This article will cover a range of issues which have been brewing for six to twelve months in my heart. History will judge America as an empire. That empire is coming to an end. The election of
Standing in Upstate New York in 2000, I had a conversation with the Lord which I shall never forget. The Lord asked me “How long does an empire last?” to which I asked, “Am I standing in an empire?” [it did not occur to me that I was standing in the Empire State!] Rather than answering me directly, He said, “All empires come to an end”. I pondered this for a moment. What empire? Was this country coming to an end? Then He asked a third question: “How do people position themselves as an empire nears its eventual end?” The implications of his line of thought were clear. America had become an empire, had influenced the world, but was now nearing the end of her reign as a sovereign super power. God wanted his people to know, their day in the sun is ending; the sunset is coming. He wanted them to make preparations and adjustments.
What is an Empire?
An empire is a group of peoples (or nation) ruled by powerful sovereigns, whose government dominates a significant portion of the world’s inhabitants, whose borders encroach upon a large portion of the world’s land mass for an extended, unbroken period of time. Less specifically, an empire’s culture, religious inclination and form of government are forcibly, or indirectly brought to bear upon those regions under its influence.
The concept of an American Empire was first popularized in the aftermath of the Spanish-American War of 1898 (during which it took control of the Philippines and other Pacific island nations). America rates as an empire not only because of her global sovereignty but because of her super power status.
She is actually the world’s first “hyper power”. Hubert Vedrine, the French Foreign Minister stated in July 2003 that, “The United States of America today predominates on the economic, monetary, technological and in the cultural arena … in terms of power and influence it is not comparable to anything known in modern history … in short the US is a hyper puissance [hyper power]”. (1) Here is how
This frame of reference, the mind set is easily seen in numerous speeches by US leaders.
The State Department established the Office for Democracy and Global Affairs in 2001. The most interesting Bureau within that Office is Democracy, Human Rights and Labour (established in 2005).
In 1999, as I prepared to travel to the US on ministry, the Lord gave me a very unusual prophetic word. He said that, “In the days of Babylon, when her walls stood wide and her leaders stood tall, her defences were strong and her campaigns victorious,
The phrase “in the same way” indicates that America’s walls are wide, her leaders stand tall, her defences are strong, her campaigns until now have been victorious. But a man like
I believe that God’s “
He represents the end of empire America as we know it, and the opening of a new regime, one which, like
Chinese communist armies may well stand ready to invade the US, but she is extremely well guarded. Muslim extremists are surely planning further self-destructive attacks on US soil, but she is well prepared. It is certain that European economies seek to outflank the US, but given the present economic collapse, their hopes fall with the US.
There remains one great enemy the US has no protection against at all: themselves. It is to ourselves we must look. The society we have created, the environment we have destroyed, the economy we have overtaxed, the people we have abandoned, the poor we have ignored, the sin we have run toward, the morals we have abandoned. These things must change.
- Arrogance and greed are their own poison.
-
- Moral corruption is its own debilitating cancer.
America is in the cycle
In a substantial review of empires, Salem Kirban concluded that “world dominating civilizations progress through the following fairly well defined sequence of stages” (7):
- Bondage;
- Spiritual faith/ revival;
- Courage/ war;
- Liberty for the people;
- Prosperity/ abundance/ wealth;
- Complacency/ apathy;
- Dependency/ debt;
- Moral corruption/ addiction;
- Bondage.
It does not take an historian or a scholar to see that America has traversed her way through this very cycle of life, and finds herself in the dependency/debt and moral corruption/ addiction stages. National debt stands at 10,639,613,228,421 today (that’s ten point six trillion and rising). It is the most indebted nation on earth. Debt stands at 70% of GDP. And to whom is that money owed? The US government itself owns about 43% of it. The next largest holder is the US Federal Reserve, and after that: Japan, China, Britain and Oil countries of the Middle East (who together hold 29%, which is more than private sector Americans). About 66% of the debt owned by foreign nations is held by banks of other countries, in particular the central banks of Japan and China. (8)
Recall the prophetic words about the end of an empire, preparing for the days to come, and the appearance of an
This risk was addressed in a recent report issued by the Bank of International Settlements which stated, “Foreign investors in U.S. dollar assets have seen big losses measured in dollars, and still bigger ones measured in their own currency. While unlikely … a sudden rush for the exits cannot be ruled out completely.” (9). One economic analyst, Nouriel Roubini keenly observes, “The US has squandered its uni-polar moment, the decline of the American Empire – as the US was a global empire – has started … We are indeed slowly moving towards a multi-polar world where there will be a balance of Great Powers rather than the hegemony of a single hyperpower.” (10)
Change of government, but no change of heart
There will be a change of president in the White House in January, 2009. The US president is moving from Republican to Democrat, but that does nothing to change the heart of the nation. The rise of a Black leader does nothing to address the moral malady she is in. Obama is not the nation’s savior. The nation is already deep in the throes of a national depression which will last between 2-10 years, it is the most indebted nation in history, and no man can rescue such a situation.
If Kirban is right, and if this word is true, the nation will bring herself undone. She will decay, and implode – and then bondage must come. As Irish philosopher
God calls
References:
1) Vedrine,
2)
3) The National Security Strategy of the United States of America, Washington September 2002 (NSS), Preface by Gege W. Bush, p. 1.
4) Bookman,
5) www.state.gov/g/drl/
6) news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/us_elections_2008/7710079.stm
7) Kirban, Salem. “World Powers”, Christianity Today, 1968.
8) www.optimist123.com/optimist/2007/08/an-800-billion-.html
9) www.forbes.com “BIS says global downturn could be 'deeper and more protracted' than expected.”
10) www.rgemonitor.com “The Decline of the American Empire.”
11)
The New Empire Coming Upon Us
A word for USA - April 1999
The following update was received during a three day retreat to Bethungra State Reserve NSW Australia, April 25-27 1999. And further updated during a trip to Canberra on August 14 1999. Following is an account of the prophecy. My own observations have been placed in square brackets.
USA general
"In the days of Babylon, when her walls stood wide and her leaders stood tall, her defences were strong and her campaigns victorious, Alexander the Great came to defeat her. In the same way, my Alexander will stand in the very midst of the United States of America".
[NOTE: Alexander the Great was the only military commander to actually breach the gates of Babylon. The invasion most noted by Christians is that of Gyrus and Darius the Mede. Later in history, after Babylon had declined somewhat, Alexander breached the gates and stood in the midst of the courtyard declaring himself king. He spent considerable time and effort trying to restore Babylon to its former glory.]
Specific Words
Oregon State
In a vision I was standing on one side of a river, I looked over and felt as though I was looking into Portland. I saw massive trees - miles of temperate forest. The Lord said, "These are likened unto the trees of the Trans- Euphrates, the kings forest used by Nehemiah to rebuild the gates and temple in Jerusalem" (Neh 2:8). I also saw the river in flood with mud and massive trees smashing into bridges [perhaps indicating the results of an eruption upstream].
Portland, OR
"There was a healthy revival many years ago, but the seeds of old glory have faded. The past manna has withered and she is left undone. "Destruction" is slated for parts of her. I saw a vision of wild horses running very fast through the city. [The healthy revival probably refers to the work of healing evangelists in the past]. He also said, "The land is a seed bed for revival - many shall go out from there".
Washington State
I saw Mt Rainer and Mt St Helens together and the Lord said, “These mountains speak to the people”. [In researching them I realized they are part of the cascade Mountain range and they are both volcanoes. One of them is termed 'silent' and the other 'active' and as we know St Helen's blew it's top in 1980]. As we flew into the area I heard the distinct sound of explosion. [I believe on of the mountains of the cascades will erupt, but not as the seismologists predict].
Seattle, WA
"The seat closest to Vancouver is cold and snowing. She is like a satellite, disconnected, orbiting yet pivotal to communications. Seattle shall remain a point of connection for my people." I saw a vision of hills of light poking through valleys of darkness. A very great darkness covered the land like a shroud but there were high points of victory. "Then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday" (Isa 58:10).
Olympia, WA
There are five high places in the city, on one is a church whose doors are about to close. She has taken head wounds. Yes indeed there is a lot of witchcraft activity in the area and new stores opening, but Daniel 4:9 is true if you will receive it.
Centralia, WA [including Lewis County]
"Here is a city of pride, a place that thinks she is the middle of everything yet she is not." I looked and saw good foundations, men who came in the name of Christ. [The founder, G. Washington was the son of a slave and a good Christian - Baptist]. The original newspaper heralded the truth for a season. I saw men without moustaches. "But showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments" (Exod 20:6). Let the contentions cease between the cities.
Naselle [and five towns], WA
The place across the river [Columbia] - Ezekiel 47 is relevant for you. There shall be in this region both places of salt (marshes) and places of freshness (river); places of harvest and places of judgement. Even as the fresh water from the throne of God touches the water in the dead sea - Naselle has been a place of barrenness. The Lord will come and touch you, and you shall team with life.
September 1999. Robert Holmes, Storm Harvest
Word for Washington, 1999
Robert stated that "I saw Mt Rainer and Mt St Helens together and the Lord said, "These mountains speak to the people". [In researching them I realized they are part of the cascade Mountain range and they are both volcanoes. One of them is termed 'silent' and the other 'active' and as we know St Helen's blew it's top in 1980]. As we flew into the area I heard the distinct sound of explosion. [I believe one of the mountains of the cascades will erupt,
but not as the seismologists predict].
During the first week of October, 2004 Mt. St. Helens erupted again. It rumbled all week. In Washington State TV news, a seismologist spoke of scientific sensors on Mt. Rainier reacting to Mt. St. Helens earthquakes. "In some unknown way, the mountains are talking to each other. They are reacting to one another, as though they are connected deep beneath the earth".
This is an update to an earlier word.
September 1999. Robert Holmes, Storm Harvest
