the old Roman empire, there will be formed another confederacy of Euro pean nations who were not in the Roman empire, such as Austria, Ger many and others. These will be head ed up under the last ruler of the Russians, of whom Ezekiel wrote in the two chapters just referred to. The king of the north (Syria) men tioned in 11:33, was only a shadow of this leader from the north who will be the antichrist’s antagonist at the end-time. Read the 38th chapter of Ezekiel. There you will find that God says of him, “ . . . I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, . . . ” He is speaking of the prince of Rosh. The names of Moscow (Me- shech) and Tobolsk (Tubal) are also mentioned there. The third confed eracy will be under the king of the south. He will be the last king of Egypt, who will finally in that day break away from the Roman empire. The fourth confederacy will be in the east, composed of the sunrising king doms. In the ninth chapter of Revela tion we read that an army of two hundred million is seen coming out of the east prepared for the battle of the great God. Even now, as we look out upon the nations, we see these four confederacies in the mak ing, and they may be consummated overnight. In the last days, when these four great confederations begin to move, around what point will their armies gather? They will gather around the land of Palestine. And why will they want to center their activities at that particular point? If there is any one thing that the whole world wants, it is money, capital and wealth. People go any place where they think they can secure greater wealth, and more gold. And the nations of the earth are awaking to the fact that the lit tle land of Palestine, nestling in the very center of the earth, is the wealthiest spot in the whole world! At the bottom of the Dead Sea lie minerals that exceed in value all the gold in the vaults of America today. This is one of the reasons why every nation has an eye on this land of
Palestine. And in that last great day there will be a contest for this fav ored land. The east will arise in her might, and with her millions of men will move to possess the land which she thinks is rightfully hers. Her slogan will be, “The east for the east.” Palestine is in the east. When those armies come together, round about Palestine, the nation of Israel will be like a nut in a nut-cracker. God has said that in that day all the armies of the earth will be brought round about Jerusalem. Hear His Word: “Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, and thy spoil shall be divid ed in the midst of thee. For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the resi due of the people shall not be cut off from the city.” (Zech. 14:1, 2.) Then heaven will take part in the struggle. “And at that time shall Mi chael stand up. . . which standeth for the children of thy people.. .and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never wa s . . . ” (Dan. 12:1.) And hearken to this: “Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives...” (Zech. 14:3-4.) And the Son of God shall bring to an end the “times of the Gentiles.” He shall sweep aside evil devices. Je hovah shall be king of the whole earth! Israel shall look upon him whom they have pierced and, “The Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one.” (Zech. 14:9.) The struggles, the privations, the hardships, the bank failures—weigh heavily upon our hearts. We are sor rowful and bowed down with cares; and yet, these things need not dis turb our faith, but rather, confirm it. Those of us who know the Lord Jesus as our Saviour, and Redeemer, can lift up our heads today, because we know that our redemption draw- eth nigh! 34
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