Turkey’s Precarious Situation
By F. M. W.
Why has the Ottoman Empire been made a subject of prophecy? Ordinarily those nations which have had to do most largely with the work of the people of God in the earth, which have acted, as agents in the execution of heavenly purposes, or have stood as the persecutors and oppressors of the people of God, have been made the subjects of prophetic discourse. For many years the influence of Turkey has been waning. She has not been ranked as one of the leading powers of the Old World. Why should the prophecies of Daniel and the Revelation single her out above nations of greater importance? The reasons are obvious: Turkey has stood as the organized representative of that great false system of religion which at the present time numbers among its votaries more than two hundred million of the earth’s population. As Cyrus of old was used as the agent of divine retribution on ancient Babylon, so the followers of the false prophet, through the invasion of the Saracen hordes, became a chastening scourge to apostate Christianity. When the Mohammedans entered Europe, they conquered the fairest and fattest of the southern provinces. The possession of Constantinople gave to Turkey a most valuable base of operations. It brought her into a position to extend her influence into three continents: Asia in the east, Africa in the south, and Europe in the north. It placed her as a standing menace to the ambitions of her European neighbors. For years Turkey has been the prey around which the vultures have gathered. The majority of the great wars of Europe for the last century have been incited directly or indirectly in consequence of the relationship of Turkey to her neighbors. The jealousies and animosities which have been stirred up have constituted prime factors in precipitating the conflict in which Europe is now engaged. For long years Turkey has proved a menace to the peace of Europe, and she is destined to prove a menace to that peace down to the closing days of earth’s history. Occupying this pivotal point around which the political fortunes and interests of the nations have centered, it seems proper that Turkey should be noted by the inspired penmen. Although the nations of Europe have been united in feeling that Turkey was9an alien on European soil, they have not been able to agree as to the method of her elimination. Each power has desired her possessions for itself, and has been unwilling that they should pass into the hands of a rival. Whenever Turkey has been menaced in the past by some intriguing power, friends have been raised up to stand by her side. This the prophecy of Dan. II: 40-45 suggests would be the case, but the prophecy also plainly indicates that there will come a time when Turkey will reach that place where no hands will be raised to hold back the elements threatening her dissolution. It would seem to all human appearance that this time has well-nigh been reached. In the present European situation it has been hard for the Ottoman government to decide upon its course of action. Its sympathy evidently has been with the Dual Alliance, but it has been held back from uniting its forces with those of Germany and Austria only through the efforts of the allied powers, which have given warning to the Constantinople government that any acts of aggression on its part would be met with sanguinary punishment. The views of Great Britain, Russia, and France are undoubtedly expressed by the London Telegraph. A quotation from a recent number of that paper in the Washington Post of October 2, declares: “If Turkey chooses war, let her clearly understand that it will not only be the end of Turkey in Europe, but of Turkey in Asia as well, and that the allied powers will exact the fullest retribution.” Speaking of the situation which exists at present in southern Europe and the probable fate awaiting Turkey, the Washington Post of October 5 says:— The status of affairs in southeastern Europe is anything but indicative of peace. Roumania, Turkey, Bulgaria, and Greece are restive, and each of them is agitated by a portion of the people who think they see greater advantage in war than in peace. The Young Turk party, in full control at Constantinople, would declare for war today if there were better assurance of Germany’s success. So long as Germany is beaten back by the allies, prudence gives pause to the bellicose spirit of Turkey; but if Germany were to win a big victory over the allies, and especially over the Russians, Turkey would immediately go to war, in the opinion of diplomats residing at Constantinople who have been watching the trend of events.
Great Britain has uttered a sinister warning to Turkey, which, without doubt, has deterred the war party. The warning is that if Turkey starts war, it will mean not only the end of Turkey in Europe, but Turkey in Asia. Unquestionably a coalition between Russia and Great Britain, moving against Turkey, would make short work of the Moslem empire in Europe. Whether it would go so far as to try to oust Turkey from Asia Minor is another question. But probably Turkey would disintegrate without further effort on the part of her external enemies, since it has become apparent that the Arabs of Asia Minor, Yemen, and Arabia proper are anxious to throw off the yoke. The loss of Constantinople would be such a blow to Turkish prestige and would so demoralize her leaders that revolution would probably do the rest. When driven out of Europe, Turkey must of necessity go back to her natural habitat on Asiatic soil. Just where she will establish her government after leaving Constantinople we cannot say. However, the Scriptures indicate that eventually the seat of government will be removed to the glorious holy mountain between the seas, referring evidently to Jerusalem. It would seem natural that the Ottoman government should make its last stand at Jerusalem. Around the city of the holy sepulcher and the tombs of the saints has been waged for long years a war between the followers of Islam and Christian Europe. It was to recover the holy city from the followers of the false prophet that the wars of the crusades were carried forward. In this place the king of the north is to make his last stand, and here, according to the prophecy, ‘he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.’ And then shall Michael stand up to take the kingdom. Toward this consummation the history of the nations of men is fast hastening. The prophecy makes no mention of the expulsion of Turkey from Europe, nor can we tell how long after that event before the changing kaleidoscope of political fortune will bring about the removal of her seat of government to Jerusalem. She might move first to some other Asiatic center. At Jerusalem she will make her last stand, and her overthrow at this place, under the sixth plague, will mark the close proximity of the end of human history. We cannot forecast the political events by which this last act in the drama will be reached. We may watch with growing interest the fulfillment of the divine prediction. The river Euphrates, representing the Ottoman government, is rapidly being dried up that the way of the kings of the East may be prepared to take part in the great battle of Armageddon. We need to wait patiently, to watch and pray, to seek for divine enlightenment, that having eyes we may see clearly the shaping of events which are soon to culminate in the coming of the Lord. And seeing for ourselves, may we be ready to act as Heaven’s messengers in telling others the meaning and significance of the events fulfilling in these closing days of earth’s history.