Judgment On Africa

Isaiah 18:1-7

“Woe to the land shadowing with wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia: That sendeth ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of bulrushes upon the waters, saying, Go, ye swift messengers, to a nation scattered and peeled, to a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden down, whose land the rivers have spoiled!” (Isaiah 18:1-2)

It is often hard to understand biblical prophecy because in the Western world the focus has been on Western civilization with little concern or understanding of the influence or importance of other areas.   Many people think that no great civilizations originated in Africa, never realizing that Egypt is in Africa.  At one point in history. Ethiopia ruled most of northern Africa and the Middle East.  Libya ruled a large share of the Mediterranean coast for a while.  Records from Egypt, Babylon and various other countries indicate there were huge, well organized civilizations throughout Africa at different periods, just as there were in other areas of the world.  Because so many of the records have been destroyed, we have only statements from a few trading ventures to tell us about these civilizations. 

From ancient maps and records, it appears that ancient Ethiopia was probably in what we know today as Sudan, with the land of Sheba occupying present day Eritrea, Eastern Ethiopia, Somalia, and for a time Yemen.    South Sudan and western Ethiopia were referred to as Abyssinia.  From the statements about the reed boats it seems probable that this passage refers to ancient Sheba or Abyssinia, or perhaps the rest of Africa using the Red Sea to invade Judah and Israel.  They will definitely be involved in the attacks on Israel in the Tribulation period. 

“All ye inhabitants of the world, and dwellers on the earth, see ye, when he lifteth up an ensign on the mountains; and when he bloweth a trumpet, hear ye.  For so the LORD said unto me, I will take my rest, and I will consider in my dwelling place like a clear heat upon herbs, and like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.

For afore the harvest, when the bud is perfect, and the sour grape is ripening in the flower, he shall both cut off the sprigs with pruning hooks, and take away and cut down the branches.  They shall be left together unto the fowls of the mountains, and to the beasts of the earth: and the fowls shall summer upon them, and all the beasts of the earth shall winter upon them.” (Isaiah 18:3-6)

At the end of the Tribulation, when the Battle of Armageddon starts the last trumpet will sound, and  the Lord will appears on the mount of olives, all the armies of the world will attack and be destroyed, according to Revelation 11:15-18, 16:16-21, and 19:11-21.  Matthew 24: 29-31 says, “ Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.  And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”

Immediately after that, Christ will set up the Millennial Kingdom, and there will be peace for a thousand years.  Just before that, during the Tribulation, also called ‘the time of Jacob’s trouble,’ There will be a time of persecution of the Jews.  Matthew 24:21-22 warns, “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.  And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.” In  effect, God will prune out all who will not follow Christ as described in Revelation 12:9-17.

“In that time shall the present be brought unto the LORD of hosts of a people scattered and peeled, and from a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden under foot, whose land the rivers have spoiled, to the place of the name of the LORD of hosts, the mount Zion.” (Isaiah 18:7)

In that day, Israel, the nation which has been scattered and lost all their pride will be dedicated to the Lord.  They will come back from people who have hated and tried to destroy them to the place where God placed his temple in Mount Zion, a land that has been destroyed like a flood had overflowed it.