OPINION (Charisma) – The United States, while still prospering financially and wielding great military might, seems to be in trouble on numerous fronts. The status of the world’s greatest superpower is not as firm as it has been in the past. Current events are magnifying cracks in the foundation.
From the prophetic perspective, this raises important questions— questions about what role, if any, America plays in the end-time picture set forth in the Bible. When considering the showdown with Iran, and all its prophetic implications for Israel, the world, and the Middle East, it’s fitting to briefly assess America’s future.
The place of America in Bible prophecy is probably the most asked question about the end times. America is never explicitly mentioned in the pages of Scripture. The Bible never uses the word “America,” nor does it say, “the United States.” However, through the years, prophecy teachers have isolated several Scriptures they believe could be symbolic references to America. Some of the more notable ones are:
—Isaiah 18: the unnamed nation.
—Ezekiel 38:13: the “young lions” or “merchants of Tarshish.”
—Revelation 17–18: Babylon the Great
Having examined each of these views in detail, I don’t believe any of them directly refer to America. I don’t believe America is mentioned directly or indirectly in Scripture. America’s absence from the end-time picture raises the “why” question.
Why is America missing in action in end-time prophecy? One obvious possibility is that America is simply not mentioned, just like most other nations. End-time prophecy shines the spotlight primarily on Israel and the Middle East, so America may just be omitted for that reason. While that’s certainly possible, end-time prophecies do include Russia, Turkey, and the kings of the East, all of which lie outside the Middle East, so including America would not necessarily be a stretch. READ MORE
