America’s Dependence Day

America’s celebration of birth since 1776 was spectacular, our independence from mother England 250 years previous having been a painful and bloody one, to say the least. That separation, however, wasn’t one of merely exerting cleavage from an empire determined to rule over the colonies. That is, there has been a much more profound leverage than a revolutionary spirit at work in producing that schism than just the colonists’ desire to break free of overbearing bondage.

America’s founding fathers–that is, a majority of them—recognized the nature of the profound leverage they were allowed to apply in order to burst free from the most powerful military on the planet at the time. It was providential leverage that most of them acknowledged as the intervening force that birthed this nation.

George Washington said on a number of occasions following the War of Independence that he felt the hand of the Almighty on him. He said he was providentially prevented from being shot on several occasions. In one incident, there were four rifle ball holes in his general’s uniform, but none of the balls had entered his body.

John Adams repeatedly wrote that America was a nation under God’s hand, that America was a moral nation, and the Constitution would work for no other than a moral people. Even Jefferson acknowledged a greater power as having guided the founders and seen to it that the War of Independence was won because of a providential power.

So, the desire for independence from a tyrannical, overbearing English governance was important as those patriots waged the Revolutionary War. But, in the words of almost every founding father, according to extensive documents we have seen presented by experts on America’s founding, such as David Barton, it was dependence on God in Heaven they acknowledged as the true reason for America’s winning independence.

This dependence was steeped in adherence to the Word of God. The Judeo-Christian reference to America’s founding is that its founding principles were based, by and large, within Old and New Testament principles.

Although there is debate on who made the statement, French historian and political thinker Alexis de Tocqueville is attributed as saying: “America is great because she is good; if America ceases to be good, America will cease to be great.”

During the early times of the nation’s founding, America was indeed good in comparison to today’s America. Jesus Christ was the only good there was at the center of the founding principles. At this late date 250 years hence, however, we can but admit the truth that we have in many areas lost our way in comparison to those earlier times.

The entire world of earth’s inhabitants, for the most part, have strayed ever farther from Heaven’s governance. Independence is now a term that can be applied to the world pulling away from God’s desire that people come nearer to Him, not break away from Him. I believe that because of America’s founding fathers’ dependence on the principles found in God’s Holy Word, the nation could well call the date of July 4, 1776, Dependence Day. It was in large part a dependence upon Heaven above to secure the Revolutionary War victory and nationhood we enjoy today.

America, too, suffers from the independent spirit of anti-God behavior. It is actually the Antichrist Spirit that this country and all nations of the world suffer from as we dive more deeply into the end of the Age of Grace.

But vestiges of that early spirit of dependence upon the God of Heaven still linger in America during this evil day. Despite the world’s mainstream media’s constant railing against Americanism, and the leaderships of the world’s countries lying to their peoples about the ugly Americans, we see, through reports, that this nation that was once populated by a moral people can yet be sensed, even if during this time of liberty’s last gleaming.

American greatness left a World Cup traveler in tears as he admitted what initially caused him “fear to travel to the United States.”

In the weeks since the 2026 FIFA World Cup has been underway, communities across North America have embraced the prolific drinking of the Tartan Army, Norway’s Viking row, and the myriad guests soaking up cities and small towns alike. Despite seeing his home team eliminated by Paraguay, a German’s tears were for love of the U.S. after buying into propaganda about how “the country’s not safe.”

During an interview with NBC10 Boston’s Oscar Margáin, Sebastian Kraus could be seen repeatedly wiping away tears with his hands and his shirt as he got choked up about his experience as a visitor to America.

“I fell in love with this country, and this was so emotional, I even cried in the stadium,” he told the reporter after being seen taking a moment to collect himself, including a breathing exercise, having been asked, “Why? Help us understand, why is this so impactful to you?”

Juxtaposed against video he shared with the outlet of a group of strangers driving him back to his hotel where he joyfully expressed, “Bob takes us home,” and “America is great,” Kraus told Margáin, “To be honest, I was a bit scared or had a fear to travel to the United States. News about shootings and criminals and that the country’s not safe.”…

“We owe America a huge apology, because America is nothing like what the media tells us,” he said in a social media video. “Everyone is so friendly, everyone is so accommodating, and I’ve honestly had the best time.”…

His whole life in Germany, he’s been fed lies about America by their media. There’s a reason so many Europeans mock the US until they visit it for themselves; they’ve been brainwashed by the politicians and media elites. (“German fan moved to tears after experiencing real America, Kevin Haggerty, July 6, 2026, Rapture Ready News July 7, 2026)

America’s relationship with God from its birth was independence from Great Britain through dependence on Heaven’s help. This is a truth that applies to believers in Jesus Christ. It also applies to those who are in Satan’s grip, needing to come into liberty offered only through God’s Son, who died and rose again to make the lost free from sin-bondage.

Our independence from the evil one, Satan, who seeks to destroy humankind, can be only achieved through dependence upon God’s plan of redemption.

Here yet again is that plan:

“That if you will confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and will believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:9-10).

—Terry

Wtjames1@swbell.net

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What Makes Imminency So Essential?

As readers of the Nearing Midnight column, you recognize the myriad of signs pointing to Jesus’ soon arrival to take us home to glory. However, as the days become weeks and then months and years, we sometimes struggle to maintain an eager anticipation of Jesus’s appearing. If you are like me, you wonder how much closer can we get to the start of the Tribulation before we meet Him in the air?

The silence in most churches regarding our “blessed hope” makes our expectation all the more difficult to maintain. Many of our Christian friends and family members believe it’s irrational to regard the Rapture as something that might happen in our lifetime, if at all. We also hear the laughter of Christians who mock our expectation of Jesus’ imminent appearing.

In spite of all these things, I remain convinced that imminency is not only important for the day in which we live, but also essential for believers regardless of the times in which we live.

I say this for a variety of reasons.

Imminency Imitates the Expectancy of New Testament Saints

When we view the Rapture as something that might take place at any moment, we imitate the expectations of the New Testament saints. Just a cursory sampling of verses from the epistles confirms that they lived each day with a sense of imminency:

• “For the coming of the Lord is at hand” (James 5:8).
• “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20, LSB).
• “So that you are not lacking in any gift, eagerly awaiting the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ” 1 Corinthians 1:7, LSB).
• “For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven” (1 Thessalonians 1:9-10).

Early in his ministry, Paul believed that the Rapture might happen during his lifetime (1 Thessalonians 4:17; 1 Corinthians 15:52). How is that possible apart from believing Jesus’ appearing could happen at any moment?

Imminency Leads to a Closer Walk with Jesus

The awareness that Jesus might come for us at any moment results in a closer walk with Him. The Apostle John alludes to this in 1 John 2:28:

“And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming.”

What’s the encouragement in this verse for continuing to “abide” in Jesus? It’s the awareness that at any moment, we might find ourselves in the presence of our glorious and righteous Savior. Does this not motivate us to promptly deal with bitterness, unforgiveness, anger, and other sins rather than let them gain a foothold in us (i.e., Ephesians 4:26-27)?

In 1 John 3:2-3, John explains how our focus on Jesus’ appearing produces greater purity in us:

“Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.”

We will not arrive at sinless perfection in this life; however, living with the awareness that Jesus might come for us at any moment keeps us close to the Savior and quickly brings us back to Him when we sin and go astray.

Imminency Enables Us to Maintain an Eternal Perspective

I remember waiting for Metro trains to arrive in Washington, D.C. Once the countdown for the next train’s arrival neared zero, I fixed my eyes on the tunnel at the end of the platform, watching for its light to shine through the darkness.

Likewise, the awareness that the Rapture might occur at any moment sets our hopes on eternal realities as nothing else can. Paul describes this perspective for us in 2 Corinthians 4:17-18:

“For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”

Imminency provides us with a continual reminder that the things of this life are temporary and causes us to place a greater value on eternal realities versus our hopes for a brighter tomorrow. This perspective calms my anxious heart every week, if not daily.

The “no Rapture” message of our day greatly harms believers because it leads to an earthbound outlook on life that ignores eternal realities. They believe in eternal life, but it’s a far-distant, after-death reality that is easily overlooked amid the busyness of life. As a result, they focus on temporary aspirations which inevitably lead to greater frustration when things inevitably go awry.

Imminency Reminds Us of Jesus’ Certain Intervention

Not only does imminency change our perspective of the things of this life, but it also reminds us that Jesus will surely intervene in the world and righteously judge the violence, lawlessness, and widespread government corruption so prevalent in our day.

Although David wrote Psalm 37 a very long time ago, its message continues to calm the anger we feel as we watch evil and corruption prevail around us. Our expectation of Jesus’ soon appearing reminds us that the time of the Lord’s righteous judgment will begin in the not-too-distant future.

We do not need to see the perpetrators of today’s great wickedness and violence face the consequences for their actions (although admittedly, I would like to see many of them behind bars). Even should the Lord call us home before the Rapture, it’s our expectation that it might happen at any moment that keeps us from fretting that people successfully carry out their wicked schemes and steal billions of taxpayer money.

We live on the edge of eternity. The convergence of so many signs awakes us daily to the reality that we live in the last moments before Jesus’ dramatic intervention in human affairs, which we call the Rapture.

We do not know how much longer we will have to wait, but just knowing it could happen at any moment calms our hearts amid the perilous times in which we live. It also continually reminds us that this life is not all there is as we face the many storms and trials here below. Is it any wonder the Apostle Paul referred to it as our “blessed hope?”

Maranatha! Come soon, Lord Jesus.

-Jonathan

jonathanbrentner@yahoo.com

 

Persia, not Iran?

Listening to a Newsmax morning program on June 29, I heard an interesting proposition that struck deeply into my “watchman on the wall” perspective.

A US general was being interviewed by the program host. They were deeply discussing the president’s dealings with the Iranian regime’s negotiators—that is, with the few who are left to negotiate.

There are, the host and general agreed, two distinct negotiating elements within Iran. That is, apparently, this is true.

The general and the host again agreed. One element seems to be the diplomatic side that has signed onto the so-called MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) regarding that the regime agrees to the following: 1) Iran will no longer pursue a nuclear weapons program; and 2) The Strait of Hormuz will now be completely open to ship movement without any interference by Iranian assaults. At the same time, there are the fanatic IRG militants who continue to try to interfere with shipping in the Strait, and who do not agree to allow American or international investigators into Iran to inspect and remove Iran’s nuclear materials and nuclear production materials.

The general laid out how President Trump had just ordered a very strong strike against launch sites and other military and radar facilities in response to the Iranian violation of the ceasefire agreement by firings at a ship entering the Strait. (There have since been other retaliatory strikes.)

The general said Trump’s patience was wearing thin. He said something to the effect that the Iranians had better recognize the benefits of the president’s patient dealing through the diplomatic process, because they would find Trump’s losing patience to be something they would very much not like—implying that America’s action in that case would be far worse than Midnight Hammer, the code name of the action that initiated the whole matter.

Then the general said something that really hit. He said if the regime didn’t completely comply with the MOA they had signed, we might in the future be calling the nation Persia, not Iran. I took this to mean that because Iran would be militarily destroyed as the IRG, the nation’s name would be changed back to its ancient name.

I think that’s a distinct possibility. This war effort against Iran’s nuclear ambition and war-making in that region—things like shutting down international shipping—might end in a name change somehow in the diplomatic process of concluding the war. The name might indeed be changed from Iran back to Persia.

This possibility comes about, in my thinking, because of the talk of regime change, boots on the ground, and all the objection to such action, particularly by those who oppose Trump in all he does.

It would be just like the diplomats to come up with a change in name only, thereby telling us the threat is now gone.

Something like that would:1) allow the Islam-militant fanatics of the IRG to stay in power; and, more importantly, 2) have that Gog-Magog nation go again by the exact name given Ezekiel to prophesy.

Again, the talk within mainstream news sources, and even in the diplomatic community, is concerned with what might be coming if Trump loses his not-all-that-long-lasting patience.

And Mr. Trump has given cause with his recent comments for us to wonder what comes next, as the always deceptive, lying Iranian regime continues to play their obfuscating games.

President Donald Trump warned Saturday that the United States may be forced to take far more sweeping military action against Iran after U.S. aircraft struck Iranian missile and drone storage locations and coastal radar sites, which he said were used in renewed violations of a ceasefire agreement.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said American forces acted after Iran violated the agreement “AGAIN,” accusing Tehran of failing to learn from repeated warnings.

“There may come a point when we are no longer able to be reasonable, and will be forced to militarily complete the job that we very successfully started,” Trump wrote. “If that happens, the Islamic Republic of Iran will no longer exist!”

The president’s warning marked one of his strongest public statements yet as tensions continue to rise between Washington and Tehran following recent attacks on commercial shipping near the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy corridors.

U.S. Central Command said American forces targeted Iranian missile and drone storage sites, along with coastal radar positions, after Iran allegedly struck commercial vessels in violation of the ceasefire. The strikes appeared aimed at degrading Iran’s ability to launch further attacks against ships moving through the region. (“Trump Warns Iran It May ‘No Longer Exist’ After U.S. Strikes Missile, Drone Sites,” by Emmit Barry, Worthy Christian News, June 27, 2026)

Most who observe things involving the area Ezekiel called Persia believe this building conflict has considerable prophetic significance. I agree.

There must be a nation in the area to join in the coalition of the Gog-led assault against God’s chosen nation. There must be some process of quasi or pseudo-solution to the present building conflict that allows the existence of a nation-force to attack the hated Israel.

I propose that a name change might be a diplomatic tool to allow this strange turn of events. It could be Persia, not Iran, that is the name of that satanically inspired nation whose chief evil angel is the Prince of Persia, which is destroyed along with all the others on the mountains of Israel as outlined in Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39.

While we watch all that transpires over the coming days in that region, let’s keep looking up, as our Lord commanded:

“And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh” (Luke 21:28).

—Terry

Wtjames1@swbell.net

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Does the March Toward the Gog/Magog War Signal Jesus’ Soon Appearing?

It’s one of the most confusing signs that we live in the last days. Just when we think the Middle East war is heading in one direction and can imagine how that might lead to the Gog/Magog war of Ezekiel 38-39, everything changes. Sometimes it’s a ceasefire; at other times it’s the resumption of bombing. It might be easier to nail Jello to a wall than to predict what might happen with this war in the coming weeks.

As believers, we recognize the demonic motivations of the Iranian leadership that lie behind all the broken deals and the on-again and off-again bombings. It is not a rational mindset, not at all, but one that seeks to destroy Israel by any means necessary and at any cost. Deception, lying, and murder are all perfectly acceptable to the Islamic regime.

Has the broken Memo of Understanding (MOU) with Iran brought President Trump closer to this realization? It’s highly doubtful he recognizes the demonic spirit of Iran’s leaders, but he’s clearly frustrated. Amir Tsarfati, in a recent Telegram post, quoted the President as saying this about them: “The Iranian regime guys are scum, sick people, vicious, violent people, cuckoo, liars.” His opinion has definitely changed from a few weeks ago when he praised Iran’s leaders. Will he ever trust them again?

His most recent change of heart toward the Islamic state comes in response to its attacks on several commercial ships sailing through the Strait of Hormuz. As a result, the US has resumed bombing key targets in Iran, including Kharag Island, as suggested by Benjamin Netanyahu.

How Close Are We?

When this war began earlier this year, like other students of Bible prophecy, I wondered how the overthrow of the Islamic government would impact the fulfillment of Ezekiel 38-39. That all changed when the bombing stopped and the MOU allowed the current Iranian to remain in power with money and time to rebuild their missile program and continue their nuclear ambitions.

But now, it’s anyone’s guess as to what might happen next. We know that the Islamic factions with Iran will remain strong enough to join Russia, Turkey, and others in the alliance that will someday invade Israel. But what will that look like?

Based on the ever-changing direction of the current war, however, it’s impossible to gauge the nearness of the Gog/Magog war with any precision. Does this confusion by itself point to the nearness of Jesus’ appearing? I believe it does.

The Rapture Will Change Everything

As with many other signs pointing to the nearness of the Tribulation, I’m beginning to see clearer than ever how the Rapture is the wildcard that will change everything regarding the how and the when of the Gog/Magog invasion of Israel. The Bible tells us that destruction will occur soon after our departure (1 Thessalonians 5:1-3), followed shortly by the unveiling of the antichrist on the world scene (2 Thessalonians 2:3-8). At the moment, it’s not possible to predict exactly how these dramatic world-changing events will set the stage for the future all-out attack on Israel.

What we do know is that, after the Rapture, the US will cease to be a world power, as evidenced by its absence in Bible prophecy. The disappearance of a multitude of believers will have an immediate weakening effect, as will the “sudden destruction” that will come upon our departure. As for America, earthquakes and volcanoes might contribute to its downfall. Geologists continually warn of widespread catastrophes as a result of these things that they say might happen in the near future in the US.

Might the US suffer a major defeat via a nuclear attack close to the time of the Rapture? That’s also entirely possible given its rising tensions with Russia and China.

Even though I cannot explain the specifics of the how and when of the Gog/Magog war, the alignment of the nations combined with Israel’s prosperity closely track with Ezekiel’s prophecy. Despite the march toward its fulfillment that’s so very evident, certain questions remain:

• When will Israel experience the state of peace described in the prophecy?
• Why a land invasion when modern warfare relies on bombs and drones?
• After suffering so many losses in its war with Ukraine, why will Russia join the invading forces?

Years ago, I thought it was possible for the Gog/Magog war to happen before the Rapture. Now, however, I believe the rapidly changing post-Rapture world will resolve the unanswered questions listed above. It’s not just the march toward the Gog/Magog conflict that signals the nearness of the Rapture, I believe it’s also the confusing Middle East war that points to Jesus’ soon appearing.

Everything is at the ready for the fulfillment of Ezekiel 38-39; the only missing spark is what will happen after we meet Jesus in the air.

Keep looking up; Jesus is coming soon!

-Jonathan.