THE UNITED STATES AND BRITAIN IN PROPHECY
Chapter 8
By Herbert W. Armstrong
1954, 1967, 1972, 1975, 1980 edition
Introduction
Chapter One - The Lost Master Key Has Been Found!
Chapter Two - Prophecies Closed Until Now
Chapter Three - National Greatness Promised Israel
Chapter Four - The Separation of the Birthright and the Septre
Chapter Five - The Davidic Covenant
Chapter Six - Children of Israel Become Two Nations
Chapter Seven - Jeremiah's Mysterious Comission
Chapter Eight - The Mysterious Breach
Chapter Nine - Israel's New Land
Chapter Ten - Birthright Withheld 2520 Years!
Chapter Eleven - Why Israel Lost Identity
Chapter Twelve - The Birthright - At it's Zenith - And Now
Chapter Thirteen - And Now What - The Prophecies for the Immediate Future
Chapter Fourteen - What's Prophesied to happen Now - To America and Britain?
Chapter 8
THE MYSTERIOUS BREACH
WHERE DID JEREMIAH GO WITH Baruch his secretary and one or
more of the royal daughters of the king? History stops short at
this point. Enlightened students of Bible history have long known
that the Ten Tribes -- called by the name "house of Israel" -- have
been lost in identity and historic knowledge, and exist today among
the Gentile nations, unrecognized. Their identity and location God
has hidden from the world.
Yet, in this end time, when knowledge is to increase, when the
"wise" are to understand (Dan. 12:4,10), we shall find the secret
revealed through prophecy which could not be understood until now.
But first, we must consider a mysterious "breach" that occurred in
the days of Judah, son of Jacob.
Judah was the father of twin sons. The firstborn was royal
seed, for through him the sceptre promise was to be carried down.
It seems the midwife knew twins were about to be born. It is
recorded that just before birth one of the twins "put out his hand:
and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread,
saying, This came out first." But the child drew hack his hand and
the other was actually born first.
The midwife exclaimed, "How hast thou broken forth? this
breach be upon thee [margin, wherefore hast thou made this breach
against thee?]: therefore his name was called Pharez," meaning
"breach." The other twin was named Zarah (Gen. 38:27-30).
Why should this strange occurrence be recorded in Bible
history unless this breach was to be healed between the sons or
their descendants at some future time? Yet it never occurred in
their lifetime.
Zarah, of the scarlet thread, had five sons (I Chron. 2:6).
Did a descendant of Zarah finally get the throne, in a manner
healing the breach? David, Zedekiah, Christ -- all were of the PHAREZ
branch -- none of Zarah.
Now consider: 1) the fact of the breach means the transfer of
the sceptre from the Pharez to the Zarah line. 2) Such transfer
never occurred before King Zedekiah of Judah, who was descended
from Pharez. 3) Therefore it had to occur after Zedekiah was
dethroned. 4) Since David's line (Pharez) is to remain on the
throne through all generations forever, it could only occur at an
OVERTURN of the throne by a marriage between a Pharez heir to the
throne and one of the Zarah line, thus healing the breach.
The Three Overturns
History shows the descendants of Zarah became wanderers, journeying
to the north within the confines of the Scythian nations, their
descendants later migrating to Ireland in the days of King David.
But meanwhile, the Pharez-David-Zedekiah line possessed the
sceptre -- was HIGH -- exalted. The Zarah line, feeling it rightfully
should possess the sceptre, and some day would, was low, abased -- so
far as royal power was concerned.
Now consider a much misunderstood passage of prophecy. If you
will begin reading at the 18th verse of the 21st chapter of
Ezekiel, you will see plainly that the Eternal is here speaking of
the captivity of Judah by the king of Babylon. And, beginning in
the 25th verse, He says: "And thou, profane wicked prince of Israel
[Zedekiah], whose day is come, when iniquity shall have an end,
thus saith the Lord God; remove the diadem, and take off the crown
[as did happen, through the first half of Jeremiah's commission]:
this [the crown] shall not be the same: exalt him that is low, and
abase him that is high. I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it:
and it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I
will give it him."
Let us understand that clearly. "Remove the diadem, and take
off the crown." King Zedekiah, of David's dynasty, had the crown.
This says it is to be removed. It was removed. He died in Babylon;
his sons and all the nobles of Judah were killed.
"This shall not be the same." The diadem is not to cease, but
a change is to take place -- the throne is to be overturned -- another
is to wear the crown. God's promise to David is not to go by
default!
"Exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high." Who is
"high"? King Zedekiah of Judah. Now he is to be abased. He is to
lose that crown. Judah has been "high," while Israel has been
"low" -- these many years without a king (Hosea 3:4). The Pharez line
has been "high"; the Zarah line "low."
"I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it: and it shall be no
more, until he come whose right it is." What was to be overturned?
The diadem, and the throne. Not once -- it is to be overturned three
times. Overturned by abasing Zedekiah, the house of Judah, the
Pharez line, and exalting, now, the house of Israel, and one of the
Zarah line! The first of the three overturns was performed as the
first half of Jeremiah's commission.
"And it shall be no more." Does this mean the throne -- the
crown -- is to cease to exist? Not at all! How could it be overturned
two more times -- that is, TRANSFERRED from one to another, if it
ceased to exist? How, after these three transfers of the crown,
could it be given to Him -- Christ -- whose right it is, at His second
coming, if it ceased altogether to exist? How could he who was
"low" now be exalted by the crown, if that crown was to be no more?
No, the meaning is: "It shall be no more overturned until the
second coming of Christ"! And then it shall be given to Him!
God will not break His unalterable promise made to David!
Through every generation David shall have a descendant wearing that
crown! The second half of Jeremiah's commission must now be
performed. That throne must be transPLANTED, and again BUILT. The
crown must be overturned -- transferred to another! But WHERE? To
WHOM?
A "Riddle" and a "Parable" Tells!
The strange truth of the PLANTING and the REBUILDING of David's
throne is revealed in "a riddle and a parable" couched in symbolic
language never understood until this latter day. Yet it stands
today so clearly explained a little child could understand!
It fills the 17th chapter of Ezekiel's prophecy. The whole
chapter should be carefully read. Notice, first, this prophetic
message is addressed, NOT to Judah, the Jews, but to the house of
Israel. It is a message to give light to the lost ten-tribed house
of ISRAEL in these latter days!
First, Ezekiel is told to speak a riddle, and then a parable.
The riddle is found in verses 3 to 10. Then, beginning in verse 11,
the Eternal explains its meaning. "Say now to the rebellious house
[God says, the "rebellious house," being ten-tribed ISRAEL (Ezek.
12:9), to whom Ezekiel is set a prophet (Ezek. 2:3; 3:1, etc.)],
Know ye not what these things mean? tell them ..." and then the
riddle is clearly explained.
A great eagle came to Lebanon and took the highest branch of
the cedar. This is explained to represent King Nebuchadnezzar of
Babylon who came to Jerusalem and took captive the king of Judah.
The cropping off of the cedar's young twigs and carrying them to a
land of traffic is explained to picture the captivity of the king's
sons. "He took also of the seed of the land" means Nebuchadnezzar
took also of the people, and the mighty of the land of Judah. He
"set it as a willow tree. And it grew, and became a spreading vine
of low stature" means the Jews were given a covenant whereby,
although they were ruled over by the Chaldeans, they might live in
peace and grow. The other "great eagle" is explained to represent
Pharaoh of Egypt.
Thus the riddle covers the first half of Jeremiah's
commission. Now notice what is revealed concerning the second part-
-the PLANTING of David's throne! It comes in the parable, verses
22-24: "Thus saith the Lord God; I will also take of the highest
branch of the high cedar." From God's own explanation we have
learned that the cedar tree represents the nation of Judah; its
highest branch is Judah's king. The riddle told us Nebuchadnezzar
took the highest branch -- the king. The parable now tells us God --
not Nebuchadnezzar, but God will take of the highest branch. Not
the branch, but OF the branch -- of Zedekiah's children. But
Nebuchadnezzar took, and killed, all his SONS.
God, through his prophet Jeremiah, is now going to take of
this highest branch and "SET IT" (verse 22). "I will crop off from
the top of his young twigs a tender one, and will plant it upon an
high mountain and eminent," continues the Almighty! Ah! "A tender
young twig"! The twigs of this highest branch represent the
children of King Zedekiah! Certainly a tender young twig, then,
represents a DAUGHTER! "... and will PLANT it." Could symbolic
language say plainer this young Jewish princess is to become the
royal seed for PLANTING again of David's throne? Where? "... upon an
high mountain and eminent," says the Eternal! A "mountain" in
symbol always represents a NATION.
But Which Nation?
"In the mountain of the height of ISRAEL will I plant it," answers
the Eternal! David's throne now is to be planted in Israel, after
being thrown down from JUDAH! Could language be plainer? "... and it
[the tender young twig -- the king's daughter] shall bring forth
boughs, and bear fruit, and be a goodly cedar."
Did David's throne cease with Zedekiah of Judah? Did God
forget His covenant? No! Compare this language with the passage in
Isaiah 37:31-32: "The remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah
shall again take root downward [be planted], and BEAR FRUIT
UPWARD." It was PLANTED IN ISRAEL, who removed from Judah! After
this Hebrew princess is "planted" on the throne, now in ISRAEL,
lost from view -- that throne is to BEAR FRUIT. She is to marry, have
children, and her sons are to continue David's dynasty!
"... and under it shall dwell all fowl of every wing; in the
shadow of the branches thereof shall they dwell" (Ezek. 17:23).
"Lost" Israel, now having acquired the throne and become again a
self-ruling nation, shall, in time, spread around the earth gaining
dominance and power. They shall inherit the unconditional promises
of the BIRTHRIGHT, according to God's covenant with Abraham!
"And all the trees of the field ..." (verse 24). A "tree" in
this riddle and parable is likened to a nation. In other words,
"all the nations of the earth." "... shall know that I the Lord have
brought down the high tree." Judah, the high tree, having the
throne 130 years after Israel had been taken captive, now is
brought down to the low stature of slavery. "... have exalted the
low tree." For 130 years Israel had been a "low tree." Now Israel
is exalted, becomes again a thriving nation with a Davidic king.
"... have dried up the green tree [Judah], and have made the dry
tree [Israel] to flourish."
Compare that language with Ezekiel 21:26: "Remove the diadem,
and take off the crown ... exalt him that is low, and abase him that
is high. I will overturn ..." etc. It is speaking of transferring
the throne from Judah to Israel.
ISRAEL had already been independent in Ireland for four
centuries. Israel in Ireland already had a kingly line onto which
Zedekiah's daughter was grafted. The Irish Israelites were an
ancient colony and had not gone into Assyrian captivity.
ISRAEL, headed by the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, who
possessed the birthright, now would flourish, become prosperous in
due time. "I the Lord have spoken and have done it" (Ezek. 17:24).
Yes, that BIRTHRIGHT is in ISRAEL. Though lost, though
supposed to be a Gentile nation, they are the people who were to
grow into the promised multitude -- the great nation and the company
of nations, possessing the gates of their enemy nations, becoming
a colonizing people spreading around the world, being blessed with
national resources and wealth. And, when they become thus powerful
and nationally dominant, remember, David's throne will be found
transplanted among them!
But where did Jeremiah, with his royal seed for the
transplanting, go to find the lost house of Israel? Where are they
today? How was the "breach" healed, and how did a son of Zarah
ascend the throne? Can we tell?
We CAN! The exact, precise location is revealed in Bible
prophecy! We can pick up Jeremiah's trail in actual history
besides!