-Ruhamah, for I will no longer have mercy upon the house of Israel but will utterly sweep them away. [7] But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the LORD their God, and will not save them by bow, or by sword, or by battle, or by horses, or by horsemen." [10] Yet the number of the children of Israel will be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered. And in the place where it was said to them, "You are not My people," there it will be said to them, "You are the children of the living God."

Ezekiel prophesied that Israel and Judah will be united and Jesus will be their King.

Ezekiel 37:16-28 MEV
Moreover, son of man, take one stick and write on it: "For Judah and for the sons of Israel his companions." Then take another stick and write on it, "For Joseph the stick of Ephraim and for all the house of Israel his companions." [17] Then join them to one another into one stick so that they become one in your hand. [18] When the sons of your people speak to you, saying, "Will you not show us what you mean by these things?" [19] say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his companions, and will put them with it, with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick; and they shall be one in My hand. [20] The sticks on which you write shall be in your hand before their eyes. [21] Say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: I will take the sons of Israel from among the nations where they have gone and will gather them on every side and bring them into their own land. [22] And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel. And one king shall be king over them all. And they shall be two nations no more, nor shall they be divided into two kingdoms anymore. [23] Nor shall they defile themselves anymore with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions. But I will save them out of all their dwelling places in which they have sinned and will cleanse them. So they shall be My people, and I will be their God. [24] David My servant shall be king over them. And they all shall have one shepherd. They shall also walk in My judgments, and observe My statutes and do them. [25] They shall dwell in the land that I have given to Jacob My servant, in which your fathers lived. And they shall dwell in it, they and their sons and their son's sons forever. And My servant David shall be their prince forever. [26] Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them. It shall be an everlasting covenant with them. And I will place them and multiply them and will set My sanctuary in their midst forevermore. [27] My tabernacle also shall be with them. Indeed, I will be their God and they shall be My people. [28] The nations shall know that I the LORD do sanctify Israel when My sanctuary is in their midst forevermore.

Jesus brought restoration between God and the 10 tribes. Through Jesus the Jew and the gentile are united. Christians didn’t replace the Jews; we are all children of God. We are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation that belongs to God.

1 Peter 2:4-10 MEV
Coming to Him as to a living stone who is rejected by men, but chosen by God and precious, [5] you also, as living stones, are being built up into a spiritual house as a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. [6] For also it is contained in the Scripture, "Look! I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious, and he who believes in Him shall never be put to shame." [7] Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious. But to those who are disobedient, "The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone," [8] and, "A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense." They stumble because they are disobedient to the word, to which also they were appointed. [9] But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, so that you may declare the goodness of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. [10] In times past, you were not a people, but now you are the people of God. You had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Galatians 3:28 TPT
And we no longer see each other in our former state—Jew or non-Jew, rich or poor, male or female—because we’re all one through our union with Jesus Christ.