Daily Tidbits 11/2/26 – James K. Polk

On this date, 11/2/1795, James K. Polk was born. In the Presidents Code, James Polk’s Presidency displays Noah and his family surviving the Flood. The Presidents Code is a parable based upon the name meanings of the U.S. Presidents. Their name meanings tell the story of the Biblical text, from the beginning of creation unto the days of Christ. Based upon the premise of this code, it is seen that the very characters of the Presidents, from their personal characters to the events that occurred during their Presidencies reveal in parable form the exact same events of the Biblical narrative of which their name meanings describe. In other words, the history of the United States is displaying a giant parable of the Word of God.

President James K. Polk
Democrat 3/4/1845-3/4/1849

The 1844 election saw the first ‘dark horse’ candidate in history become President in James Polk. Incumbent President John Tyler had been ousted from the Whig Party leading to Henry Clay becoming their nominee for the third time. President Tyler ran as a third party candidate in the newly formed National Democratic party but withdrew due to lack of support and appeals from Democrats including Andrew Jackson. Former President Martin Van Buren initially had the lead in delegates for the Democratic nomination but was not able to obtain the nomination because he did not support annexation of Texas.

On the 8th ballot, James K. Polk threw his hat into the ring and gained the nomination of the party on the 9th ballot as Van Buren withdrew from the race and put his support behind him. Polk supported annexation of Texas and the expansion of the U.S. to the Oregon territory which the Democratic party desired. Annexation of Texas was the issue which John Tyler ran upon for re-election and when he dropped out he put his full support behind James Polk, leading to Polk defeating Clay in a close election.

The meaning of James K. Polk’s name is speaking of God’s people prevailing over adversity. This is depicted in Noah and his family surviving the Flood. Noah would have been considered a ‘dark horse’ who rose from obscurity to being the leader of all of mankind after the Flood.

James comes from the Hebrew name Jacob which means a supplanter or heel grabber, the one who has power with God and with men and prevails (Genesis 32:27-28).

Genesis 32:27 And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.
Genesis 32:28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.

It is interesting to note that in Genesis 32:28, the word ‘prevailed’ comes from the Hebrew word יכל ‘yakol’ which also means a vessel, as in the ark of Noah.

Knox is a Scottish surname which comes from the Old English ‘cnocc’ meaning ’round hill.’ Polk was the Speaker of the House during Martin Van Buren’s Presidency, this name was a picture of the victory of the Seed of the woman on Calvary. As President, the parable moves to the victory seen on the mountains of Ararat.

Polk is an abbreviated form of the Scottish name Pollack, meaning ‘from the pool or pit’ tracing back further to the Gaelic word ‘poll’ meaning a ‘pool.’ In German, Polk means ‘great glory’ (Psalm 29:10). The great Glory of God is revealed through the Flood when Noah and family are saved by being raised out of the pit (Psalm 93:1-5; 69:15; Genesis 7:18).

Here we see a picture of the flood where the ark finally sets upon a ’round hill,’ the mountains of Ararat (Genesis 8:4). On Ararat, Noah and family prevail with God and are brought up from the pit/abyss. The great Glory of God is revealed through the Flood as the wicked are destroyed and the righteous are saved (Psalm 93:1-5; 69:15; 96:2-3; 98:1-3, 8-9; Genesis 7:18).

The Presidency of James Polk is a picture of Noah and his family surviving the Flood and the following events of their life on dry land. However, Scripture does not give a lot of detail of the lives of Noah and his sons following the Flood.

There is but one short account of Noah planting a vineyard and the cursing of Canaan due to the dishonor of his father Ham when he looked upon the nakedness of Noah. This shameful act of Ham is described as a type of impurity (Leviticus 20:11, 24-26). The Flood had purified the corruption of the earth which made Ham’s actions all the more wicked. It is interesting to note that the Presidency of James Polk was described as being Puritan in nature. The previous Presidency of John Tyler was described as being full of gaiety as the White House was used to entertain large amounts of guests. The Polk’s were of Presbyterian faith which frowned upon such activities and ended the revelry of the previous administration.

In his Inaugural Address, James Polk made a reference to the Constitution as the “chart” by which he would direct his actions. This language points to navigation upon the seas, a clear reference to the ark of Noah.

“The Constitution itself, plainly written as it is, the safeguard of our federative compact, the offspring of concession and compromise, binding together in the bonds of peace and union this great and increasing family of free and independent States, will be the chart by which I shall be directed.”

The Constitution is the law of the land, corresponding with God’s law. Interestingly, Jesus links the law of God with Noah’s ark in His sermon on the mount. He speaks of those who do the will of the Father as entering into the Kingdom of Heaven in which the door is shut preventing the wicked from entering (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 13:25-27). This was foreshadowed during Noah’s days as the Lord shut the door to the ark, saving Noah and his family while the wicked were destroyed in the waters of the Flood (Genesis 7:16). Jesus then makes a strong connection to the Flood as He speaks of those who walk in His Word as those who build a house upon a rock in which flood waters cannot prevail (Matthew 7:24-27).

In his Inaugural Address, Polk makes another connection to the Flood and Noah as he speaks of Americans as one family. So too, all of mankind is from one family. From Noah’s sons all the peoples of the earth would come forth (Genesis 10:1, 32).

“To secure a continuance of that devotion the compromises of the Constitution must not only be preserved, but sectional jealousies and heartburnings must be discountenanced, and all should remember that they are members of the same political family, having a common destiny. “

Polk recognized God in his first “state of the union” address to Congress saying that Americans should humbly acknowledge His favor as the source of their liberty. This corresponds with Noah who humbly acknowledge God after the Flood with sacrifices (Genesis 8:20-21).

“It becomes us, in humility, to make our devout acknowledgments to the Supreme Ruler of the Universe, for the inestimable civil and religious blessings with which we are favored.” {First Annual Message to Congress – 12/2/1845}

Like John Tyler, not much is written of Polk’s faith. The only quote which is given comes from Polk’s own mouth and was recorded by a man named Theodore Parker who was a famous minister of the day.

“Theodore Parker says that on his deathbed he acknowledged that his good works had been as ‘filthy rags.’ But he was safely on board ‘the old ship of Zion before she weighed anchor and spread her sails for the Elysian fields.” {The Religious Beliefs Of Our Presidents – Franklin Steiner}

Yet again, the obscurity of his beliefs are magnified by this one quote in connection to the theme of his Presidency lining up with the Flood of Noah and the salvation of man through it. The filthy rags of man were washed by the Flood, saved through the ark, the ‘old ship Zion,’ which landed upon the mountains of Ararat, the ‘Elysian fields.’

In Roman mythology, the Elysian fields were the final resting place of the righteous. They were the heathen’s version of Paradise (Luke 16:23-31). This picture is further strengthened by the meaning of the word Ararat in Hebrew. אררט ”ararat’ is defined as ‘the curse reversed.’ The reversal of the curse was prophesied to come by Noah when his father named him (Genesis 5:29). The true ‘reversal of curse’ will happen when the Kingdom of Heaven comes (Revelation 22:3).

This Heavenly Kingdom is spoken of as ‘mother Zion’ in Scripture, the Jerusalem above (Galatians 4:26; Revelation 21:2, 10-27). This further connects to Polk’s Presidency as he was a strong advocate of the doctrine of ‘Manifest Destiny’ which led to partial acquisition of the Oregon territory from Britain. After the Flood, God commanded Noah and his family to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth (Genesis 9:1, 7), the acquisition of new lands by the United States during the Polk Presidency corresponds with this call.

The origin of the word ‘Oregon’ comes from the French word ‘ouragan’ which means windstorm or hurricane. This was applied to the Oregon country based upon the ‘Chinook winds’ which occur in the Western part of the United States. Here again is the picture of the Flood of Noah portrayed, as well as the winds which passed upon the earth causing the waters to abate and the ark to rest upon the top of the mountains of Ararat (Genesis 8:1-4).

It was the time of the Manifest Destiny that the territory of the United States expanded to the Pacific Ocean. From ‘sea to shining sea.’ This phrase, was popularized in the song ‘America the Beautiful,’ which came from the music ‘Materna.’ Materna was also known as ‘O Mother Dear, Jerusalem,’ a hymn written by a Scottish theologian named David Dickson who lived in the 17th century.

Manifest Destiny was an idea that Americans were destined to expand across the North American continent and spread their goodness to the rest of the world. This connects to the call of God to Noah and his family to be ‘fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth’ (Genesis 9:1).

John Quincy Adams was one of the earliest proponents of the idea of Manifest Destiny.
“The whole continent of North America appears to be destined by Divine Providence to be peopled by one nation, speaking one language, professing one general system of religious and political principles, and accustomed to one general tenor of social usages and customs. For the common happiness of them all, for their peace and prosperity, I believe it is indispensable that they should be associated in one federal Union.” {Promised land, crusader state: the American encounter with the world since 1776 – Walter A. McDougall}

Adams connects the idea of one nation, speaking one language and of one religion. This was the state of man after the Flood, continuing to the days of the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1).

Aside from the purchase of a part of Oregon country, the other major part of Polk’s administration was the annexation of Texas which led to the Mexican-American war and the Mexican Cession of 1848 where Mexico ceded to the U.S. a large portion of the Southwest.

The meaning of the name Texas comes from the word ‘taysha’ in the Caddoan language of the Hasinai, an Eastern Texas Indian tribe. The word means ‘friends’ or ‘allies.’ This connects to the account of Noah planting a vineyard after the Flood as the Old English word for friend was actually ‘wine.’

Genesis 9:20 And Noah, a man of the ground, began and planted a vineyard.

Review

The Presidency of James Polk is a picture of the deliverance of Noah and his family from the judgment of the Flood. The waters subsided and Noah and family were able to walk on the dry ground again where Noah, the famous one, planted a vineyard.

Polk’s Presidency was described as being Puritan in nature, corresponding with the purification of the earth that occurred by the Flood. The doctrine of the Manifest Destiny came about during his Presidency, a picture of the command to Noah and his family to be fruitful and multiply.

For more on the parable of the Presidents Code: