America

America in Prophecy?

What a lot of us Americans would probably like to know is "are we in the bible pertaining to prophecy"? While, quite honestly, the bible never mentions the United States, there are some very clear passages in the bible that would appear that God is talking to us. This is nothing that I, nor anyone else, could ever prove, but the geographical descriptions given in Isaiah, Jeremiah and Revelations sure seem to be aimed directly at us. And, unfortunately, they are not very encouraging things. First off, I would like to say that our nation needs to turn its' face to God now, and not only in times of trouble. We seem to seek God only when it is convienient for us to do so. We have removed God from classrooms and virtually every place of existence except in the sanctuaries of our churches. In light of the recent attacks on our country by terrorists, it's necessary to view these passages with a clear and open mind. Keeping this in mind, let's view these passages.

Isaiah 18:1-2 says, "Woe to the land shadowed with buzzing wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, which sends ambassadors by sea, even in vessels of reed on the waters, saying, 'Go swift messengers, to a nation tall and smooth of skin, to a people terrible from their beginning onward, a nation powerful and treading down, whos land the rivers divide.' "

In one version of the bible instead of saying a nation powerful, it says a nation meted (measured) out. Also in another version, tall and smooth of skin is replaced by "scattered and peeled". The first clue given here to us is a "land shadowed with buzzing wings". This nation spoken of has the insignia of wings--similar to our national emblem, the bald eagle, with extended wings. It is a land beyond the sea. Israel is always the focal point in the bible. Ethiopia is directly west of Israel, so this nation has to be past that point westward. Scattered would mean having great land area. Meted out would mean measured out. This certainly describes the US, showing the states, counties, and cities. From the air, one can see the land measured out and it seems to be in blocks. It also says "whos land the rivers divide." We have the longest river in the world running through the middle of our country, the mighty Mississippi, that is over 4,200 miles long.

I cannot type all of what Jeremiah has to say, but it is Jeremiah Chapters 50 and 51 which gives these descriptions, and judgments. But to highlight some things describing where this nation might exist, we begin to look in Jeremiah 50 vs. 12. It tells us that this country's mother is sorely confounded. These passages all speak of Babylon, but keep in mind that in earlier areas, I spoke of Babylon as being a physical place, and a country with a babylonian frame of mind. In this verse we know that ancient Babylon had no mother, only a founding father in Nimrod. Our country does have a mother country in Britain. Given the shrinking of the English pound in past history, it confirms that our mother country is confounded and troubled. It also says in vs 12 that this nation is the "hindermost of the nations", or the last to become prominent internationally. Since our nation is only 200 years old, this certainly applies. It says this nation is an end-time nation, because in Jeremiah 50:19 it declares "I will bring Israel again to his habitation". This is proof that God had an end-time Babylon in mind when these prophecies were recorded. This nation "hath been proud against the Lord". This is certainly true of our country given the fact that we have removed God from our educational system, criminals are released faster than they are caught, and filthiness rules our land in violence and pornography and murder, just to name a few. This nation spoken of is of mingled people. Are we not called the "melting pot" of the world? When I look around in my hometown of just 35,000 people, I see as many foreigners as Americans. This nation spoken of is of great wealth. Many of us would consider our individual households poor, but if we look at ourselves in comparison to the rest of the world, we are the richest country in the world. Some people in the world do not know where their next meal is coming from, much less have a place to live, or a steady job to work. This nation spoken of also "dwellest upon many waters". This could not be ancient Babylon, since it was in the middle of a desert. However, we are bordered on each side by the world's two largest oceans, and the longest river in the world cuts through the heart of our country. Jeremiah 51:53 says that this country tries to "mount up to heaven". Have we not already done that by putting men on the moon? We are the world leader in space technology.

In these passages alone, God's judgment is very harsh, telling us that it will be attacked from the north, and will be utterly desolate. Although I mentioned this before, maybe someone didn't read it, Obadiah 1:4 says, "Though you ascend as high as the eagle, and though you set your nest among the stars, from there I will bring you down," says the Lord. I believe the book of Obadiah deals with us as well. Obadiah tells us, if indeed it is us, and it would seem to be, that "the men at peace with you shall deceive you and prevail against you, those who eat your bread shall lay a trap for you. No one is aware of it."

In light of our recent tragedies on US soil with the World Trade Centers and the Pentagon, I can now see that Revelation 18 seemed to be telling us something of it. The World Trade Centers were a symbol of economic power for us. In Revelations 18, Babylon the great has fallen. All the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. The merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury. Revelations 18:9, "The kings of the earth who committed fornication and lived luxuriously with her will weep and lament for her, when they see the smoke of her burning, standing at a distance for fear of her torment, saying, 'Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour your judgment has come." vs. 18: "and cried out when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, 'What is like this great city?"

We can definately see some symbolism here, even if the city Babylon itself is what is being spoken of. Our WTC towers seemed to stand tall and pronounce to the world that "This is who we are! Look at us!" With all this in mind, I still believe that we should pursue terrorism and defeat it, but we must be aware of people who even tell us they are our allies. Most of all, we should seek God's infinate wisdom in our decisions, and we should beg for mercy and seek God's face.....not in our own individual lives, but also for our country. We need to return to what our country was founded on....a profound love and respect for God, our creator. Turning to God when there is a crisis is simply not enough. He tells us that EVERY knee shall bow and every tongue confess Him as Lord. Why should we wait until we HAVE to? Why do we not serve God for who He is? He is the loving, merciful God that gave us life, that created the very world for His pleasure. He is our Father. If you do not know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior in your life, I urge you to accept Him now. God loves each and every one of us, and desires that none should perish. He loves you just as much as he does any of us. God bless you, and God bless the United States of America.