Genesis 12:3 and Empires

Of all the empires of human history, the British Empire was the largest. It contained 13.7 million square miles of territory. The next largest was the Mongol Empire of the 13th Century with 9.27 million square miles. The third largest was the Russian Empire of the 19th Century which contained 8.8 million square miles. The peak of the British Empire occurred in 1920, and it declined thereafter. Today, the British Empire consists of small enclaves such as Gibraltar, Bermuda, the Falkland Islands, et cetera.

What happened? In my opinion, the fall of the British Empire is based on the Lord’s promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:3;

“And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee:”
The bias of the English against Jews goes a long way back. In 1189, a wealthy Jew named Benedict was denied entry to King Richard I’s coronation banquet. In the anti-Semitic rioting that followed, Benedict was killed at Westminster. The next year, 1190, about one-hundred, fifty Jews living in York, England took refuge in a tower in the center of the city to escape the anti-Semitic riots. Surrounded by the people of York, mounted knights and battering rams, just like Masada a thousand years before, the Jews chose to commit suicide rather than face death at the hands of the mob.

This is also evident in English literature. In Charles Dickens’ story of Oliver Twist, the wicked Fagin was Jewish. This is not an isolated example. Some of my favorite English authors, Agatha Christie and Dornford Yates, frequently showed Jews in an unfavorable light.

Israel, named Palestine by the Romans after they deported the Jews in 135 A.D., became a British Protectorate in 1922. The British would not allow the Jews that lived there to have firearms, while the Arabs were free to own guns. When Israel became a state and the British withdrew, they gave their military trucks, tanks and heavy weapons to the Arabs.

The Queen of England, in her many travels, has never visited Israel. Prince Charles has been to Israel for the funerals of President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. It was recently announced that Prince Charles will go to Israel and meet with the Palestinian Mahmoud Abbas. There was no announcement indicating he would meet with the Prime Minister of Israel.

When Israel announced its nationhood to the world, President Harry Truman representing the United States, was the first to recognize that new nation. I am personally pleased that the current President of the United States has chosen to treat Israel as a friend and to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. By doing so he is positioning our nation for the blessing promised by God, who sees all and is over all.

I am thankful that the Lord has been patient with our nation when it has turned its back on Israel. I am also thankful for His patience with me. May His name always be praised!

BACK to Lesson Archive.