How influential is royalty? Before September 8, it would have been easy to underestimate the importance of royalty in the modern world. Britain’s monarchy didn’t seem all that important to most people. Many, it seemed, considered the royal family archaic and unnecessary.

And then Queen Elizabeth ii died.

The reaction to this event was extraordinary. The outpouring of emotion and support for the Queen and her family from people around the world was overwhelming. More than 4 billion people watched her funeral. In England, people waited in line for more than 24 hours to walk past the Queen’s coffin and pay their respects. Britain’s royal family dominated the headlines for weeks. Across the nation, people of all races, ages and religions gathered in the streets and pubs to remember the Queen and proudly sing “God Save the King.”

No person in recent memory has moved so many people so powerfully! For a brief moment, the nation was united in its grief, praise and adoration of the royal family.

Britain’s royal family has many problems and a lot of dysfunction. But even in this tragic, debilitated state—and even though God’s promise to King David is no longer perpetuated through this family—the royal family still has the power to influence billions. Doesn’t this reveal the divine nature and history of Britain’s monarchy, and the tremendous influence royalty can have on people?

Imagine the impact Jesus Christ and His Bride—a perfect royal couple—will have on people in the coming Kingdom of God?

Your Royal Calling

The Millennium begins with the most epic wedding ever: the royal marriage of Jesus Christ to His Bride. “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready” (Revelation 19:7).

For those in God’s Church, this wedding, together with our resurrection and transformation into spirit, will be the greatest moment of our lives. It will mark a tremendous personal accomplishment and the culmination of years and decades of intense preparation and growth. Nothing you could experience in this life will come close to arousing the joy and satisfaction of this moment. The trial you are now enduring—the one God is using to build your character and faith—you will look back on as a great blessing.

This royal marriage is our destiny, and it is important for us to meditate on this astonishing future. Without this vision, we will perish under the pressure of Satan’s constant bombardment.

But this royal marriage is much more than an individual reward and an amazing personal accomplishment. The royal wedding between Jesus Christ and His Bride is the foundational event in the establishment of the Kingdom of God on Earth—and ultimately the universe!

Every human alive at the end of the Day of the Lord will be impacted by this royal marriage. So too will every human born during the Millennium—and humans resurrected 1,000 years later in the second resurrection. Your marriage to Jesus Christ is going to impact the universe—for eternity.

In The New Throne of David, Gerald Flurry writes about the change God has made in the Davidic covenant and the impact this should have on us: “We have been given a great gift and a clear vision of what God wants us to do. It is going to make God’s new civilization come alive for us! This is a preview of the World Tomorrow! Jesus Christ is about to return and marry His Bride. She will sit on David’s throne and assist Christ in ruling this Earth forever and ever. Our rulership will flow out into the universe, and there will be no end to the government and the peace that it will bring to this Earth and the universe” (emphasis added throughout).

Isaiah 9:6-7 are a prophecy about Jesus Christ ruling Earth as King of kings from the throne of David: “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.”

But remember, Jesus doesn’t rule alone: He has a wife ruling alongside Him on the throne of David. The whole Earth, and eventually the entire universe, will look to this royal couple who sits on the throne of David!

It can be difficult to comprehend this reality. Most of us probably don’t feel too royal most of the time. And none of us at this moment possesses the wealth, power or material splendor that comes with royalty.

We can deepen our understanding of our future ruling with Christ from the throne of David by examining the role played by the throne of David in the world’s most successful and benevolent Empire. “God gives us many examples to get our minds on the World Tomorrow,” wrote Mr. Flurry. “Even Solomon’s reign was a type of the wonderful World Tomorrow. And I believe that, in a way, the great British Empire gives us good insight into what is about to come on the Earth!” (Royal Vision, January-February 2015).

There are many reasons the British Empire was so exceptional, not the least of which is the fact that it was prophesied by God to Abraham (Genesis 12 and 17). But within that Empire, one institution played a defining role. It was, in fact, the beating heart of that vast Empire, an indispensable organ that injected life throughout the realm.

Herbert W. Armstrong explained what it was: “… Britain’s empire spread around the world …. [A] company, or commonwealth, of nations joined together, not by legal government, but solely by the throne of David!” (The United States and Britain in Prophecy).

The same will be true in the World Tomorrow: All humanity will be joined together by the throne of David!

The British Commonwealth

The British Commonwealth of Nations is a political association of 56 member states, most of which are former territories of the British Empire. About one third of the world’s population—more than 2.4 billion people—are members of the Commonwealth. Within the Commonwealth are more than 40 languages, six large religions and dozens of ethnic groups.

Created in 1931, the Commonwealth of Nations was established to foster unity and cooperation between member states, to advance trade and social development, and to protect democratic values and human rights. Queen Elizabeth ii shared the vision of the Commonwealth beautifully in 1953. The Commonwealth, she said, represented “an entirely new conception—built on the highest qualities of the spirit of man: friendship, loyalty and the desire for freedom and peace.”

If the Commonwealth ever accomplished its goal, it would, in many respects, create a millennial environment. This is not going to happen in this world. But still, the Commonwealth’s achievements were remarkable, especially considering the enormous challenges it faced. The Commonwealth is incredibly diverse, composed of many disparate countries, cultures and races. The United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia and Canada are all Christian and predominately Caucasian. The Commonwealth joined these countries with nations such as Botswana, Malawi, Nigeria, Zambia, India, Bangladesh, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Tonga and other countries with different races, cultures, traditions and religions.

There are more issues dividing and separating Commonwealth nations than uniting them. Nevertheless, a special kinship, a brotherhood, bound all these nations and peoples together! In the past especially, there was considerable cooperation and interaction, and some truly great accomplishments.

Who or what was responsible for fostering the harmony and cooperation in this massive collection of disparate nations, peoples and cultures?

It was the British monarchy, the throne of David!

Meditate on this statement from historian Frances Donaldson. He was writing about the impact of the prince of Wales on the British Empire in the early 20th century: “The emotions felt for England could never be explained merely by political or economic advantage, and there is no doubt that the monarchy was the greatest single influence in welding the disparate nations together and in creating the feeling of integration and patriotism which was so remarkable and so spontaneous in both of the world wars” (Edward viii: The Road to Abdication).

The monarchy welded the British Commonwealth together. The various peoples of the Commonwealth were united in their affection for the monarchy. It will be the same in the World Tomorrow!

It doesn’t happen today, but there was a time when schoolchildren throughout the Commonwealth—from Australia to Canada, Zambia to Jamaica—began the day by raising the Union Jack and singing “God Save the Queen.” This powerful tradition bonded the peoples of the Commonwealth together.

A retired nurse, a member of the Philadelphia Church of God in Cyprus (a Commonwealth member), had an interesting experience. At the beginning of her career, she was selected to be part of a program called the “The Commonwealth Fellowship.” The program selected 12 people from 12 different Commonwealth countries. The group included teachers, librarians, health-care workers and lawyers. They spent four weeks meeting together and visiting leaders of Commonwealth countries, including Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace.

“We listened to the different problems in different countries, then each one of us would see how their country could help with advice,” this lady told me. This program “was creating links between professionals from Commonwealth countries and promoting the exchange of experiences and ideas and solutions.”

What a noble project: people from different races and nations, different parts of the world, visiting one another, collaborating to solve problems, developing rehabilitation programs, sharing technology and information, and serving and helping one another. There were hundreds of programs like this across the Commonwealth in its heyday. And all of it facilitated and presided over by Queen Elizabeth ii.

The Royal Tour

If you have ever lived in a Commonwealth country, you will be familiar with the royal tour. This is when the King or Queen, or another high-ranking monarch, visits one of the Commonwealth nations. I still remember when Elizabeth ii visited Australia in the early 1980s. The entire nation was glued to the television, mesmerized. Thousands of well-wishers lined the streets hoping to glimpse Her Majesty. The tv networks and papers fixated on her every move and gesture. For those few days, the entire country came together to marvel at our Queen and the wonderful Empire and system of values she embodied.

Regarding “the semi-divine nature of its monarchy,” Farewell the Trumpet states: “for the Empire was grand above all in the idea of it, in the grand illusion of permanence and paramountcy. Its strongest loyalties were loyalties to the crown, or a throne, or a way, or a duty, or a heritage, and all over the world people responded to its call emotionally, out of their hearts.”

During the British Empire’s zenith, Queen Victoria and the monarchy—the throne of David—were practically objects of worship. “In India, citizens on ceremonial occasions bowed low before her portrait, which was veiled from the eyes of lesser citizens. The Queen was seen as the direct spiritual successor of the Moguls. Even the estranged Irish received the Queen with reverence when she visited Dublin soon after the Great Famine. The Sioux and Cree of the Canadian wilderness hailed her as the White Mother, the ultimate squaw, hitherto personified chiefly by mountain peaks, particularly imposing pine trees or spectral bison. Australian aboriginals regarded the power of the throne with an almost superstitious veneration” (ibid).

Among many people, this behavior was outright idolatry. They worshiped the Queen and her family, not God—and this is sin. Nonetheless, it still reveals the power of royalty to move, impact and inspire millions of people divided by race, language, religion and culture!

Mr. Flurry has drawn our attention to this quote from James Anthony Froude about the ability of Britain’s monarchy and empire to inspire its subjects. “A man … who is more than himself, who is part of an institution, who has devoted himself to a cause—or is a citizen of an imperial power—expands to the scope and fullness of the larger organism; and the grander the organization, the larger and more important the unit that knows that he belongs to it. His thoughts are wider, his interests less selfish, his ambitions ampler and nobler. … A great nation makes great men, a small nation makes little men” (Oceana).

The royal tour had this effect on people. A visit from the Queen, with all the requisite pomp and pageantry, made the host population, no matter who they were or how far from England, feel part of something bigger than themselves—bigger than their nation. They felt part of the greatest family and Empire on Earth!

Across the Commonwealth, the presence and influence of the throne of David was ubiquitous.

As I was growing up, my mother would quip at the dinner table, “Would you eat like that if the Queen were eating with us?” We lived on the other side of the world from the Queen, but she had a presence in our home.

People need the presence of royalty in their lives. “And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers: And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left” (Isaiah 30:20-21).

In the presence of royalty, a person’s behavior and conduct changes. His mind and motivations expand to the “scope and fullness of the larger organism.”

Pomp and Circumstance

No one does pageantry like the British monarchy. This was evident at the funeral of Queen Elizabeth ii, which was deeply moving. Many today mock the pomp and circumstance associated with the throne of David; they complain that it is expensive, archaic and offensive. But the royal pageantry serves an important purpose.

The magnificent palaces and estates; the expensive, fine-quality clothing; the banquets, fanfare and ceremony; the intricate paraphernalia and traditions—it all reflects the majesty, perfection and quality of the throne of David! It points people to the institution and the majestic role and history of the monarchy. It points people to the vision embodied in the monarchy.

And above all, it points people to God, the supreme Being behind the throne of David!

Think back to Queen Elizabeth’s great ancestor, King Solomon, and the visit he received from the queen of Sheba. 1 Kings 10 shows there was plenty of pomp and circumstance during this visit. “And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom. Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard. Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom” (verses 6-8). This queen was impressed by King Solomon’s material wealth and beauty.

But the effect on this queen went far beyond the physical. After what she witnessed, she stated, “Blessed be the Lord thy God, which delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel: because the Lord loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee king, to do judgment and justice” (verse 9). Solomon’s physical splendor introduced this Gentile queen to an astonishing spiritual reality. She actually saw the one true God behind the royal throne and empire!

This is the supreme purpose of the pomp and pageantry associated with the throne of David. It is there, not to satisfy the vanity of a human king or queen, but as physical evidence of God’s presence!

Verse 10 shows that the queen was so moved by what she experienced, she showered King Solomon with gifts. The queen of Sheba was an impressive royal in her own right, but she wanted to be a part of Solomon’s empire! This is what the throne of David is all about: inspiring and motivating people to want to join the God Family Empire!

God’s Commonwealth of Nations

Remember why the British Commonwealth and royal family are worth studying: “The great British Empire gives us good insight into what is about to come on the Earth!” Together with Jesus Christ, you are going to sit on the very same throne and rule the Earth!

Daniel 7:13-14 describe this future: “I continued watching … and saw in the clouds of the heavens one who was like a Son of Man, who advanced to the Splendour of Time, and was introduced to him, and he gave him a Dominion, and Glory, and Kingship; —and all Nations, and Peoples, and Languages bowed to him. His Dominion will dominate forever, and not pass away, and his Empire will not be destroyed” (Ferrar Fenton).

God is going to create another Commonwealth of Nations, one ruled over by Jesus Christ and His Bride! In the World Tomorrow, a number of factors will converge to create peace and unity. Satan the devil will be locked away. God’s law of love will be taught and enforced. Mankind will speak one language and practice one religion. But all these factors will be controlled and administered by Jesus Christ and His Bride—from the throne of David!

“Then the Tribunal will sit, and its Dominion will be terminated, and destroyed, and abolished completely, when the Empire, and Dominion and Grandeur of the Empire under the whole heavens, will be given to the Holy People of the Most High. His Empire is an eternal Empire, and all Dominions shall be subject to, and serve, Him.—There is the end of these affairs” (verses 26-27; Ferrar Fenton). The language is so regal!

We must see our royal destiny. This isn’t easy, but God wants us to think and behave like royalty. He wants us to revolve our lives around the throne of David and the royal Family today. Why? Because before humanity can build their lives around the throne of David, the people who will sit on that throne must build their lives around it!

We must use God’s Spirit to lift ourselves out of the present—out of the pain, the frustrations, the trials, whatever they might be—and see that we are part of something much larger and more important. Mankind needs hope, education, right knowledge, peace, vision, motivation and inspiration. Every human needs a queen of Sheba moment. And it will be our responsibility as Christ’s Bride on the throne of David to provide this!

“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 33:15). Are you ready to impact humanity the way Britain’s royal family once did? Are you ready to preside over programs designed to foster unity and collaboration among the disparate peoples of the realm?

Are you ready to engage in some pomp and circumstance? Not for personal gratification, but to help people look to Jesus Christ and God the Father. Will there be some sort of global anthem that schoolchildren in the World Tomorrow will sing, one that praises the throne of David in Jerusalem?

This is why God has put the throne of David in this Church today. He wants us to understand who we are and why we are here. He wants us to learn to think and behave like royalty.

“This is mind-staggering revelation,” writes Mr. Flurry in The New Throne of David. The presence of the throne of David in this Church gives us a glimpse into the Millennium. “Jesus Christ is about to return and marry His Bride. She will sit on David’s throne and assist Christ in ruling this Earth forever and ever. Our rulership will flow out into the universe, and there will be no end to the government and the peace that it will bring to this Earth and the universe.”

We are about to embark on the greatest royal tour ever, one that will take us to the deepest depths of the universe.