Is It Too Late for America to Repent? What Could Make It Happen?

The United States is in the midst of a vast culture change. One big reason is because the voice of many Americans was heard. Often, political leaders see which way the parade is headed and they run to the front to lead it.

The last four years, in conjunction with a more authoritarian leadership in the western world, saw the emergence of the ‘Woke’ movement, a movement forced upon the peoples of democratic nations. It very nearly succeeded in making inroads into every institution in the United States. The movement strove to blur sexual lines of male and female. It tried to take away the rights of parents over their own children, and let school systems hide counsel from them—brainwashing their kids, encouraging them to take hormones and have sex-change operations. And there was much more that was done. If anyone dared to protest, their voices were immediately shut down. Such things have been mostly halted by the Trump administration.

The United States and other countries are reversing at a rapid pace the great harm done by leaders who tried to inject these foul ideas into society. It gives us hope to see this is happening. It makes one wonder, can America and the west repent? What could make it happen?

Why will you die, O house of Israel?

It is not God’s desire to see the United States or Britain fall. Ancient Israel fell into sin as a nation, and God warned them time and again to turn around and repent: “And you, son of man, say to the house of Israel, thus have you said: ‘Surely our transgressions and our sins are upon us, and we rot away because of them. How then can we live?’ Say to them, as I live, declares the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel?” (Ezekiel 33:10-11).

God similarly has no desire to see the modern nations of Israel, found mostly in the English-speaking nations, rot in the filth of sin. Unfortunately, ancient Israel did not repent, and the Assyrians defeated them, and they were taken into captivity in 721-718 B.C. Many might scoff at the idea that modern nations as advanced as the U.S. and Britain could be defeated and face captivity as slaves in another country—but Bible prophecy indicates that will happen. It doesn’t have to occur if the nations repent—which has happened in history.

Keep in mind, it is the great God of heaven who raises up leaders, and He alone can depose them (Daniel 2:21). We may also think it is by physical weaponry and military strength of a nation that it survives, but without God as our protector we would be defeated. It was by the grace and countless miracles and interventions of God that enabled the Allied Powers to win World War II.

In the 2017 movie, Dunkirk, Christopher Nolan directed a well-made tribute to this famous 1940 World War II drama that unfolded over ten days on the shores of France. But this Hollywood film doesn’t tell the whole truth. Tremendous miracles occurred that helped win the war.

The Allies severely miscalculated the path the Nazis would take, and the British and French soldiers were surrounded. The only way to escape was across the English Channel through Dunkirk, a city in northern France. A massive evacuation would require transporting thousands of troops across the channel, perhaps under fire from hundreds of German tanks on the ground and dive bomber Stukas from the air.

Reaching out to God

On May 23, Winston Churchill met with the British monarch, King George VI, to brief him. A pitiful rescue operation was afoot, but only a few ships were ready to sail. It seemed like an impossible rescue and a massacre in the making, The ferrying of the troops would be easy targets for the Nazis. King George VI, when hearing the bad news said, “We must pray,” and "This next Sunday, I’m calling for a National Day of Prayer."

Then things began to happen. On May 24, the day King George VI called for national prayer, Adolph Hitler halted the German offensive which was near the troops at Dunkirk. For about three days, England prayed in unity that the German tanks would halt, and miraculously nothing moved.

During this needed period of time, the Allied Powers were able to push back the German forces and carve out a pathway for the troops to flow through to the English Channel. In addition, rain and heavy cloud cover prevented most attacks by the Nazis. The Allied exodus was a success. The word went out across England for the grave need for boats to cross the channel, though most didn’t know why. Many responded and came to help with many kinds of vessels. The rest is history.

Prayer and repentance works for nations and individuals!

We see by this one example of the rescue of Allied troops in World War II that prayer to the Almighty God indeed works. Having the favor of God made all the difference!

Nineveh was an ancient Assyrian city located in modern-day Mosul, Iraq. It was one of the oldest and greatest cities in antiquity, serving as a trade center and the capital city of Assyria. Nineveh had long been an enemy of Judah and Israel. God was about to destroy Nineveh. He sent the reluctant prophet Jonah to preach to them.

Jonah journeyed and warned them for forty days to repent. Low and behold, they repented! God did not destroy Nineveh because the people turned from their wicked ways (Jonah 3:10). God retracted the prophecy for destruction out of mercy for the repentant people of Nineveh.

Can America, Britain and the nations of the west repent? The turnaround in the United States is encouraging to see, and maybe there are enough people who want right values that could lead to repentance under the right circumstances.

Will it take a Dunkirk or another 911 event to really wake up the people of Britain and the United States to return to God? Maybe then people might be willing to listen His words. Surely if there has been any time in history when we need to be healed as nations, it would be now. We need a leader who strives to recapture true values, and turn the whole country back to those values.

Second Chronicles 7:14 says to us: “if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

God is witnessing to this world, “Repent from your ways.” Just like God said to ancient Israel, He warns us now, “Turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel?”

O house of Israel, will you repent?