Course Content
Historically, the London Bridge was the foundation of London as a city, and England as a country. Much like this bridge that brought a country together, the monarchy has served as the glue of a nation. Queen Elizabeth II has represented that monarchy for over 70 years; her death represents a change in the monarchy.
Queen Elizabeth II recently died at age 96, after more than 70 years on the throne of Great Britain. Years ago, frankly soon after she became Queen, plans were made for her funeral; and as these developed through the years, the name “Operation London Bridge” (also known as its code phrase, “London Bridge is Down”) was put into place in the event of her death. Her death would be announced with that phrase, “London Bridge is Down.” It’s an apt name for such a major event that we just witnessed and lived through.
London Bridge, when you understand it historically, is how London even became a city, growing out of a bunch of mud huts more than 1,200 years ago. And it became a significant city and brought together what would become England.
The decision to use this title for the Queen and her death is significant and symbolic. The monarchy has literally been the glue that held together England, Great Britain, the United Kingdom, and at one time an entire empire, now a Commonwealth. And there’s a significance in London Bridge all the way through this.
We know that God changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding (Daniel 2:21). In Daniel 2 when he was giving an interpretation to the dream of Nebuchadnezzar. With the death of Queen Elizabeth II, we can see that indeed the times are changing as a new king takes up his charge.
The Queen’s son, Prince Charles becomes King Charles III. And there is a sense that we are looking at a passing of an era, the change from one time to another. A wise person will seek to understand the changes that accompany this wind that has now blown across England, impacting many of us in the world as we have witnessed this event.
Great Britain has long ceased to be an empire; that began to unravel soon after the Queen took the throne. She presided over this, the dismantling of the empire of Great Britain, but she was able to cobble together the Commonwealth and keep former colonies and countries in a cooperative collaborative arrangement that endures to this very day.
London, through it all, has been a significant city, helping to keep not only the United Kingdom together, but in more recent years, becoming a financial center for Europe and the world. And even with Brexit taking place as it did in recent years, Great Britain leaving the European Union, London continues to be a financial center for much of the world. And that too is an interesting matter tolook at when you consider the monarchy, the queen, now the king, London, England, and everything that is taking place.
Wealth is at the heartbeat of a nation and London has served as the financial center, the heartbeat if you will, as a great world city, throughout many changes in the world. Its relationships with the United States and with Europe has been a very interesting story to follow, but through it all, London stands and is still there. The monarchy still stands even with, in this case, London Bridge by code, is down with the death of the Queen.
The death of Queen Elizabeth II is a significant event for us to understand within world politics. But, more importantly, it is something to understand within the context of what Daniel said there in Daniel 2, that God sets up kings and God determines the course of nations. Understanding this from a biblical worldview is very, very critical. God does determine the times of nations. We’ve watched more than the death of a world figure, we witnessed a moment of significant change. We must be willing to watch and understand from a biblical worldview and we will be enriched for it.
Darris McNeely works at the United Church of God home office in Cincinnati, Ohio. He and his wife, Debbie, have served in the ministry for more than 43 years. They have two sons, who are both married, and four grandchildren. Darris is the Associate Media Producer for the Church. He also is a resident faculty member at the Ambassador Bible Center teaching Acts, Fundamentals of Belief and World News and Prophecy. He enjoys hunting, travel and reading and spending time with his grandchildren.
