The Late Great United States :: By Jonathan Brentner
The words leaped off the page.
As I read Habakkuk 1:2-4, I thought about the United States. The prophet’s complaint about the violence, iniquity, and injustice in ancient Judah matched everything that I saw all around me. How much longer could it be before God’s judgment falls on America?
That was over twenty-five years ago. What grabbed my attention back then is tame compared to now. Wickedness, lawlessness, violence, and injustice have increased exponentially in America since then. Abortion and child trafficking hang over our nation like a thick black cloud of hazardous, deadly chemicals.
Corruption defines the U.S. government. The leadership of both political parties supports the globalists’ agenda, although some Republicans, on occasion, speak out against the injustice and moral decay of our land. This, however, does little to impede the rapid deterioration of values in our country.
On November 16, 2022, twelve Republican Senators joined Democrats in ending debate on the “Respect for Marriage Act,” a bill that established same-sex marriage as federal law. Franklin Graham had this to say about the horrid legislation, which later passed in Congress due to widespread support from both political parties:
The deceitfully named Respect for Marriage Act will be voted on by the U.S. Senate this week, as early as Wednesday. The bill strikes a blow at religious freedom for individuals and ministries and is really the ‘Destruction of Marriage Act.’ Its sponsors remarkably claim it protects religious freedom. It does not. This disastrous bill sends a message to America that if you don’t agree with the left’s definition of marriage, you are a bigot. [1]
Baal Worship and It Gets Worse
Jonathan Cahn, in his book, The Return of the Gods, documents America’s moral decline. He shows how starting in the 1960’s, the ancient gods of the Romans reappeared on our shores and since then have exerted an ever-increasing wicked influence over many.
I once thought that Baal worship was something confined to Old Testament days. I was wrong. Jonathan Cahn wrote this about the appearance of a mysterious object in New York City on September 19, 2016.
It was massive, nearly eleven tons of Egyptian marble and rising nearly twenty feet from the ground. It was an arch, a massive recreation of the arch that had led to the Temple of Baal.
It had appeared in London and would later appear in other Western cities, including Washington, DC. But the appearance of the arch that had served as the entranceway to Baal’s Temple in New York City was especially significant. For New York City had played a central role in America’s apostasy from God and, in many ways, served as the capital of that fall. It had functioned as a conduit for Baal’s entrance into American civilization. [2]
I agree with Cahn’s assessment that the unveiling of the arch signified America’s rejection of the Lord, along with the willingness of multitudes to worship a host of other gods inspired by the master of them all, the one known as Baal. We see the evidence of this all around us.
Rumors of pedophilia and satanic child sacrifice among celebrities in Hollywood run rampant and appear well-founded. The horrors that these young boys and girls experience continue with little interference by those empowered to stop such practices. Many in our government, including the Biden administration, not only support sex trafficking but facilitate this vile practice with open border policies.
Despite the overturning of Roe v Wade in 2022, the blood of precious children still soaks American soil and cries out for justice. Several states remain fixated on the murder of the innocents, with many corporations paying the travel expenses for women in states where laws prohibit such slaying. Since 1973, abortion mills in the United States have murdered over sixty-two million precious children.
Companies such as Walmart and Target report billions of dollars in theft from their stores in just the past year! Such lawlessness takes place out in the open as gangs rush into a store, quickly steal valuable goods, and flee before the police arrive. Lawlessness, a sign that we live in the last days, is becoming commonplace across the U.S.
Today, the words of Habakkuk 1:2-4 appear more relevant to America than ever before.
“O Lord, how long shall I cry for help,
and you will not hear?
Or cry to you ‘Violence!’
and you will not save?
Why do you make me see iniquity,
and why do you idly look at wrong?
Destruction and violence are before me;
strife and contention arise.
So the law is paralyzed,
and justice never goes forth.
For the wicked surround the righteous;
so justice goes forth perverted.”
Why can we apply the above passage to America? It’s because God responds to wickedness in the same way regardless of where it appears. He holds all nations accountable for their sins and judges them accordingly.
As I survey the current landscape of a once mighty nation, I believe it’s only a matter of time before it becomes The Late Great United States.
“Look Among the Nations”
In response to Habakkuk’s listing of grievances regarding the Lord’s apparent lack of response to the sins of His people, He told the prophet to “Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded” (Habakkuk 1:5). God then drew attention to the mounting threat posed by the Chaldeans or the Babylonians, who would destroy Jerusalem and take many of its people captive a couple decades after the Lord revealed His plans to the prophet.
In our day, we see another beast rising among the nations. It’s a repeat of the Tower of Babel and most definitely a threat to the future of the United States as well as to the entire world.
We don’t see a tall structure stretching heavenward but rather the World Economic Forum (WEF) led by Klaus Schwab and his closest advisor, Yuval Harari. The intent of opposing God and uniting the world under a Satanic regime, however, is remarkably similar to Genesis 11.
During the week of January 16-20, 2023, the WEF held its annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland. Its attendees included over fifty heads of state, 380 other top government officials from all over the world, scores of top corporate CEOs, and an abundance of other powerful dignitaries.
Many prominent government leaders from the U.S. also attended. The governor of Georgia, several members of Congress and the Senate, and the director of the FBI all spoke in favor of various WEF initiatives.
While their agenda seems benign to many, their true intent is both diabolical and deadly. Leo Hohmann, an investigative reporter, wrote this on his blog about the WEF’s attempt to solve the world’s problems, most of which they themselves engineered:
But now the stakes are higher because more of us regular folks are waking up and learning about the true agenda of the WEF’s Great Reset and Fourth Industrial Revolution. They intend to digitally enslave the world in a total surveillance state based on a global digital ID (likely disguised as vaccine passports) and a global digital currency to replace cash….
The WEF bemoans the current economic reality in its Global Risks Report, ignoring the fact that most of the economic problems were caused by the very elites who now propose to have the solutions. [3]
The Lord told Habakkuk to “look among nations” in order to identify the growing threat to ancient Judah. In our day, the globalists’ tentacles reach far into the halls of America’s government and pose a clear and present danger to the freedoms we cherish.
Signs of a Debased Mind
How did we get to such a place? It didn’t happen overnight but occurred as many of our leaders and their supporters journeyed down the road to perdition described in Romans 1:18-32. The words of warning from these verses strip away any pretense of hope for America. Paul wrote these words in verse 18:
“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness.”
What the apostle describes in the rest of the chapter perfectly aligns with the past sixty years of American history. Romans 1:28-32 speaks prophetically to the current downward trajectory of the U.S.
“And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.”
Signs of a “debased mind,” as described in the above verses, abound throughout the United States’ culture and leadership.
During a debate with President Donald Trump leading up to the 2020 election, candidate Joe Biden said that seven-year-olds should be able to choose their gender. His words stunned me. Surely, I thought, very few people would vote for him after making such an egregious and vile statement. Sadly, I was very wrong.
It gets far worse.
In 2022, a news story claimed that the Biden administration sent money to Ecuador for the purpose of putting on drag queen shows, which are a hideous and grossly indecent repudiation of all that God’s Word says about gender and morality. It’s a sickening attack upon our children, but I digress.
Newsweek’s efforts to fact-check this report resulted in the two disturbing paragraphs below:
In a statement sent to Newsweek, a spokesperson for the State Department said the agency supports “a wide range of strategic programs in Ecuador” that focus on diversity and representation, and that the goal of the CEN [Centro Ecuatoriano Norteamericano program] is to “promote tolerance” and “provide new opportunities for LGBTQI+ Ecuadorians to express themselves freely and safely.”
“LGBTQI+ people across the globe deserve to live in societies free from targeted violence and discrimination. Recent data suggest an alarming and deadly rise in violence against LGBTQI+ persons in Ecuador,” the spokesperson said. [4]
The report that the Biden administration used our money to fund drag shows in Ecuador was not only true but just a small sampling of President Biden’s efforts to promote abhorrent debauchery and vile behavior in many other nations.
Early Signs of Judgment
We have yet to see bombs falling on U.S. cities or the devastation of severe earthquakes such as what happened in Turkey and Syria in early February of 2023. However, we see early indications of the Lord’s weakening of the United States in advance of His wrath.
Before Habakkuk complained about the wickedness and injustice in ancient Judah, did the Lord provide any early signs to warn the nation? A century earlier, He spoke the following words through the Prophet Isaiah, a message that rings with much significance for modern-day America:
“And I will make boys their princes,
and infants shall rule over them.
And the people will oppress one another,
every one his fellow
and every one his neighbor;
the youth will be insolent to the elder,
and the despised to the honorable” (Isaiah 3:4-5).
I see at least two similarities in the above verses pertaining to the start of God’s judgment falling upon the United States.
- Immature Leadership
The Hebrew word for “boys” in Isaiah 3:4 suggests a young lad or a servant. In this context, it denotes an immaturity of leadership; someone under the control of others. Those in current leadership in the U.S. also exhibit naivety and, at times, appear subservient to unknown powers.
The Hebrew word for “infants” in verse four denotes “malicious young men” or even tyrants. This signifies the inexperience of a child who rules by selfish inclinations based on his or her whim at the moment. The usage of this word also signifies evil motives on the part of those in positions of authority. The Lord gave Israel immature and weak rulers as an early indication of His displeasure with the nation, ones who served with unbiblical childish motives and placed their thirst for power above the needs of the people.
Does this passage characterize those in charge of the United States at the moment? Absolutely!
President Biden’s dementia leads to continual displays of childish behavior. He often stumbles through sentences that make no sense, expresses fear of disappointing those who control him, and makes bizarre, nonsensical statements. At times, he erupts in angry tirades that either seem out of place or highly disproportionate to the topic he’s addressing.
Vice President Harris lacks any semblance of maturity at times as she giggles and laughs at the most inappropriate times. Her speeches resemble those that a teacher would give to a kindergarten class. At other times, she repeats herself over and over and over.
- Division
The Lord also sent division to Judah as an early warning of the destruction that was to follow. People oppressed others; the youth acted with brazen disrespect toward the older generation. If such behavior is the beginning of the Lord’s judgment of a nation, it certainly fits the United States.
Jesus said, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand (Matthew 12:25). Many of those in high elected offices in the U.S. employ division as a means of destroying America, and at the moment, this tactic is working well.
It’s as if the Lord was speaking of the United States when He spoke regarding the division in ancient Judah.
Revival or Rapture?
Disagreements exist among Christians regarding what’s ahead for the United States. Many, like me, believe the Rapture is imminent. The signs point to the rapidly approaching seven-year Tribulation and thus to Jesus’ appearing to take us home, which the Bible says must occur prior to this time of trouble on the earth.
Others believe we are on the cusp of a great revival that will change the course of history in America as well as throughout the world. They say this future great awakening will usher in a glorious time for the nations with the church leading the way.
A popular song written and sung by Kari Jobe, “Amen (Simple Gospel),” echoes the hope of a great revival with the church calming our fears for the future, not Jesus. Below is a quote from the last verse:
“The church will arise / With power and love / Our cities will know / The glory of God / The future is bright / There’s nothing to fear / Revival is now / The Kingdom is here.”
The words sound wonderful at first glance, but does the Bible teach that the church will triumph over the forces of darkness actively at work in our world? No, it most certainly does not. The Bible tells us that apart from the return of Jesus, the future looks bleak, at best, for our world.
Please know that it’s not a denial of God’s redeeming power that leads me to conclude that we live in the last days of human history, but rather a belief in what God’s Word says about the time leading up to the start of the Tribulation. Yes, the Holy Spirit will continue to bring many to saving faith in Jesus, but this will fall far short of slowing down the downward trajectory of the U.S.
I regard the April 8, 2024, solar eclipse as God’s warning to the United States that His judgments are on the way. As most of you know, this eclipse completes an X across the U.S. when we include the one that occurred on August 21, 2017.
This eclipse not only comes at a time when a myriad of signs tell us that we live in the last days of human history as we know it but also when corruption, wickedness, lawlessness, and violence characterize America, things that the Bible says will bring God’s judgment on any nation.
Besides America’s descent into decadent behavior, the Biden administration has placed America on exceedingly dangerous ground with its support of Israel’s enemies and insistence on dividing the Land of Israel to provide a state for the Palestinians. The Bible is quite clear that these things will bring a curse along with the Lord’s wrath.
Will sudden destruction occur within the United States on April 8? Probably not. The significance of this solar eclipse comes from what Scripture reveals about the day in which we live, along with the consequences it spells out for nations that have traveled down America’s current path in the past.
It’s all these things that make us view the symbolism behind the upcoming darkening of the sun as a harbinger that, someday, people will view our nation as The Late Great United States.
I do not know what sorrows and suffering we might experience in the days ahead as America continues its downward trek. However, because the Bible says the Rapture will happen before the Day of the Lord wrath falls on the world (2 Thessalonians 5:1-10), we can rest in total assurance that Jesus will appear and take us to Heaven before the coming “sudden destruction” arrives and the Lord’s wrath engulfs the entirety of planet Earth.
Come soon, Lord Jesus! Come soon!
***
Note: In Hereafter, It’s Far Better Than You Can Imagine, Terry James and I describe the future glory that awaits us as believers, beginning with Jesus’ appearing to take us home. From beginning to end, we emphasize the jubilant joy that awaits us in Heaven. The last chapter contains twenty-seven frequently asked questions and answers pertaining to Heaven and our experience there.
Note: Please consider signing up for my newsletter on the home page of my website at https://www.jonathanbrentner.com/. Thanks!
[1] Respect For Marriage Act,’ Cementing Same-Sex Marriage As Federal Policy, November 16, 2022: https://harbingersdaily.com/senate-set-to-vote-on-deceitfully-named-respect-for-marriage-act/
[2] Jonathan Cahn, The Return of the Gods (Lake Mary, FL, Frontline, an Imprint of Charisma Publishing, 2022), pp. 64-65.
[3] Leo Hohmann, WEF globalists meeting in Davos next week warn of war, economic collapse, ‘new virus’: Are the Four Horsemen ready to ride? January 13, 2023, @ https://leohohmann.com/2023/01/13/wef-globalists-meeting-in-davos-next-week-warn-of-war-economic-collapse-new-virus-are-the-four-horsemen-ready-to-ride/
[4] Katherine Fung, Fact Check: Is Biden Administration Funding Drag Shows in Ecuador? October 20, 2022. On the Newsweek website: https://www.newsweek.com/fact-check-biden-administration-funding-drag-shows-ecuador-1753649
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