All the nations referred to in the Bible are the names that were used at the time that the prophet wrote. There are only a couple that still go by the same name or their name was changed within the last hundred years or so. Persia is one that comes to mind. In 1935 Reza Shah Pahlavi said it was okay to call the country Iran. (Reza Shah Pahlavi was the leader of Iran at that time.) Ethiopia is another, however the actual boundaries may have shifted a little bit. Ethiopia and Persia are two countries whose names are in the Bible.
Of course the land that the prophets spoke about are still there just names and national boundaries have changed. As God had the Bible written He was only concerned about the nations that had an effect on His people (the Jews) and the land He had given them. The old testament is an accurate witness of what happened in history and is mainly about that part of the world. So the answer to “Is the USA by name in the Bible?” NO it is not.
Since the Bible is Israel centric the name United States of America is nowhere found in the Bible. Their are some who believe there are references to the USA. It is very difficult for the proud American psyche to say we are not mentioned in the Bible, after all we are a “world superpower so we have to be there”. Sometimes its from that pride that they approach the Bible. This country has more missionaries and money going to missions then any other country, they reason.
“Since we are so active at winning souls, God would never leave us out of the Bible.” They would probably never say that, but the pride of being an American overshadows their thoughts. God saves people, not countries, except one, Israel! He uses the nations of the world to bring about His will on the Earth, and Israel is His chosen people to bring salvation to the nations. Jesus is that salvation and Jesus was and is a Jew.(Heb. 13:8) I do however think that there maybe one place that our cherished country is mentioned and it isn’t good.
Joel 3:1-2 RSV
“For behold, in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem,
I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat, and I will enter into judgment with them there, on account of my people and my heritage Israel, because they have scattered them among the nations, and DIVIDED UP MY LAND
When God restores Israel to their land (v. 1) the nations of the world don’t like it. So they devise a plan and call it “The TWO STATE SOLUTION”. Whereby Israel will give up part of the land that God gave them and make another nation that isn’t Jewish inside the borders of the land God gave Israel. Now God is very clear in v. 2 that He will judge the nations that are involved with dividing the nation of Israel. At this present time in history the United States Of America’s political parties are one of the biggest supporters of doing this. They may not believe in God or care about this prophecy but God is very serious about HIS land. So is the USA in Bible prophecy? If they continue on this course of action…YES and it will be judgement.
Another good reason why the USA isn’t mentioned in the Bible might be because we have become a third world nation when the prophecies of the end times take place. Make no mistake we are in the end times as God’s prophecies predicted. This country is imploding right before our eyes. The national debt has skyrocketed beyond our ability to ever pay back what we owe. We have come to a place where we call “good evil and evil good”.(Is. 5:20)
Crime is beyond the polices ability to control. Some businesses have had to close their doors because of theft. All the people pouring over the southern borders are getting free handouts. The government is giving them free hospitalization, free rides to wherever they wish to go, free food and clothes… who’s paying for all this? The American taxpayer.
The problem is, and communism has proven, that eventually you run out of everyone else’s money. Our government has become a “Banana Republic” with all the corruption they involve themselves in. I understand that these are not all the problems we face, but these are pretty significant. Eventually this may make the USA a third world nation.
I don’t want this to happen but God’s plan on the world stage is going to take place, just as He wants it to. We can join Him or continue our rebellion against Him, He has given us that chose. So if we become a third world nation, that can definitely be why we are not mentioned in the Bible. Because the United States of America just won’t matter anymore.
MARANATHA