Regular readers of this feature will be familiar with Bible passages we regularly cite to show that the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to the earth to replace the kingdoms of men with the Kingdom of God will start with his rescue of Israel from invading nations. Some passages, like Psalm 83, refer to the threat to Israel from her immediate neighbours; others, like Joel 3 and Zechariah 14 refer to ‘all nations’; whereas Daniel 11:40-45 and Ezekiel 38 and 39 name particular countries with varying degrees of clarity. Some Bible students believe that the final conflicts will begin with Israel’s near neighbours and end with nations further away taking advantage of Israel’s weakened state.
Looking at the world today, we can easily see why Israel is threatened and how easily the prophesied wars will start. In the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, it is nearly always Israel that gets the worst press, partly because of use of their superior military force to defend themselves and also because so many fail to accept God’s declared purpose in bringing them back to land He promised their forefathers. Whilst the government tries to defend the country’s right of self-defence against Palestinian attacks, events like the recent death of an 18-month-old baby in an arson attack by a few individuals can only harm its efforts at improving its reputation.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-33729281
Even in countries supportive of Israel, like Britain, anti-Semitism continues to rise, as a recent reports show:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-33713259.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jan/14/uk-jewish-antisemitism-rise-yougov-poll.
Recent events continue to fit in with the long-held Christadelphian belief that Russia will lead the invasion of Israel, described in Daniel 11:40-45 and Ezekiel 38, and that Britain will be part of the coalition that meekly challenges them. Not only has Russia, under President Putin, shown its willingness to ignore international criticism and invade other countries, such as Georgia in 2008, Crimea in 2014, and is currently supporting pro-Russian separatists in the war in eastern Ukrainian, but is now suffering the sort of economic crisis that could tempt it into further military action abroad. The sanctions imposed on Russia by the West in response to its actions in Crimea and Ukraine and the fall on global oil prices are now seriously hurting ordinary Russian citizens.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-33717488
http://www.forbes.com/sites/kenrapoza/2015/02/03/weak-oil-wipes-out-third-of-russias-export-revenue-central-banker-says/
Israel, on the other hand, not only fared better than most in the global financial crisis of 2007-9 but continues to maintain economic stability, in spite of its conflicts with the Palestinians. It also has the benefit of large offshore oil and gas finds.
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/moment/2014/02/israel_s_natural_gas_deposits_tel_aviv_s_offshore_ gas_fields_will_make_it.html.
The main motive for the prophesied invasion of Israel is the acquisition of valuable spoil, as shown by Ezekiel 38:11-13
11 And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates,
12 To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land.
13 Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants 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?
When the Christadelphian Dr. John Thomas identified Tarshish as Britain in his 1848 book Elpis Israel, Britain had the largest trading empire the world had every seen. He supported his view, not only because several references to ships of Tarshish indicated that it was also a maritime power like Britain (2 Chronicles 9:21; Psalm 48:7; Isaiah 2:16; 23:1,14; 60:19; Ezekiel 27:25) but particularly because of the metals listed in Ezekiel 27:12, where we read,
Tarshish was thy merchant by reason of the multitude of all kind of riches; with silver, iron, tin, and lead, they traded in thy fairs.
Britain is known to have traded in these metals well before the birth of Christ. The tin from Devon and Cornwall was particularly valued for its use in making bronze - as of course was copper.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tin_sources_and_trade_in_ancient_times
When Britain gave up its empire after the Second World War, it seemed unlikely that she would ever regain the sort of power and influence suggested by Ezekiel 38 or the equivalent description of king of the south in Daniel 11:40. Dr. Thomas also saw Britain as separate from Europe. Recent history, however, make his opinions ever more probable: Britain regularly involves itself in Middle East conflicts – Iraq, Libyia, now Syria against ISIS, and has now promised a referendum on whether to stay in Europe. Most recently, a further indication of how it will fit the ‘merchant of Tarshish’ role came in an article in the Daily Mail newspaper last month where British Prime Minister David Cameron is quoted as saying, prior to a trip to South East Asia, “We need to go to the ends of the earth to sell our wares – to recapture the outward-looking, enterprising spirit that made us great. I want us to be nothing less than the modern world’s most open, trade-minded nation. To do that, we must tap into markets outside Europe; to look to the Commonwealth and beyond”.
And so international alignments become increasingly volatile and tense. As tectonic plates strain against each other, building up powerful pressures, until the pent-up energy is released in sudden, violent movements, so relationships amongst nations come under strain until tensions are released, usually in open conflict. While scientists are only now beginning to understand more fully the mechanisms of earthquakes, the transference of residual energy when not all is released and the possible location of the next major tremor, the Bible student has in his hands a description of the outcome of the greatest political upheaval ever - following the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to replace all present political systems with God’s own.
As with many prophecies already fulfilled, the fine detail of those awaiting fulfilment will only be appreciated retrospectively by those whose hopes lie beyond the limitations of earthly wisdom and are shaped by the Word of the Almighty.