No specific mention of the United States of America or any other country in North or South America can be clearly found in God’s Holy Scriptures partly because the U.S. is a young country. As a nation, it is less than 250 years old and it is much younger than the nations mentioned in Scripture, which are clearly featured in biblical eschatology. In fact, the Holy Scriptures makes no clear and direct mention of many nations in the modern world. The ancient prophets were primarily concerned with the Holy Land and its immediate neighbors. Except for a few nations, areas remote from Israel do not figure in eschatology and are not mentioned in the Holy Scriptures.
While there are no specific references to the United States in biblical eschatology, there are biblical statements about what the nations in general will be doing during the tribulation period. Passages like Haggai 2:6-7, Isaiah 66:18-20, and Zechariah 12:2-3 speak of all the nations involved in end-time events. Although these kinds of references clearly will include the United States in their fulfillment, they do not teach us anything specifically about America in prophecy. Some eschatology experts believe America is mentioned in Ezekiel 38 and 39 as the young lions of Tarshish during the Gog and Magog invasion of Israel.
GOG AND MAGOG WAR
Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39 refer to the Battle of Gog and Magog and they speak of their invasion of Israel. Ezekiel says this war will occur ” in the latter years” and ” in the last days”. The invasion involves a coalition headed by “Gog of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh (Russia), Meshech (Moscow), and Tubal (Tobolsk)”. Magog has been identified as ancient terminology for the area including modern day Russia, The Ukraine, and Kazakhstan. Ezekiel further identifies Magog as coming from ” the remote parts of the north”.
Although Gog will lead the invasion of Israel, Ezekiel 38:5,6 says that other nations will join with him. Persia (Iran), Ethiopia or Cush (Sudan), Put (Libya), Gomer and Beth-togarmah (Turkey). All the allies of Magog are reasonably well identified and they are all presently Muslim. Interestingly, such an alignment of nations is already configured on the world scene in our own day. While some eschatology experts believe the invasion will take place before the tribulation officially begins, this war will occur after the rapture. Such a view would help to explain a vacuum on the world political scene at the beginning of the tribulations left by the removal of the influence of Russia and her Muslim allies, and possibly even the United States because of this conflict. This would then prepare the way for the Revived Roman Empire (Western Europe) and the Anti-Messiah to sign the covenant with Israel (Daniel 9:2427).
SHEBA AND DEDAN
For some eschatology scholars, the strongest case for America in Bible prophecy can be made from a statement found in the words of Ezekiel when he wrote: “Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all its villages, will say to you, ‘ Have you come to capture spoil? Have you assembled your company to seize plunder, to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to capture great spoil?’ “(Ezekiel 38:13).
Some scholars believe that “the merchants of Tarshish, with all its villages,” refers to the Western European colonies and the nations that have originated from them. This would include North America and the United States. Thus, the response to the invasion of Magog into Israel from Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish and its villages will be one of nonintervention. They will simply say, ” Have you come to capture spoil?” Who are Sheba and Dedan? ” Sheba and Dedan are not difficult to identify. They are located in the modern country of Saudi Arabia.” Sheba and Dedan are said to be in alignment with “the merchants of Tarshish, with all its villages.” The identity of “the merchants of Tarshish, with all its villages,” is the key phase for those who believe this to be a reference to America.
There are several arguments for this interpretation. First, merchants of Tarshish refer to the Phoenician maritime and trading community located in Spain during the general time of King Solomon, 3,000 years ago. Second, the merchants of Tarshish, during the last 500 years, developed into the modern mercantile nations of Western Europe like Spain, Holland, and Britain. Third, the phrase “with all its villages” or the variant rendering “with all its young lions,” would be a reference to its trans-Atlantic colonies, which would include America. Thus, it is reasoned, because America is the most dominant of these Western nations, this must be a reference to the United States of America.
ANALYSIS OF AMERICAN’S FUTURE
Many self proclaimed prophets have said that they had visions of America’s complete destruction by an attack from Russia and other nations, while others say that America will be reduced in its power and global influence by natural disasters, earthquakes, and economic collapse. This author believes that if America is referenced in biblical prophecy, it can be found in Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39. However, these biblical passages could include the entire Western Hemisphere and not just America. The weight of biblical and eschatology evidence appears to show that America will become an insignificant nation during the tribulation and she will become just a regional power during the day’s of the Ant-Messiah’s rule. The United States of America is a country that originated as colony established by Europeans and other
RELATED SOURCES
The Book of Revelation, Larry R. Helyer, PhD; 2008; The Bible, Jim Bell and Stan Campbell, 1999; The Complete Guide to Bible Prophecy, Stephen M. Miller, 2010; The Last Days; Richard H. Perry; 2006. The Prophecy Answer Book; Dr. David Jeremiah; 2010. The Gog Magog War Commentary; Thomas Ice; 2000.