Clifford Hill connects the migration crisis to Bible prophecies about the end of days, and suggests that God may have a special purpose for Britain at this time.
As of today, Friday 18 September, in this fast moving crisis, Croatia has become the latest European country to close its borders as the great migrant invasion of Europe intensifies, and Hungary has begun extending its fence along the borders with Croatia. Even Germany has introduced border controls to stop the unmanageable flow of migrants from Austria.
Europe in Turmoil
So what is the significance of all this as Europe is thrown into turmoil by what appears to be an unending flow of migrants? Clearly these are not just refugees fleeing war-torn Syria and Iraq, but something is stirring in nations right across the world where there is dissatisfaction with current life chances. Already hundreds of thousands are on the move and potentially this could be millions who want to jump on the bandwagon and reach Europe.
It is significant that the most popular destination is Germany – not because the migrants speak German but because it's the richest country in Europe. Angela Merkel has lit the touch paper of a migrant tsunami that is already causing major confusion, social chaos and political disunity throughout Europe. It has the potential of creating a catastrophic social, economic and political disaster.
Militant Islam
It is significant that the majority of the migrants attempting to enter Europe are Muslims. Some 25 years ago I published an article in the print magazine Prophecy Today saying that the greatest threat to peace in Europe was not from the Soviet Union but from militant Islam. The USSR was at the height of its power and the Cold War between East and West occupied the attention of newspapers and politicians alike. Islam was hardly given a thought except to note the brutal war between Iran and Iraq that lasted for most of the 1980s and resulted in more than 1 million deaths. But for those who were studying the signs of the times with an open Bible and an ear tuned to God, there were unmistakable warnings that Islam would soon be a major threat to world peace.
For those studying the signs of the times with an open Bible and an ear tuned to God, there have long been warnings that Islam would soon threaten world peace.
MI5's Warning
Migrants push through a police line in Croatia on Thursday.
I'm not implying that I was the only one sounding a warning note about Islam. In Prophecy Today we published a number of articles in the 1980s by writers such as Clifford Denton, Lance Lambert, Ray Register, John Lafin, John Ray and Patrick Sookhdeo, who all perceived danger lying ahead. This danger is now being intensified by news of ISIS' plans to infiltrate Europe with half a million jihadists and that an unknown number have already mixed with the flow of migrants into Europe. This danger was highlighted yesterday by the head of MI5 warning that they had intercepted and prevented five attempts by jihadists already this year.
200 More Mosques
It is notable that Saudi Arabia, which has so far taken no refugees from Syria, has offered to build 200 mosques in Germany! No doubt this is their contribution to the Islamisation of Europe! Saudi Arabia has also just announced that it intends to crucify an 18-year-old boy for taking part in a protest against government policy. This is in accord with sharia law that they want to impose upon Europe!
So what's going on? Is there any word from the Lord? What does the Bible have to say about the times in which we are living?
Lance Lambert's View
Lance Lambert, who died recently, was one of the greatest of modern prophets, a Jew who accepted Jesus as Messiah. He gave us two interviews for Prophecy Today some three months before the 40th anniversary of the State of Israel. We published these in March and May 1988 and are re-publishing them today and next week because we believe they are relevant to the situation that is now developing across the Middle East and Europe (see the first article here). Lance said that he did not think that anything remarkable was going to happen to Israel on the 40th anniversary. He said,
I do feel that we have nevertheless passed irreversibly into the last phase of world history. We know this from Luke 21:24, where Jesus prophesies that the Jewish people will fall by the sword, be taken as captives into all the nations, and Jerusalem trampled on by foreigners 'until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled'.
Times of the Gentiles
Are the 'times of the Gentiles' now fulfilled? This is the big question that biblical scholars have been debating since 1967, when Israel re-gained hold of Jerusalem. There is no definitive answer to this but the 'great shaking of the nations' prophesied by the biblical prophets (Isaiah 2, Haggai 2 and Hebrews 12) appears to be happening in our lifetime.
Back in 1988, Lance Lambert stated a belief that we have passed into the last phase of world history, when the 'times of the Gentiles' will be fulfilled.
Words of Jesus
Add to these prophecies the words of Jesus' warning that "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places" (Matt 24:7). Jesus also warns that those who believe in him will be persecuted and at the same time there will be a great increase in wickedness, but the gospel will be preached in the whole world (Matt 24:9-14).
There is plenty of evidence in the daily news that all these things are happening today, including the Church worldwide growing at the fastest rate in history, despite the great falling away in Europe. So how does the migration crisis in Europe fit into this picture?
The Servant Songs
The prophet Isaiah actually refers to the British Isles a number of times. He links "the islands" with "the ends of the earth". In those days the islands off the coast of Europe were at the end of the known world, so it is a reasonable assumption that he is referring to the British Isles. There are some significant references in what biblical scholars know as 'The Servant Songs' (all Messianic statements that link Israel as a nation with the person of Messiah). The Songs show God working out his ultimate purposes for the salvation of the nations through Israel and the Messiah.
Can Britain Serve the Purposes of God?
The first of the four 'Servant Songs' is Isaiah 42:1-4 which begins "Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations." God has undoubtedly used and mightily blessed Britain in the past, but in today's highly secularised environment, has the faithful remnant of believers sufficient spiritual strength to stand against the tide of unbelief and godless moral anarchy? Is there sufficient spiritual strength to serve the purposes of God at such a time as this?
Isaiah actually refers to the British Isles a number of times, perhaps indicating that they have a special place in the purposes of God.
This prophetic statement indicates that the British Isles have a special place in the purposes of God. God does not change his mind so this is still true today! The second Servant Song (Isa 49:1-6) begins with a call to the islands – "Listen to me, you islands; hear this, you distant nations..." It concludes with the promise to Israel, "It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth."
Final Great Conflict
Historically, Britain has indeed enjoyed a special place in God's purposes, being used powerfully in the worldwide spread of the Gospel. But does that purpose still exist for modern, 'post-Christian' Britain?
The final reference to 'the islands' in Isaiah is found in the last chapter, which is all in the context of the final conflict before the advent of the new heavens and the new earth, establishing the reign of God upon earth. It speaks of a sign being sent to "the distant islands...They will proclaim my glory among the nations" (Isa 66:19).
If we put this in the context of Jesus' words in the days leading up to his second coming, "There will be great distress, unequalled from the beginning of the world until now – and never to be equalled again" (Matt 24:21), we may expect a time of unparalleled upheaval and conflict among the nations.
My own interpretation is that we are moving towards a time of great conflict that will engulf Europe and the Middle East. The 'Arab Spring' that began on 18 December 2010 in Tunisia lit the fuse for this period, which has spread across North Africa and the Gulf States to link with the intense conflict within Islam that began with the Iran/Iraq conflict between Sunni and Shia Muslims and is now devastating Syria.
Britain's Biblical Heritage
An irreversible process has begun that will lead to open conflict unless there is divine intervention. If it is a right interpretation of Isaiah's vision, Britain has a special part to play within the purposes of God. The question is whether there is sufficient strength in the Judeo/Christian biblical heritage of the nation to enable Britain to carry out its role of bringing the word of the Lord into this situation.
Leaving the EU
In order to do this it may be that Britain will need to separate from the rest of Europe and be prepared to stand alone under God (alongside an increasingly secularised Europe but not under its godless direction). I believe the word of the Lord to Britain today is, "Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty" (Zech 4:6). To this we must add the words of Jesus to his disciples that we should, "watch and pray" (Matt 26:41).
I believe that we are moving towards a time of great conflict in Europe and the Middle East, unless there is divine intervention. Britain may well have a special part to play, but will she be prepared to stand for God?
Dr Hill will elaborate on this theme in another feature article, to be published on Friday 25 September. In the meantime any comments from readers posted below would be greatly appreciated.
