My Revelation

Lately I have been reading Revelation, a book that has left even the most astute Biblical scholars undecided on it's true meaning. While it's true that this book is filled with many bizarre images and mysterious prophesies, these words contain God's truth and are purposed for us, His children, to prepare us for the last days. I do not understand much of what is said here, but today I felt that God revealed part of His meaning to me.

A few days ago I read about the beasts that will arise and lead the world astray. I didn't know what to make of this (especially the great beast with the ten horns symbolizing ten kings), and my mom directed my to Daniel 7 for some clarification. This chapter is an account of a dream Daniel had about the four beasts that come from the four corners of the earth, ending with the great beast with the ten horns. I really didn't know what kingdoms most of these beasts could represent, but as I was reading I couldn't help but feel how strongly the first beast made me think of America. Here is the description of it from the Amplified version:

"The first [the Babylonian empire under Nebuchadnezzar] was like a lion and had eagles's wings. I looked till the wings of it were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand upon two feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it." - Daniel 7:4

The reason I immediately thought of the U.S. goes back to Revelation 18:2-3. "And he shouted with a mighty voice, She is fallen! Mighty Babylon is fallen! She has become a resort and a dwelling place for demons, a dungeon haunted by every loathsome spirit, an abode for every filthy and detestable bird. For all nations have drunk the wine of her passionate unchastity, and the rulers and leaders of the earth have joined with her in committing fornication (idolatry), and the businessmen of the earth have become rich with the wealth of her excessive luxury and wantonness." Could this be a description of the two towers that fell on 9/11? I am not saying that the terrorists who bombed and attacked out people were right or justified, but God does use the wrath of others to judge His people, and events in history have more far reaching significance than we realize. 

Back to Daniel... America was built on the ideal of freedom and opportunity. An eagle was chosen to symbolize our nation, and birds and flight have often represented freedom. In this verse, the feathers of the beast are plucked, yet for some reason the beast does not seem to fight it. It almost appears willing to lose it's feathers. At least, this passage doesn't give me any reason to believe otherwise. Then the beast is given the heart of a man. What could that mean? During this past election, I felt strongly that America had taken a turn. I cannot say if that turn was good or bad, but it was evident to me that the majority of Americans didn't want the old ideals anymore. We decided that rather than freedom, we would prefer tolerance and acceptance of others. Liberty in exchange for the good of the whole. Our wings, for a heart. 

I understand that I may have succumbed to miss-interpretation, and the words concerning the end-times have been viewed as possessing many different meanings throughout the ages. I believe that there will be a final day when these prophesies are fulfilled, just as the the words foretelling Jesus' birth to a virgin was a literal event that really happened. There will be a final End-of-Days, but at the same time, we are all in the last days all the time. Our individual lifespans our limited, as are the lives of those around us. We do not know how much time we have left, but we do know that there are people who have yet to know the love of our Savior. Let's not lose the urgency in spreading His message to others.