Is America mentioned in Bible Prophecy? This is a question on the minds of most Americans who are aware of the apparent nearness of the Biblical time of ‘Tribulation’, foretold in many passages of the Bible. It seems almost unthinkable that the United States would not be mentioned, since it is the world’s only ‘superpower’.
First, the name ‘America’ is obviously absent from the scriptures. Prophecies of end times used ancient names of nations. For example, ‘Persia’, according to Ezekiel 38:5 will be part of an alliance which will attack Israel in the last days. That’s an easy one to identify, because we know that modern Iran was still called Persia into the 20th century, and Iran continues to this day to threaten the destruction of Israel, and to prepare Israel’s enemies for war.
Of course, America is a new nation. And this raises the question of origins and roots of nations. I have heard very few Americans willing to consider this possibility, but the United States, and Canada are for the most part born of European nations. Like it or not, white Americans are descended from Europeans, and broke away from the governments of Europe to form these new nations. Now this is interesting, because Europe certainly is referred to in Bible prophecy. Without going into the detail here, most evangelical ministers agree in interpreting the last days kingdom which Antichrist comes from as being Europe… the ‘revived Roman Empire’. Many leaders since the days of Rome have attempted to unite Europe, including Hitler, with his ‘Third Reich’. Now, after centuries of war including the two ‘World Wars’ in Europe, we have an evolving economic and political union known as the European Union, beginning to throw its weight of opinion around on the world scene, and operating as a huge economic bloc.
North America and Europe are already allied in the powerful North Atlantic Treaty Organization. NATO has already acted as a military arm of the UN. Europe and the U.S. have recently fought together in wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. They are natural allies. Many American politicians and influencial business and media people are already wanting to see increasing ‘world governance’, and less U.S. independence.
Could it be that Biblical references to the last days empire include the United States, without mentioning it by name, just as they do not mention Britain, or France, or Spain by name (ex. Daniel 2:40-44)? Perhaps the reason that the U.S. is not clearly mentioned in Bible prophecy, despite its current superpower status, is that it will be a central and vital part of that last days kingdom, enabling the Antichrist to gain his incredible military power? Whether or not ‘the Rapture comes first’, Revelation makes it clear that Christians and Jews will be excluded from society and hunted down in the Tribulation. This means that there will be no more Christian or pro-Israeli sentiment in U.S. government- its military power will be directed by a different ethic and a different agenda. It could be available for the Antichrist instead.
No matter what anyone tells you, the reference to the ‘wings of a great eagle’, which provides for the escape of Jews from Judea during the Tribulation, most likely does not refer to an American airlift (Revelation 12:14). In Exodus God’s own salvation was called ‘eagles wings’, three thousand years before the U.S. existed (Exodus 19:4). If you want to think that the U.S will be God’s chosen instrument in his operation of salvation , that may be a possibility.
There is no sign Biblically that the U.S. will be on the side of Israel at that time, unless perhaps it is neutralized and can not help. Remember that ‘all nations’ will attack Jerusalem in the last days, and the Lord prophesied that when He moves to defend Israel, no-one will be there to help Him (Isaiah 63:3-6). There will be no superpower fighting by his side (He doesn’t need help anyway!).
Fuel for Faith 