Hi, I wrote this a few years ago when we were still in Iraq but I still believe the majority of it applies.
I believe that the USA will become the Babylon of Rev. 17 & 18, however I do not believe it is that Babylon at the moment, nor do I believe that Rome or a future apostate church is the whore mentioned in Rev. 17. I have many reasons for feeling this and I will try to list them all. It is a mistake to take present day America and see it as being the same as end-times America.
The term "Babylon" has long been used as a "type" for tyranny. In the years before and after Christ, many nations were known by their capitol city. Babylon was the city of residence for the king of Chaldea. Rome was the city of residence for the Caesars of Italy. Israel was known best by Jerusalem, its capitol.
America is known by it’s financial center for world-wide trade and the port through which most immigrants entered which is Ellis Island off the shores of New York City. I agree that Babylon, NY means absolutely nothing prophetically speaking but NYC is in a class all by itself. While our leaders reside in Washington, D.C., the economic center of this nation is undoubtedly NYC. This nation was founded by God and used to fulfill His pur-poses. Daniel 2:21 "He removeth kings, and setteth up kings", (KJV) and Daniel 4:17 "This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones; to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men". (KJV)
God is sovereign in the nations that he sets up and the nations he tears down. God set up the United States of America for a purpose. We didn't become the most powerful nation on earth because of anything we did. It is because God has chosen this nation for his own purpose and he will either exalt her or abase her at his will, not ours.
When we as a nation, through the efforts of our elected leaders, turn our backs against God and actually come to the point where we attack Israel (it will happen) then our destiny will play out as is written in Rev. 18. Now let’s get to some meat of the word.
What is a term used to describe Babylon by God in His word? God calls Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon, His servant in Jer. 27:6. America has been God’s servant for a couple of centuries but what became of Babylon of old? They were removed by God from their greatness after they had fulfilled the purpose ordained by God. The fate of America will be the same.
I believe that there are near and far prophecies in most of the old testament books like Isaiah, Ezekial, Daniel and Jeremiah. Some foretold of the destruction of the Babylon of that day and some like Jer. 51 foretell of a future destruction of a type of Babylon. In Rev. 17 & 18, John tells us about two faces of something identified as Mystery Babylon. I, for one do not believe that John or God plays word games when trying to get His message across. If God meant Rome, then He wouldn’t have said in Rev. 17:9...
"This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits. (NIV)
In reality, how much wisdom would it take to come up with Rome?, but things are not that simply stated so it must be talking of something other than Rome. Another point is, if God was talking about Rome than why would He confuse the issue by calling it Babylon. People try to decipher all kinds of hidden meanings and messages in the Book of Revelations but it is much easily understood by looking outside the box. These chapters are either talking about the obvious, in which they would have said so; or John is trying to describe something in his own words by using analogies of things he is familiar with to help get his message across. He doesn’t come right out and say Rome because he isn’t talking about Rome. He is telling of some future political system that the closest thing he can come to describe it is Rome. He also doesn’t come right out and say Babylon, instead he calls it Mystery Babylon, something like Babylon but not quite, because it’s the best example he can come up with.
Now when I read this description of the woman on the beast in Rev. 17:4 - “The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries“. (NIV) The first thing I think of is the Statue of Liberty draped in the flag of our nation and how we are known as a country of riches. Verse 6 tells us that...
...the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus. (NIV)
Now many people look at that and then automatically think of the horrible things the Roman Catholic Church (RCC) did historically, but Revelations is a prophetic book and I believe this is describing what this type of Babylon will do, not what has already been done. I believe this is des-cribing the same group of people spoken of in Rev. 6:9, 7:14, 12:11 &17, 13:7-10, and 14:12. Most have no difficulty recognizing these people as being spoken of futuristically but then stumble to call them historical in there efforts to sway people towards their particular prophetic theories and to demonize the pope and RCC.
Back to Rev. 17:9..The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits. Here’s something else to think about. Your average atlas names seven mountain ranges across the continental United States. They are, from east to west, the Appalachians, Allegheny, Ozarks, The Rockies, The Bitter Root, Sierra Nevada and the Cascades. Now we have other minor mountain ranges like the Green Mountains of Vermont, the White Mountains of New Hampshire and the Sierra Madre of the southwest but these seven are the major ones listed. In my opinion, Rome would be way too obvious and to say that it calls for mind with wisdom to recognize that fact is questionable.
In verse 15 we have this phrase...
"The waters you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages. It doesn’t take much of a stretch to connect this with America being known as a refuge for all countries, so much so, that we are called the "melting pot" of the world. Verse 18 is the clincher, The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth." There is no other nation that could even come close to being considered as ruling over the world other than America. Granted, Rome has much influence over many people but it doesn’t "rule" over the leaders of them. Babylon in Iraq rules over nothing, nor will it ever acquire what is needed in the future to do so. Revelations 18 gives us some further clues to its identity. Rev. 18: 1-3 echoes the prophecy of Jer. 51:6-7. Rev. 18:3 says, “For all the nations have drunk the maddening wine of her adulteries. The kings of the earth committed adultery with her, and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries." How anyone could ever think that Iraq will take over world domination is beyond me. Even if they nuked America and threatened the stability of the rest of the world, Russia, China or Europe would never let them get so big and to the point that they would become a major buyer and seller of the world’s produce. It would take decades, but America now and in the near future does fit the bill nicely. Rev. 18:11 - "The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her because no one buys their cargoes any more-- [sup]12[/sup]cargoes of gold, silver, precious stones and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk and scarlet cloth; every sort of citron wood, and articles of every kind made of ivory, costly wood, bronze, iron and marble; [sup]13[/sup]cargoes of cinnamon and spice, of incense, myrrh and frankincense, of wine and olive oil, of fine flour and wheat; cattle and sheep; horses and carriages; and bodies and souls of men. America is the world’s largest importer of foreign made products. Rev. 18:17... "Every sea captain, and all who travel by ship, the sailors, and all who earn their living from the sea, will stand far off. When they see the smoke of her burning, they will exclaim, 'Was there ever a city like this great city?' [sup]19[/sup]They will throw dust on their heads, and with weeping and mourning cry out: " 'Woe! Woe, O great city, where all who had ships on the sea became rich through her wealth!
The Babylon of Iraq has never been nor ever will be a great importer/exporter of various products by sea. The only thing they ever ship by sea is oil and this is talking about much more than that because they are most certainly not the holder of the world’s oil reserves. But look how the little worker’s strike on the west coast of America has brought fear to the world’s exporters and importers and has already greatly influenced the international stock markets.
Look at this description of the future Babylon in Jer. 51:13. “You who live by many waters and are rich in treasures, your end has come, the time for you to be cut off“. There is just no way the residents of Babylon of Iraq could be described as "living by many waters", it is a desert country! In all the news reports and photo footage of Iraq do you ever remember seeing many, lakes, ponds or rivers or even trees for that matter? How about Jer. 51:42-43
The sea will rise over Babylon; its roaring waves will cover her. [sup]43[/sup] Her towns will be desolate, a dry and desert land, a land where no one lives, through which no man travels
.
Iraq already is a dry and desert land. Sure, you’ll find a couple of lakes in the atlas but certainly not enough for it to be considered a "land of many waters" God must be describing a place where dry and desert is the opposite of what it was before judgment.
The woman of Rev. 17 is described as whore which doesn’t mean she has sex with men but is used figuratively to describe her as an idolater. An idolater is someone who worships someone or something other than God. What does America worship? Money, Self, Hollywood personalities, Rock and other music stars, Sports heroes, now Fire fighters and Police officers, Military men, National Pride, our things (tv’s, cars, stereos, etc.), Sex and Pornography and other things as well. For most of America, the God of the bible is way down on the list and it will only get worse as time goes on and the individuals who will turn this nation into the Babylon of Revelations come into power.
I believe that the USA will become the Babylon of Rev. 17 & 18, however I do not believe it is that Babylon at the moment, nor do I believe that Rome or a future apostate church is the whore mentioned in Rev. 17. I have many reasons for feeling this and I will try to list them all. It is a mistake to take present day America and see it as being the same as end-times America.
The term "Babylon" has long been used as a "type" for tyranny. In the years before and after Christ, many nations were known by their capitol city. Babylon was the city of residence for the king of Chaldea. Rome was the city of residence for the Caesars of Italy. Israel was known best by Jerusalem, its capitol.
America is known by it’s financial center for world-wide trade and the port through which most immigrants entered which is Ellis Island off the shores of New York City. I agree that Babylon, NY means absolutely nothing prophetically speaking but NYC is in a class all by itself. While our leaders reside in Washington, D.C., the economic center of this nation is undoubtedly NYC. This nation was founded by God and used to fulfill His pur-poses. Daniel 2:21 "He removeth kings, and setteth up kings", (KJV) and Daniel 4:17 "This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones; to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men". (KJV)
God is sovereign in the nations that he sets up and the nations he tears down. God set up the United States of America for a purpose. We didn't become the most powerful nation on earth because of anything we did. It is because God has chosen this nation for his own purpose and he will either exalt her or abase her at his will, not ours.
When we as a nation, through the efforts of our elected leaders, turn our backs against God and actually come to the point where we attack Israel (it will happen) then our destiny will play out as is written in Rev. 18. Now let’s get to some meat of the word.
What is a term used to describe Babylon by God in His word? God calls Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon, His servant in Jer. 27:6. America has been God’s servant for a couple of centuries but what became of Babylon of old? They were removed by God from their greatness after they had fulfilled the purpose ordained by God. The fate of America will be the same.
I believe that there are near and far prophecies in most of the old testament books like Isaiah, Ezekial, Daniel and Jeremiah. Some foretold of the destruction of the Babylon of that day and some like Jer. 51 foretell of a future destruction of a type of Babylon. In Rev. 17 & 18, John tells us about two faces of something identified as Mystery Babylon. I, for one do not believe that John or God plays word games when trying to get His message across. If God meant Rome, then He wouldn’t have said in Rev. 17:9...
"This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits. (NIV)
In reality, how much wisdom would it take to come up with Rome?, but things are not that simply stated so it must be talking of something other than Rome. Another point is, if God was talking about Rome than why would He confuse the issue by calling it Babylon. People try to decipher all kinds of hidden meanings and messages in the Book of Revelations but it is much easily understood by looking outside the box. These chapters are either talking about the obvious, in which they would have said so; or John is trying to describe something in his own words by using analogies of things he is familiar with to help get his message across. He doesn’t come right out and say Rome because he isn’t talking about Rome. He is telling of some future political system that the closest thing he can come to describe it is Rome. He also doesn’t come right out and say Babylon, instead he calls it Mystery Babylon, something like Babylon but not quite, because it’s the best example he can come up with.
Now when I read this description of the woman on the beast in Rev. 17:4 - “The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries“. (NIV) The first thing I think of is the Statue of Liberty draped in the flag of our nation and how we are known as a country of riches. Verse 6 tells us that...
...the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus. (NIV)
Now many people look at that and then automatically think of the horrible things the Roman Catholic Church (RCC) did historically, but Revelations is a prophetic book and I believe this is describing what this type of Babylon will do, not what has already been done. I believe this is des-cribing the same group of people spoken of in Rev. 6:9, 7:14, 12:11 &17, 13:7-10, and 14:12. Most have no difficulty recognizing these people as being spoken of futuristically but then stumble to call them historical in there efforts to sway people towards their particular prophetic theories and to demonize the pope and RCC.
Back to Rev. 17:9..The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits. Here’s something else to think about. Your average atlas names seven mountain ranges across the continental United States. They are, from east to west, the Appalachians, Allegheny, Ozarks, The Rockies, The Bitter Root, Sierra Nevada and the Cascades. Now we have other minor mountain ranges like the Green Mountains of Vermont, the White Mountains of New Hampshire and the Sierra Madre of the southwest but these seven are the major ones listed. In my opinion, Rome would be way too obvious and to say that it calls for mind with wisdom to recognize that fact is questionable.
In verse 15 we have this phrase...
"The waters you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages. It doesn’t take much of a stretch to connect this with America being known as a refuge for all countries, so much so, that we are called the "melting pot" of the world. Verse 18 is the clincher, The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth." There is no other nation that could even come close to being considered as ruling over the world other than America. Granted, Rome has much influence over many people but it doesn’t "rule" over the leaders of them. Babylon in Iraq rules over nothing, nor will it ever acquire what is needed in the future to do so. Revelations 18 gives us some further clues to its identity. Rev. 18: 1-3 echoes the prophecy of Jer. 51:6-7. Rev. 18:3 says, “For all the nations have drunk the maddening wine of her adulteries. The kings of the earth committed adultery with her, and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries." How anyone could ever think that Iraq will take over world domination is beyond me. Even if they nuked America and threatened the stability of the rest of the world, Russia, China or Europe would never let them get so big and to the point that they would become a major buyer and seller of the world’s produce. It would take decades, but America now and in the near future does fit the bill nicely. Rev. 18:11 - "The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her because no one buys their cargoes any more-- [sup]12[/sup]cargoes of gold, silver, precious stones and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk and scarlet cloth; every sort of citron wood, and articles of every kind made of ivory, costly wood, bronze, iron and marble; [sup]13[/sup]cargoes of cinnamon and spice, of incense, myrrh and frankincense, of wine and olive oil, of fine flour and wheat; cattle and sheep; horses and carriages; and bodies and souls of men. America is the world’s largest importer of foreign made products. Rev. 18:17... "Every sea captain, and all who travel by ship, the sailors, and all who earn their living from the sea, will stand far off. When they see the smoke of her burning, they will exclaim, 'Was there ever a city like this great city?' [sup]19[/sup]They will throw dust on their heads, and with weeping and mourning cry out: " 'Woe! Woe, O great city, where all who had ships on the sea became rich through her wealth!
The Babylon of Iraq has never been nor ever will be a great importer/exporter of various products by sea. The only thing they ever ship by sea is oil and this is talking about much more than that because they are most certainly not the holder of the world’s oil reserves. But look how the little worker’s strike on the west coast of America has brought fear to the world’s exporters and importers and has already greatly influenced the international stock markets.
Look at this description of the future Babylon in Jer. 51:13. “You who live by many waters and are rich in treasures, your end has come, the time for you to be cut off“. There is just no way the residents of Babylon of Iraq could be described as "living by many waters", it is a desert country! In all the news reports and photo footage of Iraq do you ever remember seeing many, lakes, ponds or rivers or even trees for that matter? How about Jer. 51:42-43
The sea will rise over Babylon; its roaring waves will cover her. [sup]43[/sup] Her towns will be desolate, a dry and desert land, a land where no one lives, through which no man travels
.
Iraq already is a dry and desert land. Sure, you’ll find a couple of lakes in the atlas but certainly not enough for it to be considered a "land of many waters" God must be describing a place where dry and desert is the opposite of what it was before judgment.
The woman of Rev. 17 is described as whore which doesn’t mean she has sex with men but is used figuratively to describe her as an idolater. An idolater is someone who worships someone or something other than God. What does America worship? Money, Self, Hollywood personalities, Rock and other music stars, Sports heroes, now Fire fighters and Police officers, Military men, National Pride, our things (tv’s, cars, stereos, etc.), Sex and Pornography and other things as well. For most of America, the God of the bible is way down on the list and it will only get worse as time goes on and the individuals who will turn this nation into the Babylon of Revelations come into power.
