Man himself is at the center of stage-setting as we continue to look at prospects for Bible prophecy fulfillment in this new year and beyond. We have looked at Israel as the second most focal area of prophecy. Mankind is, in my estimation, third on the list as we consider prophetic prospective for 2019.

God’s human creation is the only creature that has volitional choice. That is, only we can say yes or no to God in the matter of whether to obey or disobey–of whether to decide for good or for evil.

In this regard, fallen mankind is observably taking the precise prophetic path God’s Word foretells. Daily headlines tell the story. It’s as if the Apostle Paul’s prophecy comes into view moment by moment. The figure of the prophesied earth-dweller takes shape hour by hour as chips fall away while the evil sculptor carves mankind’s final, rebellious form during these end of days.

Some will criticize my assessment as greatly flawed because I present analysis only from the perspective of America’s part in the ongoing end-of-days developments. I’ll admit this is a valid criticism in some ways. However, the United States of America is, in terms of being materially blessed and even spiritually blessed, the apex nation of world history. All other nation-states are linked to America’s economic hegemony. And, America’s position in being spiritually blessed takes second place only to the nation Israel’s position as number one.

Israel is God’s chosen people to be example for all others. The Law was given through that nation to show all people how to comport themselves. The Ten Commandments, in God’s holy eyes, superseded the Code of Hammurabi, which was written under human authorship as a body of law for governing human conduct in Babylonia in ancient Mesopotamia around 1754 B.C.

The history of the Israelites, throughout the Old Testament, dramatically portrayed how the Hebrew children would be blessed of God when they obeyed His Law. When they transgressed, the Lord would, after periods of bidding them to repent, judge that people. In this sense, Israel is spiritually blessed beyond all peoples. The nation was materially blessed, as well. They possessed phenomenal physical riches during the reign of Solomon, one of the wealthiest kingdoms of history. Today, their breakthroughs in practically every technological area of endeavor is moving the nation toward another level of super-wealth attainment.

Sadly, that achievement will lead only to the greatest of all judgments–that of the Tribulation era.

Again, America has far surpassed in physical riches and opulence any nation of world history –including that of Solomon’s kingdom. The technological instrumentalities for living life on a plain beyond any other nation of history is undeniably obvious. –Thus even though that level of luxury has come to be treated as commonplace in the U.S.

We often wonder over the fact that even the poorest of America’s citizens, for the most part, live a lifestyle that is luxurious in comparison to the conditions endured by people in most all other parts of the world. Again, in this respect, America is the apex nation ever to exist upon this fallen planet. Yet this great blessing is taken for granted by those of us who live that lifestyle.

So, too, the spiritual principles of the Almighty Creator, the one and only God of Heaven, have been taken for granted.

Most in our nation today–including many of those who attend church regularly and consider themselves to be Christians,  give little to no thought of the morally/spiritually deteriorated state of their nation and world. These matters are almost never addressed from the pulpits at this late, prophetic hour. We have moved deeply into the Laodicean time predicted by Jesus, the Ascended Lord, as recorded by John the Revelator in Revelation 3.

And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye salve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. (Revelation 3:14-19)

This condemnation seems to be speaking almost directly to Christendom in America today. The malaise regarding lack of energy or desire to deal with the descent into societal and cultural evil is spiritually organic. It has spread like septicemia suffered in a biological sense.

Failure of resolve by the born-again to deal with this descent has wrought ungodly consequences. This lack of effort has permitted the development of the reprobate mindset forewarned by the Apostle Paul more swiftly than otherwise would be the case.

To get the full scope of what  God’s Word says about what brings about His righteous judgment, we need to appropriate discernment from the only source of truth. We will begin our next week’s look at the prophetic prospective for 2019 by examining Paul’s Holy Spirit-inspired condemnation of a generation that looks very much like our own as we begin the new year.