The ships from the coast of Chittim referred to in Num. 24 are surely the mighty naval vessels of the West that are already seen and ready for use in that area. Chittim is the old name for Cyprus.
Many interesting changes in the national governments have recently taken place and with these changes there is the usual maneuvering for power-positions. Power in politics and power in military might and position arc highly regarded, It appears that Russia has abandoned her original conquest for Afghanistan in favor of seeking a better power-position in the eastern Mediterranean area. The Soviets have greatly increased their naval presence in Syria at the port of Tartus. Cyprus is straight west of Tartus. This has immense strategic impact and points toward Syria in their relentless desire to annihilate Israel.
The Israeli military do not question as to whether there will be war with Syria, they only ask when and how. This situation feeds on and aggravates itself because of the need of Israel to anticipate and preempt any Syrian blow. Naturally speaking, the great deterrents to a military explosion are the ships of Chittim as well as a superior but smaller Israeli military machine.
Why should we write of or he concerned with these things? First: because we know our God is in full control and that He is working out His own purposes to fulfill prophecy. In the end, God has determined to give the reins of government of this world to His Son our Lord Jesus Christ. Prophecy lets us know of the great power in the West at the end time. It will be the revived Roman Empire. There will be the king of the South as a great power and there will be the king of the North, the Assyrian. At first the Assyrian will be a great power just north of Israel. Later it will be Russia. In addition to this there are the hordes of the East (Rev. 9:16). All these directions are from the land of Israel as the center.
Second: for us who now have the Bible, there is a direct statement to see, to pay attention to events around us. It says, "All ye inhabitants of the world, and dwellers on the earth, see ye, when He lifteth up an ensign on the mountains." Isa. 18:3. Also Matt. 24:32 clearly says, "Now learn a parable of the fig tree." The fig tree is a figure of Israel nationally. Although we are not of the company that will be known as "dwellers upon earth," yet we are still here and all events as they relate to Christ's glory are more than interesting to us. Before Christ takes the throne of the earth, He will have us with Him when He takes the inheritance in His saints (Eph. 1:18). The inheritance is every created thing. Many events take place on earth before this time, but we know of nothing necessary to take place before Christ comes for His Church. We expect Him soon but we are definitely interested in all that we see taking place in the area around Israel and even farther away, for "the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein." Ed.