What the Bible says about Israel's Wealth
(From Forerunner Commentary)
The elegant clothing, jewelry, and precious metals illustrate her wealth. It is a wealth as among nations, not merely a church. As a group, the Israelitish people, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, grew to control around 60% of the world's wealth at the height of their prosperity.
Nobody else on earth is in the position to influence, persuade, and guide as Israel is. Through the misuse of these gifts, Israel has risen to worldly greatness in terms of evil too. Despite its material greatness, it is unfortunately also spiritually great in its immorality, great in its confusion, great in its deviance from responsibility, great in its polluted influence—so great in its power only it can hold the Beast in check and make it do its bidding until God's time comes.
In recent history, Israel—represented primarily by the Joseph tribes—has brushed the world aside politically and economically. No other nation of people on earth today fits the characteristics given in Revelation 17 and 18.
John W. Ritenbaugh
The Beast and Babylon (Part Eight): God, Israel, and the BibleRelated Topics: Abraham, Descendants of | Babylon as Israel | Beast, Relationship with Woman | Descendants of Israel | Descendents of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob | Great Harlot | Great Whore | Israel as Great Whore | Israel as Harlot | Israel's Worldliness | Joseph as Fruitful Bough | Joseph Running over the Wall | Joseph's Descendants