Maybe That’s Why We Disappear: A Warning to American Christians About Revelation, Iran, and the Cost of Playing God

6/21/25 | EBH

[EBH]

I’m Not a Theologian—Just a Believer Paying Attention I don’t have a seminary degree. I haven’t written commentaries or preached from pulpits. I’m just a believer who’s been walking with the Lord long enough to know when He starts pressing something heavy on the heart. And for years now, I’ve sat with a question that many American Christians ask: Where is the United States in the book of Revelation?

It’s not there—not directly. Not clearly. Not as a central player. And the follow-up question almost always comes: Then what happens to us? How do we go from being the most powerful nation in the world to being silent at the end?

My answer has always been some version of: we become small. That our role diminishes. That maybe we collapse morally, or fade economically, or get overtaken by some global power structure. But in this current moment—with tensions rising between Israel, Iran, and American leadership—something new is pressing on me.

What if we’re not removed because we declined… but because we detonated? What if we vanish not by weakness, but by willful self-destruction—by inserting ourselves into a war we weren’t meant to fight, with weapons we weren’t meant to use, on behalf of a nation we were never told to carry?

A Two-Week Window—and the Sand Is Already Shifting President Trump, by his own admission, has been given all the scenarios. Every option. Every consequence. Every line that could be crossed. And now he says he’s set a two-week window—one final deadline for Iran to respond. The clock is ticking.

But this moment isn’t new. Prime Minister Netanyahu has been warning about Iran’s nuclear ambitions since the 1990s. And yet somehow, in all those years, we have never stood closer to the edge of turning sand into glass than we do right now. The rhetoric is sharper. The alliances are tighter. The egos are bigger. And the stakes… they are unspeakably high.

I have never felt so concerned in all my years of watching prophecy and politics collide. Something in my spirit grieves—because I believe with everything in me that if Trump pulls that trigger, if we unleash what we’ve only ever threatened before, it may well be the moment that answers the age-old question: What happens to the United States?

We won’t need an external enemy to take us out. We will have done it to ourselves—by stepping into a role we were never meant to fill, by believing we could fight God's battles with man's bombs, and by mistaking Israel’s current leadership for Israel’s eternal covenant.

I have started questioning what it really means to bless Israel—God’s Holy Chosen people. One verse, Genesis 12:3, is chanted so often in American evangelical circles that many have come to believe it means one thing: unconditional support for the modern state of Israel.

But I no longer believe that’s what blessing Israel means today. Why? Because when I look back at the biblical record, a pattern emerges. When God sends Israel into battle and they place their faith in Him, they prevail. When they turn to other nations for help, they lose. And not just the war—they lose God’s favor. They lose their way. They lose the very thing they were trying to protect.

Example 1: King Asa of Judah In 2 Chronicles 16, King Asa relied on an alliance with Ben-Hadad of Syria instead of trusting God to defend Judah from Israel. The prophet Hanani rebukes him:

“Because you relied on the king of Syria and did not rely on the Lord your God, the army of the king of Syria has escaped you… You have done foolishly in this, for from now on you will have wars.” What seemed like a smart alliance brought long-term instability. He trusted man over God—and paid for it.

Example 2: King Ahaz of Judah In Isaiah 7, Ahaz faced invasion and refused to ask God for a sign, instead appealing to Assyria for protection. This backfired terribly:

“The king of Assyria came against him and distressed him instead of strengthening him” (2 Chronicles 28:20). Ahaz’s lack of faith didn’t just bring defeat—it introduced idolatry and judgment into Judah.

Example 3: Egypt—The Constant Mistake Over and over again, Israel is warned not to go down to Egypt for help. In Isaiah 31:1, God declares:

“Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and rely on horses… but do not look to the Holy One of Israel.” Egypt represented strength without righteousness. And every time Israel sought security there, it cost them spiritually and politically.

These examples remind me that “blessing” Israel may not mean doing whatever her leaders ask. It may mean calling her back to trust in God alone—even when her enemies close in. Especially then.

The Real Reason Jerusalem Is Trampled “But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months.” —Revelation 11:2

We don’t like to sit with that verse. It doesn’t fit the triumphant narrative many American Christians have grown up believing. But it’s there. Clear and jarring. For 42 months—three and a half years—the holy city is trampled by Gentiles. And where are we—the so-called defenders of Israel, the self-appointed guardians of prophecy? We’re not there. We’re not mentioned. We do not come.

Let’s pause here. Just for a moment. Breathe. Pray. Ask the Lord to give us wisdom, and to remove the scales from our eyes.

What is really happening today? What’s unfolding behind the speeches, the soundbites, and the strongman threats?

President Trump has been handed every scenario. He claims he’s given Iran a two-week window to respond. But this isn't the 1990s anymore. Netanyahu’s warnings have reached a crescendo. The world has never been closer to “turning sand into glass.”

I write these words with hands trembling, heart heavy, and mind swirling—not with hysteria, but with holy concern. Because if we do this… if America makes that choice to bomb Iran, to fight Israel’s war in the name of blessing her, to play the role only God is meant to play… It may be the moment that removes us from the stage entirely.

Not because we weren’t strong. Not because we weren’t willing. But because we forgot our role: to be witnesses and watchers, not architects of Armageddon.

So What Does It Really Mean to Bless Israel? We’ve misunderstood it. Twisted it. Weaponized it. We’ve wrapped Genesis 12:3 around policy, around foreign aid, around bombs and alliances and political endorsements. But let’s return to what Scripture actually shows us.

To bless Israel is not to arm her. It is not to cheer her leaders without question. It is not to confuse her current politics with her eternal promise.

To bless Israel is to honor her covenant—even when her leaders forget it. It is to pray for her peace, to speak truth when she strays, to remember that her salvation does not come by iron dome or foreign deal, but by the faithfulness of the God who chose her.

The United States is not God's hammer or hand. We are not the keepers of prophecy. We have enjoyed God’s blessing, yes—but we are not His covenant people. That belongs to another—a people who, like all of us, wrestle with unbelief, pride, fear, and failure. And yet, still, God calls them His.

We are not asked to fight their battles. We are asked to remember who fights for them. And to recognize when our own ambitions blind us to the difference.

Blessing Israel today means weeping when she forgets her God. It means refusing to cheer when she trades faith for foreign favor. It means falling to our knees, not rising to our feet in war cries. It means praying that her leaders would return to trust—not in men, not in America, not in Trump, but in the One who has never forgotten her name.

And it means asking ourselves, as Americans, a question we’ve long avoided: If we disappear from Revelation, could it be because we stepped into a battle that wasn’t ours to fight?

[EBH]

Witnesses, Not Warriors If we are to bless Israel in these final days, we must do it with spiritual clarity, not political zeal.

We are not called to fight her wars. We are called to watch, warn, and witness. To pray, not provoke. To trust in God's unfolding, not Trump’s timing.

So maybe this is it. Maybe this moment—this decision—is what removes us from Revelation. Not a fall from power, but a failure of purpose. Not because we turned our back on Israel, but because we tried to become her savior.

That role was never ours. It still isn’t.

[MagillaX]

It would be awful if President Trumps presidency turned into a Bush II presidency

[ifinnegan]

“ To trust in God’s unfolding, not Trump’s timing.”

What a weird false dichotomy.

This seems more political than anything, belying your entire ostensible argument.

You’re doing what you’re supposedly speaking out against.

[ViLaLuz]

America has been in moral collapse for a while now. So many don’t know right from wrong. No nation can ever be great while sanctioning evil and promoting it around the world. The first step for any nation is to align with God and His Truth.

2 Chronicles 7:14 “if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

That goes for Israel and America, too.

[odawg]

I say this as gently as I can; complete nonsense.

[EBH]

True:This seems more political than anything, belying your entire ostensible argument.

but no it doesn’t harm the observation, because it isn’t an argument. It is an understanding that Israel is called time and again to depend on the Lord, not foreign help.

and it challenges the conventional wisdom of ‘blessing Israel’ and what exactly does the Biblically mean for us to do?

[Hot Rod Garage]

If I am not mistaken there are more Jewish people in the US than in Israel. Could it be that the US is considered part of Israel? Yes the US is in a moral descent, however there are still many believers and people that are morally strong. We can’t second guess God.

[Arlis]

Is today’s nation Israel the Israel of the Bible?

I doubt it.

It is not the Jewish people - it is a secular democracy, almost half non-Jews. And most Jews in Israel are atheists.

If true, does this not change everything re: biblical prophecy?

[panzerkamphwageneinz]

It’s coherent

It’s not - nonsense- engage with wisdom not childish insults-state your rebuttal with logic and not insults- we’re listening.

[UnwashedPeasant]

We are not fighting Israel’s war. Israel is fighting our war.

Iran has been at war against the U.S. since 1979 and has killed hundreds of Americans with impunity. If Iran is allowed to get nukes, they will use them on us the first chance they get. Iran does not need any provocation to do this; they are already committed to do this.

There is suddenly what appears to be a huge increase in the Candice Owens wing of the Republican Party twisting logic to turn against Israel — even if it means supporting Iran. It may be driven by opinion bots flooding the internet, or it could be real and spiritual.

[TurkeyLurkey]

This conflict between Iran and Israel and our (and Russia’s, China’s, etc.)involvement has brought me to consider these same things. 2 Chronicles 7:14, in context is referring to Israel. And many of Israel will repent during that last 3 1/2 years described in Revelation.

But the thing that bothers me most is that our country, our leaders and many of the people have not turned from their wicked ways, and are on the way to judgment—according to God’s Word: For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life, John 3:16

Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ do not live in sin; they live in the power of the Holy Spirit, put within them when they believed in Him. And when they sin, they are to repent and in their heart and deed.

Believers should pray for Israel and their country and the world, that people would realize they’re headed toward death, and that God has provided deliverance from sin and death.

John 6:36, “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey (Or, believe) the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

God’s will - will be done.

[Lake Living]

I’m much more worried about China. If we can’t help Israel, one, if not our best ally, then who will be there for us when it happens? If we are too afraid to act now, after Israel has done most of the work, when would we act? We’re not putting boots on the ground or pushing for regime change. We’re helping a friend who, unlike us, lives in the real world and by her actions are helping to save herself and us. If America goes down it won’t be because of our help. It will be because we have become like other western nations. We no longer honor God in our laws and individual actions and thoughts. Our successes have made us weak and arrogant. Half of us hate the God of the Bible and anyone who reminds us of him. Look how many of our country men supported Joe Biden - that should tell you all you need to know about our decline. Trans Day of Visibility celebrated on Easter. Need I say more?

[TurkeyLurkey]

Re: comment #11; John 6:36 should be 3:36

[Racketeer]

All leaders say things. Are they holding a strong hand or bluffing? In less than two weeks Israel may have accomplished what is needed. When hearing about the 2 week period, I noticed it aligned with our July 4th.

Regardless, the USA needs to leave the UN and NATO while Israel wreaks havoc in Iran and destroys Khamenei and his lineage.

Iranians want and need freedom. Don’t we all?

[Tell It Right]

My take on eschatology in general.

I think we have too much western bias for interpreting things like which old national power fulfilled that prophecy and which new national power will fulfill this prophecy. As an example, look at how rarely you hear someone saying that the Ottoman Empire might be the feet portion of the Daniel 2 statue. I'm not saying the OE definitely is the feet, but the OE is at least worth considering as a legitimate candidate. (With perhaps Greece and Rome together being the legs portion, much like we say that Medes/Persia is the breast portion.)

With that in mind, another theory I have is that much of the eschatology is regional, not global. For example, when Revelation 13:3 says that the entire world followed after the beast, the word "world" in some English translations comes from the Greek word ghay, which means either the entire planet, or region, or just dry land (as opposed to the sea). So it may be that the description later in that chapter of people in all the "world" not being able to buy or sell unless they have the mark of the beast, has already been fulfilled by Muslim nations making it hard to live in their countries unless you're a Muslim (jizya taxing non-Muslims). Because it may be that the mark of the beast wasn't expected to be implemented for the entire world, just the region. This was true especially during some of the centuries that the Ottoman Empire controlled the Middle East, including Jerusalem (depending on which guy was in charge at the time).

I'm not saying these ideas are certain. I'm just saying that I'm not entirely convinced that global powers outside the middle east like the U.S. and China are necessarily part of the eschatology in the Bible and we should be trying to figure out how they fit in.

And even if I am right that much of the sequence of events is regional, not global, we still should operate as though they apply to us in the U.S. For example, even if in our life time the U.S. never experiences a mark of the beast policy heavily persecuting Christians, we should still handle today's mild persecution like we have the mark of Christ and have more faith in God's eternal redemption and God's power than we have fear of persecution and fear of worldly power.

[dforest]

Thoughtful and I agree with much of it. A bombing could unleash hell.

Netanyahu once again disrespected POTUS . Sabotaged him 3 times now.

Look what he has done to his own people.

I don’t want that for us though it may be too late now.

[rephope]

Thank you and worth repeating:

Is today’s nation Israel the Israel of the Bible?

[Ezekiel]

And the follow-up question almost always comes: Then what happens to us?

General observation, not directed at you personally...

That's the fruit harvest resulting from decades of sterile seed plantings by the minions of extinguished luminaries who have set themselves up as trusty prophecy teachers.

People will decry Monsanto for "terminator seeds", yet how many keep on buying what the End-Times can-kicker$ are peddling.

Any baker worth his salt knows to watch out for dead leaven.

It's all about the bubbles. ~ "King Arthur", November 5, 2015

How to test yeast, baking powder, and baking soda for freshness

By the time 'dedicated prophecy students' catch on to the $cam, it'll be too late. Those "cliff" notes came at a high cost.

To hear Ramone tell it, "In confusion there is prophet."

It's all fun and games until the dog catches the car.

While folks may chime in based on what they've read from the prophecy Establishments, the simple message comes out of Toy Story, from odious Stinky Pete no less:

"Why, you don't know who you are, do you."

Toy Story 2 - Woody meets the Roundup Gang

If people actually believed in and knew WHO is in charge of the entire script, they'd begin to see the humor, just for starters. Then it's 'batten down the hatches'.

The little children get into the Kingdom no problem.

And the one key thing the kids know is "DO not mess with the Law."

Uh-oh, this star is out of stock. It must be popular:

Wild West Toys

Watching the epic collapse of the machinery of the wisdom of the wise is going to be a 5-tub show.

🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿

Perhaps the conformity-consensus jackals will manage a final howl from the Peanut Gallery before it all comes crashing down in an hideous, raging inferno.

Has no one read the Megillah? *Suddenly* it all went horribly wrong for Haman & Sons, Inc.

May the farce be with you!

He added that the flag poles are "the most magnificent poles made."

"These are the most magnificent poles made — They are tall, tapered, rust proof, rope inside the pole, and of the highest quality. Hopefully, they will proudly stand at both sides of the White House for many years to come!"

https://www.fox5dc.com/news/construction-begins-trumps-plan-pave-over-rose-garden-grass-add-flagpoles-lawns

[odawg]

“state your rebuttal with logic and not insults

Impossible to do since the whole thing is wrong, no place to start.

That is not insulting. Revelation is not about world history or Jews; it was written to Christians to warn them and to comfort them.

[Dartoid]

Why would America be in scripture? I