| The riddle of the two eagles is described in Ezekiel | | | | Testament to represent the people of Israel |
| 17:2-8: | | | | (Lebanon was actually part of the nation of Israel in |
| "Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable | | | | the Old Testament). Therefore the first eagle carries |
| unto the house of Israel; | | | | a small group from the nation of Israel and |
| And say, thus saith the Lord God; a great eagle with | | | | transplants them in the far removed country of the |
| great wings, longwinged, full of feathers, which had | | | | first eagle. They are transplanted in a "land of |
| diverse colours, came unto Lebanon, and took the | | | | traffick", a nation with a strong economy and are set |
| highest branch of the cedar: | | | | in a "city of merchants", a city that is associated with |
| He cropped off the top of his young twigs, and | | | | trade. If you pull all these descriptions together of |
| carried it into a land of traffick; he set it in a city of | | | | the first eagle it appears this parable is describing the |
| merchants. | | | | United States and its relationship to Israel prior to the |
| He took also of the seed of the land, and planted it | | | | establishment of Israel as a nation in 1948. The |
| in a fruitful field; he placed it by great waters, and | | | | United States like the first eagle, is a large nation far |
| set it as a willow tree. | | | | removed from Israel that is an economic power with |
| And it grew, and became a spreading vine of low | | | | a "melting pot" of different colored peoples. Prior to |
| stature, whose branches turned toward him, and the | | | | and after 1948 many Jews settled in the United |
| roots thereof were under him: so it became a vine, | | | | States and more specifically New York City, New |
| and brought forth branches and shot forth sprigs. | | | | York which can be described as one of the world's |
| There was also another great eagle with great wings | | | | largest centers of trade. |
| and many feathers: and, behold, this vine did bend | | | | The phrase "he took also the seed of the land, and |
| her roots toward him, and shot forth her branches | | | | planted in a fruitful field" refers to the United States |
| toward him, that he might water it by the furrows | | | | involvement in the establishment of the Jewish |
| of her plantation. | | | | people as a nation in Israel in 1948. The phrase "it |
| It was planted in a good soil by great waters, that it | | | | became a vine of low stature" indicates that Israel, |
| might bring forth branches, and that it might bear | | | | at least while the United States is still powerful, is a |
| fruit, that it might be a goodly vine." | | | | nation of lowly stature. |
| I believe this passage describes two nations that are | | | | Then along comes the second eagle. It is a "great |
| very similar in their relationship to Israel. The first | | | | eagle with great feathers"; it is a powerful nation. |
| eagle is "a great eagle with great wings" so it is a | | | | Israel relies on this nation in the same way that Israel |
| powerful nation. It is "full of feathers" so it has many | | | | relies on the United States now. Israel becomes a |
| people. It is "longwinged" so it is located far away | | | | goodly vine, a very prosperous nation during this |
| from Israel. It has "diverse colours" so it is nation of | | | | period because of the trade it has with the second |
| people of different colored skins (black, yellow, white, | | | | eagle. This second eagle is Babylon, the nation of the |
| red, etc.). The eagle comes to Lebanon and takes a | | | | antichrist during the tribulation, the "little horn", the |
| sprig from the highest branch of the cedar: the cedar | | | | Kurds of northern Iraq. |
| of Lebanon is used in many places in the Old | | | | |