THE UNITED STATES IN PROPHECY 

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.

Early Writings of Herbert W. Armstrong
edited by Jackson Snyder, 12/29/00

PART FIVE - British Israel

Israel's New Land

 WE are ready, now, to search out the actual location of the lost tribes of the outcast House of Israel. We know they exist today as a nation, and a company of nations, powerful, looked upon as Gentiles. And when we find them, we shall find a king, still today, occupying the throne of David! Many passages of prophecy tell of these people in these latter days. Prophecies not to be understood until this "time of the end." Prophecies containing a Message to be carried to these people by those to whom Elohim reveals it!

 First, it is necessary to fix in mind these facts: The prophet Amos wrote, Amos 1:1, in the days of the 13th of the 19 kings of the house of Israel,

"Behold, the eyes of Yahweh Elohim are upon the sinful kingdom [House of Israel -- Judah had not yet sinned], and I will destroy it [the kingdom, or government, not the people] from off the face of the earth. For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the House of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth," Amos 9:8-9.

This prophecy usually is applied to the scattered condition of the Jews. But it has nothing to do with the Jews, or the House of JUDAH, but refers to ten-tribed House of ISRAEL -- driven to Assyrian captivity, then migrating from there and scattering among other nations BEFORE the Jews were taken to Babylon. This prophecy says that ISRAEL (not Judah) was to be sifted among other nations -- these Israelites losing their identity -- yet Elohim has protected and kept them -- "not the least grain shall fall upon the earth."

 It was during this time that the children of the House of Israel were to "abide many days without a king," Hosea 3:4. That these people did sift through all nations is clear. Many New Testament passages indicate this. Although many of them still were scattered among various nations in the first century, A.D., a portion of them had become established in a definite location of their own by Jeremiah's time -- 131 years after their original captivity. But these Israelites who possessed the Birthright eventually were to come to a new land of their own. Yahweh says, in II Samuel 7:10,

"Moreover I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will PLANT THEM," (Jeremiah was commissioned to do the PLANTING of the throne among them), "that they may dwell in a place of their own and move no more," [see also I Chronicles 17:9].

 The context of the whole passage shows this refers not to Palestine, but a different land where these scattered Israelites were to gather, after being removed from the promised land of Palestine, and while that land was lying idle and in possession of Gentiles. Notice carefully! After being removed from Palestine, being sifted among all nations, abiding many days without a king, losing their identity, they are to be "planted" in a faraway strange land now to become their own. And, NOTE IT! -- after reaching this place, they are to move no more! That is, of course, during this present world. While other prophecies indicate these Birthright holders were to become a colonizing people, spreading around the world, it is plain that the spreading out must be from this appointed place, which must remain the "home" seat of government for David's throne. Mark this clearly! Once this "place of their own" was reached, and the throne of David planted there, THEY WERE TO MOVE NO MORE. Therefore, the location of this people TODAY is the place where Jeremiah planted David's throne more than 2,500 years ago! Therefore prophecies pertaining to this day, or the location of this people at Messiah's return, will tell us the location of Jeremiah's planting.

 The House of Israel is yet to return, at Messiah's coming, to Palestine -- yet to plant grapes in Samaria their original country. Prophecies telling where they shall, in that future day, migrate FROM, will reveal the location of "lost" ten-tribed ISRAEL! The two succeeding "overturns" of the throne, too, must be located in this same place.

Lost ISRAEL

 Located Without further suspense, let us see where prophecy locates these Birthright holders, now possessing the throne of David and earth's richest national blessings. Remember they are distinguished from Judah -- the Jews -- by various names, "Ephraim," "Joseph," "Jacob," "Rachel," (the mother of Joseph), "Samaria," their former home, "Israel," etc. According to Hosea 12:1: "Ephraim . . . followeth after the east wind." And "east wind" travels west. Ephraim must have gone west from Assyria. When the Eternal swore to David that He would perpetuate his throne, He said, "I will set his hand [scepter] in the sea," Psalm 89:25. The throne is to be "set," planted, "in the sea." Through Jeremiah the Eternal said,

"Backsliding Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah. Go and proclaim these words toward the NORTH, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith Yahweh," Jeremiah 3:11-12.

Israel is clearly distinguished from Judah. And in these last days messengers are to go "toward the NORTH" (of Jerusalem) in order to locate lost Israel and proclaim this warning. So the location, we now find, is toward the north, also west, and in the sea.

 The 18th verse, same chapter, says,

"In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel [margin, to the House of Israel], and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given for an inheritance unto your fathers."

At the future Exodus, at Messiah's coming, they are to return to Palestine out of the land of the NORTH! After saying, "How shall I give thee up, Ephraim?" the Eternal, speaking through Hosea, says, "then the children shall tremble from the WEST," Hosea 11:8, 10. Again: "Behold, l will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the coasts of the earth," Jeremiah 31:8. This prophecy is for consideration in the "latter days," Jeremiah 30:24; 31:1 and is addressed to "Israel," verses 2, 4, 9, to "Ephraim," verses 6, 9, and "Samaria," verse 5. Here is added another hint -- "the coasts of the earth," verse 8 -- evidently they are dominant at sea.

 Referring to the House of ISRAEL (not Judah), Isaiah 49:3,6, Elohim says, "Behold, these shall come from far: and, lo, these from the NORTH and from the WEST; and these from the land of Sinim," Isaiah 49:12. In the Hebrew, the language in which this was originally inspired, there is no word for "NORTHWEST," but this term is designated by the phrase, "the north and the west." It means, literally, the NORTHWEST! The Vulgate renders "Sinim" as "Australi," or "Australia." So we now have the location NORTHWEST of JERUSALEM! Hence, Israel of TODAY -- Israel of the day of Jeremiah's "planting" of David's throne -- is located specifically as NORTHWEST of JERUSALEM, and IN THE SEA! Let us locate this land more specifically! The same 49th chapter of Isaiah begins with this: "Listen, O Isles, unto me." The people addressed, Israel, are called "O Isles" in the first verse and "O Israel" in the 3rd verse.

 The 31st chapter of Jeremiah, locating Israel in the "north country," says,

"I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn. Hear the word of Yahweh, O ye nations," -- Ephraim, Manasseh -- "and declare it in the isles afar off" Jeremiah 31:9-10.

Again: "Keep silence before me, O islands. Thou, Israel, art my servant Jacob whom I have chosen," Isaiah 41:1, 5, 8. In Jeremiah 31, the message is to be declared "in the isles afar off," verse 10, is to be shouted in "the CHIEF OF THE NATIONS," verse 7. So, finally, today, as in Jeremiah's day, the House of ISRAEL is IN THE ISLES, which are "in the sea," the CHIEF of the nations, NORTHWEST of Jerusalem! A coast-dwelling, and therefore sea-dominant people! Certainly there can be no mistaking that identity! Take a map of Europe. Lay a line due NORTHWEST of Jerusalem, across the continent of Europe, until you come to the sea, and then to the islands in the sea! This line takes you directly to the BRITISH ISLES!