We come to the end of our 7-part series. If readers have made it this far, they are to be congratulated. This topic was very complicated … not to mention the difficult task of keeping all the facts straight and condensing a massive amount of material on this topic into 7 columns.
The goal of this short series was to legitimize the Bible’s foreknowledge of more than 4,000 plus years (approximated) of mankind’s world geopolitical history, following the calling out of a new people on earth founded by Abram.
We believe it will have been worthwhile. Why? We have reached some penultimate conclusions.
All throughout this 7-part series, we have referred to the question of America’s geopolitical endtime roles according to the Bible. We will lay out our case.
But first, we must highlight the most urgent conclusion of all.
We are living in the very last of the pre-millennial end times.
This conclusion couldn’t be clearer. We note a convergence of many “ripening” trends, as well as accelerating developments that are prophetically enabling.
Crucially, we are very near the emergence of the final Roman, 10-king geopolitical coalition.
Think of the lateness of the times being experienced right now.
Let us suppose that it takes another 50 years before the full 10-king coalition takes form and the Antichrist erupts onto the world scene. (Please note that 50 years is not a forecast, but rather an illustration only. Indeed, we must also acknowledge that this timeline could, in fact, play out more quickly.)
A remaining period of 50 years would mean that 98.75% of the Bible’s revealed world geopolitical timeline has already played out (assuming a 3,500-year period).
Therefore, those who are alive today are privileged to live during a time when the “season” is so clear and imminent.
Another urgent marker that must not be missed is the rapidity of the final developments at the time of the 7th head … i.e., the 10 kings. As the Bible indicates, the 10 kings are said to reign for a short time only. “The seventh head (ruler) “[…] must remain for only a little while” (Revelation 17:10).
Corroborating this rapidity, says Luke, the trap will shut suddenly once it is triggered (see Luke 21:34). “While people are saying, ‘Peace and safety,’ destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape!” (1 Thessalonians 5:3). The OT prophet Daniel also backs this up, saying: “The end will come like a flood” (Daniel 9:26).
So here we have it: 1. We are in the very last of the last days pre-millennially; 2. The last of the prophetic developments speed up greatly; and 3. We can deduce that geopolitical volatility and changes of power will yet occur. This is the specter that is unfolding before our very eyes.
America in Prophecy?
But, what about the U.S.? Americans no doubt will have many questions about the prophetic role of their great nation.
Why is America not expressly mentioned in the Bible? One would think that its existence and actions would be worthy of mention. China is mentioned prophetically … why not the U.S.?
In previous parts of this series, we have shown why the USA will not be one of the final 10 kings. Put simply, the glass slipper does not fit the foot.
Given America’s status as a superpower and its huge economic influence upon the earth, it must be concluded that America today could not qualify as a member. It is just too large to be a big toe on either of the two feet that Nebuchadnezzar saw. A foot with such a large toe would not be functional.
Moreover, it must also be concluded that America will no longer be the most influential power in the world. While the specific reasons for this shrinking are not known, in one way or another, this country will diminish. If it is not to be a member of the 10-king coalition, it will then surely be subject to its rule.
Just what type of geopolitical maelstrom or internal deterioration will America yet go through? Quite a bit, it would seem. But can this be? Isn’t God on America’s side? Isn’t God blessing the United States?
America the Bountiful
The country of America is truly one of a kind—like no other. It is extraordinary in so many ways. From an earthly perspective, today it is still the most prosperous nation, the most powerful, and the most influential. We all know this. For example, for some time, its defense expenditures had been greater than the combined outlay of the entire rest of the world. (This is rapidly changing, however.)
Its economy, popularly measured, is still the largest of all nations. (China is now in close pursuit.)
We could outline a long list of superlatives.
But, how did it get to this position? Surely, the pivotal factors that have shaped America were not accidental. Why have so many benefits and geographic advantages been given to this country? The answers are thought-provoking.
Advantage America
No other nation has been given the natural advantages of America. Let us count the ways. We borrow heavily from Stratfor’s popular monograph, “The Geopolitics of the United States.”1
- No other nation in the world has as much arable land as the U.S. The American Midwest is the world’s largest contiguous piece of farmland. In addition, there are other major agricultural areas, namely in south-central Canada, the Atlantic Coastal Plain, California’s Central Valley, and others. These are significant compared to the agricultural capacity in the rest of the world.
- The Atlantic Coast possesses more major ports than the rest of the Western Hemisphere combined.
- The Greater Mississippi Basin, together with the Intercoastal Waterways, has more miles of navigable internal waterways than the rest of the world combined. In addition, the river systems of the Missouri, Arkansas, Red, Ohio, and Tennessee are significant. Why are rivers so important? Navigable rivers have two banks, coasts only one.
- Adding to the power of America is the fact that it has a wealth of sheltered bays and extreme indentations allowing for ports—St. Lawrence Seaway, the Great Lakes, Chesapeake Bay, San Francisco Bay, and a number of others.
- A most important feature of North America is the river network in the middle third of the continent. Unlike major rivers in the rest of the world, vast tracts of America’s rivers are navigable because few of their tributaries originate in high elevations. That has meant that America has had the cheapest and most efficient transportation system in the world for its products.
- The vast bulk of America’s prime agricultural lands are within 200 kilometers of a stretch of navigable rivers.
- America has two coasts—the Atlantic and the Pacific. Moreover, it allows America to trade with these two major regions of the world—both Asia and Europe.
- From a national security perspective, America is naturally insulated from any invaders. The two major oceans of its coastline are a natural barrier to enemies. To the south, there is desert; to the north, timberland, mountains or lakes. Its geographic layout makes America very secure like no other its size.
- The United States is the least densely populated of the major global economies in terms of population per unit of usable land. (Russia, Canada, and Australia may be less densely populated, but vast tracts of their land are economically useless … i.e., Siberia, the Canadian North, and the Outback, respectively.)
We could list many other factors. All the above translates into a low requirement for capital, cheap transportation, and low defense costs in its earlier days. These were major factors that enabled the rapid rise of America in world trade and influence.
Canada, on the other hand (to illustrate this contrast), needed to spend massively to develop the St. Lawrence Seaway and the required canals in the Great Lakes.
Just what other nation has been endowed with such wealth, resources, and geographical features?
Could it be that the rise of America over the last 200 to 250 years was not significant in the prophetic timeline of the world?
The correct answer, we think, would be “no.” Is it simply circumstantial that such a large geopolitical power took form late in the premillennial era?
From Blessing to Judgment
As we have shown, the North American continent could not have been created more providentially. Many benefits and advantages were given to the people that would live on that landmass.
There can be no doubt: God has blessed America. The rise of America on the world scene was not accidental. God has had His purposes for America. There can be no other candidate for the geopolitical influence and tasks that it may have fulfilled on the world stage.
However, much of this role may now be in the past.
What about the future?
Nations are free to make their choices. They are free to choose whom they will serve and will bear the corresponding judgments in the last days.
Choices are indeed being made.
Consider that at one time—from the early 1800s—America sponsored waves of evangelism around the world. That is no longer the case. As a recent poll from Gallup reveals, for the first time on record, church membership plunged to less than 50% in 2018. In 2020, this ratio sank further to 47%. Compare this with attendance levels of 70% in 1999 … only 22 years ago!
Foreign Affairs magazine recently published an article entitled, “Giving Up on God: The Global Decline of Religion.” We quote here one headline statement from this report: “The most dramatic shift away from religion has taken place among the American public.” As recently as 2007, the U.S. ranked as one of the most religious countries in the world. Since then, it has shown the largest move away from religion of any country that this survey covered.
All the above-mentioned trends do not invalidate that God has used America in the past to bring about His purposes in the world. Did not God have America in His eye (though not the “apple of His eye,” as in Zechariah 2:8) from the beginning of time?
Since Bible prophecy clearly outlines that there will be a 10-nation power coalition, not a foot with one big toe, we can conclude that this big toe (the U.S.) must then become comparatively smaller. While the British Empire has been removed from the pinnacle of power more than a century ago, its younger cousin, the U.S., now may also face a relative decline.
By whatever means—whether the Rapture, self-inflicted policy errors, deserved or divinely willed—this has to happen if the Bible is to be proven correct. In fact, viewed against the pace of past human history, it must be said that this downward shift of America, relative to the rest of the world, has likely begun.
Less than 25 years ago, though the seeds of America’s moral and economic decline had long been evident, the U.S. was still seen as an invincible, world-dominating power in every sense.
At the time, geopolitical analysts were still actively debating the question of whether the United States should really be considered an empire in the classical sense. Many analysts ridiculed any notion that America might be vulnerable, maintaining that the 21st century would belong to the U.S., as did the 20th.
What does the Bible say? For the last three centuries, there has only been one big toe … first Britain, then America. But this cannot continue if prophecy is to be fulfilled.
Prophecy, in this case, can be fulfilled in a number of ways. A coalition of 10 other kings (nations) could become powerful enough to supersede the geopolitical position of the U.S. Or, could the opposite extreme play out? Could America be downsized … deteriorate from the inside out …or become one of the 10 kings, or not at all? Which will it be?
According to Bible prophecy, every avenue and every possible scenario for the United States seems to lead to some form of diminution on the world stage.
Can you see this?
Indeed, the times are short, and history will speed up dramatically.
What choices will America and the nations make?
What should the Saints do?
We look up and await the Rapture and the return of Jesus Christ: “When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near” (Luke 21:28).
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Wilfred J. Hahn is a global economist/strategist. Formerly a top-ranked global analyst, research director for a major Wall Street investment bank, and head of Canada’s largest global investment operation, his writings focus on the endtime roles of money, economics and globalization. He has been quoted around the world and his writings reproduced in numerous other publications and languages. His 2002 book The Endtime Money Snare: How to live free accurately anticipated and prepared its readers for the Global Financial Crisis. A following book, Global Financial Apocalypse Prophesied: Preserving true riches in an age of deception and trouble, looks further into the prophetic future.
Contact Wilfred at: staff@eternalvalue.com
1 Stratfor: “The Geopolitics of the United States, Part I: The Inevitable Empire; Part II: American Identity and the Threats of the Future,” August 24, 2011, www.stratfor.com