Thoughts on the re-election of Donald Trump

Ephesians 6:10-13 (LGV) 10 Finally, my brothers, be strong in the Master and in the power of His strength! 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you may be able to withstand the trickery of the Slanderer, 12 because we do not struggle with flesh and blood, but with authorities, with powers, with the princes of the darkness of this age, against spiritual conspirators in the celestial dominions. 13 Therefore take up the full armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm in the day, the perilous one, and having accomplished everything, to stand firm.

I doubt that any true Christian can deny that war between the “spiritual conspirators in the celestial dominions” and God’s own forces is coming to a head, and that the final spiritual battle described in Revelation 12, where Satan is cast down to the earth, is soon to commence. The supernatural manifestations of this ongoing war have become more and more apparent in the US ever since the Obama era. In the past I have mostly refrained from public comment on current events out of fear of misinterpreting either the events or the biblical prophecies. But it is becoming harder to remain silent, as the picture is becoming clearer.

The Bible repeatedly refers to certain men whom God “raised up” at critical times in Israel’s history. Some of these men God “raised up” to make His power known and/or to punish His people such as Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar. Others God “raised up” as deliverers for His people such as David and Cyrus.

Ever since Donald Trump became president in 2016, I have been convinced that God indeed “raised up” Trump for His own purposes. The failed law-fare and failed assassination attempts have solidified this belief. What was unclear to me has been whether he was to be a tool for God’s judgment and purging, or as a deliverer, or perhaps both simultaneously. In any case, it is quite clear that the time is short, and the end is near.

I have been very uncomfortable with the seemingly wild devotion of Evangelical Christians to this man, and how easily Christians parrot conspiracy theories of the far right, even to the point of boldly disobeying the commands of Scripture to submit to government authority (except where such would require disobeying God’s clear commands). This was especially evident during the Covid pandemic. Yet God can and does use rebellion of His own people to accomplish His ultimate purposes. He certainly is the one who raises up and deposes kings and presidents, as Nebuchadnezzar learned the hard way. Christians’ misplaced “patriotism,” zeal, and even disobedience can be used by God for His purposes.

The question of whether Trump will be a tool for judgment or deliverance, or both, is closely related to the question of America’s role in end-time prophecy. While there is no direct reference to America in biblical prophecy, the scope of Antichrist’s reign and kingdom may or may not include this continent. My personal opinion is that Antichrist will control the territory of the old Roman Empire, the 4^th beast of Daniel 7, the feet of iron and clay of Nebuchadnezzar’s image in Daniel 2. He is the “little horn” of Daniel 7 & 8, and he will gain the territories of the 10 kings (10 toes) according to Revelation 17. Thus, in my opinion, he will not have direct sovereignty over America.

Revelation 12 describes the final “war in the heavens,” with Michael and his angels overthrowing Satan and his angels who are cast down to the earth for the “time of trouble.” In this prophecy the “woman” flees into the “wilderness” where God has already prepared a place for her to be nourished for the duration of the reign of Antichrist. The “woman” is the faithful, the bride of the Lamb, a concept drawn from the parallel passage in Galatians 4:21-31.

I have been considering the possibility that God has raised up President Trump as a tool to fulfill Revelation 12:6,14 (NKJV) 6 “Then the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days. … 14 But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent.”

There is another group preserved by God during this time, described in Revelation 7, the 144,000 of the 12 tribes of Israel. That passage was clearly drawn directly from Ezekiel 9, where during the Babylonian exile God preserved the faithful remnant of Israel in a far-away foreign land. Compare this to the explanation given in the parable of the good and bad figs in Jeremiah 24. In Ezekiel’s day, Babylon was that place of safety and preservation.

I am considering the possibility of whether the United States is being prepared by God as a refuge for his faithful people to be spared from the wrath of Satan and Antichrist, both the 144,000 faithful from the 12 tribes and persecuted Christians from Antichrist’s dominion. This would certainly fit the “wings of a great eagle” given to the woman so she could “fly into the wilderness,” a term that would also fit America as viewed from John’s time and perspective. If so, the demonic realm would certainly be aware of this, and it might explain the irrational and fierce opposition to Trump by those who hate God and His established order.