A
New Look at End-Time
EPHRAIM!
Where is modern Ephraim, the leading tribe of the northern king-
dom of ancient
prophecy say about the identifying characteristics of this mighty
tribe of
Let’s examine the evidence honestly, with an open sincere mind.
The truth is awesome, and contains a great warning.
William F. Dankenbring
Of all
those who recognize that the lost ten tribes of Israel have been found in the
modern world, and are primarily the peoples of the Anglo-Saxon Celtic race,
found in western Europe, Great Britain, Ireland, the United States, Canada, and
related peoples, why does almost everyone believe that
the
Of
course, this idea was popularized by the British-Israel movement of the last
century, and adopted by others who saw the evidence that indeed the tribes of
the ancient northern kingdom of “
Yet the truth about the identity of Ephraim was obscured, hidden from view, until these END TIMES! Ephraim can clearly be identified, if we are willing to look at all the evidence, without preconditions, bias, or obstructions in our view.
Who Is Ephraim?
Just who is Ephraim?
In the pages of this magazine, we have proved before that Ephraim is
none other than the
In a companion article in this issue, I have related the incredible proof from the “emblems” and national symbols of Ephraim to prove that indeed, the United States of America possesses these ancient symbols, and this itself identifies America as Ephraim, the leading, “birthright” tribe of Joseph (compare Gen.48:14-20; I Chron.5:1). Joseph was given the birthright, but Ephraim was given the greatest blessing from Jacob, as he placed his right hand on him, and his left hand on his brother Manasseh. God says of Ephraim, in Jeremiah, “Ephraim is My firstborn” (Jer.31:9). What could be clearer?
Jacob then blessed his sons, and said that Joseph would be “a fruitful bough, a fruitful bough by a well; his branches run over the wall. The archers have bitterly grieved him, shot at him and hated him. But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob” (Gen.49:22-24).
Before
we go on, notice! Since Ephraim is the
tribe Jacob blessed with the greatest blessings, as the “firstborn” of the
firstborn, these promises would be doubly applicable to him, not
Manasseh. The fruitful olive branch is
one of the primary national symbols and emblems of the
To
be more precise – how does
In the book of Deuteronomy, next, we find the words of Moses regarding Joseph in the last days. He declared, “His glory is like a firstborn bull, and his horns like the horns of a wild ox [or, unicorn]; together with them he shall push the peoples to the ends of the earth; they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and the thousands of Manasseh” (Deut.33:17).
Believe it or not – as foolish as it may seem – I have seen educated men, authors of books on the subject, who have argued that this means Ephraim ruled over more Gentile nations than his brother Manasseh. But that’s not what it says! The plain sense of the Scripture is that Ephraim would far outnumber Manasseh, in population and military might. It is amazing to me just how far people sometimes will go, in the vain imaginations of their hearts, to subvert and twist Scripture to support a cherished myth or personal theory!
Obviously, anybody can see that this Scripture is speaking of relative population, or relative size of the armies – troops – of Ephraim and Manasseh. Ephraim’s military power would be much greater than that of Manasseh. Her population, also, would be much greater. That is the natural inference and plain teaching of this passage. To argue otherwise is simply to set a trap for unwary readers and deceive them. We ought to tremble before the Word of God, and not allow ourselves to be misled in our hearts because of previously cherished ideas which we have assumed to be true.
There can be no doubt that it has been the United States of America which has led the way in fighting oppression throughout modern times, providing millions of men and munitions to save the world’s democracies from totalitarian dictatorships, from World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf War, and most recently, the fight against terrorism in Afghanistan.
God’s
Word suggests very strongly that Ephraim was to become a mighty military
power. In the book of Psalms, God
prophesied, “
In Psalm 60:7, God says, “Ephraim also is the strength of my head” (KJV). The New King James has it, “Ephraim also is the helmet [lit., “protection’] for My head.”
Again,
notice that its is EPHRAIM whom God associates with
military power, strength, compares to a fortress, and as being powerful in
defense and as being a mighty stronghold – a SUPERPOWER! He even refers to Ephraim as being His own helmet,
as a nation He uses to protect His “head” – His own government. As
Another
allusion to both the connection between Judah and Ephraim – the state of
Now,
if we look at the
Why,
there is no question or doubt – it is the
But now let’s look at the evidence from the prophet Hosea. Here is where this subject gets real interesting.
Hosea is
a book of Biblical prophecy which is written for the “last days,” the “end of
days,” the “time of the end.” It is
filled with prophecies referring to “Ephraim,” “
Idolatry
The first
time Ephraim is mentioned in Hosea, God says of her, “Ephraim is joined to
idols, let him alone. Their drink is
rebellion, they commit harlotry continually” (Hos.4:17). Indeed, our nation is FILLED with idols –
from automobiles, Hollywood actors and actresses, “movie idols,” rock-and-roll
idols, music idols, images worshipped in churches, people prize, esteem,
“worship” the works of their own hands.
Secondly, our nation is famous for “rebellion” – it was born in
rebellion! It suffered the “Civil
War,” a war fought over the rebellion of the southern states. Thirdly, our nation is filled with “harlotry”
– prostitution, pornography, sexual abandon!
We truly possess the identifying “marks” of Ephraim! “For now, O Ephraim, you commit harlotry;
Because
of this, God says, “Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke”
(Hos.5:9). Why? God says, “I have seen a horrible thing in
the house of
Racial Mixing
“Ephraim
has mixed himself among the peoples; Ephraim is a cake unturned. Aliens
have devoured his strength, but he does not know it” (Hos.7:8-9). The
Foreign
Entanglements
“Ephraim
also is like a silly dove” (Hos.7:11).
God compares Ephraim with a “silly dove” which seeks allies in the
world. Even today, the
“Ephraim
has hired lovers” (Hos.8:9). The
Before I
go on, one writer claims that the term “Ephraim” includes ALL the nations of
the ten tribes which were carried into captivity, and later re-settled in western Europe. This
statement, however, is patently false, when it is applied to the prophecies of
the book of Hosea. When ALL the tribes
of
God calls
nations and things that which they are!
He calls Ephraim “Ephraim,” because that is their tribal name! On the other hand, He calls “
Agricultural
Wealth and Recklessness
Almighty
God also tells us of Ephraim: “Ephraim
is a trained heifer that loves to thresh grain; but I harnessed
her fair neck, I will make Ephraim pull a plow” (Hos.10:11). Isn’t it interesting that
But God adds, “You have plowed wickedness; you have reaped iniquity. You have eaten the fruit of lies, because you trusted in your own way, in the multitude of your mighty men. Therefore tumult shall arise among your people, and all your fortresses shall be plundered” (Hos.10:13-14). Although we are a mighty agricultural nation, America has led the way in abandoning the tried and true principles of agriculture, and has embarked on a scary, horrific program of agricultural disaster, based on using genetically modified organisms or GMOs – mixing the genetic pools of plants and animals to expand production, not knowing how these things will effect human health, the ecosystem, and the ultimate well-being of mankind. Violating the laws of God, which tell us God made EACH living creature to reproduce “after its own kind” (Gen.1), America is leading the way in crossing Genesis kinds and manipulating the genes in plants and animals, to make them “pesticide resistant,” and thus polluting the earth and environment and the nation’s food supply. This will lead, God says, to “tumult,” chaos, and serious national problems.
Wealth and
Fraud
Ephraim also was to become a very
wealthy nation. “And Ephraim said,
‘Surely I have become rich, I have found wealth for myself” (Hos.12:8). How true!
The
Yet at
the same time, God says, “When I would have healed
God goes on, “When they had
pasture, they were filled; they were filled and their heart was exalted;
therefore they forgot Me. So I will be
to them like a lion; like a leopard by the road I will lurk; I
will meet them like a bear deprived of her cubs” (Hos.13:6-8). Notice the three images – a lion, a bear, and
a leopard. Could this not be a reference
to the “Beast” – the New World Order – rising up, which will “devour” Ephraim
and ravage the land? The bear is a
symbol of
Western Power
Ephraim “pursues the east wind”
(Hos.12:1). An east wind blows west.
Therefore, we would expect to find Ephraim located in the western part
of the world – and true “west” would lead to the “western hemisphere,” and the
location of the
“Samaria-America”
The capital of ancient Ephraim
was the city of “
Whenever we read “
“And I have seen folly in the
prophets of
“And the wickedness of
“The inhabitants of
“As for
Could this be an indication that
the President of the
Abraham Lincoln – assassinated
James A. Garfield – assassinated
William McKinley – assassinated
Warren G. Harding – died of a
stroke while in office,
Franklin D. Roosevelt – died of
cerebral hemorrhage,
John F. Kennedy – assassinated
Ronald Reagan -- (attempted assassination, wounded, but survived).
No doubt there are many in the world who hate President George W. Bush, Jr., because he is
the leader of
But is the war against terrorism being compromised, and hijacked?
What, then, does prophecy reveal about our future?
The Future of
Ephraim/America
God warns
in the prophecies of Isaiah, “The fortified city will disappear from Ephraim .
. . In that day the glory of Jacob will fade; the fat of his body will waste
away. It will be as when the reaper
gathers the standing grain and harvests the grain with his arm – as when a man
gleans heads of grain in the
“You have forgotten God your Saviour; you have not remembered the Rock, your fortress” (Isaiah 17:3-5, 10).
We are
bringing God’s wrath upon ourselves, as a people. When
It is no
coincidence that on that same date a National Day of Fasting and Prayer was
held in
It is any
coincidence that as America moves away from her former steadfast support of
Israel to a wishy washy, divided strategy of
appeasement of terrorists, such as Yasser Arafat,
tornadoes have devastated Texas cities, and the worst drought in history is
beginning to strike America’s east coast, heartland, south, west and southwest
– and also Texas?
May
our nation come to its senses, and return to God, and declare a day of Fasting
and Prayer, like
The choice is ours. The balances are being weighed. Judgment is near!