When reading portions of scripture it is often difficult to identify the many figures and symbols involved. For example we were recently asked who is represented by the “house of Judah” in Zechariah 12:4. Fortunately, through the guidance of inspiration, we can determine the proper application of this term in its proper time frame. Upon searching the original Shepherd’s Rod message we find that this phrase applies to a group of people at three different times in history. The type was represented by the two tribe kingdom of Judah in the Old Testament. The anti-typical application of the term has two applications, one before the purification of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and the other to the purified church that will be headquarters in Jerusalem (the kingdom) which, is yet future. Here are some of the references that have been gathered together to support these conclusions. Please prayerfully read and study them out in their full and proper context to gain a better understanding of God’s Word so vital to our soul salvation in these latter days.
House of Judah Anciently, The Type:
Hos. 1:6, 7 — “And she conceived again, and bare a daughter. And God said unto him, Call her name Lo-ruhamah: for I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel; but I will utterly take them away. But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the Lord their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen.”
The ten-tribe kingdom, Israel, was spared until the birth of Lo-ruhamah, but the name of this second child certified that God was to have no more mercy upon the house of Israel, that its end had already come. However, He was to have mercy upon the house of Judah, the two-tribe kingdom, and was to deliver it by a miracle. And that is what happened: an angel slew 185,000 of the assyrian army, and thus God spared the house of Judah (2 Kings 19:35).” — Timely Greetings, Vol. 2, No. 21, p.4
Anti-typical House of Judah (before Ezekiel 9):
Ezek. 4:6, 7 — “And when thou hast accomplished them, lie again on thy right side, and thou shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days: I have appointed thee each day for a year. Therefore thou shalt set thy face toward the siege of Jerusalem, and thine arm shall be uncovered, and thou shalt prophesy against it.”
Ezekiel was to lie down on his right side, not only for the iniquity of the house of Israel, but also for the iniquity of the house of Judah and thus bear their iniquity, too, for forty years. And so both houses (the whole of Christendom), are given the same chance, the same opportunity. The one comes first in time, and the other last. Three hundred ninety years of “grace” are given to the former, and 40 years to the latter, a total of 430 years. During this period of time they are to triumph over sin, and at last to attain “righteousness by faith,” and to be rewarded with “the righteousness of Christ.” The exact year in which this period of 430 years begins, we shall see as we continue our study.” — Timely Greetings, Vol. 2, No. 39, p. 12
“According to this fresh unfolded prophecy there is to be no other chance, you see, no other opportunity for the Laodiceans, the house of Judah. This message to the Laodiceans, therefore, is the last message, their final chance! Looking forward to the people of this cleansing the prophet Isaiah wrote: “Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean…. How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!” Isa. 52:1, 7.
Since we have seen that the 430 years ended in 1930, we had better now find out when the 390 years ended, the time the 40 years of grace began. To find this date we subtract 40 years from 1930, which takes us back to 1890. What happened then to mark the beginning of the 40 years? — Just this: The denomination then wholly rejected the message that was to unfold the truth of “righteousness by faith” and the “righteousness of Christ,” the very truth that again began to unfold years later, the Truth that we are now feasting on! God in His mercy, therefore, laid their iniquity upon the prophet Ezekiel during those 40 years, — gave them a chance through “righteousness by grace” so that they might have opportunity now to enter into “righteousness by faith,” and thus reap the reward of “the righteousness of Christ.” — Timely Greetings, Vol. 2, No. 39, p. 18
“Now, by subtracting the 430 years from 1930 A.D., we get 1500 A.D., the time the Spirit moved to effect the Protestant Reformation. And as the defiled grains (doctrines) were during the 390 years dispensed to the Protestant congregations, and as the 40-year fast (absence of progressive Truth) occurred in the Seventh-day Adventist Denomination, two truths stand out clearly: first, that the Protestants are in this symbolism termed the “house of Israel”; and second that the Seventh-day Adventists are termed the “house of Judah.” Thus the split which God brought into Solomon’s kingdom necessarily symbolizes the split which exists between Sabbath-keepers and Sunday-keepers.” — Shepherd’s Rod Tract 1, p. 85
Anti-typical House of Judah (after Ezekiel 9):
“Specifically, the prophet exhorts all penitently to turn unto the house of Judah (the latter-day Kingdom of Judah—Mic. 4; Ezek. 37:16-22), the church in the purification of which are to be sealed 12,000 out of each of the 12 tribes, as firstfruits.” ” — Tract No. 14, p. 22
Isa. 2:1, 2 — “The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.”
Not to Takoma Park, not to Mt. Carmel Center, not to some other place, but to house of Judah and Jerusalem shall the final converts from all nations flow. Isaiah you plainly see absolutely confirms that the gathering of the people shall be unto Judah.” — Timely Greetings, Vol. 1, No. 15, p. 7
“Let us see what Zephaniah has to say concerning the latter day house of Judah — the mountain of the Lord.
Zeph. 2:5-7 — “Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! the word of the Lord is against you; O Canaan, the land of the Philistines, I will even destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant. And the sea coast shall be dwellings and cottages for shepherds, and folds for flocks. And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; they shall feed thereupon: in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening: for the Lord their God shall visit them, and turn away their captivity.”
Since Zephaniah’s prophecy is also definite that the Lord is to re-establish the kingdom of Judah, and since it, too, needs no comment, we shall quickly pass to Zechariah’s prophecy.” — Timely Greetings, Vol. 1, No. 15, p. 17
“This afternoon we shall study Zechariah 8. The first thing we need to know in the study of this chapter is whether its promises are made to the people of Zechariah’s time or to the people of our time. To find this out, it is necessary for us to read a few scattered verses. We shall begin with
Zech. 8:7, 8 — “Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Behold, I will save My people from the east country, and from the west country; and I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be My people, and I will be their God, in Truth and in righteousness.”
In these verses we see that God is promising to save His people not from the land of ancient Babylon, where Zechariah then was, but from the east and from the west, and to bring them to Jerusalem. They are to be His people, not by virtue of their ancestry, or by some other, but in Truth and righteousness. Now, since the promise in these verses did not meet its fulfillment in Zechariah’s day, nor at any time thereafter, it stands to reason that it must meet its fulfillment sometime in the future. Let us read–
Zech. 8:13 — “And it shall come to pass, that as ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, but let your hands be strong.”
Besides promising to save His people from the east and from the west, the Lord promises to save also the house of Judah and the house of Israel, both of the scattered ancient kingdoms. You are well acquainted with the fact that the ten-tribe kingdom constituted the house of Israel. And since these two kingdoms have never yet been united and brought back to Jerusalem, there is but one logical conclusion to be reached: The promises of this chapter are to be fulfilled in the time of the “gathering of the people” from the four corners of the earth. In view of this great and grand work the Lord expects our hands to be “strong.” — Timely Greetings, Vol. 1, No. 16, pp. 22, 23
Zech. 10:3 — “Mine anger was kindled against the shepherds, and I punished the goats: for the Lord of hosts hath visited His flock the house of Judah, and hath made them as His goodly horse in the battle.”
This verse discloses that the Lord has visited His people with revealed Truth preparatory to separating the goats from the sheep whereupon He is to reward the sheep and punish the goats — the work of the Judgment for the Living. His visit makes His servants as goodly horses in His vineyard.
Zech. 10:4 — “Out of him came forth the corner, out of him the nail, out of him the battle bow, out of him every oppressor together.”
The Lord Himself chooses from Judah the “corner” stone (founder), the “nail” (organizer), the “bow” (the Truth, or instrument by which to gain the victory over the Enemy), and every “oppressor” (ruler). With these He builds the house of Judah.
Zech 10:5 — “And they shall be as mighty men, which tread down their enemies in the mire of the streets in the battle: and they shall fight, because the Lord is with them, and the riders on horses shall be confounded.”
The victory shall be so complete that even the demons who lead our enemies in the conflict, will themselves be confounded.
Zech. 10:6 — “And I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph, and I will bring them again to place them; for I have mercy upon them: and they shall be as though I had not cast them off: for I am the Lord their God, and will hear them.”
The statements, “I will strengthen,” instead of save, “the house of Judah,” and “I will save” instead of strengthen “the house of Joseph,” imply that the house of Judah is saved before the house of Joseph is, and to save the house of Joseph He strengthens the house of Judah. The second fruits need to be saved, whereas the first fruits need to be fitted for service. Both are gathered into one place, (the “barn,” the Kingdom). The Lord extends this favor to both of them because He has mercy upon them and will treat them as though they had never caused Him to cast them out.” — Timely Greetings, Vol. 1, No. 17, p. 8
“Before closing, though, let us in a few words summarize what we have studied this afternoon. Just before the kingdom of Judah is established in Jerusalem, the city shall be besieged, the houses shall be rifled and women ravished. Not all, though, shall go into captivity. The residue are not cut off from the city, they obviously become a part of the house of Judah. At that time, when Jerusalem has fallen and the Lord has removed all obstacles and hindrances for the gathering of His people, then it is that the house of Judah is re-established. God’s people shall flee to the “valley” as quickly as though they were fleeing from an earthquake. The Lord smites the armies of the nations, while at the same time He protects and exalts His own people.
Through the prophet Zechariah, God promises to His people in our day adequate and constant spiritual light. From Jerusalem in that day shall flow forth the living Truth. Then it is that “many nations shall come and say, Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord.” What a prospect! And what a tragedy if any of us should fail to do our part to usher in that glorious day.” — Timely Greetings, Vol. 1, No. 19, p. 8
Zeph. 1:4, 5 — “I will also stretch out Mine hand upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, and the name of the Chemarims with the priests; and them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops; and them that worship and that swear by the Lord, and that swear by Malcham.”
Not only the land but the people that are to make up the house of Judah, are to be cleansed: There is to be a clean land and a clean people as well.” – Timely Greetings, Vol. 1, No. 21, p. 16
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