*And was the Holy Lamb of God, on England's Pleasant Pastures Seen?
Seemingly specious, speculative theories abound - as to whether **'Jesus the Anointed/Messiah[i.e. 'Christ']', in His many and various historically-annotated/attested/documented re(-appearances) to 'one and all'' post-Resurrection, alongside His specially chosen/designated 'twelve'/disciples/apostles, such as Thomas, Philip et al, turned up in such vastly-disparate areas/places as:
*India - c/o the no longer doubting Thomas
*the US of A [aka standard Mormon doctrine] to the American Indians
*England
Such suppositions are, as I've acknowledged, purely speculative; no hard-and-fast, ironclad, incontrovertible and verifiable evidence - anywhere - is available to lay to rest, to establish one way or another and once and for all any (and indeed every) such rumour, fanciful imagining or set of olden time 'alternative facts'. Which of course has never prevented all sorts of folks here, there and everywhere from continually indulging in such idle if fascinating albeit generally unprofitable discussion.
But, at least in terms of the United Kingdom, if not more precisely England and its pre-industrial, indeed pre-feudal society and landscape, while again such a theorem is very intriguing, it is naturally enough more the product of a vivid imagination than anything tenable. However, while not literally adhering to such a spiritual concept, let me add the following addendum (to explain where I'm at thereabouts): could it nevertheless be that the evidently 2,500-some year dispersed ancient nation/kingdom of Israel - contemporaneous then with the fellow kingdom/nation of Judah (in Judaea) - did indeed, eventually, 'end up' in what today is known as the United Kingdom/British Isles, alongside many other European-wide destinations?
Well, I anyhow believe the answer is a categorical, unequivocal 'Yes!' (The reason, indeed, I'm posting this today, weirdly enough scribbled out in rough copy a few hours or so prior to hearing midday of yet another awful attack upon the British, in their age-old capital of London, the setting historically of so much tragic conflict and other unpleasant major happenings.)
But having now thoroughly sated your curiosity, I must add the following: having now (a second time) been studying/'studied out' all the be-alls and end-alls, the whys and the wherefores, the ins and outs (and inside outs - and probably outside ins!), in other words the essential guts (and entrails) of this theory, I really cannot do any better or even otherwise than simply acknowledge (and advocate) the careful and prayerful reading/study/perusal of a book by a (once) fairly well-known Bible student, an individual whose famous Plain Truth magazine has found its way into many a letterbox over preceding decades throughout the Western World in particular.
Though certainly not and never a member of ***this man's church, nor either an adherent, open or secret, of all his/his denomination's many and various doctrines, I make no apology whatsoever in declaring that I will readily embrace truth in all its many and variegated manifestations - just as my Master did - wherever and whenever I (happen to) stumble upon or across it. But since the tome's own cross-examination and delineation and exposition of this very interesting and significant, but hey, generally overlooked if not 'positively' ignored Bible topic is thorough, ever-so-logical and well-articulated, I cannot but 'say' "Adieu" now, and suggest interested readers obtain - however they can - a copy of the hopefully unrevised (as it needs no revision) book appropriately entitled The United States and Britain in Bible Prophecy, by the now long-deceased Herbert W Armstrong of the one-time Worldwide Church of God.
And may I add, as someone once (one-four decades back) acquainted with a Church of God member, and moreover hearing through the grapevine while a missionary volunteer in Tasmania, Australia, 18-19 years ago, of the Church's breakup (after Armstrong's death and his son's elevation to denominational leadership I believe) into multiple, multitudinous offshoots, that the essential basis of a significant part of said denomination's welcoming back and re-acceptance into the American evangelical church fold subsequently, based as it evidently was upon its reassessing and revoking and otherwise 'revamping' of some of its basic, fundamental, foundational doctrines, and hence its disavowal of some well-established and sound biblical truth/s upon such matters as the perpetuity and continued obligation of the eternal Moral Law of God - as handed down to humanity via Moses at Mount Sinai - is/was reprehensible - in the extreme - by those who thus partook in such an unwarranted and unscriptural change, and moreover betrayal of sacred truth bequeathed to that Church (while under Armstrong's leadership).
That is, it was a betrayal of sacred trusts for those of Armstrong's successors who thus resiled from fundamental and well-established biblical truth in order to be accepted back into the mainstream evangelical Christian community, in its global centre (as per most denominations, including my own) - i.e. the United States of America. Indeed, as someone I and fellow denominational believers - and Scripture itself for that matter - might have put it, be all means and as far and often as possible let there be a putting away of relatively minor, ultimately rather inconsequential differences in order to maintain and re-obtain if necessary the harmony and unity in the faith that our Lord and Saviour prayed for and characterized as the hallmark and signpost of true believers...whenever and wherever at all possible. But equally, where there is incontrovertibly, not merely deviance from but open, undeniable, clear and obvious departure and even apostasy from 'the faith once delivered unto the saints' by the Christian Church's Lord and Saviour and His hand-picked apostles and prophets, as another prophetically-inspired person has put it: 'Let there be division and even ****[spiritual] war.'
After all (is said and done), and as the classic old-time hymn, 'Once to Every Man and Nation', so aptly and beautifully expresses the matter, the truth is too important to be traded in for trifles and worldly trinkets. And it will stand, just like the eternal word of the Lord, when all else round about falls (into oblivion). Or as another has also well put it: the truth will (ultimately) out. Yes, whatever it cost Christ Jesus' disciple in this life.
*Evidently from the old classic 'Jerusalem', which we sang - among others - while at (Balmacewen) Intermediate here in Dunedin, from our little school assembly hymnal.
**My thanks to those wonderful, inspired and inspiring folk - of Small Cords Press fame - i.e. George & Eileen Anderson, co-authors of such literary gems as Beyond Magic, Beyond The Mark, Beyond Anarchy, Beyond Murphy's Law, and Beyond Small Cords - at least! (For explaining how this term and others have (arguably) been 'massaged' and otherwise re-engineered to suit less than theologically accurate, and moreover less than spiritually faithful, motives and agendas; among much else.)
***Though now associated with, indeed a member (for over three decades)
of a denomination sharing some very significant and important doctrinal
commonalities.
****In concert with the long-established practice of the Early Church (for the first few centuries of its existence), my own denomination and a number of others - not only the Quakers or Religious Society of Friends (in which Yours Truly was raised), as popularly believed - are convinced that a Christian has no place engaging in worldly wars of imperialism and conquest; and lesser still in fighting fellow believers! (The infamous 'Just War' doctrine can be discussed another day, but suffice it for now to declare that much done in the name of religion has never remotely had the Christian Church's explicit or implicit approval or sanction.)
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