The 38th and 39th chapters of Ezekiel reveal, along with other parts of the Bible, that three blocks of power will exist in the end time. The last of these blocks will include Japan.
The first major power block just before the return of Christ, according to Ezekiel, is Gog, of the land of Magog, who is the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal (Ezekiel 38:2). These entities have long been identified by Christian teachers as designating Russia in the modern world, and they are correct. There is much support for this designation. According to Ezekiel's prophecy Russia will lead an attack that will ultimately generate a response from Japan.
Who does Russia and those nations aligned with them attack in the end time? They attack a second large global alliance that is called Israel in God's word. It is also referred to as the house of Israel.
. . . In the latter years you (the global alliance led by Russia) will come into the land of those brought back from the sword and gathered from many people on the mountains of Israel . . .
Thus says the Lord God: "On that day when My people Israel dwell safely, will you not know it? Then you will come from your place out of the far north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great company and a mighty army. You will come up against my people Israel like a cloud . . ."
"For seven months the house of Israel will be burying them (their enemies), in order to cleanse the land" (Ezekiel 38:8, 14 - 16, 39:12).
History tells us that the ancient "lost" tribes of Israel were not actually lost! After they were taken into captivity by Assyria they eventually migrated into Europe. They were referred to by several names such as the Saxons, Goths, Germans, Jutes, Alani (Alans) and others. These peoples continued to migrate and eventually formed countries known today as the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand to name a few.
Ezekiel 38 also discusses a third power block of nations that objects to the Russian alliance attacking the descendents of Israel. This block includes Japan.
The people of Sheba and Dedan and the merchants from the towns of (Tarshish) will ask you, 'Have you assembled your army and attacked in order to loot and plunder? Do you intend to get silver and gold, livestock and property, and march off with all those spoils?' (Ezekiel 38:13).
India, the largest democracy in the world, are descendants of the people of Dedan and Sheba. They increasingly are aligning themselves with the West due to the same concerns about terrorism, China and so on.
Tarshish, who was the son of Javan, are descendants of Japheth. Ezekiel 38 calls them "the merchants of Tarshish." The people of Japan perfectly fit the prophecies about Tarshish in the end time.
Japan has created the export-driven model of goods and services to other nations as a national policy. The father of Tarshish is Javan, a name only slightly changed to form the name of Japan.
A close ally of the West?
Japan lives near two world powers which it warred with in the past, the nations of China and Russia. These nations will not become its ally anytime soon. For its own survival it must, therefore, align itself with the other world power which is and will be the United States of America.
America did not harshly rule Japan after the second world war. Rather, it allowed the nation to keep its monarchy and it treated its people with a certain amount of respect. And, more importantly, America helped lay the foundation in Japan for its economic revival.
Two interpretations
There are two different interpretations of what verse 13 of Ezekiel 38, listed above, means in relation to Japan.
The first interpretation is that a set of Asian nations that includes Japan are allied with the modern descendants of Israel. The second interpretation is that the alliance that includes Japan (Tarshish) is a neutral set of nations between two warring alliances.
It seems likely Japan will be a military ally of the United States in the world's last war, even if they are not the initial targets of Russia, China and others. There is no doubt that they, India and other Western-type nations are fully aware that if America falls they will fall next. This end time war is called in the Gospels the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:21 - 22).
The prophesies of Ezekiel show that God will intervene in mankind's last war. He will fight with and for the modern-day descendants of the tribes of Israel and their allies such as Japan. Those who oppose them with be destroyed. For more information on this fascinating subject we recommend visiting the Steven M. Collins Web site.