Does BREXIT Pave The Way For
Britain's Fulfillment As "Merchants of Tarshish"
BREXIT,
Britain's vote for departure from the EU on June 23, 2016, has caused some
prophecy buffs to question their end times thinking about the "REVIVED
ROMAN EMPIRE" in Bible prophecy.
In the
immediate aftermath of BREXIT, I authored an article to address this concern
entitled, BREXIT: The Biblical Perspective for the UK, US and EU.
The
article explained why Britain's exit from the EU has prophetic implications for
Ezekiel 38 and why this exit is related to Ezekiel 38 instead of the Daniel 2
and 7 prophecies concerning the Roman Empire.
This
article provides more detailed reasons as to why.
IS
AMERICA IN EZEKIEL 38?
This
commentary unpacks Ezekiel 38:13 to unmask the mysterious modern day identities
of ancient Tarshish and their young lions, or "villages" in some
translations. Additionally, it examines their specific roles within the
prophecy.
If
Tarshish is the UK and the young lions are partially represented by the USA,
then the ramifications for the future of America are staggering!
Ezekiel
38 and 39 involves at least fourteen participants in the prophecy. They are;
1.) The
Victor: God.
2.) The
(intended) Victim: Israel.
3.) The
Invaders: Magog, Meshech, Tubal, Persia, Ethiopia, Libya, Gomer, and Togarmah.
(Refer to the Ezekiel 38 map image below to find out the modern day
equivalents).
4.) The
Protestors: Sheba, Dedan, the merchants of Tarshish and their Young Lions.
The prophecy informs that, in the latter years the
invaders will attack Israel to capture plunder and booty. They covet Israel's
economic prosperity and conspire militarily to confiscate this livelihood as
part of their spoils of war.
As the victor, the Lord prevents this from
occurring by utilizing supernatural means to defeat these invaders.
Meanwhile, as the epic event unfolds, the protestors
complain about the evil intentions of the invaders. Their protests are lodged
in the questions in Ezekiel 38:13 quoted below.
Ultimately, after the invaders are conquered,
Israel graduates from being the intended victim and instead becomes the resultant
benefactor.
"Sheba,
Dedan, the merchants of Tarshish, and all their young lions will say to you,
'Have you come to take plunder? Have you gathered your army to take booty, to
carry away silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods, to take great
plunder?" (Ezekiel 38:13)
The modern day equivalents of these protestors
today are commonly understood and taught to be;
Sheba: Yemen.
Dedan: Saudi Arabia and perhaps parts of the Gulf
Cooperative Council (GCC) Arab Gulf States.
Tarshish: Either the UK or Spain.
Young Lions: Either the colonies that came from the
UK, namely North America, or the offshoots of Spain, mainly the Latin American
countries.
Ezekiel 38:13 imparts several important clues to
the reader. One of them is that the merchants (of Tarshish) are concerned about
the motives of the invaders. They are not referred to as soldiers, politicians,
athletes, entertainers, etc., but as merchants.
The Hebrew word used by Ezekiel is clearly talking
about commerce. Being labeled as merchants in Ezekiel 38:13 insinuates that at
least some of the protestors have commercial interests at stake within Israel
at the time of the Magog invasion.
This is not a new phenomenon. According to Ezekiel
27:12, Tarshish has been conducting foreign trade in the Middle East for
centuries.
These merchants appear distraught over the
possibilities of the invaders seizing Israel's national assets. This raises the
questions, "If they are concerned
about protecting their foreign trade relations within Israel, why do they not
appear to be fighting alongside the Jewish state in this conflict? Why don't
they coalesce militarily to oppose the Magog coalition?"
In 1990, George H. Bush had no problem assembling
an alliance of nations against Saddam Hussein's Iraq in Operation Desert Storm.
That American led coalition was comprised of several Arab states, including
Saudi Arabia, who is represented as Dedan in Ezekiel 38:13. However, in the
Ezekiel invasion, a Desert Storm scenario does not seem to be repeated.
This might mean that passive political leadership
is in place, but more likely implies that the protestors lack military prowess
at the time. Maybe, these abstaining countries are concerned that their forces
won't match up against the invading armies. This is the possible conclusion
that I favor.
Who was Tarshish?
According to the Table of Nations in Genesis 10,
Tarshish was Noah's great grandson through his son Japheth, who fathered Javan,
who in turn fathered Tarshish.
And the
sons of Javan: Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. Of these were the
isles of the nations divided in their lands, every one after his tongue, after
their families, in their nations. (Genesis 10:4-5, ASV)
Where was Tarshish?
The two most favored locations for Tarshish among
historians, archaeologists and Bible teachers are Spain or Britain. My
research leads me to conclude that Britain is the location of
"Tarshish" and the North American countries most resemble their
"young lions."
Tarshish settled in the isles or in some
translations the coastlands. In addition to the verse above, the theme of
Tarshish in connection with the isles shows up in Psalm 72:10, and Isaiah 23:6,
60:9, 66:19. A careful reading of these verses uncovers a clear connection
between Tarshish and a geographical location associated with isles or
coastlands. One example is below.
The kings
of Tarshish and of the isles shall render tribute: The kings of Sheba and Seba
shall offer gifts. (Psalm
72:10)
The isles alluded to could be the British Isles,
which are a group of oversized islands off the northwestern coast of
continental Europe that consist of the islands of Great Britain, Ireland and
over six thousand smaller isles.
Many of the maps that display the location of
ancient Tarshish locate it around or beyond the Strait of Gibraltar. The Strait
of Gibraltar is the westernmost part of the Mediterranean Sea before it merges
with the Atlantic Ocean. It is the water barrier that separates Southern Spain
from Northern Morocco.
It is far to the west of Israel, which is also a
point made in Psalm 48:7. The Psalm says, "As
when You break the ships of Tarshish With an east wind." This implies
that the ships are coming to the Middle East from the west, rather than the
east.
Bible prophecy expert Dr. Mark Hitchcock points out
a possible connection between Tarshish and Britain in his book entitled,
"The Late Great United States." Hitchcock states;
"Some archeologists believe that Tarshish was
the ancient name of Britain. 'Tarshish' can also mean 'beyond
Gibraltar' depending on your translation. Tarshish and her villages or
young lions -- in other words Britain which then settled Canada and the United
States and Australia."
Dr. J. R. Church, the founder of Prophecy in the
News, says the following about Tarshish in his book called, "The Guardians
of the Grail."
"An inscription discovered in 1780, on a cliff
above Mt. Hope Bay in Bristol, Rhode Island, contained an engraving that read ‘Voyagers
from Tarshish this stone proclaims.’ ... Believed to be inscribed around 533
B.C....Harvard University has found five locations within the United States
where the merchants of Tarshish had colonies."
Another respected Bible prophecy experts that
advocates this same connection is Dr. David Hocking, of Hope for Today
Ministries. We shared a speaking platform together on July 3, 2011.
During that event, Dr. Hocking provided several
sound biblical, historical and archaeological reasons that support America as
the Young Lions of Tarshish. Dr. Hocking's conclusion that he gave at the event
is quoted below.
"If
you ask me today if the USA is in Bible prophecy, I would have to say on the
basis of historical documentation and on the basis of the British museum and
all of its records around Glastonbury that it begins with Great Britain
(Tarshish), and undoubtedly as a seed-bearing people it refers to the USA as
the ‘Young Lions.’"
What was Tarshish famous for?
Tarshish's claim to historical fame was primarily
two-fold. First, they were known for their vast wealth and abundant mineral and
metal resources. We glean this from historical accounts as well as several
Scriptures.
One example is found in Ezekiel 27:12, which says, "Tarshish was your (Tyre) merchant
because of your many luxury goods. They gave you silver, iron, tin, and lead
for your goods."
This verse, written around 587 BC, acknowledged
that "tin" was among the primary metals that came from Tarshish.
Cornwall, a county on England's rugged southwestern tip, was the only major
source of tin in Europe for the past 2,500 years.
In the 19th century there were approximately 400
mines in Cornwall employing 18,000 people. It is also true that the mountains
of Wales, just north of Cornwall have been a source of all the minerals and
metals listed above in Ezekiel 27:12.
Second, Tarshish gained renown for their extremely
sturdy ships. These seaworthy vessels would take extended voyages to transport
their exports and imports across the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.
These ships of Tarshish are alluded to at least nine times in the Bible.
The ships
of Tarshish were carriers of your (Tyre's) merchandise. You were filled and
very glorious in the midst of the seas. (Ezekiel 27:25)
What About Tarshish Today?
Ezekiel 38:8, 16 notifies that this is a prophecy
that finds fulfillment in the last days. Ezekiel 38:13 places Tarshish in the
epic event. Since these appear to be the last days, then it's safe to say that
ancient Tarshish has a modern day equivalent.
This logical deduction applies geographically in
the world, and geo-politically in the Middle East. Furthermore, Tarshish and
their young lions have a relationship with Israel in this prophecy.
This beckons the questions, what nation or nations
have played instrumental roles in modernity in the Mideast? What countries have
been interacting with Israel the most since its rebirth in 1948?
This seemingly rules out Spain as Tarshish and the
Latin American countries as the young lions. The Spanish Empire was a
dominant world influence in between the late 15th century until the early 19th
century.
During that time, Spain shared the global power
struggle with the Ottoman Empire, which controlled the Middle East between
1517-1917. Today both empires have faded from their former glories and neither
has much influence in the geo-political affairs of the Middle East in general
and Israel specifically.
Around the end of the 18th century, the second rise
of the British Empire began. At its height it was considered the largest empire
in history. No other nation in history created as many colonies (young
lions).
The empire grew so rapidly that it became
characterized by the phrase, "the
empire on which the sun never set." By 1922, the British Empire held
sway over about 458 million people, one-fifth of the world's population.
Moreover, the empire covered more than 13,000,000 square miles, almost a
quarter of the Earth's total land area.
The Ottoman Empire's control over the Middle East
ended with its defeat in World War I. Subsequently, Britain and France took
sovereignty over the territory. When Israel was rebirthed in 1948, it was
Britain, rather than Spain, that controlled the subject territory, which at the
time was called Palestine.
Presently, America, not Latin America, is playing a
young lion's role in the Mideast. In 1979, the USA was instrumental in
brokering a peace deal between Israel and Egypt with President Jimmy Carter,
and again in 1994 with Israel and Jordan by President Bill Clinton.
It seems as though today, Britain, as Tarshish, is
now playing a subservient role behind the young lions of America in important
geo-political issues of interest to Israel. On the other hand, Spain and the
Latin American countries are not involved much at all in Mideast matters.
Conclusion
I am convinced that the majority of biblical,
historical, archaeological, geographical and geo-political arguments for the
identity of Tarshish and their young lions favor Britain and America.
My conclusions are also based upon a thorough
examination of several respectable commentaries that clumsily attempted to
connect Tarshish to Spain. In my estimation, the arguments I uncovered in favor
of Spain were easily refutable.
In the end analysis, BREXIT seemingly paves the way
for the fulfillment Britain's role as the "Merchants
of Tarshish" in Ezekiel 38:13. The UK is now free to act independently
from all future EU governing decisions.
BREXIT further implies that Ezekiel 38 is about to
happen. I provide several reasons why the Revived Roman Empire of Daniel 2 and
7 follows after the fulfillment of Ezekiel 38 in my related article called,
BREXIT: The Biblical Perspective for the UK, US and EU.
If Britain and the USA are mentioned as mere protestors
in Ezekiel 38:13, then this should trouble Americans. Why does the greatest
superpower that ever existed seem to abstain from fighting alongside Israel at
this critical point in its future? We are presently Israel's greatest ally!
The USA, in the past, has consistently voted
pro-Israel in the United Nations, even when it was unpopular to do so. We
provide Israel with state of the art weaponry and other forms of foreign
aid.
As of June 15, 2015, Israel is the largest
cumulative recipient of U.S. foreign assistance since World War II. To date,
the United States has provided Israel $124.3 billion in bilateral assistance.
Why does the USA seem content to remain on the
sidelines when Russia and its hordes invade Israel? Is it because America declines
from superpower status between now and Ezekiel 38? Britain already has!
In only seventy years, between 1920 and 1990, in
the midst of Israel's rebirthing process, Britain collapsed as a world
superpower. Now the sun always sets on the British Empire. Today the UK only
spans 94,058 square miles and has a population of only about 64 million.
It's easy to see why Britain, as Tarshish in the
prophecy, would tremble at the thought of fighting against the Magog coalition.
But what about the USA? Is America following in Britain's same failed
footsteps?
Will America turn its back on God and Israel, like
Britain did when it failed to enact the Balfour Declaration, which was drafted
in 1917? Britain's failure to provide territory for a Jewish State at the time
contributed to the extermination of approximately 6 million Jews in World War
II!
Will America's decades long push to divide the land
of Israel into two states have the same consequences? Is this type of
anti-biblical geo-political behavior one of the reasons that America is
portrayed as cowardly young lions in Ezekiel 38:13?
Joel 3:2 says that one of the reasons God judges
the nations is for dividing his land. In modernity, America is at the forefront
of attempting to divide God's land.
This article will hopefully encourage American
readers to prepare for the strong possibility that their country is headed for
a potentially steep and severe decline!
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