The United States in Bible Prophecy

Part 3

 by Steve Ashburn

In Parts 1-2 of this series, we saw how the United States was described in Isaiah 18 as “the land of whirring wings” based on our aircraft industry, and perhaps symbolically by the Great Lakes; and then how this highly respected nation, clean-shaven and spread across our continent, whose land was surveyed and settled, was suddenly caught up in the rapture, described as: “All ye inhabitants of the world, and dwellers on the earth, see ye, when he lifteth up an ensign on the mountains; and when he bloweth a trumpet, hear ye” (verse 3). This led to the sudden depopulation of the US and its subsequent conquest by other nations, most likely including Russia.

This event takes place during a period of complacency, described as: “the LORD said unto me, I will take my rest” (verse 4). I believe this period of complacency follows a regional nuclear war in the Middle East, sometimes referred to as the “Psalm 83” war. According to Ezekiel 29 and Isaiah 19, this war is followed 40 years later by the second coming of Christ and his millennial kingdom. Daniel refers to this 40-year period as “the time of the end” (Daniel 8, 11-12), which seems to be a fitting definition of “end times” for our purposes as students of the Bible.

In this article I want to turn your attention to Isaiah 13, which also provides a description of the United States in rich detail. This chapter describes an end-times invasion of Babylon (present-day Iraq) by a coalition of nations led by one great nation in particular; this invasion itself follows a nuclear war in the Mideast which Iraq apparently is responsible for instigating. Our text passage reads: 

“The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see. Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice unto them, shake the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles. I have commanded my sanctified ones, I have also called my mighty ones for mine anger, even them that rejoice in my highness. The noise of a multitude in the mountains, like as of a great people; a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together: the Lord of hosts mustereth the host of the battle. They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, even the Lord, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land. Howl ye; for the day of the Lord is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.” (Isaiah 13:1–6)

The timeline for this battle is when “the day of the Lord is at hand”; in other words, the rapture (which begins the day of the Lord) is imminent but has not yet occurred. In a similar way, Ezekiel 30:3 describes the destruction of Egypt happening when “the day of the Lord is near,” again meaning that it is imminent but has not yet begun. Therefore, the destruction of Iraq and of Egypt happens at roughly the same time.

Isaiah 13 identifies a particular nation—described in verse 2 as “the high mountain”—as leading a coalition of nations against Iraq. In Bible prophecy, “mountain” often refers to a nation, “high mountain” to a great nation, and “the high mountain” to a particular great nation which is the leader of this coalition of nations against Iraq. Isaiah further describes this great nation in verse 3: “I have commanded my sanctified ones, I have also called my mighty ones for mine anger, even them that rejoice in my highness.” The term “sanctified” means “to set apart for sacred use.” God has called these “mighty ones” to execute his anger on Iraq, and finally describes this nation as “even them that rejoice in my highness.”

The first successful colony leading to the formation of the United States was founded in 1620 by pilgrims who wanted the freedom to worship God in simplicity and purity, outside of the established traditions of the Church of England. Eventually—on July 4, 1776—the new nation declared independence from England and its oppressive laws and thereafter became a beacon of godliness, freedom, and liberty for the entire world. The US has sent out the vast majority of the world’s missionaries, and is responsible for planting more churches in developing countries than any other nation on earth. We indeed have been “sanctified ones … even them that rejoice in my highness.”

We also are “mighty ones”—militarily the strongest nation on earth, and leader of the coalition of nations (“the kingdoms of nations gathered together”) against Iraq in 1991 and 2003. We also “come from a far country, from the end of heaven.” There can be no doubt, then, that the great nation described in Isaiah 13:1–5 is in fact the United States. The description as “sanctified ones . . . even them that rejoice in my highness” also indicates that the US is still a Christian nation at the time of this war, and that therefore the rapture has not yet occurred.

Although “the high mountain” in verse 2 then symbolically represents the United States, the literal translation is “the bare hill,” which physically speaking probably refers to the US Capitol in context. It has a “bare” white dome and sits on Capitol Hill, and also has a flag (“a banner”) flying on top. The overall picture here is of God calling Congress into session (“exalt the voice unto them, shake the hand”) and then urging them into chambers which they enter into through “the gates [doors] of the nobles.” Having worked for a US senator, I can tell you that the Senate definitely is aristocratic, and the doors to the Senate chamber truly are “the gates of the nobles”!

Isaiah 13:3 then goes on to describe a probable declaration of war (“I have commanded my sanctified ones”); and verse 4, a large group of very angry coalition nations (“a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations”). According to the parallel passage in Jeremiah 50–51, God tried to deal kindly with the Iraqis (“We would have healed Babylon”; Jeremiah 51:9), but she participated in treacherous deceit and genocide, and now the command is to “forsake her.” In addition, Jeremiah 50:11 apparently describes the Iraqis as laughing at all the damage they caused (“Because ye were glad, because ye rejoiced, O ye destroyers of mine heritage”); therefore, the decision was made to deal with them like the sociopaths they are: complete annihilation.

Isaiah 13 summarizes the battle against Iraq. This invasion didn’t work out quite the way Iraq had planned: “Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man’s heart shall melt: And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames” (Isaiah 13:7–8). All these nuclear weapons going off evidently cause some consternation to the government of Iraq. A thermonuclear weapon going off nearby indeed would cause one’s face briefly to “be as flames.” Our text passage continues: 

“And it shall be as the chased roe, and as a sheep that no man taketh up: they shall every man turn to his own people, and flee every one into his own land. Every one that is found shall be thrust through; and every one that is joined unto them shall fall by the sword. Their children also shall be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses shall be spoiled, and their wives ravished. Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, which shall not regard silver; and as for gold, they shall not delight in it. Their bows also shall dash the young men to pieces; and they shall have no pity on the fruit of the womb; their eye shall not spare children.” (Isaiah 13:14–18)

Apparently, quite a few foreigners will be working in Iraq at the time of this battle, and they are advised to flee for their lives: “they shall every man turn to his own people, and flee every one into his own land.” This battle will be characterized by rape and pillage (“their houses shall be spoiled, and their wives ravished”). Apparently, no prisoners will be taken; the Iraqis will just be slaughtered, including women and children.

Iran will be part of this coalition of nations, and will attack Iraq with great fury, not having any desire for the riches of Iraq (“Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, which shall not regard silver; and as for gold, they shall not delight in it”) nor even sparing children (“their eye shall not spare children”). Iran and Iraq are ancient enemies, going back to the Persian invasion of Babylon in 539 BC (Daniel 5) and more recently the 1980–88 war; and Iran’s purpose in this battle seems to be vengeance. Isaiah also indicates that Iran will be in alliance with the United States by the time this battle occurs, which means that the present anti-American government of Iran must change into a more friendly type.

Since the US participated in overthrowing the governments of Egypt and Libya, and presently is trying to overthrow the government of Syria through proxies, it seems reasonable to conclude that Iran is next on the list. This might be accomplished through peaceful means within Iran, however, through covert political pressure and by the lifting of economic sanctions.

We’ll cover more about the United States in Part 4 of this series, including the tactical details of the actual US military invasion of Iraq (predicted over 2,500 years ago!), the duplicity of Iran, and the role of the US as a place of refuge and its stable political and financial conditions in the end times. So stand by for Part 4!

I provide more details of this and many other end-times prophecies in my recently published book, END TIMES DAWNING: Get Ready! (available from www.endtimesrecord.com). Please read it! Also, if you would, please like my Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/endtimesrecord.

Yours in Christ,

Steve Ashburn

[This article was published on September 4, 2020]