The launch of a new Joel Rosenberg book is a much-anticipated event, and with good reason.
Since landing on the bestseller lists in the past decade, Rosenberg has thrilled readers with his blending of geopolitics and biblical worldview. His area of expertise is the Middle East, but that doesn’t mean his discernment is confined to that epicenter (get it? As in, his previous book, “Epicenter”?).
In his new book, “Implosion: Can America Recover from Its Economic and Spiritual Challenges in Time?”, Rosenberg tackles the issue most self-absorbed Americans are interested in most: What is going to happen to the U.S. Specifically, of course, how does all this chaos in the world affect … me?
Happily, Rosenberg has proven himself to be, if not exactly a prognosticator, at least a man of discernment gained from studying the Bible and being involved in politics. Frankly, in “Implosion,” his study of the data is something you do not want to be without. The book is that gripping.
Right away, Rosenberg quotes former Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., who said two years ago that America would implode. Not hard to see why he’d say that: Exploding deficits, insane spending initiatives and weak leadership have created a storm of instability.
Interestingly, for Bible prophecy buffs, Rosenberg also quotes Sen. Kent Conrad of North Dakota, who claimed that unless the country gets a handle on economic difficulties, we will be relegated to “second-class” status as a nation. That one comment goes farther to answer the question, “Where is the U.S. in Bible prophecy?” than any other I’ve heard.
Rosenberg’s gift for understanding Bible prophecy enables him to “see” what’s coming, to a degree.
He even admits in “Implosion” that the data can be depressing: “Before we go any further, let me just say it has been difficult for me to write this book. To be perfectly honest, there were many times when I simply didn’t want to finish it. I didn’t want to study the data or examine the trends, much less draw any conclusions about the future of our country. The process was, at times, depressing, and if I’m not careful, I can still find myself becoming anxious or gloomy.”
He doesn’t say exactly what is going to happen, or paint himself into a corner by making specific predictions, but Rosenberg does do an incredible job of connecting the dots. He also causes the reader to consider his or her own place in this country, at this momentous hour. In this way, he allows the reader to participate in the story.
He also makes the interesting statement that when we look through the “third lens” – the Bible – “only then can we begin to see in three dimensions.” This is the key to understanding why many of our nation’s leaders are simply inadequate for the task.
In terms of whether the U.S. is specifically mentioned in Scripture, I won’t tell you even a tenth of what Rosenberg fascinatingly covers in “Implosion,” but he does, for example, surmise that the biblical references to future Babylon are not some symbolic revelation of America, but rather the actual location in Iraq.
Rosenberg’s conclusions about America in prophecy make “Implosion” one of the very best books on the subject I’ve ever read. Your eyes will be glued to every page, I promise you.
One of the most interesting things about Rosenberg’s work these days is the fact that while he has real credibility even among media and politicians, he emphatically teaches the Rapture: “While the Bible does not indicate precisely when the Rapture will happen, it does teach that all true followers of Jesus Christ will be removed from the earth prior to the beginning of the Tribulation.”
Frankly, it is gratifying that a writer and thinker like Joel Rosenberg is able to act as a counterweight to false teachers like Harold Camping. This is especially critical at a time when a growing number of evangelical leaders like Rick Warren are marginalizing the teaching of Bible prophecy.
Because Rosenberg is smart and astute, he recognizes that no human can say with certainty just how the future’s details will play out. In other words, he establishes a brilliant thesis in “Implosion” by noting that God alone acts in history, and that He can show mercy when it pleases Him.
To that end, Rosenberg writes an absolutely fascinating brief history of past revivals in America, and outlines the work of such Christian leaders as Jonathan Edwards: “The revival soon spread through 32 communities near Boston, then throughout New England and the rest of the colonies. Edwards’s tract was published in London and spread widely through Great Britain, Scotland and Wales, where pastors and laypeople were enthralled and began praying and preaching for revivals in their nations as well.”
“Implosion” wrestles with a whole host of important issues, among them the rebirth of Israel, terrorism, natural disasters and geopolitical convulsions. Yet none is as important as his appeal to the individual reader to meditate on these things and make the proper plans for a future that increasingly terrifies.
There is a lot to chew on in “Implosion.” It’s one meal you do not want to miss.
