f-^aleótine, / v t uàóia an cl é^zehiel 3 8 Sixth in a Series of Prophetic Messages
By Louis T. Talbot, D.D.
I N our article last month we consid ered the prophecy dealing with the descent of the great Northern Con federacy upon the land of Palestine in the last days. The reason for the widespread hatred of the Jews was discussed. To a large extent, anti-Semitism springs from a jealousy of the Jew. Because he is shrewd, he is able to gain more “cattle and goods” than the Gentile. All of this makes the Christless Gentile jealous, so he proceeds to hate the Jew. In the end of this age the character of the Jew will not be changed, nor will his ability to acquire “ cattle and goods” be lessened. The land filled with the children of Israel will be rich, with much wealth to tempt avaricious dictators who look on with greedy eyes. Doubtless some ex cuse will be trumped up by the press of the northern confederacy to attempt to justify the invasion. Some affront will have been imagined; some boundary will have been infringed upon. But the real reason behind the land-grab will be a rapacious desire for plunder there. Opposition to This Invasion of Palestine In verse 13 of our chapter we read of a protest to this invasion by opposing nations: Sheba, and Dedan, and the mer chants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? ■ hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil? In these words it is predicted that these three countries and their allies will question the right of the northern con federacy to invade the Holy Land. There seems no doubt but that “ Sheba” and “ Dedan” represent the peoples near the land of Palestine, near the Red Sea. Perhaps all of the Arabians are in cluded here. But what is the nation called “ Tarshish” ? Most references to Tarshish in the Bible point to this peo ple as a nation of traders, with many ships. The map in the back of the Sco field Reference Bible, showing the early settlement of the nations, places Tar shish in western Europe. Whatever the nation in the mind of God here may be, it will be linked with “ Sheba” and “ Dedan” in opposition to “the prince of Rosh” and his confederates in that coming day. M A R C H , 1 9 4 8
Yet their protest will evidently be in effective and powerless. Perhaps the press of the world will condemn the assault on the Jews. It will be very clear that pillage will be the motivating cause of the invasion. But the opposing nations will evidently fail to go to the assistance of the beleaguered Jews in their extremity. This reminds us somewhat of the im- potency of the protests lodged by the nations of the world in the anxious months before the outbreak of the pres ent European war. The independent na tions of central Europe were being vio lated, yet none went to their aid. Fear will so possess “ Sheba” and “ Dedan” and “Tarshish” that they will not be able to render effective aid to suffering Israel in that terrible time.
God's Righteous Wrath W ill Be Poured Out Upon. Gog in That Day A far mightier hand than that of Tar shish is to be extended against Gog and his minions; and a far more authorita tive voice than that of the Roman dicta tor is to speak. God uncovers the secret machinations of the heart of Gog as He says through Ezekiel in verses 14-20 of this chapter: Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say unto Gog, Thus saith the Lord God; In that day when my people of Israel dwelleth safely, shalt thou not know it? And thou shalt come ■ from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army: and thou shalt come up against
my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes. Thus saith the Lord God; Art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days many years that I would bring thee against them? And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord God, that my fury shall come up in my face. For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in Page Thirteen
Palestine W ill Be Under the Dominion of Rome
But someone will ask, “ Does not Great Britain hold a protectorate over Pales tine today?” She did until recently. But when the Antichrist is revealed, after the translation of the church, then—if not before—Palestine will come under his dominion; for the land of Israel was a part of the old Roman Empire. It would be speculation to suggest how this will be brought to pass; but even in our own time, such a situation is far from in conceivable. And we know that “the king of the north” will be the great antagonist of the Antichrist in the end time.
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online