Question: If the prophecies of Isaiah are about the end of the world, where does he speak about America, and what does he predict for this nation?
Answer: To answer that question, a quick review of exactly how Isaiah prophesies the end of the world is warranted, followed by what he prophesies of end-time America.
First, literary structures of the Book of Isaiah turn it into a prophecy of an end-time scenario in which the events of Isaiah’s day or soon after double as an allegory of the end of the world. The pivotal political configuration of the world in which Isaiah lived (circa 700 B.C.) facilitated this duality.
Second, this means that the names of the great political powers of the ancient Near East now act as codenames of end-time political powers. The name of the great superpower of the ancient world—Egypt—for example, thus functions as a codename of the world’s end-time superpower, America.
Third, in Isaiah’s depiction of Egypt, therefore, we can gain a clear idea about end-time America. Although Egypt’s prosperity and military might had in the past been a help and refuge to poor and oppressed nations of the world, Egypt is now itself degrading into a shadow of its former self.
Fourth, Egypt’s leaders have set the nation on a downward spiral until it staggers like a drunkard into his vomit. Natural disasters accompany economic ruin, anarchy, and civil war that sees Egyptians fight brother against brother, neighbor against neighbor, city against city, and state against state.
Fifth, a militaristic world power from the North—Assyria and its evil alliance—invades Egypt and plunders it. A war virtually descriptive of a nuclear holocaust overtakes Egypt. Its idolatrous inhabitants perish or are taken captive. International treaties prove useless as Egypt cannot save itself.
Sixth, in the midst of Egypt’s distress, certain covenanters in the land of Egypt swear allegiance to the God of Israel and cry to him for deliverance. As they fulfill covenants they make with him and offer up acceptable sacrifices, he sends them a savior who takes up their cause and delivers them.
Seventh, although the Lord smites Egypt by means of war and natural disasters, by smiting he also heals it. As the Egyptians turn back to him, he makes himself known to them and heals them. He accepts Egypt as his covenant people, and they labor with the Assyrians to convert them to him.
Noteworthy is that Isaiah’s prophecies of “Egypt” match Book of Mormon ones of the end-time Gentiles in America. These go two ways: (1) most perish at the hands of the house of Israel; and (2) some fulfill their end-time ministry as spiritual kings and queens of the Gentiles and restore the house of Israel.
