Stone of Destiny – Edinburgh Castle
I have a personal story about “The Stone of Destiny” or “Jacob’s Pillow” that I would like to share. I have taught PowerPoint classes on “The Stone”. So, I have some knowledge of the history of “The Stone.”
I went on a solo trip to England to see London, Glastonbury and Edinburgh a few years back. From London, I took a day’s trip by train from London’s Kings Cross Station to Waverley Station in Edinburgh. I was very excited to know that I was going to see “The Stone!”
I made my way up to Edinburgh Castle and found the little room in the castle that housed “The Stone”. It had a glass covering and a guard protecting it. And no cameras allowed. So, no pictures, unfortunately.
As I stood there looking at this amazing historical Israelite heirloom, I remembered the many stories I had taught to my classes about “The Stone.”
From Jacob’s dream, while asleep with his head using “The Stone” as a pillow, he dreamt of angels ascending and descending a ladder.
Genesis Chapter 28 verses 10-18:
10) Now Jacob went out from Beersheba and went toward Haran.
11) So he came to a certain place and stayed there all night, because the sun had set. And he took one of the stones of that place and put it at his head, and he lay down in that place to sleep.
12) Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.
13) And behold, the Lord stood above it and said: “I am the Lord God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants.
14) Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south; and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.
15) Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you.”
16) Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.”
17) And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!”
18) Then Jacob rose early in the morning, and took the Stone that he had put at his head, set it up as a pillar, and poured oil on top of it.
The year was approximately 1,928 B.C. This is “The Stone of Destiny”. “The Stone” actually has 88 names! The Israelites used “The Stone” as their heirloom and used “The Stone” to lead them through the desert and was used as the pedestal for the “Ark of the Covenant” in Solomon’s temple. It stayed there until the fall of Jerusalem, when Jeremiah and Tea Tephi, the daughter of Zedekiah, the last king of Judah, took it to Ireland.
I wanted to remember the kings of ancient Israel, Ireland, Scotland and kings and queens of Britain who had their coronations and crowning while seated on “The Stone”, from King David continuously until King Charles. The only marriage to be held on “The Stone” was between King Zedekiah’s daughter Tea Tephi and the High King of Ireland in 587 B.C.
Also, there are many stories about markings that could be on “The Stone” that I could possibly see. While I was looking for these markings, I noticed almost everyone who came into this small room would say, “What is this stone?” Other than a sign outside saying that it was the “Stone of Scone” and a little description about it. I thought: I’m going to stick around and tell people about the ancient history of Jacob and “The Stone”. Well, at least until the guard tells me to leave!
Well, that never happened! The guard just stood there. So, for the next 2 hours I told the true story of Jacob and “The Stone” to everyone who came into that little room, including any other questions that were asked of me about “The Stone.”
I was so excited to tell people about “The Stone”. The “Stone of Destiny” is such a testament to our Israelite heritage. I was so enthralled being able to talk about “The Stone” and in the presence of “The Stone!” Truly a highlight of my life!
Well, the guard’s shift was ending and he came up to me and said that he was impressed with my knowledge of “The Stone” and thoroughly enjoyed listening to me. The guard told me, (whose name has slipped my mind) that he had been an Edinburgh policeman and his very last job before being given the honour of guarding “The Stone” was Sergeant of Arms for the Scottish Parliament. Wow! Incredible!
He then honoured me with an out of bounds to the public tour of Edinburgh Castle.
What an honour and privilege I was given that day. And personally, seeing a part of our Christian Israelite heritage “Jacob’s Pillow!”
Editor’s Note: After Dan Wray sent us his article on the “Stone of Destiny”, Holly Mills sent a copy of the article to David McLure, a British Israel believer in Scotland. David replied with two emails which I have combined into one article. – Rob MacDormand
Reply To The Article By Dan Wray
by David McLure (Glasgow, Scotland)
Thank you for sharing this with me. It is quite remarkable that he was allowed to spend all that time talking to the other people viewing the Stone, and having such a great rapport with the attendant.
When the Stone was at Edinburgh Castle, it was first in a small dark room, then it was moved to a brighter one, but still in a small area. The first time I tried to tell the attendant the real story of the Stone. He wasn’t at all interested! The next time in the other location, there were so many visitors that they made them queue and insisted they walk round the glass case and leave without being able to linger to look at it properly.
The Stone has been moved to a new museum in Perth, but has not been able to be viewed for several months because an Australian tried to smash the glass case and the area has to be kept sealed off as a ‘crime site’ until his trial which has still to take place. Quite ridiculous.
After I wrote to you I decided to look up the website of Perth Museum to see if there was anything further on access to the Stone being reopened. Would you believe it, there was a notice to say it re-opened on Thursday 9th October! I’m glad I checked because when I phoned the Museum at the beginning of September (as a visiting BI wanted to see the Stone) they told me they had no idea when it would re-open, but unlikely until the Australian’s trial for which there was still no date. The implication was that it could still be well into the future. So I’m so glad I checked.
I realise that some folks assume the Stone is still in Edinburgh Castle, as it was for almost 30 years, so it’s important that BI’s from overseas know it’s been moved to Perth. While entry to the museum is free of charge, if people want to see the Stone they have to book a time slot on the Museum’s website in advance of going. They have a time confirmed, and are ushered into a secure room where the Stone is in a glass case. A video is then played which makes a very brief and dismissive reference to what we believe and then goes on at length to try to ‘prove’ it’s Scottish sandstone from the Perth area. The whole commentary is laced with an anti-Englishness which reflects the fact that this obnoxious so called Scottish Government we have is run by those who want to break up the United Kingdom. So the commentary is not pleasant for Israel believers, I’m sorry to say.
