by Don Koenig
The focus of the previous chapter was about the judgment of the harlot religious system that rode the Beast. The main focus of this chapter will be about the judgment of the Babylonian counterfeit kingdom of God called “Babylon the Great”. Babylon represents all world government and religious systems under Satan. They have been in organized rebellion against God since their conception at the tower of Babel under Nimrod. This rebellion will climax with the end time world government and religion that will have its headquarters located at Babylon, Iraq. The supernatural being behind this rebellion against God is the counterfeit god of this world system (2 Co 4:4). This chapter tells us about the world kingdom Satan fully establishes when he is allowed total control over the earth for 3 ½ years. The chapter also tells us about the judgment upon this satanic kingdom and religion from the real God in heaven.
This chapter in Revelation can be better understood by also knowing the other main prophecies about Babylon given in the Bible. Isaiah and Jeremiah also cover Babylon in depth. The passages in Isaiah and Jeremiah are below with some comments to help explain them:
The prophecies of Isaiah against Babylon:
Isa 13:1 The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see.
2 Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice unto them, shake the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles.
3 I have commanded my sanctified ones, I have also called my mighty ones for mine anger, even them that rejoice in my highness.
4 The noise of a multitude in the mountains, like as of a great people; a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together: the LORD of hosts mustereth the host of the battle.
5 They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, even the LORD, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land.
6 ¶ Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.
Notice that during the “Day of the Lord” this army comes to destroy the land of Babylon. The “Day of the Lord” is the time of destruction on the earth in the last days before God’s kingdom.
7 Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man’s heart shall melt:
8 And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames.
9 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.
10 For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.
This is not history; it is talking about the future “Day of the Lord”. We have the same references to the sun, moon and stars as we do in Joel and the Olivet discourse. We know of no time in history when these things happened and there certainly was no time that all sinners were destroyed out of the land of Babylon. There have always been sinners in the land of Iraq and in the world’s religious and political systems, so the prophecy could not have been fulfilled in the past and is still future.
11 And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.
12 I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.
The world will be punished for its evil and there will be so few men left that men will be rarer than gold.
13 Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.
In the day of the Lord’s anger, the earth will be removed out of her place. Many other prophecies indicate that the earth in the end times will be thoroughly shaken and the surface of the earth will be changed. It should be clear that these passages are not speaking about the Babylonian empire of the past.
14 And it shall be as the chased roe, and as a sheep that no man taketh up: they shall every man turn to his own people, and flee every one into his own land.
15 Every one that is found shall be thrust through; and every one that is joined unto them shall fall by the sword.
16 Their children also shall be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses shall be spoiled, and their wives ravished.
17 Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, which shall not regard silver; and as for gold, they shall not delight in it.
18 Their bows also shall dash the young men to pieces; and they shall have no pity on the fruit of the womb; their eye shall not spare children.
The Medes will be among those who destroy Babylon. They were people north of Iraq. The Kurds are descendants of the Medes. When the northern armies come against Babylon, it is reasonable to assume that the Kurds will fight with them.
19 And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees’ excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.
20 It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there.
21 But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and owls shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there.
22 And the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their desolate houses, and dragons in their pleasant palaces: and her time is near to come, and her days shall not be prolonged.
This passage was never fulfilled, since the area of Babylon is inhabited even today. The passage specifically calls it the beauty of Chaldees. The Chaldeans lived in Iraq. Arabians do pitch their tents in south-east Iraq and will in the kingdom of the Beast that will extend beyond Iraq. Those who think the passages about Babylon are describing the destruction of the United States or Europe ignore many such passages. The Arabians do not pitch tents in the United States or in Europe unless they are on a camping vacation. Zechariah chapter five makes it clear that wickedness will have a house built for her in the last days in the land of Shinar: “where it shall be established, and set there upon her own base”. The plain of Shinar is in Iraq. The base it speaks of is the same site as the tower of Babel. On this base, a temple will be built for the Beast.
Zechariah describes the move of the Beast Kingdom world headquarters from Europe to Babylon Iraq.
Zec 5:6 And I say, ‘What is it?’ And he saith, ‘This—the ephah that is coming forth.’ And he saith, ‘This is their aspect in all the land.
7 And lo, a cake of lead lifted up; and this is a woman sitting in the midst of the ephah.’
8 And he saith, ‘This is the wicked woman.’ And he casteth her unto the midst of the ephah, and casteth the weight of lead on its mouth.
9 And I lift up mine eyes, and see, and lo, two women are coming forth, and wind in their wings; and they have wings like wings of the stork, and they lift up the ephah between the earth and the heavens.
10 And I say unto the messenger who is speaking with me, ‘Whither are they causing the ephah to go?’
11 And he saith unto me, ‘To build to it a house in the land of Shinar.’ And it hath been prepared and hath been placed there on its base.
Isaiah chapter 14 also has much to say about Babylon and we will be checking out these passages on Babylon.
Isa 14:1 For the LORD will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land: and the strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob.
2 And the people shall take them, and bring them to their place: and the house of Israel shall possess them in the land of the LORD for servants and handmaids: and they shall take them captives, whose captives they were; and they shall rule over their oppressors.
3 And it shall come to pass in the day that the LORD shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve,
God will have mercy on Jacob (Israel). The Babylonians took Israel captive in the past and it is likely to happen again to some extent in the end times. The prophecy indicates the people in Babylon who do not die will become servants in Israel during the kingdom age.
4 That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased!
When the Antichrist Beast sets up his kingdom at Babylon, he will apparently build a golden city for himself.
5 The LORD hath broken the staff of the wicked, and the sceptre of the rulers.
6 He who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none hindereth.
When the Lord destroys Babylon, none will hinder him. Notice this leader smote the people in wrath and ruled the nations in anger. This is the man indwelt by Satan. He will rule the world for the last 3 ½ years before an end time rebellion from the north destroys his kingdom just before the return of Jesus.
7 The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into singing.
8 Yea, the fir trees rejoice at thee, and the cedars of Lebanon, saying, Since thou art laid down, no feller is come up against us.
9 Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.
10 All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us?
11 Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee.
The world will have peace when Satan is cast down to the pit. Even the kings of the earth in hell will be stirred up and mock him at his fall into the pit.
12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
Isaiah here describes the fall of Lucifer (Satan) out of heaven. When Satan is cast out of heaven, he incarnates the body of the dead world leader and they ascend out of the pit. He will exalt himself above the angels and play God. We are told in this book of Revelation and in Daniel that the Beast is given almost total control of the earth for 3 ½ years. God is going to give Satan his wish to be like God on the earth but Satan as god in a man will bring the world to total destruction. Jesus said unless he curtails these days no flesh would be saved (Mat 24:22).
15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
16 They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;
17 That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?
The prophecy leaves no doubt that this man will cause great destruction on the earth during the time of his power. All will wonder why they thought this Satan incarnated man was God after they see him cast down to the pit.
18 All the kings of the nations, even all of them, lie in glory, every one in his own house.
19 But thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch, and as the raiment of those that are slain, thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcase trodden under feet.
20 Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed thy land, and slain thy people: the seed of evildoers shall never be renowned.
The scriptures indicate this man will not be buried but he and his false prophet will be cast into the Lake of Fire alive. There is some mystery here since the previous passage says he will be brought down to hell (Hades). Yet, here and in Revelation 19:20, it says he will not dwell in Hades but he will be cast alive into the Lake of Fire. Our lack of understanding does not make the passages conflict. The previous passage could be talking about the spirit of Satan who incarnated the man, because we know from scripture that Satan will be cast into the pit for a thousand years. Satan does not go into the Lake of Fire until after the thousand years are over. Satan deceives the nations again at the end of the millennial reign.
Another explanation could be that this supernatural man called the Beast will pass through Hades on his way to the dimension know as the Lake of Fire. The Lake of Fire could be the final phase of a downward spiral for those in the dimension of the dead. Over one thousand years later, Satan, death and hell itself are also cast into the Lake of Fire as well as all who are not written in the book of life. The Beast and False Prophet will still be alive in the Lake of Fire at that time. (Rev 20:10, Rev 20:14,15)
21 Prepare slaughter for his children for the iniquity of their fathers; that they do not rise, nor possess the land, nor fill the face of the world with cities.
At the time Satan and his Beast are cut off, all the children of Satan will be slaughtered. No one who chooses to take the mark of the Beast will go into the kingdom of God on earth. This passage should make it abundantly clear that not all humans are children of God.
22 For I will rise up against them, saith the LORD of hosts, and cut off from Babylon the name, and remnant, and son, and nephew, saith the LORD.
23 I will also make it a possession for the bittern, and pools of water: and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction, saith the LORD of hosts.
24 The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand:
25 That I will break the Assyrian in my land, and upon my mountains tread him under foot: then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulders.
26 This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth: and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations.
27 For the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?
The Assyrian will be broken when he comes against Israel. From this passage some believe the Beast Antichrist is likely to be from the Assyrian tribe. This leader will control the Assyrian people that will come against Israel in the last days. The Assyrians dwelled in north Iraq and areas north of modern day Iraq. Even if the Antichrist turns out to be an Assyrian that does not mean the Antichrist will be a Muslim because not all Assyrians are Muslims and also because at this point the Antichrist will be worshipped by all throughout the world that reject Jesus.
The prophecies of Jeremiah about Babylon:
Jer 50:1 The word that the LORD spake against Babylon and against the land of the Chaldeans by Jeremiah the prophet.
The word of the Lord comes against the land of the Chaldeans. Bible scholars agree that the Chaldeans lived in the land that is today identified as Iraq.
2 Declare ye among the nations, and publish, and set up a standard; publish, and conceal not: say, Babylon is taken, Bel is confounded, Merodach is broken in pieces; her idols are confounded, her images are broken in pieces.
3 For out of the north there cometh up a nation against her, which shall make her land desolate, and none shall dwell therein: they shall remove, they shall depart, both man and beast.
Bel and Merodach were the Satanic gods of Babylon. In the last days, Babylon continues in idol worship when an image of the Beast is set up in Jerusalem and worshiped. Jeremiah and Isaiah indicate that Babylon will be destroyed by a nation or nations from the north. When the Babylonian Empire fell in ancient days to the Medes from the north it was not destroyed, so the prophecy has not yet been fulfilled.
4 In those days, and in that time, saith the LORD, the children of Israel shall come, they and the children of Judah together, going and weeping: they shall go, and seek the LORD their God.
5 They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward, saying, Come, and let us join ourselves to the LORD in a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten.
6 My people hath been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains: they have gone from mountain to hill, they have forgotten their restingplace.
7 All that found them have devoured them: and their adversaries said, We offend not, because they have sinned against the LORD, the habitation of justice, even the LORD, the hope of their fathers.
8 Remove out of the midst of Babylon, and go forth out of the land of the Chaldeans, and be as the he goats before the flocks.
The leaders of Israel have led many astray. The world history of the Jews confirms what was written. In the past, some in the Christian church claimed they were only doing God’s will in killing and persecuting the Jews. Now Islam is saying the same thing. The Jews will have a false sense of security under the last world leader and may even dwell in his kingdom for a time while it rises among the nations as the seat of world government. God will tell His people to get out of Babylon before He destroys her and He will provide the means for their escape. God is telling those who come out to lead the rest of the Jews of the world to safety.
9 For, lo, I will raise and cause to come up against Babylon an assembly of great nations from the north country: and they shall set themselves in array against her; from thence she shall be taken: their arrows shall be as of a mighty expert man; none shall return in vain.
10 And Chaldea shall be a spoil: all that spoil her shall be satisfied, saith the LORD.
This passage is consistent with Isaiah that an assembly of great nations will come from the north to destroy Babylon.
11 Because ye were glad, because ye rejoiced, O ye destroyers of mine heritage, because ye are grown fat as the heifer at grass, and bellow as bulls;
12 Your mother shall be sore confounded; she that bare you shall be ashamed: behold, the hindermost of the nations shall be a wilderness, a dry land, and a desert.
13 Because of the wrath of the LORD it shall not be inhabited, but it shall be wholly desolate: every one that goeth by Babylon shall be astonished, and hiss at all her plagues.
14 Put yourselves in array against Babylon round about: all ye that bend the bow, shoot at her, spare no arrows: for she hath sinned against the LORD.
15 Shout against her round about: she hath given her hand: her foundations are fallen, her walls are thrown down: for it is the vengeance of the LORD: take vengeance upon her; as she hath done, do unto her.
16 Cut off the sower from Babylon, and him that handleth the sickle in the time of harvest: for fear of the oppressing sword they shall turn every one to his people, and they shall flee every one to his own land.
17 Israel is a scattered sheep; the lions have driven him away: first the king of Assyria hath devoured him; and last this Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon hath broken his bones.
18 Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will punish the king of Babylon and his land, as I have punished the king of Assyria.
19 And I will bring Israel again to his habitation, and he shall feed on Carmel and Bashan, and his soul shall be satisfied upon mount Ephraim and Gilead.
20 In those days, and in that time, saith the LORD, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will pardon them whom I reserve.
Verse 19 and 20 are clearly saying that God will bring Israel back to their land and take away their sins. The apostle Paul said that all Israel will be saved after the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. This can only happen when God reveals himself to Israel in the last days.
21 Go up against the land of Merathaim, even against it, and against the inhabitants of Pekod: waste and utterly destroy after them, saith the LORD, and do according to all that I have commanded thee.
22 A sound of battle is in the land, and of great destruction.
23 How is the hammer of the whole earth cut asunder and broken! how is Babylon become a desolation among the nations!
Babylon is named the hammer of the whole earth because the Antichrist and his kingdom were used by Satan to smash the earth. The passage indicates Babylon will be smashed because she hammered the world.
24 I have laid a snare for thee, and thou art also taken, O Babylon, and thou wast not aware: thou art found, and also caught, because thou hast striven against the LORD.
25 The LORD hath opened his armoury, and hath brought forth the weapons of his indignation: for this is the work of the Lord GOD of hosts in the land of the Chaldeans.
Babylon will be destroyed because she will oppose the Lord God. He will deal with those rebels in the end days in the land of the Chaldeans (Iraq).
26 Come against her from the utmost border, open her storehouses: cast her up as heaps, and destroy her utterly: let nothing of her be left.
27 Slay all her bullocks; let them go down to the slaughter: woe unto them! for their day is come, the time of their visitation.
28 The voice of them that flee and escape out of the land of Babylon, to declare in Zion the vengeance of the LORD our God, the vengeance of his temple.
The Antichrist Beast that sets up his kingdom from Babylon has desecrated the temple in Jerusalem and this event started this time of vengeance from the Lord God Almighty. The passage indicates that the Jews that flee from Babylon will inform Israel that this is the vengeance the prophets wrote about. It comes because of the Beast’s desecration of God’s temple in Jerusalem.
29 Call together the archers against Babylon: all ye that bend the bow, camp against it round about; let none thereof escape: recompense her according to her work; according to all that she hath done, do unto her: for she hath been proud against the LORD, against the Holy One of Israel.
30 Therefore shall her young men fall in the streets, and all her men of war shall be cut off in that day, saith the LORD.
31 Behold, I am against thee, O thou most proud, saith the Lord GOD of hosts: for thy day is come, the time that I will visit thee.
32 And the most proud shall stumble and fall, and none shall raise him up: and I will kindle a fire in his cities, and it shall devour all round about him.
The hallmark of Satan and his Antichrist Beast is pride. The sin of pride prevails in the cities of his counterfeit kingdom and God will destroy them all. Notice God is against the proud. God is against all those who set themselves up as their own God.
33 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The children of Israel and the children of Judah were oppressed together: and all that took them captives held them fast; they refused to let them go.
34 Their Redeemer is strong; the LORD of hosts is his name: he shall throughly plead their cause, that he may give rest to the land, and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon.
35 A sword is upon the Chaldeans, saith the LORD, and upon the inhabitants of Babylon, and upon her princes, and upon her wise men.
36 A sword is upon the liars; and they shall dote: a sword is upon her mighty men; and they shall be dismayed.
37 A sword is upon their horses, and upon their chariots, and upon all the mingled people that are in the midst of her; and they shall become as women: a sword is upon her treasures; and they shall be robbed.
38 A drought is upon her waters; and they shall be dried up: for it is the land of graven images, and they are mad upon their idols.
39 Therefore the wild beasts of the desert with the wild beasts of the islands shall dwell there, and the owls shall dwell therein: and it shall be no more inhabited for ever; neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation.
40 As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbour cities thereof, saith the LORD; so shall no man abide there, neither shall any son of man dwell therein.
God says here and in other passages of scripture that no man will ever abide in this land again. When in the past was Babylon ever overthrown like Sodom and Gomorrah? It has never happened, but it will and next we see how:
41 Behold, a people shall come from the north, and a great nation, and many kings shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth.
42 They shall hold the bow and the lance: they are cruel, and will not shew mercy: their voice shall roar like the sea, and they shall ride upon horses, every one put in array, like a man to the battle, against thee, O daughter of Babylon.
43 The king of Babylon hath heard the report of them, and his hands waxed feeble: anguish took hold of him, and pangs as of a woman in travail.
44 Behold, he shall come up like a lion from the swelling of Jordan unto the habitation of the strong: but I will make them suddenly run away from her: and who is a chosen man, that I may appoint over her? for who is like me? and who will appoint me the time? and who is that shepherd that will stand before me?
45 Therefore hear ye the counsel of the LORD, that he hath taken against Babylon; and his purposes, that he hath purposed against the land of the Chaldeans: Surely the least of the flock shall draw them out: surely he shall make their habitation desolate with them.
46 At the noise of the taking of Babylon the earth is moved, and the cry is heard among the nations.
Here we see that the nations that come against Babylon not only come from the north but they also come from the coasts of the earth. The shepherd that will stand before God can only be Jesus; it will not be the Beast. When Babylon is taken the whole earth will be moved, all cities will fall, and the cry will be heard among all the nations. This occurs at the pouring out of the seventh vial judgment in Revelation. This cry among the nations will be fully described in this chapter of Revelation.
Jer 51:1 Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will raise up against Babylon, and against them that dwell in the midst of them that rise up against me, a destroying wind;
2 And will send unto Babylon fanners, that shall fan her, and shall empty her land: for in the day of trouble they shall be against her round about.
3 Against him that bendeth let the archer bend his bow, and against him that lifteth himself up in his brigandine: and spare ye not her young men; destroy ye utterly all her host.
4 Thus the slain shall fall in the land of the Chaldeans, and they that are thrust through in her streets.
Babylon, as well as being the religious, political and economic kingdom of a counterfeit god, is also a physical location on the earth. The passage says these people are slain in the land of the Chaldeans (Iraq).
5 For Israel hath not been forsaken, nor Judah of his God, of the LORD of hosts; though their land was filled with sin against the Holy One of Israel.
6 Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and deliver every man his soul: be not cut off in her iniquity; for this is the time of the LORD’S vengeance; he will render unto her a recompence.
Those who think God is done with Israel need to read this passage; it says “Israel hath not been forsaken, nor Judah”. When God stands up for His people, they are to flee out of religious and political Babylon or they will partake of her judgments.
7 Babylon hath been a golden cup in the LORD’S hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad.
8 Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed: howl for her; take balm for her pain, if so be she may be healed.
9 We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed: forsake her, and let us go every one into his own country: for her judgment reacheth unto heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies.
The whole world has been deceived by the lies that came from the kingdom of the Beast Antichrist and the False Prophet. The nations soon become aware that Babylon is not the promised “kingdom of God”. The nations have been told the truth by God’s angels and they are angry. They are coming with great armies to destroy the Kingdom of the Beast at Babylon. The passage says that Babylon will fall suddenly and be destroyed. This is probably because of the invasion from the north against the kingdom as well as direct judgment from God when a meteorite hits the city of Babylon.
10 The LORD hath brought forth our righteousness: come, and let us declare in Zion the work of the LORD our God.
11 Make bright the arrows; gather the shields: the LORD hath raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes: for his device is against Babylon, to destroy it; because it is the vengeance of the LORD, the vengeance of his temple.
“The spirit of the kings of the Medes” is most likely the kings of the north and east that come against Babylon in the last days to destroy it. God raised up this destroying army from many nations because the Antichrist defiled His temple and His holy name in Jerusalem.
12 Set up the standard upon the walls of Babylon, make the watch strong, set up the watchmen, prepare the ambushes: for the LORD hath both devised and done that which he spake against the inhabitants of Babylon.
13 O thou that dwellest upon many waters, abundant in treasures, thine end is come, and the measure of thy covetousness.
Verse 13 is the main verse that leads some to the false belief that Babylon is Rome or New York City. Babylon is said here to dwell upon many waters and Iraq does not fit their view of a nation sitting on many waters. The original Babylonian empire did sit on three seas and the kingdom of the Beast might as well. In any case, most of the world’s shipping today is in close proximity to Iraq. The Tigris and Euphrates Rivers flow through her as well. Babylon in the last days might again have access to the sea through the supernatural powers of the Beast or through the earth upheavals that occur in prior earthquakes spoken about in Revelation. Also keep in mind that "dwelling on many waters" could just mean the kingdom called Babylon will consist of many nations. As we read in Rev 17:15 "many waters" can really mean many peoples, nations and tongues.
14 The LORD of hosts hath sworn by himself, saying, Surely I will fill thee with men, as with caterpillers; and they shall lift up a shout against thee.
15 He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heaven by his understanding.
16 When he uttereth his voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens; and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth: he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures.
17 Every man is brutish by his knowledge; every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.
18 They are vanity, the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.
19 The portion of Jacob is not like them; for he is the former of all things: and Israel is the rod of his inheritance: the LORD of hosts is his name.
20 Thou art my battle axe and weapons of war: for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms;
21 And with thee will I break in pieces the horse and his rider; and with thee will I break in pieces the chariot and his rider;
22 With thee also will I break in pieces man and woman; and with thee will I break in pieces old and young; and with thee will I break in pieces the young man and the maid;
23 I will also break in pieces with thee the shepherd and his flock; and with thee will I break in pieces the husbandman and his yoke of oxen; and with thee will I break in pieces captains and rulers.
This passage is talking about how the Lord will break all nations and peoples that come against Israel.
24 And I will render unto Babylon and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea all their evil that they have done in Zion in your sight, saith the LORD.
25 Behold, I am against thee, O destroying mountain, saith the LORD, which destroyest all the earth: and I will stretch out mine hand upon thee, and roll thee down from the rocks, and will make thee a burnt mountain.
26 And they shall not take of thee a stone for a corner, nor a stone for foundations; but thou shalt be desolate for ever, saith the LORD.
God says Babylon is a destroying mountain that destroyed all of the earth. He says Babylon will be desolate forever. Today this area is still occupied.
27 Set ye up a standard in the land, blow the trumpet among the nations, prepare the nations against her, call together against her the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashchenaz; appoint a captain against her; cause the horses to come up as the rough caterpillers.
28 Prepare against her the nations with the kings of the Medes, the captains thereof, and all the rulers thereof, and all the land of his dominion.
29 And the land shall tremble and sorrow: for every purpose of the LORD shall be performed against Babylon, to make the land of Babylon a desolation without an inhabitant.
The kings of the north and east come against her and she will become a land without an inhabitant.
30 The mighty men of Babylon have forborn to fight, they have remained in their holds: their might hath failed; they became as women: they have burned her dwellingplaces; her bars are broken.
31 One post shall run to meet another, and one messenger to meet another, to shew the king of Babylon that his city is taken at one end,
32 And that the passages are stopped, and the reeds they have burned with fire, and the men of war are affrighted.
33 For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; The daughter of Babylon is like a threshingfloor, it is time to thresh her: yet a little while, and the time of her harvest shall come.
34 Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon hath devoured me, he hath crushed me, he hath made me an empty vessel, he hath swallowed me up like a dragon, he hath filled his belly with my delicates, he hath cast me out.
35 The violence done to me and to my flesh be upon Babylon, shall the inhabitant of Zion say; and my blood upon the inhabitants of Chaldea, shall Jerusalem say.
36 Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will plead thy cause, and take vengeance for thee; and I will dry up her sea, and make her springs dry.
37 And Babylon shall become heaps, a dwellingplace for dragons, an astonishment, and an hissing, without an inhabitant.
38 They shall roar together like lions: they shall yell as lions’ whelps.
39 In their heat I will make their feasts, and I will make them drunken, that they may rejoice, and sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake, saith the LORD.
40 I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like rams with he goats.
The daughter of Babylon is like a threshing floor. A threshing floor is a place where wheat is beaten to remove the impurities. The purpose of God allowing Satan’s counterfeit kingdom of God to come on earth is to separate the wheat from the chaff. The passage refers to Nebuchadnezzar because he was a foreshadow of the Beast Antichrist. The passage again says Babylon will become a foul place without inhabitant except for some nasty creatures.
.
41 How is Sheshach taken! and how is the praise of the whole earth surprised! how is Babylon become an astonishment among the nations!
42 The sea is come up upon Babylon: she is covered with the multitude of the waves thereof.
43 Her cities are a desolation, a dry land, and a wilderness, a land wherein no man dwelleth, neither doth any son of man pass thereby.
If it still is not clear, God says once more that no man will dwell in the land or even pass near it. This land will probably become a radioactive wasteland after the wars.
44 And I will punish Bel in Babylon, and I will bring forth out of his mouth that which he hath swallowed up: and the nations shall not flow together any more unto him: yea, the wall of Babylon shall fall.
Bel is Satan. What he took for his possession God will take back. Satan in the Beast was a counterfeit God for 42 months. The verse indicates that during the Beast’s power over the nations as their god, they came to him to give of their wealth.
45 My people, go ye out of the midst of her, and deliver ye every man his soul from the fierce anger of the LORD.
46 And lest your heart faint, and ye fear for the rumour that shall be heard in the land; a rumour shall both come one year, and after that in another year shall come a rumour, and violence in the land, ruler against ruler.
47 Therefore, behold, the days come, that I will do judgment upon the graven images of Babylon: and her whole land shall be confounded, and all her slain shall fall in the midst of her.
48 Then the heaven and the earth, and all that is therein, shall sing for Babylon: for the spoilers shall come unto her from the north, saith the LORD.
49 As Babylon hath caused the slain of Israel to fall, so at Babylon shall fall the slain of all the earth.
God again warns his people to get out of her. He says it will start with rumors. A year or two later, there will be violence and then civil war in the land and then the invasion from the North. All the slain of the earth could not possibly fall at Babylon. A better paraphrasing of the passage might say, “The Babylonian counterfeit kingdom ruled by the Beast will be responsible for all those slain on the earth during the period ruled by Babylon the Great”.
50 Ye that have escaped the sword, go away, stand not still: remember the LORD afar off, and let Jerusalem come into your mind.
51 We are confounded, because we have heard reproach: shame hath covered our faces: for strangers are come into the sanctuaries of the LORD’S house.
The most holy place in the temple is defiled by strangers. This is when the “day of wrath” begins.
52 Wherefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will do judgment upon her graven images: and through all her land the wounded shall groan.
53 Though Babylon should mount up to heaven, and though she should fortify the height of her strength, yet from me shall spoilers come unto her, saith the LORD.
54 A sound of a cry cometh from Babylon, and great destruction from the land of the Chaldeans:
This could be talking about pride, or it could be talking about military space platforms, or both. One thing that is evident is that this destruction comes in the land of the Chaldeans from God and there will be no escape.
55 Because the LORD hath spoiled Babylon, and destroyed out of her the great voice; when her waves do roar like great waters, a noise of their voice is uttered:
56 Because the spoiler is come upon her, even upon Babylon, and her mighty men are taken, every one of their bows is broken: for the LORD God of recompences shall surely requite.
57 And I will make drunk her princes, and her wise men, her captains, and her rulers, and her mighty men: and they shall sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake, saith the King, whose name is the LORD of hosts.
58 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly broken, and her high gates shall be burned with fire; and the people shall labour in vain, and the folk in the fire, and they shall be weary.
59 The word which Jeremiah the prophet commanded Seraiah the son of Neriah, the son of Maaseiah, when he went with Zedekiah the king of Judah into Babylon in the fourth year of his reign. And this Seraiah was a quiet prince.
60 So Jeremiah wrote in a book all the evil that should come upon Babylon, even all these words that are written against Babylon.
61 And Jeremiah said to Seraiah, When thou comest to Babylon, and shalt see, and shalt read all these words;
62 Then shalt thou say, O LORD, thou hast spoken against this place, to cut it off, that none shall remain in it, neither man nor beast, but that it shall be desolate for ever.
Thousands of years have passed since this prophecy and the land is not yet desolate. The bulk of this prophecy will be fulfilled at the second coming of Jesus.
63 And it shall be, when thou hast made an end of reading this book, that thou shalt bind a stone to it, and cast it into the midst of Euphrates:
64 And thou shalt say, Thus shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise from the evil that I will bring upon her: and they shall be weary. Thus far are the words of Jeremiah.
If there remains any doubt in anyone’s mind where Babylon is, God marks the spot when he tells Jeremiah to cast the prophecies of her judgments into the midst of the Euphrates. The Euphrates River flows through Babylon, Iraq. Anyone who still thinks Babylon is the United States or Europe has not been paying attention and has preconceived prejudices without any foundation in scripture.
Now that we have lightly examined the major prophetic scriptures about Babylon by the Old Testament prophets, we can have a better handle on the scriptures in Revelation that also talk about the judgment of the Beast’s counterfeit kingdom of God called “Babylon the Great”.
*** End of Babylon supplement material ***
Revelation Chapter 18:
1 And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.
2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
After the judgment of Mystery Babylon that John described in chapter 17, a powerful angel comes down from heaven with glory that is so bright it lights up the earth. The angel announces with a mighty voice that the administration of Satan is fallen. Satan’s counterfeit kingdom has been judged by God and has fallen before Him. It has become the habitation of devils (Satan’s angels) and every foul spirit (demons) and a prison for every unclean and hateful bird (all the evil offspring of Satan). The physical place spoken of as “Babylon the Great” is the headquarters of the kingdom set up by the Beast that rules over the earth in the last days. It includes the city of Babylon, but the area probably covers all of Iraq, and much more land area as well. There also is a wider meaning that goes beyond just the physical location. This is talking about the coming judgment on those who joined with this counterfeit kingdom of God that rules over the world.
3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
All the nations on earth bought into the lies that God was in Babylon and His kingdom had come. The government of the Beast implemented a plan of world trade that made the merchants of the earth very rich.
4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.
We also saw in Isaiah and Jeremiah that God tells His people to come out of her so they will not receive her judgments or plagues. These plagues were described in Chapter 16. The plagues will be the vial judgments poured out on the seat of the Beast Kingdom. Exactly how God’s people come out is not understood. I expect the prior judgments have something to do with delivering them out, as God's judgments delivered Israel out of Egypt.
6 Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double.
The administration of Satan on the earth killed the saints of God and the cup with the blood of the saints is now full. At the fifth seal judgment it was apparent that the cup was not full but now it is full. So at this point, we are at the end of the tribulation period for God’s people. Now the time has come to pay back in spades those who have persecuted God’s people.
7 How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.
Satanic Babylon really thinks that she is beyond judgment and that she will see no sorrow like divorced Israel. This is the ultimate replacement theology. This woman thinks she is a queen. She believes she makes up the real kingdom of God. There are those in replacement theology in Christianity who say that God is done with Israel and they are the promised kingdom on earth but those that are found in Babylon are so adamant about it that they become prideful. Most of us know that pride goes before a fall and this is exactly what this passage implies.
Those that think that Israel is a widow and say that God is through with Israel and will have no further dealings with the Jews need to understand some crucial facts. God sent John the Baptist and His Son to the nation of Israel even after they sold themselves into divorcement. God’s calling to Israel is irrevocable (Rom 11:29). When Israel returns to God and accepts the Messiah He chose for her, she will be restored.
Isa 50:1 Thus saith the LORD, Where is the bill of your mother’s divorcement, whom I have put away? or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away.
***A small side study into Hosea and Roman's is in order to clarify that God will restore natural Israel.***
Hos 2:14 Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her.
15 And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt.
The wilderness Hosea is talking about is where the faithful and obedient of Israel flee. Israel is supernaturally protected by God from the Beast in the mountains near Petra.
16 And it shall be at that day, saith the LORD, that thou shalt call me Ishi; and shalt call me no more Baali.
Ishi means “he saves me”. Baali means “my Lord” and also is a variation of the name Baal (Satan) who was the lord of Israel in her harlotry.
17 For I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name.
Baalim is plural for Baal (the chief pagan god in the time of Hosea). This passage is saying the idols of Baal will not be remembered in Israel any more.
18 And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely.
This verse in Hosea is talking about the end of violence on the earth. Even the nature of animals will be changed to be as their nature was before the fall of man.
19 And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies.
20 I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the LORD.
21 And it shall come to pass in that day, I will hear, saith the LORD, I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth;
22 And the earth shall hear the corn, and the wine, and the oil; and they shall hear Jezreel.
23 And I will sow her unto me in the earth; and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God.
The passage is not talking about the grafted in Gentiles as some say. In the context, it is talking about the same people that God rejected for harlotry. The passage is talking about the restoration of Israel. Israel sold herself into divorcement. When Israel returns to God He will not reject her because God hates divorce and has provided a way back through the New Covenant! When was the grafted in Church already in the New Covenant ever not His people?
The book of Hosea not only happened as written but the book is a true prophetic story of God dealing with Israel until the end. These truths demolish the lie that God is done with Israel. All who think that God is done with Israel do not know the prophetic scriptures and have bought into a satanic lie. Prophetic scripture makes it clear that God chose Israel for His own purposes and that He will rule His kingdom on earth from Jerusalem in an Israelite kingdom. Most of the leaders of Israel of the past rejected Him and for this reason, God has delayed the kingdom of the Jews until the nation acknowledges its offense. This delay gave believing Gentiles a time of grace to be grafted into the the New Covenant promise that was actually given to Israel and Judah.
Hos 5:15 I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early.
It was always God’s plan for those descended from Israel to fulfill the physical kingdom promises to Israel for his calling is irrevocable.
Rom 9:4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;
Rom 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes.
29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
(Verse 29 means they cannot be changed.)
30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:
31 Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.
32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.
From these passages and many others, it is very clear that God plans to restore Israel in the last days.
*** end of Hosea and Roman's side study***
Rev 18:8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.
Babylon and the kingdom of the Beast will be burned with fire during the “Day of the Lord”. The “Day of the Lord” in judgment is during the last half of a seven-year period for Israel also known as the seventh week of Daniel. The plagues here do not last a literal day of 24 hours. The passage is saying when these things come; they will all come together in a very short time period.
9 And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,
10 Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.
The kings of the earth have a great time with this phony god and the world government and world trade that he sets up. They will become truly upset when she burns. These same kings that now lament Babylon rejoiced when Mystery Babylon burned in chapter 17. Therefore, the two Babylons could not be the same. “Mystery Babylon” of chapter 17 is religion that played the harlot with satanic paganism but “Babylon the Great” described in this chapter is a world political, economic and religious system that includes forced worship of the Beast as God.
These kings will not get near her when they see her judgment and see her burn with fire. This implies there is absolutely nothing at all they can do. The “great city” described is the rebuilt golden city of the Antichrist Beast that will be built at Babylon in Iraq. This city is the actual final seat of the Beast kingdom of the end times, but the judgment illustrated by this judgment on an actual city also comes on the cities of the whole world. Revelation 16:19 tells us that all the cities of the world will fall at the time of Babylon’s destruction. What occurs at this time is the seventh vial judgment.
11 And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more:
12 The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble,
13 And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men.
14 And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all.
All these products lead many to speculate that Babylon is some city or country other than Babylon, Iraq. Although Babylon, Iraq today is not near fulfilling this prophecy, things there could change quickly if the god of this world sets up his throne and his “Kingdom of God” from that location. He will demand tributes and taxes from the whole world. Babylon will then become a city of gold and luxury in very short order.
Isa 14:4 That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased!
These passages may also find some fulfillment in the destruction of the world economic system that under the administration of Satan corrupted the world through the lust of the eyes.
15 The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing,
16 And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!
17 For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,
18 And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!
19 And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.
The merchants of the world and the shipmasters stand a long ways away from her weeping over the riches they will lose. The city is clothed in the garments and jewels of religion and royalty (Purple and Scarlet). It is simply not conceivable that any existing great city in the world could qualify to fulfill these passages. This is a city not yet built.
20 Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.
Heaven and the apostles and prophets rejoice over her destruction, because the world religious and political systems that began at Babylon and that corrupted all government and religion to persecute the people of the promise have now been avenged. World government and world religion that reaches its pinnacle with forced worship of the satanic Beast (including Judaism and Christianity in its harlot form) is responsible for killing all the apostles and all the prophets of God.
21 And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.
22 And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee;
23 And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.
Consistent with the prophecies of Isaiah and Jeremiah no one will ever live in that area again. This clearly is future since it has never happened. After this destruction from God on the seat of the Beast, no one will ever live in that land again, nor will there be another world kingdom controlled by Satan on the earth.
Those in this world system are the great world leaders of the earth but the power behind these leaders is Satan. The great men of the earth deceive the entire world and teach them to follow the god of materialism and selfishness. They lead the world to believe the god they follow is the creator when in reality the god they follow is a fallen angel known as Satan and the Devil.
24 And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.
No city or country on earth could possibly qualify to fulfill this verse. This verse is not saying all saints ever killed were killed in a city or a place on earth called “Babylon the Great”. What it is saying is that the religious and political systems that corrupted the earth under the entire administrative rule of Satan is named “Babylon the Great”. In God’s eyes, the whole administration of Satan is called Babylon and not just the culmination of his kingdom in the end times.
Satan has been responsible for all those slain on the earth. The satanic administration began at the fall of Adam. However, it first appeared as an organized political and religious entity on the earth after the flood, at Babylon under Nimrod. “Babylon the Great” is the satanic political and religious substitute for the true kingdom of God on earth that God promised through His prophets. This true kingdom is to be ruled from Jerusalem by His Son Jesus.
The prophecy about “Babylon the Great” goes beyond just the location of its birth and death as an actual city. It also reveals the spiritual war on earth that has been waged for six thousand years against the children of light and God’s promises to them. At the earthly culmination of “Babylon the Great” under the false Messiah incarnated by Satan there will be a worldwide lawless counterfeit kingdom of god filled with everything satanic. This pagan Babylonian world system will then be judged by God and will be cast down suddenly and will be found no more. God will then bring in the promised Jewish kingdom of God on earth ruled by Jesus and those that trust in Him.