China in Prophecy

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What role does China, one of the world's great superpowers, play in end time Bible prophecy?

The word "China" or "Chinese" does not appear in the KJV Bible, which means it is not directly reference in prophecy. This is likely because the nation lies a significant distance away from the Middle East where Biblical events are mainly centered. For example, from modern Israel, China lies more than 2,100 miles (3,379 kilometers) away. Modern Russia is more than 800 miles (1,287 kilometers) away as well.

China, however, seems to be indirectly or obliquely referenced in prophecy though the generic term "kings of the east" and through its alliance with Gog and Magog (ancestors of those living in Russia).


Biblical ancestors

There is disagreement regarding who were the Biblical ancestors of the modern Chinese based on the "table of nations" found in Genesis 10. One argument is that they are likely descended from Ham, one of Noah's three sons who survived the great flood. One of Ham's four sons was Canaan (Genesis 10:6). Canaan's son Heth, as well as another son who started the Sinites (verse 17), are speculated to have populated China.

"First, by a process of elimination, since the Semites and Japhethites are fairly well identified, all others are presumably Hamitic. Second, the Sinites (Genesis 10:17) are listed as descendants of Canaan, and it is possible this name is etymologically related to China.

"Third, Cathay was the ancient name for China, and there is some evidence this name is derived from Khetae, which in turn may have come from the Hittites, the children of Heth (Genesis 10:15), the son of Canaan" (Biblical Basis of Modern Science by Henry Morris, Chapter 16).

Another view is that modern China is descended from Japheth, another one of Noah's sons, through his son Gomer (Genesis 10:2).

"Ezekiel 38:6 refers to "Gomer and all his bands," indicating that Gomer will have an extremely large population and it will have many internal ethnic groups defined as "bands." The nations of Japheth are found in Oriental regions of Asia and the most populous nation is China." (What Ezekiel 38 - 39 Reveals about a Future World War III by Steven M. Collins, page 9).


End time battles

In the end time, the prophetic "king of the north" (likely the Beast power) will destroy the forces led by the "king of the south" (Daniel 11:40). After this victory, "tidings out of the east and out of the north shall alarm him" (verse 44, HBFV). This is the point in prophecy where the Chinese enter the picture.

Revelation 16 reveals the Euphrates River will be miraculously dried up to allow a huge army of two hundred million (Revelation 9:16) to fight.

And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared (Revelation 16:12, KJV).

This immense army of the "kings of the east" includes the Chinese, whose superpower status and huge population (estimated at 1.4 billion in 2021) would provide the bulk of this prophetic military muscle. China will be the major ally of this Russian-led (Gog and Magog, see Ezekiel 38 - 39) alliance.

Bible prophecy suggests that the "kings of the east," which includes China, are conquered by the Beast power (Daniel 11:44). These and other events will ultimately prepare the world to fight man's last great war near the mount of Megiddo (Armageddon, Revelation 16:16).

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