Is "America Back"?

We often hear the political slogan, “Make America Great Again,” but what does that really mean? How should we view this kind of political slogan as followers of Christ? When will we know America is really back?

People probably have differing views of when the United States was considered great, depending on their generation. President Trump, when asked that question, said in an interview with The New York Times: “it was during periods of military and industrial expansion at the onset of the 20th century and again in the years after World War II.”

Now we hear the slogan, “America is back,” but is the United States back, and what does that really mean? Is it back because of international respect, or is it back as an economic powerhouse dominating the world and commanding the respect of most nations? What would qualify as a reason to make it true that America is back?

What is back?

No one likes to think they are part of a nation which is hated by the world or that their nation is on a spiral of decline. We want to live in a prosperous and powerful nation which other countries fear and would not want to fight against. Even with ancient Israel, God gave great promises if they obeyed: “I will give peace in the land, and you shall lie down, and none will make you afraid; I will rid the land of evil beasts, and the sword will not go through your land. You will chase your enemies, and they shall fall by the sword before you. Five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight; your enemies shall fall by the sword before you” (Leviticus 26:6-8).

Historically, there have been many miraculous, victorious battles over the enemies of America, Britain and their allies. When we should have lost a war, it was but for God’s grace we did not. Many remember the army-related movies of actor, Audie Murphy. Wikipedia says of Murphy: “(He) was an American soldier, actor, and songwriter. He was widely celebrated as the most decorated American combat soldier of World War II, and has been described as the most highly decorated enlisted soldier in U.S. history. He received every military combat award for valor available from the United States Army, as well as French and Belgian awards for heroism. Murphy received the Medal of Honor for valor that he demonstrated at age 19 for single-handedly holding off a company of German soldiers for an hour at the Colmar Pocket in France in January 1945, before leading a successful counterattack while wounded.”

The verses in Leviticus 26:6-8 remind us of what God promised when we see these kinds of acts of astounding heroism over and over again in a fit of battle. Alvin C. York, who was a conscientious objector to war prior to World War I, was one such hero as well. Sgt. Alvin York was famous for his heroic actions during World War I. He single-handedly captured or killed an entire German battalion in the Argonne Forest, earning him the Congressional Medal of Honor and many other citations. His story was immortalized in the movie "Sergeant York,” played by actor, Gary Cooper, in 1941. Sergeant York helped capture over 100 Germans. His plan could have ended as a complete failure, but he, as almost an army of one, defeated the enemy. York always gave the credit to God and His will for the success of the mission.

No such victories of late?

Consider this: The United States has not had a clear, indisputable victory in a war beyond the 1991 Gulf War. The last time the U.S. officially ended a war was in 1973 when it withdrew from Vietnam after over two decades of involvement in warfare. The U.S. military left behind $5 billion in equipment, which is equivalent to $37.2 billion today.

The United States Armed Forces completed their withdrawal from Afghanistan on 30 August 2021, marking the end of the 2001–2021 war. After 20 years and $2 trillion, the United States repeated its losing-war pattern in Afghanistan and retreated in disgrace. Billions of dollars in equipment plus Afghan allies who helped the U.S., were left to face the Taliban as the United States hurriedly left in disgrace. Before World War II, the U.S. won nearly all the major wars it fought, but since then, it has barely won any major wars.

Losing causes a nation to eventually lose its healthy ‘can do’ spirit. God wants a people who have a right pride and self-confidence—not a self-centered, boastful, sinful kind of pride. When God brought ancient Israel out of the land of Egypt, in which they were a people under the yoke of servitude and oppression, they could not hold their head high. A yoke about the neck causes a person to walk in a stooped condition. God told them when He freed them from Egypt: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that you should not be their slaves; I have broken the bands of your yoke and made you walk upright.”

God warned Israel if they did not follow His commandments: “I will break the pride of your power" (Leviticus 26:19). God shows the folly of their thinking that military might and power is the cause of their great unrighteous pride. The real strength of Israel was never their great armies, but rather it was always their great God. As long as a majority of the children of Israel were faithful to God, they had a booming economy and they had an army which won if a conflict arose.

When will America really be back?

America must first rebuild its moral foundations and its faithfulness to Almighty God before even the most sophisticated armaments on earth will help fight our enemies. In truth, it is God who wins our wars. Even when Israel was being pursued by the most powerful army in the world anciently, we read: “And Moses said to the people, ‘Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace’” (Exodus 14:13-14).

We place on our money, “In God We Trust.” It is time we really did trust God as a nation. When the majority of the modern descendants of Jacob turn their hearts to God, then we will really be back. It won’t be when we have a great economic comeback or when we have built a powerful military force with every advanced weapon known to man, but it will be when our peoples turn to God. It will be when our families humble themselves in our Lord’s sight and seek to please Him by living by His precepts. When that happens, and we sincerely hope it does, then it will be a true saying: “America is back.”