Today, The Bible & You

Today’s Front Page

The Nation’s Christian Newspaper

June 2022

Where is AMERICA in End-Times Prophecy?

Understanding the meaning of Symbols and Types in Scripture reveals the amazing truth regarding America and its future role in world events.

 America, the greatest country the world has ever known, is described in key end-time Bible prophecy.  It makes sense that the most powerful and influential nation on earth will play a vital role in the final stunning events of the world’s closing history.

 The USA was present in biblical prophecies all along.  Why weren’t they found?  God’s grace has sent me to share His precious message to more than sixty countries in the world.  In Russia, Asia, and Arab nations especially, they erroneously believe that Christianity is a Western Religion that began in Europe.  They were all amazed to discover that Biblical Christianity is Oriental (Eastern) — not Occidental (Western).  All the writers of the Old and New Testaments were Semites — descendants of Shem, one of the three sons of Noah.  Because the Bible is a spiritual book, it cannot be understood unless the Spirit of the Living God reveals it to them. This is why it is written in:

1st Corinthians 2:14, “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” 

 Orientals are known for their lack of direct speech.  They convey what they want to say through parables, symbols, figures of speech, and the like.  Our Lord Jesus was born of a Semitic mother named Mary and parables were used by him.  It is written in Matthew 13:1-3.

 “The same day went Jesus out of the house and sat by the seaside.  And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.  And he spoke many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow.”

 The interesting thing about the Sermon on the Mount as it is familiarity know, is that “the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?”  To which our Lord answered in Matthew 13:11, “Because it is given unto you (the disciples) to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.”

 Moreover, some end-time prophecies were to be sealed until the time of the end.  This is what God clearly instructed the prophet Daniel. It is written in Daniel 12:8-9, “And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?  And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the end.” 

When considering Daniel 7:5, one really does tend to see Russia in the symbolism.

 Daniel 7:5 “And behold another beast, a second, like a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.”

 “It raised up itself on one side” indicates the dominance the western half of Russia has regarding its immense geographical size, not to mention Russia’s influence upon Europe and the Middle East to its west and south.

 “It had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it” seems to describe a cooperative and/ or influence between Russia and three other countries, obviously with Russia dominating the agenda and manipulating the other three actors.

 God also uses Images and Symbols to make the future known — and recent events have clearly shown us that we are indeed at the time of the end of the church age when a huge change will soon occur. The Rapture of the born-again believers in Christ Jesus will be taken away, and the long-predicted leader of the world will appear on the scene for seven years.

 Many students of Scripture are familiar with the prophecy in Ezekiel 38-39 that tells us about the coming Russian invasion of Israel, along with Iran, Turkey, and others listed in Ezekiel 38. But does God have another item on the agenda for this Bear from the North?  Absolutely yes!

Let’s take a look at The Bear in Daniel who Represents Russia

 The bear in Daniel 7:5 is the second of the Four Beasts described in this chapter, (Daniel 7:2-8) “Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea.  And four great beast came up from the sea, diverse one from another. The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings:  I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made to stand upon the feet as a man, and a man’s heart was given to it.  And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it; and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.  After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it. After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it:  and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.”

 When we consider the lion with the eagle’s wings, this should come as no surprise that these beasts seem to be easily recognizable as England (British Empire) and the United States.

The Barbary Lion has been the national symbol of England since at least the Middle Ages.

 The Bald Eagle has been the national symbol of the United States since 1782, six years after the Declaration of Independence was signed.

 What’s amazing about this vision is the order. The lion is mentioned first “and had eagle’s wings.”  This confirms history as the United States was British Empire.  One can almost see the wings sprouting from the lion.

 The second beast, this bear has in his mouth three ribs, and is with another beast like a leopard, with four wings of a fowl and the beast had four heads and dominion was given to it. This same image is given in Revelation 13:2-3, “And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.  And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.”

 What’s very intriguing about the symbol of the bear for Russia is that it really isn’t their official national symbol — interestingly enough, the two-headed eagle is.  The symbol of the bear for Russia seems to have been given to them by the Western world. The bear was even considered as Russia’s national symbol as, accordingly to Wikipedia, the proposers of the idea noted, “Russia is anyway identified in the world with the Bear.” 

 Whether or not the bear is a symbol given to Russia on her own accord or given to her by other nations would seem to be irrelevant.  The fact is, to the world, the symbol of the bear has been bestowed upon the nation of Russia, with or without her consent.

 Amazingly, the sculpture of this same image here in Revelation 13, was on display in front of the United Nations Building last year (2021) saying that it was the Guardian for International Peace and Security.  They are accurately describing what the Bible is saying to us.

 The body of the leopard in Revelation 13 represents Germany, with the feet of the bear representing the former old Soviet Eastern bloc nations and the mouth of a lion representing Great Britain.  Germany has been manufacturing Leopard battle tanks since 1965.  The eagles’ wings represent the United States.  The sculpture represents the current state of the NATO beast led by the United States. This NATO beast will suddenly have its eagle wings plucked off (we believe by the Bear).

 Some students of prophecy believe that the bear and the rider on the RED Horse in Revelation 6:4 are one and the same, “And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.”

 The bear is the national symbol of the Russian Federation and fiery red is the traditional national color of Russia.  Some believe the rider on the Red Horse (Russia) will kill the rider on the White Horse (which some believe refers to America who is somewhat of a peacekeeper in the world).  The great sword would represent Russia’s national nuclear arsenal.

 Many students of the Word of God believe that mystery Babylon in Revelation 18 represents the United States. As the prophet was told in Daniel 12:9 to, “. . .  Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.“

 This is precisely what we are witnessing unravel before our very eyes.  We are seeing what some believe is the imminent destruction of Mystery Babylon, which many believe refers to the United States.  An attempt was made back on September 11, 2001, to destroy a major symbol of America.

 On Tuesday, September 11, 2001, suicide attackers seized US passenger jets and crashed them into two New York skyscrapers, killing thousands of people.  The attack remains one of the most traumatic events of  the century, not only for Americans but also for the world.

 Four planes flying over the eastern US were seized simultaneously by small teams of hijackers.  They were then used as giant, guided missiles to crash into landmark buildings in New York and Washington.  Two planes struck the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York. 

 A third plane destroyed the western face of the Pentagon — the giant headquarters of the US military just outside the nation’s capital, Washington, DC.  The fourth plane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania at 10:03 a.m. After passengers fought back it is thought the hijackers had meant to attack the Capitol Building in Washington DC.

 But God tells us in the Book of Revelation that the future demise of Mystery Babylon will only take ONE HOUR.  Mystery Babylon will FALL IN ONE HOUR. This could have never been fulfilled before, but as we will see, IT CAN BE FULFILED NOW. 

 The ONE HOUR FULFILLMENT is given to us by God in Revelation 18:1-19, “And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.  And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.  For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed through the abundance of her delicacies….  For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.  Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double…  Therefore, shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.  And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning, standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city!  For in one hour is thy judgment come.  And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buys their merchandise any more…  And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all.  The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing.  And saying, Alas, alas that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!  For in one hour so great riches is come to naught.  And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off.  And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!  And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping, and wailing, saying Alas, alas that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.”

 What is it that could cause such destruction IN ONE HOUR that is written of in verses 10, 17 and 19?  RUSSIA! 

 Russia was the first nation to develop the HYPERSONIC MISSILE.  Why the fear and hype about hypersonic missiles?  First, it’s important to understand the term.

 What military powers — including Russia, China, the United States and North Korea — are working on now is a hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV).  An HGV is a highly maneuverable payload that can theoretically fly at hypersonic speed while adjusting course and altitude to fly under radar detection and around missile defenses.

 An HGV is the weapon that’s almost impossible to stop.  And Russia is thought to have an HGV in its arsenal, the Avangard system, which Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2018 called “practically invulnerable” to Western air defenses.

 A Russian Air Force MiG-31K jet carries a high-precision hypersonic aero-ballistic missile Kh-47M2 during the Victory Day military parade in Moscow, Russia on May 9, 2018.

 “The MiG-31K can strike from unpredictable directions and could avoid interception attempts altogether. The flying carrier vehicle might also be more survivable than the road-mobile Iskander system,” the report said.

 We are witnessing things that were predicted thousands of years ago. And God alerts us in Scripture about what we should do when we do see these things come to pass.   It is written in Luke 21:28, “And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.”

 The Russian Bear is being backed into a corner by the hand of God Himself.  Russia has been as Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar were.

What specific roles will Russia play in the near future?

 1.) Look for one strategic ally of Russia to be the first domino to fall, Syria.  Israel will fulfill this prophecy regarding Syria that is found in Isaiah 17:1, “The burden of Damascus.  Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.” Damascus and Calcutta both claim to be the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. I have been blessed by my Creator to have visited both [Note: The Author of this original article in Today’s Front Page is Mr. John Barela.]

2.) With the fall of Syria, (which is not mentioned as one of the leagues of nations joined with Russia on its invasion of Israel in Ezekiel 38) — the Russian invasion of Israel will be the very next domino to fall.

3.) Just prior to its terrible defeat on this invasion of Israel, the Russian Bear will fulfill its role regarding Mystery Babylon in Revelation.

 All of this could find its fulfillment within the next year.  All of the right conditions are before us at this moment. 

 Somewhere along all of this, our Lord Jesus will fulfill another great promise to His followers given to us in John 14:2-3, “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you.  I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”

 This is the Rapture when our Lord Jesus will return in the clouds and take all of the born-again believers to the place our Lord Jesus has been preparing for us.

 All of this will create the perfect condition for the world to be offered peace.  This is when the head of NATO (Antichrist) will offer a special peace treaty and Israel will accept.

Daniel 9:27, “And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.”  A “week” here refers to a seven-year period of time.  In the “midst of the week” refers to the Antichrist entering the new Temple in Israel after the first three and one-half years of the tribulation and declaring that he is God. 

 This 7-year Peace treaty that will be signed will begin the much talked about Great Tribulation when all the world will be forced to take the mark of the beast.  After one-half of the world’s population is destroyed during these seven-years, the Lord Jesus will return to earth to destroy the enemies of God and establish His one-thousand-year kingdom on earth.

Revelation 19:11-21: “And I saw heaven opened and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth Judge and make war.  His eyes as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written that no man knew, but he himself.  And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.  And the armies which were in heaven followed him in upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it should smite the nations: and he shall rule the with a rod of Iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.  And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written. KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. . . And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.  And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that worshipped his image.  These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.  And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.”

  Our Lord Jesus will rule the world from the city of Jerusalem and all the world will worship Him.  NO more wars, guns, or weapons of any kind.  No more cancer, hospitals or major diseases and people will live in their physical bodies to the ripe old age of 1,000 plus.  No more religious divisions as the entire world will worship the Lord Jesus Christ.

 According to the prophesied signs, many of these things could be fulfilled within a YEAR — with the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus WITHIN TEN YEARS!  Look up and lift up your heads for your redemption draweth nigh.

Printed with permission of Today, The Bible & You located at P.O. Box 1722, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma 74013, Phone No. (918) 279-1136.  The name of the original article in the June 2022 issue of Today’s Front Page was “Where is AMERICA in End-Times Prophecy? www.JohnBarela.com