The throne of Judah will not cease

Hundreds of millions around the world looked on with wonder when Catherine Middleton and Prince William became husband and wife in a grand ceremony in London, England last April 29. What a wonderful fairy tale of love, pageantry and royal glamour! But was it just a spectacle? Or did the royal wedding point toward something important to Christians today?

In Genesis 49, we read of the patriarch Jacob gathering his sons around him and saying to them, “Gather together, that I may tell you what shall befall you in the last days” (Genesis 49:1). Jacob went on to describe the blessings and travails of his descendants, leading up to the second coming of Jesus Christ. Regarding the tribe of Judah, he said, “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes; and to Him shall be the obedience of the people” (v. 10).

Generations later, God made a covenant with Judah’s King David, confirming Jacob’s words. Here is what God promised to David: “When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his Father, and he shall be My son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men. But My mercy shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever” (2 Samuel 7:12–16).

For more than 400 years after God spoke these words, David’s descendants ruled in Jerusalem. Then, in the years surrounding the fall of Judah—around 586bc—Jeremiah took the king’s daughters on a voyage to the nation we today call Ireland. Secular histories record that David’s royal line continued through these daughters, up through the current Queen of England, whose descent from King David echoes God’s long-ago promise.

Much controversy has surrounded the English monarchy in recent years. So, should we be surprised that it is still alive and even thriving?  No! For we know that God’s promise will never fail!

Just think about it! The recent royal wedding drew millions of celebrants to the streets in England. The whole of England had a holiday to enjoy the occasion. Estimates suggest that literally billions watched the live broadcast of the nuptials, or saw news coverage soon afterward. Whether they know it or not, God is drawing the attention of billions to the continuing fulfillment of His ancient promise! Even William and Catherine may not understand the relationship between their vows and the promises God made to Jacob and David, but God’s word—the Bible—is clear on the subject.

For Christians, this should be a powerful reminder that—though few modern books remind us of these facts today—history has not stopped. The royal line of David is still alive. Whether or not we like the current royal family, or whether we personally approve of monarchy, this links the English-speaking peoples with the past and with God’s promises. We can see with our own eyes the authority of the Bible—that what is written within its pages is real and true.

If you would like to know more concerning the identity of ancient Israel in today’s world and to understand the significance of the royal family, request our booklet, The United States and Great Britain in Prophecy. If you would like to learn more about how and why the Bible is the source of truth, please read our thought-provoking booklet, The Bible: Fact or Fiction?