This Article: (5 Pages)
- 1. Noah's Prophecy
- 2. Tents of Shem, Vikings & Kings... of North & South
- 3. Shem and Japheth in the Latter days
- 4. Great European Power involvement... in the Middle East from 1798 to 1948
- 5. Spiritual Significance of dwelling... in the Tents of Shem.
4) Great European Power involvement in the Middle East from 1798 to 1948
In the period from 1798 to 1948 there was an intensive focus of great European Power involvement in the Middle East. This involvement was indeed that of a considerably enlarged Japheth, the Europeans, physically occupying the tents of Shem, the Middle East, and in the process subjugating the inhabitants of Canaan, called Palestine. Crombie (1988) in his book Anzacs, Empires and Israel's Restoration, presents an account of this involvement of the European powers in Israel, with a focus on the significant outcomes of the ANZAC involvement there. Crombie points out that at no time was it in the European powers' intent to help establish the state of Israel and that their involvement was due often self interest. However, he argues that from the point of view of an evangelical Christian who literally believes in a Messianic return to Jerusalem, many actions of the European powers had consequences that incrementally opened ways
Crombie shows how Evangelicals, mostly of the British commonwealth, who believed in the establishment of the state of Israel, actively influenced events. Initially, people such as Joseph Mede, Samuel Lee and later the Baptist minister James Bicheno, wrote articles predicting the restoration of Israel as a prerequisite for the return of Messiah. Missionary societies even went so far as to persuade Britain to set up a consulate in Jerusalem, which finally occurred in 1838. Though Crombie does not mention it, John Thomas' work Elpis Israel would have contributed. By the mid 1800's these ideas became so influential they affected even the Anglicans. As it seemed Britain was to be drawn into the Middle East to protect her interests, people such as Lord Palmerston, began proposing plans for a Jewish homeland. The British interest in the bible prompted archaeological expeditions, which in turn prompted interest in the bible. At this time it was the British evangelicals that were encouraging Jews to begin the work of restoration. In fact, it seems they were leading and influencing Jewish thinking. Gilbert (1998) in Israel a History states that the most quoted and influential source of the ideal of a Jewish nation was the British writer George Eliot's book Daniel Deronda of 1876 that inspired many Jews. Eliot, herself, had been inspired by evangelical thinking, which had been inspired by a return to a literal understanding of the role of the Jews in the prophecy of the Bible, which was due to the rejection of catholicism. In the wholehearted embracing of the ideal of a Jewish homeland by the sons of Japheth and their active support for a nation which was not their own, that of Israel, we see them ideologically 'dwelling' in the tents of Shem.
Many of these evangelicals also literally came to dwell briefly in the tents of Shem. Crombie details how in the fighting for Palestine in the first and second World Wars, the significant work was done by commanders who often had strong symapathy for the establishment of a State of Israel due to their evangelical convictions. The armed forces of the British Empire from early 1917 until the defeat of Turkey in December 1917 occupied this land. The first invading force into the Land in 1917 was from New Zealand but included men from Australia, Britain, India and Singapore. Australia's great military moment, the charge of the Light Brigade occured on this Land as they approached Beersheva (a town strongly connected to Abraham, a Shemite). From 11 December 1917 Britain assumed control of Jerusalem, and at that time Japhetities placed Canaan in subjection. In February 1940 Australian and NewZealand Forces (Japhethites from the Isles) set up their tent camps joining the British already in Israel and stayed until the end of 1942.
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