Steven Collins
December 3, 2007
A many readers are aware, the “birthright” promises given by God to Abraham in the book of Genesis included large populations, mineral resources, national power and greatness and other blessings. These blessings were passed on generationally to Isaac, to Jacob (who was re-named “Israel”), and to Joseph’s two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. These two sons both became separate, but closely-related, tribes in the kingdom of Israel, which was composed of the northern ten tribes of Israel. Another blessing of the Abrahamic Covenant that was bestowed upon the “birthright” tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh (Genesis 48:8-22) was the fact that they would “inherit the gates of their enemies (Genesis 22:17).
Historically, these “gates” included a variety of strategic, geographical chokepoints. Some were natural chokepoints or passage points (Gibraltar, The Cape of Good Hope and the English Channel/North Sea maritime corridor to Europe) while others were man-made (the Suez Canal and the Panama Canal). All of these were inherited in history by either the British Empire or the United States of America. Genesis 48-49 foretold many prophecies about the ten tribes of Israel in the latter days, but the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh were, respectively, foretold to be (A) a “multitude” (or group) of nations and (B) a single great nation. They were brother tribes and they would remain “brother” peoples in the latter days. Genesis 49:22-26 addresses them jointly as “Joseph” as their destinies will be so closely intertwined in the latter days. Further proof that the British and Americans are the modern tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh is the fact that they have, indeed, inherited the “gates of their enemies.”
The British people have perfectly fulfilled the prophecy about the tribe of Ephraim in the latter days and the USA has fulfilled the prophecy about the tribe of Manasseh. The British nation expanded to consist of Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, and the British ruled over many other nations through World War II and into the 1950s and 60s. The British lost control of the strategic gateway of the Suez Canal when their empire shriveled after World War II and the USA “gave away” the strategic gate of the Panama Canal in the 1970s. The British also lost the Cape of Good Hope chokepoint when South Africa became independent. The British still control Gibraltar.
In our modern world, we have not usually grasped that there is a modern “strategic gateway” on the information superhighway of the internet. In a world in which information transmitted via cyberspace is critically valuable, having control of the key “nexus” points via which this information flows constitutes another key “gate of their enemies” which should be governed by the Abrahamic Covenant blessing. We would expect the modern nations of Ephraim and Manasseh to be given these “gates” as well, and so they have! As the link below demonstrates, the USA (Manasseh) is the key nation through which most internet traffic flows. This fact has been used to great advantage by the USA in its “war on terrorism.” The USA has been able to eavesdrop “on its enemies” because a huge percentage of all international internet traffic flows through key informational “gates” in the USA.
The link below has a map showing the relative volumes of communications traffic passing through the nations of the world. The USA, as of 2005, utterly dominated the electronic networks of the globe. The map indicates that Great Britain (Ephraim) is a secondary hub of internet traffic. The internet “was invented” in the USA which permitted the USA’s electronic networks to become the “backbone” of the internet’s connections. This was not an accident of history. The fact that so many geographic and even electronic gateways were given to either Great Britain or the USA confirm not only that these nations are the modern tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, but that the Creator God of the Bible is actively controlling the destinies of nations to ensure that his promises and prophecies are implemented.
As the link notes, this American dominance of electronic gateways is slowly lessening as other nations develop their own internet systems. Like the other “gates” of history, this electronic gateway will not last forever either. However, it still remains as a dominant “gate” controlled by the USA. As the USA and Britain increasingly reject God, the Bible and God’s laws, the USA and Britain will increasingly lose their “birthright” blessings. The USA and Great Britain were exceedingly blessed by God with the national blessings promised to the Israelite tribes of Manasseh and Ephraim. These peoples have not received these blessings because they are “better” than other people. They have received these promises because God is being faithful to his covenant promises made to Abraham over 3000 years ago!
With superior blessings from God, the leaders and peoples of Britain and the USA will be judged by a higher standard than most people. Luke 12:48 states the principle that “to whom much is given, much is required.” The British and American peoples, who have dominated the world in the modern era, will be judged by a higher standard than other nations. The British and American leaders will be judged by their Creator via the strictest standard of all as they were (and are) responsible for what these nations have done with their birthright blessings. Given that the American and British people (and the rest of the western world as well) have forgotten their Judeo-Christian, biblical origins and are now mocking God and increasingly rejecting all his ways, a Day of Reckoning is coming. All will face their Maker and they will “reap what they have sown.” This ought to make the leaders of the American and British nations very, very uncomfortable. The leaders and peoples of the USA, Britain (and the formerly-Christian Western world) need to humble themselves before the God of Heaven who gave them all that they have enjoyed. Otherwise, they will surely “reap what they have sown” when God judges them in the not-so-distant future.
http://www.wired.com/politics/security/news/2007/10/domestic_taps
