Unleashing the Beast

S O W HAT C AN A MERICA D O ? / 319

socio-economic background have managed to escape countries where oppression and dictators have choked off the freedom of the masses. They have fled to America, the land of refuge. Few people living on earth today, if given the opportunity, would not immediately pack their belongings and head to the shores of America. Throughout world history, God has always had a place of refuge for His people. In the days of the patriarchs, the Jews went to Egypt during a famine and Joseph re-located the entire clan and gave them refuge there. They lived there for 400 years, until finally returning to Israel under Moses, a nation about 2 million strong. Noah built an ark that provided protection for his family from a global flood. Lot was told to escape to a small city called Zoar to be hidden from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Christ was carried to Egypt as an infant to escape the bloody hands of a jealous king named Herod who was bent on killing the future King of the Jews. Paul escaped a series of assassination attempts in Damascus by traveling into Arabia where he spent three years in prayer. During the 7-year Tribulation, God will prepare a special place for a chosen Jewish remnant where they will be fed and protected from the assault of Satan and the Antichrist. The location will likely be the city of Petra, carved out of the stone mountains in the land of Edom and Moab. There is a principle in Scripture that God can provide a way of escape for the righteous if they will follow His direction. America has been a safe haven for several centuries. We