Who are the Biblical “Kings Of the East”?

 Christian Websites offer a plethora of prophetic possibilities fixating on China, India, Japan and Persia.  But to what does that Apocalyptic text of Scripture refer?  Our current newsletter feature — “China: Sleeping Giant Awakes” — almost begs an answer to the question on this oft misunderstood text.  Please consider the following:

As literal Babylon sat upon the literal River Euphrates, so mystic Babylon (Rev. 17:1, 4, 15) is said to sit upon the waters, “peoples.” As the literal ancient city was captured by the diversion of its literal waters, so symbolic Babylon is to fall by reason of the diversion of the symbolic Euphrates.  In Rev. 16:12, the impact of the sixth plague is to cause the river Euphrates to be “dried up [support, including financial support, of the “peoples” will cease] — that the way of the kings of the East might be prepared.”

The kings of the East, or kings from the sun rising, are the kings of Christ's Kingdom, which includes Christ’s church — “Thou hast made us kings and priests, and we shall reign on the earth." Rev. 5:10.  Cyrus and his army, who came from the East to overthrow literal Babylon, was a type, figure or illustration of Christ, who with his faithful church will shortly overthrow mystic Babylon, to establish the Kingdom. The name, Cyrus, signifies “the sun.” Therefore, Christ as “The Sun of Righteousness” (Mal. 4:2) will reign together with his church who “shine forth as the sun in the Kingdom.” Matt. 13:43

 Please take this opportunity to look further into the significance of the Armageddon Prophecy at http://bible411.com/sits/volume4/v4pfwd.htm