My pastor has been doing a series on end times. About the rapture, the anitchrist, and the 7year tribulation period. He made this comment: "America is now a POST Christian nation". I found that sad and true. He also talked about America in Prophecy and suggested that the "silence is deafening". In other words... the Bible doesn't really speak about America. The only thing we know for sure, is that WE as a nation will no longer be able to protect Israel.. for whatever reason. Therefore the anti-christ comes on the scene and signs a 7 year peace treaty with Israel.

He listed several scenarios for what could have happened to America. We could be attacked for the outside, we could be attacked from the inside. ( we have given up Christianity for the most part. God says righteousness EXALTS a nation. BUT the most likely he felt would be the rapture of the church. There would be an estimated 25-30 million people rapture prior to the tribulation. The effects on American would be caticlysmic. What are you thoughts concerning why America isn't in prohpecy?

He also suggested that the amount of true Christians that would be rapture around the world was really low. He gave statistics of people who actually professed Christianity in other countries. They would be impacted but not nearly like the USA.

I was reading Ezekial 31 over the weekend and God gave me this chapter to be what is/will happen to the USA in the coming months. The moral decay of this nation is so bad now that I fear Gods wrath is upon us and we (as a nation) are deaf to the consequences.
There are several passages referencing the Eagle but nothing definite that I have ever read. And after reading and listening to several scholars on the end times, I also tend to believe that the USA will be relegated to a third world nation and have no bearing on the outcome.
Personally I have been led to pray for this nation like never before in my life.

Well, I agree with you 450donn... this is a POST christian country and you can't leave God out and expect his protection. It is sad to see... I can't imagine MY America in such a state and yet it is all around me.

Just think of Roe V Wade and the consequences of that act. How many Einsteins have we killed in the past 30 years. How many Billie Grahams? God will only wait so long and then he will act. I fear that what we are seeing today is the start of his wrath on this country.
If I am not being too nosy, who is your pastor?

Oh, he isn't anyone famous or anything... he has a church of about 1000... you wouldn't know him.

Whoever he is sounds like you have a good one.
God Bless.

When the bible speaks about the gentiles, america is included. America was also involved in the war that brought about the current nation of israel.
Those who are true christians are abraham's seed(offspring).
Gal 3:29 And if ye are Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, heirs according to promise.
I'm always amazed of the contrast between our society's ways, and the way god wants things to be. But narrow is the way to heaven.
Israel in jesus's time was evil. I'm not sure if you can judge the end times by america's evil, but perhaps the end of america by god's wrath.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by cogs

when the bible speaks about the gentiles, america is included. america was also involved in the war that brought about the current nation of israel.
those who are true christians are abraham's seed(offspring).
Gal 3:29 And if ye are Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, heirs according to promise.
i'm always amazed of the contrast between our society's ways, and the way god wants things to be. but narrow is the way to heaven.
israel in jesus's time was evil. i'm not sure if you can judge the end times by america's evil, but perhaps the end of america by god's wrath.

---

Actually as I understand it gentiles are all NON Jews, so in that respect us westerners are talked about. But the specific question as I understood it was, is America specifically talked about in the bible and the end times? And that answer is no, we are not talked about except in a few obscure passages where it talks about a multi headed beast and one of the heads is an Eagles. Which I take to mean the USA. Don't know if I am right or wrong on that issue. I am still waiting for some indepth study of Revelations.

Personally, I believe that God raised up the US to provide the base for world evangelism, primarially because that is the most important function that this country has had, as far as God is concerned. If and when it ceases to do that, then I believe events will remove the US from its position as world leader.

Maybe the present economic situation will eventually lead to that. Remember that it was the economy that caused the fall of the USSR.

At any rate, the focus of end time events will be the Middle East, so it seems reasonable that there will be a major shift in world powers.

As Christians, we look forward to our ultimate redemption, so REJOICE.

All nations (including America) will take part in the tribulation invasion of Israel:
Joel 3:1-3 1For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, 2I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.

Ezekiel 39:6 might also be a reference to America. Jonathan Edwards believed those living carelessly in the Isles was America.
And I will send a fire on Magog, Russiaand among them that dwell carelessly in the isles: America?and they shall know that I am the LORD.

There are some who see America in Jeremiah chapters 50-51, and Revelation chapter 18 as references to America.

I am subscribing to this thread, because I think this is a very interesting topic..

I believe that we are in the end times.. this world is so corupt.. and horrid... just look at all the freak weather occurrences, earthquakes, fires.. and so on..

So many of God's warnings of the end times are happening as we speak.. Get ready and make sure your heart is good with God.. I just pray that there is a rapture... but honestly, I don't believe there will be :(

I believe that we are in the '' sixth hour ''! Not only America but the whole world.
Mark 15:33 And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.

34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? Which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

This is a '' 3 hour '' period that will lead to the '' death of the human part of Jesus ''.
I do not know how to explain this better , I am sorry!

So, Plonak, you are a post trib? This is really off topic and you might want to start another thread, but please explain why you feel that way?

450donn,

Go for it... talk about it... it is an important topic too because if you don't believe in a pre-trib raprue something must happen other than the rapture to change America as a world power.

I believe that because who is going to preach to all the non believers if we go up?

There is going to be massive confusion, and I really think God wants us to be there preaching God's word... how else will some of the nonbelievers have a chance to be saved if they have no idea what's going on?

There will be many many that will not make it in the first round. How many profess to be Christian on Sunday but Monday through Saturday live like the devil. Those who's hearts are not right will be left. Many of those will realize after it is too late and repent. Most will not survive through the tribulation, but some will because God tells us that during the milenium there will be children born. That is not possible with a raptured body, is it? Not only that, the Jewish nation will still be present in the world. Since most have never accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and savior they will remain because the final battle is fought in Isreal and many of them will take part in that battle.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by 450donn

There will be many many that will not make it in the first round. How many profess to be Christian on Sunday but Monday thru Saturday live like the devil. Those who's hearts are not right will be left. Many of those will realize after it is too late and repent. Most will not survive through the tribulation, but some will because God tells us that during the milenium there will be children born. That is not possible with a raptured body, is it? Not only that, the Jewish nation will still be present in the world. Since most have never accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and savior they will remain because the final battle is fought in Isreal and many of them will take part in that battle.

---

I couldn't disagree with you more. EVERY Christian will be caught up in the rapture and all those that have rejected the truth of the gospel God is going to send a strong delusion that they will believe a lie. There WILL be believers during the tribulation BUT, they will become believers AFTER the rapture and during the tribulation period. There will be those who do not take the mark of the beast.. their lives are going to be horrible but nevertheless, they will believe.

Exactly what I said in different words. There are those that think they are christians and will be left behind( sorry) that will after the ratpure realize the error of their ways and repent. Some of those will still refuse to accept the truth

I just hope to goodness that there is a rapture.. but honestly it just seems to good to be true.. I think God would want to test EVERYONE.. even the believers..

450donn do you believe we're in the beginning of the tribulation?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by plonak

450donn do you believe we're in the beginning of the tribulation?

---

Emphatically NO!
I do not believe we are in the tribulation. However I do firmly believe that what we are witnessing in the world especially the last 90 days or so clearly we are in the end times.
God will only allow the mess we are seeing today to go on for a little while before he says enough is enough. Scriptures tell us that he will not return (rapture the church) until the last person on Earth has had the opportunity he hear the gospel. That has almost happened, especially with the advent of satellite TV.