Before World War ii, Britain and the United States controlled all of the world’s major sea gates: Hong Kong, Suez, Panama, Falklands, Cape of Good Hope, Malta, Papua New Guinea, Timor, West Indies, Cyprus, Gulf of Guinea, Sri Lanka, Singapore and others, including Gibraltar—the western doorway to the Mediterranean Sea.

Possession of these strategic passageways was vital to the victory of the Allied powers in World War ii. Yet, both London and Washington have surrendered control of almost all of them since the war ended. The Suez and Panama canals, Hong Kong, Singapore, Cyprus, Malta, Good Hope and others have been given over to other powers. Now, Spain is increasing pressure to push Britain into giving up Gibraltar.

These modern-day trends are deeply significant because they were foretold thousands of years ago in prophecies of the Holy Bible. And the ancient prophecies were explained years before the U.S. and Britain lost the sea gates.

The Struggle for the Rock

The 1713 Treaty of Utrecht said Great Britain’s control over Gibraltar was official and permanent. But Spain has continued to claim sovereignty over it since then, so Britain has had to fight several times against Madrid’s efforts to reclaim the Rock.

In the 1780s, the British fought off a Spanish-French military invasion force. In the 1950s, Britain defended against a political drive by dictator Francisco Franco to wrest the Rock from the UK. In 2009, British warships had to force an armed Spanish ship to retreat from waters around Gibraltar after Spain illegally sent boarding parties to inspect British fishing vessels.

Which nation do the people and leaders of Gibraltar prefer alignment with? The Union Jack flutters everywhere on the territory. Fish and chips shops and pubs are ubiquitous. And every time the people—now numbering around 30,000—are asked about the matter, they vote overwhelmingly to remain under British sovereignty.

But Spanish claims grow louder as British will becomes weaker.

In 2002, for example, British Prime Minister Tony Blair tried to hand Gibraltar over to Spain because it was an “obstacle” to the UK’s relationship with the European Union, but the secret deal ultimately failed. In April of 2011, reports emerged saying the Spanish government is pushing to allow only Spain and Britain to discuss the sovereignty of the Rock instead of including Gibraltarian authorities in three-way talks. This formula would allow Madrid to capitalize much more on British weakness.

Spain’s latest efforts to take Gibraltar back began in late July when Gibraltar boats started dumping concrete blocks into the sea just off the territory’s shores. The purpose was to create an artificial reef intended to boost fish stocks, which Gibraltar says have been reduced because of illegal incursions by Spanish fishermen.

Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Garcia-Margallo said this artificial reef is “unacceptable” because it will draw fish away from Spanish waters, and said its creation means it’s time for Spain to make Gibraltar squirm. “The party is over,” he said, and unveiled proposals to close Spanish airspace to flights to or from Gibraltar, to impose a $65 border fee to anyone entering or leaving Gibraltar, and to investigate the affairs of Gibraltarians with Spanish economic ties.

Over the weekend, Spanish customs officials conducted rigorous checks at the border, which caused huge traffic jams and left hundreds of Gibraltarians in the heat of the day for extended durations. “[I]t isn’t nice being stuck there for hours in [90 degree] heat,” said Roy Walker, 63, owner of Roy’s Cod Place restaurant. “The worst thing is that you know full well it’s deliberate. It’s just another in a long line of Spaniards trying to be the first to crack the nut and make inroads into the sovereignty of Gibraltar.”

Gibraltar’s chief minister, Fabian Picardo, said, “The things Mr. Garcia-Margallo has said are more reminiscent of a statement you’d hear from North Korea than from a European Union partner.”

And what does Great Britain think of this North-Korea-style sabre rattling? A spokesman for Prime Minister David Cameron said the UK is “seriously concerned” about Spain’s belligerence. On Wednesday Mr. Cameron telephoned his Spanish counterpart Mariano Rajoy to complain. Rajoy said he would like to deescalate the issue, but also said the border controls are “allowable” under EU law, which implies that the tensions may remain high.

If History Is an Indication …

The fact that the U.S. and UK came to control all of the world’s vital “gates,” as the Bible calls them, is among the many powerful proofs of the modern-day identities of the biblical nations Ephraim and Manasseh (Genesis 22:17; 24:60). The fact that Britain and America are systematically losing these strategic passageways makes the proof irrefutable (Deuteronomy 28:52).

World educator Herbert W. Armstrong was well versed in these scriptures. Since he understood the Bible prophecies about both the rise and fall of the United Kingdom and the United States, he was able to accurately predict the loss of several vital sea gates. Here are some excerpts from Mr. Armstrong’s Plain Truth magazine (the forerunner of the Trumpet):

Each statement was a bold prediction firmly forecasting the loss of a strategic sea gate well in advance of the actual forfeiture. Because Mr. Armstrong used the Bible as his guide to understand geopolitics, he was able to accurately predict such landmark events with precision.

At present, Gibraltar remains firmly British. But, despite the wishes of the people of Gibraltar, the UK’s will to hold on to the rock is waning, as demonstrated by Mr. Blair’s efforts back in 2002. Meanwhile, Spain, backed by the European Union, is becoming more assertive and more belligerent. The current tensions may subside, but in light of current trends and the current geopolitical climate, it is unlikely that Gibraltar will remain British too much longer.

To understand how Mr. Armstrong was able to predict this and many other watershed trends and events with such startling accuracy, request a free copy of our booklet He Was Right.