The United States in Prophecy
It may be surprising, but the United States is prophesied in Revelation as having a major part in end-time events. Read Revelation 13: 11-18 to learn more about this. Revelation 13 begins with a description of a beast coming out of the sea, having seven heads. This is the Roman papacy. Remember that beasts represent nations (Daniel 7: 17, 23). How long would the papacy have to exert its power over the saints?
Revelation 13:5--"Power was given unto him to continue forty and two months."
The Bible predicted that the papacy would have 42 prophetic
months, or 1,260 literal years. This prophecy was fulfilled in
1798 when General Berthier, one of Napolean's generals, took
the pope captive and the papacy received its deadly wound
(Revelation 13:3; Also read The Deadly Wound for more
information.
Beginning in Revelation 13:11, what nation would rise around the same time that the papal power was wounded?
Revelation 13:11--"And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two
horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon."
The papacy received its deadly wound in 1798. The United States declared
independence in 1776, voted the Constitution in 1787, adopted the Bill of Rights in
1791, and was definitely a world power by 1798. In Daniel and Revelation, most
nations are said to "rise out of the sea." This new nation is different. It rose "out of
the earth." What does this mean?
Revelation shows that water symbolizes areas that have large populations
(Revelation 17:15), such as in Europe. The earth would be the opposite. This new
nation would arise in a sparsely populated area.
Next, Revelation says that the beast "out of the earth" will have two horns like a lamb. Also note that these horns do not have crowns, unlike the first beast. What do the horns represent? In Daniel 7: 24 it says that horns represent kings or governments. In the case of this beast, the two horns represent America's two governing principles: civil and religious liberty. You could also call these republicanism and Protestantism. America was the first country to give you freedom of worship without government interference. The absence of crowns on the horns represents a republican form of government, rather than being a monarchy. Lamb-like horns symbolize an innocent, young, and spiritual nation. This new beast, or government, would try to uphold its principles. Only America could fit the correct time-slot and characteristics of this second beast. America started out innocent and nonoppresive. The Bible tells us, though, that America will soon war against the saints.
Revelation 13: 11--"...but he spoke like a dragon."
Soon, America will "speak like a dragon," and the dragon is Satan. He will
attempt to destroy God's true people and force everyone to obey him. So America
will force people to worship against their beliefs. But, Revelation doesn't stop
there. What else does it say America will do?
A. "Exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him." Revelation 13:12.
America will become a persecuting power that will force people to go against
their conscience, just like papal Rome, the first beast of Revelation 13.
B. "Causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first
beast, whose deadly wound was healed." Revelation 13:12.
The United States will lead all nations of the world in forcing worship of the
papal Antichrist. They will make it appear deeply spiritual and miracles will be
wrought. Those who refuse this movement will be considered godless radicals.
C. "Saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image
to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live."
Revelation 13:14.
The U.S. will make an image to the beast by making laws about religious
practice. They will require worship on pain of death. This will be an image of the
church-state power that the papacy used in the Middle Ages, slaying millions of saints
for their faith. The U.S. will join civil government and apostate Protestantism into
a partnership that will support the papacy.
D. "And cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast
should be killed." Revelation 13:15
America, as leader of this international apostasy, will impose a universal death
sentence upon those who don't worship the beast or his image.
But over what issue will force be used and the death
sentence be passed?
Revelation 13: 15-17--"And he had power to give life unto the
image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak,
and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the
beast should be killed. And he causeth all, both small and great,
rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand,
or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he
that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name."
The final issue will be about worship. You can either choose to obey the beast
and receive his mark--the Sunday sabbath--or worship Christ and receive His mark, the
seventh-day Sabbath. In the end, after laws forcing worship have been passed, those who
choose to worship on Sunday, will, in essence, be worshipping the beast. They will have
obeyed a man instead of Jesus, their Creator.
Here is a statement from the papacy: "The church changed Sabbath to
Sunday and all the world bows down and worships upon that day in silent
obedience to the mandates of the Catholic Church." Hartford Weekly Call,
February 22, 1884.
Revelation reveals that there will be two superpowers at the end of time: the United States of America, and the papacy. The U.S. will support the papacy in forcing worship to her mandates. Let's see if this could actually happen. How powerful are these powers today?
The papacy is by far the strongest religious/
political power in the world. Almost every leading country
of the world has an ambassador or representative at the
Vatican. Note the following facts:
A. Nearly every major country consults the papacy
before making major policy moves. Its
diplomatic corps has relations with more than 100
nations." (U.S. News and World Report, October 30, 1978)
B. The papacy takes credit for the death of communism, saying that Mary helped
the pope's strategy that brought down communism. ("Handmaid and Feminist,"
Time, December 30, 1991)
C. In 1989, the pope said that he wanted to unite the Christian world under the
leadership of the papacy by the end of the century. He's made more than 40
world trips to gain this goal. The papacy has made great strides in bringing
mainstream Protestant denominations to her banner.
D. Mikhail Gorbachev has said, "Everything which took place in Eastern Europe
in recent years would have been impossible without the Pope's efforts and the
enormous role, including the political role, which he played in the world arena."
The papacy used to call Protestants "heretics."
Now it calls them 'separated brethren.' Millions of
Protestants are impressed by the papacy's suggestions
that all faiths work together. Several denominations are
currently trying to settle their differences with the papacy
that caused the Reformation. While some changes have
been made in the Protestant Churches, the papacy is left untouched. The papacy's
goal is to gain full leadership over all faiths once more. It does not want to give up
its apostate doctrines.
So we know that the papacy is a worldpower, even today. And it will get worse. What about the United States? A. "[America is] the planet's sole remaining superpower." ("The U.N. Obsession," Time May 9, 1994) B. "There is no prospect in the immediate future of any power to rival the United States." (Charles Krauthammer, "The Lonely Superpower," The New Republic, July 29, 1992) C. "America's power will now determine all major global events." (Jim Hoagland, "Of Heroes...," The Washington Post, August 21, 1991) The United States is regarded by the world as the number one military power and center of influence. In conflicts around the world, America is asked to step in and help. The American president has been termed "president of the world," for all of his far-reaching power. Charles Krauthammer said, we now have "a highly unusual world structure with a single power, the United States, at the apex of the international system."
As conditions in the world worsen, what will happen next?
Revelation 13: 13, 14--"And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down
from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, and deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by
the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying
to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which
had the wound by a sword, and did live."
America will experience a counterfeit worldwide revival and will pass religious
laws, forcing everyone to participate. Laws will be passed, forcing all people to worship
on Sunday, the counterfeit sabbath. Crime and world conditions will get so terrible that
everyone will cry out for a "back to God" movement. The only solution will seem to be the
institution of Sunday laws. Obedience to these laws, however, will shut the door into
God's kingdom. All of this concerns the counterfeit revival. What about God's revival.
What will happen to it?
Revelation 18: 1 says that the earth will be illuminated by its splendor. Everyone
on earth will hear the gospel (Mark 16:15) about God's end-time message (Revelation 14:
6-14). God's last-day church will grow alarmingly as millions join God's people in refusing
to obey the beast. These will then receive God's mark, sealing them for all time.
The counterfeit revival will be angered by the success of the true revival and its
leaders will become convinced that those who don't join their revival are the cause of the
world's problems (Daniel 11:44). They won't allow true believers to buy or sell (Revelation
13: 16, 17), but God will provide for His people (Isaiah 33:16).
Desperate to get rid of this "sect" of godless people, the U.S. coalition will impose
the death sentence (Revelation 13:15). The leaders of this coalition will work miracles, so
powerful that only God's people won't be persuaded (Matthew 24:24). Satan and his
angels will impersonate dead loved ones to convince the saints to give up their "heresies."
Satan will appear as Christ
Satan will appear as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11: 13-15), and will even
claim to be Jesus (Matthew 24: 23, 24). Satan, in this guise, could easily say that
he changed the sabbath to Sunday and urge all people to join the counterfeit revival
movement.
Billions will believe
Billions of people will believe Satan is Jesus and will join the counterfeit movement
(Revelation 13: 3). God's people will not be deceived, because they test everything by
the Bible (Isaiah 8: 19, 20; 2 Timothy 2:15). Matthew 5: 18 says that God's law can
never be changed. The Bible also states that every eye will see Him (Revelation 1: 7).
He will never touch the earth and will remain in the clouds, calling His people to meet
Him in the air (1 Thessalonians 4: 16, 17).
So if these end-time deceptions are so convincing, how can we be safe from them?
Test every teaching by the Bible (2 Timothy 2: 15; Acts 17: 11; Isaiah 8: 19, 20).
Follow truth as Jesus gives it to us. Jesus says that those who do His will will
never end up in error (John 7:17).
Stay close to Jesus daily (John 15:5).
Now that we've discussed the role of the United States in prophecy, I hope you understand end-time events better. As the time of trouble draws nearer, we must be careful to stay true to God and His Word. Even though the Bible says that America will "speak like a dragon" in the end-time, and God's Word is always true, we must still submit to the authorities. Until there are laws passed, forbidding worship on Saturday, God's true Sabbath, we should be willing to obey the laws of the land so that there will be no excuse, on the part of the government, to speed up legislation for Sunday laws or persecution of God's people.
