If we are worried about the events of today and how they match up with the prophesies in the Bible from the Prophets and in revelation then maybe we need to get right with Jesus right now. The Bible says in Isaiah 55:9 that God’s thoughts are so much higher than our thoughts that we will never have a chance of understanding His plan. We can only tell by the prophecies coming true that the time of Christ’s return is very near. We, as Christians, see these things being fulfilled and await our redemption from the tribulation to come.
To look at what the Bible says about the things going on today. We begin by looking at what the Prophets said about Jerusalem and see how it parallels today. In Isaiah 1, starting at verse 1 we see Isaiah is introducing himself and saying these ‘visions’ came to him during the reign of four different Kings of Judah. The King of Judah at the time of the start of the book is Uzziah, and it was a time of great prosperity for Judah. They had beaten the Philistines, secured several trade routes and increased Judah’s wealth greatly.
Uzziah was known as a good King who did right by the Lord, he was punished though by the Lord and given leprosy. After he got leprosy he kept himself indoors and let his son Jotham reign in his stead, Uzziah was still believed to be the power behind the throne at the time.
The prophesies began in the next verse, 2, and went on from there. Israel was becoming corrupt in its prosperity. It had rebelled against The Lord and Isaiah was telling them that they had began breaking all the laws of the Ten Commandments and worshiping other gods. They were guilty of turning their backs on the Lord, and denying the prosperity The Lord had provided.
Israel had so turned away from The Lord, that Isaiah began to represent them as a servant that was beaten and for no longer obeying its master, in this case, The Lord God. Though Israel was still prosperous they were allowing more and more encroachment by foreigners and needed to turn back to God before it is too late. The problems that Israel went through are a mirror that we can look to for where we are headed. Jotham, Uzziah’s son reigned as King for the last few years of Uzziah’s life before taking over completely after his father’s death.
While Jotham was a good king like his father, he and Judah let their wealth control them, rather than controlling their wealth. Isaiah prophesied here that there would be a desolation of the lands, which later came to pass as the northern lands were invaded and destroyed by the Assyrian army and even later by the Babylonians. Isaiah warns that Jerusalem is vulnerable and open to attack and that even after it was, God would leave a remnant to keep the land in Israel’s hands ultimately. Many times over the years, Israel has been taken over and cast into slavery or servant-hood for a conquering nation but always, a remnant remained behind to eventually restart the nation.
Isaiah goes on to say The Lord sees all the sacrifices made to Him by the people of Israel, but is not impressed by the many things they have done for Him. If the people continue in their worship of other gods while they still attempt to worship Him, it is an abomination to Him. Israel is God’s special people, promised by Him and protected by Him. None other can make this claim or lay hold to it and none other will be spared the tribulation that is to come.
In Isaiah 1:15 The Lord has to hide His face from the evil going on in His peoples nation, once God has turned His face away, there is ample time for the devil to sneak in and twist the people further away from God. They are stained with sin, liken a greasy rag they have been corrupted and the only hope for them is the forgiveness of God through the Blood.
Isaiah 1:18 says for the people to come reason with God and cleanse themselves from the stains of their sins against God. They are warned by the time they reach verse 20, that if they resist or rebel against God they will end up being devoured by the sword. Their future is theirs to make, either follow God or be taken over.
In verse 21 Isaiah compares Jerusalem to a harlot selling herself to other gods and following foreigners ways and religions. The United States is doing much the same thing, as we turn away from the God that has protected us for so long, and rely instead on our own resources. It is only a matter of time before the judgement of God will come upon us.
Some people may say, if Israel was so prosperous at the time, why was Isaiah so down on them and making such a fuss over their small sins. The reason was two fold. One, because to not recognize small sins will give them the chance to grow into big sins that could and will destroy a nation. Second, because he was prophesying the future that was to come, the bad things that their sins would lead too.
Isaiah then warns Israel that their good things will become ‘watered down’ like watered down wine, is one example he gives in verse 22. As they continue on they will be corrupted by foreign nations and slowly invaded by their beliefs.
But the Lord will cleanse them like the chaff is taken away from the grain, or the dross from the silver is burnt away. So they must go through the fire to be refined and purified. Israel will be redeemed by the justice of the penitent ones with righteousness, she will be refined by the fire she must go through. God will make them presentable again.
These prophesies are for the nation of Israel and have already been fulfilled but the United States can learn from the history of Israel, and keep the USA from being destroyed. As the United States is never mentioned in the end time prophesies, I must gather that the US no longer exists as a powerful force in the world. We are on a heading that will lead us to that. Russia is mentioned in a round about way so i know they will still be here. The USA is never mentioned though. The history of Israel is something we can either learn from or the USA is destined to have it happen to us.Pray that our country will wake up before it is too late.
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