Sword, Famine, and Plague

 

Warning American Christians that the very near future will bring sword, famine, and plague to our homeland seems futile. The odds of convincing anyone is about the same as winning the lottery, or being struck by lightning. Two huge obstacles stand in the way of believing such a warning.

First, Americans believe, wholeheartedly, that we are the most God- blessed country the world has ever seen. We believe that all of our prosperity, dominance and safety are a gift from God. We see absolutely no ill-gotten gain in achieving our wealth and status, as described in Revelation 17 and 18. The description of the Great Babylon of the end of the age, the Great Prostitute of the whole earth, it must be describing someone else. We cannot fathom the idea that we are the seventh beast of Revelation 13, as deserving of God’s judgment as the previous six. And it is inconceivable that the fifth beast of Daniel 7, the little horn beast, the one that is destroyed and not allowed to exist even in a crippled state, could be a prophecy of America. No, we are blessed, and we earned the right to be blessed. And God will see to it that we continue to be blessed – safe, at peace, and affluent.

Second, American Christians believe, wholeheartedly, unswervingly, that the rapture will take them out of this world before any sort of turmoil or tribulation will be unleashed. We will not experience sword, famine, or plague because we will be gone, taken up by Jesus in an early installment of His second coming. This pre-tribulation rapture teaching has dominated our eschatology for nearly 200 years now, and it completely hinders the understanding from Revelation to prepare for pre-rapture tribulation. Tribulation has always been God’s means of threshing and winnowing, of purifying His chosen people. But American Christians think they are exempt.

The same deception dominated the scene in Judah when Jeremiah was trying to warn the people of what was really on the horizon – the immediate horizon. God was telling Jeremiah to prophesy that God was about to bring upon them the sword, famine, and plague (Jer 14:12; also 5:12-13 and 27:8). But Jeremiah was overwhelmed by the futility of his warning, saying to God, “Ah Lord, the prophets keep telling them ‘You will not see the sword or suffer famine. Indeed, God will give you lasting peace in this place.’” That is so much like our present-day response to the warnings of Revelation. The Lord responded to Jeremiah, “they are prophesying lies, delusions of their own minds. They are saying no sword or famine will touch this land. Not only will those prophets perish by the sword and famine, but the people to whom they are prophesying will be thrown into the streets because of sword and famine. I will pour out on them the calamity they deserve” (Jer 14:13-16, paraphrased).

Our theologians who write and preach that Christians will be raptured before a seven-year tribulation are dangerously instilling false hopes. God said, and He still says, “I did not send these prophets, yet they have run with their message” (see Jer  23:16-21).

Because America is guilty of blood-guilt, idolatry, greed, pride and arrogance, and selfish affluence, God will mete out His judgment. Repentance is probably too late. God has been warning the world of coming judgment for over 100 years, with the seven trumpet warnings of Revelation, but no one has repented. That is the purpose of the prophecies of Revelation, to warn of impending judgment, and to give hope to the saints of redemption out of the horrible distress of the last days.

We must not hope for escape. We must be prepared for the worst. How can we as God’s shepherds help one another through the dark days ahead? Our people, our churches, our families, our very own hearts and minds, need to increase in faith, not in false hope.