THE TIME OF THE END.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 180, 30 July 1913, Page 8

THE TIME OF THE END.

(By J. LIDDELL KELLY.I VI.—RUSSIA'S "EVIL THOUGHT"— DESCENT ON PALESTINE -CHALLKNGE BY BRITAIN AND THE "YOUNG LION'S." A Formidable Confederacy—Egypt and Many Countries Conquered — Jews Sent in British Ships—The Merchants of Tarshish and the Young Lions Thereof.

The culmination of the tribulations of the latter days is to be reached in connection with the return of the .lews to Palestine. For about lfi years from now the unrest of the world will continue. There will be wars and rumours of wars, labour disturbances, perplexity of nations and abounding iniquity, until the crowning catastrophe is reached. Prophecy is very definite concerning the time, of the coming struggle for supremacy, and also concerning some of the combatants in it. What is sometimes called the battle of Armageddon, and sometimes the fight in the valley of Jehoshaphat or the "valley of decision." may be a campaign extending over a number of years rather than a single decisive engagement. The causes leadiug up to it, stated in ordinary language, are as follow:—The Jews have been restored to Palestine by the help of Great Britain, and large numbers of them have gone there with their wealth, and are living in a defenceless state. The cupidity of Russia, is excited, and with n confederation of other Powers, she sends a great army to spoil the -lews. Britain and her Dominions (by that time politically federated) go to the rescue, inflict a crushing defeat on the allied armies, and the restoration of Israel is completed.

If any student of affairs today were to allege that these events would take place within a short period he would be laughed to scorn. ""Rich Jews go to live in Paje.stinf—ateurd! A few poor agricultural colonists may go, but that will be all. Britain qn-arrol with Russia— impossible! Look at the triple entente, also at the good understanding between Britain and Russia in Persia, and you must admit that a Russo-Brrtish war is out of the question. Russia seek to

spoil the Jews in Palestine! Not likely, when she can more safely them at home by means of a pogrom." Such would be some of the .-.-nrnl'iil criticisms that would be called forth. And, certainly, all the signs to-day arc against the probability of such tiling- happening. Vet. over 2,000 years ago. the Hebrew prophets foretold the occurrence of the events stated, and fixed the time at which they should take place. It is true that the prophets frequently got sawn asunder for their pains by the very people whose ultimate triumph and glorious reign they predicted: bur their prophecies remain on record. Let its see what th ey fo re tol d.

The great central facts in tbe prophecies are tbe dispersal, persecution, and final restoration of the Jews. The predictions of dispersal and persecution have been fulfilled; those of restoration have not. It is the latter we have, now to examine and consider, more especially the manner in which it is tn be brought about. In Isaiah Ix. P. we rend: "Surely the isles shall wait for mc. and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far. their silver and their' gold with them." Tarshish his been variously identified as India. Gibraltar, and Rri tain: in any cim-, therefore. i 1 is evident that British ships are meant, firitaln is further connected by prophecy with the restoration ii; ,t passage which speaks of a "land shadowinc. with wings, that sendcth ambassadors by sea." The "wings" have been interpreted to mean Britain's four great Dominions of Canada. India, South Africa, and Australasia. I incline to believe that the "sbadowin;with wings" is an allusion lo the British Protectorate over Asiatic Turkey. including Palestine. This protecting Power is represented as saving. "<;o. ye swift messengers, to a nation scattered and peeled," and it is added: "In that day shall the present be brought unto the Lord of Hosts of a people scattered and peeled, to tbe place of the name of the Lord of Hosts, the Mount Zion." If these words mean anything they mean that Great Britain is to give her ships to convey the Jews to Palestine.

Russia is no less clearly indicated as forming a confederation and a desisn to spoil the Jews. In Ezekiel xxxviii. the prophet is told to set his face acrainst

"Cog. of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meschech and Tubal."' In the Revised Version the latter clause reads: "Rosh, prince of Meschech and Tubal."

and interpreters agree that Rosh is Russia. Me.scb.ech is Muscovy, and Tubal is Tobolsk. The prophet proceeds to inform Co? or Rosh that he will "in the latter tears come into the land that is brought back from ihe sword . . against the mountains nf Israel. Thou -halt think an evil thought, ami thou shalt say. i will go up to the land of unwalled villages ... to .take a spoil and to take a prey, to turn thine bands upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations. Thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou ,and mam people with thee, all of them iriding upon horses, a great company and |a migiitv army." Revelation vtii. refers 'to the same invasion, and states that j the army will number two hundred millions.

The confederate.- of i.n? and Rosh are [specified by Ezekicl. Gog is told that he will rro forth with all his army, horses, and horsemen in armour, with IswOrds: "Persia. Ethiopia, aud Libya with tliee . . . i.'omer and all bis bands; the house of Togarraah of ihe north quarters and all his bands, and man} people with thee." From this it would appear thai Persians and Africans will be found fighting on the side of Russia. It is i:it so e:isv to identify Corner anil Togarnrih. but the former may be the Balkan State.-, and the litler Germany. The e-.pressiou. "and nil bis bands." used ill both cases, li indicate that Comer and To-iarmah a r e federal Power:*. In Daniel's account of the same invasion "at the time of the end" (xi.. 40) we learn that the King of the North is to enter "the glorious land" like a whirlwind, "with chariots, with horsemen, and with many ships." and many countries shall be overthrown. Edom and Moab ami Amnion are to escape, but •the land of Egypt s.hall not escape. . . . The Lib> an* and the Ethiopians shall bo at his steps." These words indicate that Russia will conquer Egypt and adjacent countries: but Edom (Arabia i, Moib (China I. and Amnion I perhaps Japan) will not be vanquished. The Northern Confederation, having seized upon "many countries," will last of -.til attack Palestine. It is then thai Great Britain will be effectively stirred to action.

The manner of Israel's salvation from disaster is described by the prophet Y.zekiel. "Then." he says to Russia, after shp has thought her evil thought. "Sheba and Dsdnn, and the merchants of Tar-

shish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say to thee: Art thou come to take -a spoil? Hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey, to carry away silver ami gold, to take away cattle and goods. to take a great spoil?" . It is difficult to say what nations are meant by Sheba and Dedan: but Britain's part in the restoration will, in a double sense, be the Lion's ii-hare. The phrase "the merchants of jTarshish and all the young lions thereof" undoubtedly points to Britain and her Dominions. The lion is the heraldic symbol of the British "company of nations." The phrase "merchants of Tarshish" not only describes a mercantile nation, but it is also peculiarly appropriate as a figurative delineation of the 'British Empire. History attests that all the great British Dominions had their origin in merchant companies. India for nearly three centuries was governed by a merchant company, which received its first charter from Queen Elizabeth. The acquisition of Canada was preluded by the rule of the Hudson Bay Company, and the 5-outh African Federation had its rise in a "merchant" charter granted to Cecil Rhodes in 18S9. Colonisation schemes in Australasia were to a large extent formulated and pressed on by private merchant companies, in the face of official inertia and active opposition.

If the "young lions'' are the Dominions, the offspring of the British Lion, then the prophecies definitely point to the consummation of Imperial federation in the near future. It. will be noted that the challenge to the invading Russians i* given, not by Tarshish alone, but by Tarshish and "all the young lions thereof." This implies that the Dominions will have acquired a right to speak, and will be entitled to a voice on questions of peace and waT. The movement towards this end was commenced in 1897, when, at the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria, the colonial Premiers were called to the Privy Council. It made further advance last year, when the representatives were invited to meetings of the Committee of Defence. War can only be formally declared by the King and Privy Council. In a real sense, Therefore, the Dominions have already a voice in such momentous decision, but their right to declare war or make peace will ere long rest, on a surer foundation, by the completion of a scheme of Imperial federation, so that in 1928 the Young Lions will, equally with the Old Lion, issue a challenge and warning to Russia.

In view of the events that are to come, tbe present activity of the Dominions in organising their naval and military power, and their insistence in saying to Britain "Call us to your councils," acquire powerful significance. All feel sub-consciously, rather than know. that a great struggle is impending. the false alarms of. danger from Germany, from Japan, from China. The Hebrew prophecies give the assurance that from neither of these countries will the attack come. The enemy will be Russia and her confederates. Therp is some doubt as to the identity of the confederate Powers, but tbey will include Egypt, Persia. Turkey, and the Mohxm.medan tribes generally, while the great uprising will perhaps be accompanied by a new Indian mutiny. Japan and Germany, if not neutral, will in the final cm-diet be on the side of Britain and the Jews.

The arena of the coming tremendous campaign will be the Mediterranean Sea and countries bordering on it. The decisive battle will be fought in Asia Minor, in or near tbe .Holy Land. The Russian fleet will play an active part in the war. for the King of the North is to have "many ships." Russia's recent adoption of 3 naval programme, and tbe vast increase in her Army Estimates, are part of the preparation for the conai<-t. The i.?sue of the battle of Armageddon is left in no doubt by the prophets. The Beast (Turkey) will be destroyed. Russia will -'come to his end. and none shall help him." Only one-sixth of him will escape. He will be driven to "a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east tea and his hinder part toward the utmost sea" evidently a prediction that Russia will be expelled from Europe and will become a purely Asiatic Power in the wilds of Siberia. According to one interpreter. Britain will not fare much better. .She will suffer defeat, and her fleet will be destroyed. With this view the present writer does not agree, for reasons that will bp stated in the concluding article.

VII — 'ARMAGEDDON: THE REIGN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS," will appear on Wednesday, August 6.