The final collapse of England, Canada, Australia, New Zealand?
(Editor’s Note: World News and Prophecy Review is pleased to publish the following editorial from our correspondent in the U.K., Mr. David Elliott, a minister in London, England, in United Church of God, British Isles. Mr. Elliott is also an insurance industry executive, managing a team of claims professionals for his FTSE 100 company)
There is a phrase mentioned in Jeremiah 30 which is unique in word and meaning. It is only used once in the Bible and it refers to a time that will also, only happen once. It is a time of great and terrible trouble, the likes of which has never been seen before and will never be seen again. It is the time of “Jacob’s Trouble” (Jeremiah 30:7).
Although this phrase is only used once, the time it refers to is discussed at length in various other places, including Matthew 24 and Daniel 12.
Daniel 12:1 says “At that time Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, Even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, Every one who is found written in the book”.
Matthew 24:21 says “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be”.
This time of unparalleled destruction and calamity has become known as “The Great Tribulation”, which takes its name from the description of that time given in Matthew 24:21. A comparison to other passages including Revelation 6:9 shows this to be a name and description for the events occuring during the opening of “the fifth seal” of Revelation.
A detailed examination of related passages reveals that this time of great and terrible trouble, will be a period of three and a half years, also referred to as “Forty Two months” (Revelation 11:2), or “1,260 days” (Revelation 12:6).
What is often overlooked however is the purpose of this period. God does nothing without a definite purpose and plan. All He does is carefully designed to bring about His ultimate aim, which is that “all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9) and “that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
But repentance from what and how?
Isaiah 53:6 says All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him [Jesus Christ] the iniquity of us all.
All mankind has gone astray from obedience to God and in living by his righteous law of love for God and neighbour. In His love, God has put in place a plan to allow forgiveness and reconciliation through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The scripture tells us though, that mankind will not easily listen, and a time of terrible trouble is going to be brought about, in order to shake the world, awake and turn the hearts of the people to their God.
How then does “the Great Tribulation” relate to “Jacob’s Trouble”; are they one and the same thing?
Not quite.
“The Great Tribulation” comes upon the whole world, but “Jacob’s Trouble” refers to a specific part within that wider Tribulation, the part which directly affects the modern-day descendants of Jacob.
Who Was — Who Is Jacob?
How then in prophecy, are the modern-day descendants of Jacob identified?
Jacob was the son of Isaac and the grandson of Abraham. God changed Jacob’s name to “Israel” (Genesis 32:28). In blessing his son Joseph, Israel [Jacob] placed his blessing and name upon Joseph’s two sons Ephraim and Manasseh; “let my name be named upon them” (Genesis 48:16).
As we study end time prophecy, we see that the name “Israel” is used to refer to the descendants of Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh. It is also used to refer to those descended from the Northern Kingdom of Israel more widely.
Sometimes “Ephraim” is also used and when used in connection with “Israel”, suggests the descendants of Joseph’s two sons are in mind. The context must be taken into account when trying to determine who is being referred to.
One critical example in end time prophecy where the descendants of Jacob are discussed, is Hosea 5.
This section of Hosea is a stark warning of judgement upon national Israel.
Not only the modern-day Jewish State of Israel (which is included under the reference to “Judah”), but the descendants of the entire nation of Israel.
The judgement pronounced in Hosea 5 is profound; God says that the nation “stumbles”.
This word may sound rather innocuous, but its meaning in the Hebrew includes (and it is translated in other places as) “fall”, “stumble”, “cast down”, “feeble”, “overthrown” and “ruin”.
Hosea 5:5 says: The pride of Israel testifies to his face; Therefore Israel and Ephraim stumble [are cast down, overthrown, laid to ruin] in their iniquity; Judah also stumbles with them.
God, in judgement of the sins of the descendants of Jacob, casts down and overthrows their nations. Verse 7 suggests this happens within the space of just a single month (“a New Moon”).
The previous chapter of Hosea says: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children” (Hosea 4:6)
God’s word is very plain. The modern nations of Israel will be greatly punished, will endure a time of great tribulation, calamity and destruction because they have rejected God and obedience to His law. If this is the case, then we must ask whether we see such conditions reflected in the society around us.
So, do we see obedience to God’s law in the modern nations of Israel, or do we see rejection of God’s law?
Ephraim is one part of national Israel mentioned in the prophecy of Hosea 5:5.
It is understood that the descendants of Ephraim ended up in England and from there, spread out to other parts of the world, such as Australia. What then are the conditions we currently observe in England and the wider United Kingdom of Great Britain?
(Note: For more background on this important key to Biblical Prophecy, please download and read this free booklet: The United States and Britain in Prophecy
The Secularization of Britain
During the 2020 COVID restrictions, The Prime Minister, Mr. Rishi Sunak (at that time, the Chancellor of the Exchequer) said of the United Kingdom in discussing his plans for celebration of Diwali, a Hindu festival, “…of course this is a secular country…” Diwali celebrations ‘will be difficult’, says Rishi Sunak
“Secular” means not subject to, or connected with, religious matters. So has the Christian country of the United Kingdom in fact become a country of all religions, or none?
The Office for National Statistics reports that the 2021 census results indicated only 46% of the population considered themselves to be “Christian”, while a total of 10% belonged to all the other non Judeo-Christian religions (Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh).
The biggest surprise? That 37% (22 million people) do not consider that they identify with or belong to any religion. Whether Mr Sunak is correct to say that the United Kingdom is “a secular country” or not, it is apparent that a majority of the population do not consider a belief in or obedience to the God of the Bible to be part of their lives.
Religion: England and Wales Statistics
Hosea 5:7 says: “They have dealt treacherously with the LORD, For they have begotten pagan children”. The national census would certainly support this statement of scripture.
The 2021 Census was not the only data gathering exercise carried out at that time. The Government also reported upon the rates of abortion within England and Wales. In 2021, 214,256 legal abortions were carried out, with 99% of those being funded by the NHS (the National Health Service).
Abortion Statistics, England and Wales, 2021
It is reported this number is the highest since the Abortion Act was introduced with Royal Assent (explicit approval by the Monarch) in 1967.
The numbers belie the horror that they actually represent. 214,256 lives of potential children of God, made in His image, taken before they were even born. We don’t know what those children would have looked like or who they would have grown up to be, but God does, and He feels their loss keenly.
Hosea 5: 1-3 says: “Hear this, O priests! Take heed, O house of Israel! Give ear, O house of the king! For yours is the judgment, Because you have been a snare to Mizpah
And a net spread on Tabor. The revolters are deeply involved in slaughter, Though I rebuke them all. I know Ephraim, And Israel is not hidden from Me; For now, O Ephraim, you commit harlotry; Israel is defiled.
The Governments and leaders of this world are involved in and guilty of murder at many levels, but none more base or despicable than the murder of innocent babies in the womb of their mothers. The Bible tells us that they are not forgotten, because God sees and passes judgement.
Thankfully, there is a time yet in the future when all such innocent lives will be restored and have their chance to live and choose to obey God.
National Governments are given authority by God and He expects them to do His will, to “defend the poor and fatherless; Do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy; Free them from the hand of the wicked (Psalm 82: 3-4).
Instead, though God in judgement of Israel and Ephraim says what he has found in them:
For the leaders of this people cause them to err, And those who are led by them are destroyed. (Isaiah 9:16)
The current priorities of the UK Government are declared to be addressing inflation, growing the economy, reducing national debt, reducing NHS waiting lists and preventing illegal immigration.
Prime Minister outlines his five key priorities for 2023.
These might seem to be reasonable goals for a human government, but what the people really need is a government that will turn to God and lead the people to do the same.
Scripture indicates that the people of Israel will indeed turn to God in repentance, but not before great tribulation, not before they are cast down and laid to ruin. Only then, will they wake up and return to the LORD their God.
“O Israel, return to the LORD your God, For you have stumbled because of your iniquity; Take words with you, And return to the LORD”. (Hosea 14:1-2)
“Those who dwell under his shadow shall return; They shall be revived like grain, and grow like a vine”. “Ephraim shall say, What have I to do anymore with idols? I have heard and observed him. I am like a green cyprus tree; Your fruit is found in Me” (Hosea 14: 7-8)
Reading the prophecies of Hosea is like reading the headlines of the newspapers.
The world around us has grown terribly evil and corrupt. God sees all and He has a very definite plan to bring to repentance firstly the modern nations of Israel, then in time all the nations of the world.
If God in His mercy has granted us knowledge, and we see the fall and ruin of Ephraim on the horizon, what should the wise with understanding do?
Who is wise? Let him understand these things. Who is prudent? Let him know them. For the ways of the LORD are right; The righteous walk in them, But transgressors stumble in them. (Hosea 14:9)
People of Ephraim — Britons, Canadians, Australians, New Zealanders — do you see these trends in your nation? If you are interested in how you can respond to the evil happening all around you, please write to wnpr@protonmail.com and we will direct you to the nearest office of United Church of God, an International Association, for assistance.
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