TEN PROPHETIC CLUES CONCERNING ASHER – WALLOONS (BELGIANS)

By Bert Otten, Holland

There is no direct history connecting the tribe of Asher to the Belgian people.We are talking about one of the lost tribes. Even the Caucasian population of Wallonia comes from various backgrounds.One can compare this with Jewry. The Jewish people have known  many proselytes. Yet there has been  a core  of the tribe  of Judah (and some of Levi & Benjamin) over the past 2500 years. The core passes on characteristics and genes to the periphery. 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).This core passed on its characteristics and genes to the influx of others. The more fulfilled prophetic clues we find, the stronger our case. What follows is not historic proof, but proof  by revelation.

1st Clue: Asher – happy

And 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. They live what is called in Dutch a ‘Burgundian life’. The Belgians are epicurean, loving food and finer things. They are  gourmets and  gourmandizing. The Dutch expression is that they are leading a Burgundian life.

Dutch Wikipedia about the Burgundian life:

Burgundian is used as an adjective to express that life is enjoyed. This phrase comes from the dukes of Burgundy… Well-known dukes of Burgundy were Philip the Good and Charles the Bold. Their court was known for great luxury and  riches. The people  of the southern Dutch provinces North-Brabant and Limburg and the Belgians are often called ‘Burgundian’,  because they like taking time to enjoy a bite or a drink.

Walloons, Flamands & Belgians

DNA shows that Walloons and Flemish people are more related than some of them would like to know. In the 19th century many Flemish moved into Wallonia. Dutch Wikipedia says about ‘Belgians’:

The existence of Belgians as a people have been the subject of many discussions. The best-known quote for this is … “There are Flemish people (Dutch speaking) and Walloons (French speaking). There are no Belgians… “. In spite of all their differences, it is generally accepted that they have quite a few things in common. Thus Belgians are known to be modest, raised as catholics and loving the ‘Burgundian life’.

Belgians are bons vivants.

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.

Belgian Cuisine

Wikipedia about the Belgian cuisine: Belgian cuisine is widely varied with significant regional variations while also  reflecting  the cuisines  of neighbouring France, Germany and the Netherlands. It is sometimes said that Belgian food is served in the quantity of German cuisine but with quality  of French food.  Outside the country, Belgium is best known for its chocolate and beer. Belgian cuisine traditionally prizes  regional and  seasonal ingredients, leading to distinctive dishes like carbonade flamande in Flanders or couque biscuit of the town  of Dinant. Belgians typically eat three meals a day, with a light breakfast, light or medium sized lunch and large dinner …

Fries

Fries, deep-fried chipped  potatoes,  are very popular in Belgium where they are thought to have originated. The earliest evidence of the dish comes from a book entitled Curiosites de Ia table dans les Pays-Bas-Belgiques written in 1781, which  described how inhabitants  of Namur, Dinant and Andenne around the Meuse River had eaten fried potatoes since  around  1680. Though  they are usually known as “French fries” in the United States, it is argued  that American  soldiers during the First World War erroneously believed that they were being served the dish in France.

Belgium’s national dish
Moules frites (Photo: Wikipedia)

In Belgium,  fries are  sold  at fast  food  stands or in dedicated fast-food  restaurants called  “friteries”  or “fritkot”. They are often served with a variety of sauces and eaten either on their own or in the company of other snacks. Traditionally, they are served  in a “cornet  de frites”, a cone-shaped white piece of cardboard  then wrapped in a piece of paper with the sauce on the top. Other street foods like frikandel, gehaktbal or croquette are sold alongside. In some cases, the fries are served in the form of a sandwich along with their sauce and meat known as a “mitraillette”.

Most Belgian households have a deep  fryer, allowing them to make their own fries and other deep-fried foods at home.

Asher’s food would be fat, would be rich.

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 ithe country. The brewing  tradition in Belgium  can be traced back to the early Middle Ages and 6 varieties are still produced in Trappist Monasteries where brewing was initially used to fund their upkeep. On average, Belgians drink 84 litres of beer each year, down from around 200 each year in 1900. Most beers are bought or served in bottles, rather than cans, and almost every style of beer has its own particular, uniquely shaped glass or other drinking-vessel. Using the correct glass is considered to improve its flavour.

The varied nature  of Belgian beers  makes it possible to match  them  against  each  course of a meal,  for instance:

-Wheat beer with seafood  or fish.

-Blonde or Tripel beers with eel, chicken or white meat

-Dubbel or other dark beers with dark meat

-Fruit Lambics with dessert

A number  of traditional Belgian dishes use beer as an ingredient.

Belgian pralines

(Photo: Wikipedia)

Belgian Chocolate

Wikipedia about Belgian chocolate: Belgium  is famed for its high quality chocolate and over 2,000 chocolatiers, both  small and  large.  Belgium‘s association with chocolate goes back as far as 1635 when  the country was under Spanish occupation and during the early 20th century, the country was able to lmport cocoa from its colony, the Belgian  Congo. Today,  chocolate is very popular in Belgium, with 172,000 tonnes produced each year, and widely exported.

What makes Belgian chocolate unique is the quality of ingredients (many  aspects of its composition are regulated by law)  and adherence to traditional manufacturing techniques. In particular,  vegetable­ based fats are not used. Many firms produce chocolates by hand, which is laborious and explains the prevalence of small,  independent chocolate outlets,  which  are popular with tourists. Famous chocolate companies, like Neuhaus and Guylian strictly follow traditional (and sometimes secret)  recipes for their products.

Seafood  pralines (pralines shaped like sea shells  or fish) are  popular with  tourists  and are  sold all over Belgium.

Waffles and sweets

There are also Belgian waffles  (Brussels, Liege), 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.

Belgium is also renowned for its comic  books: Tintin, Spike & Suzy, The Smurfs,  Lucky Luke, etc. To many Europeans a ‘delight’.

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  been favourable to them over time.

Belgium’s Independence

Many countries had to fight for years for independence, often at the cost of many deaths. Belgian independence was more or less given to them. In 1830 the Belgians seceded from the Netherlands during  the Belgian Revolution. They were soon supported by France and England. Queen Victoria came up with the name Belgium and her cousin Leopold became king. There was a 10 day fight with the Netherlands,  but the Dutch (Zebulun)  were  forced  by the English (Ephraim)  and the  French  (Reuben) to back  off. Thus the  Belgians (Asher) got their country with hardly any bloodshed. They were ‘favoured’ by their brethren.

Colonial power

Likewise Belgium became a colonial  power  without much sweat and toil. The Spanish, Portuguese, French, English and  Dutch conquered their colonies  fighting each other, not so the Belgians. In 1908 Belgium received the  Congo  from  king  Leopold  II, who in turn  had received it during the Berlin Congress of 1885.

The reign of terror in the Congo Free State under Leopold II led to the annexing of the Congo by Belgium in 1908. Until its independence the Belgian Congo (2,345,000 km2) was to Belgium what Indonesia  (1,919,000 km2) was to Holland. The Congo is 75 times Belgium. England (Ephraim) and France (Reuben) fought each other over colonies, but they gave the Congo to Leopold (and later to Belgium). Another example of Asher being favoured by his brothers.

Ruanda-Urundi

When German East Africa was divided up after WW I, the Belgians received Ruanda-Urundi (54,000 km2), until their independence (Rwanda & Burundi) in 1962. Thus expanding their African colonial  empire.

Poor Little Belgium

Because the  Germans violated Belgium’s (Asher) neutrality in 1914, the English (Ephraim) went to war. To save poor little Belgium! Poor little Belgium became the war cry in the propaganda campaign against  the Germans. In 1917 the Americans (Manasseh) used the same theme to mobilise the home front. Belgium (Asher) had to be saved.

EEC – EC – EU & NATO

Another  example which  shows clearly  that Belgium is looked favourably upon, is the  development of the EEC-EC-EU. Originally  the European institutions had  to be  spread out  over  Strasburg, Luxemburg and  Brussels. Over  time  most  of the European institutions have  ended up in Brussels. Brussels was  also  elected as NATO headquarters.

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. In  ancient times, the  Sambre and  Meuse  valley was an  important industrial area in the Roman Empire. In the Middle Ages, Wallonia became a centre for brass working and bronze working, with Huy, Dinant and Chimay being  important regional centres. In the  12th  and 13th centuries, the iron  masters of Liege developed a method of refining iron ore by the  use of a blast furnace, called the Walloon Method. …

In the 19th century, the area began to industrialize, mainly the so-called sillon industriel. It was  the first fully industrialized area in continental Europe, and Wallonia was  the  second industrial power in the world, in proportion to its population and  its territory, after the  United Kingdom. The  sole industrial centre in Belgium outside the collieries and   blast  furnaces of Wallonia was   the  historic cloth  making town  of Ghent.

Wikipedia about the Walloon Method: The technique was developed in Wallonia in present­ day Belgium during the Middle Ages. The Walloon method consisted of  making pig  iron in  a  blast furnace, followed by refining it in a finery  forge. The process was devised in the Liege region, and spread into  France and  thence from the  Pays de Bray  to England before the  end  of the 15th  century. Louis de Geer took  it to Roslagen in Sweden in the early 17th century, where  he   employed Walloon ironmakers. Iron made there by this  method was known in England as oregrounds iron.

The Atomium

Atomium

The Atomium is an expression of Belgium’s link with iron. Wikipedia: The Atomium is an iconic building in Brussels originally constructed for Expo ’58, the 1958 Brussels World’s Fair. Designed by the engineer Andre Waterkeyn and  architects Andre  and Jean  Polak, it stands 102 m  {335  ft) tall. Its  nine 18 m  {59 ft) diameter stainless steel clad spheres are connected so that the whole forms the shape of a unit cell of an iron crystal magnified 165 billion times. Asher … iron under his shoe.

More iron …

It is noteworthy to see  that iron keeps popping  up in Belgian life and history. The Duke of Alba ruled  the Low Countries (1567 – 1573) for the  Spanish King Philip II. Because of his reign of terror from Brussels he was called  the ‘Iron Duke’.

Iron is Yzer in Dutch,  pronounced [aizer]. In West Flanders there  is the small  river, the Yser. Here  the Belgian  forces made a stand against the German invaders in 1914. This gives the Battle of the Yser, the Yser Tower after the war and the Yser  Tower Pilgrimage.

To ensure a better connection between the  port of Antwerp and the industrial  Ruhr Gebiet in Germany a special  railroad was constructed, called the Iron Rhine.  With  regards to  railroads it is  also  worth mentioning that  Belgium  is the  country with  the highest density of railway lines. A railroad  is called in French  ‘chemin de fer’,  literally a ‘road  of iron’. This nicely fits Asher again:  iron under  his shoe …

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 centre for brass working and  bronze working, with Huy, Dinant and Chimay being  important regional centres {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 Miniere du Haul Katanga.

Union Miniere du Haul Katanga

Wikipedia: The  Union Miniere du  Haut Katanga (UMHK) was  a Belgian mining  company, once operating in Katanga, in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo  (formerly, Congo Free State, from I908, Belgian Congo, from  I972, Zaire).... It was created  on  October 28,  1906  …  and  was  granted mining  concessions in I900), in order  to exploit the mineral wealth of Katanga. It was  owned jointly by the Societe Generate de Belgique, Belgium‘s largest holding company (which  controlled 70% of  the Congolese economy) and  Tanganyika Concessions Ltd.

During  its years  of operation, the  UMHK greatly contributed to the wealth of Belgium, and, to a lesser extent,  Katanga-which developed more than  the surrounding regions without  similar  mineral resources. The company could be considered harshly capitalistic, but its motto at the time,  best expressing their opinion of development was “good health, good spirits, and high productivity.” Possibly it was because of this approach, and in order to keep and placate the workforce, that  the  Union introduced an  accident compensation scheme  as early  as 1928.  Katanga‘s mineral wealth led to the construction of railways …to connect it with the Angolan coast which took place in 1911, other rail  lines connected Katanga to Northern Rhodesia. Thereafter, mineral production, especially of copper, took  off. For instance, in 1911, the Ruashi Mine, owned by the UMHK, began operation, supplying 997 tonnes of copper on its first year. By 1919, annual production had risen to 22,000 tonnes, produced by seven furnaces.  In  1935, the Union was  party  to the World Copper Agreement. In the 1950s, Congo was the  world’s fourth largest copper-producing country.

Asher … copper under  his foot …

Other minerals and metals

Wikipedia: In addition to the  copper  for which it is known, Katanga was also rich in other minerals. The company controlled the exports  of cobalt (the UMHK was responsible 75% of the production of which during the 1950s), tin, uranium and zinc in its mines,  among the richest in the world. Henri Buttgenbach, a famous Belgian metallurgist and administrator of UMHK from 1911 ,          described cornetite, fourmarierite, cuprosklodowskie and  thoreaulite. The  finding  of radium deposits in  Katanga at  the  same time eventually led to a Belgian radium-extracting industry. Johannes Franciscus Vaes, who has studied  minerals coming from the UMHK, is responsible for the discovery of billietite, masuyite, renierite, richetite, schuilingite­ (Nd), sengierite, tudtite and  vandendriesscheite. Gaston Briart, after whom Briartite is named, was  a UMHK consultant.

Asher (Belgium) would be greatly blessed with metals (iron,  copper, zinc, etc.). Iron and  copper under  his shoe. Of course the  Bible could  not  name all the metals which still had to be discovered.

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. Zebulun and  Issachar were  to be seafaring nations, however, in antiquity  they  never  bordered the  sea. Joseph would  split into a great nation  and  a fullness of nations, which would only happen in the last centuries before  the return  of Christ. But sometimes prophecies or blessings concerning a tribe  are fulfilled twice. So it is with Asher’s oil.

Asher & olive  oil

Olive Tree

The tribe was thus settled on the western slopes and valleys  of Upper  and  Lower  Galilee. and  on the Phoenician plain .  Here was some  of  the   most productive land in Palestine-pasture, wooded hills, and orchards-noted especially for the abundance and richness of its olive-oil (Jewish Encyclopedia, tribe of Asher).

The oil would be so abundant, that Asher would dip his foot in it, so to speak. Because of this blessing concerning oil, the olive tree became an emblem of the tribe of Asher.

The Israeli postage stamp opposite again illustrates the connection between the olive tree and the tribe of Asher.

The emblem of the olive tree fits Asher for  more than one reason. The  olive  tree is a symbol of prosperity or happiness; she gives rich food (the oil) and delicacies (the olives) (Gen 49:20).

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 lssachar… 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 Rachel  tribes). There is a bond between Asher, Issachar and Zebulun in both antiquity  and in modern times.

Asher, Issachar  and  Zebulun are Jacob’s 8th, 9th and 1oth sons. They were close in age and were  probably 20, 19 and 18 when Joseph (17)  was sold. Apart from the cover-up  they played  no part in Joseph’s selling. Their minor role in that story is reflected by the minor role they would play in the history of the Ten Tribes in Israel, from the Exodus till the Assyrian Exile.

Their inheritance was only assigned to them after Moses’ death, after  the  important tribes  had  found   their place.  Seven  pieces of land  were  described for the last seven tribes  to be divided  by casting  lots (Josh 18-19). Zebulun,  Issachar and Asher were  the 3rd, 4th and 5th lot (Josh 19). They were closely connected in the drawing  of lots.

Moreover all three  of their tribal territories bordered the north of Manasseh, and their territories bordered each  other,  Zebulun  in the middle.  All three  were  in Galilee, far away from the centres of power  (Hebron, Jerusalem, Samaria). In the Bible these  three  Leah­ tribes  are  insignificant tribes  who  lived far away  in Galilee.

In the end-time the  tribes  of lssachar, Zebulun and Asher  came to live in the  Low Countries. 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 (I Chron 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.

Gallia Belgica -Roman Empire

(Map: Wikipedia)

Belgae – Julius Caesar

In his book Commentarii de bello Gallico Julius 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.

Wikipedia: When World War I began, Germany invaded neutral Belgium and Luxembourg as part of the Schlieffen

Soldier King Albert I

Plan, trying to take Paris quickly. It was this action that caused the British  to enter the war,  as they were  still bound by the 1839 agreement to protect Belgium in the event of a war.  The Belgian  army  is remembered for their stubborn  resistance during  the early days of the war,  with the  army  – around a tenth  the size of the German  Army – holding  up the German  offensive  for nearly a month, giving the French and British forces time to prepare  for the Marne  counteroffensive later in the year. The German  invaders  treated  any resistance­ such as sabotaging rail lines–as illegal and subversive, and  shot  the  offenders and  burned buildings in retaliation. Belgium had a prosperous economy in 1914 but after four years of occupation, it emerged ruined at the end of the war.  On the other hand  it suffered few deaths in combat.

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 1 and WW 11 to defend themselves and their colonies, but they never attacked other nations.

Wikipedia about Belgian Herge’s comic book character Tintin: “…  though  in  many  situations Tintin  can  be classified as a pacifist, reflecting a dislike of war. At the beginning of Tintin and the Picaros, he is seen wearing a motorcycle helmet with a peace symbol on it. “

On the whole  Belgians are peaceful people, more interested in food and drink than in war.

Anna of the tribe of Asher

Anna (Channah in Hebr.) of the tribe of Asher was in the temple (Lk 2:36) when Jesus was presented to the Lord by his parents.  Channah  means mercy  or grace  and Asher means happy.

Anna (=mercy) daughter of Phanuel  (=face of God) from Asher (=happy) was happy and thankful for God’s mercy that she was chosen to welcome Jesus, the Prince of Peace (=shalom) to God’s Temple in Jerusalem.

There may be more prophetic clues concerning Asher­ Walloons (Belgians), but the above are the strongest  in my opinion.