Behold Your God!

God’s people today must consider the implications of an end-time prophecy delivered by the Prophet Amos.

“And the high places of Isaac shall be desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste; and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword” (Amos 7:9). My booklet on Amos explains that “the high places of Isaac” is a coded expression referring to the Laodiceans—a religion that started with God’s great power and then turned away from God (request my booklet on that subject, The Lion Has Roared). The religious places of Isaac are going to be desolate. They need to be warned about this. Of course, that won’t be a popular message. In fact, Amos shows that this message will lead to a direct confrontation with the Laodiceans.

“Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel: the land is not able to bear all his words” (verse 10). This verse prophesies of a major governmental attack against God’s very elect in the end time. The “priest of Bethel”—or God’s own house—is sending this message to the king of the land: Amos has become a traitor! The Amos booklet explains how this describes a direct confrontation between the Laodicean and Philadelphian churches.

There is a reason Amos uses the name Jeroboam for the leader in this scenario. Anciently, this message went to Jeroboam ii about 35 years before Israel fell. He was the last king of Israel the prophets appeared to directly. The name also points back to the Jeroboam who assumed rulership over the 10 tribes of Israel when they broke away from Judah in the time of Rehoboam, Solomon’s son. From that time forward, Israel never again had a righteous king! (Judah had several and was able to last longer.) Jeroboam changed Israel’s day of worship away from the Sabbath and moved the days on which Israel kept the festivals, among other anti-God acts.

This indicates the kind of leader the United States has when God’s people flee to a place of safety! Though he may appear religious, that individual is going to come in the evil, anti-God spirit of Jeroboam! We must face this; we shouldn’t be surprised when it happens.

The fact that the land can’t bear all our words must mean the problems are so serious that people can’t ignore what we are saying! But if the people cannot bear the message, what will they do to the messenger?

Prophecy shows that they will cast out God’s people (Isaiah 16). “Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there: But prophesy not again any more at Bethel: for it is the king’s chapel, and it is the king’s court” (Amos 7:12-13). For some reason, they want to exile us to the land of Judah, called Israel today. This may be how God’s people begin their journey to the place of safety.

It appears God puts that thought into the minds of our persecutors. It is also quite possible that they know we have an important work in Judah. How would they know about that? Could it be because of an impressive archaeological find? Is it because of the key of the house of David, what we are doing over in Jerusalem even now, and what that will lead us into? Perhaps that is why they will say, Look, you’re doing a work over in Judah—get out of this country and go over there and prophesy!

Would such events flow directly into Isaiah 40:9?

Perhaps, after being booted out for prophesying to the Laodiceans and Israel—the first two of the three commissions—we will be sent to Judah on our way to the place of safety. God may say to us, You’ve been kicked out of that country—now I want you to go to this country and lift up your voice—in person—and tell the Jews, “Behold your God! He is coming to sit on David’s throne—right where David sat on it!” I don’t know exactly how things will play out, but this passage in Amos 7 has an interesting connection to Judah.

‘Be Not Afraid’

In Isaiah 40:9, God tells us, “[L]ift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid”! Don’t be afraid! Don’t be timid! Use the Spirit of God, and tell them the Messiah is about to arrive!

We must have strong courage to lift up our voice and not be afraid!

Will you be afraid? Will I be afraid? Will we be Laodicean—or will we be Philadelphian? These are important questions. If we are not Philadelphian now, how will we be then? If we are acting carnally now, how are we going to be spiritual then, and not be afraid? The only way to do God’s Work is by using the power of God! We need to be growing in that power today!

Though authorities disagree on exactly how Amos died, several sources say it was some kind of martyrdom. One says that Uzziah killed him by hitting his forehead with a glowing iron. Another says Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, fatally struck him in the head. Whatever happened, it gives you an idea of just how fierce the opposition to God’s message can get. It will take a pretty tough Christian to be able to endure.

Could God rely on any of the Laodiceans to deliver His message? They can’t do it—they are too weak! What about us?

In Isaiah 22:22, when God says He will lay this key on a man’s shoulder, that is a symbol of this message being a burden. Several scriptures show why this message may be somewhat of a burden. Proclaiming this message won’t be all smooth sailing. This world doesn’t want to listen to God. Can you see why this will be a burden on Eliakim’s shoulder? We all need each other’s prayers.

Verse 25 also refers to a “burden” on Eliakim’s shoulder. There is a burden in doing the Work of God. There is a burden on me, and really on all of us. We have to take on the responsibility God has given us; that is how we grow. He gives us whatever weight we need to lift to make us good weightlifters, spiritually.

But this is not a negative message—it is a message of good tidings! We can’t be timid about it. We’re telling the Jews and everyone else that the Messiah is about to arrive!

Mighty Captivity

Notice something else that God connects to the key of the house of David in the context of Isaiah 22: “Thus saith the Lord God of hosts, Go, get thee unto this treasurer, even unto Shebna, which is over the house, and say” (verse 15). This modern type of Shebna is a man “over the house” in the last days. Who is that?

The message is, “What hast thou here? and whom hast thou here, that thou hast hewed thee out a sepulchre here, as he that heweth him out a sepulchre on high, and that graveth an habitation for himself in a rock?” (verse 16). This man is trying to carve out his own salvation and his own place of safety, like most religious people. But God says it is a vain, futile effort.

“Behold, the Lord will carry thee away with a mighty captivity, and will surely cover thee” (verse 17). God says He’s going to give this man a sepulcher—but not the type that man thinks. He’ll take that man away in a captivity in the Tribulation, and bury him! This mighty captivity is about to befall Judah (the Jewish nation), Ephraim (Britain) and Manasseh (America) simultaneously (Hosea 5:5).

“He will surely violently turn and toss thee like a ball into a large country: there shalt thou die, and there the chariots of thy glory shall be the shame of thy lord’s house. And I will drive thee from thy station, and from thy state shall he pull thee down” (Isaiah 22:18-19).

It is right after this that Isaiah speaks about Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah (verse 20), receiving the key of the house of David (verse 22). Lange’s Commentary says, “On the day when Shebna must quit his post, Eliakim the son of Hilkiah will occupy his place. … He was in all probability of the priestly race. For Hilkiah, as his father was called, was a common name of priests.” We are looking at that spiritually, but it is all connected.

There is a captivity associated with the key of the house of David. Shebna’s authority is stripped from him and given to Eliakim, and Shebna is carried away in a mighty captivity. This is a serious warning—to all of us.

Jerusalem is about to be trodden underfoot by the Gentiles into the muck and mire in the worst captivity ever known to man! (Luke 21:24; Revelation 11:2). That is a chilling prophecy about Jerusalem—and it applies to all Israel! The stormy, outer edges of the “times of the Gentiles” Christ spoke about are already here!

The Message of the Key

Lange’s continues: “[T]he key opens the entrance to the house, to the apartments and to all that is in them. He, therefore, who alone has this key, has alone also the highest power [or authority]. The expression reminds us … of Isaiah 9:[6] (‘on his shoulder’ is a symbolical representation of the office as a burden to be carried) …” (emphasis mine).

This key is a burden on this man’s shoulder. It is specifically about the message of the key of the house of David!

One door that God has clearly opened up for His Church today with this key is our work in Jerusalem. The archaeological excavations we have participated in and the finds we have promoted have revealed a lot about King David and Israel’s history. Dr. Eilat Mazar often said, “Let the stones speak!” And so many artifacts she and other archaeologists have found in recent years are speaking loudly—with a powerful message especially for the people of Judah.

There is quite a message in these artifacts and what they mean for Judah. There is such a story—such a history and such a prophecy—being uncovered by biblical archaeology in Jerusalem today! It is surely one of the most incisive, piercing messages the Jews could possibly hear. True, the message is for all Israel, but the Jews who live in the land can understand it far better than the peoples of Britain and America.

In The United States and Britain in Prophecy, Herbert W. Armstrong proved that David’s throne did not perish with Zedekiah, as so many people think. God kept His promise, and that throne still exists—with a Jew sitting on it! The Jews need to know that history! They need to know about David’s throne and how and why it left Jerusalem. When Jeremiah emerged from the dungeon, he had to take that throne to another country because Judah was going into a mighty captivity and the temple was going to be utterly destroyed!

The Jews need to know about David’s throne, its history and The United States and Britain in Prophecy. They need to know why we are so excited about a dig in Jerusalem: because it connects to the coming of the Messiah! We also need to explain what is prophesied to happen before He gets here. There is a powerful warning about a mighty captivity! And it’s all connected to that dig.

They need to know why we are helping to dig and to clear all the rubble away. They are about to suffer the mightiest captivity ever inflicted on mankind! How can you endure such a brutal and horrifying captivity unless you KNOW the Messiah is about to come? This message may agitate them today—but the time will come when it will give them hope! They need hope and inspiration, and so do America and Britain.

Let’s look at one powerful example of archaeological finds with a strong warning for the people of Judah.

Royal Seals of Jeremiah’s Accusers Found

During the last days of the kingdom of Judah, the Prophet Jeremiah warned the residents of Jerusalem of their impending captivity at the hands of the Babylonian army. Instead of heeding that warning message, the princes of King Zedekiah’s administration attacked the messenger and plunged him into a miry dungeon (Jeremiah 38:1-6).

The name of one of Jeremiah’s accusers, Gedaliah the son of Pashur, is stamped on a small clay seal that was discovered about 600 feet south of the Temple Mount. Dr. Mazar found the bulla in early 2008, in mint condition, while wet-sifting debris excavated from under a tower at the north end of the City of David—the original site of ancient Jerusalem.

In 2005, Dr. Mazar had found another seal bearing the name Jehucal the son of Shelemiah on it—mentioned twice in the book of Jeremiah. The Jehucal bulla was found on the platform above the Stepped Stone Structure, where Dr. Mazar had uncovered a section of King David’s palace.

Both princes, the Bible relates, unsuccessfully petitioned for Jeremiah’s execution and were responsible for his imprisonment on two separate occasions.

Incredibly, the Prophet Jeremiah survived the destruction and captivity.

Mazar’s two clay seals survived as well—buried under 2,600 years’ worth of debris. “It’s not often,” Dr. Mazar said, “that such discoveries happen in which real figures of the past shake off the dust of history and so vividly revive the stories of the Bible.”

Remember Jeremiah’s commission: “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 1:10). This verse reveals Jeremiah’s commission and the main subject of this whole book.

Jeremiah not only had a commission. He understood the greatest vision in the Bible: the key of David.

The United States and Britain in Prophecy explains how that commission centered around the throne of David—warning Judah of its impending captivity and the overthrow of that throne in Judah, and then building and planting that throne in Ireland. Still later, it was moved to Scotland and England.

The Jews and all of us need to know what happened to Jeremiah in the process of rooting out the throne of Judah. For years he was warning Judah as the Jews violently persecuted him. This was part of the rooting out process!

Just finding the two small clay seals reminds us of how much Jeremiah suffered in rooting out David’s throne from the rebellious Jews and fulfilling the commission God gave him.

Jeremiah also prophesied that David’s throne would return to Judah when the Messiah comes. And here is the terrifying part: What the Jews suffered under Babylon is only a type of their suffering and captivity during the Tribulation before the throne is returned to Jerusalem at the Messiah’s coming. The Jews will experience the worst suffering ever on this Earth! They received a tiny foretaste of that suffering on October 7, 2023, when the butchers of Hamas attacked them.

Anciently, Jeremiah had a strong warning for Judah. “Then Shephatiah the son of Mattan, and Gedaliah the son of Pashur, and Jucal the son of Shelemiah, and Pashur the son of Malchiah, heard the words that Jeremiah had spoken unto all the people …” (Jeremiah 38:1). Here are the two princes whose names were on the royal seals: Gedaliah, the son of Pashur, and Jucal (or Jehucal), the son of Shelemiah. Both of them hated Jeremiah’s message.

“Therefore the princes said unto the king, We beseech thee, let this man be put to death: for thus he weakeneth the hands of the men of war that remain in this city, and the hands of all the people, in speaking such words unto them: for this man seeketh not the welfare of this people, but the hurt” (verse 4). These princes tried to have Jeremiah put to death!

It is phenomenal that we found the clay seals of these two princes. What a hideous warning it is for the Jews today!

God’s end-time prophecies warn the Jews of a much greater catastrophe than Nebuchadnezzar had inflicted on them. The coming modern Babylon is going to create the holocaust of all holocausts!

Jeremiah was imprisoned and nearly starved to death (verses 6-9). There was no more bread left in Jerusalem. That is only a type of the famine about to strike in three nations of Israel: the United States, Britain and the Jewish state.

Our Relationship With the Jews

I went to Ambassador College in 1967, the same year that the Six-Day War broke out in Israel. God intervened miraculously to help Israel win. The Jews gained control of the whole of Jerusalem.

The very next year, the Israelis began what they called the “Big Dig”—a massive archaeological excavation on the southern part of what the Jews call the Temple Mount. In November of that year, Mr. Armstrong visited Jerusalem on a fact-finding trip to consider a joint participation on Prof. Benjamin Mazar’s archaeological dig. He wasn’t sure whether to do it at first. I’m sure he thought, Well, let’s see. I’m to get this message out to the world. Does God really want me involved in Jerusalem in an archaeological dig? I can understand why he didn’t make an immediate decision.

He returned to Jerusalem a few weeks later and decided to proceed. This time he met with Israel’s president, along with those involved in the dig. “It was a memorable—perhaps a historic—meeting with President Zalman Shazar and our Israeli friends at the preceding visit,” Mr. Armstrong wrote. “On that date we formally entered into the joint participation with Hebrew University and the Israel Archaeological Society. Some little time after that we entered into participation in the iccy (International Cultural Center for Youth), founded by Eleanor Roosevelt and Minister of Tourism Moshe Kol. We have continued both participations. Beginning with the summer of 1969, we sent students every year during summer vacation to work on the dig—some years up to 100 students” (Good News, February 1979).

Within two years, Ambassador College had 78 students over there digging, and Professor Mazar was asking Mr. Armstrong to triple that number.

Having hundreds of students on that dig over the years was impressive. But where are they today? Did they learn what they were supposed to learn from that dig? What good did it do them? Not very much, if you look at the whole picture.

The Jerusalem dig was an open door for Mr. Armstrong. God also used the dig itself to open many more doors in Israel. Mr. Armstrong’s contacts in Israel flourished in the ensuing years.

The mayor of Jerusalem, Teddy Kollek, visited Ambassador College in Pasadena and was very impressed—then he wanted to show Mr. Armstrong his own efforts to beautify Jerusalem.

Receptions and dinners were held in Mr. Armstrong’s honor. Mr. Armstrong funded the construction of a children’s playground at Liberty Bell Park in Jerusalem to promote friendly relations between Arab and Jewish children. In some ways, that was a minor project—but Mr. Armstrong really did know the way to peace. Here he showed that in a practical way by reconciling Arab and Jewish children. Also in Jerusalem, there is a courtyard measuring about 75 by 100 feet named the Herbert W. Armstrong Square.

Mr. Armstrong developed close relationships with many Israeli leaders, including President Zalman Shazar, Prime Minister Golda Meir, President Ephraim Katzir, Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, Prime Minister Menachem Begin, President Yitzhak Navon, President Chaim Herzog and Prime Minister Shimon Peres. (Request a free copy of A Warm Friend of Israel to learn more about Mr. Armstrong’s activities there.) Those Israeli leaders wanted that friendship to continue perpetually! But the Laodiceans let that relationship die. In fact, they killed it.

How did Mr. Armstrong became such close friends with all those prominent people in Israel?

Notice this end-time prophecy in Hosea 11:12: “Ephraim compasseth me about with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit: but Judah yet ruleth with God, and is faithful with the saints.”

Was Mr. Armstrong’s relationship with the Jews prophesied? You try to develop friendships like that in 10 years, and see what you can do in reaching that level with a government in this world. God says in this prophecy that the people of God would find favor with the Jews. That is the primary reason those contacts developed so quickly and deeply.

Look at the work God’s Church is doing in Israel today. We too are finding incredible favor over there. Was that prophesied as well?

Our work in Jerusalem is one of the greatest open doors God has given us—doors unlocked by that key of David. And based on prophecy, we expect even greater miracles ahead of us.

God is so deeply involved in these events! After all, the Messiah is about to return to Jerusalem and rule from David’s throne!

The Tel Dan Stele

For years, many critics and scholars argued that King David was a fictional character, or at best an insignificant leader of a tiny group of people—nothing like the Bible’s description of his life. Then in 1993, Israeli archaeologist Avraham Biran discovered a large fragment of a basalt stele (inscription) at the Tel Dan excavation in northern Israel. Subsequent excavations the following year revealed two more fragments. When archaeologists put the pieces together, they revealed an extraordinary message. It stunned the world and sent an earthquake through the archaeological community.

The inscription was made by King Hazael of Syria in the mid-ninth century b.c. Hazael had recently led his Aramean forces into battle against the allied forces of Jehoram, king of Israel, and Ahaziah, king of Judah (2 Kings 9). Hazael’s campaign was successful, and he boasted about his military victory on a basalt “victory stele” that he set up as a monument in the northern Israelite city of Dan.

On the ninth line of the stele, this is recorded: “[killed Jeho]ram son of [Ahab] king of Israel and kille[d Ahaz]iah son of [Jehoram kin]g of the House of David ….”

The expression “house of David” is used 26 times in the Bible.

This discovery provided the first conclusive archaeological evidence pointing to King David’s existence as a true historical figure. It also proved that he was the head of a royal dynasty, as described in the Bible. It showed that his dynasty was so well known that a Syrian king living more than 150 years after David still referred to that line of kings as belonging to David’s dynasty.

This is one of the most important archaeological discoveries ever found! It is uniquely special because of how powerfully it proves the accuracy of the Bible and what it reveals about King David.

The Tel Dan Stele belongs to the State of Israel and is one of its most important and celebrated artifacts. Under the care of the Israel Museum, the stele is one of the museum’s signature pieces. “The Louvre in Paris has the Mona Lisa, by Leonardo da Vinci—we have the Tel Dan Stele, by King Hazael,” stated Pirchia Eyal, curator at the Israel Museum.

In 2024, we hosted an archaeological exhibit in Armstrong Auditorium at our headquarters campus in Edmond, Oklahoma, called Kingdom of David and Solomon Discovered. The assemblage of dozens of artifacts told the story of this phenomenal period in Israel’s history, proving that the biblical record is in fact true! The Tel Dan Stele was the most notable and impressive of these finds, and for two months we displayed it in our auditorium, courtesy of the Israel Museum and Israel Antiquities Authority. The stele had been to America only once before, when it was briefly on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

The Daily Mail and Jerusalem Post published an article about the stele going to Armstrong Auditorium. The quip said, “Israel’s most important archaeological find ever to go on display in the U.S.” The fact that we were able to host this artifact was a miracle from God. It was one in a long line of miracles He has performed as we work to fulfill His command to reach the people of Judah.

More than any other artifact, the Tel Dan Stele points to the house of David and God’s covenant with David. God brought it to our headquarters in Edmond as further evidence that we have the throne of David in God’s Church!

The Palace ‘Established Forever’?

Mr. Armstrong believed that Christ’s throne will sit on the same spot where David’s throne sat anciently. If you look for the location of David’s throne in Jerusalem, how could you find it if you couldn’t find David’s palace?

Another scripture seems to indicate that not only will David’s throne last forever but also the palace—though not in its original form. This is speculation, but it is based on a passage that seems to be more than just speculation. These verses made me think again about the fact that so much of David’s palace has been preserved, only to be uncovered in our day—as if it was just waiting for us to find it!

In 2 Samuel 7, God gives the Prophet Nathan a message to deliver to King David. It draws specific attention to the palace of David. In verse 11, for example, God promises David that “he will make thee an house.”

Verse 12 reads, “And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.” That is referring to Solomon. “He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever” (verse 13). God’s reference to a “house for my name” means a temple for God. The house of God is the temple of God, which Solomon built.

God’s message to David continued: “And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever” (verse 16). This is a promise of a throne being established forever and of a king to sit on that throne throughout the ages and eternity. The throne symbolizes the royal office, and the kingdom refers to the royal family sitting on the throne of David.

But notice! This verse also says that David’s house, or his palace, would be established forever. The word house is the same as the one in Isaiah 22:22. Gesenius’ Lexicon calls it “a royal house, a palace” or “the house of God.” The house of God is the temple. But this is spoken to David, and it says not only “your kingdom” and “your throne,” but also “your house.” It’s not God’s house, but David’s.

David certainly seemed to understand that God meant, at least in part, a physical house. “[W]hat is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?” he asked. “[T]hou hast spoken also of thy servant’s house for a great while to come …” (2 Samuel 7:18-19). David was amazed at how much emphasis God put on a palace for David.

Read how David continued talking to God about this in verses 25 to 29: “And now, O Lord God, the word that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant, and concerning his house, establish it for ever, and do as thou hast said. … [L]et the house of thy servant David be established before thee. For thou, O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, hast revealed to thy servant, saying, I will build thee an house …. [T]hou hast promised this goodness unto thy servant: Therefore now let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may continue for ever before thee: for thou, O Lord God, hast spoken it: and with thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed for ever.”

We know, from this passage in 2 Samuel 7 and also Isaiah 9:7 and Luke 1:30-33, that David’s throne will remain forever.

Perhaps the palace will last forever as well. Why else would God say David’s palace will be established forever? It certainly looks like that is what this is saying—though again, I would still consider this speculation. But this scripture is difficult to explain any other way.

That palace didn’t remain whole, but somehow it was preserved, just waiting for us to uncover it. I am absolutely certain that God had a hand in preserving that palace, particularly in light of Isaiah’s prophecy that He would give the key of that palace (a symbol of the house of David) to Eliakim in this end time!

Again: We cannot find where the throne was if we cannot find the palace! You must have the palace in order to locate the throne room where Christ is going to establish His throne when He returns. Christ had to preserve that. He could easily also preserve a palace for David throughout eternity.

2 Samuel 7:25-29 is a very interesting passage. Will David’s palace always exist, as well as David’s throne? I’m not sure, but I think it could fit within the temple in the Millennium—perhaps in the center of it or on the top of it. I don’t know how else these scriptures can be read. Of course, there would be changes; it would be a different kind of palace when the new Jerusalem arrives on Earth, but there could still be a palace of David.

When God is ruling this Earth, many people who were human like David will be members of the God Family, eternal sons of God, ruling from David’s throne with Christ. That should not seem peculiar. After all, men and women were created to enter God’s Family and rule with Him forever!

Perhaps these new God beings will dwell in David’s palace forever.

“And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David” (Luke 1:31-32). David bridges the gap between God and man. We must not forget that the throne of David is really the throne of God! God wants to bring men into His Family and make us royalty of the highest level.

This is all tied to the Jerusalem dig. Mr. Armstrong prepared for it in a spectacular way. Those who took over after him showed nothing but contempt for the work he did there, and look where they are spiritually today. Consider the vision behind that project, and you can understand why God would say that they are unfit to be His royalty!

That project is to prepare the way for Jesus Christ’s return to sit on David’s throne! Mr. Armstrong was given the key of David, and God has further expanded our understanding of this all-important key since Mr. Armstrong died. Now He has also given us the key of the house of David! We are getting so close to the end of this age of man, to the point where we are clearing off the very spot where Christ is going to put His throne!

The Father, Christ and His angelic helpers are already well into planning and organizing for the Second Coming! Why do I say that? Already Christ has used His Church to help uncover David’s palace, which is a symbol of all the kings who are to sit on that throne. We are helping to clear away the debris from where David’s throne sat 3,000 years ago; that throne will surely be standing on the same spot when Christ returns! We are helping to get that area ready for Christ’s imminent return! We are preparing Jerusalem—physically and spiritually—for its King.

That is what our archaeological dig is all about. It’s about Christ ruling the Earth for a thousand years—then ruling the universe for eternity under God the Father!

This is a key part of why Eliakim is the father of Judah. The Eliakim work plays the crucial role for God today.

The Throne in the Millennium

Here is a picture of the Messiah reigning from the throne of David in the Millennium: “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will perform that good thing which I have promised unto the house of Israel and to the house of Judah. In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land” (Jeremiah 33:14-15). All of Israel will unite around that throne. Everyone will become a part of spiritual Israel.

The archaeological excavation of King David’s palace is actually the beginning of this prophecy! We are preparing—even in a specific, physical way—for the imminent return of Jesus Christ. Christ is going to sit on that throne, which will undoubtedly be right where it stood when David ruled from it, and that area needs to be cleaned up. God is helping us grasp and prepare for that future by involving us in a physical project, anticipating Christ’s return.

Jerusalem above is the mother of us all (Galatians 4:26). So we are concerned about physical excavations that have such profound spiritual meaning. God the Father and His Son have a vested interest in that place—after all, the greatest event ever to occur in the universe is about to happen in Jerusalem! The Son of God is coming. Then, a little over a millennium later, the next greatest event ever to occur in the universe will happen in Jerusalem! The Father is coming. World headquarters is going to be in Jerusalem shortly—and then, when God the Father comes to Earth, universe headquarters! It’s all about Jerusalem!

Revelation 3:12 says that God’s people will be pillars in the temple and will have the name of new Jerusalem written on them. Jerusalem is truly special to the people of God! We are going to be there with Jesus Christ, and then with God the Father, forever!

Can you see why God will not give any Laodicean a part in this? God is going to put us at headquarters forever because we have remained loyal to David’s throne—and because we’ve been given so much that we can teach!

How much do we thank God for this wonderful, exciting future?

Do you understand what is happening? God has been getting us focused on Jerusalem. It’s not about Jerusalem today. In fact, it’s not even about Jerusalem during the Millennium. The ultimate goal is new Jerusalem, when God the Father comes down and all converted people enter into the Family of God and begin to rule the universe. That is what the Jerusalem dig is ultimately about!

The Jerusalem dig is only a tiny beginning. It introduces us to what is about to explode on the world scene!

This world is about to become a God-ruled utopia. All the dreadful evils of this world are about to disappear forever. God’s majestic glory is about to fill this Earth!

The building program for the entire universe is about to begin in Jerusalem!

What a wondrous dimension to this prophecy God has added through this archaeological dig. We are so close to the end! The key to David’s palace is an inspiring conclusion. God is making it vivid and tangible. The whole world can see it! We’re getting ready for the spectacular return of Jesus Christ, and we have students digging with their hands in the dirt to prepare for Christ’s throne. He is about to come back, and we are on schedule.

That is a real message! That is the conclusion to all that we’re doing on this Earth today. What an honor God has given us to be a part of this inspiring, wondrous Work!

Sidebar: The Key of David in Isaiah 33

The Prophet Isaiah offered an inspiring vision of a glorious future. Yet he prefaced it with a strong warning to God’s lukewarm saints whose participation in that future is in doubt. You can read this prophecy in Isaiah 33.

Isaiah prophesied, “The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?” (verse 14). In prophecy, Zion means the New Testament Church. Today there are sinners in Zion whom God calls hypocrites. A hypocrite pretends to be something he is not. This verse refers to the Laodiceans today. They scoff at our message now, but soon they will be extremely afraid.

Bible prophecy shows that the period known as the Great Tribulation is almost upon us—the most devastating time in human history (Matthew 24:21). Nuclear World War iii is imminent. Yet God promises His people a place of physical refuge. Shortly before the Tribulation begins, God’s faithful Church will be taken to a place of safety (Revelation 12:14).

Sadly, most of God’s people will not escape this coming crisis. The Laodiceans will have to “dwell with the devouring fire” caused by nuclear bombs. A nuclear holocaust will wake them up to their tragic spiritual condition. What an incredible price they will have to pay to get back in step with God! When the Tribulation closes in on them, they will suddenly realize how wrong they have been. The Laodiceans have deceived themselves, but deep down they know they are hypocrites! So God must punish them. That is their only hope of making it into God’s righteous Family.

Many Laodiceans have a casual attitude about the coming Tribulation. Some have even stated that they can handle it when it comes. How unwise! God is giving His people a choice. No one need go into the Tribulation. Even though prophecy indicates that 50 percent of the Laodiceans will repent in the Tribulation, they will still have to suffer and then die physically! Their reward will also be much diminished. Of course, the far worse tragedy is that the other 50 percent will perish spiritually—forever!

King in His Beauty

Isaiah clearly shows who will escape the coming nuclear nightmare. This passage continues, “He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil” (Isaiah 33:15). What a crucial scripture! Those members of God’s Church who live righteously now, and who view evil the way that God does, will escape.

Revelation 3:10 shows that those who live true to God’s Word will be protected from that time of shattering trial. They have remained faithful to what they were taught concerning the key of David vision.

Isaiah gives more details of this promise: “He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure. Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty: they shall behold the land that is very far off” (Isaiah 33:16-17). “Munitions of rocks” is better translated “strongholds of Sela,” referring to the famous city of Petra. This rock fortress was a well-defended stronghold for many centuries. It is the perfect place for God to protect His people from nuclear fallout and other dangers of nuclear war. Still, we don’t know for certain where that place of safety will be.

Notice that God also promises His obedient people food and water. God’s Philadelphians will not suffer hunger and thirst. Verse 17 says that the protected people will see the “king”—Jesus Christ—“in his beauty.” And they will be able to see into “the land that is very far off.” From their mountain stronghold they will be able to see into the holy land—Judah. At Christ’s return, they will witness His ascension to the throne of David in Jerusalem. This will be a truly beautiful moment.

Look at what the Laodiceans will miss. All of us would agree that losing eternal life is the single greatest loss for any human being. But even the physical loss for those who repent is tremendous. They will suffer in the Tribulation as no people ever have. They will also lose their reward of being a pillar in God’s headquarters temple forever!

Meditate Terror

It does not have to be that way. God pleads with His Church through Isaiah, “Thine heart shall meditate terror …” (Isaiah 33:18). He tells us to meditate on the terror to come. We must face it.

Today the cities of the United States and Britain are plagued with appalling evils. Natural disasters are taking their toll on lives and properties, and economies are overtaxed with the clean-up. Gangs, drug pushers and acts of terrorism have turned our cities into war zones. Hatred among peoples is exploding into violent crime, riots, terrorism and other threats.

World crises are also mounting. Tensions among nations are growing, and war roils in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and elsewhere. Modern technologies like drones and hypersonic missiles are making warfare deadlier. Innocent lives are being wiped out by the multiple thousands. And this is all just the beginning of sorrows.

God promises to protect His faithful people from the coming destruction. It is not difficult to understand why: These people have a universe-shaking vision of God’s Family growing into eternity. They recognize the Father as the Head of His Family. They believe and obey their Father. Those who truly believe the key of David vision know there is an awe-inspiring Father building a family.

Tabernacle That Shall Not Be Taken Down

The next several verses in Isaiah 33 describe the far-reaching vision that the righteous in Zion have. “Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnities: thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down; not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed, neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken. But there the glorious Lord will be unto us a place of broad rivers and streams; wherein shall go no galley with oars, neither shall gallant ship pass thereby” (verses 20-21).

This city, “a tabernacle that shall not be taken down,” is not the Jerusalem of the Millennium, which will be taken down in the final fire before Christ delivers the Kingdom of God to the Father (1 Corinthians 15:24; 2 Peter 3:10-13; Revelation 20:14-15). This Jerusalem is “a tabernacle that shall not be taken down.” This can refer only to the wonderful beauty of new Jerusalem, which will last forever.

Referring to this “tabernacle,” Isaiah 33:20 says “not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed.” The word for stake here is the same word for nail in Isaiah 22. Gesenius’ Lexicon explains that “a nail or pin is used metaphorically of a prince, from whom the care of the whole state hangs …; the same person is also called [a] corner stone, on whom the state is builded.”

Understand the depth here! The people of Zion in the place of safety not only see the land that is very far off—they not only see the King in His beauty—they see the time when not one nail will be removed from the tabernacle! What an extraordinary vision!

Not one of the leaders in God’s Family will ever be removed. Revelation 3:12 is a companion verse: “Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out ….” God’s family government will be permanently established. It is important that we see not only the nail in God’s holy place today, but also the nail in the land very far off as well. When we expand our minds in this manner, we finally begin to see God the Father’s vision for His Family.