This week all eyes have been on events in Britain with the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. World leaders gathered from around the world to pay tribute to a remarkable woman and a highly respected monarch. Sadly though, few would have had any idea of the origin of the British monarchy in the Old Testament nation of Israel.
As the scepter, orb, and crown were removed from the coffin, signifying the end of her reign, we were reminded of God’s promise to the children of Jacob – and Judah in particular.
“The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes and to Him shall be the obedience of the people” (Genesis 49:10).
We are in the time leading up to Shiloh coming. The upcoming Day of Trumpets pictures the day when there will be a root of Jesse, who will stand as a leader of all people at the return of Jesus Christ (Isaiah 11:10).
What was noticeably absent from the gathering of world leaders in England this week were the leaders of Russia and China.
Almost totally overshadowed by events in Britain, these two superpowers recently participated in an important conference of leaders from India, Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Egypt. This group has adopted the title Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). The purpose of the conference was to mold these nations into a new economic, military and political power bloc.
“China is willing to make efforts with Russia to assume the role of great powers and play a guiding role in injecting stability and positive energy into a world rocked by social turmoil, Chairman Xi proclaimed.”
“President Putin repeated his accusation that the United States wanted to create a unipolar world, adding that such moves had recently taken an ugly shape and are absolutely unacceptable to most states on the planet.”
“The problems the two countries pose to Washington are distinct, but the convergence of their interests and the complementarity of their capabilities – military and otherwise – make their combined challenge to U.S. power greater than the sum of its parts. China and Russia are linked not only by the alignment of their worldviews but also by their complementarity of their resources and capabilities.”
Russia and China desire to combine their resources and capabilities to become a power greater than America.
As the U.S. wears its weakening internal condition on its sleeve, Britain faces an increasingly uncertain future with unstable politics and destabilized monarchy. It is of great interest that at this point in the history of these once two great nations, when their power and influence is waning, that Russia and China are coming together.
At the time of the end, we are told of three strong powers operating on the world scene. Identified as the King of the South, King of the North, and another power to the east and the north of the Glorious Land. The two kings, South and North, amass great armies, and they ultimately clash with each other in the Middle East – the Glorious Land.
As these two kings do battle in this area, the King of the North takes an upper hand, but news from the east and the north shall trouble him. To the east and north of this area lie Russia and China, with the support of other anti-west nations in the general area (SCO).
The sixth trumpet of Revelation 9 pictures an army of two hundred million who were halted at the Euphrates River. When this army is released, a great war pictured as a “woe” ensues.
It appears that the foundation of that army is being formed at this time. We maybe are seeing the embryonic beginnings of one of the great end-time participants.
A monarch who was much loved and provided a degree of stability dies as British and American leadership is wobbly at best. It seems hardly coincidental that at the same exact time, Russia and China are converging their interests to oppose the West.
While there are many pieces of the end-time puzzle spread on the table, some pieces are beginning to connect.
As Daniel was told, “… none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand” (Daniel 12:10).
Brian Orchard
