America's End (part 4 of 4)

John’s Revelation – The Great Enigma

Does anyone understand Revelation?  Is it just there as a disturbing enigma, a brainteaser not to be taken too seriously?  Is it a puzzle beyond solving or deciphering? Is it for people today, or for people in the future, or for people left after the rapture? How many ever believe God’s prophetic foretelling? Is it wiser to have a wait and see attitude or to prepare our hearts by believing up front, to some degree, so that we can be encouraged as we see God’s plan unfold precisely as He says? You, my friend, have to decide the answer to those questions.

Here’s my take, in a nutshell.  Revelation is all about the end of the age and the return of Jesus. And that is not a way-off fairy tale event. Much of it is already taking place, the Lord’s return is right at the door, the very end of the age is soon to unfold.  And if that is true, then Revelation is of utmost importance. It tells us God’s plan, what to expect, how to be ready, and brings urgency to preparing our heart to live in intimate relation with the soon coming King.

Revelation 13 tells us that there is a seventh head to the beast, a beast that represents seven world-powers, not the antichrist (compare Daniel 7, his vision of four of the beast nations).  The seventh beast is America, the same world-power that is portrayed in Daniel’s vision of the statute (the feet and toes of clay mixed with iron; Dan 2:41-43), and in his vision of the four beasts (specifically the horns on the fourth beast; Daniel 7:20-26). And Revelation 17 tells us that there is one last manifestation of the beast, an eighth beast with ten horns, a beast that will reign for “one hour”, climaxing in a futile fight against the Lord of Lords when He descends upon the temple mount in Jerusalem.  That beast is important. For one, it displaces the seventh beast.  America’s end occurs as the eighth beast arises (consider fully the meaning of Rev 17:16). Second in importance is the identity of the eighth beast. The ten horns represent ten kings who give their allegiance to one ruler.  It is an alliance of Arab nations, whose ultimate end will be to war against the Jews, their hated enemy ever since the days of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The Arab alliance is further indicated by the description that they “once were, now are not, and yet will come.” (Rev 17:8,11). The Arab rise to unfettered power in the last days was foreshadowed to the world on 9/11, and a harbinger to America, particularly, of what is to come.

Revelation is incredible in what it tells us of our present day. It tells us of America’s world dominance over the last 70 years -- since WWII, since the Bretton Woods agreement that made the U.S. dollar the world trade currency. It tells us that no nation on earth dares to bring war against America (Rev 13:4). It tells us of America’s arrogance and domineering control (Rev 13:5-7). What, you don’t see that? Well, okay, just scratch that one. Maybe God got it wrong, or maybe John did. Revelation tells of the “death” blow to America’s Pacific fleet at Pearl Harbor and its miraculous resurrection to win the War and rule the world (Rev 13:3). It tells us of America using the atomic bomb (Rev 13:13). It tells us of America’s great rise to power by the assistance of the false prophet, technology (Rev 13:11-15).  It tells us of the bloodthirsty, arrogant, whore-mongering spirit that would be at the heart of this great world–power -- the spirit of Babylon, the great prostitute (Rev17:1-5).  All this is revealed for us to see, to understand, to believe – from God’s perspective. But Revelation also tells us that this great world–power will be displaced by an eighth beast, for the last little bit of time before the Lord’s return (Rev 17:12-16).  America will come to an end as we know it, and it will not be a power player in the final few years, the last days of this age.

Mr. Churchman in America, understand that we will be along for the ride as America is judged.  We will have the unprecedented opportunity to help people respond humbly to God’s judgment, and instill a heart for repentance in a people hopelessly distraught and angry at their fate.  Mr. Churchman, you will not be raptured before this occurs. You will not escape. That is not the way it will happen. That is a great distortion of the great messianic prophecy of Daniel 9, to teach and to believe that the seventieth week of that great prophecy is to be detached from the first 69 weeks and placed at the end of the age, creating a whimsical theology of the “Great Seven Year Tribulation”. Not only a great distortion, it’s a great deception. You can believe it, though… or not. My cat, Rascals, does not care one way or the other. Revelation does not mention the rapture/resurrection (I Thes 4:14-18), specifically (except perhaps in 11:12), but we do know it has occurred in 17:14, where John says that the faithful chosen followers of Jesus will be with him when He returns to war against the eighth beast. So we know that all who are in Christ will be caught up or resurrected some time before the God’s great and final wrath and judgment at the very end of the age. And we will be warriors, indestructible.

Repentance

Is it too late to pray for repentance?  Can America yet be saved? Should we hope for a moral turnaround, for America to submit to God’s truth and turn their heart to the Lord?

I may be wrong, but I think it is too late for America to be rescued. Our prayer for repentance should be aimed at the people of God, that we might rise up from the despair to help bring reason and hope amidst the chaos after America’s end. We can explain it if we believe it, and perhaps some will repent and turn their hearts to God. In all of Revelation, in all the descriptions of warning-judgments, it repeatedly says that the people still did not repent.  Only once does it say that people “gave glory to God” after experiencing His hand of judgment (Rev 11:13). Perhaps America can yet repent. After judgment. After America’s end.

Consider other information from author, Dave Eymann:

Apocalypse Puzzle, book printed in 2013, available on Amazon.Com