Last September we looked at the “Merchants of Tarshish and her young lions” – the role of Britain and her commonwealth allies in the Middle East. With recent developments it seems apt to look at the other two countries mentioned in the same verse in Ezekiel 38 – Sheba and Dedan. We have been witnessing remarkable changes in the Middle East and Northern Africa as the peoples of many nations here, having seen via the internet the incredible (from their viewpoint) freedom in the West, desire such freedom for themselves. At the moment the only place in this region with free speech, a free press and free elections is Israel!
Following the fall of the rulers of Tunisia and Egypt, people power has exerted itself in many countries, mainly only to be brutally suppressed by their rulers. One undesigned consequence has been the exploitation of the unrest by Iran. For years they have been seeking to increase their influence in a ring of countries surrounding the Arabian Peninsula. The uprisings in so many countries have been an opportunity which Iran has eagerly exploited. This has had the effect of increasing the concerns of the Sunni countries who are opposed to the Shi’ite Iranian ways. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has made his country’s policy clear – that when they have eliminated Israel from the Middle East, together with American influence, they will impose Shia rule upon their Sunni neighbours!
The gulf between the two branches of Mahomedism is deep; there is no love lost between them. This is driving the Sunni countries to work together against their common enemy – Iran. What the rulers of these countries realise – a view that may well not be reflected by the ordinary citizens – is that Israel is their greatest bulwark against Iranian aggression. We have seen cooperation between Israel and her Arab neighbours in the past – for example in December 2008, in “Operation Cast Lead” when Israel invaded the Gaza Strip following years of constant rocket and mortar bombardment. With Hamas being an extension of Iran’s power, there were many Arab countries willing to pass intelligence on to Israel. They, too, wished to see Hamas’ power broken and were disappointed that Israel left the job uncompleted. Israel has built up strong intelligence links with Jordan, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia. The future of the Egyptian links remains uncertain, but a recent Debka article spoke of Israel’s growing ties to Saudi Arabia. Before looking at this article we need to paint the scriptural background to the relationship between Sheba and Dedan and Israel.
What is interesting is the order in which Ezekiel lists these nations.
“Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil?” (Ezek 38:13)
Top of the list is Sheba and Dedan! Yet who would have thought that these Arab nations would be first in the list to challenge Gog’s invasion of Israel? Surely the Arabs are bitterly opposed to Israel and would be rejoicing to see her destruction! This verse indicates that the changes in attitude that we are now witnessing are moving in the right direction, in preparation for the time when the true Arab nations – sons of Abraham through Keturah and Ishmael – will turn to Yahweh and be brought into the bonds of the New Covenant. If all nations are to be blessed in Abraham and his Seed, then Abraham’s other children will have a prominent place in the Kingdom, though subservient to Israel. As this Kingdom picture of Isaiah shows, the longstanding conflict will then be over.
“Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea [ie seafaring people] shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee.
The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah [Abraham’s son and grandson through Keturah]; all they from Sheba [grandson through Keturah] shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall shew forth the praises of the Lord.
All the flocks of Kedar [g’son through Hagar] shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth [grandson through Hagar] shall minister unto thee: they shall come up with acceptance on mine altar, and I will glorify the house of my glory” (Isa 60:5–7).
Sheba is mentioned in this list; Dedan was his brother, being sons of Jokshan, Abraham’s secondborn son through Keturah. There was also another pair of brothers named Sheba and Dedan through Ham’s grandson Raamah.
As our previous article showed, we have long seen the role of Britain with her young lions, America, Australia, Canada and India, not only working in the Middle East in the Sheba- Dedan region, but also friendly to Israel, and so concerned at her invasion by Gog. It was interesting to see that Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who has stood out in his defence of Israel, was returned in the recent Canadian elections with a majority and no longer needs a coalition government. He, too, stood up to defend Israel in the May G8 summit, forcing them to drop any reference to Israel having to return to the 1967 borders in their statement on Israel. Canada seems to have survived the economic storms far better than the US, where Obama’s support for Israel is weaker and who is pushing for Israel to give up land to establish a Palestinian State. As God declared:
“And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed” (Gen 12:3).
So let’s examine the position of the Sheba- Dedan nations and then we can look at the remarkable change in the situation in relation to Israel.
The Sheba-Dedan nations
Saudi is the most powerful of the moderate Gulf States and seems to occupy much of the ancient Sheba and Dedan territory. It is not easy to identify where the Hamitic and Semitic pairs of Shebas and Dedans settled. Of the Dedan descended from Ham, the Castell’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary states:
“Dedan, the place where they resided, is believed to be identical with the Daden of the Middle Ages, now called Bahrein, in Arabia Deserts, an island on the western shores of the Persian Gulf.”
Now Bahrain has been in the news in recent months. It consists of an archipelago of one main island and 32 small ones. The King of Bahrain is Sunni, but of the 81% Muslims living there, 67% are Shiite and 33% Sunni. This has caused conflicts between the Shiite majority and the Sunni minority and the full force of the “Arab Spring” 1 has been felt in this small kingdom. It has mainly been fermented by Iran who was hoping to overthrow the King and take over the island. This would have been a significant boost to Iran’s penetration of the area, especially as the American 5th Fleet is stationed here to defend the region from Iranian aggression! The Bahraini King was so alarmed at the fierceness of the protestors that he asked the Saudis to send troops to squash the uprising. Saudi was only too pleased to help – they too were fearful of an Iranian presence 1 “Winter” would be a more appropriate title! on their back door. The troops entered the island and have remained there. Debka 25-Mar-11 reports:
“This week saw a milestone in Persian Gulf history. Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa assented to Saudi King Abdullah’s decision to assume the management of the island’s defense, foreign affairs, finance and internal security policies.
No public statement was issued in either Riyadh or Manama. But our sources report that the pact is already in execution: Bahrain will become the 14th Saudi province. Whereas 13 provinces are governed by Saudi royal princes, Bahrain will continue to be ruled by the Al Khalifas, whose head will enjoy the same privileged status as Saudi royals.”
So we have seen Saudi Arabia in effect taking over this former Dedan.
Ezekiel mentions the Semitic Dedan and puts her in the region of Teman.
“Therefore thus saith the Lord God; I will also stretch out mine hand upon Edom, and will cut off man and beast from it; and I will make it desolate from Teman; and they of Dedan shall fall by the sword.” {or, they shall fall by the sword unto Dedan} (Ezek 25:13)
This places this Dedan in the area of northern Saudi Arabia, close to its border with Jordan. The Hamitic and Semitic Shebas seemed to have mingled and settled in the region of Yemen. Here is another area where the people are in rebellion against their President and there have been several brutal attempts to rein in the protesters. Yemen is a Republic and in spite of several promises to stand down, the President was only forced to leave for Saudi Arabia to recover from head wounds received in the fighting. Saudi Arabia borders Yemen and she is concerned at the worsening situation with the President absent. It would not be surprising if, in cooperation with the other Gulf countries, she eventually moves in to take control.
Saudi’s economy is booming. With Libya’s oil supplies in disarray and Japan seeking non-nuclear sources of energy, the resulting steep rise in demand for oil has pushed up prices, benefiting the Saudi economy greatly. She has increased her daily output to try to meet demand.
Before continuing to look at Saudi Arabia’s neighbours, let’s look at a most interesting development.
Netanyahu’s secret weapon: An Israeli-Saudi strategic understanding
The 27-May-11 Debka article, hinted at earlier, carried this headline. It shows the growing Saudi- Israeli intelligence links!
“The bipartisan acclaim Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu won from a joint House meeting in Washington Tuesday May 24 was just one weapon in the Israeli leader’s armory. The other one, DEBKA-Net-Weekly’s intelligence sources reveal, is a series of secret understandings he has forged with the ‘young’ Saudi princes assigned by King Abdullah in recent months to manage the oil kingdom’s foreign and security affairs.
Saudi Arabia and Israel have been cooperating quietly on issues of shared interest for three years starting in the days of Netanyahu’s predecessor, Ehud Olmert. But the basis of understanding has broadened and strengthened in the four months since the fall of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and the falling-out between Abdullah and President Barack Obama over the latter’s Middle East policy.
When the Israeli prime minister met Obama at the White House Friday, May 20, the day after the US president unveiled his Middle East vision which Israel sharply criticized, he made no secret of the relationship he had set in motion with Riyadh and even suggested that it might be a useful anchor for Washington’s policy in the region and its approach to the Palestinian question.
Netanyahu let it be understood that his own Palestinian steps had been coordinated with the Saudis and through them with the GCC Gulf emirates and Jordan’s King Abdullah II.
According to DEBKA-Net-Weekly’s sources, the accords Israel has reached with the Saudis do not constitute a formal pact or treaty but rather a row of strategic understandings hammered out in fairly regular, unpublicized encounters between Israeli and Saudi intelligence chiefs at which Netanyahu too has put in an appearance. Until recently, they focused mostly on the perils posed by Iran’s military and nuclear impetus and expansionist activities. In the six months since the Arab Revolt began engulfing the region, the agenda has broadened to steps arising from shared intelligence covering the Arab capitals challenged by popular uprisings and revolts. Last week, we reported that Jordan’s King Abdullah II had accepted an invitation to join the Gulf emirates association, the Gulf Council of Cooperation. Since then things have moved fast and, notably, Lt. Gen. Mohammad Al Qqad, Director of the Jordanian General Intelligence Dept. – GID, was told to pitch in with the Israeli- Saudi intelligence partnership. He came armed with the strong ties he already maintains with his Israel counterparts.”
A truly remarkable picture! The “Arab Spring” has caused much unease for Israel as the prospects for a change to a more democratic rulership – which Israel would welcome – turn increasingly to prolonged conflicts, with prospects of a deterioration in these countries’ relations with Israel. Egypt is one of Israel’s main concerns. The Egyptian Intelligence services had worked closely with Israel, indeed during the uprising, prior to Mubarak’s overthrow, Israeli spy planes sent to cover the Cairo and other Egyptian cities, beamed live pictures of the demonstrations to the Egyptian Army via a link to the Egyptian Embassy in Tel Aviv, according to a Debka report 4-Feb-11. We will have to await events to see whether Egypt does in fact turn her back on Israel. If she does, we would expect this to be a temporary step, as Egypt is clearly to be over-run by the King of the North as described in Daniel 11:42,43.
During March, both PM Netanyahu and the Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saudi Al-Faisal were in Moscow at the same time. It is thought that PM Putin had arranged a joint meeting to discuss the Middle East situation, which causes concern to Russia too.
Saudi Arabia is surrounded by many smaller countries; those with a coastline on the Persian Gulf share membership of the Gulf Cooperation Council, which was set up in 1981. There were grand plans for an Arabian Common Market with a common currency, but it seems to have become rather lost. In 1984 they set up a joint military force – the Peninsula Shield Force. Troops from this force have joined the Saudi troops in Bahrain. The renewed Iranian threat, together with the fallout from the “Arab Spring”, has galvanised the six countries – Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates – to move forward with their defence plans. At the end of May they announced that they would expand the Peninsula Shield Force to 22,000 troops. They also invited Jordan and Morocco to join them.
Gulf Council invites Jordan’s membership, anticipates military benefits
This GeoStrategy Direct 01-Jun-11 headline indicates an interesting enlargement of the GCC. In the light of the earlier article concerning Israel’s cooperation with Saudi Arabia, this is a logical step as Israel and Jordan have long shared intelligence information. With Fatah throwing in their lot with Hamas, both Jordan and Saudi Arabia are appalled that Abbas, the PLO leader, has chosen this pathway. It only increases the Iranian threat to Jordan, Israel and Saudi. The article described the value of Jordan, in spite of its much weaker economy.
“The GCC has invited both Jordan and Morocco as members. Officials said the invitation would enhance the GCC’s military and economic reach, particularly amid rising tension with neighbouring Iran.
Officials said Jordan has already been helping train and equip several GCC militaries and security forces. They said Jordan’s admission into the GCC would supply Western-standard military and security skills for the six Gulf Arab states.
‘Jordan also participates in peace and security keeping efforts,’ Khalid Abu Al Einan, former commander of the United Arab Emirates Air Force, said. ‘There has always been interaction with the Gulf countries.’
Al Einan said Jordan has conducted military exercises in the Gulf region since 2003. He said the Hashemite kingdom has relayed skills and techniques for a range of military requirements.
‘Joint military exercises on the logistics, operational and strategic levels have been conducted in the past,’ Al Einan said. ‘Certainly, this has been of huge benefit to all the parties.’ Officials said Jordan has been working with the militaries of Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. They said most GCC countries were sending officers for training at Jordan’s counterinsurgency facility outside Amman. Jordan has also been conducting an intelligence exchange with neighboring Saudi Arabia.”
Morocco is so far away from the Gulf that at first one is not quite sure why they have been invited to join. However, historically there were many links with Israel as there was a significant Jewish population in Morocco, most of whom have now emigrated to Israel. Israel had a bilateral liaison office – virtually an Embassy – until 2000 when it was closed. The present King’s father enjoyed good relations with Israel.
The two countries which need to become part of this alliance of nations are Yemen and Egypt. Significantly Yemen is due to become a GCC member in 2016 even though she, too, has no boundaries on the Gulf. As we remarked, we will have to see which camp Egypt emerges into; it may be after the Master’s return that circumstances force Egypt to throw in her lot with these moderate Arab countries. We also expect to see Britain working in Egypt again.
What we are seeing forming is a southern group of nations who traditionally have worked with the US and Britain, who are burying their differences with Israel in their fear of Iranian aggression.
Persian Gulf states eye ties with India, joint regional security strategy
An earlier GeoStrategy Direct article, 18-May-11, spoke of the Gulf’s wish to build military ties to India, the Eastern Tarshish power, which itself has strong ties to Israel.
“The Gulf Cooperation Council, amid the threat from neighboring Iran, has been drafting a common security policy and examining defense cooperation with India.
Officials said New Delhi has been preparing for high-level defense talks with several GCC states. They said India was offering Gulf Arab militaries training, equipment and weapons.
‘The GCC is looking for regional allies to counter emerging threats,’ an official said. Officials acknowledged that previous GCC efforts to form a unified security policy have failed. But they said over the last six months, all six members have recognized the threat from Iran and Al Qaida.
On May 7, Indian Defense Minister A.K. Antony began a Gulf Arab tour. Antony accompanied a defense and military delegation to Qatar and Saudi Arabia, both of which have strategic relations with Pakistan, India’s neighbor and rival.
Officials said India has sought to expand its stake in the GCC market. So far, the Indian Navy has been holding exercises with several GCC militaries, particularly Oman. Indian warships have also visited Saudi ports.
New Delhi has assessed that Saudi Arabia was prepared for cooperation in the areas of exercises and defense logistics. Officials said one prospect was that India refurbish Saudi Navy warships.”
Pakistan has strong links to Iran; hence the Gulf’s courting of her rival India!
Brothers and sisters, what exciting times we are privileged to live in. We see the signs both in the political heavens and in the world of nature. The day is at hand when God will arise to shake the heavens and the earth and to usher in Christ’s reign of righteousness. Let us watch and pray, for our Master must be at the door.