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| What role does China have to play in Revelation Prophecy |
The rise of China and Bible Prophecy. While most of the World is focusing on America, Russia and the Middle East or even North Korea for any signs of the beginnings of World War 3 or Armageddon, there is a massive nation that is quietly moving strategically in military terms and expanding it's horizons beyond it's own shores. This has been happening especially in the last decade or so. That Nation is China.
Currently the worlds No2 only topped by the US, but the gap is narrowing at a frightening rate and increasingly in some respects China is the Worlds No1. With the recent headlines demonstrating that China is branching out beyond it's shores and laying claim to the South China Seas building man made islands. The even later headlines lay claim that China has almost completed a military base in Africa, the purpose of this base remains unclear but a China military expansion overseas seems to be the reason.
China has indeed awakened from a centuries old economic sleep induced by communism and woken up by Westernisation. With the increased Westernisation of the Economy these are giving rise to indications within the Nation itself that an economic No1 power house is in the making that will eclipse the US very soon. Of the ten tallest buildings in the world, seven of them are in China! City building in China is also progressing at a rapid rate and China's exports are renowned for flooding the world market with products at such a low price they stifle all global competition. Take a look on eBay to see this in action. China is also one of the largest purchasers of US debt in effect propping the US economy and keeping confidence in the US Dollar. What would happen if China ceased doing this is something that Western economists fret over daily. An economic war is already underway and it looks like China is starting to focus increasingly on strengthening it's already considerable military might.
BUT is China mentioned in Bible Prophecy as one of the countries that could feature in a World War 3 situation. Book of Revelation Prophecy and especially Ezekiel which actually names the countries that will be involved in a potential World War 3 scenario, but most if not all are focused on countries in the Middle East region or surrounding area. So does China feature in Bible Prophecy? Is the recent military muscle flexing an indication of that fact, or are the recent China military headlines of no Biblical Prophetic interest whatsoever?
Revelation 9:14-18 is often quoted as the Bible verse that hints a strong possibility of the might of the Chinese military which surpasses anything on this planet that is land based.
Revelation 9 The Sixth Trumpet
14. Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.
15. And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.
16. And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.
17. And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.
18. By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.
Countries mentioned in Ezekiel 38 and 39 mentioned in the KJV include Gog, Magog, Rosh, Meshech, Tubal (verse 1), Persia, Ethiopia, Libya (verse 5), Gomer, and Togarmah (verse 6). Most Bible scholars agree Rosh and Magog = Russia and its satellites; Meshech and Tubal = Russia or Turkey; Persia = Iran, Cush = Sudan; Put = Libya; Gomer and Togarmah = Turkey. The leading nations mentioned are the grandsons of Noah through his son Japheth mentioned in Genesis 10:1-2. Magog is the 2nd son; Tubal the 5th; and Meshech is the 6th.
There is reference to something that vaguely could be China in the Old Testament that includes from the very beginning of the Bible in Genesis and also by one of the major Prophets as in Isaiah.
Some Bible scholars state that China is mentioned as "the Sinite" and are referred to in Genesis 10:17
17. And the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite,
China is also possibly mentioned again in Isaiah 49:12 as where the "land of Sinim" is located.
12. Behold, these shall come from far: and, lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim.
The "Sinites" along with other races settled in the what we call today the East which is today called China. These people became scattered after the destruction of the Tower of Babel mentioned in Revelation 11:1-9 (see foot of article)
BUT it is in The Book of Revelation where we find a much more solid reference to something that is coming from the "The East"
Revelation 16 The Sixth Vial (Bowl)
12. And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.
13. And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
14. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
15. Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
16. And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.
The River Euphrates is mentioned in both the Sixth Seal and the Sixth Vial of Revelation. Some say these two judgement events run parallel at similar times, others say they are approx 3.5 years apart due to the chronology of Revelation which again some agree with and some do not. The River Euphrates has always been a border between East and West and is one of the first four rivers mentioned in the Bible in the Garden of Eden which gets mentioned again in Revelation above.
Genesis 2:14. And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates.
The symbol of the nation of China by no coincidence is the Dragon and the nation has always embraced religions such as Taoism, Confucianism and Buddhism which fly in the face of Christianity. The recent headlines showing an increase in Christian persecution in recent years reinforces this view in post communist China.
Here are some rules enforced on Christians in China which number below 1% of the population.
1. Christians are consistently forbidden the right to do any public evangelism of any kind. Private worship is reluctantly permitted but gospel preaching is banned. (Russia is following this lead)
2. Directives to the state-controlled churches warn pastors not to preach the message of Revelation.
3. Sunday School teachers are not allowed to discuss the "day of the Lord" predicted in both the Old and New Testaments.
4. The Olivet Discourse, recorded in three of the four Gospels is forbidden (the most important outline of prophecy in Scripture).
Information courtesy The Prophetic Significance of the rise of China as a World Power http://according2prophecy.org
Conclusions:
China is not directly referenced or mentioned in the Bible in the Old or New Testament, but it is mentioned a number of times indirectly and looks possibly to be part of the Battle of Armageddon. Certainly the nations movements and actions and increased military focus look to be moving towards fulfilling Bible Prophecy and China is a nation that cannot be ignored in global terms nor in Biblical Prophecy terms either.
Further reading:
The Prophetic Significance of the rise of China as a World Power http://according2prophecy.org
Bible Quote:
Genesis 11:1-9 The Destruction of the Tower of Babel
1 And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.
2 And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there.
3 And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter.
4 And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.
5 And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded.
6 And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.
7 Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.
8 So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.
9 Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.
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