Bert Otten on Belgium and Luxembourg origins and prophecy
1997 Feast Location and Brussels, Belgium
Retired teacher Bert Otten, who was once part of the old WCG, sent me a paper with his reasons why he feels that many in Belgium and Luxembourg are the descendants of the biblical tribe of Asher. He told me that I could edit and/or use what he sent in any way.
Here is some of his article, along with the ten clues, with portions of the explanations edited out, mainly for space considerations:
Looking at the ‘prophetic clues’ one has to conclude that a core of the tribe of Asher once found its way to the people living in Belgium and Luxemburg (especially in the triangle Roermond-Lille-Nancy-Roermond)…
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1st Clue: Asher – happyAnd Zilpah Leah’s maid bare Jacob a second son. And Leah said, HAPPY am I [b_ashri], for the daughters will call me BLESSED [ishruni]: and she called his name Asher [asher: blessed, happy] (Gen 30:12-13).
And Zilpah Leah’s handmaid bore Jacob a second son. And Leah said: ‘HAPPY am I! for the daughters will call me HAPPY.’ And she called his name Asher [HAPPY or BLESSED] (Gen 30: 12-13, JPS, Jewish Publication Society).
After four sons Leah has two more sons by her maid-servant Zilpah. Asher is Jacob’s 8th son. They will call me happy, and she names him ‘blessed, happy’, Asher! This predicts Asher’s nature: jovial, genial, friendly.
‘Burgundian’ lifestyle
The national character of most Belgians in general, and Walloons in particular, is that they are jovial, genial, friendly…
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2nd Clue: Asher – his bread shall be fat
As for Asher, his BREAD [lechem] shall be FAT [shamen] … (Gen 49:20a, KJV).
Asher’s FOOD will be RICH … (Gen 49:20a, NIV).
Literally it says that Asher’s bread will be fat. It is noteworthy that bread in England and Holland has the form of a big brick, a loaf. In France they sell the typical French bread, long thin pieces of bread. In Belgium they sell bread in big, round, ‘fat’, loaves.
However, lechem also means food in general, and not just bread. Asher’s food would be rich in content, and it would be plenteous…
3rd Clue: Asher – royal dainties
Out of Asher his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield royal DAINTIES (Gen 49:20b).
[Asher] will provide DELICACIES fit for a king (Gen 49:20b, NIV).
This is up to a point a repeat of the fact that Asher’s food would be fat or rich. We think of all the delicacies – fries, mussels, oysters, fish, venison, etc. – served in the Belgian cuisine, but ‘delicacies’ contains much more…
Belgian Beers
Wikipedia: For a comparatively small country, Belgium produces a very large number of beers in a range of different styles – in fact, it has more distinct types of beer per capita than anywhere else in the world. In 2011, there were 1,132 different varieties of beer being produced in the country…
Belgian Chocolate
Wikipedia about Belgian chocolate: Belgium is famed for its high quality chocolate and over 2,000 chocolatiers, both small and large…
Waffles and sweets
There are also Belgian waffles (Brussels, Liège), speculoos, vlaaien (Limburg), sweets, etc. Asher’s food would be rich and he would yield royal dainties.
Tapestries, lace, comic books
Delicacies or dainties is a translation from ma’adan:
Ma’adan – or (feminine) ma’adannah {mah-ad-an-naw’}; from ‘`adan’ (Strong, 5727); a delicacy or (abstractly) pleasure (adverbially, cheerfully):–dainty, delicately, delight.
Some writers about the tribes link this with the typical Belgian delicate tapestries (made for royalty!) and with Belgian lace…
4th Clue: Asher – friendly & favoured
And of Asher he said: Blessed be Asher above sons; let him be the FAVOURED of his brethren … (Dt 33:24, JPS).
And of Asher he said, Let Asher be blessed with children; let him be ACCEPTABLE to his brethren, … (Dt 33:24, KJV).
About Asher he said: “Most blessed of sons is Asher; let him be FAVOURED by his brothers, …”(Dt 33:24, NIV).
Belgians – kind, friendly
Although Belgians may fight between themselves about language problems – a bloodless struggle – they are perceived by others as kind, friendly people. To my knowledge there are not many people who hate Belgians. The French and the Dutch may joke about Belgians, but they do not dislike them. The fact that they are liked by their neighbours, by other tribes, has favourable to them over time…
5th Clue: Asher – … iron … under your shoe
Thy shoes shall be IRON and brass … (Dt 33:25).
YZER en koper zal onder uw schoen zijn … (Dt 33:25, SVV, Dutch Staten Vertaling: IRON and copper will be under your shoe).
An important prophecy concerning Asher is about metal. And of Asher he said … IRON and brass (or copper) will be your shoe, or will be under your shoe. The triangle Roermond – Lille – Nancy – Roermond is closely connected with iron, coal and industrialisation. To speak of Wallonia is to speak of iron. A lot can be read about the Wallonian steel industry…
Wikipedia: Wallonia is rich in iron and coal, and these resources and related industries have played an important role in its history…
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6th Clue: Asher – … brass … under your shoe
Thy shoes shall be iron and BRASS … (Dt 33:25).
Yzer en KOPER zal onder uw schoen zijn … (Dt 33:25, SVV, Dutch Staten Vertaling: iron and COPPER will be under your shoe).
As we saw: In the Middle Ages, Wallonia became a center for brass working and bronze working, with Huy, Dinant and Chimay being important regional centers (Wikipedia).
Belgium – Congo – Katanga – Copper
The Katanga Province of Belgian Congo was one of the world’s most important copper producing areas in the twentieth century until the 1960’s. Belgium became an important importer and exporter of copper. The copper was extracted by the Union Minière du Haut Katanga...
7th Clue: Asher – … dip his foot in oil
And of Asher he said … and let him dip his foot in OIL (Dt 33:24).
Many of the Lost Tribes prophecies are for the endtime only (acharit haYamim), for the last days…Palm oil
The modern fulfilment of this statement concerning Asher’s oil can be found in palm oil which Belgium extracted from the Belgian Congo for years. Wikipedia: Palm oil production in the Congo increased from 2,500 tons in 1914 to 9,000 tons in 1921 and 230,000 tons in 1957.
Palm oil is an important ingredient in food and non-food products like margarine, chocolate, cleaning products and cosmetics. Palm oil has become one of the most important vegetable oils.
In 1959 Belgian Congo was the sixth biggest palm oil producer of the world … Asher … let him dip his foot in oil.
8th Clue: 8. Asher, 9. Issachar, 10. Zebulun
… and [Leah] called his name Asher [8th son] … and [Leah] called his name Issachar [9th son] … and [Leah] called his name Zebulun [10th son] (Gen 30:13-20).
… of the tribe of the children of Zebulun, … of the tribe of the children of Issachar … of the tribe of the children of Asher … (Nu 34:25-27).
And the third lot came up for the children of Zebulun … And the fourth lot came out to Issachar, for the children of Issachar … And the fifth lot came out for the tribe of the children of Asher … (Josh 19:10, 17, 24).
Leah Tribes
Leah had eight sons, six of herself and two by her maidservant Zilpah. She named all eight of them. So there are eight Leah tribes (and five Racheltribes)… There is a bond between Asher, Issachar and Zebulun in both antiquity and in modern times…Over the past 60 years there has been a close cooperation between these peoples within the Benelux (Belgium, Netherlands and Luxemburg). They live closely together as they once did in Galilee, in Erets Yisrael.
9th Clue: Asher – mighty men of valour
All these were the children of Asher, heads of their father’s house, choice and MIGHTY MEN OF VALOUR, chief of the princes. And the number throughout the genealogy of them that were apt to the war and to battle was 26,000 men (1Chron 7:40).
And of Asher, such as went forth to battle, EXPERT IN WAR, 40,000 (1 Chron 12:36).
There were a few militaristic tribes, but Asher was not one of them. However, the Asherites were brave fighters. Although not an aggressive tribe, they could hold their ground when called upon…
Belgae – Julius Caesar
In his book Commentarii de bello GallicoJulius Caesar divides the Celts into three groups. The most northern group are the Belgae living in the area between the North Sea, Rhine, Seine and Marne. According to Caesar the Belgae were the bravest of the three groups. This quote from Caesar became very popular in the 1830’s in an attempt to enflame Belgian nationalism…
Belgium in WW I
The Belgians fought bravely under Soldier King Albert I against the German invasion.
10th Clue: Asher – peaceable, peaceful
And the prince of the tribe of the children of Asher, Ahihud the son of SHELOMI (Strong <08015>, shlomi, peacable) (Num 34:27).
The tribe of Asher is a peaceful tribe, not looking for war or trouble. This can first of all be concluded by the absence of things. There are no violent, negative, warlike stories or individuals known from the tribe of Asher in the Bible. Asher has a modest Biblical history with an absence of ringleaders in evil. The prince of Asher in Numbers 34 is even called Ahihud ben Shlomi, son of Shlomi (peaceful).
Asher is very modest in The Testament of Asher. There is no bragging like in some of the other testaments of the twelve patriarchs.
The olive tree is the symbol of Asher. This can also be connected to peace, as the olive branch is a symbol of peace.
Belgians – neutral & peaceful
The Belgians were more or less given their independence and their colonies. They were neutral twice and were invaded twice by the Germans. They fought bravely in WW I and WW II to defend themselves and their colonies, but they never attacked other nations.
I should add that we have been to Belgium at least twice and Luxembourg at least once. There may also be some of Zebulon and Reuben in Belgium.
The Bible records various promises made to the tribes of Israel in Genesis 48, Genesis 49, and Deuteronomy 33. Many seem to have overlooked those, but those prophecies have been, and will be fulfilled.
While there are various ways to look at those and other prophecies, let me conclude by stating that I do believe that those of Belgium and Luxembourg are essentially descended from biblical Asher, though there is ethnic intermingling.
Knowing where various peoples have come from, help us better understand how the Bible teaches that various ones will be affected by end time events that are still to come to pass.
Some items of possibly related interest may include:
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Saxon (non-Dutch) Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo-Saxon nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first? Here is a link to the Spanish version of this article: Anglo-América & las Tribus Perdidas de Israel. Information is also in the YouTube sermons titled Where are the Ten Lost Tribes? Why does it matter? and British are the Covenant People. A short YouTube of prophetic interest may be: Are Chinese threats against Australia for real?
Will the Anglo-Saxon Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What about Jerusalem? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people? Here is a link to a video titled Will the USA and other Anglo-nations be Divided and Their People Made Slaves? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Serán divididas las naciones anglosajonas?
British are the Covenant People What do ‘British’ and ‘Britain’ mean in Hebrew? Are the descendants of the Anglo-Saxons people of the covenant? Does the British royal family connect to the throne of David? What does the Bible teach? What does history show us? Is there any DNA evidence related to British-Israelism? When did Christianity make it to the British Isles? Could Jeremiah have made it to the British Isles? What type of Christians made it to the British Isles? Did the last King of England believe in British Israelism?
The ‘Lost Tribe’ of Reuben: France in Prophecy? What is the origin of this in France? What is prophesied to happen to them? A two-part sermon related to history and prophecy is available online: The ‘Lost Tribe’ of Reuben and France and Prophecy.
Ten clues tying Belgium and Luxembourg with the tribe of Asher Who did some in Belgium and Luxembourg descend from?
Ten clues tying Zebulun with the Dutch Who did some in the Netherlands descend from?
Ten Prophetic Clues Concerning Naphtali – Sweden Do the Swedes have any ties to the biblical tribe of Naphtali? Some think so.
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