Independence Day

On July 4, 1776, we claimed our independence from Britain and Democracy was born. Every day many leave their homeland to come to the "land of the free and the home of the brave" so they can begin their American Dream. The United States is truly a diverse nation made up of dynamic people. Each year on the Fourth of July, Americans celebrate that freedom and independence with barbecues, picnics, and family gatherings. Many display the flag and "God Bless America" signs appear.

As Christians how should we view the words "God Bless America"? Certainly we wouldn’t think it’s the proper Christian spirit to say, "God Bless me and my country; never mind you and yours." Jesus taught his disciples to pray, "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven." Those words are not based on nationality. They’re not exclusionary of any people.

When Apostle John wrote the familiar verse in John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son," he was not speaking of a limited group who were to be blessed. God, who "so loved the world," did not give his Son to sacrifice his life for just a few while losing the blinded majority to eternal death.

John later wrote in 1 John Chapter 2, speaking of the church class, "we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for our’s only, but also for the sins of the whole world." So God’s plan has always been to bless the whole world, not just America.

God intends to bless the whole world, but looking at all the countries in the world, this present time is really a time of trouble. And we’ve certainly seen that the past century has been the most violent in history.

In Isaiah the 18^th chapter, there are some interesting scriptures that seem to refer to God’s protection over North America. Isaiah 18:1 (Young‘s Literal Translation), “Ho, land shadowed with wings, that is beyond the rivers of Cush [Ethiopia].” The reference to the land being in the deep shadow of wings would indicate that it is a sheltered land, under divine care and providence.

This land is also described as “beyond the rivers of Ethiopia.” In ancient times, little was known of the world’s size -- and Ethiopia was spoken of as “the ends of the earth.” Certainly, in Bible times America was still unknown to the Israelites, and so it is figuratively spoken of as being at the ends of the earth. And, of course, literally America is located beyond Ethiopia.

This favored land was unknown to civilization, kept hidden, until the due time -- until it was needed as a home, an outlet, for the overcrowded masses of Europe. And this land was opened at a time during the Reformation movement when the study of the Bible was being made available to the common man in European society.

For the most part, it was the common man who did the thinking and the protesting and, in turn, endured suffering under the persecutions that resulted. These were the ones who needed a place of refuge and who found one in this land that was shadowed, or cared for, by the wings of Divine providence.

And so it was that Britain’s American colonies became a refuge from religious persecution as well as from social and financial oppression. And when the United States was established, its founders incorporated basic rights into its political framework allowing for religious liberty, which included free and open Bible study.

Isaiah’s prophecy also explains why America was providentially blessed and used of God. It says that this land shadowing with wings “sendeth ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of bulrushes, upon the waters.” A more accurate translation of the phrase “vessels of bulrushes” is “vessels of papyrus.” Papyrus is what paper was made from, so this would suggest that printed material would be sent out from this special land -- books and tracts bearing God’s message.

And Isaiah then explains to whom it would be sent. Verse 2 states, “Go, ye, swift messengers to a nation scattered and peeled, to a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden down, whose land the rivers have spoiled.” The New American Standard and the Revised Version translate the phrase “nation scattered and peeled” as a “nation tall and smooth.” This verse is not referring to a specific nation at all. Instead, it is referring to the true Christian church.

1 Peter 2:9 states, “Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation.” This holy nation, the church class, have been trodden down with difficult experiences, measured out by the Lord for their spiritual growth. The Church of Christ is gathered from all over the world ¾ from “every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people” Rev. 14:6.

So the prophecy is describing what has been happening over a hundred years. The vessels of papyrus ¾ the printed material proclaiming God’s plan ¾ are swift messengers, sending the messages of harvesting Truths out from the United States to all the continents of the earth in order to gather the true Christians scattered here and there all over the world. So we see that the providential care over the United States has been for the purpose of
gathering the true church from America and all nations.^"

The question then arises, what plan does God have for wiping away sorrow and tears and really blessing people? And how will this be done? The Apostle Paul tells us how God will bless all nations in Romans the 8^th chapter. Verse 22 describes what is happening now. It says, “For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.”

But verse 19 tells us how this travail and sorrow of the world will be solved. It says, “For the earnest expectation of the creation waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.” The world, unknowingly, is waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God, or the completion of the church class.

And once this church class is complete, then verse 21 tells us that “the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God,” when Christ with his church will begin the blessing of all the families of earth. And looking forward to that time, even now we should raise our hearts to heaven, praying not just for God to bless America, but God Bless all People! It will truly be Independence Day for all People!

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Last modified: 04/04/07