Why did the Western world start to accumulate massive amounts of wealth at the beginning of the 19th century? That was a question posed in response to a statement President Obama made last week about leveling the playing field in the world economy. The commentator, who criticized the president’s world view, pointed to a “hockey stick” chart showing the world per capita gdp hovering around poverty level during the first several millennia of man’s existence.

Then, around 1800, there was a sharp and dramatic turn upward on the chart. Worldwide wealth skyrocketed. Why? Because that is when, the commentator proudly noted, America and the free market arrived!

And so, the ideological battle rages on. On one side there is the utopian ideal of redistributing the world’s wealth evenly among nations. No one nation should have an advantage over another, as President Obama has often said. On the other side of the debate, there is the American-centric view: Expand the free market so that the rest of the world can enjoy trickle-down wealth from America’s fabulous prosperity.

Neither side understands the true cause of today’s economic crisis, which is why they are seeking material explanations only. Both sides are also ignorant of the divine source behind America’s unprecedented rise to the most prosperous and powerful nation in the history of the world.

In early America, at least there was a greater awareness of the impact of a providential God on the affairs of men. It would be difficult to imagine, for example, America’s forefathers attributing the blessings of prosperity and power to the free market economy.

In his Thanksgiving Proclamation on Oct. 3, 1789, George Washington acknowledged the providence of God “for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty” and “for all the great and various favors” that had been bestowed upon America. In his mind, it was God who gave the United States its independence and who placed Americans “in the most enviable condition” as “actors on a most conspicuous theater” (Circular Letter to the States, June 18, 1783).

Abraham Lincoln put it this way: “We find ourselves in the peaceful possession of the fairest portion of the Earth, as regards fertility of soil, extent of territory, and salubrity of climate. … We … find ourselves the legal inheritors of these fundamental blessings. We toiled not in their acquisition or the establishment of them” (emphasis mine).

Even without the benefit of understanding Bible prophecy, the greatest minds of yesteryear at least knew that America inherited its prosperous abundance from God.

With the benefit of prophetic insight, we can learn why God distributed those bountiful blessings to our forefathers.

Promises to Abraham’s Descendants

More than 80 years ago, God revealed to Herbert W. Armstrong that the descendants of Ephraim and Manasseh were among the so-called lost 10 tribes of Israel that migrated, during Assyrian captivity, into Western Europe. More specifically, the descendants of these two lads settled in the land of Britain (and its commonwealth nations) and later, the United States of America.

Because of unbreakable promises God made to Abraham, the latter-day descendants of Ephraim and Manasseh were prophesied to receive unfathomable prosperity and awesome power. Originally, these promises of national greatness were conditioned upon Abraham’s obedience. And as most Bible students know, Abraham faithfully obeyed his Creator (Genesis 26:5). But he didn’t live long enough to see God follow through on His end of the covenant—to bless Abraham’s descendants with national greatness and prosperity.

God re-promised these birthright blessings to Isaac—then again to Jacob (Genesis 26:1-5; 27:26-29). In Genesis 28:13-14, God said that Abraham’s descendants would eventually spread to every corner of the Earth.

Through Jacob, whose name was eventually changed to Israel, God re-promised these birthright blessings to Joseph’s sons Ephraim and Manasseh (Israel’s grandsons). This fascinating story is recorded in Genesis 48. In verse 16, Israel said, “let my name be named on them.” Ephraim’s and Manasseh’s descendants took on the name Israel. They were to become a great people; Ephraim, a multitude of nations—Manasseh, the single greatest nation in history (Genesis 48:19; see also 35:11).

It wasn’t until many generations had passed that Abraham’s descendants began to multiply greatly. In Deuteronomy 10:22, God said the 12 tribes of Israel started with only 70 people in Egypt. By the time they fled their captivity, however, they had become a “multitude”—perhaps 2 or 3 million strong.

Once in the Promised Land, the 12 tribes, including Ephraim and Manasseh, each settled in separate yet adjoining districts—as one nation, Israel.

After King Solomon died, however, Israel split into two nations, just as God said it would (1 Kings 11:11-13). The 10 northern tribes retained the name “Israel”; the southern tribes assumed the name “Judah.” Eventually, both nations rebelled against God, turned to idolatry, and went into captivity.

Blessings Withheld

In Leviticus 26, God told the people of Israel (the 12 tribes, before they divided into two nations) that they would inherit the birthright blessings immediately if they would obey Him. Notice the conditions in verses 3-4: “If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them [as their father Abraham did]; Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.” God said if they obeyed, then they would receive the blessings. Then, beginning in verse 14, God lists the curses He would bring upon them for disobedience.

These biblical admonitions—blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience—are ones that America’s founders understood well. This is why, in the same Thanksgiving Proclamation quoted above, President Washington urged Americans to offer “prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions.”

When the people of ancient Israel rebelled against God and turned to idolatry, God cursed them with captivity and slavery.

But that doesn’t mean He broke the unconditional promises made to Abraham. He merely withheld those promises until after 2,520 years of punishment ended at the beginning of the 19th century! (This is thoroughly explained in The United States and Britain in Prophecy.)

This is why the line on the hockey stick chart went vertical after 1800. It’s why Britain and America simultaneously ascended to unprecedented heights of world dominance and influence—one becoming a multitude, or commonwealth, of nations and the other becoming the single greatest nation in history.

These immeasurable blessings were certainly not lavished upon our peoples because of any American ingenuity or because of the virtues of free market capitalism. They were gifted to us from a benevolent and gracious God because of a promise He made to our forefather Abraham 3,500 years ago.