The history of these two representative characters is worth your careful study. The whole of the circumstances of Jacob blessing them must be accepted as Divinely directed. Manasseh was to be a great people, and so I believe he is. In the United States I find this promise literally fulfilled. This is the Key to the settlement of this land; to the agitations of the Pilgrims and Puritans in England. The mission, work, and place of the United States may be found in the prophecies relating to this Tribe. Let anyone examine the great seal of the United States, and study its design, and surprise will fill the mind that facts, Providence, and prophecies do so wonderfully agree. Take the obverse side. Here you have an eagle with outstretched wings; the bird is perfect, not double headed and deformed, as in other cases where the eagle has been or is the national bird. The striped escutcheon on its breast, in its beak a scroll, inscribed with a motto, “E pluribus Unum”—one out of many, as Manasseh was, and as the country is building up a grand nationality and oneness out of all nations nearly. Over the head of the eagle there is a glory—the parting of clouds by light; in the opening appear 13 stars, forming a constellation argent, on an azure field. In the dexter or right talon is an olive branch, a symbol of peace; in the sinister or left talon is a bundle of 13 arrows. But it is on the reverse side of the great seal that we have a wonder. Here we have an unfinished Pyramid; a portion of the top is gone, exactly the same as the Great Pyramid in Egypt is at this day—anticipating this very day (Isa. xix. 19): “In that day shall there be an altar to the Lord. And it shall be for a sign and for a witness unto the Lord of hosts in the land of Egypt.” Now it is somewhat singular that the Congress of 1782 should have adopted so remarkable a sign, one that would witness to God and tell of their origin. The reverse side is the under side, and shows from whence the nation came, and on what it is
built. In the zenith—that is, above the top of the Pyramid—is a triangle surrounded by a glory; and in the centre is an all-seeing eye. Over the eye we have Annuit Cœptis, which means, “He prospers our beginning.” On the base of the Pyramid we have in letters, 1776, and underneath the following motto—“Novus ordo seclorum,” meaning a “New era in the ages.” The suggestion of the items upon the great seal was from Sir John Prestwich, Bart., an Englishman. He gave the suggestions to the American Minister, John Adams, and thus the same were conveyed to Congress and adopted.
We have in the facts of the great seal a series of coincidents that connect this country with the Tribe of Manasseh. When the Tribes marched, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh went together on the West side of the ark, for their homes were Westward. On their battalion banner was the figure of a youth, denoting activity, with the motto, “The cloud of Jehovah rest on them, even when they go forth out of the camp.” Here we have the origin of the cloud on the seal. And when we remember that Manasseh was brought up at the foot of the Pyramid, and could see it from his palace home at Memphis, then we get a cue to the figure of the Pyramid on the seal. [23]
PYRAMID.
The Pyramid is a wonderful witness for God and His people. This building in Egypt has stood for 4,000 years; finished and complete, it stood for about 3,000 before anybody ventured to find a way into it. Then, at a great cost of men, money, and time, a way was forced in by an Arab chief. There surely is something remarkable that the only thing found in it should be a stone trough, and more singular to my mind, that the Ark of the Covenant and this stone trough should be of equal capacity; and the laver in which the priest washed his feet in the
temple was exactly of the same size. And Solomon’s molten sea contained just as much water as would fill the King’s Chamber in which this trough was found. Can any man know these things and believe them to be accidental? Verily not. They do most assuredly pledge a God and Providence.
EPHRAIM.
This word is not only the name of Joseph’s son and the Tribe, but it is used quite frequently in a generic sense, and stands for the Ten Tribes and Manasseh. To Reuben by birthright was the lead politically, but it was taken from him and given to Joseph, and so to Ephraim. From Judah came the Chief Ruler—that is, Christ; but the birthright was Joseph’s (1 Chron. v. 1).
THRONE OF DAVID.
To this throne God pledged under oath a perpetuity. Also He pledged that some one of David’s seed should always be on it. The throne and seed are pledged an unconditional existence. This being so, it follows that they must be now in existence, and that finally all thrones will be swallowed up by this one. Queen Victoria is of David, and the English throne is David’s. Hence all the promises and prophecies referring to David’s throne may be found on this line. For prophecy not being of private interpretation such facts may be proven.