Question: In your article, “EPHRAIM AND MANASSEH: ALLIES IN THE MODERN WORLD,” you state that England is from Ephraim and the US from Manasseh. It would appear from Genesis 48 that it would be the reverse. Manasseh is the elder, as is England, and that Ephraim is younger, as is the US. It also states that Ephraim will be greater, also as the US has become greater than England. In light of Genesis 48, this seems much more reasonable. With the two so close in relationship, how do you prove your stand, which seems to contradict Genesis 48?
Thank you!
Lars
MYREPLY
Dear Lars,
Your question has come up from a number of people over the years, so I appreciate the opportunity to clarify the matter. While my most in-depth discussion of this subject is in my book, Israel’s Tribes Today, I’ll offer a summation of the Genesis 48 material re: the question in this response.
Genesis 48 actually indicates very strongly that the USA is Manasseh and that the British are Ephraim. Jacob (named “Israel”) blessed both Ephraim and Manasseh with a critical clue about each tribe’s descendants. Manasseh was to be a “great nation,” but Ephraim was to become a “multitude (fullness, group) of nations.” The Anglo-Saxon nations bear the name of “Isaac” upon them (promised in Genesis 48:16), so we need to focus our discussion on these nations. The USA is a single great nation and the British Commonwealth is a large “multitude” of nations. At its core are the Anglo-Saxon nations of Great Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, but the British Commonwealth includes many nations which were once part of its empire. Genesis 48:19 reveals the answer to who is Manasseh and who is Ephraim in the modern world, but one must not focus on “who is the younger or older brother” instead of asking the critical question: “Which nations fulfilled the prophecy?”
Also, Genesis 48:19 reveals that Ephraim’s descendants would be “greater.” One should not just consider our current point in time, but rather consider the record of all history. The British Empire ruled over far more nations and peoples on earth during its period of ascendancy than the USA ever has. Remember the expression : “The sun never sets on the British Empire.” No one ever said that about the USA. The British Empire and its navy dominated the globe for centuries. The USA has dominated the globe for a mere six decades since WW-2. The period of British dominance over the earth was far greater than the USA’s period of dominance. Also, Genesis 48:20 shows that Ephraim was set “before” Manasseh during this blessing ceremony. Therefore, the nations of Ephraim should receive their birthright blessing in history before the nation of Manasseh received its birthright blessing. The British, indeed, received their blessing before the Americans so the order of blessing prophesied in Genesis 48:20 also argues the that the British are Ephraim and that the Americans are Manasseh.
There is much more evidence in my book on the “Ephraim and Manasseh” question, but I hope this response makes clear the meaning of Genesis 48’s prophecy.
Steve Collins
