God gave plenty of space to Japheth
The Peace of Westphalia (Germany) in 1648 was a series of peace
treaties that ended the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648) in the “Holy”
Roman Empire, and the Eighty Years' War (1568–1648) between
Spain and the Dutch Republic, with Spain formally recognizing the
independence of the Dutch Republic.
The treaties did not restore peace throughout Europe. However, they did
create a basis for national self-determination.. Moreover and
very important, they put an end to the religious wars. The Catholic and
Protestant churches also concluded such thing as peace with science, which
henceforth was recognized as a way to seek God. In
addition, the European royal courts set up scientific academies and thus
ensured the quality and continuity of research.
Moreover, it did settle many outstanding European issues of the time.
The principles developed at Westphalia, especially those relating to respecting
the boundaries of sovereign states and non-interference in their domestic affairs, became central to the world order that developed
over the following centuries and has remained in effect to this day (2016).
A norm was established against interference in
another state's domestic affairs. As European influence spread across the
globe, these Westphalian principles - especially the
concept of sovereign states - became central to international law and
to the prevailing world order.
But in addition, such a thing as European 'character' was involved. Up to that
time there were made scientific advances in other
parts of the world, such as in China and the Islamic world, but the giant leaps
that were made In Europe were there probably impossible. In the Islamic world,
especially for religious reasons; China however,
obviously lacked curiosity and the will to persevere.
But something else should be noted why precisely in
Europe much more progress could be made in many areas, especially from the
period that came to be known as the Enlightenment: In comparison to other parts
of the world especially in Europe, Christianity gained solid ground and
therefore could wield a strong influence on the way of life of its citizens. As a result in
Europe Christianity reached by far its greatest, unprecedented extent:
practically the whole continent was 'Christianized', as they say.
And although at the same time - as is also recognized by many - there was
(is) a lot of 'name Christianity’, to identify best with ‘Christendom’, the
sound principles on which Christian faith is founded over time was practiced on
a large scale. This of course referring to the incentives
that encourage diligence, virtue, righteousness, delivering honest work,
chastity in marriage. In short moral virtues that
widely came to the attention of European peoples through Bible distribution and
Bible clarification.
Compare Jeshua’s parable of THE
WHEAT AND THE WEEDS.
Consequently, in people who were receptive to such things as
-
a life of hard work instead of laziness;
-
honesty instead of deceit;
-
humility instead of pride;
-
sincerity instead of hypocrisy;
-
charity instead of hate,
became things of paramount importance.
Previously, Europe was also been immersed in heathenism.
In that atmosphere the people generally served a pantheon of idols that
often incited their worshipers to the most horrendous acts.
In the years Fifty of the First century, the
apostle Paul signalled the prevailing idolatry among the nations:
Look at Yisrael
after the flesh: Are not those who eat of the offerings sharers in the altar?
What then do I say? That an idol is of any value?
Or that which is offered to idols is of any value? No,
but what the Gentiles offer they offer to demons and not to Elohim, and I do not wish you to become sharers
with demons.
(One Corinth, chapter 10)
Here, the apostle did not describe a situation which existed among
distant nations, but rather the dominant religious practice inside the then
Europe. When Paul shortly before temporarily stayed in Athens his spirit was aroused
by the fact that the city was full of idols (Acts
17:16).
But by the founding of Christian communities among the common people Bible
teaching started gradually by which they were turned from their idols to God. And little by little, with good results, they mirrored the
life that the Messiah himself had lived.
It is interesting to note that in connection therewith plentiful pithy
sayings arose among the people, proverbs that encouraged a positive attitude
and exemplary behaviour. We are acquainted with them:
-
Go to the ant, you lazy one! See her
ways and be wise, taken from Proverbs 6:6.
-
Don’t put your light under a basket (Matthew
5:15);
-
First remove the rafter from your own eye (Matthew 7:5);
and countless others.
For Bible Students in this context the following is even more
interesting.
As is well known, it can be assumed that all
humanity descended from the three sons of Noah: Shem, Ham and Japheth. But some time after the Flood, Noah uttered a striking
prophecy about those sons, a prediction that would reach very far in time:
Cursed be Canaan
[a descendant of Ham], let him become a servant of servants to
his brothers. And he added: Blessed be YHWH, Shem’s Elohim, and let Canaan become his servant. Let Elohim enlarge Japheth,
and let him dwell in the tents of Shem.
(Genesis 9)
Noah here blessed YHWH as Shem's Elohim, the Covenant-God of Israel.
Consequently, from the lineage of Shem came forth the first Congregation: the
people of Israel. But over time Japheth would dwell in the
tents of Shem, accordingly in close connection with the Shem-congregation.
Now, the nations that in world history witnessed the largest expansion
concerning territory, descended from Japheth. To this end, the Greeks and
Romans can be counted and all the nations that emerged
from the Roman world power, the European nations. From the table of the nations
listed in Genesis, chapter 10, it can be inferred that
the descendants of Japheth proceeded to inhabit the European continent.
But how would the Japhethites come to dwell in the tents of Shem?
That fact was realized by the foundation of the second
Congregation in Biblical history: the Christian Congregation, also designated
as Yeshua’s Congregational Body of which he himself is the Head: And He [YHWH Elohim] subjected all things under his feet and gave him Head
over all things relating to the Congregation which is his Body, the fullness of
him who fills up all things in all (Ephesians 1:23).
However, the Holy Greek Scriptures show that already at an early stage
the Gospel was focussed on Europe through the
preaching of the apostle Paul (Shaul of the tribe Benjamin) and those who were
with him. One can read the book of Acts on it, in particular from 16:9 >>
In the night a vision appeared to Shaul: A man of Makedonia was standing, begging him and saying, “Come over
to Makedonia and help us.”
Soon therefore Christian communities arose in Philippi, Thessalonica,
Corinth, Rome. It is nevertheless true that
Christianity had its roots in Judaism. Again in his
Letter to the Ephesians, Shaul would write that we, Christians, originating
from Heathendom, were once far off:
Therefore
remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh, who are called ‘the
uncircumcision’ by what is called ‘the circumcision’ made in the flesh by
hands, that at that time you were without Messiah, excluded from the
citizenship of Yisrael and strangers to the covenants
of promise, having no expectation and without Elohim in the world. But now in Messiah Yeshua you who once were far off have come to
be near in the blood of the Messiah. For he himself is our peace, he who made
both [the two congregations] one.
(Eph 2:12-14).
When Elohim drew us, Gentiles, as well to his Son, we
found that we who were once far off, were also allowed to come near on the
basis of faith in the sacrificial blood of Elohim's Messiah Jeshua, completely
in accordance with Yeshua’s own assurance, uttered when he was still amidst the
Jewish people: No one can come to me unless the Father, who sent me, draws him (John 6:44)
Consequently, Shaul concludes: So you [Christian believers out of the Gentiles] are no longer strangers and alien
residents, but fellow citizens of the holy ones [Jewish believers] and members of the household of God (Eph 2:19).
Thus the Christians, descendents of Japheth, started dwelling in the
tents of Shem.
Conclusion:
The larger flight which could make the
remarkable progress in Europe, is not at all by accident.
From the days of Noah the Almighty already
foresaw that over time things would proceed in that direction. And a lot of Europeans have shared in those fruits, even
those who did not actively practice Christianity.
However, what can we say about the current
Japheth-Europe, the Japhetic continent that ever, according to Noah's prophecy,
befell so much divine favour?
Now, summer 2016 AD, Europe seems to be immersed in a crisis of unprecedented proportions. And why?
It is not possible to ignore what has
happened in this continent through the centuries, especially during World War
II with its climax the horrible Holocaust, when six million Jews were murdered.
We are now living seventy years after the
end of that slaughter, and consequently 70 years after the end of
that terrible crime. And it is really inconceivable
that the German nation, together with the other Jewish enemies in Europe, could
escape God's judgment of wrath. In many passages of Scripture
the restoration of God's people Israel (Jacob) in their own country is
announced. The oldest we find in Devarim
(Deuteronomy) 30.
After Elohim in the preceding chapters had announced repeatedly that Israel
would face severe hardship in the Diaspora, his representative Mosjeh fortunately could also provide a comforting
announcement:
When all these words come upon you, the blessing and the curse that I
have put before you, and you call them to mind in all the nations where YHWH
your God has dispersed you, and you return to YHWH your God and listen to his
voice according to all that I am commanding you today, you and your sons, with
all your heart and all your soul, YHWH your God will then bring back your
captives and show you mercy and regather you from all
the peoples where YHWH your God has scattered you.
Even if your people are dispersed
to the extremity of the heavens, from there YHWH your God will gather you and
bring you back. YHWH your God will bring you into the land your fathers took
possession of, and you will possess it; and he will make you prosper and will
multiply you more than your fathers.
YHWH your God will cleanse your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that
you will love YHWH your God with all your heart and all your soul and you may
live.
THEN YHWH YOUR GOD WILL BRING ALL THESE CURSES UPON
YOUR ENEMIES WHO HATED AND PERSECUTED YOU.
So, Woe to Europe! Maybe Elohim's
curse upon Germany has already started.
Compare Deuteronomy (Devarim) 30,
and take careful
notice of the Study God’s
wrath