America @ 250

By Mark A. Little

July 4^th, 2026 marks the 250^th anniversary of America’s Declaration of Independence.  The events surrounding this Declaration are filled with many miraculous twists and turns.

Signer John Adams thought July 2^nd would be the day Americans would celebrate their independence on. He stated in a letter to his wife Abigail on July 3^rd, 1776;

"The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty.”

John Adams was very clear in his thoughts that the nation should celebrate its independence by worshipping God.

The Signers of the Declaration were signing their death warrant when they affixed their signatures to this historic document.

In a letter to John Adams dated July 20^th, 1811, Signer Benjamin Rush reflected on Independence Day celebrations in 1811 and how the seriousness of that day was barely acknowledged.

"Dear Old Friend,"

"The 4^th of July has been celebrated in Philadelphia in the manner I expected. The military men, and particularly one of them, ran away with all the glory of the day. Scarcely a word was said of the solicitude and labors and fears and sorrows and sleepless nights of the men who projected, proposed, defended and subscribed the Declaration of Independence."

The creation of the Declaration of Independence required great acts of courage and fortitude by the men who signed this wonderfully historic document.

Benjamin Rush recounts the atmosphere in the room on August 2^nd, 1776, the day 54 Signers signed their names to the Declaration, asking John Adams;

“Do you recollect the pensive and awful silence which pervaded the house when we were called up, one after another, to the table of the President of Congress to subscribe what was believed by many at that time to be our own death warrants?”

Thomas C. Jones captured the jeopardy these men faced in courageously signing this Declaration.

“All of these patriots suffered greatly in physical hardships, loss of loved ones, great financial losses, damage to, and in some instances, complete destruction of their dwellings, and exposure and imprisonment of themselves and members of their families.”

Source:      “Signers of the Declaration of Independence, Vol. 1,” Acknowledgements by Thomas C. Jones, pg. 5

Sadly, many Americans have lost sight of the sacrifice these men made in the cause for American liberty. This has happened in large part because of the deliberate neglect in not educating American children in this glorious and wonderful history.

America’s 40^th President, Ronald Reagan, understood how important education was to the preservation of freedom.

“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.  We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream.  It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.”

Independence prophesied

Few people realize the history of the Declaration of Independence goes back much further than 1776. Nearly 4 millennia ago promises were made related to the establishment of America. These promises have been purposely attacked, compromised and concealed from the viewing public. This has been done through the influence of the god of this world to keep people in the dark about their true heritage. His purpose is to prevent understanding about the wonderful plan of the Great Creator God.

America’s founding lies in the promises God made to the patriarch Abraham for his obedience to God (Gen. 22:15-18). These promises were passed on to his son Isaac (Gen. 26:3-5). Isaac in turn passed these same blessings on to his son Jacob (Ge 28:3-4).

Upon his return to the land of Canaan after being away for 20 years (Gen. 31:38), Jacob was given a promise which would expand on the promises given to his father Isaac and grandfather Abraham.

"Then God appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Padan Aram and blessed him. And God said to him. ‘Your name is Jacob; your name shall not be called Jacob anymore, but Israel shall be your name.’ So He called his name Israel. Also God said to him: ‘I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall proceed from you and kings shall come from your body. The land which I gave Abraham and Isaac I give to you; and to your descendants after you I give this land’ " (Gen. 35:9-12).

There are 2 points that need to be made before going further:

1) These verses establish the origin of the name Israel, which means: he will rule (as) God.

2) The land being spoken of here extends far beyond that which the “River to the Sea” crowd gets violent about today. The area of land God promised to Abraham is much larger than the modern state of Israel. The land God promised Abraham fits today between the boundaries of the Nile River in Egypt and the Euphrates River in Iraq (Gen. 15:18).

God promised Jacob that “a nation and a company of nations” would come from Jacob’s descendants. Jacob had 12 sons and this nation and company of nations would come from one of those sons. It becomes apparent who this promise would pertain to in Genesis 48.

Understand that Jacob is on his death bed in Egypt when his beloved son Joseph comes to visit him. Joseph is accompanied by his firstborn son, Manasseh and Manasseh’s brother, Ephriam. This was not just a causal visit. It has important meaning and purpose for America’s 250^th anniversary. It was to reveal who would receive what is known as the birthright promise.

Originally, the birthright promise should have gone to Jacob’s firstborn son Reuben. Because Reuben committed an act of sexual immorality with one of Jacob’s wives, the birthright was transferred to Joseph, the oldest son of his 2^nd wife Rachel.

As Jacob began to bless Joseph’s sons, he crossed his hands placing his right hand on the head of Ephraim and his left hand on the head of Manasseh. Joseph objected to his father’s actions, because the right should have been placed on Manasseh’s head, Joseph’s firstborn son. Joseph wanted his father to uncross his hands and reverse placement (Gen. 48:14, 17-18).

Jacob refused Joseph’s effort to reposition his hands telling Joseph, “I know, my son, I know. He shall become a people (referring to Manasseh) and he also shall be great; but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he and his descendants shall become a multitude of nations.” Jacob passed on the same promise to Ephriam and Manasseh given to him years earlier upon his return to Canaan.

Jacob also said in his prayer of blessing; “Let my name be named upon them (). That name was Israel. This is an important point to take note of since many in the world today believe only the Jewish people are Israel of the Bible. 

The descendants of these sons were to become a great nation and a company of nations, but the fulfillment of this promise would not happen for over 2 millennia.

Herbert W. Armstrong in his book “The United States and Britain in Prophecy,”  writes about how this promise would be fulfilled.

"From the prophetic blessings passed on by the dying Jacob, it is apparent that Ephraim and Manasseh were in a large measure to inherit the birthright jointly; to remain together for a long time, finally separating."

"In Genesis 48 Jacob first passed the birthright on to the two sons of Joseph jointly, speaking of them both together. Then, finally, he spoke of them separately Manasseh was to become the single GREAT nation; Ephraim, the COMPANY of nations. "

"Manasseh was to separate from Ephraim and become the greatest, wealthiest single nation of earth's history." pgs. 103-104

Mr. Armstrong goes on to identify who the modern day descendants of these 2 brothers are today and when the separation between them occurred.

"Remember now the birthright promise was given to the two tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh--not to the other tribes or their descendants."

"Hence it is THEY--the descendants of Ephraim and Manasseh--not the Jews, who are referred to in prophecy under the names of Jacob or Israel."

"In A.D. 1800 the United Kingdom and the United States were small and insignificant among the earth's nations. The United Kingdom consisted only of the British Isles, a very small part of India and of Canada and a few little islands. The United States consisted only of the original 13 colonies and three added states. Neither possessed any great wealth or power."

"But beginning in 1800 these two little nations began to sprout and to grow into vast national riches and power such as no people ever possessed." pgs. 105-106

Few understand that the events surrounding the Declaration of Independence were the opening salvo in the separation of Ephriam (Britian) from Manasseh (America). The Revolutionary War would ensue with an American victory. Following victory, America’s founders would establish the Constitution and Bill of Rights to kick off the start of a new nation. The separation was now complete and God’s promise of Manasseh becoming a great nation could commence.

This is history very few understand because God’s Word, The Holy Bible has been rejected.

Wise words

As America celebrates 250 years of liberty, it’s important to remember this liberty is not guaranteed. Unfortunately, America is showing some signs of aging after 250 years.

America’s Founding Fathers gave God credit for the establishment of this nation. They understood the nation’s longevity depended on maintaining a deep abiding commitment to God.

America’s first President, George Washington had some pointed words for America in his Farewell Address that would behoove Americans to pay attention to today or face the prospect of losing its liberty.

President Washington understood a free nation had to be a moral nation.

“Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports.”

“And let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.”

“It is substantially true that virtue or morality is a necessary spring of popular government. The rule, indeed, extends with more or less force to every species of free government.”

He also understood the need to be vigilant against adversaries who seek to tear down and destroy the nation or change its founding principles.

“Towards the preservation of your government, and the permanency of your present happy state, it is requisite, not only that you steadily discountenance irregular oppositions to its acknowledged authority, but also that you resist with care the spirit of innovation upon its principles, however specious the pretexts. One method of assault may be to effect, in the forms of the Constitution, alterations which will impair the energy of the system, and thus to undermine what cannot be directly overthrown.” 

George Washington humbly recognized the value of his words would most likely be ignored.

“In offering to you, my countrymen, these counsels of an old and affectionate friend, I dare not hope they will make the strong and lasting impression I could wish; that they will control the usual current of the passions, or prevent our nation from running the course which has hitherto marked the destiny of nations. But, if I may even flatter myself that they may be productive of some partial benefit, some occasional good; that they may now and then recur to moderate the fury of party spirit, to warn against the mischiefs of foreign intrigue, to guard against the impostures of pretended patriotism; this hope will be a full recompense for the solicitude for your welfare, by which they have been dictated.”

Moses was not so kind in assessing the cause for America’s aging.  His blunt assessment in Deuteronomy 32:29 is a prophecy which in part for applies to America today.

“For  I know that after my death you will become utterly corrupt and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you. And evil will befall you in the latter days, because you will do evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke Him to anger through the work of your hands.”

The recent pardon of a convicted illegal alien child rapist from the country of Laos for the heinous multiple rapes of a 10 year old girl by the Minnesota pardon board led by Governor Tim Walz, is an example of what Moses prophesied would happen.

America, needs to make significant changes if this nation hopes to reverse its rapid aging process and make it to its tri-centennial, 50 years from now.

Those who have an ear, let them hear what the Spirit says to America.