Op-Ed: America Is In the Bible - Here's Why Millions Believe It
In the coming days, America will celebrate 250 years of independence.
Across the country, families will gather for backyard cookouts. Fireworks will light the night sky. Flags will wave from front porches, and speeches will celebrate the courage of a generation that dared to declare independence from the most powerful empire on earth.
It’s a remarkable milestone. Few nations have shaped world history as profoundly or as quickly as the United States. Which raises an interesting question that Christians have debated for decades: If America has played such an extraordinary role in history, why doesn’t the Bible mention it?
For many people, the answer is simple: It doesn’t.
I’ve heard that statement countless times. “America isn’t in Bible prophecy.” In fact, many Christians have assumed that if the United States were truly significant in God’s plan, Scripture would mention it by name. But that’s not how biblical prophecy works.
The Bible doesn’t mention Britain by name either. It doesn’t mention Russia, China, or Germany. Instead, prophetic books like Daniel and Revelation frequently use symbols to represent kingdoms and nations. Those symbols would have made sense to the people living when the prophecies were written, while also pointing to events far beyond their own generation.
That’s why millions of Christians — including me — believe America does appear in Bible prophecy.
Not by name. By symbol.
The prophecy that has fueled this discussion for generations is found in Daniel 7. Daniel describes a vision of four great beasts rising from the sea, and Scripture explains that these beasts represent kingdoms.
The first catches our attention immediately because it isn’t simply described as a lion. Daniel says it was “like a lion, and had eagle’s wings.”
That unusual detail has prompted centuries of discussion.
Today, the lion is universally recognized as the symbol of Great Britain, while the eagle has become synonymous with the United States. Long before the bald eagle appeared on the Great Seal of the United States, it had become a powerful emblem of the new nation that emerged from Britain’s colonies.
Students of prophecy who hold this interpretation believe the symbolism is striking. America quite literally came out of Britain. Before there was an American flag, there was the Union Jack. Before there was an American government, there were British colonies. Our language, legal system, and many of our political traditions all trace their roots to England.
Daniel then says something even more intriguing: the eagle’s wings were “plucked.”
To many students of prophecy, that sounds remarkably similar to what happened nearly 250 years ago this week.
America separated from Great Britain. The wings were plucked from the lion.
Now, is that the only interpretation of Daniel 7? No, and it’s important to say so. Many respected Bible scholars understand the lion to represent ancient Babylon rather than modern Britain. I have tremendous respect for those scholars, even though I arrive at a different conclusion.
Space doesn’t permit a verse-by-verse examination of Daniel 7 here. If you’d like to study the biblical evidence in greater detail, including the strongest arguments for and against this interpretation, we have a more comprehensive analysis here.
The reason I believe the British-American interpretation deserves serious consideration isn’t because of national pride. It’s because I believe Scripture often reveals its meaning more clearly as history unfolds.
As nations rise, alliances form, and world events develop, prophetic passages that once seemed obscure can suddenly come into focus.
Whether one ultimately agrees with this interpretation or not, it asks a question that’s difficult to ignore: Could God have had a unique purpose for America in the unfolding story of history?
Look at the last two and a half centuries. In an astonishingly short period of time, the United States became the world’s leading economic power, its strongest military force, and one of the greatest exporters of humanitarian aid, missionary activity, and religious freedom the modern world has ever known. America has defended allies, shaped global events and, perhaps most significantly from a biblical perspective, become Israel’s closest friend on the world stage.
Was all of that merely historical coincidence? Or was there a providential hand at work?
The Bible repeatedly teaches that God directs the affairs of nations. He raises kingdoms. He removes them. He accomplishes His purposes through governments that often don’t even recognize they are being used by Him.
Since that’s true, then it shouldn’t surprise us that America may occupy a place in biblical prophecy. But here’s where I think many people miss the point.
The purpose of Daniel 7 is not to convince us that America is special. It’s to remind us that America is temporary.
Every great empire in history eventually reached its sunset. Babylon fell. Persia fell. Greece fell. Rome fell. The British Empire faded from its position of global dominance.
One day, the United States will also surrender its place at the center of world affairs. That isn’t cynicism. It’s the consistent testimony of history and the clear message of biblical prophecy.
Daniel’s vision doesn’t end with America, Britain, or any other earthly kingdom. It ends with the establishment of a kingdom that will never pass away: the Kingdom of God under the reign of Jesus Christ.
That, ultimately, is why this discussion matters.
As Americans celebrate 250 years of freedom, we should absolutely thank God for the extraordinary blessings He has bestowed on this nation. We should celebrate the courage, sacrifice, and faith that shaped our founding.
But our greatest hope has never rested in the longevity of the American experiment. It rests in the King whose kingdom will outlast every nation and every flag.
Whether you agree that Daniel’s eagle’s wings symbolize America or not, I hope you’ll wrestle honestly with the question. The evidence is worth considering, especially at a moment when our nation pauses to reflect on its past and wonder about its future.
Because if the Bible is right about where history is headed, then America’s 250th birthday isn’t just an occasion to celebrate what has been. It’s an opportunity to consider what comes next.
The views expressed in this opinion article are those of their author and are not necessarily either shared or endorsed by the owners of this website. If you are interested in contributing an Op-Ed to The Western Journal, you can learn about our submission guidelines and process here.
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