Jan 29
America 's Dwindling Role in Bible Prophecy
As long as I've studied Bible prophecy, the role of the United States has always been a source of debate.
The Word of God makes no direct mention of America, but its economic and military dominance in the world community have forced prophecy scholars to take it into consideration.
Some folks have twisted Scripture find a role for the U.S in the Bible. Anglo-Israelism is one example. The late Herbert W. Armstrong helped popularize the idea that America had replaced Israel. The claim rests on the idea that Britain was comprised of descendants of the Lost Tribes of Israel, and that America was settled by Britain. Never mind the fact that the U.S. is probably the most mixed-breed nation on earth, with only a fraction of its population coming from Britain.
Some sites say the passage, "The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle" (Rev. 12:14), is an
indication that Israel (the woman) will flee to America (the eagle) when the Antichrist tries to destroy her. Another popular
reference to America in prophecy is Ezekiel 38:13. Ezekiel speaks of the "merchants of Tarshish and all the young lions
thereof." Tarshish is described as the westernmost trading and seafaring nation of the ancient world, or Britain again. The
young lions are the colonies. I don't stand by any of these references because they are just not solid enough, and they can lead to less credible speculation.
Few people are able to come up with any major roles for the U.S. in prophecy. The only option that makes sense is that the U.S. will be an insignificant nation during the end times. Many books in my library raise the question of whether Russia might begin its Gog invasion of Israel by nuking the U.S.
The rapture will likely have a devastating impact on this nation. The U.S. has the highest percentage of born-again Christians among the industrialized nations.
In the past few years, I've seen a growing indication that the question of America's role prophecy may be answered by our dwindling importance in the world. We are no longer the same superpower that won the Cold War. There are several indications that the U.S. may soon fade to a secondary role.
European Union
For decades, the U.S. had the largest economy on earth. With a GDP three times the size of Japan's (the second largest nation), no nation could come close to matching us. Once the European Union added several nations from the former East Soviet bloc, economists suddenly realized that the EU surpassed America. In the latest report from the World Bank, the EU had a GDP of $13.5 trillion, and the U.S. had a GDP of $12.4 trillion.
Euro
The euro, the new currency created only seven years ago and used by most European nations, has supplanted the U.S. dollar as
the most widely used form of cash internationally. There are now more euros than dollars in circulation worldwide. Many
foreign central banks are starting to switch a large portion of their reserves over to the euro.
Las Vegas Now Plays Second Fiddle To Macao
I've never taken any pride in the fact that Las Vegas has been the global headquarters for gambling. That honor has now passed to
the city of Macao. In 2006, it surpassed the Las Vegas Strip to become the world’s biggest gambling center. In the eight
years since Macao--a former Portuguese colony on the coast near Hong Kong--was returned to Chinese control in 1999, it has
experienced a huge boom in casino investment, and millions of mainland Chinese have been flooding into the tiny island
territory to gamble.
Ford's Meltdown
The Ford Motor Company has a rich history as an industrial giant. It is the first company to introduce large-scale manufacturing.
At one point, it produced 50 percent of the vehicles in America, and it exported many of them all over the globe. Today the company is on the ropes. Ford has lost its market share for eleven years in a row, and it will soon be overtaken by Toyota in
domestic sales. In 2006, the company lost $12.7 billion, the largest in its 103-year history.
New York May Lose Title as World Financial Capital
In a report produced by the consulting group McKinsey & Co., New York and other U.S. cities are said to be falling behind in
financial services while cities including London, Dubai, Hong Kong, and Tokyo are surging ahead. In as little as 10 years,
New York could lose its title as the world's financial capital.
Massive Debt
At one point, America was the largest creditor to the rest of the world. After World War II, we loaned money to rebuild Europe and Asia.
Currently, we are the largest debtor nation on earth, with an annual trade deficit of nearly $800 billion. If we don't suffer some type of financial
meltdown, we could reach the point that we lack the ability to be an active player on the world stage.
Barack Obama's Free Ride
For the past few months, Barack Obama has been the darling of the mainstream media. He's been on the cover of most major news
magazines. Time had him on its cover with the title, "Why Barack Obama Could Be The Next President." The inside caption
read, "A few days in the life of America 's hottest political phenomenon."
Hollywood’s elite loves him too. George Clooney calls him a friend. Halle Berry has said she'd "collect paper cups off the
ground to make his pathway clear." Oprah Winfrey says he's her man. David Geffen is planning on having a reception for Obama at
the Beverly Hilton Hotel, with a dinner later at Geffen's home.
I can't think of a good reason the liberal media and the Hollywood crowd would be so hot for Obama. He hasn’t done anything
in the Senate to really distinguish himself. His speeches lack any master plan that would guide us out of the dark days of the Bush administration.
All I see is a moment when the press suddenly began singing Obama's praises.
I have always maintained that the God of this world is the one who gives the liberal media its marching orders. If the
press likes someone, you can be sure he has Satan's seal of approval.
Unless you are mindful of this hidden agenda, many things the liberal media does fail to make any sense. The bias that comes from demonic influence is the only way to explain why Israel is always the one to blame for any conflict with the Arabs. During last year's Hezbollah-Israeli war, Israel was portrayed by the liberal media as the aggressor, despite the fact that terrorists started the war by invading the Jewish state and capturing or killing its soldiers.
This past week, I read a report posted by Insight.com that asked, "Are the American people ready for an elected
president who was educated in a Madrassa as a young boy and has not been forthcoming about his Muslim heritage?" The magazine
said this is the question Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton’s camp is asking about Sen. Barack Obama.
I was flabbergasted that the liberal media had not checked into this matter. It is unthinkable to have someone running for the
U.S. presidency that may have been taught as a youth that America is "The Great Satan" and the Jews are source of the world's ills.
There is no smoking gun linking Obama to radical Islam, but there are several troubling signs of deceptive behavior. In both of his best-selling autobiographies, Obama plays down his Muslim heritage. Obama was given the name Hussein by his Muslim father, which the Illinois Democrat rarely uses in public. Mr. Obama is said to be a member of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago ’s South Side, but he rarely attends services.
When conservative news outlets began covering the story, the liberal media went into damage-control mode. The Chicago-Sun
Times ran the story that said, "Crazies doing best to smear Obama." ABC's "Nightline" blamed Fox News for giving credence to
the story.
The only thing holding this nation together is our relationship with Israel. God said to Abraham, "I will bless them that bless
thee, and curse him that curseth thee" (Gen 12:3). There is a natural enmity between the followers of
Mohammad and the Jewish state, which is mostly spiritual in nature. I truly believe it be would suicide for our nation to
have a leader who is even remotely connected to Islam.
The Bible predicts that someday all nations will forsake Israel. Currently, the U.S. has a close relationship
with Israel. It's far too early to tell whether Barack Obama will play any role in causing drastic change in our foreign policy.
If we are in the last of the last days, we should be mindful of the worst outcome becoming the most likely outcome.
-- Todd
Mr. Bush, Tear Down This Wall
Among the most famous words proclaimed by U.S. presidents are those of Ronald Reagan: “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”
The challenge was issued to Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev on June 12, 1987, while Mr. Reagan stood at the Berlin Wall built by U.S.S.R. dictator Nikita Khrushchev in 1961 to keep people of East Berlin from escaping into West Berlin. The declaration, in its essence, declared that freedom and equality was a God-granted right, and that no people should be pushed to the margins in a world that should belong to everyone, not just the favored few.
The President of the United States was voicing for the oppressed what they were not allowed to voice for themselves concerning their own condition, fate, and destiny.
I see an analogy in this dramatic point in history to–I believe—an even more dramatic point in history yet future. The people who are pushed to the margins in this latter day case are the people of the Jewish state of Israel.
America, under the leadership of President George W. Bush, has built a wall between Israel and the negotiating process aimed at bringing peace to the Middle East. While James Baker, the aging former Secretary of State under George W. Bush’s father, former President George H.W. Bush, led a delegation to talk about Israel’s fate with Syria and other of Israel’s hate-filled enemies, the Jewish state was kept from the proceedings. While Israel’s God-given land, hard won in battle against murderous attacks in the past, was put on the negotiating table before the likes of Syrian dictator Basshar Al-Assad, Israel was behind the Baker-Bush built wall, staring in the face an Iran about to go nuclear and Palestinian terrorist organizations plotting its demise at the earliest time possible.
One must, if wise to the ways of the Lord of heaven, who changes not, issue warning to all in leadership positions about their conduct relative to the Jew and to the nation Israel. Here are some things God says on the subject. He hasn’t changed His mind about any of His promises to His chosen people: “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and
whoever curses you I will curse; and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you" (Gen. 12:1-3).
To those geopoliticians who think they can tinker with God’s covenant people by trying to usurp His right to deal with them with regard to their land promises, it is prudent to listen to these words from the Almighty. And, this goes for all within Christianity who hold that God is finished with His promises to Israel and that He has now given all of these promises to the Church.
"This is what the Lord says, 'He who appoints the sun to shine by day, Who decrees the moon and stars to shine by night, Who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar -- the Lord Almighty is His Name; Only if these ordinances vanish from My sight,' declares the Lord, 'will the descendants of Israel ever cease to be a nation before Me.'" (Jer. 31:35-36).
Now, to President Bush–whom I’ve supported for President, and while he has been President, for the most part—I urge you: Tear down this wall that keeps Israel out of the process of determining matters regarding its territory. That matter is between God and them. Any people who interfere in His dealings, in that regard, God’s Word says, are treading on very dangerous ground.
Mr. President, I’m convinced this is one of the reasons –perhaps the chief reason—that despite the greatest, most affluent economy ever recorded by any nation in history, your popularity numbers continue to plummet toward near-Watergate lows recorded during the Nixon White House years. This is why, in large part, your political party has been replaced as majority party and America continues to agitate in a cesspool of violence and entertainment filth.
Mr. President, I implore you, tear down this wall that Mr. Baker and the others have built to keep Israel from determining its own destiny, one-on-one with God. Another leader dealt with Israel by sealing it within Egypt’s borders. He failed to heed the Lord’s call through Moses: “Let my people go.” We know of the plagues that resulted from that obstinacy. I, for one, don’t want that for America.
--Terry
