In 2003 when the Lord spoke to me about the rebuilt One World Trade Center, He said, “That building will be a sign and a seal of My judgment against America.” That statement shook me then and it shakes me now.
Many people are offended today to hear that God would judge America. I have been called a heretic, among other things. But does God judge us? If so, what does that look like and why?
God’s Judgment
First, does God judge us? The answer to that is yes and no. Personally, if we are truly followers of Jesus, there is no condemnation in Him (Romans 8:1). Even though we are no longer condemned personally, God will still deal with our sins to purge us of any wicked way. He can do that gently or harshly, depending on our willingness to submit. Even if God uses harsh methods to purge us of sin, we receive no judgment–Jesus has born the judgment for that sin on the cross. God is not angry at us, but like a good Father, will discipline us to lead us into righteousness. We will certainly stand judgment before God one day, but if we believe in Jesus, it will be a glorious day. In that day, Jesus will stand up in our place and declare that ALL our sins have been paid for by His perfect blood.
But what about America? America has not walked down the isle of a church to accept Jesus. It can’t. America is not a person, it is a nation. Really, America is an idea. Throughout history, arbitrary borders drawn on maps have changed many, many times. The only thing that makes America what it is, is the shared patriotism we have. The shared history. The shared destiny.
America cannot stand judgment before God one day. Jesus cannot wash away an idea’s sins. Our arbitrary borders along a map cannot be cleansed by the Lamb’s blood. No, America, and all nations for that matter, must stand judgment before God in their hour of existence. God is not out to destroy our land–the land will persist. But what makes America America is at stake right now. That idea that makes us who we are as a nation can evaporate in an instant.
And I’m afraid to say that if we do not change, it most certainly will.
The Solution
When God spoke to me that He would judge America, I had a foreboding sense of losing our sovereignty. There is no other way to see it. When God has judged nations in the past, most notably those in scripture, it is always a nation’s right to sovereignly govern themselves that God removes. Look at God’s judgments over Israel, Judah, Babylon, Assyria, Persia, Greece, etc.
Sometimes the judgments are temporary. Sometimes they are light. Sometimes they are complete, eradicating nations from history. The Lord spoke to me of what is coming to America back in 2003. What is absolutely sobering about that word is that One World Trade Center will be done in early 2014. The timing of what God showed me back then is almost complete.
I believe that the solution is repentance. 2 Chronicles 7:14 makes that very clear. “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 I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
Repentance by God’s people on behalf of the nation will cause God to turn away from His anger over shared national sin. Our personal sins are covered by Jesus’ blood, but not our national sins. They will be judged in the here and now unless God’s people cry out and plead for His mercy. But if we do that–if we plead for God’s mercy–He will give it to us.
If you would like more information about what God spoke to me, I wrote a book, The Year of the Lord’s Favor, about that. I have also started a prayer initiative, 7:14 Prayer for America, to help believers cry out for our nation. I encourage you to read the book and participate in the prayer initiative.