Plucking the Eagle's Wings

The Eagle in Bible Prophecy

of the first century. It was translated from Greek to Latin and placed in the appendix of the New Testament by the Council of Trent in the 16 th century. One of the visions found in 2 Esdras Chapters 11 and 12 is about a strange, giant eagle. It begins: "On the second night I had a dream, and behold, there came up from the sea an eagle that had twelve feathered wings and three heads. And I looked, and behold, he spread his wings over all the earth, and all the winds of heaven blew upon him, and the clouds were gathered about him ... And I looked and behold, the eagle flew with his wings, to reign over the earth and over all who dwell in it." It continues to give more detail about the eagle. From the midst of the eagle's body a voice began to speak. One wing begins to reign, followed by another, then another. Second Esdras continues: "There were some of them that ruled, yet disappeared suddenly; and others of them rose up, but did not hold the rule." The story then describes the creature's twelve feathered wings and three heads. Later, the eagle is positioned among the four ethereal beasts depicted in Daniel's dream (Daniel 7). Finally, the eagle is likened to the Roman Empire. There are some odd parallels between this vision and America's political history. Prophetically speaking, I will point out several examples. "Two wings ... set themselves up to reign, and their reign was brief and full of tumult." This could refer to Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy. Both presidents dealt with contemporary Civil Rights issues. The Civil War could be symbolized by this statement: "In the midst of the time of that kingdom, great struggles shall arise and it shall be in danger of falling; nevertheless it shall not fall then, but shall reign in its former power." The deaths of Kennedy and Lincoln may be symbolized here: "Eight kings shall arise in it, whose times shall be short and their years swift; and two of them shall perish when the middle of its time draws near..." Kennedy was shot in the midst of his first term, and Lincoln perished at the beginning of his second term. In both cases, assassinations happened "in the midst" of their appointed times. The "rule of the twelve feathers" could refer to the fact that twelve American presidents have served as military generals. The eagle

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