We have already seen that the Northern Kingdom, the House of Israel, and a large portion of the Southern Kingdom, the House of Judah, were taken captive by the Assyrians and resettled in the home land of their conquerors. The Children of Israel were in general migratory and history shows that in the time of Jesus Christ most lived north of the boundaries of the Roman Empire in the region of the Black Sea. Once again we must search God’s Scriptures for clues in an attempt to locate their whereabouts today.

A short time after the Northern Kingdom’s demise at the hands of the Assyrians, Isaiah prophesied concerning the future gathering of Israel:

1. In that day a root (descendant, i.e. the Lord Jesus Christ) of Jesse (King David’s father) would appear,

2. He would be a banner or a sign to all people (compare Exodus 17:15  Jehovah Nissi, "The Lord My Banner"),

3. To him would the Gentiles (non-Israelites) and Israel seek (Matthew 12:17-21; Luke 2:30-32; Acts 13:46-48),

16th identification of Israel

4. His rest shall be glorious,

This word glorious was also used to describe the glory of God that filled the Tabernacle, and later, Solomon’s temple as the God of Israel presenced Himself among His people,

5. In that day shall the Lord again collect the Children of Israel scattered throughout all nations,

6. No longer will antagonism exist between Ephraim and Judah

7. Ephraim and Judah shall utilise their old enemy, the Philistines, to move to the west.

The time, i.e. "that day", to which this prophecy applied.

is shown in number four above, i.e. The Day of Pentecost, A.D.30. It was at that pivotal point in human history that God once again presenced Himself in power and glory as His Holy Spirit. On that day those who were filled with the Holy Spirit entered into God’s rest, i.e. they were gathered unto Shiloh, the Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 11:28-29; Acts 2:1-5; Acts 2: 38-40; Hebrews 4:1-16).

It follows then that during the millennium (a prophetic day equals one thousand years, (2 Peter 3:8) following the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, God would gather together the seed of Jacob.

 

[Approximately 590 B.C.] ISRAEL SETS UP WAYMARKS (Jeremiah 31:21)

The prophet Jeremiah foretold that Israel would set up waymarks during her migrations. The descendants of Dan were particularly prone to name places after the progenitor of their tribe (e.g. Judges 13:25, 18:12,29). A look at map of Europe will show the trail of this tribe as it wandered west, e.g. the Dnepr, Dnestr, Don, Donetsz, Danube Rivers, Donskaye Hills, the city of Danzig and the kingdom of Dansmark (Denmark).

The prophet Ezekiel also had a wonderful vision of the future gathering together of the seed of Jacob.

1. God would gather the Children of Israel from out of the nations and bring them into their own land (i.e. their new home).

2. God will make one nation of the two houses, i.e. Israel shall again become a united kingdom.

3. God will set a king of the Davidic dynasty over them,

4. They shall be God’s people and the Lord God of Israel shall be their God.

Prior to these two prophecies, indeed even before the House of Israel "disappeared", Hosea prophesied that the Children of Israel would long be without a king, their system of worship, and a standing pillar.

Following this interval, the whole nation would again seek the God of their fathers and search out the Davidic throne.

It should be clearly understood at this point that the seed of David would always rule over Judah, as the sceptre was not to depart from this tribe until Shiloh came and claimed it as His right (see Genesis 49:10). Accordingly, Israel’s new home was to be home

for the whole House of Israel, not just the ten tribes making up the Northern Kingdom. The movements of the various parts of Israel into the British Isles with the associated dates are shown in Figure 2.

This historic movement of the tribes of Israel confirms the prophesy of Isaiah. Following their removal from Canaan to the region of the Caspian Sea by the Assyrians, the tribes of Israel (all thirteen of them) gradually made their way west and finally entered the British Isles as shown in Fig.2 during the millennium after Pentecost.

Figure 2: The main arrivals of Israel in the British Isles, with corresponding dates.

Several hundred years before the prophecies just discussed, God spoke of Israel’s future through the mouth of the prophet Balaam. At this time children of Israel were likened to a unicorn and a lion.

These symbols, as did others used in God’s blessings upon the thirteen tribes, passed into the heraldry of Israel. Judah and Ephraim became the leading tribes in the nation; the former became the royal tribe, and the latter the head tribe because its progenitor received the birthright. Heraldically, Judah was represented by a lion and Ephraim by the bullock and later also by the unicorn. The heraldic emblems of the tribes of Israel are listed in Table 12. Even a cursory glance at the Coats-of-Arms of the aristocratic families, countries, cities etc. of Great Britain, and for that matter, of much of Europe, will demonstrate that some at least of the tribes of Israel were resident in those regions at one time or other.

Table 12

HERALDIC EMBLEMS OF THE TRIBES OF ISRAEL

This national coat of arms of Great Britain (Fig.3) visibly demonstrates the fulfilment of God’s prophecy through Ezekiel, i.e. that the Houses of Israel and Judah would be reunited in Israel’s new home.

There is only one kingdom, known as Great Britain,

on this earth that is ruled by a descendant of King David,

heraldically identified by a lion and unicorn

and also known as the United Kingdom. In addition, the flag of this nation is called the Union Jack (i.e. Union of Jacob). As the people constituting this great nation have no knowledge of their ancient origins, no trace of the envy and antagonism that existed between the Northern and Southern kingdoms remain today as also prophesied (see Isaiah 11:10-14) and above.

 Figure 3: The national coat of arms of Great Britain, with the lion and unicorn of prophecy.

Two inscriptions also appear on this coat of arms, viz.

1. "Dieu Et Mon Droit" - God and my (birth-) right.

These words implicitly claim that God’s unconditional promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob belong to this nation, i.e. that God has made them His people.

2. "Honi Soit Qui Mal Y Pense" - Evil to Him that Evil Thinks.

Again in the unconditional covenant that God made with Abraham, and which was passed down through Isaac to Jacob as the birthright promise of Israel, the Lord said, "And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee.

As mentioned earlier, the tribe of Ephraim, identified heraldically by the unicorn, was to become a company (or commonwealth) of nations. Once again there is only one commonwealth of nations in this world today, originating from one historically great nation, i.e. Great Britain, and ruled over by a descendant of King David.

God also indicated the order geographically in which these new nations would be formed: to the West, i.e. the United States of America (which later rebelled against the Davidic throne); to the East, i.e. India (which never became a homogeneous Israel people because of the large indigenous population); to the North, i.e. Canada; and to the South, i.e. South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Once again the large proportion of other races in South Africa prevented the establishment of a homogeneous Israel nation in that region.

It should be remembered that God, " ...set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel (Deuteronomy 32:8-9)."

Accordingly, the native populations occupying these territories were temporary tenants only, awaiting the arrival of the true owners. Nevertheless, the behaviour of many of these sons of Jacob towards the indigenous peoples was utterly reprehensible and demonstrated an absolute contempt for God’s Israel law, viz.

1. "Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt (Exodus 22:21)".

2. "One law shall be to him that is home-born, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you (Exodus 12:49)".

3. Over and over again the Word of God demands that Israel was to serve and worship the Lord God of Abraham , Isaac and Jacob, and Him alone: worship of any other god anywhere in the land was to be totally eliminated (see Deuteronomy 13:1-15).

Along with the unconditional promise of a new home, Israel was also guaranteed that, "neither shall the children of wickedness (i.e. those not in covenant relationship with God) afflict (overrun) them any more, as before time." The last time the British Isles were invaded by non-Israel people was in the year 46B.C. when Julius Caesar crossed the English Channel and conquered England, but NOT Scotland. At this time, of course, relatively few of the Children of Israel had entered England. Since that time no foreign power has succeeded in invading the united kingdom (union of Jacob), nor indeed

Canada, Australia and New Zealand. There is no other great nation in modern times with the exception of the United States of America (see below) that can satisfy this historical fact.

Some examples of God’s protection of Israel are

1. Destruction of the Spanish Armada,

2. Destruction of the French fleet at Trafalgar,

3. Destruction of the French army at Waterloo,

4. The rout of the German army by the "Angels of Mons",

5. The deliverance of the British Expeditionary Force from the German war machine at Dunkirk, and

6. Destruction of the Japanese invasion force in the "Battle of the Coral Sea."

Again the prophet Balaam, when called by Balak, king of Moab, to curse the hosts of Israel, prophesied under God’s control that, "...lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations." Yet again the Word of God is confirmed in that none of the four nations mentioned above shares a common border with a non-Israelitish country.

If follows from the facts presented above that Ephraim, the senior birthright tribe and home of the Davidic Throne and of a long line of Davidic kings, is found in The British Isles, Canada, Australia and New Zealand

In view of the seemingly inescapable conclusion that Great Britain is the home of the restored Davidic monarchy and the whole House of Israel as demonstrated in God’s Word, e.g.

1. The fulfilment of Ezekiel’s prophecy concerning reuniting of the two Houses of Israel (symbolised by the joining together of the two sticks - Figure 3, Ezekiel 37:15-25).

2. The now permanent location (until Jesus Christ returns) of the Davidic throne in London after three overturns (Ezekiel 21:25-27).

3. The unconditional promises

i. that the sceptre would not depart, nor

ii. a lawgiver (i.e. parliament) from between Judah’s feet

until Shiloh Come (see Genesis 49:10)

show that the tribe or House of Judah is not represented in the world today by modern Jewry. In these last days when God’s Word so clearly demonstrates that the Houses of Judah and Israel have been united under the Throne of David in Israel’s new home, there is no provision made for a second nation or state of the seed of Judah to be set up in Canaan and detached from the Davidic monarch.

Manasseh, Joseph’s older son, when blessed by Jacob, was destined to become a great people. In A.D. 1776 the British people who had settled in what is now known as the U.S.A. rebelled against the Davidic throne, and set themselves up as a republic. These people are also identified by heraldry and Biblical promises, i.e. not only can modern-day Ephraim be so identified, but also his brother Manasseh, i.e. Jacob’s blessing of Ephraim and Manasseh has been fulfilled in these two nations.

Although of relatively recent origin, the heraldry of the United States of America wonderfully confirms God’s salvation plan, not only for His covenant people Israel, but also for those of every race who are prepared to meet Him on His terms. The prophetic features of the Great Seal of the United States are shown in Figures 4, 5, and 6:

 Figure 4 ---The American one-dollar bill shows prophesied heraldry

Figure 5: An enlargement shows many features of thirteen.

Figure 6: The Great Seal of the U.S.A. with many features of thirteen apparent.

1. The most striking feature is the occurrence of many groups of thirteen items, i.e.

i. 13 stars,

ii. 13 letters in the inscription; E PLURIBUS UNUM - "one out of many" - i.e. one out of the thirteen tribes of Israel,

iii. 13 stripes on the eagle’s shield,

iv. 13 berries on the olive branch in the eagle’s claw,

v. 13 leaves on olive branch,

vi. 13 arrows in the eagle’s claw,

vii. 13 layers making up the pyramid, and

viii. 13 letters in the inscription: ANNUIT COEPTIS - "He prospers our undertakings," an acknowledgement of the manifold blessings unconditionally promised to Israel in God’s covenant with Abraham. The heraldic devices particularly associated with the tribes of Joseph (Table 12) included in the emblem of the United States of America should be noted, viz. the olive branch and fruit, arrows and stars.

Although the historical reason for the highlighting of these features of thirteen in the Great Seal was undoubtedly because there were this number of colonies at the time of the American War of Independence, nevertheless God has continually confirmed His unaltered plan by various signs and wonders (see for example Exodus 4:1-9; Isaiah 7:14, 8:18, 19:19-20; Matthew 24:3-31; Mark 16: 15-20, 1 Corinthians 14:22). As indicated previously, because of Jacob’s blessing of Joseph’s two sons, Manasseh was nominated as the thirteenth tribe of Israel.

2. Hidden within the thirteen stars over the eagle’s head (Figure 5) is the "Star of David." More than 3000 years earlier it was prophesied by Balaam that, "....there shall come a star out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall rise out of Israel...."

The fulfilment of this prophecy was confirmed at the natural level during the time of the birth of Jesus, the Son of God, as detailed in the Bible, "now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his Star in the east, and are come to worship him (Matthew 2:1-2)."

Supernatural confirmation of Balaam’s prophecy was given in heaven itself when the Apostle John in his great prophetic vision heard the Lord Himself say "I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and offspring of David and the bright and morning star."

The heraldry of the star of Israel is reserved for the promised Messiah. The used of this emblem by modern-day Jewry has no historical justification from Old Testament example.

At Mount Sinai, God gave Moses detailed plans for and instructed him to build a sanctuary, i.e. a place where the Almighty God, Creator of heaven and earth, could presence Himself in an audible and visual way in the midst of His chosen nation. The building proper consisted of a double tent; the inner was called the Tablernacle and the outer, the Tent of the Congregation. The inner tent, consisting of two rooms which housed the sacred furniture and served as God’s dwelling place in the midst of the nation, was in fact hidden from all but the priests who were allowed by God’s law to enter in through the curtain door at its entrance.

The tabernacle complex and its associated rites of worship were a complete working prophetic model of every aspect of the wonderful salvation plan that was to be fulfilled in the Lord Jesus Christ. On the day of Pentecost, God set up His modern-day tabernacle complex, the Holy Spirit Church. Likewise today, the sanctuary where God actually presences Himself is again hidden to all except the "priests of God", i.e. those who by God’s law are permitted to enter. It should be clearly recognised that whereas worship in Old Testament times was "natural", nowadays, it must be "supernatural" or "spiritual".

The Lord Jesus Christ in introducing God’s new covenant or agreement (sere Hebrews 10:12-18) stated:

i. "But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth" (John 4:23-24). N.B. to worship in Spirit is to pray in tongues (1Corinthians 14:14-15).

ii. "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you anther Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; even the spirit of truth (i.e. the Holy Spirit); whom the world cannot receive because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him; but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you" (John 14:16,17).

It follows that today God’s new covenant people are Spirit-filled, i.e. the Holy Spirit dwells in them and they have access to God and can communicate with Him via the supernatural tongue that every Spirit-filled person receives.

The fact that God’s obvious working-out of His purpose in the world today is hidden from the great majority of Israel is wonderfully demonstrated in this feature of the hidden Star of David in the heraldry of the Great Seal of the United States of America. Inspection of the Great Seal reveals:

3. The divine cap stone does not fit the thirteen-layered pyramid; a space appears to have been left for another tribe or group in addition to the thirteen-tribed nation of Israel. The inscription under the heraldic structure, "NOVUS ORDO SECLORUM" in fact speaks of this very thing, i.e. "a new order of people", such a group had been and would continue to be established by the Holy Spirit, and this new order of people

would live by the blessings and laws of the New Covenant established by Jesus Christ.

God could not "fit" with Israel any more than He could with Adam because of this nation’s rebellion against His ways as signified by the thirteen-tribed nation in the heraldic pyramid. Accordingly in order that He might honour His unconditional promised to Abraham, Israel and David, He found it necessary to set up the Spiritual component of Israel, the Spirit-Filled Church (Galatians 6:15-16).

" Jesus said unto them (the church leaders of His day), Did you never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders (i.e. leaders of the people) rejected, the same is become the head of the corner (i.e. the cap stone): this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? (Matthew 21:42)"

"Therefore say I unto you, the kingdom of god shall be taken from you (i.e. the nation of Israel), and given to a nation (Greek: "ethnos" - nation, people or tribe) bringing forth the fruits thereof (i.e. the fruit of the Holy Spirit - see Galatians 5:22-25)".

"But ye (those sanctified by the Holy Spirit) are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar (i.e. a purchased) people; that ye should shew forth the praises (i.e. virtues) of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: which in time past were not a people, but now are the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy." God has now created a new "nation" or "tribe", His Church.

It should be clearly understood that in old Testament times, the only Israelites were those born of the seed of Jacob. The same principle also pertains to the new (i.e. sanctified) component of Israel. There is only one way into God’s Holy Spirit Church: as Jesus said, "...Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God (i.e. Church). That which is born (i.e. brought forth) of the flesh (i.e. natural birth) is flesh (i.e. human); and that which is born (i.e. brought forth) of the (Holy) Spirit (i.e. supernatural birth) is spirit (i.e. spiritual), marvel not that I (Jesus) said unto thee, ye must be born again (i.e. from above). The wind (spirit) blows (breathes or gives life) where it listeth (he wills i.e. chooses), and thou hearest the sound thereof (you hear his voice or LANGUAGE, i.e. tongues) but canst not tell whence it (he) cometh, and whither it (he) goeth:  so is everyone that is born of the Spirit."

The Bible indicates that following Jesus Christ’s return to take up the throne of His father David and rule over the world with a rod of iron, those members of the Church, i.e. Spiritual Israel, who are counted worthy (i.e. who have lived according to God’s spiritual law)

will be resurrected, i.e. changed into immortal beings. This group will have the task of refining national Israel.

At the end of this time, lasting a thousand years (the so-called Millennium), the final separation of the nations will occur. Those of the seed of Jacob who have been judged worthy, will also be resurrected and have access to the previously resurrected Church (i.e. the new order of people)

created to fill the fourteenth layer of the heraldic pyramid displayed on the reverse of the Great Seal of the United States of America. The Book of Revelation indicated symbolically that this now purified nation has continuous access to the LORD God of their fathers via TWELVE continuously open gates (each with the name of one of Israel’s tribes inscribed upon it) which allow access to the "New Jerusalem", God’s eternal home which is His resurrected church.

The other inscription on the American one dollar bill (see Table 4) is the statement, "In God we trust". Israel is the only nation by right of covenant agreement to be able to make this claim.

The United States of America is the only great and populous nation on this earth which has not been invaded in war (by non-Israelitish peoples) and is of common ancestry with another great nation and commonwealth ruled by a descendant of King David of ancient Israel. Accordingly the junior birthright tribe, Manasseh, is today found in the U.S.A.

Although during Israel’s migrations through Western Europe some of Jacob’s seed settled in continental Europe, i.e. in Scandinavia, Germany, Belgium and Holland, the majority eventually found themselves in Great Britain and the U.S.A. These two nations, the birthright tribes of Israel, expanded greatly in numbers and their influence has been widely felt throughout the whole world in these latter days. These two peoples have been blessed above their brethren and fully protected in time of war by the mighty God of Israel as promised.