Sunday followed the story of Philip Sharp or "King Philip" to his followers.

Once a DJ with Jewish act Banana Splitz, Sharp became a Rabbi, married and had five children. But when his marriage went bad he says he received a message from God, saying that he wanted Sharp to become an Old Testament Hebrew king.

Now Sharp has seven wives, one of which is a New Zealander by the name of Margot, with whom he has three children.

"Either I'm a deluded idiot or I'm telling the truth, you know," he says.

At sundown on Friday, Sharp, his wives and their children begin the Sabbath, the day of devotion and rest, at a home where he calls himself a king.  Yet his kingdom is a simple suburban home in Brighton with three dogs, five children, and seven wives.

"Seven wives is part of me fulfilling a biblical understanding," he says.

The wives - Havah, Hannah, Karen, Vreni, Tracey, Judith and Kiwi woman Margot, all share everything with Sharp, including his bed.

"That's their choice...we must make that really clear you know, they chose to come," he says.

They believe Sharp is a prophet chosen by God to bring the ancient Hebrew scriptures to life.

Like the patriachs of old, Sharp and his family breed horses - they run a school of natural horsemanship.

He has been teaching his wives how to ride the horses and how to control an animal much more powerful than they, saying that when you're thrown off you've got to get back on and sort out who is boss.

Sharp uses a similar technique on his wives, many of whom have had tragic relationships earlier in life.

"I am proud to say that I think all of my wives and all of my family have grown in maturity so much that they're really beginning to stand up in their own right for who they truly are."

But the word of God according to Sharp has caused much grief and wailing.

He was once a leading Rabbi preaching throughout the UK and Europe, but when he started taking wives from his congregation, his polygamy shocked the rest of his followers and his status as Rabbi was revoked.

Judith was the first of Sharp's seven wives.

Once a successful businesswoman, she now works in the family's secondhand furniture business. She says she had prayed to God for guidance.

"I said I can't do this unless I know 100% this is from you. And I got that confirmation directly myself that this was right," she says.

Six years and six more wives later, Judith has no regrets.

"I get joy from Philip being with other wives.  I honestly feel like he's with me as well, that's part of being together," she says.

Sharp may be kind, but beware the fire and brimstone if he thinks his flock has strayed.

The Old Testament says that if a wife does not find favour in her husband's eyes he can send her from his house.

Wife Tracey had been banished from the family home and her daughter for months, but Sharp recently decided her time in the wilderness was over.

New Zealand woman Margot, was the fifth of Sharp's wives.

She says if she decided she didn't want to live in the relationship anymore, her three children would have to remain with Sharp.

"The children belong to the father. That's the biblical order of God.  I'd have to leave the children here.  Even though it would be difficult I would choose to do that," Margot says.

But at the moment Ellie, Abigaile and newborn Nathaniel are happy at home with their mother and father.

Margot met Sharp when she went to England 16 years ago, but they were not romantically linked until he already had four wives.

"We didn't have a marriage ceremony or anything, we just came together and became intimate with each other and that was just the marriage, and that's how they were married in the bible," she says.

"I think at the end of the day, you've just got to trust God in him, and I do trust God in him, because I see his innocence that he has."

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