Is America at the end?

Magazine examines "Implosion" & interviews Christian leaders about Bible prophecy & how much trouble U.S. is in.

(Washington, D.C., December 4, 2012) -- "What role will the United States play-if any-in the end times?" asks reporter Troy Anderson in the new issue of a Christian magazine. "When New York Times best-selling author Joel C. Rosenberg tells audiences that America isn't mentioned in Bible prophecy, many are stunned and ask how the wealthiest, most powerful nation in history isn't a specifically defined player in the last days."

"The Bible doesn't say what happens to us," Rosenberg says. "But by the absence of us being clearly defined in the text, it means something has happened. The question is what-what will happen to us that will neutralize our ability or desire to be an influential player in the last days of history before the return of Jesus Christ?"

In his recent book, "Implosion: Can America Recover From Its Economic and Spiritual Challenges in Time?" Rosenberg outlines several potential scenarios he believes could explain why the United States isn't mentioned in Bible prophecy: The nation-facing $16 trillion in federal debt and $120 trillion in total unfunded obligations-could implode economically, he hypothesizes. Perhaps the U.S. is hit by a surprise nuclear or military attack, blind-sided by a series of terrorist attacks or devastated by an unprecedented spate of natural disasters. America could suddenly lose tens of millions of people in the rapture, triggering any number of cataclysmic events. Or it could be a combination of these events....

Some prophecy teachers say the Bible makes direct references to America and argue that the U.S., or perhaps New York City, is "Babylon the Great"-the "great prostitute who sits on many waters" that is destroyed in one hour, according to Revelation 17 and 18. In these chapters, the apostle John wrote that the "Mother of Harlots and of the Abominations of the Earth" would be destroyed by fire, while the merchants of the earth who grew "rich through the abundance of her luxury" would "weep and mourn over her, for no one buys their merchandise anymore" (17:5; 18:3, 11).

Others have suggested the "merchants of Tarshish, and all their young lions" mentioned in Ezekiel 38:13 is a reference to the United Kingdom -- whose Royal Coat of Arms includes a lion -- and its offspring, America. Still others say the "great eagle" in Revelation 12:14 is America.

Rosenberg, LaHaye, Hitchcock...and many other Bible prophecy teachers reject these arguments, however. And though....

[To read the rest of this article -- or learn more about IMPLOSION; or the new e-book, ISRAEL AT WAR; or to find links to the latest news and analysis of events and trends in the U.S., Israel, North Africa, Russia, and the Middle East -- please go to: http://flashtrafficblog.wordpress.com/.]