What Is America s Role In End Time Prophecy? Acts 17:26 NKJV

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1 Message for THE LORD S DAY MORNING, July 1, 2012 (INDEPENDENCE DAY MESSAGE) Christian Hope Church of Christ, Plymouth, North Carolina by Reggie A. Braziel, Minister What Is America s Role In End Time Prophecy? Acts 17:26 NKJV Please turn with me in your Bibles to Acts chapter seventeen. And let s read verse 26.

2 P R A Y E R Acts 17:26 (NKJV) And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their pre-appointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, **************************************************************************************** I N T R O D U C T I O N In his book, The Late Great United States author, Mark Hitchcock writes of America s unique place in the world. Hitchcock states, By any standard of measurement, America occupies center stage in the world arena. No one disputes the fact that America has a distinctive history, during which it has risen to dominate global affairs. In a quarter of a millennium (or the last 250 years) America has become a nation unlike any other in the history of the world. It has superceded nations with much longer histories. No nation in the history of civilization has exercised greater influence than the United States of America----politically, militarily, economically, culturally, linguistically, and religiously. Today America prevails as the world s lone superpower. The last contender standing. But for some time now the storm clouds have been gathering over the United States. -First there was the underground bombing of the World Trade Center in Then came the suicide bombing attack on the USS Cole in Then came the darkest day in America s history, when Islamic terrorist attacked us on our own soil on September 11, Since that time our national indebtedness has risen to nearly $16 TRILLION.Oil prices have skyrocketed.our economy is in a meltdown.. the housing market has collapsed..the value of the American dollar is at an all-time low..and runaway government spending has brought America to the very brink of economic ruin. America s past is glorious and inspiring! America s present is unstable and shaky! But what about America s future? What is God s plan for the United States? What role, if any, will America play in the end time prophecies of the Bible? These thoughts are weighing heavily upon the minds and hearts of many Christian Americans these days. ************************************

3 In our scripture text here in Acts 17, it is very obvious God has a specific plan for each and every nation of the earth. God has determined the exact time each nation would be settled and the exact geographical location of each nation on earth. God has also fixed into His divine plan the RISE and FALL of each nation. Job 12:23 (NKJV) says, He makes nations great, and destroys them; He enlarges nations, and guides them. Daniel 2:21 says, He changes times and seasons; He sets up kings and deposes them. What these scriptures teach us is that GOD is the Sovereign, Supreme ruler over all He created. This means anything and everything in all of creation is at God s disposal to be used to accomplish His divine will. This includes the NATIONS of the earth and those who RULE over those nations. You see, nations don t simply rise up or fall by coincidence. Nor do KINGS, PRESIDENTS or DICTATORS ascend to power by coincidence. -When a nation rises, it is by God s divine plan. -When a nation falls, it is by God s divine plan. -When a ruler ascends to power, it is by God s divine plan. -When a ruler is removed from power, it is by God s divine plan. All of these things are like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle that once put in place form the big picture in God s divine plan. So just where does the UNITED STATES fit into this big picture? *************************** First of all, I would have you to consider. I. The Silence of Scripture Regarding America s Role In God s Divine Prophecy 1. The United States of America is never explicitly mentioned in the Bible. Several years ago Dr. Tim LaHaye wrote an article entitled: The Role of The United States In End Time Prophecy. In that article, Dr. LaHaye stated, and I quote: One of the hardest things for American prophecy students to accept is that the United States is not clearly mentioned in Bible prophecy,

4 when America is the only superpower in the world today. The Role of The United States in End Time Prophecy by Dr. Tim LaHaye 2. Dr. David Reagan of Lamb & Lion Ministries says, Since the United States is not mentioned specifically by name in Bible prophecy, people have resorted to their imaginations to find our nation in the scriptures. -Some have pointed to ISAIAH 18 which speaks of a people tall and smooth who are feared far and wide. That passage further states this is a powerful nation whose land the rivers divide. Some have jumped to the conclusion that because our nation is divided by the mighty Mississippi, Isaiah must be referring to the United States. Now that s a real stretch! -One of the most popular passages where people claim to have found the United States is in EZEKIEL 38. In that passage, Ezekiel talks about an invasion of Israel in the end times from a nation from the north. VERSE 13 of Ezekiel 38 talks about The merchants of Tarshish and all her young lions speaking out AGAINST this invasion of Israel. The argument is that The merchants of Tarshish is Great Britain; and her young lions are English speaking nations such as the United States and Australia. Once again you can see this is quite a stretch to place America into the prophetic pages of scripture. -Another favorite passage those with wild imaginations love to use is REVELATION 12: This passage states that in the middle of the Great Tribulation, God will provide a means of escape for the remnant of the Jewish people. Revelation 12:14 says, But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time. Since our national symbol is the great bald eagle many have used the imagery of Revelation 12:14 to theorize that the United States will supply an end-time air lift for the Jewish people to save them from a hostile attack

5 from her enemies. Once again, this is a REAL STRETCH! -This brings us to the most widely used passage for identifying the United States in biblical prophecy. And that is in REVELATION 18 where John writes about Babylon the Great or Mystery Babylon. There is no denying that the United States shares many similarities with the corrupt commercial empire that John describes in Revelation 18. But Bible scholars are in agreement that Babylon the Great is referring to the Antichrist s evil empire that will dominate the earth in the days of the Great Tribulation, not the United States of America. 3. Now this brings up an important question. How can a nation as great as the United States, which is arguably the greatest nation that has ever existed in the history of the world, not even be mentioned in the scriptures? There are four possible reasons: (a) One possibility is because the United States will not play a key ROLE in the events of the END TIMES. (b) (c) Another possibility is because the United States will no longer EXIST as we have known her in the end times. Up until now we have been Israel s strongest ally. But there are strong signs America is moving toward breaking her alliance with Israel to join the ranks of her enemies. Every nation in history that has followed that path has met her doom. And a third possibility is that the United States will be just like every other NATION that will reject CHRIST in the end times, and therefore has no distinction in the scriptures. (4) And a fourth possibility is that the United States will be incorporated into the TEN NATION COALITION which is described in Daniel 7 and Revelation 13. Any time you hear talk in the news of the G-10 summit or a meeting of the G-7 or G-20 or G-30, realize the purpose of these summits is to form the framework for a joint economic alliance between nations. The goal of these summits is to establish a one-world economic system that

6 will be overseen by one governing body. Revelation 13 prophecies this will be the type of government that will be set up by the Antichrist, where no one will be able to buy or sell unless he has the mark of the beast on his forehead or right hand. I am not telling you these things to scare you, but so that you and I will not bury our heads in the sand and pretend these things could never happen in our lifetime. The truth is the framework for a one-world government and economic system is being formed right now in our lifetime. 4. Only the LORD HIMSELF knows exactly where the United States of America fits into this picture at this time. Well now that we have considered THE SILENCE OF THE SCRIPTURES REGARDING AMERICA S ROLE IN GOD S DIVINE PROPHECY, let s consider II. The Significance of America s Role In God s Divine Plan 1. While America is NOT mentioned specifically in the prophetic scriptures, there is no denying that GOD has blessed America and used her to accomplish His Divine plan in three very important ways. (A) First of all, America has been the greatest FORCE behind world MISSIONS in history. As Jesus was about to leave this world and return to His heavenly Father, He left us with our marching orders. We call it, The Great Commission.

7 Matthew 28:18-20 (NKJV) 18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. baptizing 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen. No nation on earth has sent more missionaries into the world to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ than the United States of America. *3/4ths of all the missionaries that have gone into world over the last one hundred years have come from the United States. *75% of every dollar given to missionary work over the last one hundred years has come from Christians in America. *Many American Churches send as much as 20% to 30% of their annual income to support missions work around the world. *America has produced more PREACHERS and established more BIBLE colleges than any other nation on earth. *America is the world leader in the publishing of BIBLES, religious BOOKS and religious literature. *America is the world leader in broadcasting Bible PREACHING and TEACHING via satellite TV and radio around the globe. Is all of this by coincidence or has it all been part of God s divine plan for the United States of America?

8 But not only has America been the FORCE behind world MISSIONS.. (B) AMERICA has been the FRIEND of the JEWISH people. In a world that is mostly hostile toward Israel, America has been a faithful friend and ally to the Jewish people. Now why is that so significant? I want you to listen very closely to the promise God made to Abraham almost 5,000 years ago. Genesis 12:1-3 (NKJV) 1 Now the Lord had said to Abram: Get out of your country, From your family and from your father s house, To a land that I will show you. 2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. (now listen closely to VERSE 3..) 3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. In keeping with that ancient promise He made to Abraham, God has richly blessed the United States of America because we have been a SAFE HAVEN for the Jewish people. Do you realize there are almost as many Jews living in the United States as there are in Israel? There are 5.4 million Jews living in Israel and approximately 5 million in America. America has been a protector of the Jewish people by allowing them to flee to our country and practice their Jewish faith with fear of annihilation. America was the first nation in the world to recognize Israel s statehood when she became a nation in 1948.

9 America has offered military support to the Israeli army to help defend herself against attacking enemies. And so I ask, Is America s greatness just a coincidence or is it all part of God s divine plan? AMERICA HAS BEEN THE FORCE BEHIND WORLD MISSIONS. AMERICA HAS BEEN THE FRIEND OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE. (C) FREEDOM And thirdly, America has been the FORERUNNER of The apostle Paul writes in Galatians 3:28 (NKJV). 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. In his book, What In The World Is Going On, Dr. David Jeremiah writes: The freedom of all men is not only at the very heart of all America stands for, freedom is at the very heart of Christianity itself. In Christ, all men are equal, regardless of race, class or skin color. (What In The World Is Going On? by Dr. David Jeremiah, p. 125 Copyright 2008, Thomas Nelson, Inc. Nashville, TN ) For over 200 hundred years now, we have enjoyed something here in America that 54% of the world s population does not and has not ever known, and that is FREEDOM. More than one half of the world lives in countries that are ruled by ruthless dictators. As the forerunner of freedom, America s military has fought to PRESERVE and PROTECT the freedoms you and I enjoy and fought to PROVIDE freedom for oppressed peoples who could not defend themselves against tyrannical rulers. Is this all just a coincidence or is it all part of God s divine plan for the United States of America?

10 **************************************************************************** C O N C L U S I O N History has shown that the average lifespan of the world s great civilizations is about two hundred years. This Wednesday, America will celebrate her 236 th birthday. During the two hundred year lifespan of those great civilizations in history, all of them progressed through a very similar sequence: *From bondage to spiritual faith. *From spiritual faith to great courage. *From courage to liberty. *From liberty to abundance. *From abundance to complacency. *From complacency to apathy. *From apathy to dependence. *From dependence back into bondage. Now we could put on our rose colored glasses and ignore the obvious. But the truth is, if America is where she appears to be on this cycle, we definitely don t have another two hundreds years. In fact, our glory as a nation may have already departed from us. Is it possible God s divine plan for America has been fulfilled? Is it possible we are witnessing America s exit from the limelight on the world stage, to set the stage for the dramatic conclusion of world history as recorded in biblical prophecy? What can we, who are Christian Americans do? Two things One, we can and must PRAY for America s REVIVAL.

11 2 Chronicles 7:14 (NKJV) If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Secondly, we can and must PREPARE for the LORD S ARRIVAL! 2 Peter 3:10-13 (NKJV) But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Brothers and sisters, as CHRISTIAN AMERICANS we must remember we are first and foremost CHRISTIANS! Why is that important? I ll tell you why. It is important because regardless of what the future holds in store for AMERICA, God has a wonderful, blessed future in store for those of us who are Christians. OUR GREAT HOPE is not in what America does in the days ahead, but in WHAT JESUS CHRIST DID ONE DAY TWO THOUSAND YEARS AGO ON A HILL CALLED CALVARY!