It Must Happen This Way

At His arrest, on the night before His trial and crucifixion, Jesus said to his disciples: “Put your swords away…. How then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen this way?” To the chief priests, guards, and elders making the arrest, Jesus said, “This is your hour – when darkness reigns.”  (Mt 26:54 and Lk 22:53)

The birth of an unleashing of civil unrest occurred on January 6, 2021, when a mob invaded the Capitol building of the USA, fully intent on somehow reversing the election results. They adamantly believed what Trump told them -- that the election was stolen -- and they were going to steal it back. Some call that day the darkest day in modern US history, but I think it was only the beginning – the birth of what will become the unraveling of democracy.

Schwarzenegger likened the storming of the Capitol to the Kristallnacht pogrom in Germany in 1938. It was a day of “broken glass”, when Jewish businesses were destroyed, and 92 Jews were killed. It was the spark that ignited an inferno. Remarkably, the whole event was blamed on the Jews themselves, the Nazis denying any responsibility. He went on to say that Trump is seeking a coup by misleading people with lies, just like the Nazi build up. And he points out that not all Nazi sympathizers were rabid anti-Semites, they just went along, step by step, down the road.

We have entered an appointed time of God’s judgment upon America and the soon fulfillment of His plans for the second coming of Messiah, King Jesus. America must be removed from the world scene (Dan 7:11-12; Rev 18:8-21), like the six beast nations that preceded it. It must happen this way!  And I cannot emphasize it enough, I base that portentous statement on the prophecies of Scripture, the revealed plan of God, not merely on the political scene. 

This precise time in American history is important to understand, not just to sort out truth from conspiracy theories, not just to validate or vilify Trump, not to sort out conservatism versus socialism, not even to appeal unrelentingly for unity, or for repentance. It is important to understand how we as Bible believing Christians should prepare for the demise of America and the second coming of Jesus. The days ahead are not pretty, they are not “God bless America”. They are not what most Christians expect. They will be God’s judgment on America. Turmoil, attack, and bloodshed will mark the immediate future of America (Rev 13:9-10).  Anarchy will prevail. The burning question, then, is this: How then shall we live? I need help. How do I help my children and grandchildren to prepare for suffering, rather than wealth, ease, and contentment?

Do you believe the precise and incredible prophecies of God concerning America at the end of the age? America will crumble because it is so divided (Dan 2:41-43). The last leader of America, is described in such a way that I was not able to comprehend until just recently. “He will speak against the Most High and oppress his saints and try to change the set time and laws. The saints will be handed over to him for a time. But the court will sit, and his power will be taken away and completely destroyed forever.” (Dan 7:24-26;  Rev 13:5-7). When America is destroyed by God it will not be allowed to live on, even in a crippled state, like Greece and Rome (Dan 7:12). Why not? Because an 8^th beast will arise, represented by the ten horns, an Arab alliance, which will come against Israel as an army of “200 million”. The ensuing battle of Armageddon will be Messiah’s deliverance of Israel, quite apart from any assistance from the USA. It will be a revelation to the Jews of their Messiah, whom they rejected at His first coming, a revelation so clear and so powerful that they will weep and mourn bitterly over God’s grace and deliverance (Zech 12; Rev 17:11-14). It must happen this way!

So many evangelical Christians, including most of my Christian friends, are unwavering supporters of Trump. Nothing can convince them of his lies, his arrogance, or his danger. Nothing! No amount of truth! Steve Duin, in an editorial for the Oregonian (Dec 6, 2020), suggests that we are seeing a whole new religion of white Christians. “The raw primal energy of the evangelical movement today finds salvation in Trump and his Republican party.”  Rick McKinley, pastor of Imago Dei Church in Portland, writes, “We have a new religion that is nationalism with Jesus’ face on it.” Emmet Wheatfall, a black poet and pastor in Portland says, “America has moved into a time of mass delusion. We have moved to a time when truth no longer settles the issue, and evangelicals are driving the bus.”

Ed Stetzer, head of the Billy Graham Center at Wheaton College says this: “It's time for a reckoning. Evangelicals should look at how their own behaviors and actions may have helped fuel the insurrection. White evangelicals overwhelmingly supported President Trump in the 2020 election…. Part of this reckoning is: How did we get here? How were we so easily fooled by conspiracy theories?....We need to make clear who we are. And our allegiance is to King Jesus, not to what boasting political leader might come next…. I think we just need to be honest. A big part of this evangelical reckoning is a lot of people sold out their beliefs…. If you asked today, ‘What's an evangelical?’ to most people, I would want them to say: someone who believes Jesus died on the cross for our sin and in our place and we're supposed to tell everyone about it. But for most people they'd say, "Oh, those are those people who are really super supportive of the president no matter what he does.”

But, there is no turning the tide, unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you view God’s sovereign plan). Truth will not change the minds of the mob, the insurrectionists, nor the vast majority of evangelicals. It must happen this way.  Darkness reigns. God help us to be faithful and walk us through the dark valley of the shadow of death.