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The banking system in America on the brink of collapse.
The role of the latter-day Tarshish.
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Friday, September 26, 2008
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www.bibleinthenews.com Audio & Print versions
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Welcome to the September 25, 2008 edtion of Bible in the News, this is David Billington with you. I'm not an economist and I don't know much about Wall Street. However, I do know that Wall Street is a symbol of the powerful US financial system and a center of trade for the western powers. This relates to the biblical Tarshish which was a merchant power, consider Ezekiel 27:12: "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." If you look closely at the history book map of Celtic and Roman Britain pictured in the print edition of this week's Bible in the News, you will notice I have highlighted in yellow all the mining sites flourishing in Britain at that time. You will see many lead mines - which also included silver, iron mines and tin mines, as well as a copper and a gold mine. I am told that Britain is the only place where you could go one-stop-shopping for these metals which Tarshish traded as mentioned by Ezekiel. It therefore follows that Britain is the Tarshish power of Ezekiel.
More about this can be read in the Bible Magazine, Volume 20, Issue #3. (Right click to save the pdf, or order a back issue from the Bible Magazine website.)The biblical Tarshish was not a singular power and neither are the Tarshish trading powers of today led by Britain. At the time of Solomon their was an eastern Tarshish and a western Tarshish; in Ezekiel 38:13 - a prophecy for our time, Tarshish is described as having others with her, depicted as "her young lions" in Rotherham's translation, which correctly translates the pronominal suffix "her" affixed to the word "young lions". Interestingly the Tarshish group is unable to act against Gog when it comes down on the land of Israel and overflows many countries, no doubt seizing assets of the Tarshish powers. Tarshish then is a group of trading nations in isles afar off from the land of Israel. These powers are mentioned in the prophecy of Jeremiah 31:10 as isles or as it can mean, "coastlands":
"Hear the word of the LORD, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock."
The isles which principally heard the message that the Jews would be gathered back to their own land were the english speaking Tarshish nations: Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and America. God accomplished this through the influence of the english Bible, and the many books written by protestants at the time pointing out that the Jews would return. This is a work that the Christadelphians played a significant role in, with works such as Elpis Israel and Christendom Astray and through the travels of Robert Roberts and others who spread this message throughout the english speaking world. Why was the message of Israel's re-gathering to be spread in these lands particularly? It was because it was these nations, with the principal role being played by Britain, that would create a national home for the Jewish people.
Since the establishment of the state of Israel the United States has often played the role of a protector for the Jewish state. However, as the population of the United States has turned against the Bible, the interest in Israel has diminished and in recent years, the USA along with Britain have been placing enormous pressure on Israel to accept the establishment of an Arab state on the strategic biblical highlands of Judah and Samaria. The USA has often used their financial aid as a stick to force Israel to accept this hostile state in its heartland.
Well today the National Post ran the headline: "U.S. 'superpower' status slides in world's eyes." the first part of the article reads:
""The world is witnessing nothing less than the decline of an empire as the United States loses its pre-eminent position as the globe's financial "superpower," according to a finance minister from the Group of Seven most-industrialized countries.
"In a blistering attack on Washington Thursday, the German finance minister branded the U.S. government "irresponsible" and blamed it for worsening the crisis that has engulfed the international banking system by thwarting efforts of G7 countries to enact tighter regulation.
""The world will never be the same again," said Germany's Peer Steinbrück.
"He added that "the U.S. will lose its status as the superpower of the world financial system""
There are many repercussions that could occur as a result of this worsening financial crisis. The Tarshish powers are being weakened which could set the stage for Ezekiel 38 and their insipid response: "Are you come to take a spoil?" No longer would the USA be able to use the "financial aid" stick to force Israeli policy. It is possible that if America enters a depression we could witness the many Jews still residing there to leave the fleshpots and return to the land of their Fathers--we could well witness a mass wave of Aliyah from America to Israel. We also see that the European members of the G7 countries are doing little to help America out of their financial crisis. The National Post article went on to say: "While there was general disappointment in Washington with the response of foreign governments, the former Treasury official said European leaders appeared to be the most hostile." and "Mr. Hufbauer said the rift between G7 ministries would likely have ramifications for international economic relations for years to come." This raises the question of what will become of NATO with a weak America and a powerful Russia on Europe's doorstep?
The German finance minister Mr. Steinbrück predicted the emergence of regional financial centres in Asia and Europe. The thought of Europe controlling the worlds finances is scary. Although the Vatican already controls billions of dollars in investments throughout the world. In his book "The Vatican Billions" published in 1983, Avro Manhattan predicted that by the end of the now last century, the Catholic Church would, "...own, control and have a say, directly or indirectly, in at least one-third of all the sources of wealth of the western world." We could well see Europe and the Vatican emerging as financial superpowers which is predicted in Revelation 18: 9-11:
"And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning, Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come. And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more"
Today sadly its seems we may well be seeing the beginning of the demise of America and the rise of the Image Empire in Europe. I say sadly because America has given freedom for the truth of God's word to be taught, it was in America that John Thomas discovered the truth. By contrast Europe has always been subversive of the truth and this time we know it will be no different. However, America and Britain have largely turned their backs on God, his word and his people. The Psalmist wrote:
"The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God." (Psalm 9:17)
We must examine ourselves, for the Biblical principle is that judgment must begin at the house of God. If we don't receive the love the truth God has so ordered things that we will become deluded and fall away (2 Thessalonians 2:10-12). A deluded person does not realize they are falling away to apostasy. Are we witnessing to the truth of God's word including pointing out the errors of the beast system, or have we finished our testimony: "And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them." (Revelation 11:7) Are we still preaching that "He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock"? We need to make it clear to those around us that those that we need to support the gathering of the Jews back to the land of Israel for this is clearly God's work. If our own nations support this work they may be saved from ruin.
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Printed: Friday, September 26, 2008
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