Isaiah 19 Speaks of America

Avraham Gileadi gives a great translation of Isaiah. Chapter 19 speaks of the future of Egypt. But since the words of Isaiah can be applied to anyone, if you change the word Egypt to America, it sure sounds like Isaiah could be talking about the United States of America.

1. An oracle concerning [America]: When the Lord enters [America] riding on swift clouds, the idols of [America] will rock at his presence and the [Americans'] hearts melt within them.
2. I will stir up the [Americans] against the [Americans]; they will fight brother against brother and neighbor against neighbor, city against city and state against state. (Civil War)
3. [America's] spirit shall be drained from within; I will frustrate their plans, and they will resort to the idols and to spiritists, to mediums and witchcraft.
4. Then will I deliver the [Americans] into the hand of a cruel master; a harsh ruler will subject them, says my Lord, the Lord of Hosts.
5. The waters of the lakes shall ebb away as stream beds become desolate and dry.
6. The rivers shall turn foul, and [America's] waterways recede and dry up. Reeds and rushes shall wither;
7. vegetation adjoining canals and estuaries, and all things sown along irrigation channels, shall shrivel and blow away and be no more.
8. Fishermen will deplore their lot and anglers in canals bemoan themselves; those who cast nets on water will be in misery.
9. Manufacturers of combed linen and weavers of fine fabrics will be dismayed.
10. The textile workers will know despair, and all who work for wages (or with people) suffer distress. (Economic Depression)
11. The ministers of [Obama] are utter fools; the wisest of [President's] advisers give absurd counsel. How can you say to[the President], We ourselves are as wise as the [Founding Fathers]?
12. Where are your wise men indeed? Let them please tell you, if they can discern it, what the Lord of Hosts has in mind for [America]!
13. The ministers of [Obama] have been foolish, the officials of [Bush] deluded; the heads of state have led [America] astray.
14. The Lord has permeated them with a spirit of confusion; they have misled [America] in all that it does, causing it to stagger like a drunkard into his vomit.
15. And there shall be nothing the [Americans] can do about it, neither head nor tail, palm top or reed.
16. In that day the [Americans] will be as women, fearful and afraid at the brandishing hand the Lord of Hosts wields over them.
17. The [Middle East] shall become a source of terror to the [Americans]; all reminded of it shall dread what the Lord of Hosts has in store for them.
18. In that day five Hebrew‑speaking cities in the land Egypt will swear loyalty to the Lord of Hosts. One shall be known as the City of Righteousness.
19. In that day there shall be [a temple] erected to the Lord in the midst of the land of [America] and a monument to the Lord at its border. ...
20. ... They shall serve as a sign and testimony of the Lord of Hosts in the land of [America]: when they cry out to the Lord because of the oppressors, he will send them a savior, who will take up their cause and deliver them.
21. The Lord will make himself known to the [Americans], and the [Americans] shall know the Lord in that day. They will worship by sacrifice and offerings, and make vows to the Lord and fulfill them. ...
22. ... The Lord will smite [America], and by smiting heal it: they will turn back to the Lord, and he will respond to their pleas and heal them.
23. In that day there shall be a highway from [America] to [Europe?]. [Europe?] shall come to [America] and [Americans] go to [Europe?], and the [Americans] shall labor with the [Europeans?].
24. In that day Israel shall be the third party to [America] and to [Europe?], a blessing in the midst of the earth. ...
25. ... The Lord of Hosts will bless them, saying, Blessed be [America] my people, [Europe?] the work of my hands, and Israel my inheritance.

Restored Temple in America

Many Christians and Jews believe that the Bible teaches that the temple in Jerusalem will be built again. This temple is referred to as the 3rd Temple after the Temple of Solomon and the Temple of Zarubabel which was built after the return of the Jews to the Land of Israel after the Babylonian captivity.

Zech. 6: 12-13, 15 And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord: Even he shall build the temple of the Lord; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both. . . And they that are far off shall come and build in the temple of the Lord, and ye shall know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto you. And this shall come to pass, if ye will diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God.

Hag. 1: 8 Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the Lord.

However, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints claims that God has restored the 3rd Temple to the Gentiles already and after the temple is established and restored to the Gentiles and all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, that the temple will then go again to the Jews; "And the last shall be first and the first shall be last."

Luke 13:28-30 There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out. And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God. And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last.

Many claim that no where in Bible does it say that a temple would be built in America but that the temple is only given to one nation, one kindred, one tongue, and one people. But John in Revelations says that the everlasting gospel and covenant would be extended to all nations, kindreds, tongues, and peoples and not just Israel. And that includes the temple.

Isaiah prophesies about Egypt in the last days in Chapter 19. But as one reads over all of Isaiah's prophesies about Egypt and how Isaiah warns Israel not to trust in the chariots of Egypt and then compares Isaiah's Egypt to modern geo-politics, the Egypt of the Last Days becomes a symbolic term referring to the United States of America. So, knowing that the modern USA fulfills the prophecies of Isaiah's Egypt, those following prophesy really stands out.

Isa 19:19-21, 24-25 In that day shall there be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at the border thereof to the LORD. And it shall be for a sign and for a witness unto the Lord of hosts in the land of Egypt: for they shall cry unto the Lord because of the oppressors, and he shall send them a saviour, and a great one, and he shall deliver them. And the Lord shall be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know the Lord in that day, and shall do sacrifice and oblation; yea, they shall vow a vow unto the Lord, and perform it. . . In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land: Whom the Lord of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance.

According to Isaiah, God promises that an alter to the Lord or temple will be established in Egypt in the Last Days and that Egyptians or Americans will know the Lord in that day be a blessed people with Israel.

4 Keys to Understanding Isaiah

Avraham Gileadi in his book "Book of Isaiah, New Translation" points to 4 keys given in the Book of Mormon needed to understand the Book of Isaiah.

1. Spirit of Prophecy = A testimony that Jesus is the Christ. Since Isaiah is about Jesus Christ, its not possible to understand Isaiah unless you believe that Jesus is the Messiah.

"For behold, Isaiah spake many things which were hard for many of my people to understand; for they know not concerning the manner of prophesying among the Jews. . . nevertheless they are plain unto all those that are filled with the spirit of prophecy" (2 Ne. 25: 1,4).

2. Letter of Prophecy = Hebrew writing style, devices, figures of speech, grammer, etc. Dr. Gileadi points out that the hebrew word for "things" = "words."

"Yea, and my soul delighteth in the words of Isaiah, for I came out from Jerusalem, and mine eyes hath beheld the things of the Jews, and I know that the Jews do understand the things of the prophets, and there is none other people that understand the things which were spoken unto the Jews like unto them, save it be that they are taught after the manner of the things of the Jews" (2 Ne. 25: 1,4).

3. Search Isaiah = Apply the teachings of Isaiah in your life.

"And now, behold, I say unto you, that ye ought to search these things. Yea, a commandment I give unto you that ye search these things diligently; for great are the words of Isaiah" (3 Ne. 23: 1).
"And now I write some of the words of Isaiah, that whoso of my people shall see these words may lift up their hearts and rejoice for all men. Now these are the words, and ye may liken them unto you and unto all men" (2 Ne. 11:8).

4. Types = All the prophecies in Isaiah apply to Isaiah's time, the time of Jesus Christ, and the Last Days.

"For surely he spake as touching all things concerning my people which are of the house of Israel; therefore it must needs be that he must speak also to the Gentiles. And all things that he spake have been and shall be, even according to the words which he spake" (3 Ne. 23: 1).