The California Collection/TheCaliforniaCollection.cdr/his126/america3.arj/AMERICA3.TXT

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America In Prophecy - Jack Van-Impe

CHAPTER 3

America's Destruction

America is on the road to judgment, and it does not take the
Babylonian prophecies to grasp this Biblical fact.  God's Word speaks
of an hour when all nations shall be involved in a horrendous
international conflict, undoubtedly World War III.  Isaiah gives
witness to this fact in chapter 14.  He speaks of a war in which
Babylon will be involved and declares in verse 26:  "This is the
purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth:  and this is the hand
that is stretched out upon all the nations." In Jeremiah 30:11, God
says:  "I make a full end of all nations whither I have scattered
thee, {Israel} .  .  ." This would of necessity include America
because five million scattered Israelites abide in the USA.  Our end
is predicted in this text even without a Babylonian connection.  No
nation is exempt--including the United States--from the universal
judgment described in these texts.  Again, ".  .  .  I will execute
vengeance in anger and fury upon the nations, such as they have not
heard" (Micah 5:15).  ".  .  .I will destroy the strength of the
kingdoms of the nations.  .  " (Haggai 2:22).  ".  .  .he shall bring
forth judgment to the nations.  .  ." (Isaiah 42:1).  "The lion is
come up from his thicket, and the destroyer of the {nations} is on his
way.  .  ." (Jeremiah 4:7 all emphases mine).  There is no doubt about
the matter--America is part and parcel of this horrendous catastrophe
that will envelope the globe.  We along with other nations have sinned
terribly and must pay the price.  The Bible says, "Righteousness
exalteth a nation:  but sin is a reproach to any people" (Proverbs
14:34).  Again, "The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the
nations that forget God" (Psalm 9:17).  Soon nuclear and neutron
blasts shall engulf the world as sin is judged.  When it happens the
human race will have brought the devastating destruction upon itself,
for ".  .  .  they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the
same" (Job 4:8).  Sinner, the judgment will strike in a split second.
You, too, are guilty and will experience the devastating damnation of
doomsday.  "Be not deceived; God is not mocked:  for whatsoever a man
soweth, that shall he also reap" (Galatians 6:7).

Thus far, we have shown that America is part of the "all nations"
experiencing destruction during earth's bloodiest hour.  However,
there is even stronger evidence to suggest that our nation is
specially mentioned and pinpointed for oblivion.  What and where is
this evidence?  First and foremost it is found in the Babylonian
prophecies which speak of a nation under judgment.  Jeremiah states
that Babylon is a desolation among the nations (50:23), that she has
cities of her own (51:43) and that she also has a king or leader
ruling over her (50:18).  This certainly could not depict ancient
Babylon which was a city, not a nation.  Also, old Babylon was
destroyed by the Medes and Persians from the East, while future
Babylon will be destroyed by Northern nations.  God says:  ".  .  .I
will raise and cause to come up against Babylon an assembly of great
nations from the north country {Russia}.  .  ." (Jeremiah 50:9).
Russia is not only the Northern invader of Israel (Ezekiel 38:15 and
39:2), but the Northern aggressor of Babylon as well.  In addition,
Russia is north of America!  Then, too, old Babylon was a wicked
idolatrous nation whereas the final political Babylon is called the
"heritage" of the Lord who faces judgment because of her backsliding
(Jeremiah 50:11).  Finally, old Babylon was not a city of mingled
races, but end-time Babylon is a nation of integrated "mingled people"
(Jeremiah 50:37).  This Babylon is singled out for devastation.  We
prove this by studying the same inspired writers who were used to
depict America as modern Babylon in Chapter One.



Isaiah's Predictions

We begin with the prophet Isaiah in chapter 13 who speaks of the
"burden of Babylon" in verse 1.  The judgment is upon the entire world
(verse 11), and occurs at a time when the stars of heaven and the
constellations fail to give their light.  Isaiah 13:10 states:  ".  .
.the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give
their light:  the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the
moon shall not cause her light to shine." This is futuristic because
Jesus mentioned the same signs in Matthew 24:29 and pinpointed the
time.  He said:  "Immediately after the tribulation of those days {the
conclusion of the 7-year Tribulation period} shall the sun be
darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall
fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken." This
did not happen to ancient Babylon, but occurs in future Babylon during
the Tribulation hour.  Is it any wonder, then, that Babylon is
burdened as ".  .  .the weapons of his {God's} indignation, to destroy
the whole land" (Isaiah 13:5) are prepared?  Isaiah predicts judgment
upon the land whose emblem contains outstretched wings; the land
located beyond the seas of Israel with large land areas completely
measured and whose waters are polluted.  In fact, he opens the chapter
with a "woe" and "woe" is always associated with judgment.  This "woe"
is administered in chapter 18, verse 5:  ".  .  .afore the harvest,
when the bud is perfect, and the sour grape is ripening in the flower,
he shall both cut off the sprigs with pruning hooks, and take away and
cut down the branches." In grape-producing nations, the pruning of
grape vines is normally severe.  It is seldom administered before a
harvest.  Pruning is done at the conclusion of a season to better
prepare the vines for the coming year.  Pre-harvest cutting is
damaging to the productivity of the vine.  Nevertheless, the text's
judgmental pronouncements upon Babylon take place before the harvest--
at a time when Babylon is abundantly productive.  Then, at that
moment, she is cut off.



Jeremiah's Predictions

The prophet Jeremiah, in chapters 50 and 51, also presents a clear-cut
picture of this destructive war.  The gruesome truths portrayed are
not the ramblings of a senile prophet, but the very words of and
warnings from Jehovah God.  God tells the prophet:  ".  .  .  I have
put my words in thy mouth" (Jeremiah 1:9).  In fact, God dictated the
message through Jeremiah, for in chapter 30, verse 2, God says:  ".  .
.Write thee all the words that I have spoken unto thee in a book"
(emphasis mine).  Since God is in command of the situation, speaking
the very words penned, the prophecies are worthy of consideration and
acceptance.  What are they?

In chapter 50, verse 9, an assembly of great nations (superpowers)
come up against Babylon from the North country.  Russia is north of
the USA.  The advancing enemies' arrows are shot with reliable
accuracy.  This could picture an onslaught of missiles which Russia
has perfected.  The sneak attack which catches Babylon unaware, verse
24, cuts asunder and breaks the nation described as the "hammer of the
earth" (verse 23).  Is America symbolized by a hammer?  A hammer
shapes and creates.  Blacksmiths have been famous for their creation
with hammers and America has created and shaped foreign policy for
years.  Now, this sneak attack against the hammer of the earth is
devastating because the archers (missile loaders) are called together
against Babylon to knock her from her haughty pedestal and punish her
for rejecting the Lord (verse 29).  All this takes place through a
nuclear holocaust for God continues to say, "And the most proud shall
stumble and fall, and none shall raise him up:  and I will kindle a
fire {atomic warfare} in his cities, and it shall devour all round
about him" (verse 32).  Furthermore, "a sword is upon their horses,
and upon their chariots, and upon all the mingled people that are in
the midst of her.  .  ." (verse 37).  Then, "As God overthrew Sodom
and Gomorrah and the neighbour cities thereof {for homosexuality}.  .
.so shall no man abide there, neither shall any son of man dwell
therein." The reason?  "Behold, a people shall come from the north,
and a great nation.  .  ." (verses 40 and 41).  "They {the Russians}
shall hold the bow and lance:  they are CRUEL, and will not show
mercy:  their voice shall roar like the sea.  .  ." (verse 42).  "At
the noise of the taking of Babylon the earth is moved, and the cry is
heard among the nations" (verse 46).  Chapter 51 continues:  "Babylon
is suddenly fallen and destroyed:  howl for her; take balm for her
pain.  .  ." (verse 8).  One of the reasons for this nation's fall
lies in the fact that draft-dodgers have resisted the call to serve.
Yes, "The mighty men of Babylon have forborn to fight, they have
remained in their holds:  their might hath failed; they became as
women.  .  ." (verse 30).  Another reason lies in the fact that
terroristic saboteurs cause internal havoc in the nation.  Verse 32
declares:  "...the passages are stopped...and the men of war {military
leaders} are affrighted {scared to death}." "Passages" may mean
"communication lines" and "stopped" is self-explanatory.  The
traitorous Judases seize the lines of communication and stop all
television, telegraph and telephone releases.  Radio, too, is cut off.
New York City's past power failures give one a descriptive picture of
what follows in the wake of sabotage.  America is ripe for such
terrorism.  William P.  Hoar, Contributing Editor for the Review of
the News, informs America that Capitol Hill is loaded with Soviet
K.G.B.  agents.  Their manpower has increased by 400 percent in recent
months and they go as far as monitoring White House communications
with electronic devices located on the roof of the Soviet Embassy in
Washington.  The Soviet Embassy doubles as a K.G.B.  headquarters from
which the Reds operate on Capitol Hill.  God give our leaders some
brains and brawn--brains to see it and brawn to destroy it!  To cite
further evidence concerning the rise of terrorism within our borders,
the head of the F.B.I.  warns:  "Communist countries are stepping up
efforts to steal U.S.  industrial secrets and Americans should be on
the alert against such spying." The Red agents "aim to recruit our
scientific personnel, steal our research and development technology,
and develop information on the economic policies of the United
States." The F.B.I.  director pleads with Americans "to exercise
patriotism and give America support and cooperation in reporting and
stopping such saboteurs within our shores." Despite all that
"patriots" try to do, it appears that a hopeless situation confronts
America.  Judgment is coming upon "all nations" (Jeremiah 30:11), and
"Babylon" cannot escape this infamous international conflict.  Though
she builds a spectacular space program and mounts ".  .  .up to
heaven, and though she should fortify the height of her strength {by
creating utterly fantastic, atomic-laden SPACE VEHICLES}.  .  ."
(verse 53), still ".  .  .the broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly
broken, and her high gates shall be burned with fire.  .  ." (verse
58).



John's Predictions

John, the New Testament expositor of Babylonian destruction, pictures
the scene as follows:  God is angry with Babylon whose ".  .  .  sins
have reached unto heaven.  .  ." and remembers her iniquities
(Revelation 18:5).  Babylon must reap what she has sown.  Thus, ".  .
her plagues come in one day.  .  ." and consist of death, and mourning
and famine (verse 8).  The kings of the earth (world leaders and
statesmen), who have committed ungodly acts with her and lived
deliciously off of her unlimited wealth, bewail her, and lament over
her, when they see the ".  .  .smoke of her burning" (verse 9).  They
cry, ".  .  .Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city!
for in one hour is thy judgment come.  And the merchants of the earth
{the world's stockbrokers, bankers and salesmen} shall weep and mourn
over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more:  The
merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls,
and fine linen.  .  ." (verses 11 and 12).  Nuclear blasts end the
"covetous" grasping for goods in one hour--yes, ".  .  .in one hour so
great riches is come to nought {or nothingness}.  .  ." (verse 17).
No wonder the Saviour said, ".  .  .lay up for yourselves treasures in
heaven.  .  ." (Matthew 6:20).  Here one's accumulated wealth through
giving abides forever in the form of souls won to Christ.  Thank God
we will not be present, dear Christian, to cry with earth's multitudes
when ".  .  .they cast dust on their heads, and {cry}, weeping and
wailing, saying, Alas, alas that great city.  .  .for in one hour is
she made desolate" (verse 19).

This is God's message of destruction and doom, You, unsaved reader,
are included in the warning!  Soon, everything you possess--your
little empire--may crumble in an hour of time.  Then what?  You may
perish in the catastrophic and uncontrolled burning of this prophesied
time!  The saved, however, will escape this horrible judgment for true
believers are called up in Revelation 4:1--the burning of Babylon
takes place fourteen chapters later.  Are you ready for the great
escape, the coming of the Lord for His "born again" children?  The
only hope is found in receiving Christ.  This makes one a son of God
(John 1:12).  Receive Him now before Babylon burns!