Chapter Overview
A "Riddle" and a "Parable" Tell!
Where did Jeremiah go with Baruch his secretary and one or more of the royal daughters of the king? History stops short at this point. Enlightened students of Bible history have long known that the Ten Tribes - called by the name "house of Israel" - have been lost in identity and historic knowledge, and exist today among the Gentile nations, unrecognized. Their identity and location God has hidden from the world.
Yet, in this end time, when knowledge is to increase, when the "wise" are to understand (Dan. 12:4, 10), we shall find the secret revealed through PROPHECY which could not be understood until now. But first, we must consider a mysterious "breach" that occurred in the days of Judah, son of Jacob.
Judah was the father of twin sons. The firstborn was royal see, for through him the sceptre promise was to be carried down. It seems the midwife knew twins were about to be born. It is recorded that just before birth one of the twins "put out his hand: and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying, This came out first." But the child drew back his hand and the other was actually born first.
The midwife exclaimed, "How hast thou broken forth? this breach be upon thee [margin, wherefore hast thou made this breach against thee?]: therefore his name was called Pharez," meaning "breach." The other twin was named Zarah (Gen. 38:27-30).
Why should this strange occurrence be recorded in Bible history unless this breach was to be healed between the sons or their descendants at some future time? Yet it never occurred in their lifetime.
Zarah, of the scarlet thread, had five sons (I Chron. 2:6). Did a descendant of Zarah finally get the throne, in a manner healing the breach? David, Zedekiah, Christ - all were of the PHAREZ branch - none of Zarah.
Now consider: 1) the fact of the breach means the transfer of the sceptre from the Pharez to the Zarah line. 2) Such transfer never occurred before King Zedekiah of Judah, who was descended from Pharez. 3) Therefore it had to occur after Zedekiah was dethroned. 4) Since David's line (Pharez) is to remain on the throne through all generations forever, it could only occur at an OVERTURN of the throne by a marriage between a Pharez heir to the throne and one of the Zarah line, thus healing the breach.
History shows the descendants of Zarah became wanderers, journeying to the north within the confines of the Scythian nations, their descendants later migrating to Ireland in the days of King David.
But meanwhile, the Pharez-David-Zedekiah line possessed the sceptre - WAS HIGH - exalted. The Zarah line, feeling it rightfully should possess the sceptre, and some day would, was low, abased - so far as royal power was concerned.
Now consider a much misunderstood passage of prophecy. If you will begin reading at the 18th verse of the 21st chapter of Ezekiel, you will see plainly that the Eternal is here speaking of the captivity of Judah by the king of Babylon. And, beginning in the 25th verse, He says: "And thou, profane wicked prince of Israel [Zedekiah], whose day is come, when iniquity shall have an end, thus saith the Lord God; remove the diadem, and take off the crown [as did happen, through the first half of Jeremiah's commission]: this [the crown] shall not be the same: exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high. I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it: and it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him."
Let us understand that clearly. "Remove the diadem, and take off the crown." King Zedekiah, of David's dynasty, had the crown. This says it is to be removed. It was removed. He died in Babylon; his sons and all the nobles of Judah were killed.
"This shall not be the same." The diadem is not to cease, but a change is to take place - the throne is to be overturned - another is to wear the crown. God's promise to David is not to go by default!
"Exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high." Who is "high"? King Zedekiah of Judah. Now he is to be abased. He is to lose that crown. Judah has been "high," while Israel has been "low" - these many years without a king (Hosea 3:4). The Pharez line has been "high"; the Zarah line "low."
"I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it: and it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is." What was to be overturned? The diadem, and the throne. Not once - it is to be overturned three times. Overturned by abasing Zedekiah, the house of Judah, the Pharez line, and exalting, now, the house of Israel, and one of the Zarah line! The first of the three overturns was performed as the first half of Jeremiah's commission.
"And it shall be no more." Does this mean the throne - the crown - is to cease to exist? Not at all! How could it be overturned two more times - that is, TRANSFERRED from one to another, if it ceased to exist? How, after these three transfers of the crown, could it be given to Him - Christ - whose right it is, at His second coming, if it ceased altogether to exist? How could he who was "low" now be exalted by the crown, if that crown was to be no more? No, the meaning is: "It shall be no more overturned until the second coming of Christ"! And then it shall be given to Him!
God will not break His unalterable promise made to David! Through every generation David shall have a descendant wearing that crown! The second half of Jeremiah's commission must now be performed. That throne must be TRANSPLANTED, and again BUILT. The crown must be overturned - transferred to another! But WHERE? TO WHOM?
A "Riddle" and a "Parable" Tell!
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. The whole chapter should be carefully read. Notice, first, this prophetic message is addressed, NOT to Judah, the Jews, but to the house of ISRAEL. It is a message to give light to the lost ten-tribed house of ISRAEL in these latter days!
First, Ezekiel is told to speak a riddle, and then a parable. The riddle is found in verses 3 to 10. Then, beginning in verse 11, the Eternal explains its meaning. "Say now to the rebellious house [God says, the "rebellious house," being ten-tribed ISRAEL (Ezek. 12:9), to whom Ezekiel is sent a prophet (Ezek. 2:3; 3:1, etc.)], Know ye not what these things mean? tell them . . . " and then the riddle is clearly explained.
A great eagle came to Lebanon and took the highest branch of the cedar. This is explained to represent King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon who came to Jerusalem and took captive the king of Judah. The cropping off of the cedar's young twigs and carrying them to a land of traffic is explained to picture the captivity of the king's sons. "He took also of the seed of the land" means Nebuchadnezzar took also of the people, and the mighty of the land of Judah. He "set it as a willow tree. And it grew, and became a spreading vine of low stature" means the Jews were given a covenant whereby, although they were ruled over by the Chaldeans, they might live in peace and grow. The other "great eagle" is explained to represent Pharaoh of Egypt.
Thus the riddle covers the first half of Jeremiah's commission. Now notice what is revealed concerning the second part - the PLANTING of David's throne! It comes in the parable, verses 22-24: "Thus saith the Lord God; I will also take of the highest branch of the high cedar." From God's own explanation we have learned that the cedar tree represents the nation of Judah; its highest branch is Judah's king. The riddle told us Nebuchadnezzar took the highest branch - the king. The parable now tells us God - not Nebuchadnezzar, but God - will take of the highest branch. Not the branch, but OF the branch - of Zedekiah's children. But Nebuchadnezzar took, and killed, all his SONS.
God, through his prophet Jeremiah, is now going to take OF this highest branch and "SET IT" (verse 22). "I will crop off from the top of his young twigs a tender one, and will plant it upon an high mountain and eminent," continues the Almighty! Ah! "A tender young twig"! The twigs of this highest branch represent the children of King Zedekiah! Certainly a tender young twig, then, represents a DAUGHTER! ". . .and will PLANT it." Could symbolic language say plainer this young Jewish princess is to become the royal seed for PLANTING again of David's throne? Where? ". . .upon an high mountain and eminent," says the Eternal! A "mountain" in symbol always represents a NATION.
"In the mountain of the height of ISRAEL will I plant it," answers the Eternal! David's throne now is to be planted in ISRAEL, after being thrown down from JUDAH! Could language be plainer? ". . .and it [the tender young twig - the king's daughter] shall bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a goodly cedar."
Did David's throne cease with Zedekiah of Judah? Did God forget His covenant? No! Compare this language with the passage in Isaiah 37:31-32: "The remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root downward [be planted], and BEAR FRUIT UPWARD." "It was PLANTED in ISRAEL, who removed from Judah! After this Hebrew princess is "planted" on the throne, now in ISRAEL, lost from view - that throne is to BEAR FRUIT. She is to marry, have children, and her sons are to continue David's dynasty!
". . .and under it shall dwell all fowl of every wing; in the shadow of the branches thereof shall they dwell" (Ezek. 17:23). "Lost" Israel, now having acquired the throne and become again a self-ruling nation, shall, in time, spread around the earth gaining dominance and power. They shall inherit the unconditional promises of the BIRTHRIGHT, according to God's covenant with Abraham!
"And all the trees of the field. . ." (verse 24). A "tree" in this riddle and parable is likened to a nation. In other words, "all the nations of the earth." ". . .shall know that I the Lord have brought down the high tree." Judah, the high tree, having the throne 130 years after Israel had been taken captive, now is brought down to the low stature of slavery. ". . .have exalted the low tree." For 130 years Israel had been a "low tree." Now Israel is exalted, becomes again a thriving nation with a Davidic king. ". . .have dried up the green tree [Judah], and have made the dry tree [Israel] to flourish."
Compare that language with Ezekiel 21:26: "Remove the diadem, and take off the crown. . .exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high. I will overturn. . ." etc. It is speaking of transferring the throne from Judah to Israel.
Israel had already been independent in Ireland for four centuries. Israel in Ireland already had a kingly line onto which Zedekiah's daughter was grafted. The Irish Israelites were an ancient colony and had not gone into Assyrian captivity.
ISRAEL, headed by the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, who possessed the birthright, now would flourish, become prosperous in due time. "I the Lord have spoken and have done it" (Ezek. 17:24).
Yes, that BIRTHRIGHT is in ISRAEL. Though lost, though supposed to be a Gentile nation, they are the people who were to grow into the promised multitude - the great nation and the company of nations, possessing the gates of their enemy nations, becoming a colonizing people spreading around the world, being blessed with national resources and wealth. And, when they become thus powerful and nationally dominant, remember, David's throne will be found transplanted among them!
But where did Jeremiah, with his royal seed for the transplanting, go to find the lost house of Israel? Where are they today? How was the "breach" healed, and how did a son of Zarah ascend the throne? Can we tell?
WE CAN! The exact, precise location is revealed in Bible prophecy! We can pick up Jeremiah's trail in actual history besides!
