Just in case any of you were wondering, British-Israelism is alive and well in the United Church of God! Indeed, the latest edition (January/February 2023) of their flagship magazine is devoted to that teaching.
For those of you who may not be familiar with this doctrine, a brief explanation is probably warranted. British or Anglo-Israelism is the notion that the English-speaking peoples of the world are the physical descendants of the ancient Israelite tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, and that the British monarch is the current placeholder of King David’s throne! Moreover, the UCG believes that Anglo-Israelism gives them special insight into prophecy and entitles them to focus their message on the English-speaking nations of the earth! Think that’s crazy? Read on!
In the current issue of Beyond Today, the featured articles are listed as: “The Biblical Identity of Britain’s Royal Family” (Parts 1 & 2) by Tom Robinson, “The Gospel and the Throne of David” by Darris McNeely, “Britain’s Coronation Symbols: The Astounding Story” by Peter Eddington, “The Momentous Task for King Charles III” by Melanie Phillips, “The Faith of Queen Elizabeth II” by Darris McNeely, and “The Now-Glorious Stone Once Rejected” by Robin Webber. In other words, the theme of the entire issue is that the British monarch is the fulfillment of God’s promise to King David – an integral part of the teaching of Anglo-Israelism.
The romantic and mystical appeal of the story is undeniable. In fact, it’s downright seductive! The notion that God intervened at several points in history to preserve David’s line and throne seems to bring the Bible to life and make it so much more relevant to our own day and time. Unfortunately, the narrative is NOT supported by Scripture or what we know about history, and the truth is much more compelling!
In Part One of Tom Robinson’s article, we read that Britain’s monarchy is “part of a bigger story—one that, unknown to most, remarkably finds its beginnings in the pages of the Bible.” According to Robinson, David’s dynasty only seemed to disappear when the Babylonians conquered the Kingdom of Judah – that it really continued in the British Isles. He went on to state that “God made an unbreakable promise to David of an unbreakable dynasty, declaring that his throne would be built up to all generations until the Messiah’s reign, which is yet future. Jesus must return to a great monarchy that still exists in the end time.”
Unfortunately, the prooftexts that Robinson offers to support these statements leave some really big holes in his thesis, and other texts appear to contradict some of his assertions. For instance, Scripture appears to be very explicit about the failure and end of David’s dynasty. In the twenty-fourth chapter of II Kings, we read how the Babylonians under King Nebuchadnezzar invaded the Kingdom of Judah and overthrew three successive kings of David’s dynasty. In the following chapter, we are informed that the Babylonians eventually destroyed Jerusalem and God’s Temple, slaughtered ALL of King Zedekiah’s sons, put out his eyes, and then carried him away to Babylon! Moreover, when some of the Jewish exiles returned after about seventy years, there is NO mention of any restoration of the monarchy. Indeed, in one of Isaiah’s most famous prophecies about the Messiah, David’s family is referred to as a tree that has been cut down! (Isaiah 11:1) Likewise, in the book of Amos, we are informed that David’s fallen tabernacle will someday be restored - that it will be rebuilt from its ruins! (Amos 9:11) Hence, as far as Scripture is concerned, it seems pretty clear that David’s dynasty ended when the Babylonians overthrew the Kingdom of Judah.
Also, I understand the reasoning behind the belief that Jesus Christ must return to a throne that is still in existence, but there isn’t any passage of Scripture that backs up such a notion! Indeed, if we take a closer look at what was promised to David and his successor (Solomon), I can’t find any support for the notion that David’s throne would literally continue to exist between the fall of the Kingdom of Judah and its inheritance by the Messiah. Let’s take a closer look.
In the seventh chapter of the book of II Samuel, we are informed that Nathan brought a message from God to King David. We read there: “Furthermore, the Lord declares that he will make a house for you—a dynasty of kings! For when you die and are buried with your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, your own offspring, and I will make his kingdom strong. He is the one who will build a house—a temple—for my name. And I will secure his royal throne forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son. If he sins, I will correct and discipline him with the rod, like any father would do. But my favor will not be taken from him as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from your sight. Your house and your kingdom will continue before me for all time, and your throne will be secure forever.” (Verses 11-16)
In the light of this passage, it seems to me the question that we need to ask ourselves is this: Is the offspring/descendant whom God is talking about Solomon, Jesus Christ, or both? How do we answer that question? Let’s look at what God said to Solomon when he became king and had completed the first Temple. In the ninth chapter of I Kings, we read: “As for you, if you will follow me with integrity and godliness, as David your father did, obeying all my commands, decrees, and regulations, then I will establish the throne of your dynasty over Israel forever. For I made this promise to your father, David: ‘One of your descendants will always sit on the throne of Israel.’ But if you or your descendants abandon me and disobey the commands and decrees I have given you, and if you serve and worship other gods, then I will uproot Israel from this land that I have given them. I will reject this Temple that I have made holy to honor my name. I will make Israel an object of mockery and ridicule among the nations.” (Verses 4-7) Clearly, the promise was made to DAVID, and Solomon’s participation in that promise was made conditional – based on his conduct (and the behavior of his physical descendants). Hence, Solomon was clearly NOT the descendant/offspring that God was talking about (and his insignificant, little, temporary Temple was NOT the temple which the One whom God had in mind would build!).
Alright, but what about that reference in God’s promise to David about “If he sins, I will correct and discipline him with the rod, like any father would do.” OR As the King James Version renders it “If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men.” How can this refer to Jesus Christ when we know that he NEVER sinned?
The explanation is found in the basic Christian doctrine of imputation. Christ didn't personally sin, but all of the sins that we have committed were laid on/imputed to him. (Isaiah 53, I Corinthians 15:3, II Corinthians 5:21) Hence, it wasn't that God was anticipating Solomon's sins - it was more like he knew that all of those sins would be imputed to HIS Son. Thus, we have the Son chastened "with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men" for the sins that he figuratively committed. Indeed, this underscores the fact that those sins really were imputed to Christ! Moreover, this explains why God's mercy would NEVER depart from him as it had from Saul!
In the case of Solomon, however, we know that God DID eventually take the kingship away from him and his descendants. Once again, their participation in the promises made to David was clearly conditional. Solomon was told that the kingdom would be ripped away from his son, and we know that the line of the kings of Judah eventually failed. Hence, this particular passage does NOT disqualify Christ as the object of the promise to David.
The prophecy in Isaiah which we already quoted strongly suggests that this promise to David would find its fulfillment in the Messiah. Likewise, in the thirty-third chapter of Jeremiah, the messianic character of the promise to David is affirmed. We read there: “The day will come, says the Lord, when I will do for Israel and Judah all the good things I have promised them. In those days and at that time I will raise up a righteous descendant from King David’s line. He will do what is just and right throughout the land. In that day Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will live in safety. And this will be its name: ‘The Lord Is Our Righteousness.’ For this is what the Lord says: David will have a descendant sitting on the throne of Israel forever.” (Verses 14-17) Moreover, in the New Testament, we read in the Gospel of Luke that the angel Gabriel told Mary: “You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!” (1:31-33) Clearly, Jesus Christ was the one whom God had in mind when he made that promise to David so long ago!
Now, obviously we don’t have the space in a single blog post to address every point raised in a multi-part series of magazine articles. Nevertheless, in this post, we have addressed TWO of the major premises of this teaching about the British monarchy: We have demonstrated from SCRIPTURE that David’s physical dynasty was overthrown when the Babylonians subjugated the Kingdom of Judah, and we have conclusively demonstrated from that same Bible that the promises to David find their fulfillment in Jesus of Nazareth! For those who may be interested in a more extensive treatment of this subject, I have already posted (on my own blog) the first part of a six part series on A Scriptural Basis for Anglo-Israelism? I’ll even give you a little preview of what you’ll find there: There is NO Scriptural basis for this teaching!
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