As the British nation struggles to be reborn after the BREXIT vote interesting moves are afoot to re-awaken its former commonwealth ties.

What is interesting is the comments being made by some of the leading personalities involved in the BREXIT campaign

some of which are now part of the new government of Prime Minister Teresa May.

While much of the media still predicts gloom and doom, and certain European forces are bent on making BREXIT difficult for Britain, British Prime Minister Teresa May was very clear,

“BREXIT means BREXIT, and we are going to make a success of it.”

No doubt difficult times will be ahead, but the European reaction is forcing Britain to reconnect with its former colonies.

Europe Stronger Together

It was Nigel Farage, former leader of UKIP, being interviewed on his recent trip to the United States who stated:

“I got involved in politics because twenty five years ago I could see this European project was not about trade. It was not about being neighbours. It was about the creation of a state with a flag, and an anthem, and it wanted police force, and an army and everything else. I believed in my country and I believe in democracy.

This project has never has never had any legitimacy from the start. The founding fathers, as they
are called, of the European project decided they would use arguments about trade and economics to stealthily put people into a political union. They concluded that it was the existence of nation state that had led to war, namely WWI and WWII, and that if they abolished nation state, those terrible things could never happen again.

I remember, when I was first there, when I was first elected to that place, in the first week, I met a German politician called Elmar Brok, who is Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the European Parliament, and quite a significant European politician, and Brock saying to me, “Nigel, you don’t understand, on our own none of us are big enough. Only by being together economically and militarily can we challenge and overtake America. And history shows that when people build empires to try and be bigger than somebody else, far from leading to security it probably gives the opposite effect.

What is fascinating about this reflection is two things:

1. The EU wasn’t about trade which is what Britain was interested in.
2. The EU has no power as individual states, but if they combine their power they can take on the super powers of the world.

This second comment is of great significance, because it echoes the very words of Revelation 17:

“And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.” (Revelation 17:12–13)

Elmar Brok’s comments are unwittingly almost a quote from Revelation 17 describing the nation states of Europe combining to form the beast.

Britain’s Interest is in Trade

Farage went on to reflect about what BREXIT means for British relations with the USA (which was discussed in length last week), and the commonwealth nations:

In terms of developing our international trade relationships, which we’ve been banned from doing for the past 40 years, I think the message politically, to America, is that your oldest and best ally is now free to be that once again. We will be outside a European foreign policy, able to make our own decisions; outside the military structures which I think threatened on an ongoing basis our cooperation through NATO and elsewhere. In terms of trade…. the United Kingdom and America could conclude a free trade deal, and we could do it in a matter of months…

How does it all look? What is going to happen? What is going to happen is you guys are going to see a lot of Liam Fox, who I’ve explained already, through the Atlantic Council and everything else, is a genuinely pro-American British Politician. He is going to be reaching out here in America. And I hope that gets reciprocated. 

There are countries all over the world: Australia, Canada, New Zealand, hints from India, countries all over the world wanting to be at the front of the que (are you listening Obama?), who want to do trade deals with us…

Provided the British Government is resolute, we can sort out the European question, we can reengage with you, our friends in the Commonwealth, and actually we’ll look back on this in years to come, and we’ll say, “All we did was to end an abusive relationship, to opt for freedom, and to opt for Britain being a full global trading nation.”

That is how he sees the eventual outcome of the BREXIT situation. Britain being a “full global trading nation” allied with the Commonwealth and America. Notice who were named, Britain, Canada, New Zealand, India and America.

It is fascinating that the scriptures are clear about the role of Britain in the time of the end, it is to be a trading nation with strong ties to its young lions.

Tarshish is described as a merchant power in Ezekiel 27,

“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.” (Ezekiel 27:12)

Ezekiel describes the “Merchants of Tarshish” connection with “the young lions”, which are the Commonwealth countries and America:

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?  (Ezekiel 38:13)

The word ‘merchants’ is translated by Strong’s as “to go around about, to travel about in trade”. This is exactly the role Farage sees Britain returning to post-Brexit.

Reconnecting With The Young Lions.

The New Zealand Prime minister, John Key,  was in London recently, following the BREXIT vote, just before the new government was formed, he was interviewed during his visit with British trade minister:

“I met quite a number of current ministers, people who are likely to be part of the Cabinet, all likely to be senior enough to have influence. Everybody reflects on the friendship that New Zealand has provided over the years, and the history of our relationship.”

Not only this, but the Business Secretary Sajid Javid was in India for bilateral trade talks between Britain and India.

Paul Allen of Bloomberg News reported on a conversation between British Prime Minister Teresa May and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

Both Prime Ministers had a phone conversation on Saturday, Malcolm Turnbull described the conversation as very constructive, and afterwards the British Prime Minister, Teresa May, put out an emailed statement and she reiterated her point that Britain intends to make a success out of BREXIT, and striking free trade deals with partners across the globe is all part of that plan.

Allen went on to recall the economic disaster for Australia and New Zealand when Britain first joined the EU:

I only just remember these days when Britain first joined the EEC, and it had a very profound impact on the economies of Australia and New Zealand. The biggest trade partner basically wandering off into the sunset. Butter exports for Australia fell 90%, apple exports collapsed, a number of soft commodities followed suit, and the economies of both countries really went through a difficult period after that. So in some respects it is a bit of a case of Britain being welcomed back to the table.

So Britain and the Young Lion nations are once again forming ties, preparing them for their future role as the joint opposition to Russo-European aggression when the invasion described by Ezekiel takes place.

Relations with Israel

One of the other stars of the BREXIT campaign was Boris Johnson, who at one point looked like he might become the Prime Minister, but has ended up becoming the Foreign Secretary, a role held by Arthur Balfour, when the Balfour declaration was issued. As Farage pointed out, with Britain being out of the EU, it is free to forge its own foreign policy. It is fascinating to see a statement made by Boris Johnson while he was still Mayor of London at the Balfour Dinner in Tel Aviv, November of last year:

Almost a century after the Balfour Declaration… is it? It is almost a century, 98 years after the Balfour Declaration. A free society here in this part of the Middle East, that is the most extraordinary legacy. A free and open legacy…. that is the most amazing result, of what is after all, when you read it closely a masterpiece of Foreign Office fudge and double speak. Never mind. 

That is why we should be eternally grateful, to that languid pseudo-philosopher, Arthur J. Balfour. It is still the case that the first clause of that declaration as a wonderful thing. And it is still the case that Israel is the only, or by far the most democratic country in the region, the only free country, and in my view the only pluralist society. That is why I believe, and have believed, ever since I came here as a young man, I believe so fervently in this country. That is why I reject completely, by the way, the suggestion, people have been asking me all day the same question in the media… I reject completely the suggestion by some corduroy-jacketed snaggle-toothed lefty academics in the UK. (and  by the way I have nothing against corduroy jackets or indeed  snaggle teeth before I get totally massacred by the media), that is why I completely reject the suggestion of all the countries in the Middle East, of all the countries in this part of the world, that this one, which is the one that is free and open and democratic, should be the subject of a boycott. I just think that is absolutely ludicrous.

So as the nation of Britain separates from the EU and it’s anti-Semitic policies, the very man that has been chosen as Britain’s Foreign Secretary, following in the footsteps of Lord Arthur Balfour is friendly to Israel.

So as we watch the Bible in the News, we see every week, the nations being prepared for their roles in the time of the end. Absolute proof of the finger of God at work in the nations, absolute proof of the evidence of Bible truth. Although the nations may still wrestle and withstand the influence of the angels….

“This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.” (Daniel 4:17)

And shortly,

“And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.” (Daniel 2:44)

So let us…

“…look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” (Luke 21:28)

For the Bible in the News, this has been Jonathan Bowen joining you.