John Winthrop is often called “the grandfather of America.” In 1630, he crossed the Atlantic and prophesied the words of Jesus in Matthew 5:14 over America, saying, “We shall be a city on a hill.”
According to New York Times Bestselling author Jonathan Cahn, the prophecy doesn’t stop there.
Cahn paraphrases the rest of Winthrop’s prophecy, “If we follow God, we will be the most blessed people in the world. We’ll be the most prosperous, the most powerful.
“But people don’t read on to comprehend what he actually said. He said, ‘But if we turn away God, then the judgments that came on Israel will come upon us.'”
Cahn says that Winthrop was alluding to Deuteronomy 28, and Cahn paraphrases verse 49 of the passage, “It says, ‘An enemy will come from a far-away land, like an eagle in the sky, and he will come … swooping down upon you.'”
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He then reveals the relevance of the eagle. “The very first plane that began 9/11 had an image on it—an image of an eagle, specifically swooping down,” Cahn says.
Cahn did some research and found out that many synagogues in New York were directed to recite Deuteronomy 28:49 only a few days before 9/11.
Cahn says he believes 9/11 happened as the beginning of judgment on America for turning away from God.
“America has been a refuge to the needy, blessed the house of Israel … spread the gospel,” says Cahn. “But now we’ve turned so far that … we’re not lighting the world. We’re darkening it with pornography. We’re darkening it with immorality, with gender. We’re corrupting much of the world.”
After John Winthrop founded Boston, he became the governor of Massachusetts and, according to Cahn, he had an island off the coast where he would pray for America and worship. John Winthrop’s island eventually became an airport, Logan International, the site where 9/11 began.
Although Cahn sees a clear path to America’s destruction, he sees hope. He sees the church’s repentance and turning back to Christ as that hope, and he specifically addresses the church, “God is calling us … to repent of our idols of seeking prosperity over God and to become the lights we’re supposed to be.
“The grays are disappearing, and the dark is getting darker,” says Cahn. “That means the lights have to get brighter. Let’s be that people. Let’s rise to it.”