Published on November 20, 2012 and Edited on November 15, 2024

 

Is America the Greatest Nation on Earth?

The question of whether America is the greatest nation on earth is a provocative one, and it’s a sentiment famously echoed by Barack Obama during his visit to Myanmar, when he declared that America was "The Greatest Nation on Earth." However, my motivation for exploring this question isn’t rooted in Obama’s rhetoric or political speeches. Rather, it’s inspired by something much more profound: the work of God, unfolding before our eyes as we approach the end of times. 

What makes a nation great? Is it the beauty of its landscapes, the appearance of its people, its economic strength, the diversity of its population, its military power, or its influence on global affairs? Is that what makes a nation truly great in the eyes of the world—and perhaps even in the eyes of its own citizens?

As we turn to the Scriptures, we find the answer is not based on any of these material factors, but on what God says. In the Bible, we see that a nation’s greatness is determined by its relationship with God and His purposes.      

God’s Promise to Abraham: The Foundation of Greatness

In the book of Genesis, God promises to make Abraham the father of a great nation. He tells him, I will make you a great nation... I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you” (Genesis 17:6-7). This promise is foundational, and the nation that God speaks of is Israel.

God’s promise to Abraham began to be realized through his son Isaac, and later Jacob—whose name was changed to Israel (Genesis 21:1-7; 24:1-67; 25:26; 32:24-28). From Israel's descendants would come a mighty and numerous nation. Despite the many trials they faced, the Israelites grew in number and strength, fulfilling God’s word that they would become a great people. As Exodus 1:7 describes, “The descendants of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly; they multiplied and grew exceedingly strong; so that the land was filled with them.” This growth marked the partial fulfillment of God’s initial promise to Abraham through the birth of Isaac, from whom the nation of Israel would emerge.

While the establishment of Israel as a nation marked a partial fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham, the full realization of that promise looks ahead to a future event—the ultimate fulfillment of God’s kingdom when it is fully established. God confirmed this promise to Israel: “For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth. The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples;  but because the Lord loves you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers, the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt (Deuteronomy 7:6-8).

When the law of Moses was given to Israel, the promise to perfect obedience was that Israel should be to God a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. God said to Israel: Although the whole earth is mine, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel (Exodus 19:5-6). But Israel violated the law and failed to be a great nation. God restricted the priesthood to and appointed the tribe of Levi, the lineage of Aaron as priests to minister to Him as a priest as an everlasting priesthood through their generations (Exodus 40:12-15). The Levites as priests were what the Jew nation as a whole should have become (Leviticus 8:1-36 - 9:1-24). 

The Lord had chosen the Jewish people to be a holy nation, but they are not a "great nation" as yet, and never have been. The history of Israel is a record of constant apostasy, failure, and defeat, ending in the gradual scattering of Jews among all nations. The Lord bore with the Israelites for centuries, seeking to teach them the real meaning of the Tabernacle, till there was no remedy (2 Chronicles 36:14-16). The Israelite nation was last sent into Babylonian captivity for seventy years (Jeremiah 29:10) and the temple was reduced to ashes (2 Chronicles 36:17-20). However, they returned after that period and rebuilt the temple (Ezra 1:11 - 10:1-44) but many of the objects which were in the first temple, and in the sanctuary in the wilderness, were not in the last temple, such as the glory of God over the mercy seat, the Urim and Thummim, the ark, etc. This history does not reveal them as a great nation at any time. Even during the reign of David, the people rebelled against him, and drove him temporarily from the throne! The promise to Abraham will be vindicated in the future. Though God scattered Israel (Deuteronomy 28:64-67), He will yet completely regather the nation (Deuteronomy 30:1-3); (Jeremiah 31:10), and restore them to their ancient land (Ezekiel 39:25-29). They will be educated in Divine truth, will mourn for their past blindness (Zechariah 12:9-10), will have their sins forgiven them (Micah 7:18-20), and will be established as a great holy nation. All this will be done on the basis of the promise made to Abraham. The prophet declared: You will give truth to Jacob, and mercy to Abraham, which You have sworn to our fathers from days of old (Micah 7:20).                                                

The Measure of a Nation’s Greatness

God has established criteria and conditions by which Israel will be a great nation, "A Special Treasure To Him Above All People." Thus, it is not based on the beauty of the land and appearance of its people, the economy, the multicultural diversity of the population, its military might or its foreign policy, but solely on the nation's obedience to the voice of God and keeping His covenant. 

God Almighty is a sovereign God, and there is no partiality with Him (Romans 2:11); He is just and fair to every nation. Peter the apostle did not know what his fellow preacher Paul had told the Roman Church about it, but perceived it and said it: Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him (Acts 10:34-35). Yes, God has chosen Israel to be "The Greatest Nation on Earth," but He will bless the nations whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance (Psalms 33:12).

So, what does this mean for America? While America may be powerful and influential on the world stage, its greatness—like any nation’s greatness—must be understood through the lens of God's plan for humanity. Greatness in the eyes of the world can come from wealth, military might, or technological advancement, but true greatness, as defined by Scripture, is found in honoring God’s will and fulfilling the divine purpose He has set for a nation.

Ultimately, whether America is the greatest nation on earth is not for us to answer based on its external achievements or power. The question we must ask is: does America, like Israel, seek to fulfill God’s purpose in the world? Is it a nation that walks in the way of God’s truth, and does it uphold the values that reflect His holiness and justice?

The measure of a nation's greatness, according to Scripture, is not in its earthly success but in its relationship with God. And as we look to the future, the fulfillment of God's promises will define the true greatness of any nation.

In (Daniel 2:37-38), we find the characteristics of a powerful nation written on the bible: You, O king, are a king of kings. For the God of heaven has given you a kingdom, power, strength, and glory; and wherever the children of men dwell, or the beasts of the field and the birds of the heaven, He has given them into your hand, and has made you ruler over them all.

This piece of Scripture highlighted in red, refers to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, the ancient "Most Powerful Nation on Earth." It is from the book of Daniel that we learn the characteristics of the king who ruled the "Most Powerful Nation on Earth." It is God Himself who gives the kingdom, the power, the strength, and the fame, ruling over it.

Nebuchadnezzar was called the king of kings because he ruled over all the kingdoms of the earth, wherever the children of men dwell, or the beasts of the field and the birds of the heaven, God had given into his hand, and had made him ruler over them all. King Nebuchadnezzar has been the only early king of kings, to whom God Himself has given a kingdom, power, strength, and glory. These characteristics are what makes a nation "The Most Powerful Nation on Earth." 

Using the story of King Nebuchadnezzar as the guidance of God, I, myself, can tell that America's economy and its World Military Network neither meets the criteria of a "Powerful Nation." By now, you might agree with me and the Lord that America has never been "The Most Powerful nor The Greatest Nation on Earth." The characteristics of "The Most Powerful Nation on Earth," are not those of America, but "Great will be its Fall." 

Unlike Babylon, America is the nation that claims to be a nation under God. Nebuchadnezzar, would not recognize God as his provider nor as the sovereign Almighty God. From king Nebuchadnezzar's story, one could learn that the book of Daniel presents how God can bring a proud man low. As a servant of God, Nebuchadnezzar’s experience seems to take on the meaning of the humbling of Gentile power by God and the bringing of the world into submission to Himself. As we read the book of Daniel, it becomes clear that the contest between God and Nebuchadnezzar is a broad illustration of God’s dealings with the entire human race and especially the Gentile world in its creaturely pride and failure to recognize the sovereignty of God.

America is a proud nation that by its rulers exalts itself claiming to be powerful and "The Greatest Nation on Earth." America has trusted in hegemony, its money god, unsuccessfully pursues riches, dominion, power, and glory without its Creator.  

Genesis: The Fall of America

“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall” (Matthew 7:24-27).    

A nation being "founded on the rock" refers to the idea of building a society on the solid, unwavering foundation of Jesus Christ and the values that he represents.

In Christian teachings, Jesus is often referred to as the "Rock" (Matthew 7:24-27), (1 Corinthians 10:4) — a symbol of strength, truth, and steadfastness. When a nation builds its laws, ethical framework, and social systems on principles that align with Christ’s teachings, such as love, justice, mercy, humility, and truth, it is believed to be grounded on something immovable and eternal.

When a nation strays from its foundational principles and is not grounded in truth, justice, and morality, it is likely to experience instability, decline, or eventual collapse.

1. Moral Decay: The deterioration of every government begins with the decay of morality and the principles and laws on which it was founded; which is the case of the rulers of America.  In going after riches, dominion, and power, the US government does not respect the rights of its constituents nor national and international laws to abuse, kill and impose its will upon the people of the world to satisfy its own interests.

Without a strong moral foundation, societies can become prone to corruption, dishonesty, and a breakdown in social order. Jesus’ teachings emphasize the importance of justice, compassion, and integrity, and when these principles are neglected, it can lead to societal chaos, injustice, and a lack of accountability.

2. Lack of Unity: A nation founded on Christ’s teachings is ideally unified by shared values and a sense of common purpose. If a nation turns away from a transcendent moral authority, it can become divided, with competing ideologies, social fractures, and a loss of a collective vision for the common good. This fragmentation can make the nation weaker and more vulnerable to internal strife.

3. Loss of True Purpose: In Christian thought, Jesus gives meaning and purpose to human life, and by extension, to a society. Nations that forget or reject this sense of divine purpose may struggle to define their role in the world. Without a higher moral calling, nations may drift aimlessly, guided only by materialism, power struggles, or self-interest, which often leads to a lack of long-term vision or sustainable policies.

4. Injustice and Oppression: Jesus advocates for the weak, the poor, the oppressed, and the marginalized. A nation that ignores these values may become more prone to systemic injustice, inequality, and even violence against vulnerable groups. Societies built on selfishness, greed, or the pursuit of power can easily succumb to corruption, inequality, and even totalitarianism.

5. Spiritual Apathy: A nation that turns away from the spiritual dimension of life risks becoming spiritually apathetic or idolatrous. If people no longer recognize a higher moral order and choose instead to prioritize self-centered desires or worldly achievements, they risk losing their sense of divine accountability. A spiritually empty society may experience a loss of moral clarity, a decline in ethical behavior, and a growing sense of purposelessness.

6. God’s Judgment: In Christian belief, nations are accountable to God, and when they abandon His principles, they may face judgment. Throughout Scripture, God warns nations that stray from His ways of justice and righteousness (e.g., the fall of Israel and Judah in the Old Testament). While the nature of this judgment can be debated, the overall idea is that nations that abandon God’s ways may face consequences, including social decline, political instability, or even collapse.

In essence, a nation founded on the “rock” who is Jesus is seen as having a strong, enduring foundation that provides stability, purpose, and moral clarity. When a nation forsakes that foundation, it risks falling into chaos, division, and ultimately decline. From a Christian perspective, only by building a nation on Christ's teachings and aligning its values with eternal truths can it hope to thrive and endure over time.

 Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall (Proverbs 16:18).

I have previously written regarding the pronouncement and execution of God's judgment against ancient Sodom, Gomorrah, and its Neighbors, which ended in destruction as recorded in the Book of Genesis as it is applicable today against modern Sodom (Times Square Church), Gomorrah (Church of God Ministry of Jesus International) and its Neighbors (the rulers of America). “The decision on judgement is announced by messengers, the holy ones declare the verdict, so that the living may know that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes and sets over them the lowliest of people" (Daniel 4:17). 

See it for yourself, America is reaping what it's sow.  It has sown evil, and reaped the judgment of the Lord!

I, like John the Baptist, have faithfully preached the prophetic word of God, calling the people to repentance, warning of judgment, and exhorting both the rulers of America and the political and religious leaders of Israel to turn from their ways. Yet, despite the call to repentance and the bearing of good fruit, they refused to listen or heed the message delivered through His servant.

To the U.S. government, I sent three letters, each bearing a solemn warning of God's impending judgment on America. As of today, they have not responded or addressed the matters raised in those letters:

1. The announcement of God's judgment against America.

2. The issues surrounding Colonel Muammar al-Gaddafi (who, according to God's word, remains alive).

3. The failure of law enforcement at both the state and city levels in New York has contributed to the distortion of justice in my case of ongoing persecution, which I have been enduring since early 2005, as detailed in my proposal.

God has declared that the U.S. government will eventually respond to these three letters. But because they have not heeded the warnings, the judgment of the Lord has fallen upon America, and we will witness the nation's decline.