Run, Or Stay Put

When the time comes that America is destroyed, there may be enough of a last-minute warning to make a run for it. Or some may decide to stay put and ride out the destruction and be a survivor, if possible. But I dare say that most people in America will not believe it even possible that America could face destruction, so considering whether to run, or to stay put is pointless to them.

First of all, what is this talk about America being destroyed? Who is so brash as to even suggest such a thing? After all, America is indomitable, indestructible. We have the greatest firepower and military strength of any nation in the world. Everyone in the world stands in awe and fear of America.

While that has been true over the last eighty years (cf. Rev 13:4), that elite position will soon come to an end. It has happened to every other great world power, and America will be no exception. God is in control of the rise and the fall of nations. God predicted in Daniel’s dream that the little horn nation, America, would be destroyed – utterly destroyed, not just defeated and allowed to limp along (Daniel 7: 11-12). God said it, not me. But most Christians will deny it, because they cannot fathom that America was in the crosshairs of God’s prophecy, 2500 years ago.

The destruction of America is also prophesied in Revelation 17. An eighth beast arises for just one hour at the very end of the age, and that eighth beast hates the Great Babylon, America. The eighth beast is an alliance of ten Arab nations who will eventually invade Israel – the battle of Armageddon. But first it must destroy America, probably with the help of some nuclear-armed super-powers. “They will bring her to ruin and leave her naked; they will eat her flesh and burn her with fire” (Rev 17:16).  The Arab-Islam nations have a chant, “Death to America, Death to Israel, Allah is great.” Their threat is very real.

Now, if you choose to take seriously these prophetic warnings, we in America may want to plan ahead. We have a choice – run, or stay put. In many of God’s previous judgments the righteous were encouraged to run. Two angels led Lot and his family out of Sodom and Gomorrah just hours before the sulfur and brimstone rained down (Genesis 19:15-17).  Lot’s sons-in-law were warned, too, and could have escaped. But they thought that the warning of the two angels was a joke (Gen 19:14).

When Jesus spoke to his disciples about the coming destruction of Jerusalem he said, “Let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains” (Matthew 24: 15-22). Forty years later Titus ransacked and burned the city, killing a million Jews. Only a handful of Christians who were living in Jerusalem fled to the Transjordan hillsides.

God warned Joseph to take the baby Jesus to Egypt to escape Herod’s slaughter of newborns in Bethlehem. It is not a cowardly act to flee destruction and judgment.

Where would be a good and safe place to flee to, though? Maybe Canada, or Mexico, or Brazil, perhaps. I am not sure what benefit would be gained, though, since much of the world will be in turmoil, and the build-up to Armageddon will hastily proceed.

The return of Christ, including the rapture, will not occur until a few short years after America’s destruction, so it may be nearly impossible to hang on as a survivor.  Regardless, some Christians may make a decision to stay put, hoping to survive the nuclear destruction and fallout. Their heart may lead them to try to assist friends and family to endure the “death, mourning, and famine” (Rev 18: 8) that will be left in the wake of destruction. Jeremiah told the remnant in Jerusalem, after it fell to Nebuchadnezzar, not to flee to Egypt, but rather to stay put. But the situation was different – it was safe to stay put.

Each person will have to decide, based on the leading of the Spirit of God, whether to run, or to stay put. May we trust God fully, hear His voice, and respond accordingly.