|
After September 11th, 2001...
"I'd guess that at one time or another since September 11, 2001, you, too, have wondered where we are headed as a nation. You have probably asked yourself questions like these: Does the Word of God have anything to say about America in the last days? What will happen to America in the end times? How do we fit into God's prophetic program?" (M. Hitchcock, 2002, p. 8).
Where is the USA in Biblical Prophecy?
USA in prophecy Here is a summary of Mark Hitchcock's arguments (Later, I will elaborate on the reasons he says No in the first three questions).
Question 1: Is the USA Babylon the Great of Revelation 17-18 and/or Jeremiah 50-51?
Answer: No.
Problems: In Revelation, God destroys Babylon during the end of the Tribulation. Neither the US or New York city are the Babylon of Rev. 17-18 because ``Babylon is presented as a wicked city (not a nation) that persecutes God` people, especially the prophets and saints (see Rev. 17:6; 18:24)`` (Hitchcock, 2002, 33). Hitchcock lists seven reasons why Babylon refers to a literal, rebuilt city (pp. 33-40).
Question 2: Is the USA the unnamed nation in Isaiah 18?
Answer: No.
Problems: ``In spite of these creative attempts to link America to Isaiah 18, the overwhelming biblical evidence comes down against identifying America with the nation mentioned in Isaiah 18`` (Hitchock, 2002, 45). Describing Egypt and Cush as a ``land shadowing with wings`` refers to the wings of insects along the Nile, not the wings of eagles; the eagles-to-US equivalence is a tenuous connection and unfounded by the facts.
Question 3: Is the USA ``the young lions of Tarshish`` in Ezekiel 38:13?
Answer: No.
Problems: It may be a reference to countries of western Europe; it may also be a reference to colonies that emerged from Europe, such as the USA; ``Tarshish`` is a title used some 20 times in Scripture, each time referring to nations at the furthest extent west of Israel. Hitchcock writes, ``Although I do not believe that the young lions of Tarshish area a reference to the United States, I concede that of all the passages in the Bible that could refer to the United States, this is by far the best one`` (p.56).
How come the silence in Scripture regarding the end-times super power, USA.
What do we make of it?
Argument 1: The USA is not referenced in Scripture because it is still a powerful nation, but God simply did not choose to include it.
Response: Possible, but not probable.
Argument 2: The USA is not referenced in Scripture because it will not be powerful in those final years.
Response: There are three possible reasons for the deterioration of the USA and thus, for its conspicuous absence in the end-time prophecies.
Reasons for national deterioration include:
- The US is destroyed by other nations, either in a large attack, or piecemeal through terrorism.
- The US is destroyed by itself, through internal moral and social collapse.
- The US is impacted by the Rapture of the Christians within it such that it collapses by the loss of some 65 million of its residents.
Source: Mark Hitchcock, Is America in Bible Prophecy? (2002, Multnomah Publishers, Sisters, OR.)
God is the Lord of the nations, the King of kings.
``He makes the nations great, then destroys them; He enlarges the nations, then leads them away.`` (Job 12:23)
``When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance, when He separated the sons of man, He set the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the sons of Israel.`` (Deuteronomy 32:8)
``Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to Him. It is he who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men and knowledge to men of understanding.`` (Daniel 2:20-21)
``In order that the living may know that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, and bestows it on whom He wishes and sets over it the lowliest of men.`` (Daniel 4:17b)
Empires of the world
There are only six empires which directly impact Israel (listed below).
The primary point to be made here is that not one of these empires lasted. All fell, and 250 years is about the average lifespan. What does that say about the USA?
- Egypt
- Assyria
- Babylon
- Medo-Persia
- Greece
- Rome
|
