It all began with Jonathan Cahn’s first book, The Harbinger, written in 2012, which revealed an ancient mystery behind everything from 9/11 to the economy, to the housing boom, to the war in Iraq, to the crisis on Wall Street. God used The Harbinger to send a prophetic message on which America’s future hangs.
But that wasn’t the end. Since The Harbinger came out, what the book foreshadowed is coming true. So, in early 2020, Cahn began to write the long-awaited sequel, The Harbinger II: The Return. Soon after, COVID-19 began to paralyze America. The shaking of which Cahn had warned in The Harbinger had begun.
The Harbinger revealed signs that appeared in the last days of ancient Israel, which are now reappearing on American soil. These harbingers do not mark the end of judgment but the beginning of judgment. This biblical template of national judgment begins with the lifting of the nation’s hedge of protection. An enemy makes a strike on the land. It’s a wake-up call to return to God.
For America, the beginning of national judgment came on September 11, 2001. In the template, the nation is given a space of time, a window in which to come back to God or to head for judgment. If it doesn’t turn back, then greater shakings will happen. In America, it’s happening now.
In 1630, John Winthrop led the Puritans’ exodus to the new world. He dedicated our nation to the purposes of God, founded after the pattern of ancient Israel. Winthrop said, “We must consider that we shall be as a city on the hill. Thus stands the cause between God and us. We are entered into covenant with Him for this work.” Then Winthrop gave this prophetic warning: “If we shall deal falsely with our God … If our hearts shall turn away, so that we will not obey, but shall be seduced and worship other Gods, our pleasure, profits, and serve them …” If America followed after God, it would be blessed, but if it turned away from God, it would be cursed.
The Island: When John Winthrop spoke of a City on a Hill, that name would not only stand for a civilization that would rise from Massachusetts Bay but for an actual city. That City on a Hill still exists today; it is known as Boston. Boston was the first city on a hill. Where did 9/11 begin? It started in Boston. Winthrop had a place he called his own. It was an island off the coast of Boston where he planted a garden, orchard and vineyard. It would become known as Governor’s Island. From this island, Winthrop would gaze out at the city upon a hill and pray for it. But what happened to this island? It eventually became Logan Airport. This is the exact place where 9/11 began. The planes took off from this airport and headed toward ground zero — the very place where America was dedicated to God. This was the same place where John Winthrop gave his prophetic warning that if this nation turned away from God, His blessing would be removed.
The Gate: America is modeled after ancient Israel. God’s judgment always begins at the gate. Our gate, New York City, was attacked on 9/11. The gate speaks of entrance or beginning (Deut. 28:52).
The Towers: The pride and glory of an ancient civilization were embodied in its towers (Isa. 2:12, 17). The towers served to strengthen the gates and as a place for watchmen to keep an eye out over their city. New York City’s towers were known as the twin towers. The fall of a city’s towers is symbolic as a foreshadowing of the fall of the kingdom or the nation itself.
Military and Economic Power: America’s superpowers rest in two areas: military and economics. In 1941, America’s military forces quadrupled as it entered the Second World War. That same year a building began to be formed that would house, symbolize and embody that power. That building was the Pentagon. The Pentagon was born on September 11, 1941, and struck on September 11, 2001. America’s economic power is centered in New York City — Wall Street, the World Trade Center — which was also targeted on 9/11.
The 19-Year Mystery: In The Harbinger II there’s a chapter called “The 19-Year Mystery.” This is referring to the ancient biblical template of judgment. Unfortunately, America is following in the ominous footsteps of Israel. When judgment came to Israel, the first strike came in 605 BC when the armies of Babylon invaded the land. Yet, the greater shakings came in 586 BC as judgment ravaged the land — 19 years between the two events. Following the same biblical template, America’s first strike happened on September 11, 2001. Our nation’s greater shaking came to America in the form of a pandemic known as COVID-19 in the year 2020 —19 years after 9/11.
The Plague: When Jeremiah spoke about the plague that came upon the ancient land, he cited the murder of the children as one of the reasons for that judgment (Jer. 19:1-11; 8:22; 32:35-36). The generation that came to a close in 2020 had more blood on its hands in all of human history, as more than 60 million unborn innocent children in America and over 1 billion babies worldwide have been killed through abortion. COVID was unique in that it focused its fury on the older generations and spared the youngest. America has been at the forefront of abortion. New York City became known as the abortion capital of America, and not only for the largest number of abortions. Then on January 22, 2019, Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the Reproductive Health Act — legislation essentially allowing children to be killed up until the time of their birth. To celebrate the gruesome law, Gov. Cuomo ordered the tower at ground zero to be lit up in pink. One year later came the plague, and New York City quickly became the plague capital of the nation and then of the world. Jeremiah foretold that death would return to the nation that shed its children’s innocent blood.
The key to national restoration lies in this scripture: “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 I will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chron. 7:14, NIV). God uses calamities and shakings to draw a nation back from judgment. Our only hope is return and revival. The trumpets are sounding and it’s time to get right with God.
In 1863, amid the Civil War, America was almost destroyed. President Abraham Lincoln called for a national day of prayer, humility and repentance before God. Just over two months after that event, the Union experienced victory at Gettysburg on July 3, and the fall of Vicksburg under Ulysses S. Grant turned things around. That is the power of prayer!
In 1980, America was facing hardship. Jimmy Carter was the president and faced challenges during his administration with economic stagnation and the Iran hostage crisis. Carter called for a national day of prayer, and believers gathered on the National Mall with one shared scripture: 2 Chronicles 7:14.
Two key prayers were prayed that day: first, that God would rescue our American hostages; and second, they lifted their hands to the western side of the Capitol Building and prayed that He would place in the nation’s government those of His will. Jonathan shares, “I know because I was there.” Two months later, there was a presidential election and a revolution in the polls. Candidates who pledged themselves to biblical values were winning across the country.
The most notable was Ronald Reagan, who became the next leader of the United States of America. Reagan spoke of the need for spiritual revival. On the same day that he took the oath of office, the hostages were released. When he was sworn in, his right hand was raised while his other hand was on the Bible on a specific verse that his mother had highlighted. It was 2 Chronicles 7:14. Shortly thereafter, the economy rebounded, the military rebounded and the Soviet Union fell.
When people humble themselves before God, restoration comes. Therein lies our hope!