Welcome to another edition of the Bible in News.  This is John Billington with you.

The following are portions from the surprise announcement a few days ago. First is Prime Minister Morrison, second is Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and lastly President Biden.

“PRIME MINISTER MORRISON:  Well, good morning from Australia.  I’m very pleased to join two great friends of freedom and of Australia: Prime Minister Johnson and President Biden.

Today, we join our nations in a next-generation partnership built on a strong foundation of proven trust.

We have always seen the world through a similar lens.  We have always believed in a world that favours freedom; that respects human dignity, the rule of law, the independence of sovereign states, and the peaceful fellowship of nations.

And while we’ve always looked to each other to do what we believe is right, we have never left at — each other.  Always together.  Never alone.

Our world is becoming more complex, especially here in our region, the Indo-Pacific.  This affects us all.  The future of the Indo-Pacific will impact all our futures.

To meet these challenges, to help deliver the security and stability our region needs, we must now take our partnership to a new level — a partnership that seeks to engage, not to exclude; to contribute, not take; and to enable and empower, not to control or coerce.

And so, friends, AUKUS is born — a new enhanced trilateral security partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Australia has a long history of defense cooperation with the United States and the United Kingdom.  For more than a century, we have stood together for the course of peace and freedom, motivated by the beliefs we share, sustained by the bonds of friendship we have forged, enabled by the sacrifice of those who have gone before us, and inspired by our shared hope for those who will follow us.

And so, today, friends, we recommit ourselves to this cause and a new AUKUS vision.

PRIME MINISTER JOHNSON:  I’m delighted to join President Biden and Prime Minister Morrison to announce that the United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States are creating a new trilateral defense partnership, known as AUKUS, with the aim of working hand in glove to preserve security and stability in the Indo-Pacific.

We will have a new opportunity to reinforce Britain’s place at the leading edge of science and technology, strengthening our national expertise.  And perhaps most significantly, the UK, Australia, and the U.S. will be joined even more closely together, reflecting the measure of trust between us, the depth of our friendship, and the enduring strength of our shared values of freedom and democracy.

Only a handful of countries possess nuclear-powered submarines, and it is a momentous decision for any nation to acquire this formidable capability and, perhaps, equally momentous, for any other state to come to its aid.  But Australia is one of our oldest friends, a kindred nation and a fellow democracy, and a natural partner in this enterprise.

Now, the UK will embark on this project alongside our allies, making the world safer and generating jobs across our United Kingdom.

Thank you.  Over to you, Mr. President.

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  Thank you, Boris.  And I want to thank that fellow down under.  Thank you very much, pal.  Appreciate it, Mr. Prime Minister.

I’m honored today to be joined by two of America’s closest allies — Australia and the United Kingdom — to launch a new phase of the trilateral security cooperation among our countries.

As Prime Minister Morrison and Prime Minister Johnson said, I want to thank you for this partnership, your vision as we embark together on this strategic mission.

Although Australia, the UK, and U.S. partnership — AUKUS — it sounds strange with all these acronyms, but it’s a good one, AUKUS — our nations will update and enhance our shared ability to take on the threats of the 21st century just as we did in the 20th century: together.

Our nations and our brave fighting forces have stood shoulder-to-shoulder for literally more than 100 years: through the trench fighting in World War I, the island hopping of World War II, during the frigid winters in Korea, and the scorching heat of the Persian Gulf.  The United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom have long been faithful and capable partners, and we’re even closer today.

Today, we’re taking another historic step to deepen and formalize cooperation among all three of our nations because we all recognize the imperative of ensuring peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific over the long term.”

These kind of announcements are exactly what we would expect to see from the picture painted in Ezekiel 38 of the alliance of nations that is to exist when the Lord Jesus Christ arrives on the scene.  Much has been written about this in previous Bible Magazines that are accessible at biblemagazine.com

On a simple level what we find in Ezekiel 38 is two major confederacies of nations.  One to north of Israel and one to the south.  

The confederacy in the north is in relation to Israel from the “utter most parts of the north (verse 15) and is lead by Gog of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal.  Rosh is connected to Russia, and in the Greek Septuagint version is still a word (ρως) that is connected to Russia.  The nations listed that are confederate with Russia would include the rest of western Europe, Persia/ Iran, Ethiopia and North Africa.

The nations listed along with the power block to the south is lead by latter day Tarshish, a merchant or trading power.  This Tarshish power has long been identified as Great Britain with her national offspring lining up beside her.  This would include her traditional commonwealth countries and also the United States of America, the first of her offspring to gain independence.  However in the prophecy Tarshish is also connected to Sheba and Dedan which are historic nations to the south of Israel in the Arabian peninsula.  And most helpful in the understanding Tarshish is seeing that she stands in defence of Israel, even if at the end in word only.

We would encourage you to look further into these nations identities using the links listed above.  As your certainty of the identity of these nations grows so will your excitement at understanding where we are in the world in relation to the coming of Christ.

It is with the above understanding that many Bible students understood that Britain did not belong in Europe.  In 1848 a Christadelphian writer, John Thomas, in his book Elpis Israel commented on Britain in relation to the European toe-kingdom of Daniel 2:42,43:

“That it [i.e. Russia] will over-run all the ten kingdoms, subdue Turkey, and incorporate Persia [i.e. Iran] into its empire; but that when it has reached its zenith, it will in turn be precipitated into the abyss… When I come to unfold these things, the reader will see why Britain is not included in the ten toes. She is reserved of God to antagonize Russia… The ten toes belong to the image as a united dominion; hence Britain cannot be included among them unless it is first conquered by the overshadowing power, which it will not be, as is clearly demonstrable from many parts of the divine testimony.” (Pages 337-338, Logos edition).

Further to that Thomas also wrote in 1852 of the relationship between Britain and the Untied States:

"The British power, old as it is, will endure as long as the American confederacy. Britain cannot fall until her mission is accomplished. Energized of God, she has withstood the world in arms, and will do it again. She has wealth enough, and men will not be wanting. She will gain many victories, and experience many defeats; still she will carry on the war until Christ appears to conquer for God, and for himself and people ... It is quite possible, therefore, that an alliance will be formed, as much desired by America as Britain. Be this as it may, Christ will judge them both, and that power will fare the best which yields most promptly to his commands, and shows the most favour to his people Israel" (Herald of the Kingdom and Age to Come).

It is certain as far as the Bible is concerned that Britain did not belong in Europe but would rather fall back on her historic relationships with her national offspring.

It is with added interest we note the relationship between Australia, Great Britain, and the United States is rising to new heights and at the expense of a now wildly angered France!  For in order to build the Auzzie nuclear powered submarines the French $50 billion contract for diesel powered submarines has been thrown in the wake of the Tarshish ships!  

French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian lambasted the arrangement calling it a “knife in the back” and a “unilateral, brutal, unpredictable decision” that would be expected from a Trump administration in an interview with Franceinfo radio.  Bruno Tertrais, of France’s Foundation for Strategic Research think tank went even further, calling it a ‘Trafalgar Strike.’

It seems that the announcement not only took the general populous by surprise it also took the French by an even greater surprise. To add embarrassment to the French they had planned a series of events to honour the 240th anniversary of the Battle of the Capes, where the French navy had assisted the United States during its War of Independence against none other than Great Britain!  And instead of attending galas aboard his French frigate docked in Baltimore, Maryland a top ranking French naval officer has been flown home. And for the first time ever the French ambassador to the United States has been recalled.  The ambassador to Australia has also been recalled.  

The French are truly angry.  

And for Europe as a whole it calls into question how solid their relationship really is with the United States.  As the French fell these actions were expected under President Trump, not under President Biden.  A BBC headline was “Aukus: Defence pact an awkward wake-up call for Europe”

And all this comes after the disastrous US withdrawal from Afghanistan which in and of itself made Europe anxious and even horrified.  The chairman of the German parliament’s foreign relations committee Norbert Röttgen said “I say this with a heavy heart and with horror over what is happening, but the early withdrawal was a serious and far-reaching miscalculation by the current administration, this does fundamental damage to the political and moral credibility of the West.”

Speaking about Afghanistan Rüdiger Lentz the former head of the Aspen Institute in Berlin had this to say - “Naturally this has damaged American credibility, along with that of the intelligence services and of the military, one can only hope that the damage to America’s foreign policy leadership can be quickly contained.”

Well… enter the submarine affair.  

But from the prophets we know the east west national divide that was the result of World War II has to change to a north south divide.  Quite simply Britain and the United States are not destined to be friends with Europe as they are not part of the northern confederacy or the beast system as it is called in Revelation.  But for the rest of the world the actions of the United States may have been expected under a President Trump but they have happened under President Biden.  Just remember world rulers may change but it is the same angels that are working behind the scenes to further the purpose of Almighty God to prepare the scene for his sons return.

In closing here is Nigel Farage, Mr Brexit himself:

This is the Anglo sphere coming together with a 21st century solution.  France’s diesel powered subs were a 20th century solution…. And I will say this, this deal would not have happened had it not been for Brexit.  Had we been tied into an EU foreign policy we certainly would not have gone against major French government contracts.  So Brexit has allowed us to do, and in many ways this was always the Brexiteer’s dream because my view has always been that our best friends in the world speak English.

In Biblical prophetic language the Anglo sphere that is coming together is called “Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof."

Come back next week for another edition of the Bible in the News, because it really it is!