LCG: Nations Rise and Fall

Handwriting on the Wall (Crespo)

Here is most of today’s commentary from Roger Meyers of the Living Church of God titled Nations rise and fall:

There was at one time a Babylonian Empire. There were Assyrian, Macedonian, Aztec, Mayan and Incan Empires. These, like the empires of Carthage and Parthia, are also history. In more recent centuries, the sun did set on the British Empire. In 1991, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics broke into fifteen countries. Human history is filled with nations and empires that once rose to prominence, flourished—and then fell. Many of these nations have ceased to exist except as archaeological sites and chapters in history books. A quick survey of history shows how many empires have been broken into pieces, divided, regrouped or renamed.

Edward Gibbon, an English historian, wrote the famous book, The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, published in six volumes from 1776 to 1789. His methodology of documenting and footnoting his researched references made his work a model for historians.

Gibbon offered his theories for why the Roman Empire fell. Other historians who followed have offered their own theories to explain the decline of Rome and other nations. Some common reasons for the decline of nations include: constant wars and heavy military spending; over-extending, fighting on too many fronts; political corruption; a divided, factious government; a failing economy; a devalued currency; unemployment due to outsourcing, unrestricted trade and cheap, foreign labor; the working class forced to rely on government subsides; a massive divide between the rich and the poor; the gradual loss of civic virtue; an increase in divorce and the breakdown of the family unit; and promiscuous sexual behavior and a decline in morals.

Some of these reasons sound eerily familiar to our modern-day nations. Indeed, many people have made uncomfortable comparisons of prior nations to our own. These people see the “handwriting on the wall,” a metaphor for impending doom right out of the pages of the Bible. They express serious concern that the Western nations—especially the United States and the other British-descended nations—are in danger of falling, much like ancient Rome.

Like the Roman Empire, the U.S. currently enjoys superior military strength, with bases all around the world. The U.S. has some of the most technologically advanced military equipment available. Ultimately, it is the only remaining superpower—for now. However, just like ancient Rome, the nation’s military budget is enormous. Like Rome, its borders are not secure, and increasing numbers of immigrants are not assimilating into American culture. Much as Rome had its “bread and circuses,” the U.S. has a budget burdened with subsidies for its citizens’ food, medical and other assistance. All of this is causing escalating financial stress. In addition, like Rome, America’s morality continues on a steep downward slide.

It is scary to think about America failing! Can we imagine how our world would change? How quickly would America’s fall cause a “domino effect” leading to the fall of other overstretched nations? Would the “good life” be gone? No more eating out at restaurants or ordering a pizza? No more professional sports and music events? Would we be able to afford groceries? Would gasoline be rationed? Would we be able to afford our mortgage or our rent? Would we face riots in our streets? What kinds of new governments would form—or would anarchy prevail?

The Almighty God in heaven determines which nations will rise and which will fall. We need to know what He says is going to happen. Read our powerful articles “Rise and Fall of Nations” and “The Handwriting Is on the Wall” for further perspective on this sobering topic, and if you have not already done so, request your free copy of our booklet, The United States and Great Britain in Prophecy.

Thousands of years ago, the Prophet Daniel was asked to interpret some handwriting that was written on a wall by only a hand that the king of the area personally witnessed (which is why he ultimately called Daniel to see it). The moral trend in that kingdom was not good according to Daniel (Daniel 5:22-23). After stating that, here is the interpretation that the prophet Daniel gave of that handwriting on the wall:

24 Then the fingers of the hand were sent from Him, and this writing was written.

25 “And this is the inscription that was written:

MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.

26 This is the interpretation of each word. Mene: God has numbered your kingdom, and finished it; 27 Tekel: You have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting; 28 Peres: Your kingdom has been divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.” (Daniel 5:24-28)

That kingdom was taken over that very night (Daniel 5:30-31).

So, let us look at the words from the wall and apply them to the United States.

Mene: Your days as being on the top of the world order are numbered.
Mene: Despite signs of your decline, instead of repenting, you seem to be taking steps to speed it up–you are soon to be finished.
Tekel: Your morality and “conscience” have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting.
Peres/Upharsin: Your nation will be divided by the final Beast, the King of the North (Daniel 11:39), and he will make your people slaves as your nation will be finished.

As I have written many times, I doubt that the USA will have national repentance, so it is on the way to destruction. A lot of what has come out of the White House during the debt ceiling talks has not been real solutions to the problems that the USA is facing. But that does not preclude individual repentance.

Turning to God is the only answer. And this is something you can do –whether you are American or not. Even a report recently from the Congressional Budget Office warned that the USA is risking a “sudden fiscal crisis” that could have devastating consequences (see CBO Warns of ‘Sudden’ Debt Crisis), and according to the Bible, the consequences will be even worse than the CBO imagined.

Nations rise and fall.

Can you see the handwriting on the wall?

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Will the Anglo-Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What about Jerusalem? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people?
Canada in Prophecy: What Does Bible Prophecy, Catholic Prophecy, and other Predictions Suggest About the Future of Canada? There are prophecies that suggest involvement with Canada. And many are not positive about its future.
Who is the King of the West? Why is there no End-Time King of the West in Bible Prophecy? Is the United States the King of the West?
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies for the Great Monarch point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States?
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, British, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first?
Prophecies of Barack Obama? Eight reasons why Barack Obama is apocalyptic and eight reasons why Barack Obama is not the Antichrist. This article includes many biblical and non-biblical prophecies, from around the world, that seem to discuss Barack Obama. Did Nostradamus predict Barack Obama dealing with the Antichrist? Might Barack Obama set the stage for the kings of the North and South as at least one Shiite prophecy suggests? This is the longest and most complete article on this page on Barack Obama prophecies. Read it and decide for yourself if President Obama seems to be fulfilling various prophecies.
Are You Saved? Do You Love Jesus? What is a True Christian? What is the Gospel? Evangelist Richard Ames answers those important questions.
Can the Great Tribulation Begin in 2011, 2012, or 2013? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Gerat Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord?
Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? When does the six thousand years of human rule end?