A Heartfelt Request to the Leaders of Britain
Speaking at the Oxford Center for Islamic Studies in June, Prince Charles of England declared: “The Islamic world is the custodian of one of the greatest treasures of accumulated wisdom and spiritual knowledge available to humanity.”
It was quite a statement, and from the future king of England, no less. Ironic too, considering radical Islam is working zealously to destroy the Western world, and of all nations, this process is noticeably well advanced in Britain.
For nearly an hour the prince invoked Islam as a moral and spiritual compass that ought to be teaching the Western world in its quest to save the environment. As the guardian of one of the largest pools of “accumulated wisdom and spiritual knowledge,” he stated, Islam possesses a “priceless gift to the rest of the world” (emphasis mine).
Talk about an upside-down world. Here’s the Prince of Wales—the future king of England and guardian of the Church of England, a born-and-bred son of Judeo-Christian Britain, one of the most advanced democracies in history—unashamedly endorsing Islam as one of the world’s foremost moral and spiritual authorities.
Of course, the Prince of Wales is not the only leader in Britain with a proclivity for endorsing foreign or non-traditional principles and ideologies. These days it is fashionable among all of Britain’s elite in politics, academia and the media to value and endorse multiculturalism and secularism—while ignoring or even trashing their nation’s own history.
Britain has one of the most enthralling and important histories in the world, yet British leaders today prefer to sing the praises of other nations, other races and other histories. Instead of focusing on Islam, Prince Charles and the rest of Britain’s leaders ought to be thinking on their own glorious heritage. As politically incorrect as it is to say it, it is the “accumulated wisdom and spiritual knowledge” embodied within British history, specifically the history of the British monarchy, that is truly a “priceless gift to the rest of the world.”
Here is a heartfelt plea to the political leaders and members of the royal establishment of Britain: Start teaching the world about your royal heritage. Share this history.
A Throne Founded on a Promise
Before England became a constitutional monarchy in the 17th century, it was ruled by kings and queens under a monarchial government. Historians generally agree that King Egbert, an Anglo-Saxon leader of the house of Wessex during the early ninth century, was England’s first king. But when it comes to tracking England’s monarchy prior to the ninth century, most history books go silent.
The world’s oldest and most reliable history book, however, does not. In the Holy Bible, we can learn the absolute truth about the royal house of Britain.
The chronicle of England’s royal family begins in Genesis, with the ancient patriarch Abraham. Many people will be surprised to learn how absolutely central Abraham is to world history, particularly the histories of America, Britain and England’s royal household. Let’s investigate this enthralling narrative. It begins with a vital promise God made to Abraham in Genesis 12.
In verses 2-3, God said, “And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” In The United States and Britain in Prophecy, which we will send you free upon request, Herbert Armstrong explains thoroughly how world history turns on this promise.
Notice how this is a twofold promise. First, God tells Abraham that He will “make of thee a great nation,” which, as Mr. Armstrong explained, is a “national, material promise that [Abraham’s] flesh-born children should become a great nation.” Second, God tells Abraham that “in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” This, as Mr. Armstrong explained, is a “spiritual promise of grace,” a promise that salvation would come to all men through Jesus Christ, who was a descendant of Abraham.
In Genesis 17, God confirms His promise to Abraham, especially the first part about national and material greatness. In this passage, God fleshes out the details, promising Abraham explicitly that “kings shall come out of thee” (verse 6).
The Bible clearly shows that God promised Abraham that he would be the patriarch of a royal line!
Established Forever
We now turn to the ancient Israelites, the descendants of Abraham, who fled Egypt and entered the Promised Land in the mid-15th century b.c. Roughly 400 years after that, God began to fulfill His promise to Abraham that “kings shall come out of thee.”
Saul, a descendant of Abraham, was the first human king to sit on the throne of Israel. Sadly, he proved to be a poor king. As the sun set on Saul’s dismal kingship, God began preparing a young lad from the tribe of Judah, another of Abraham’s descendants, to take his place.
Around 1000 b.c., God established David as Israel’s king. The kingdom of Israel thrived under the divinely guided, although imperfect leadership of King David. Through David, God subdued Israel’s enemies, expanded the boundaries of Israel’s territory and established the Jebusite city of Jerusalem as the seat of the kingdom.
But God did even more: Through David, He perpetuated His promise to Abraham of a royal line. Read 2 Samuel 7, where God clearly confers the promise He made to Abraham onto righteous King David. “[W]hen thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep [meaning die],” God told King David, “I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom” (verse 12).
Note that: God promised King David that He would perpetuate his royal “seed”—or progeny!
Truly, the explicit nature of God’s promise to David is inspiring. Beginning in verse 13, God continued: “He [David’s son Solomon] shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men: But my mercy shall not depart away from him ….And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever“ (verses 13-16).
What a promise! God told King David, a direct descendant of Abraham, that He would perpetuate his kingdom, his royal line, forever. Notice, this promise was absolutely unconditional. God promised explicitly that nothing—not even disobedience and rebellion—would cause Him to break His covenant with David!
Men break promises all the time. God does not! For going on 3,000 years, God has literally bent world history around His promise to Abraham and David. Governments have been overturned, armies have been destroyed, wars have been won and lost, leaders have been installed and removed—all so God could keep His promise to perpetuate David’s royal seed.
If you believe God keeps His word, then you must believe that the royal line of David is somewhere on Earth today. The question is, where?
Enter Britain
In The United States and Britain in Prophecy, Mr. Armstrong employs a host of scriptures to explain in detail how God has fulfilled His promise to David (and Abraham) and has overseen the perpetuation of this royal heritage. Indeed, one of the most unique and riveting truths in that book is the truth about Britain’s royal family, and the fact that it is descended directly from the line of King David!
Of course, it’s intellectually unfashionable today to rely on the Bible (but not the Koran, apparently) as a source of knowledge. So let’s set aside the Bible for a moment and consider some of the secular evidence showing that the British royal family traces its lineage all the way back to King David.
First, consider the coronation of an English sovereign. A coronation is an event of international importance, a captivating occasion filled with pageantry and grand celebration. Beyond the pomp and circumstance, as the official website of the British monarchy admits, it is also a “solemn religious ceremony.” Each coronation is replete with fascinating detail and tradition, much of which “has remained essentially the same over a thousand years” (www.royal.gov.uk).
For example, before being crowned, the sovereign is seated on King Edward’s throne, where he is anointed with oil, then blessed and consecrated by the archbishop of Canterbury. The monarch then receives the royal orb and scepters, then the royal crown, after which the audience bursts into enthusiastic shouts of “God save the King! Long live the King.” If you’ve wondered where these details originated, read the details surrounding the coronation of King David’s son Solomon in 1 Kings 1. Verse 39 reads, “[T]he priest took an horn of oil … and anointed Solomon. And they blew the trumpet; and all the peoples said, God save king Solomon.”
British monarchs are crowned according to the tradition of Solomon!
One especially moving moment toward the end of the coronation ceremony of an English king or queen is the full-throated performance of Handel’s “Zadok the Priest.” Handel composed this masterpiece for the crowning of George ii in the 18th century. Who is this “Zadok” that Handel invoked? Verse 39 of 1 Kings 1 says that it was “Zadok the priest [who] took a horn of oil … and anointed Solomon.”
The signature choral performance during the coronation of a British monarch invokes the memory of the priest who ordained King Solomon of Israel!
Now consider the worn, oblong rock, often termed the Stone of Scone, which currently resides in Scotland. This rock enamors tens of thousands of people who visit Edinburgh Castle, where it currently resides. Why? Because of its history. For as long as historians can remember, this rock has been a central component of the coronation ceremony of British monarchs. It was under the throne when Elizabeth was crowned in 1953, just as it was under the throne when English, Scottish and even Irish sovereigns were crowned in centuries past.
Until recent years, this stone was widely known as “Jacob’s pillar stone.” Still today, in articles and discussions, and even on the official website of the British royal family, it is referred to as the “stone of destiny.” These are intriguing names, especially considering they are for a hunk of stone. What are the origins of this internationally renowned rock? What makes it so special? Why is it critical that it be under the throne at every royal coronation?
Again, we must venture back into the annals of ancient history. Jacob was the son of Isaac and the grandson of Abraham. In Genesis 27 you can read how God’s twofold promise to Abraham was conferred onto Jacob. Genesis 28 then recounts Jacob’s trek to the land of Haran to find a wife. On this journey Jacob had a remarkable dream in which God showed him how He would fulfill His promise to Abraham.
When Jacob woke the next morning, he was deeply moved by God’s presence in his dream. Notice how he responded: “And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it. … And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go … [then] this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God’s house …” (Genesis 28:18-22).
It was a remarkable morning in the history of Israel: This was the moment Jacob’s pillar stone came into existence!
From this point forward, this stone became a renowned feature in Jacob’s family and in the history of ancient Israel. Notice, Jacob called this stone “God’s house.” It was a constant reminder that God was present in Jacob’s life and in the lives of his descendents. Jacob’s pillar stone became a major sign identifying God’s presence in the nation of Israel.
It also became an important feature in the coronation of monarchs! Consider the dramatic events surrounding the coronation of King Josiah, a direct descendant of David, in the seventh century B.C. 2 Kings 11:12 records Josiah being crowned king. Immediately afterward, the mother of the previous king came into the hall. Verse 14 describes what she saw: “And when she looked, behold, the king [Josiah] stood by a pillar,as the manner was, and the princes and the trumpeters by the king, and all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew with trumpets.” Incidentally, verse 12 says that after Josiah was crowned, the audience sang, “God save the king.”
Bible commentaries agree that this was not your everyday pillar, or just a structural feature in the palace. It was, in fact, “the place or throne on which they were accustomed to put the kings when they proclaimed them,” Adam Clarke’s Commentary notes. Notice too, the king was crowned on the pillar, which was Jacob’s pillar stone, “as the manner was,” or as was customary.
Truly this is amazing. To this day, more than 2,500 years after Josiah’s coronation, it is still customary for English monarchs to be crowned over Jacob’s pillar stone!
Even those who discard the Bible ought to be struck by the similarities between the customs of the British monarchy and the ancient practices of David’s royal family. For the more open-minded, all this secular evidence, when considered in the context of God’s promise to Abraham and David, causes Britain’s royal heritage to take on a new, more thrilling dimension!
Based on what we have covered, it is logical that England’s royal family today is descended from King David, and is therefore the living embodiment of God’s promise to Abraham and David. Indeed, even the similarities in customs and traditions demonstrate this reality.
But questions may still remain. For example, how did David’s royal seed in the Middle East end up ruling over the throne of England? Also, how was it that the pillar stone in David’s palace in Jerusalem came to find itself, three millennia later, in Edinburgh, Scotland?
Did God Keep His Promise?
After King David died, his son Solomon became king of Israel. After Solomon’s death, the nation of Israel divided into two separate nations, which were both subsequently invaded and taken into captivity. Despite the wars and chaos that unfolded, God—holding fast to His promise to Abraham and David—ensured the continuation of David’s throne.
In Jeremiah 1, before the kingdom of Judah went into captivity at the end of the sixth century b.c., God gave Jeremiah the prophet an important commission: He essentially told Jeremiah to take a daughter of King Zedekiah, a king in the royal line of David, and travel to Ireland.
About Jeremiah’s diverse crew, Mr. Armstrong wrote, “This royal party included the son of the king of Ireland who had been in Jerusalem at the time of the siege. There he had become acquainted with [King Zedekiah’s daughter]. He married her shortly after 585—when the city fell. Their young son, now about 12 years of age, accompanied them to Ireland. Besides the royal family, Jeremiah brought with them some remarkable things, including a harp, an ark, and a wonderful stone called ‘lia-fail,’ or ‘stone of destiny’” (op. cit.).
Soon after their arrival in Ireland, this Irish king, his wife Tea Tephi (Zedekiah’s daughter, of the line of David) and their son set down permanent roots. Jeremiah did too, even establishing a renowned college that royalty from around Europe visited. As time passed, David’s descendants intermarried with Scottish and English royals. Eventually, as the genealogies of England, Scotland and Ireland’s monarchies show, the royal lineage of David was established in what became, in the 19th century, Great Britain.
As Mr. Armstrong explained, Jeremiah had in his possession the Stone of Scone, or Jacob’s pillar stone. After being transported to Ireland in the sixth century b.c., the stone of destiny for the next 2,500 years remained with David’s royal line. Over the centuries it made stops in various castles, but it remained in Britain and was nearly always under the throne at the coronation of an English or Scottish monarch.
Consider the significance of this history. If we can locate Jacob’s pillar stone today, and the royal line crowned on that stone, then we will have found the living descendants of King David!
Wait, It Gets Better
It is evident that the members of Britain’s royal family are descendants of King David. Now consider what other truths we uncover along with this discovery. By locating the royal household of King David (and Abraham), we have uncovered the history of God fulfilling His promise to Abraham, and King David!
That means Britain’s royal family is living proof of the existence of God!
That may be hard to fathom, particularly considering the jaded character and the antics of some in the royal household. Yet it’s the truth. Like all men, Britain’s monarchs are imperfect. History records that King David himself committed some terrible sins, though he repented deeply. Over the centuries, the monarchy has only grown more stained. Despite these sins and all the hurt those in the royal line have inflicted on God, the great Creator never blotted out the royal dynasty. He punished the royals at the hands of men, but He never broke His promise to David!
That God perpetuates Britain’s monarchy today—despite the Prince of Wales rejecting this history and virtually worshiping Islam—reveals His supreme commitment to keep His promises!
Why is God so committed to perpetuating the throne of David? The answer to that question is absolutely spectacular.
The Bible reveals why: It is because that throne is the very throne from which Jesus Christ will soon rule this Earth.
Believe it or not, the spectacular future of this throne actually far outshines its spectacular past!
Notice the prophecy of Christ’s return in Luke 1:31-33: “And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.”
There it is, clear as day: God’s promise of salvation through Christ, who at His Second Coming will inherit “the throne of his father David.”
This verse alone proves that the dynasty of David has to continue until the return of Christ!
Now consider a prophecy in Isaiah 9, which also speaks of Christ ruling from David’s throne: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this” (verses 6-7).
Could the future of the throne of David be any more spectacular?
The Prince of Wales ought to dwell on this royal heritage. Christ is about to rule the universe with splendor and power from the throne of David—the very throne Prince Charles could soon inherit!
Outside of God’s true Church, no institution on Earth—no church, no university, no ideology, no religion—possesses knowledge so visionary, so saturated with hope, as Britain’s royal family. Forget Islam: It is Britain’s royal family—not by their own doing, but by heavenly design—that is the “priceless gift to the rest of the world.”
Again, our heart cries out to the leaders of Britain: Teach us the inspiring history and prophecy of Britain’s royal family!
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