The Christ in Prophecy Journal

Hitchcock and His Message to All Americans

Mark Hitchcock

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What is the responsibility of every American in response to our nation’s decline?

Dr. David Reagan and I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Mark Hitchcock on the show Christ in Prophecy. Mark is a leading Bible prophecy expert, prolific author who has penned over 20 books on the end times, senior pastor of Faith Bible Church located in Oklahoma, and adjunct faculty member of the Dallas Theological Seminary. He is also a much in demand speaker at Bible prophecy conferences all over the nation.

Dr. Hitchcock was invited to answer questions based on his book The Late Great United States. The subtitle of Mark’s fascinating book — What Bible Prophecy Reveals About America’s Last Days — states the purpose. The book digs deep into the Bible, mining for any textual nugget that might reveal some value as to the United States’ future as an end time player.

A Message to All Americans

Dr. Hitchcock: In Joel 3 God says that in the end times He is going to gather the nations down to the valley of judgment — the Valley of Jehoshaphat — and He is going to enter into judgment with them. God says the basis of that judgment is going to be whether or not they attempted to divide up His land. God says He is going to pour out his wrath on nations that divide up the land of Israel. The United States is one of those nations involved in dividing up the land of Israel right now.

This promise God made to Abraham. Think about how long ago He gave that promise to Abraham. He said that those who bless you I’ll bless and then literally in the Hebrew it is the one that curses you God must curse.

We’ve seen that played out through history. In fact, someone brought up a great point that every time people have tried to wipe out the Jewish people, the Jewish people end up with a holiday! With Pharaoh they got the Passover. With Haman they got the Feast of Purim. With Antiochus Epiphanes they got Hanukkah. And with Hitler, they really got the rebirth of their modern nation in 1948. And so, this promise has been played out throughout history — those who bless God’s people are blessed and those who curse them are cursed.

I think that the United States supporting Israel is one of the reasons that God’s hand of blessing has been so evident upon our country. Unfortunately, though, what we see happening today in our nation is a slow but steady turning away from the nation of Israel and an abandonment of them. With all of the other problems that we have in our country that deserve the judgment of God and are already bringing judgment, the last thing that we need to do now is to be involved in anything that ceases to be a blessing to the Jewish people.

Most people are not aware of the degree to which the United States is involved in forcing Israel to give up their heartland right now. It started with the first President Bush who basically said if you want us to guarantee loans to you from the World Bank then you’ve got to begin negotiating land for peace. We forced them to the negotiation. We forced them into a suicidal policy of appeasement, and as you well know, appeasement always wets the appetite of the aggressor. It never satisfies. We have had Israel’s arm up their back ever since then. With both of the Bushes as well as Clinton and now with President Obama, it is the same thing, we are forcing Israel to give up their heartland. We have great power to force Israel to give up their land because we are the only ones in the United Nations who stand between Israel and economic sanctions that could destroy that nation with our veto, and the Israelis know that. We can say, “You can either do what we say, or else.”

I just call the policy “Land.” It’s not really land for peace, it is just land being given up for no peace. No matter how much Israel gives up, the Arabs want more. They don’t even recognize Israel’s right to exist. They’re dealing with a people who don’t even recognize their very right to exist! So, it is a futile policy, and a very difficult situation.

The only foreign policy statement in the Bible for nations is to bless the Jewish people. That is amazing to me. It is the only foreign policy statement in all the Bible that says to be sure in whatever you do that you bless the Jewish people.

Not only should the nations bless Israel and what God is doing there in rebuilding His ancient nation according to His promises in Bible prophecy, but God has a domestic policy for the Gentile nations. God says righteousness exalts a people, but sin is a reproach to any nation (Prov. 14:34). So, one of the two parts of a domestic policy for a country is to promote righteousness.

In my own life it is easy to decry all the immorality that is happening in our culture, but I need to follow the second part and look at my own life first, because if I am involved in pornography and the immorality and the things that are polluting our country then what right do I have to decry what is happening in our country?

We need to look towards ourselves and we also need to be praying. The Bible tells us to pray for our leaders. We need to be praying earnestly for our leaders and for our military that God will bring them to Himself and that He will surround them with people who have wisdom that they will listen to. We desperately need to be praying for our country.

We need to be looking at ourselves. I have often said that over 80% of the people in this country profess to be Christians, but if professing Christians would stop buying lottery tickets the lotteries would cease. If confessing Christians would stop getting abortions the abortion mills would have to close. We are part of the problem.

We have to look at ourselves, because it is like when Isaiah was renouncing his woes on the nations in Isaiah 5 and 6. When we get to the end of the text there, what does he say? He says, “Woe is me.”

Let’s not always be looking at the nation and its sin without first looking at ourselves.

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Dr. Nathan E. Jones

As the Internet Evangelist at Lamb & Lion Ministries, Nathan reaches out to the over 4.5 billion people accessible over the Internet with the Good News of Jesus Christ. He also co-hosts the ministry's television program Christ in Prophecy and podcast The Truth Will Set You Free.

23 CommentsLeave a Comment

  • Re: If Christians would stop buying lotteries tickets, having abortions, these things would stop. First, you shouldn't include buying lottery tickets in the same sentence as abortion. The degree of these sins is wider and deeper than the Grand Canyon.

    While I think most Christians have no trouble avoiding large sins like abortion, murder, etc. the same can not be said for lesser sins we do every day.

    Whether it's buying a lottery ticket, using profanity, watching a violent movie, etc., you must admit that Christians are not instantly transformed into instruments of perfection. We are still sinners trapped in mortal bodies with a sin nature to them. We sin every day and are in constant need of the grace and mercy of God.

    If you don't admit that and put Christians up on a pedistal pointing out everyone elses sin then all that accomplishes is being called a hypocrite. I've been called that be a co-worker and I explained to him Christians are not perfect. We are Christians because we are sinners in need of our Saviour Jesus for forgiveness and salvation.

    That is not to say you don't take a stand against evil and wrongdoing. And you are not automatically disqualified as a hypocrite if you say it is wrong to (for example) buy a lottery ticket if you had done so before. Now, you shouldn't speak against it if you buy them all the time. Then you are a hypocrite.

    I guess my point is I don't think we should forget as we speak out against sin the we are still sinners ourselves. It's not about finger pointing. It's about pointing to the need of ALL of us, Christians and non-Christians, for the forgiveness of sins by our Lord. The big difference being Christians have that forgiveness and salvation but non-believers, sadly, do not.

  • Billy, I can see the point you're trying to make, but I have to disagree. God doesn't see sin at different levels. In His eyes, stealing is on an equal level with murder.

    In our human way of thinking abortion is on a higher level of sinning than playing Powerball (or whatever your state has). But what about how God sees it? Aren't they about the same thing? Women abort babies for "convenience", right? Don't people try to win the lotto for the same reason?

    Ultimately, I think, they both come down to this: Faith. Can God take care of me? One comes down to an inconvenience of a baby, the other the inconvenience of poverty.

  • Thunder said "God doesn't see sin at different levels. In His eyes, stealing is on an equal level with murder."

    Based on your statement it makes it sound like people are more just than God. For people (via the justice system) set different and APPROPRIATE lengths and degrees of punishment based on the degree of the offense. Wouldn't God give punishment in such a way as well?

    The punishment in hell for an act of commiting 5 serial killer rapes wouldn't be the same as an act of commiting the stealing of 5 pieces of gum. The length of time of punishment before the second death (killing of the soul) will vary based on the degrees of sin. That is if one believes the "eternal" punishment of hell is not eternal suffering but rather appropriate time period of suffering followed by the killing of the soul. The death of the soul is the "eternal" part of the punishment, not the suffering. I tend to believe this (though I can't say 100%) based on the Bible saying ONLY believers in Christ will have eternal life. Unbelievers can not have eternal life – not even in hell (with the exception of satan, the false prophet and those that accept the mark of the beast for eternal punishment is justice for those according to God). This seems to be more in line with being a just penalty for the non-believer. Again, I'm not saying I'm correct – I tend to lean towards that view. (I could be completely wrong about this and it's not anything I argue in favor of with any passion – despite the "Mitchell length" of my post.)

    Now, if what you said meant that whether the only sin you commit in life is a murder or the stealing of a piece of gum means you still go to hell if you don't believe in Jesus, then yes, I agree that God does not see any difference between murder or stealing when it comes to your eternal destiny. Without Jesus, even stealing a piece of gum is a death sentence.

  • Just to clear up something re: my first post…

    I am not advocating that Christians live a sinful life. We have to STRIVE for that perfection and live as Jesus wants us to until He calls us to be with Him.

    We WILL fail but thank the Lord He will forgive us of those sins now and someday take away our sin nature after our mortal bodies die or we are Raptured and transformed into our new selves.

  • While even the tiniest sin is an absolute abhorrence to a Holy God, the Scriptures are quite full of admonishments that our God is also a very righteous judge "who will render to every man according to his deeds".
    Just a few:

    Luke 10:12-14
    12 But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city.
    13 Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.
    14 But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you.

    Luke 12:46-48
    46 The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him asunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.
    47 And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.
    48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes.
    For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

    Romans 2:5-9
    5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
    6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
    7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
    8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
    9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;

    Back in the early 70s, Jack Van Impe had a great sermon on tape called "Hell without Hell" made up especially for the Jay Hovah's witLesses [Funny…, I never could find that guy even in their so-called bible…] and other cults that don't believe eternal punishment. Even if they took the word hell out, he quoted all the verses in the Bible that describe the justice of God and the eternal torment of the damned.

    Romans 2:5 was a favorite of his [and mine]. How do you "treasure up unto yourself [greater] wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God" if God isn't "render[ing] to every man according to his deeds".

  • Billy… We were created with an eternal spirit in God's image that has to exist somewhere – and we are only given a choice of 2…

    And Jesus preached more times on hell than heaven because it's not a short-term deal!

    Matthew 25:41
    Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

    Matthew 25:46
    And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

    Mark 9:43-45
    43 And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
    44 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

    Revelation 14:9-12
    9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
    10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
    11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

    Revelation 20:10-15
    10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
    11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
    12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
    13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
    14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
    15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

    But Billy… We won't worry about it then.'cause "…God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. Revelation 21:4

    We'll all have a good laff…
    "5 God shall likewise destroy thee for ever, he shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place, and root thee out of the land of the living. Selah.
    6 The righteous also shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him:
    7 Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness." Psalm 52:5-7

    And then we'll get on with Life more abundantly!

  • dr nofog
    dr reagan did an excellent article on the duration of hell. its on the main website (i dont know how to post a link) you may not agree but its worth a read.

  • go to lamblion.com then click publications, then click articles then under prophecy click eternity then click the article titled the nature of hell. i`m not sure i agree with the article but it is most definately worth the read. READ IT!

  • DrNoFog,

    You make good points for an eternal hell (perhaps true). At the same time there are verses such as…

    Matthew 10:28 "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell."

    To me this verse could point to a time period of punishment of the mortal body in hell based upon the works of the unsaved person. The body would ulitmately be destroyed AS WELL AS the soul. The unsaved person would cease to exist. This would be an eternal punishment but without eternal life which belongs only to believers in Christ.

    Eternal hell will be a reality for satan, the false prophet and those will the mark of the beast however.

    Dawg, since you reference Dr. Reagan's article I will drop this subject and agree with you…it's worth the read.

    The article is "The Nature of Hell" and the link is http://lamblion.com/articles/articles_eternity3.php

  • OooooooWheeee, that took a long while, and that's a tough one…
    As usual, Dr. Reagan make a good, tight case, but I ain't buyin' it just yet. That's one that I'll hafta re-read a couple of times and ponder it even a few times more…

    That being said, however, my first difficulty…is when Dr. D stated:
    "My first difficulty… is that it seems to impugn the character of God."

    Bear in mind that Dr. David pointed out that this is speculation on a minor, not a major, doctrine that shouldn't cause one to jump up and holler "Heretic!", and with no diss intended toward the esteemed Dr., my reaction was sort of a mix of several verses:

    33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
    34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counselor? – Romans 11:33-34 [quoting Isaiah 40:13]
    13 "Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counselor hath taught him?" Isaiah 40:13
    "…That You might be justified in Your sayings, and might overcome when You art judged." – Romans 3:4

    …with the underlying thought of "why is it that we, mere mortals, think that we can run to the defense of His character?" And that, of course, is based upon our severely limited perspective of both His character, motives, and His overall "Blueprint" of His entire Creation… [Don't toss up David and Goliath here… that's a totally different category, BTW]

    My 2nd thot is along the lines of my comment in Did God Create Sin?:

    "In Rev. 22:11 we have the promise of God that in the eternal state, we [and "they"] are permanently "fixed"! The KJV uses a simply "let him be…still"…
    …The Holman Christian Standard Bible: 11 Let the unrighteous go on in unrighteousness; let the filthy go on being made filthy; let the righteous go on in righteousness; and let the holy go on being made holy." "

    If one puts this in perspective, at the Judgment, when even the best "do-gooder", "Golden-rule" keeper comes face to face with the Sum of all Goodness, Holiness, and Righteousness, and is shown the reality, the hideousness, of Jeremiah 17:9 …of what is hidden in their own godless, and ungodly hearts: "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" and the seething rage floods out…

    If someone goes out into eternity, hating God eternally, isn't He "justified" in punishing them eternally… and conscientiously?

    As harsh as it may seem from a worldly perspective, when I ponder this in the way I understand it, I cannot "fault" Him at all!

  • nofog
    i`m kinda in the same boat as you. when i first read the article i flat out rejected it immediately. after reading it a few times however, it makes more sense. that being said, i`m in no way a scholar but just a scholar wanna be but still, i`m not sure i agree with reagan on this, tho i have upmost respect for reagan and nathan. i`m still pondering this one. we both should look very closely at this article but as of right now i aint sure yet.

  • Billy: Now, if what you said meant that whether the only sin you commit in life is a murder or the stealing of a piece of gum means you still go to hell if you don't believe in Jesus, then yes, I agree that God does not see any difference between murder or stealing when it comes to your eternal destiny. Without Jesus, even stealing a piece of gum is a death sentence.

    That's exactly what I meant, Billy. I didn't mean to imply that somehow people are more just than God by having different levels of punishment. To our mind, getting the electric chair for stealing gum to our mind seems harsh, but 1 Timothy 1 puts liars in the same category as murderers. In our human mind, is lying the same as murder? Not even close. We created these level to excuse certain behaviors and condemn others. If we threw people in prison for lying, Congress would be emptied out and we'd have very few lawyers.

    I mean, we all will and do sin. It's our human nature that's at war with the Spirit that's in us. It's like Paul said, "The things I don't want to do, that's what I do and I don't do the things I want to do."

  • Well, jeepers, I never even thought about buying a lottery ticket as being a sin! I suppose it is a form of a lack of faith in God to provide our necessities, or maybe greed. Well, I think I've only bought 1 in the course of my life, but I guess I won't ever do that again! I guess I should give an extra 2 dollars in church next week to make up for my winnings:)
    Katie

  • but thunder, the Bible calls some sins "abominations" and in the law (i know we`re under grace but the law shows Gods charecter) certain sins have a harsher penalty. so somw sins are worse than others even in Gods` eyes.

  • We could also ask: Were those degrees of punishment added for man's hard heart?

    You're right, we are under God's grace and if we sin we're covered by the Lamb's blood, but don't all those outside of God's grace all get the same punishment?

  • Son of Thunder… Please re-read my 1st post on this page.
    "our God is also a very righteous judge "who will render to every man according to his deeds".

    These are verses that deal with the lost at the Great White Throne judgment. Revelation 20:11-15

  • Verses 13-15 reads: The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades [the place of the unrighteous dead] gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

    Since this is the final resurrection, the Great White Throne judgment is for those who died in their own sins. The book of life is opened to show that these people, even though they may have been "good", couldn't do enough good to get their names in the book. The book of life is for the saved, so none of these people in this judgment would have their names written down.

  • That is correct. Since they're not in the Book of Life they're going into the lake of fire, but what they are being judged on here is all of their deeds and will receive levels of punishment according to them; i.e. – "beaten with many stripes" in addition to just being in the lake…People like Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot, etc. will probably be down at the very bottom with Satan, all heated up & glowing cherry red…

  • Excellent article! Thanx, Nathan!
    I picked up a lot of good ideas.

    I've heard of people years ago stashing Bibles & stuff in the caves of Petra, but I never really thot of all the things I could stash around here…

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