From the combined evidence of the words oikoumene and tebel, together with the

testimony of Scripture concerning the extent of the dominion of the successive kings of

the Gentile dynasty, we appear to be well within the truth, if we affirm that the prophetic

earth extends from Spain in the west, the furthermost point of the Roman Empire, to the

Indus in the East, the furthermost point of the Persian Empire, which necessarily includes

all that was ruled over by Nebuchadnezzar. It seems a sound argument to affirm that by

reason of Israel's lo-ammi condition at Acts 28:, the time element in the history of

the successive rulers from Nebuchadnezzar should cease to have a place, and it seems

reasonable to believe that when the prophetic clock again begins to tick, the parenthesis

will be closed and the powers indicated by the two feet and the ten toes (which toes are

symbols of the ten kings yet to reign with the Beast at the time of the end) will reign, in

the first place, over the same territory as was governed by their predecessors. Some

commentators look for the revival of the Roman Empire, and would place the ten kings in

Europe, but at the time of the end, the last power will apparently combine in itself all

the powers of each successive ruler (Dan. 2: 45; 7: 4-7; with Rev. 13: 1, 2), and

Rev. 17: and 18:, together with Jer. 51: makes it clear that Babylon also is to be

revived. These features convince us that we have attained with a fair approximation of

truth to the extent of the prophetic earth. The prophets contain a number of geographical

references, and it is our present intention to consider them with a view to discovering

how far they do or do not conform to the limits we feel bound, at the moment, to set to

the extent of the prophetic earth.

Commencing our reading with Isaiah, we find that every geographical reference in the

first twelve chapters falls well within the limits suggested, unless we take exception to

"the islands of the sea" and "the four corners of the earth" (Isa. 11: 11, 12). These are

undefined and for the moment must be left out of the account. With chapter thirteen, a

series of prophetic "burdens" commences, and each burden is connected with a special

land or nation. Thus Babylon, Moab, Damascus, Egypt, Tyre and such less defined

places as "the land shadowing with wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia", "the

desert of the sea" and "the valley of vision" (Isa. 13:-23:). If we continue and read on

to the last chapter, we shall discover that the prophecy has Jerusalem for its centre, and in

the bulk of references the lands mentioned are in the immediate vicinity of the holy land.

In chapter sixty-six, we read of Tarshish, Pul and Lud, Tubal and Javan. Taken by

itself Tarshish could indicate a Phoenician port in Spain, but it is associated in Ezekiel

with Persia (Ezek. 27: 10 and 12) and is linked with Pul and Lud, it appears

therefore that the Tarshish of I Kings 10: 22 and Jer. 10: 9 is intended, and that this

would be somewhere in the vicinity of the Red Sea. Pul is connected with Assyria

(II Kings 15: 19) and Lud is associated with Persia in Ezek. 27: 10. So also, in the

same chapter of Ezekiel, is found Javan and Tubal, these are Japhetic peoples, Javan

being looked upon as the representative of the Greek race, Alexander the Great being