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The Royal Sceptre:
The Tearing Down, Building Up: Part I
The
previous Lost Tribe study revealed from God's Word our Heavenly Father's (Yahveh) Promise
to His servant David, that one of his seed would always sit upon the throne of Israel,
until The Saviour comes to claim it (2 Sam.7; Luke 1:31-33). Genesis 49:10 refers to our
Saviour Yashu'a Jesus Christ by the name "Shiloh", which is from the
Hebrew meaning 'tranquil, or place of rest' (BDB 7887). For those who believe on
The Saviour Jesus Christ, He is our 'Rest' (Isa.11:10; Heb.4:10; Matt.11:27-30). The word Shiloh
was also the name of an early Israelite city in the land of Ephraim, and was a temporary
place where The Ark of The Covenant dwelt. The tabernacle worship was setup in Shiloh
after the children of Israel left Egypt and crossed the Jordan river into the land of
Canaan (Joshua 18:1;1 Sam.4:3). The Old Testament city of Shiloh being in
Ephraim's land is thus linked to our Savior's Title of "Shiloh" (Rest),
and points to the nations which were to bear fruit of The Gospel in Him. And that
especially since Ephraim was to become "a multitude of nations"
(Gen.48:14-22). So what am I talking about with all this?
Because the "house of Judah" at
Jerusalem also fell into false worship after the ten tribes were removed out of the
northern land, The LORD would end the reign of the house of David in Jerusalem, bringing
king Nebuchadnezzar and his host upon Judea to remove Judah to Babylon (Jer.18 forward).
That last 'king of Judah' to reign in Jerusalem was Zedekiah. It's very important to note
that Zedekiah was not the last king to rule in Jerusalem, but that he was the last king
specifically of the seed of the house of David to rule there. And to this day,
there still is not one of the 'house of David' sitting on a throne... in Jerusalem.
So did our Heavenly Father keep His Promise He gave to His
servant David, that one of his seed of the 'house of David' would always sit upon that
throne of Israel, "...until Shiloh come"? (see The
Royal Sceptre: Throne of David). Our Heavenly Father did not break His Promise to David, for
He did bring that throne in Jerusalem down by the king of Babylon, and then began to plant
and build up that throne of Israel elsewhere on earth. If we especially stay within God's
Word on this subject, then we will be prepared to recognize where God reestablished that
throne of the house of David.
There exists many different research sources on the
subject of discovering what happened to the ten tribes of the "house of
Israel" after their captivity to Assyria. Some of them are designed to lead the
believer away from what God says, disregarding His Word as The Historical Guide, while
trying to rely strictly on pagan history. As with the previous Lost Tribe studies, God's
Word will be the main historical Guide in this study.
Let us continue, as we ask a Word of Wisdom from our
Heavenly Father, in Christ Jesus' Precious Name, Amen.
Jeremiah's Commission:
To the "nations"
God's prophet Jeremiah was called for a specific Mission in The LORD. Though Jeremiah was
sent from The LORD to give a witness to the "house of Judah" of their coming
seventy years Babylon captivity, there was still something more he was ordained to do:
Jer
1:3 It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah
king of Judah, unto the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah
king of Judah, unto the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month.
4 Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
5 "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before
thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I
ordained thee a prophet unto the nations."
We
know from the Old Testament Books of God's prophets that our Heavenly Father also sent Messages through
His servants to non-Israelite nations. But wasn't this ordaining of Jeremiah to be "a
prophet unto the nations" meant also for the house of Israel,
specifically under Ephraim who was to become "a multitude of nations"?
In other words, was Jeremiah's God given Mission as a prophet unto the nations linked to
Ephraim also?
At the start of Jeremiah's commission God would use
him to warn the house of Judah
at Jerusalem that He was sending Judah captive to Babylon for seventy years:
Jer
25:1 The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the People of
Judah in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, that was
the first year of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon;
2 The which Jeremiah the prophet spake unto all the people of Judah, and
to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying,
3 "From the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon king of
Judah, even unto this day, that is the three and twentieth year, the word of the
LORD hath come unto me, and I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking; but ye have
not hearkened."
The
leaders and people of the "house of Judah" at Jerusalem and Judea didn't only
refuse God's Word through Jeremiah for them to turn from their evil ways, but they refused
all of The Lord's prophets:
Jer
25:4 And the LORD hath sent unto you all His servants the prophets,
rising early and sending them; but ye have not hearkened, nor inclined your ear
to hear.
5 They said, 'Turn ye again now every one from his evil way, and from
the evil of your doings, and dwell in the land that the LORD hath given unto you and to
your fathers for ever and ever:
6 And go not after other gods to serve them, and to worship them, and
provoke Me not to anger with the works of your hands; and I will do you no hurt.'
7 Yet ye have not hearkened unto Me, saith the LORD; that ye might
provoke Me to anger with the works of your hands to your own hurt."
Because they would not even listen to our Heavenly Father so they might repent of their
evil, God promised to bring the area of Jerusalem and the nations around it into a
desolation, taking His people of the "house of Judah" captive to Babylon at the
hand of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon (Jer.25:8 forward). But was this the only
service God's prophet Jeremiah was ordained for, just to warn the "house of
Judah" of God's punishment upon them? If those in rebellion wouldn't even listen to
God's other prophets in warning, then how would sending Jeremiah to warn them make any
difference? Didn't God already earlier give Israel a warning through Moses, that the land
of Israel would become a desolation with the people being scattered through the nations
for following the abominations of the pagans around them? (Deut.4:23-29).
Jeremiah was indeed sent by The Father to give Judah at
Jerusalem a warning of desolation, and also other nations around Judah (Jer.25:17
forward). But that wasn't all Jeremiah was ordained to do:
Jer 1:9
Then the LORD put forth His hand, and touched my mouth. And the
LORD said unto me, "Behold, I have put My words in thy mouth.
10 See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the
kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to
build, and to plant."
Jeremiah's warning to the "house of Judah" of the seventy years Babylon
captivity was only one service he was chosen to perform. For Jeremiah was also ordained to
be set "...over the nations and over the kingdoms...", but to do what?
To "root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down...".
That part of Jeremiah's Mission was God's declaration of destruction upon the kingline of
Judah in Jerusalem, and would conclude when the king of Babylon (Nebuchadnezzar) would
come up to Jerusalem, lay siege to it, cause its desolation, and take the house of Judah,
the king of Judah, and the king's sons captive to Babylon.
Jeremiah saw five kings of Judah from the house of
David thrown down during his lifetime. Josiah was the first, having died in his chariot at
Megiddo, and truly being the last king of Judah while the house of Judah was still free
and independent. Then Josiah's son Jehoahaz would reign and be carried to Egypt where he
died; then Jehoiakim, another son of Josiah would reign and rebel against Nebuchadnezzar,
the king of Babylon, and be carried away captive; then Jehoiakim's son (Jehoiachin) would
reign and also be carried to Babylon by king Nebuchadnezzar. And finally we come to
Zedekiah, who reigned in Jerusalem eleven years under Nebuchadnezzar's authority, and then
he also was carried captive to Babylon along with his sons, all royal heirs to the throne.
That last king of Judah in Jerusalem would see his sons put to death in Babylon, and
then have his own eyes put out and die in Babylon (2 Kings 25; 2 Kings 23
forward). When our
Heavenly Father said He would "root out" the kingdom of Judah in
Jerusalem for this flesh age, He intended it to be well done. And so it was and still is
rooted out of Jerusalem (Jer.52:9 forward).
But what's this Jeremiah 1:10 phrase "...to
build, and to plant"? That building and planting is declared as part of
Jeremiah's Mission also, and had to have begun during his lifetime. The object that was to
be to rooted out, pulled down, destroyed, and thrown down, was the Sceptre of Royal Rule
given to the house of David in Jerusalem (specifically of the "house of Judah").
But we must not forget what God promised to His servant David, that one of David's seed
would always sit upon that throne of Israel, even until Shiloh (Christ Jesus)
comes. Thus we are given in this same verse of that throne being rooted out, a Message
that it was Jeremiah's chosen duty "...to build, and to plant";
meaning to build and plant that throne of Israel. This would logically mean that Jeremiah
had to have escaped that Babylon captivity for it to be fulfilled per God's Word.
So did Jeremiah escape the captivity of the king of
Babylon to help God establish the re-planting of Israel's earthly throne? Let's continue
to find out.
Jer 39:9
Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive into
Babylon the remnant of the People that remained in the city, and those that fell away,
that fell to him, with the rest of the People that remained.
10 But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left of the poor of the
People, which had nothing, in the land of Judah, and gave them vineyards and fields at the
same time.
At
this point, the king of Babylon and his host had burned and destroyed much of Jerusalem.
The majority of the 'house of Judah' were carried away captive to Babylon, much like the
king of Assyria did about 130 years earlier with the 'house of Israel' (ten tribes) in the
northern land. Only a poor remnant of Judah would be left in Jerusalem, with God still
keeping His Promise of 1 Kings 11:36 that His servant David would always have a "light"
before Him to dwell in Jerusalem.
Jer 39:11
Now Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon gave charge concerning
Jeremiah to Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, saying,
12 "Take him, and look well to him, and do him no harm; but do
unto him even as he shall say unto thee."
13 So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard sent, and Nebushasban,
Rabsaris, and Nergalsharezer, Rabmag, and all the king of Babylon's princes;
14 Even they sent, and took Jeremiah out of the court of the
prison, and committed him unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam
the son of Shaphan, that he should carry him home: so he dwelt among the People.
Isn't it
amazing that even Nebuchadnezzar, king of all the hosts of Babylon which came upon
Jerusalem to destroy, was so concerned for Jeremiah's safety? Well, our Heavenly Father
Yahveh is in control, and God even called Nebuchadnezzar "My servant",
as in a 'rod of correction' sense upon His People (Jer.25:9). Not only did the king of
Babylon make certain Jeremiah was set free, but Jeremiah was given money and food ("victuals"
- Jeremiah 40:2-5). We shouldn't be surprised, for God did promise to take care of
Jeremiah all through these events, for He did ordain him to be a "prophet unto
the nations" (Jer.1:5).
Jeremiah's heart was dreary because of giving God's
Warning to His people while they mocked him, cast him in prison, and essentially tried to
silence him out of fear that the people might be weakened in fighting against the king of
Babylon. God's Message to the leaders of Judah was bad politics in their cause to defend
Jerusalem.
Jer
15:15 O LORD, Thou knowest: remember me, and visit me, and revenge me of
my persecutors; take me not away in Thy longsuffering: know that for Thy sake I have
suffered rebuke.
At
this point Jeremiah had just a little bit of doubt in what God promised him. What did our
LORD tell him?:
Jer 15:19
Therefore thus saith the LORD, "If thou return, then will I bring
thee again, and thou shalt stand before Me: and if thou take forth the precious
from the vile, thou shalt be as My mouth: let them return unto thee; but return not thou
unto them.
20 And I will make thee unto this People a fenced brasen wall: and they
shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail against thee: for I am with
thee to save thee and to deliver thee,' saith the LORD.
21 And I will deliver thee out of the hand of the wicked, and I will
redeem thee out of the hand of the terrible."
A Remnant Shall Escape
Our
LORD's Message to Jeremiah was to 'stand' in Him, for Jeremiah had something else to
accomplish besides giving God's Message of desolation upon Jerusalem and the house of
David there:
Jer 15:11
The LORD said, "Verily it shall be well with thy
remnant; verily I will cause the enemy to entreat thee well in the
time of evil and in the time of affliction.
God
gave Jeremiah another Promise of comfort for his commission he was to accomplish. But who
else did our Heavenly Father mean when He said this to Jeremiah, with "it
shall be well with thy remnant"? Who else was with Jeremiah after the
king of Babylon set him free? When Jeremiah was released from prison at Jerusalem, he was
left to the charge of the governor Gedaliah, which was of a very small remnant that
remained in Judea. Jeremiah dwelt with that remnant at Mizpah (Jer.40:2-6). Then a certain
man named Ishmael would come to Mizpah where Jeremiah was, and slay the governor Gedaliah,
also many of the Jews with him, and attempt to carry the residue of the people left in
Mizpah to the land of the Ammorites:
Jer 41:10
Then Ishmael carried away captive all the residue of the People that
were in Mizpah, even the king's daughters, and all the People
that remained in Mizpah, whom Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had committed to
Gedaliah the son of Ahikam: and Ishmael the son of Nethaniah carried them away
captive, and departed to go over to the Ammonites.
So
this Ishmael started his own captivity scheme, beginning to carry all the people of Mizpah
captive, which included Jeremiah and... "even the king's daughters"?
Well which king's daughters are these? They were Zedekiah's daughters, the last king of
the house of David that Nebuchadnezzar just hauled off to Babylon, remember? Recall king
Josiah's son Jehoahaz who was mentioned earlier in this study. Jehoahaz, a previous king
of Judah, was the son of Jeremiah's daughter Hamutal (2 Kings 23:31). That would
make these "king's daughters" of Zedekiah part of Jeremiah's
kinfolk. So it would make sense that these daughters of Zedekiah were put under Jeremiah's
personal care.
A man named Johanan then freed this remnant out of
Ishmael's hand, and they all came to a place called Chimham near Bethlehem, to prepare to
go into Egypt (Jer.41:17). At this point they asked Jeremiah to inquire of The LORD to
discover what to do, which was definitely a good idea. It seemed common sense for them to
go into Egypt to escape the hand of the king of Babylon who had just overthrown Jerusalem
and Judea. Our LORD told that remnant to stay in the land of Judah, and they would be well
taken care of, the king of Babylon even showing them mercy. But fleeing to Egypt would
mean to perish (Jer.42:9). Johanan, who had charge over them, decided to go into Egypt
anyway:
Jer
43:4 So Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces,
and all the People, obeyed not the voice of the LORD, to dwell in the land of Judah.
5 But Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces, took
all the remnant of Judah, that were returned from all nations, whither they had
been driven, to dwell in the land of Judah;
6 Even men, and women, and children, and the king's
daughters, and every person that Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had left
with Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Jeremiah the prophet, and
Baruch the son of Neriah.
7 So they came into the land of Egypt:
for they obeyed not the voice of the LORD: thus came they even to
Tahpanhes.
Now
we are given a more detailed list of this group. Johanan took all the remnant of Judah, "the
king's daughters", "Jeremiah the prophet, and
Baruch" the personal secretary of Jeremiah (Jer.36:4). Because Johanan
and his captains decided to disobey God's warning that they were not to go into Egypt to
escape, what did that mean for the "king's daughters" (daughters of
king Zedekiah), Jeremiah, and his secretary Baruch who Johanan forced to go also? What did
our Heavenly Father warn?...
Jer 44:11
Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; 'Behold, I
will set My face against you for evil, and to cut off all Judah.
12 And I will take the remnant of Judah, that have set their faces to go
into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, and they shall all be consumed, and fall
in the land of Egypt; they shall even be consumed by the sword and by
the famine: they shall die, from the least even unto the greatest, by the sword and by the
famine: and they shall be an execration, and an astonishment, and a curse, and a
reproach.
13 For I will punish them that dwell in the land of Egypt, as I have
punished Jerusalem, by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence:
God
did give plenty of warning against their going down to Egypt, because He was sending
Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to punish Egypt next (Jer.43:10-13). That's why He told
Johanan and the remnant not to go there. Can we just assume that Jeremiah, Baruch, and the
'king's daughters' all perished in the land of Egypt? That's what some would like
us to think...along with the false idea that God broke His Promise to David that one of
his seed would always sit upon the throne of Israel. But wait a minute. Was there a
consolation to some of that remnant within God's warning that we might have missed? Yes,
it's in the very next verse of Jeremiah 44:
Jer
44:14 So that none of the remnant of Judah, which are gone into the land
of Egypt to sojourn there, shall escape or remain, that they should return into the land
of Judah, to the which they have a desire to return to dwell there: for none shall
return but such as shall escape.' "
Notice the last phrase, "...for none shall return but such as shall escape."
(Jer.44:14). Does that last phrase intend that no matter what, some among that company
would escape captivity in one way or another? Yes, for God ordained Jeremiah to be a
prophet to the nations, for also "to build, and to
plant" (Jer.1:10).
The Legend of 'Ollam
Fodhla'
There are various legends within Ireland's ancient history, that Jeremiah the prophet came
there with his scribe secretary Baruch, and at least one of the "king's
daughters" of Zedekiah. Possibly the greatest archaeological evidence pointing
to the legend, are the stones with ancient hieroglyphs (picture inscriptions) found in a
sepulchral chamber near Oldcastle County, Meath, Ireland near the ancient hill of Tara
(called 'Teamhair' in The Annals Of The Four Masters 1).
The hill of Tara is where the ancient kings of Ireland were coronated. One translation of the stones refers to
a Lunar eclipse in the constellation Taurus joining with the planets Saturn and Jupiter in
Virgo. By stellar calculation, this gave the date of Thursday, October 16, 583 B.C. The
inscriptions form a type of symbol map, which tells a story of the travels of a ship on a
journey. The first ship with five lines in it may symbolize passengers, Jeremiah, his
scribe Baruch, two of the "king's daughters" (of Zedekiah), and the
last passenger possibly Ebed-Melech, the Ethiopian who helped deliver Jeremiah out of
prison, and whom God promised to save from the king of Babylon (Jer.38:7 forward;
Jer.39:16-18).2
The name Ollam Fodhla is given in The Annals
of the Kingdom of Ireland by the Four Masters, stating that Eochaidl was the first
Ollamh at Teamhair (Tara). The title of Ollam, or Ollav, refers to a learned doctor of
wisdom, and Fodhla indicates a king.3 Yet the same Annals also refer to the
title of Ollav much earlier in Ireland's history, when one Tighernmas established the
wearing of different colors according to class and profession. A poet or Ollam was
assigned six colors, with the highest of seven assigned to a King or Queen.4
The point with all this, is that Jeremiah could well have been an early Ollam in Ireland's
history. MacManus makes remark of Ollam Fodla in his work The Story of The Irish Race,
"His title, Ollam
Fodla, Doctor of Wisdom, has preserved his memory down the ages. The legends indicate that
he was a true father to his people, and an able statesman. He organised (sic) the nation
for efficiency-- divided it into cantreds, appointed a chief over every cantred, a brugaid
(magistrate) over every territory, and a steward over every townland. Some traditions say
that he established a School of Learning. And as crowning glory he established a School
Feis of Tara, the great triennial Parliament of the chiefs, the nobles, and the scholars
of the nation, which assembled on Tara Hill once every three years to settle the nation's
affairs."5
If
some have noticed that I haven't offered many dates within this, it is because of some
doubt of the preservation of proper dates in Ireland's history before the reign of the
king of Ireland named Cimbaoth. His reign was contemporary with the time of Alexander The
Great.6 Thus we are left with looking at major historical events within
Ireland's ancient history. The historical link of Ireland's Hill of Tara (Teamhair) with
one Tea Tephi is another major event. E.Raymond Capt. quotes a source from the Chronicles
of Eri by Milner which links Tara, and the Lia Fail Stone (i.e. Jacob's
Pillar in my strong opinion):
In the "Chronicles of
Eri", by Milner, we find Eochaidh, the husband of Tea Tephi, associated with the
Stone Lia Fail. The account is titled, "The Story of Lia Fail", and states:
"In the early days it was carried about by priests on the march in the wilderness
(hence the much-worn rings still attached to it, one at each end). Later it was borne by
the sea from East to West-'to the extremity of the world of the sun's going' (an
expression used by the Romans to describe Britain). Its bearers had resolved, at starting,
to 'move on the face of the waters, in search of their brethren.' Shipwrecked on the coast
of Ireland, they yet came safe with Lia Fail...Eachaidh 'sent a car for Lia Fail, and he
himself was placed thereon." The story of the Stone was then repeated by his
order, "And Erimionn (Heremon) was seated on Lia Fail, and the crown was placed upon
his head, and the mantle upon his shoulders, and all clapped and shouted." And the
name of that place, from that day forward, was called "Tara" (spelled
"Tamhra" in the Irish language).7
The
important matter as stated before, are the events of this history, as Capt. rightly
remarks: "There are many other variations of the story of the Stone being brought
from Egypt to Ireland, which when added together present us with a rather confused story.
This is understandable when it is realized that the Irish records are compilations at a
late date of very early tribal histories. Each of these, written in a tongue difficult to
translate, gives its own aspect of the one great story. However, they all agree in the
following: The Stone, known as the 'Stone of Destiny', came from Spain, and before that,
from Egypt. It came in the company of an aged guardian, who was called 'Ollam Folla
(Hebrew words that mean 'revealer', or 'prophet'). Eochaidh (Eremhon) with his Queen Tea
Tephi was crowned King of Ireland upon the Stone which remained at the Palace of Team-hair
Breagh. It was the Coronation Stone of every 'Ard-Righ' (High King) of 'Eireann' for a
period of about 1040 years; from King Eremhon (The Heremon) to the 131st Ard-Righ, named
'Murcheartach." 8
The
subject of God preserving Jeremiah for his ordaining as "a prophet to the
nations", and "to build, and to plant", and the Lia Fail
Stone being brought to ancient Ireland, is linked with God's prophecy to Joseph for
the latter days:
Gen 49:22
Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a
well; whose branches run over the wall:
23 The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and
hated him:
24 But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made
strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the
Shepherd, the Stone of Israel:)
Joseph's seed would indeed be "a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a
well" (symbolic of great waters), and the "branches" of his
two sons Ephraim and Manasseh would indeed "run over the wall",
founding the nations of western Europe and Asia Minor joined along with the remainder of
the ten tribes of the "house of Israel". And "from
thence is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel:" (Lia Fail Stone - Jacob's
Pillar, also known as The Shepherd's Stone symbolizing The House of God
per Genesis 28:10-22).
Next, the Scarlet Thread of Tamar (Gen.38).
Peace be with you in Christ
Jesus,
Dave Ramey
Footnotes:
1 Jacob's Pillar: A
Biblical Historical Study, by E. Raymond Capt. (Hoffman Printing Co., Muskogee, Ok.,
1996), p. 41.
2 Ibid., p.40.
3 Ibid., p. 41.
4 The Story of the Irish
Race, by Seumas MacManus (Wings Books, New York, NY, 1966), p. 15.
5 Ibid., p.15.
6 Ibid., p.16.
7 Jacob's Pillar: A
Biblical Historical Study, by E. Raymond Capt. (Hoffman Printing Co., Muskogee, Ok.,
1996), p.32.
8 Ibid., p. 32-33.
All references to "Strong's
nos." are from Strong's Exhaustive Concordance, PC Study Bible, Biblesoft,
1993-1996.
All references to "BDB" are
from The Online Bible Thayer's Greek Lexicon And Brown Driver & Briggs' Hebrew
Lexicon, PC Study Bible, Biblesoft, 1993-1996.
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