Originally written by Raymond F. McNair and
republished in 1996 by the now-defunct Global Church of God.
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America |
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Chapters-- |
The Rise and Fall of Ancient Israel
The Birthright Finally Realized!
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Conclusion-- |
Originally
written by Raymond F. McNair and republished in 1996 by the now-defunct Global
Church of God.
America & Britain in Prophecy:
The Vital
Key to End-Time Prophecy
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Perhaps most of us remember reading the
biblical story of Joseph. It is one of the most touching and meaningful stories
in all the Bible. Joseph's jealous brothers had sold him into slavery. For more
than 20 long years, it had been assumed by his father Jacob and the rest of his
family that Joseph was dead or lost for good. But the God of Abraham had
orchestrated a series of remarkable events to make Joseph the ruler, under
Pharaoh, over all of Egypt. In this capacity, he had stored up grain during
seven plentiful years. And, while he was sharing that grain with starving
multitudes during the seven years of famine which followed, Joseph's brothers
came to Egypt to buy some.
Finally, Joseph revealed himself to them and
a joyous reunion followed! When his brothers went back and told their father,
the old patriarch just couldn't believe it. But, after they recounted the
details of how Joseph revealed himself to them--and he saw the wagons Joseph
had sent him--Jacob said, "It is enough. Joseph my son is alive. I will go
and see him before I die" (Gen. 45:28).
Where is Joseph today? While it is
true that the Jewish people were given the "scepter" promise of
kingship and the lineage of the Messiah, the Bible makes it very plain that the
tribe of Joseph was to inherit the promised blessings of national
greatness and power--"the BIRTHRIGHT was Joseph's" (1 Chron. 5:2).
Where are these people who were to become a great "nation AND a
company of nations" (Gen. 35:11), who were to inherit the
"gates" of their enemies (Gen. 24:60), and which were to be
physically BLESSED above all nations? Did they end up among the so-called
"Ten Lost Tribes" of Israel who seemingly disappeared from the
world scene after being taken into captivity by Assyria around 734-721 B.C.?
The story of the discovery of modern-day
"Joseph" is moving and powerful in its implications. It presents to
us the vital KEY that unlocks the real understanding of scores of end-time
Bible prophecies! But is it really important that we understand such
prophecies?
Jesus Himself prophesied of the last days of
this world's present civilization, "For in those days there will be
tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of creation which God
created until this time, nor ever shall be" (Mark 13:19). These are powerful
words coming directly from the Son of God. After describing a number of
specific events to occur at the end of this age, Jesus stated in this same
prophecy, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means
pass away" (v. 31). We all need to wake up, look at what is happening all
around us and realize that we are truly living in the prophesied "last
days." Things are not going to continue as they have been. Many of the
major countries we live in or are familiar with will literally cease to
exist within the lifetimes of many of you reading this!
Knowing this, and knowing that God's true
servants have always spoken out to warn His people about major future
catastrophes, we who publish this material do not want to let you down.
We feel inspired and impelled by the Spirit of God to let you know the real meaning
of today's news and what prophecy indicates is soon to occur. As the Prophet
Amos wrote, "If a trumpet is blown in a city, will not the people be
afraid? If there is calamity in a city, will not the LORD have done it? Surely
the Lord GOD does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the
prophets. A lion has roared! Who will not fear? The Lord GOD has spoken!
Who can but prophesy?" (Amos 3:6-8).
So as you read this brochure about what is
prophesied to happen to America, Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand--and,
to a lesser extent, all the other peoples descended from the nations of
Northwest Europe--recognize that this is exactly what the true servants
of God ought to be talking about at such a time as this.
There have been times in the past when
centuries went by with very little in the way of prophesied events taking
place. Perhaps even God's true ministers need not have spent too much time on
prophecy back then. But not now! For now it is all beginning to come
together--and you need to be informed. You need to understand. God warns us,
"Scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own
lusts, and saying, 'Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers
fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of
creation'" (2 Pet. 3:3-4).
Let's be sure that we are not found among
those who scoff at or belittle prophecy. Let us rather be alert to prophecy and
to the meaning of present world events. Let us obey Jesus' inspired command,
"WATCH therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape
all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of
Man" (Luke 21:36). And let's also be sure that we fully grasp the
importance of understanding who the American and British-descended peoples of
the earth are in Bible prophecy--as most end-time prophecies directly concern
US (and our Jewish brothers). For, truly--as this brochure proves--Joseph
has been found!
America & Britain in Prophecy:
The
Identity Question
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hat, or WHO, was really behind the rise of
Britain and America to the very pinnacle of national wealth and power? Many
world leaders have stood in awe of the economic and military power which the
Anglo-Americans have wielded during the 19th and 20th centuries.
How did U.S. President Ronald Reagan view
America? He said, "I have always believed that this anointed land was set
apart in an uncommon way, that a divine plan placed this continent here
between the oceans to be found by people from every corner of the Earth who had
a special love of faith and freedom" (Newsweek, Dec. 27, 1982, p.
44).
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U.S. President Ronald
Reagan |
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"I have always
believed that this anointed land was set apart in an uncommon way, that a
divine plan placed this continent here between the oceans to be found by
people from every corner of the Earth who had a special love of faith and
freedom." |
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And President Harry S. Truman once said,
"I do not think that anyone can study the history of this nation of ours
without becoming convinced that divine providence has played a part in it. I
have the feeling that God has created us and brought us to our present position
of power and strength for some great purpose!"
Other national leaders have been recognized
America's special role. Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi of India said, "Today
the U.S. is the top country, with a high opinion of its global
responsibilities. There is no part of the world that does not sense American
influence. Even societies built on other ideals wish to emulate American
standards in material consumption" (Time, Nov. 1, 1976).
Mrs. Gandhi also spoke about America's sheer vastness and natural
endowment, the vitality and friendliness of its people, and
its immense achievements as a civilization.
Admittedly, America has become much greater
than Britain during this 20th century. Nonetheless, Britain was already a great
nation for centuries before America gained her independence.
Furthermore, Britain and the British-descended members of the Commonwealth
(Canada, Australia, New Zealand) are, together, much larger in geographic size
than the United States. Australia alone is nearly as large as America.
In this eye-opening brochure, we will
examine the Bible prophecies, given long ago, which clearly reveal that
the Anglo-American peoples were to become the greatest national powers on
earth.
Would the Bible Ignore the
Greatest Nations?
Stop and think for a moment. Is it
reasonable to believe God would not even mention influential nations like
America and Britain in Bible prophecy? Bible prophecy mentions all of the
mighty empires which arose in ancient times: Egypt, Assyria, Babylon,
Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome--and even smaller nations like Arabia, Cyprus,
Ethiopia, Iran, Lebanon, Libya, Malta and Spain. Would the Word of God utterly
neglect to mention the greatest empire in human history--the mighty British
Empire of modern times which dominated the world for over two centuries?
Also, one might ask, is it rational to
believe God would totally ignore mentioning in His Word the richest,
most powerful nation this earth has ever seen--the United States?
As we will see, God Almighty does not
ignore mentioning our great nations. In fact, the
Anglo-Saxon-Celtic-descended peoples are mentioned more often in the Bible than
any others. Of course, they are not referred to there by the modern names of
America and Britain. To know who they are, we must come to understand
their ancient origins. What are the ancestral roots of the peoples of
America and Britain? Why have they played such a dominant role in the affairs
of this world in modern times?
In his famous work, A History of the
English-Speaking Peoples, former British Prime Minister Sir Winston
Churchill wrote, "Vast numbers of people [Americans and Britons] on both
sides of the Atlantic and throughout the British Commonwealth of Nations have
felt a sense of brotherhood" (vol. 1, p. vii).
And Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher later
commented, "I think there was... a bit of anti-Americanism [in Britain].
But the moment you remind people that the world is not likely to be free or
safe unless we [Britons] and the U.S. stick together, and of the
fantastic generosity of the U.S. to Europe, putting it on its
feet with the Marshall Plan [following World War II], immediately they get
their things in perspective. People [in Britain] are not anti-American really. It
is really like being members of the same family" (Time, June
20, 1988).
Who ARE these people? French President
Valery Giscard d'Estaing said this of the Americans: "You have begun to
question your identity... you have ceased to believe in your destiny" (Time,
May 24, 1976). Just what is the identity and destiny of these
peoples?
Searching the Scriptures
for National Identity
The British people have traditionally
looked to the Holy Bible in an attempt to define their role in the world.
Winston Churchill, arguing against the idea that Moses and the Exodus
were merely legendary, remarked, "We may be sure that all these things
happened just as they are set out according to Holy Writ; we may believe that
they happened to people not so very different from ourselves" (Thoughts
and Adventures).
However, national identification with the
Old and New Testaments has nowhere been stronger than among the American
people. A 1982 Newsweek article, "How the Bible Made America,"
stated, "Now historians are discovering that the Bible, perhaps even
more than the Constitution, is our founding document: the source of the
[belief in]... the United States as a special, sacred nation, a people
called by God to establish a model society, a beacon to the world"
(Kenneth Woodward and David Gates, Dec. 27, p. 44).
Why would modern English-speaking peoples
base their culture on the ancient book of a Middle Eastern people? The same
article explains, "Only one other nation has ever looked to the Bible
to find a warrant for its very existence: Israel, whose early history is
actually written in it. The foundation of this [belief]... was laid by the
New England Puritans who literally 'discovered America in the Bible'" (p.
46).
Conrad Cherry, in his 1971 book, God's
New Israel: Religious Interpretations of American Destiny, states,
"They [the Puritans] believed that, like Israel of old, they had been
singled out by God to be an example for the nations (especially for
England)" (p. 27).
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Patrick Henry sees God at work! |
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1. MR. PRESIDENT, - The gentlemen who are
opposed to our resisting with arms the aggressions of Great Britain, tell us,
sir, that we are weak, unable to cope with so formidable an adversary. 2. But, sir, when shall we be stronger?
Will it be the next week, or the next year? Will it be when we are totally
disarmed, and when a British guard shall be stationed in every house? Shall
we gather strength by irresolution and inaction? 3. Shall we acquire the means of effectual
resistance by lying supinely on our backs, and hugging the delusive phantom
of hope, until our enemies shall have bound us hand and foot? 4. Sir, we are not weak, if we make a
proper use of those means which the God of nature has placed in our power.
Three millions of people, armed in the holy cause of liberty, and in such a
country as that which we possess, are invincible by any force which our enemy
can send against us. 5. Besides, sir, we shall not fight our
battles alone. There is a just God who presides over the destinies of
nations, and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us. The
battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active,
the brave. 6. Besides, sir, we have no election [no
choice]. If we were base enough to desire it, it is now too late to retire
from the contest. There is no retreat, but in submission and slavery! Our
chains are forged! Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston! The
war is inevitable; and let it come! I repeat it, sir, let it come! 7. It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the
matter. Gentlemen may cry, peace, peace; but there is no peace. The war is
actually begun! The next gale, that sweeps from the north, will bring to our
ears the clash of resounding arms! 8. Our brethren are already in the field!
Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have?
Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains
and slavery? Forbid it, Heaven! I know not what course others may take: An extract from Patrick Henry
(1736-1799)'s Speech in the Convention of the Delegates of Virginia, March,
1775, upon a resolution for organizing the Militia. |
Seeing the rise of the United States as a
replay of the story of ancient Israel became a major theme in Colonial America:
"In 1776 Benjamin Franklin proposed to the Continental Congress that the
great seal of the United States bear the image of Moses leading the Israelites
across the Red Sea. Thomas Jefferson also urged an Exodus image: he wanted the
new nation represented by an Israel led through the wilderness by the Biblical
pillar of cloud and fire" (Woodward and Gates, p. 47).
In assuming the U.S. presidency for the
second time, Jefferson employed similar imagery: "I shall need, too,
the favor of that Being in whose hands we are, who led our forefathers, as
Israel of old, from their native land and planted them in a country flowing
with all the necessities and comforts of life" (Second Inaugural
Address, Mar. 4, 1805).
In 1783, Connecticut Governor Trumbull asked
Ezra Stiles, President of Yale University, to preach the state's election
sermon. Stiles began with the Old Testament narrative of the Sinai covenant
"as introductory to a discourse upon the political welfare of God's
American Israel, and as allusively prophetic of the future prosperity and
splendor of the United States.... This America Joseph (now separated from
his brethren)... has already risen to an acknowledged sovereignty among the
republics and kingdoms of the world" ("The United States Elevated to
Glory and Honor," reprinted in God's New Israel, p. 83).
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British P.M. Margaret
Thatcher |
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"The moment you
remind people that the world is not likely to be free or safe unless we
[Britons] and the U.S. stick together...immediately they get their things in
perspective.... It is really like being members of the same family." |
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President Stiles posed this significant
question: "May we not see that WE [Americans] are the object which
the Holy Ghost had in view four thousand years ago when He inspired the
venerable Patriarch [Jacob, later renamed Israel] with the vision respecting
his posterity?" Isn't that amazing?
There is just one nation whose
biblically prophesied greatness remotely resembles what has been actually
experienced by only the English-speaking peoples. That nation is, as you might
have guessed, none other than Israel! Yet the modern state of
Israel is a far cry from the fabulously wealthy and prestigious superpower
nations that God prophesied end-time Israel to become. How can it be that the
British and American peoples seem to have inherited the blessings of national
greatness promised only to Israel? This publication will reveal the astonishing
answer!
Does It Really Matter?
Does it even matter who "Israel"
is today? Yes! The knowledge of Israel's modern identity is proof that the
Bible is true--that it is, in fact, the inspired, infallible Word of God--and
that God can be trusted completely.
Additionally, this wonderful understanding
will bring the panorama of end-time prophecy into focus, as the vast majority
of Bible prophecy revolves around "Israel" in the end time. So
knowing who Israel is today is the major key to unlocking most of
the prophecies given in God's Word. Thus, the identity question really IS
important!
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God Is Not Racist! |
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Countless millions have been tainted by attitudes of racial
prejudice. Who is the author of racial bigotry? Is there any way to rid the
earth of this curse? "Racism...
[is] a belief that... racial differences produce an inherent superiority
of a particular race...[or is defined as] racial prejudice or
discrimination" (Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 10th
ed.). Who is the real author of racial prejudice? The Bible reveals that God
Almighty is not the author of racial bigotry. Rather, Satan the
Devil is the author of hatred, murder, lies, bigotry and racism (cf. John
8:44). He wants all peoples to be divided by racial bigotry, and would
like to get all races fighting one another. Conversely, the Great God loves
all mankind and wants all men to be treated with consideration, respect and
Christian love. In 1976, Alex
Haley published his book, ROOTS: The Saga of an American Family,
giving the background of blacks in America. "ROOTS was adapted as
a multi-episode television program, which, when broadcast in 1977, became one
of the most popular shows in the history of American television.... ROOTS spurred
much interest in family trees [among blacks], and Haley created
the Kinte Foundation to store records that aid in tracing back
genealogy" ("Haley, Alex," Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1993
ed.). When ROOTS was televised, tens of millions of Americans
(black and white) viewed it with great interest. Likewise, many
white Americans also have a desire to know more about their ancient
Anglo-Saxon-Celtic roots! It is perfectly natural and normal for people of
whatever race to want to know more about their racial heritage. Even the
Apostle Paul stated, "For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of
Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin" (Rom. 11:1). Was it wrong for Paul to
want to know about his racial heritage? Didn't Jesus think it important to
preserve His own genealogy, all the way back to Adam (Matt. 1:1-14; Luke
3:23-38)? On the other hand, knowing about one's physical descent is
of much less importance than knowing about his spiritual
lineage! Individually,
God does not judge us by the color of our skin or by physical
appearances (John 7:24). "For the LORD does not see as man sees; for
man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart"
(1 Sam. 16:7). The really important thing is to know that you are a
true son or daughter of God (Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 12:13), being filled with, and
led by, God's Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:14)! Christians must always put the major
stress on our spiritual lineage directly to our Father in heaven and His Son,
Jesus Christ! The Bible nowhere
says that God's people, the Israelites, were superior. But He did choose them
to fulfill a unique role among the nations of this earth (Deut.
7:6-8)! They were divinely chosen to serve as an example for the rest of
humanity of what happens to those who obey or disobey the Creator God. As
one Jewish man painfully remarked in the aftermath of World War II, "Why
doesn't He choose someone else for a while?" The Israelites were to
be the recipients of the covenant blessings which God Almighty
promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, but they've also been severely punished
whenever they've flagrantly transgressed His covenant! No true Christian
should believe in or teach racism in any form, including "white
supremacy" or "anti-Semitism." God calls Christians out of "all
nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues" (Rev. 7:9)! The Bible teaches
that peoples of all races are "offspring of God" (Acts
17:29)--with the potential to become glorified sons and daughters in the
great FAMILY OF GOD (2 Cor. 6:17-18)! The Apostle
Peter explained God's attitude toward racism this way: "In truth I
perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation
whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him" (Acts
10:34-35). The golden verse of the Bible assures us that God sacrificed His
Son, Jesus Christ, for the benefit of all mankind: "For God so
loved the world [every single human being] that He gave His only begotten
Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting
life" (John 3:16)! Scripture
reveals that racial harmony will be achieved in the soon-coming
Kingdom of God (Zech. 8:20-23)! Real peace between the races of this
earth will only come when all races follow the "Prince of
Peace" and His law of love (Is. 9:6; 11:1-9; Rom. 13:10)! God
Almighty and His Son, Jesus Christ, are NOT racists! We must make sure
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Furthermore, just as God foretold national
"prosperity and splendor" for Israel, He also prophesied what would
happen to that nation as punishment for continued disobedience. The erosion of
its moral base and the promotion of godless values would result in
unprecedented calamity!
God addressed many prophecies of divine
punishment specifically to Israel--His direct chastisement upon them for
flagrantly disobeying His commands. For this reason, it is absolutely vital
that whomever God means by "Israel" in His Word must be made aware of
their identity--and WARNED of coming destruction!
In this regard, we are like the Prophet
Ezekiel, who was told by God, "I have made you a watchman for the house of
Israel; therefore you shall hear a word from My mouth and warn them for Me.
When I say to the wicked, 'O wicked man, you shall surely die!' and you do not
speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his
iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. Nevertheless if you warn
the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, he shall
die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul" (Ezek. 33:7-9).
We who know that God's punishment
will soon fall on the people of modern "Israel" have a duty to
warn them in brotherly love. This "watchman" responsibility
has been called the "Ezekiel Warning." You will hear that warning
sounded with greater clarity near the end of this brochure. However, in order
to convince today's "Israelites" that God's prophecies in this regard
concern them, we must first PROVE to them who they are!
But some might wonder, "What on earth
does Israel have to do with America and Britain in prophecy?" Simply this:
To understand what the Bible reveals about our Anglo-American nations, it is
vital to understand what the Bible reveals about the people of Israel.
Suffice it to
say for now that God has been working out a plan through the United States,
Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the democracies of Northwest Europe
that dovetails quite remarkably with His plan for Israel. In fact, by the time
you reach the conclusion of this brochure, you will, no doubt, marvel at what a
huge understatement that is!