you'll find that works fine for hindsight, but not so good for future-telling prolly
I agree that there is that hermeneutic called 'futurism' that to a large extent, is simple clairvoyance. And it utterly ignores history and at times contradicts the symbolism that God has established that we may have confidence in our interpretations of prophecy. Symbolism such as 'beasts', 'horns', 'heads' etc as we read repeated in Daniel and Revelation have specific meanings...and they are consistent. They don't change or alter themselves according to circumstances. For example, the age told Daniel that the four beasts that arose from the sea are four kingdoms. In the NT why should the change o suit peoples' futuristic interpretations when they say the antichrist beast is some future individual? God established the symbols so that we would be certain in our understanding...not guessing as to who our enemies are, and who our friends. God wants us to be informed...He did not enshroud the prophecies in mystery. They can be readily understood, so long as we follow the parameters laid down in scripture and don't give them 'private interpretation'.
So back to the USA in prophecy. Yes, we can easily recognise certain things as we look into the past, in fact Jesus implied that such should be our strategy when looking at prophecy. (John 13:19). But the past also reveals the future. For example, Jeremiah asks, "Can an Ethiopian change his skin, or a leopard his spots? Then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil". (Jer. 13:23)
The beasts of Daniel 7 have particular characteristics. One of them of the four beast for example, is that it persecutes God's people. In Revelation we have a composite beast that comes up out of the sea. Part of that composite is that it looks in general like the fourth beast, thus that persecuting character remains because the leopard cannot change who it is. To confirm this we have the testimony of John in Revelation 13:15 that people will be killed because they do not submit to this beast. Now if you can accurately identify the beast, then one can reasonably affirm that that specific power will resume its persecuting practices some time in the future, even though at present time such a course of action may look unlikely. Appearances can be deceiving. And Revelation 13 is all about deception, as is the devil. So the past can be very informative of what is to come...particularly if it parallels what prophecy is telling us. Match what we can be certain of in prophecy with current events, and we have a go. The smaller details however may not be so easily discernible. One should not be too concrete in attempting to lay out detailed timelines, and specific individual players in the drama, not the means and circumstances by which various prophecies come about.
“…And then shall they see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these things come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads, for your redemption draweth nigh”. (Luke 21: 27,28.)
Jesus is here telling us that the disasters and great cataclysmic events that are coming upon the earth, which we are witnessing the beginnings of now, are pointers or signposts to an even greater event that is in itself actually good news! That despite the fact that the nations of the world will be in ‘perplexity’, which means bewilderment or baffled, and that they literally see no way out, there is hope, there is good news! And that good news friend is His second coming. Why is it good news? It is good news because the reason for His coming is to rescue as many people as possible who would take advantage of His offer of redemption, and to take them home where they belong. To remove His people from amidst the storms and crisis that ravage the planet; to finally meet face to face with those for whom He died; to release them from the pain, anguish, and sorrow that this world had been inflicting upon them throughout their lifetimes.
I am reminded of a couple of incidents we read about in the gospels. The disciples on two separate occasions were in a boat upon the sea, and a storm arose that threatened their lives on both of these occasions. On the first occasion the disciples had been sent out onto the water by Jesus to go to the other side of the lake where Jesus would meet them later. In the meantime Jesus was to disperse the crowds who had just been miraculously fed and to go and pray to His Father alone on a mountain. On the other occasion Jesus was with the disciples in the boat, and on this occasion even more so than the former, the disciples were in fear for their lives, despite the presence of their Lord.
Inside those boats was Jesus’ entire church. Those boats on both occasions were transporting God’s hope for the future salvation of mankind. Here were the foundation stones of the New Testament church, in mortal peril of storms that threatened to end the church before it had barely begun. Imagine the fear of ones such as Matthew who we would designate as a ‘pen-pusher’ or ‘townie’. Having possibly no or little experience on the sea, much less likely to be able to swim, you can believe that Matthew was a very worried little ex tax collector. If the fishermen themselves such as John Peter and Andrew were afraid, it would be rather unlikely that any of the others were offering encouraging scripture texts to bolster confidence. Yet it was in the midst of these crises that Jesus demonstrated His power to save.
It will be the same in these last days. Regardless of the intensity of the storms and tempests of whatever nature, whether climate or financial or social or even religious, Jesus is coming and His promise is that He will take us home where no more will we have to endure anything that will ever again threaten or hurt us. It is essential however that we realize that Jesus never promises that we would not have to endure storms in this life. The disciples did not avoid the storms, but it was necessary they negotiate their way through them and by faith in the Son of God come out the other side victorious in faith and hope. This is the lesson Jesus would have had them learn. For the Christian there is no promise of a life devoid of difficulty, of a life without hardship and sorrow. The promise lies in the hope and peace that comes from our confidence in God to be with us throughout. As the Lord was with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the fiery furnace, so also is he with the Christian who with faith and trust endures the trials and tribulations and storms that this life offer.
