Golden Jubilee

Keypoints on this page
	Background to the Golden Jubilee celebrations for Queen Elizabeth II. The world has changed a great deal since 1953.
	The anthems used in the Coronation ceremony were based on events that are linked to prophecies about Jesus and his future role as 'king of the world'.
	The Bible also prophecies that Jesus will return to be crowned as king at a time when world conditions are just like those we see today.

The Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey in June 1953

In June 2002 the United Kingdom and many parts of the Commonwealth celebrated the Golden Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Her father, King George VI, died on 6 February 1952 and his daughter Elizabeth Alexandra Mary acceded to the throne at the age of 25.

The actual Jubilee date was therefore 6 February 2002, when Her Majesty had reigned for exactly 50 years. However, the coronation did not take place until June 1953. The country was still recovering from the effects of the Second World War. The economy of the country had been severely affected by the war. Bombing had damaged Westminster Abbey, the place where coronations are traditionally held, and restoration work would not be completed in time for a coronation during 1952. It was therefore decided to hold the event during 1953.

The weather in Britain in February can be bleak and it was not considered suitable to use the first anniversary date of the accession because of this. It was decided to hold the coronation in June when better weather might be anticipated. Even then, the choice of date was not easy. A Monday event was ruled out because it meant too many people would have to travel on a Sunday, something that was then regarded by many people as an unsuitable way to spend what they regarded as a day for religious worship. The coronation was eventually arranged for Tuesday 2nd June so that it did not clash with the Epsom horse race – the famous Derby, which was to be held on the following day, an event which royalty have regularly attended.

A changing world
How times have changed over the last fifty years! Nowadays, the majority of people in the United Kingdom seem to regard Sunday as being no different from any other day. Most shops are now open, football league matches are played, and horse races are run – all things which would have been unimaginable in 1952, when Sunday was still regarded as a day of rest and a time to worship God. Today, there would be no complaints about the need to travel on a Sunday. Few regard Sunday as a day to worship God.

In the 50 years of her reign, Her Majesty has seen many changes both at home and abroad. In particular, she has witnessed the final breaking up of the British Empire and the granting of independence to former British Colonies. One of the particular features of her reign has been the way in which, as head of State, she has held the Commonwealth together and been a source of wisdom and encouragement to many Commonwealth leaders. Part of the jubilee celebrations consisted of visits by the Queen to various parts of the Commonwealth.

The Coronation ceremony
During the coronation ceremony in Westminster Abbey, at the time when the Queen was anointed, the choir sang an anthem, written by the composer Handel and appropriately called ‘Zadok the Priest.’ It includes these words: ‘Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anointed Solomon King and all the people rejoiced and said God save the king! Long live the king! May the king live for ever, Amen, Allelujah.’

The Queen, who is understood to be knowledgeable about the Scriptures, would probably be aware that the words are based on a verse in the Bible, which says:

‘…let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel: and blow ye with the trumpet, and say, God save king Solomon.’ [1 Kings 1.34]

Solomon was the son of David, king of Israel who decreed that Solomon should be anointed king shortly before his own death. David had reigned over Israel for 40 years. We note that he did not include the words ‘May the king live for ever’ in his instructions concerning what should be done.

Neither Solomon, nor Queen Elizabeth, would at their coronations, have had any thought of living forever for they, like every other human being, would be subject to mortality. Solomon actually reigned for 40 years before he died and so Queen Elizabeth has reigned for longer than either David or Solomon.

The King who will reign for ever
When Handel wrote the anthem ‘Zadok the Priest,’ he did not just pluck the idea of the king living forever from the air. With his knowledge of the Bible he was aware of an important promise that God had made to King David. The account of this promise can be found in the second book of Samuel chapter seven. We can read the words that Nathan the prophet was commanded by God to say to King David:

‘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. He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men: But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.’ [2 Samuel 7.12-16]

The message of Nathan to David was to tell him what would happen to the throne of Israel after his death. It was made quite clear to David that he would not reign forever. However, David was reassured that he would have a son who would reign on his throne. Note the passage says:

‘I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.’

It does not say that David’s immediate son will reign forever. In writing his anthem and adding the words ‘may the king live for ever’, the composer Handel was using a degree of poetic licence with regard to the original text.

If we study the history of Israel, we find that Solomon the son of David did not live forever. We also learn that the monarchy ceased to exist when invading armies overran Israel and the people were taken captive, first to Assyria and later to Babylon. So how was this prophecy of Nathan to be fulfilled? History would appear to indicate that it was a false prophecy – but, that is not possible with Biblical prophecy. God made this declaration through the prophet Isaiah concerning His Word:

‘…it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please…’ [Isaiah 55.11]

Nathan was not the only prophet to say that the throne of David would continue forever. The prophet Isaiah also tells us in his prophecy:

‘For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.’ [Isaiah 9.6,7]

These words were also set to music by Handel in his oratorio ‘The Messiah’ and they are frequently sung at Christmas time in relation to the birth of Jesus Christ, the Messiah or anointed king of Israel. In case we should have any doubt that these words refer to Jesus, we are given an account in the gospel record through Luke that makes the message clear. It is the record of the words of the angel Gabriel to Mary when she was told that she would become the mother of Jesus. We read:

‘And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.’ [Luke 1.26,27]

We note from this passage that Joseph was of the house of David, which means that he was a descendant of David. Then we read the message of the angel to Mary, who was also directly descended from David:

‘And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou has found favour with God. 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: and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.’ [Luke 1.30-33]

So this was to be the way in which the prophecy of Nathan to David was to be fulfilled. Jesus would be the man that would sit on his throne forever. The disciples of Jesus recognised that he would fulfil the prophecy. After his resurrection from the dead they asked him:

‘…Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?’ [Acts 1.6]

It is not surprising that, having seen the suffering that Jesus underwent before and during his crucifixion and then the joy of seeing him restored to them again, that they should expect that he would quickly take his throne. The answer that they received to their question was not what they expected. Jesus said:

‘…It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power’ [Acts 1.7]

Their surprise though, did not finish here, for the book of Acts continues:

‘And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.’[Acts 1.9-11]

The prophetic words of Nathan to David, and those of Isaiah, and the angel Gabriel to Mary, remain unfulfilled to this day. The prediction of the two angels who spoke to the disciples when Jesus was taken up from them also remains unfulfilled as Jesus has not yet returned to the Earth.

When will the King come?
Meanwhile, in the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth, we have a Queen who has reigned for over 50 years to become nearly the longest reigning monarch on the British throne. Yet, her reign will not last forever. There has long been discussion about whether she will abdicate in favour of her son. It has also been suggested that the throne might pass directly to her grandson Prince William. All of these discussions are from the minds of men who are unable to predict future events. In contrast, the promises about the succession to the throne of David come from God himself and are certain of fulfilment.

The time will come when Jesus will return. He will restore the throne of the house of David to Jerusalem and he will take his rightful place as king on that throne. He will not just be the king of Israel but the king of the whole world.

It is nearly 2,000 years since Jesus was taken up into heaven so you may wonder when his return might take place. In the reply that Jesus gave his disciples, who asked when he was to re-establish the throne of Israel, he told them that the timing of that event was in the power of his Father. He had made a similar comment to them much earlier and before his death and resurrection. Speaking of the time when he would return, Jesus said:

‘But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.’ [Matthew 24.36,37]

The days of Noah
The words of Jesus direct us to consider the events that led up to the great flood of Noah’s day. We read in the first book of the Bible:

‘The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.’ [Genesis 6.11-13]

That description of the earth at the time of Noah could so easily be applied to the world of today. There is violence and corruption almost everywhere. In some countries, it is the violence of war and internal civil strife. It often involves corruption at the highest levels of authority whether in government or the world of business. In other countries, it is the ongoing effect of years of division and resentment. Elsewhere, violence is the result of the sinful craving for drugs and the need to raise money to pay for the next ‘fix’. Others, in the name of religion, see warfare as their means of achieving martyrdom at the expense of their own lives, as well as the lives of others.

Do we live in days like those of the times of Noah? It seems more than likely that we do and, if that is the case, then the return of Jesus Christ to the earth cannot be far away. It will be the time when God will once again intervene in the affairs of the world to rid it of that violence and corruption.

Noah gave his neighbours the opportunity to repent from their wickedness and follow his example. None heeded his call until the waters began to rise and his ark, which he built in the face of their derision, started to float. Then, his neighbours called on him to rescue them, but it was too late. The door of the ark was shut and sealed by God. Apart from Noah and his family, there was to be no escape from the rising waters.

With the 'signs of the times' now indicating that the return of Jesus is near, now is the time to turn to God and to follow the teaching and example of Jesus. His coronation is not far away and he will soon dispense wise judgement. Now is the time to pledge allegiance to him. One day it will be too late to do so. Those who prefer the corruption and violence of today’s world, and who put their trust in the monarchs and rulers of this age, will find that they may have no escape from the destruction that will be necessary before the reign of Jesus begins.

As we marked the jubilee of Queen Elizabeth with respect and gratitude, let us look forward with hope to the time when it will be appropriate to use the words of the composer Handel in relation to the coronation of God’s son on David’s throne in Jerusalem:

‘May the king live for ever.’