The Chinese Threat: Who Are the Kings of the East?

Welcome to this episode of the Weekly Scroll; this week we’re going to talk about those the Bible refers to as the Kings of the East, and specifically how that might — and I want to emphasize the word might — apply to the growing threat that Communist China poses.

Let’s start with this: as a kid I remember watching news reports of then President Nixon visiting the People’s Republic of China in 1972. His trip intended to reopen communications between the two countries which led to the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1979.

Since then, Americans are hard pressed to find any product not made in China. But in spite of doing business with the Chinese — something you might expect to facilitate decent relations — it is easy to discern that the Chinese government doesn’t care for America, and many Americans certainly don’t trust the Chinese government. 

And why should we considering they successfully launched at least one spy balloon that flew over the US from coast to coast? Then there are the multiple close exchanges between US and Chinese military aircraft very near to our borders over the last couple of years. And of course, perhaps the biggest of all — at least to date — the development and release of COVID upon the world.

And in that light, let’s consider this news item from the Federalist: Chuck DeVore, a retired Army lieutenant colonel, in reference to a new Department of Defense report, said that China is conducting the largest military build-up seen since that of Nazi Germany during the 1930s. 

The DOD report detailed China’s military operations including bolstering weapons and psychological warfare. Devore said that: “The big difference is that he (Hitler) really focused on land power, which is pretty easy to build up pretty quickly.” Mr. Devore pointed out that this is in contrast to what the Chinese are doing — they have amassed the largest navy in the world.

According to Mr. Devore:

To compound the problem, by most accounts, the US is way behind in this arms race and is being forced to catch up. According to Devore:

The point is that the Chinese are working very hard to attain a dominant military ability that either neutralizes those they consider to be a threat or — and this is most likely the case — to assert their power and extend their influence in the world. They have already accomplished this in the market place (which has no doubt funded this military build up) and look to do more.

In fact, the same DOD report detailed how China is seeking to expand its influence through “information dominance on the battlefield” by researching and developing what it believes to be the next evolution of psychological warfare — something known as cognitive domain operations.

In other words using different technologies to achieve mind dominance, which translates in my mind, to instill fear and intimidation. Practically, this would be used to deter the U.S. or any other nation from entering into a potential conflict, say an invasion of Taiwan perhaps.

And then there is this: the once robust Chinese economy is, according to some analysts,   gripped by deflation, (an economy-killer) and on the verge of collapse. In the words of one economist, China is enduring what the US experienced in 2008 when the housing markets took a free fall. This in turn is provoking civil unrest for which, as we know, Communists don’t have much tolerance. So what am I getting at? 

War in the Middle East; war between Russia and Ukraine; a weakened America economically and otherwise. Might the Chinese leaders opt to ramp things up a bit? That is what some are saying and what brings us to this question prompted by a verse of Scripture: Who are the Kings of the East?

First of all, I read the last verse because of its mention of “the dragon.” Of course, this is actually referring to the Adversary, Satan, but some have found the correlation between the dragon and the kings of the east to be of interest. Add to that the mention of a 200 million “force” (whether physical or spiritual is debated), and many have long believed this prophecy speaks of a time when a massive army from the east — in this case, the far east — marches toward the place called Har Megiddon in preparation for the climactic battle at Jerusalem.

Does this refer to the Chinese, perhaps joined by the North Koreans and others? Perhaps. Through the prophet Zechariah, the Bible does say that the Lord will gather “all the nations to battle against Jerusalem” (Zechariah 12:3, 14:2.) And if “all” means “all,” then we would expect that the Chinese would be included in this aggression but so would “all” other nations — including the US.

Is the Chinese threat real? Of course it is, but is Communist China among the kings of the east mentioned in Revelation 16? Here’s where I’m going to throw you a curve ball — I’m not convinced they are — and here’s why. Kings of the east are mentioned several other times in Scripture and, in some cases, are actually identified. Here are a couple of examples:

When Jacob was forced to flee from Esau, Scripture says, “So Jacob went on his journey and came to the land of the people of the East” Genesis 29:1. Of course, Jacob’s journey took him to Padan Aram which is in the Mesopotamian region, and east of the Euphrates.

In Judges 6, in the days of Gideon, the Bible says that the people of Israel who had done evil in the sight of the Lord were delivered into the hand of the Midianites. It is recorded that, “Whenever Israel had sown, Midianites would come up; also Amalekites and the people of the East would come up against them. Then they would encamp against them and destroy the produce of the earth as far as Gaza, and leave no sustenance for Israel” Judges 6:3-4.

Later in the narrative it says that these same people groups — the Midianites, the Amalekites, and the people of the East — “gathered together … and encamped in the Valley of Jezreel” (Judges 6:33.) And by the way, the valley of Jezreel is also known as the Valley of Megiddo, which in turn is synonymous with a place called Armageddon.

It was here that Gideon and his band of 300 men found these people of east “lying in the valley as numerous as locusts (an interesting point); and their camels were without number” (Judges 7:12) and where upon hearing the sound of the shofars and shattering pitchers, they turned on one another as they fled the battlefield.

When Gideon pursued the leaders of this invasion force, the Bible says he overtook two of the leaders, both described as “kings of Midian,” who were with what was left of all the army of the “people of the East” (Judges 8:5, 10). It also describes how after Gideon had eliminated these men that he took the “crescent-shaped ornaments that were on their camels’ necks” Judges 8:21.

What is the point? While I certainly don’t discount the legitimate threat that China, in its present state, poses to the world and while I won’t completely eliminate them from being the possible fulfillment of what Revelation 16 describes in regard to the “kings of the east,” I nevertheless have my doubts. 

Mainly because of what the Bible has already described for us and that is the kings of the east come from the deserts of Arabia and the Mesopotamian region.  To be more specific, the kings of the east seem to be those nations just to the east of the Jordan River — nations that are historically and presently very aggressive toward Israel.

I won’t take the time to develop this here but, remember the Bible described these people of the east as being as numerous as locusts? Well, there is a very important reason for that when you consider what locusts do — they swarm, they chew, devour, consume and destroy. Take note of what the prophet Joel said:

As you continue to read, you will see that this army of locusts aren’t “locusts” at all — they are an invasion force who come against the land of Israel described as being “strong, and without number” and who devour everything before them; behind them a desolate wilderness (Joel 2:3). They are described also as having the appearance of horses, a detail I find interesting in light of what is revealed in Revelation 9 and the opening of the abyss.

The Bible goes on to say that these locusts were like “horses prepared for battle” and that the “number of the army of the horsemen was two hundred million.” All of this is intertwined with the release of principalities in the earth who had been bound at the Euphrates River which, in turn, connects to the Euphrates being dried up to make way for the “kings of the east.”

So what am I saying? 

Again, that is not to say that the People’s Republic of China isn’t a danger to peace and stability — I believe they are.

But just like how many eschatologists have abandoned the idea that the European Common Market will comprise the revived Roman empire, I believe we must allow the Bible to interpret itself and not be bound exclusively by what we see presently. Things change, and sometimes overnight forcing us to throw all our end-time prognostications into the garbage bin.  

And so why address this at all? For me it’s just a reminder that, while events going on around us is important to take note of, its more important to stay focused on what the Bible actually says about our future and especially when we begin to feel like things are shaping for the culmination of prophecy. I certainly believe we are living in the last days but that doesn’t mean that Messiah is returning next week.

And so, even as we take note of what is going on around us, we must continue to occupy — not until we think He is about to come but until He does come. No one knows with 100% certainty what will happen tomorrow whether we’re discussing China, Russia, Syria or the US; but we do know that God does nothing unless He first reveals His secrets to the His servants, the prophets.

God does want us to know what to expect — but not to scare us; to prepare us. And as we prepare, let us pray. Let’s pray that God will continue to give us insight, wisdom and strength to do all He has called us to do. And while we’re at it — let’s pray for all our brothers and sisters in China and other places where believes have to meet in secret for fear of retribution. And finally, let us pray for the peace of Jerusalem and that Her King will come speedily, even in our days.

Bill Cloud was raised in a traditional Christian home in South Georgia. Yet it was a trip to Israel to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles, in 1990, that truly provoked him to become more interested in his faith. It was during this “appointed time” that God gave him a deep love for the land, the people and the language.

Soon thereafter, Bill began learning Hebrew under the tutelage of a local rabbi and has since spent many hours studying, not only the Hebrew text, but the Hebraic roots of Christianity as well. This interest in the language is tied to Bill’s desire to unlock the hidden treasures within the Word of God and to teach them, along with our Hebraic roots, to believers in Messiah. Furthermore, this insight has allowed Bill to better understand the prophetic element of Scripture. As a result of this study, Bill has developed a variety of media resources dealing with prophetic themes as well as teachings related to our lost Hebraic heritage.

Bill is a featured speaker in venues throughout the country and has appeared with notable teachers such as Perry Stone, Jonathan Cahn, Joel Richardson and Hal Lindsay. He has also made several appearances on a variety of television broadcasts seen on different Christian networks throughout the world. Recently Bill, along with his wife, Beth, and their children started a fellowship in the Cleveland TN area.

Through Shoreshim Ministries, Bill and his family strive to re-introduce Christians to the Jewish Yeshua and to educate believers in the Hebraic roots of their faith. As a result of this information, disciples of the Messiah can more accurately interpret end-time events and better discern our role in these last days.
Bill and his family reside in Cleveland, Tennessee.