A great event has taken place! It is of earthquake proportions in the
political scene. A gigantic shifting of power from a central authority
to diverse republican control, and its final form is yet developing.
Russia, known as U.S.S.R. and under strict Kremlin control, exercised
through the feared KGB, is no more. This mighty structure which the
world feared and which was known, along with the U.S.A., as the
mightiest of nations, was demonstrated to have "feet of
clay" on which the superstructure balanced precariously. The
economy was utterly incapable to meet the needs; only about a third of
the harvest reached the shops; its distribution, processing and
preserving powers practically nonexistent. Even the military, so feared,
were astounded at seeing how far advanced were the western powers in the
Gulf War. So much is coming to light now that the charade of Marxian
government has crumbled.
But with these revelations a more positive and inspiring truth has
blazed forth. The faith is still strong: the prayers have been answered:
the miracles are recognized as such. With the freeing from bondage the
peoples seem willing to take His yoke upon them, and to accept the
guidance of Western Christendom, which truly wishes them well. Just over
seventy years have passed since the Bolshevik Revolution and the
overthrow of the Czarist government, and the short-term interim
government, and this number (70) has a profound Biblical significance
implying judgement - and now, suddenly - freedom! The world-wide
repercussions will leave the advocates of Communism as a political
factor speechless. Terrorists who hide behind this facade will have no
covering for their acts.
Cuba, Cambodia and other Eastern countries will lose support. The
A.N.C. will be on its own. China will have to watch its status and
relationships with other powers. Liberation Theology, which has such a
grip on the churches in all the continents, is discredited. Truly a
world-wide upheaval.
And students of Bible prophecy will have to do some rethinking. Not
necessarily on the prophecies themselves, but on the timing. Ezekiel,
chapters 38 and 39, will certainly be fulfilled as will the last five
verses of Daniel, chapter 11. And Zechariah! And Joel! Over one hundred
years ago Dr. Aldersmith, in his The Fulness of the Nations, and
later David Davidson, and later still, present-day teachers have pointed
out that Ezekiel 38 and following can only have their fulfilment AFTER
Israel has been restored to the land. And they meant the whole
twelve-tribed Israel, not the present "inhabitants of
Jerusalem"; the Israelis. But no such restriction applies to Daniel
11 - ". . . at the time of the end". The present
Mid-East turmoil centering on a conference of the nations involved,
could well precipitate this. We must prayerfully wait and see.
Over a year ago my studies and lectures seemed directed at the
wonderful eleventh chapter of Isaiah and the coming government of the
Christ, our Lord and Saviour. In the August Ensign I wrote
an article The Recovery of the Remnant, based on verse 11 -
"And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set His
hand, the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall
be left, from Assyria..."
It was IN Assyria that ten-tribed Israel were placed when taken
captive by Shaimaneser - ". . . in Halah and Habor by the river
Gozan." It was FROM Assyria that they went out on their long
journey, through the Caucasus, to a place ". . . where never
mankind dwelt". This was a place called Arsareth, according
to II Esdras, on the NW shores of the Black Sea.
Now it seems that we may be seeing Isaiah 27:12, 13 about to be
realized, for "one by one" - not necessarily corporatively or
nationally, but individually at least, Israel is to be regathered, for
". . . the great trumpet shall be blown, and they shall come
which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria."
What was spoken and written at the time seems now to have been a
forecast of what is and has happened in the past three weeks and now,
(Sept. 6) those peoples are now to have a new freedom, are to be
self-governing republics deciding their own futures, in alliance or not
with their colleague republics. The Baltic countries which came under
Russian control by the infamous Yalta conference, will be completely
free and recognised by the West as such. But look at the others!
MOLDAVIA, amongst the first to claim independence is the Arsareth
region that Israel settled. ARMENIA (the name comes from Aram, son
of Shem) and it was the Armenians, who later allied with Israel, settled
Afghanistan. It is mentioned twice in the Bible. The UKRAINE. Here is
where the tombstone inscriptions make clear that Israelites lived and
were buried. Here Volodymyr, the ruler, accepted Christianity in 988 and
Ukraine, of Israelitish origin, also became Christian. He was the third
in line of great Varangian rulers, and these Varangians were the
Vikings, known later as Norsemen and Normans. And the ancient RUSSES, or
Rosh of Benjamin, the largest of the republics, is, under Yeltsin,
determined to have its independence and banking, under its own control.
We could go on listing the Galatians of RUMANIA, the Celts of
AUSTRIA, the Sarmatians of LITHUANIA, descendants of Israel's Median
allies. East of the Caspian, too, are regions where ancient Scythian
artifacts have been found.
How wonderful is the promise that He will seek out his sheep!
That he "other sheep" will also be gathered. And that ALL
Israel ". . . shall worship the Lord in the holy mount at
Jerusalem".
Admittedly great political and geophysical changes will have to be
made. But they will be! His promises stand!
