SOUND THE ALARM (Part 2)
The Description of End-Time Babylon:
Revelation Chapter 18:
1. THE CENTER of GREAT ABUNDANCE and LUXURY: End-time Babylon will be a land that overflows with wealth and luxury as we read in Revelation 18:7 – “How much she has glorified herself and lived luxuriously . . . .” Her wealth will be the envy of the world as we see in verse 3 – “ . . . the merchants of the earth are grown rich through the abundance of her delicacies.”
Babylon will apparently be an economic trading center as the merchants of the world will “become rich through the abundance of her delicacies.” “Delicacies” is better translated “luxuries” in the Greek language. The merchants of the earth will become wealthy because of the luxurious and consumptive lifestyle of the end-time Babylonians.
2. PRIDE and ARROGANCE: “How much she hath glorified herself and lived luxuriously.” (Revelation 18:7) This prophetic description expresses the great spirit of pride and arrogance that will permeate end-time Babylon. She will boast of her great success and riches, not realizing that the God Who Provides is the One to whom all glory is due. He will not share His glory with anyone. Truly, pride cometh before a fall.
3. OVERCONFIDENCE: Babylon will be at rest in overconfidence when her people declare – “I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.” (Revelation 18:7) This self-confident spirit that “nothing bad can ever happen here” will be suddenly upended. “We can handle it” will be the attitude of the people of end-time Babylon even as they careen down an immoral and reckless pathway that demands eventual judgment.
4. A GREAT CITY: “ . . . Babylon, that mighty city . . .” (verse10) Just as London represents Britain, Paris represents France, and Moscow represents Russia, so the mere mention of the great city called “Babylon” will represent a huge and powerful end-time nation. Babylon also represents a nation with many cities as we discover in the writings of the Prophet Jeremiah who devoted two entire chapters describing Babylon and its downfall – “I will kindle a fire in his cities, and it shall devour all round about him.” Jeremiah 50:32
5. THE GREAT CONSUMER: “And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more . . .” (verse 11) What a reason to mourn – when Babylon is destroyed there will be no one to buy their trinkets!
The point should be emphasized again – at the time of her destruction, end-time Babylon will be the greatest consumer of merchandise the world has ever seen and her sudden demise will undoubtedly affect the economy of the entire world.
6. IMPORTS: Revelation 18:12-13 presents an extensive list of the “merchandise” consumed by Babylon. The list includes many precious and expensive items, spices, foods and even “oil”, “iron”, “chariots” (automobiles?) and the “slaves and souls of men" (human trafficking?).
7. DRUG CAPITAL OF THE WORLD: Apparently, the people of end-time Babylon will be addicted to drugs, whether legal or illegal. We read in Revelation 18:23 – “ . . . for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.” “Sorceries” is the Greek word “pharmakeia” from which we derive the word pharmacy.
Jeremiah Chapter 50:
Two entire chapters in the Book of Jeremiah (50 and 51) are given to the description and pronouncement of judgment upon a future society to be known as Babylon. The LORD begins by declaring – "The Word that the LORD spoke against Babylon.” What a sobering and over-whelming statement that is.
God, by His very nature, is the Lord of love, forgiveness, mercy and grace. 2 Peter 3:9 says – “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise . . . but is longsuffering toward us, NOT WILLING THAT ANY SHOULD PERISH, but that all should come to repentance.”
The statement that the LORD is “against” Babylon is an indication that they will have apparently pushed the limit of His patience and grace. They may have had ample opportunities to turn to Him in repentance but rejected His pleas.
The God who extended His mercy to a godless society like ancient Nineveh invites all men and nations to turn to Him and live . . . but woe to any nation that has had the Word of God and has carelessly spurned it! God’s mercy eventually comes to an end.
8. LATTER DAYS: Babylon is described as a nation that exists during the time that the people of Israel will begin returning to their land. “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.” (Jeremiah 50:4)
What an incredible time to be living! We are witnessing the early stages of God’s chosen nation returning to their land. Jewish immigrants from all over the world are once again turning their hearts toward the land of their promised dreams.
However, most of them are not yet returning in repentance and faith in their Messiah. Like the valley full of dry bones (Ezekiel chapter 37) they have begun coming together, bone to bone, but as a nation, there is no spiritual breath in them – “ . . . there was a noise and behold, a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above, but there was no breath in them.” Ezekiel, 37:7-8
Genuine, born-again believers who have placed their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, rejoice at seeing the prosperity of the people of Israel. They are once again returning to their land, and we rejoice with them. But God’s greatest work, turning the hearts of the nation toward Him and re-gathering them in mass, is yet future. Scripture tells us that someday the nation of Israel will recognize their Messiah whom they have rejected and crucified, and then millions will return to the land of their forefathers. It is during these last days when the people of Israel are once again beginning to return to their land, that the “the daughter of Babylon” will exist.
9. FLEE! The people of Israel will flee out of Babylon – “Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and go forth out of the land . . .” (Jeremiah 50:8) The day is coming when thousands, perhaps even millions of people will panic and abandon their homes to seek a place of safety and refuge. The fact that they will flee from everything they have known and loved paints a pathetic picture of calamity that is destined upon the end-time “daughter of Babylon.”
Such panic that would create this kind of mass exodus from a modern-day nation is beyond our comprehension. Jeremiah 51:46 may offer us a clue why there would be such a fearful evacuation – “And lest your heart faint, and ye fear for the rumor that shall be heard in the land; a rumor shall both come one year, and after that in another year shall come a rumor, and violence in the land.”
What kind of rumor would cause such mass hysteria that people would flee their homes and seek refuge in their ancestral homelands? Will it be fear of weapons of mass destruction in the hands of madmen and terrorists or the possibility of a full-fledged nuclear conflict with another end-time superpower? Time will tell.
10. A SAFE HAVEN FOR JEWS: There is another important description to observe in the preceding verse (Jeremiah 50:8) as God warns His people – “Flee out of the midst of Babylon.” This statement would imply that multitudes of the people of Israel will have been dwelling in end-time Babylon, and God tells them to run.
This cannot possibly be referring to modern-day Iraq where efforts had been made to revive the historic city of Babylon by Saddam Hussein. Iraq is far from being a safe refuge for Jews. End-time Babylon however, will have obviously been a safe haven for Jews, and God warns the people of His chosen nation to flee to their homeland before the fires of judgment fall.
11. BORN FROM A MOTHERLAND: End-time Babylon will be born from a motherland – “Your mother shall be completely confounded, she that bore you shall be ashamed.” (Jeremiah 50:12) This passage obviously does not refer to the oldest of nations which was historical Babylon. How many nations can we name that claim they were “born” from a “motherland?”
12. A SHRIVELED-UP MOTHER: Referring to the “mother of Babylon,” the LORD uses very interesting language in describing her. According to Jeremiah, she will become “completely confounded.” The Hebrew word for confounded means “completely dried up or pale.” The word describes a nation that has shriveled up and lost all its strength.
Such a description would make us think of a nation like England who has given birth to many nations. On January 16, 1968, the United Press International released an article under the caption of “The Nightfall Of An Empire.” The article states, “Britain yesterday abandoned her role as a world power. British Prime minister Wilson’s announcement before the House of Commons came after more than thirty-one hours of agonizing soul-searching by the British Cabinet.”
There was a time when Brits proudly claimed that the sun never set on their empire. Those days are gone forever, and the British world-wide empire has literally vanished.
13. A SHAMEFUL MOTHERLAND: The “mother” of end-time Babylon will be ashamed – “Your mother shall be completely confounded, she that bore you shall be ashamed.” (Jeremiah 50:12) One wonders what would cause such shame: Will the “mother” of end-time Babylon forsake her “daughter” in the hour of her daughter’s greatest need?
14. THE YOUNGEST OF NATIONS: End-time Babylon will be clearly identified as the youngest of the great nations – “behold the hindermost of the nations” (Jeremiah 50:12). Hindermost means last, or youngest. Whoever this great nation is, it will be one that is relatively young compared to the ancient nations of the world.
15. A SINFUL NATION: End-time Babylon – “. . . hath sinned against the LORD.” (verse 14) What nation has NOT sinned against the holiness of God? But this nation, the
“daughter of Babylon,” is destined to judgment and total ruin because of some sin that God deplores. What sin could possibly be so grave as to trigger the destructive wrath of the Righteous, Holy and Just God?
Could it be the thrusting of His Name out of all public life, or the acceptance of evil and perversion? Could it be the terrible slaughter of the innocent as performed at so-called “women’s health clinics?” Whatever it is, God is not pleased with end-time Babylon, and judgment WILL someday fall!
There is a very revealing text in the Bible that details the downward spiral that caused God to destroy ancient Sodom – “Behold, this is the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty, and committed abomination before Me, therefore I took them away as I saw good.” (Ezekiel 16:49)
Pride, prosperity and perversion were the trademarks of ancient Sodom and the other cities of the plain. God’s wrathful judgment upon that whole society fell suddenly, and only a few who believed in the Lord escaped His sudden fury.
There is nothing sinful about having plenty of food to eat or even an abundance of pleasant things and leisure time. But, when pleasures and possessions become the full end of man, he becomes proud, greedy, and often very immoral. Perversion is only one step away from a totally immoral and depraved society. These were the downward steps that led to Sodom’s destruction.
16. FALLEN FOUNDATIONS: End-time Babylon will have lost her moral sense of direction – “her foundations are fallen, her walls are thrown down . . .” (verse 15) When any nation begins to throw off restraint by outlawing the God of heaven and His laws, that nation faces unbelievable trials and just retribution.
It should also be noted that end-time Babylon obviously had “foundations” at one time. In stark contrast, ancient Babylon never did have any kind of moral foundations.
17. AGRICULTURAL GIANT: Babylon will be a great agricultural production center, but the day will come when the workers will suddenly abandon their crops in the field and run in panic. “Cut off the sower in Babylon, and him that handleth the sickle in the time of harvest; for fear of the oppressing sword they shall turn everyone to his own land.” (verse 16)
One day Jew and Gentile alike (as well as immigrant farmworkers) will flee from Babylon in sheer panic. Even those living in rural areas, which are usually considered a refuge and place of safety, will someday run in terror. What a terrible picture of future mayhem.
18. THE HAMMER OF THE EARTH: End-time Babylon is referred to as “the hammer of the whole earth.” (Jeremiah 50:23) End-time Babylon will be a nation that is a great manufacturing giant. Babylon will be a nation that works and gets things done. The hammer in this verse is not speaking of a destructive weapon but of a mighty hammer of production and tool of commerce and development.
19. STRIVING AGAINST THE LORD: Babylon will be characterized as a land that is “striving against the LORD.” (Jeremiah 50:24) End-time Babylon will apparently have liberal justices, legislators and educators who will make every effort to expel God and His moral standards from their society.
20. STOREHOUSES: Jeremiah 50:26 refers to the many food "storehouses” of end-time Babylon. Whoever this end-time Babylon is, it is a land of great plenty!
21. ARROGANT: Babylon will be a proud nation. National pride is one thing, but a haughty prideful spirit is hated by God. “ . . . she hath been proud against the LORD, against the Holy One of Israel.” (Jeremiah 50:29)
The people of end-time Babylon will exalt and deify man in the place of God. Humanism will become the accepted religion of the land. Children will be taught to trust in themselves and the “system” because man thinks that he is able to determine his own destiny without the LORD.
22. MANY CITIES: Babylon will be a land of many “cities” (Jeremiah 50:32). This verse all by itself should convince us that end-time Babylon is more than the forty-acre project of Saddam Hussein in rebuilding ancient Babylon!
23. A PEOPLE ON THE GOD: Babylon will be a land with a fully developed transportation system and numerous roads. Verse 37 makes reference to their “horses and chariots” which is the term that an ancient prophet would use to describe vehicles of transportation.
24. MIXED MULTITUDE: Babylon will be made up of a mixed multitude. She will be the melting pot of the world. Verse 37 mentions the “mixed people,” and the word mixed is literally translated “mongrel people” or “mixed race.” It should be noted that immigrants are not knocking down the doors trying to enter Iraq, the homeland of ancient Babylon. Obviously, the prophet was not speaking about old, historic Babylon, but about a young and vibrant melting pot of all nationalities.
25. FEMINISTIC SOCIETY: “They shall become like women . . .” (Jeremiah 50:37) may be referring to the society becoming feministic. The feminists’ agenda is world-wide, but especially in the United States where it is having a devastating impact upon the entire nation.
College campuses are beginning to complain about the decreasing number of male students. On many university campuses men are outnumbered by women nearly two to one. Little wonder! With the exorbitant cost of education, who wants to be continually lectured about the evils of manhood?
26. TREASURES ROBBED: “A sword is upon her treasuries, and they shall be robbed.” Jeremiah 50:37 It is interesting to note that inflation continues to rob people of their wealth, to say nothing of the graduated income tax which is a world-wide curse.
27. DROUGHT: Verse 18 declares that “a drought is upon her waters and they shall be dried up.” This is surely not referring to a desert area like Iraq which experiences continual drought.
28. LAND OF MANY INVENTIONS: Babylon shall be the land of ingenuity and inventions – “ . . . it is the land of carved images, and they are mad over their idols.”(verse 38) In addition to being a land of idol worship, the people of end-time Babylon will be obsessed with their possessions . . . look around some day and observe people’s infatuation with their cell phones and modern gadgets!
29. DAUGHTER OF BABYLON: The phrase “daughter of Babylon” is found in verse forty-two of this fiftieth chapter of Jeremiah. This obviously was referring to a younger descendant of Babylon and not to the ancient nation.
Jeremiah Chapter 51:
30. GOLDEN CUP: Babylon is described as “a golden cup in the LORD’s hand.” (Jeremiah 51:7) This obviously was not referring to the wicked and ruthless nation under Nebuchadnezzar but points to an end-time nation that will have been greatly blessed by the Lord of Heaven.
31. EVIL INFLUENCE: End-time Babylon is also accused of making the nations of the earth “drunk.” (Jeremiah 51:7) The cultural, materialistic, and immoral impact of Babylon will be deplorable.
An example of this type of evil world-wide influence can be observed in our own beloved country which is leading the world in the production and printing of porn and filth. When you travel abroad you will be amazed at the impact of the filthy lyrics and the rancid “music” of MTV. I visited Russia several years ago and felt ashamed that the people were watching the worst of our entertainment industry. While people from other countries enjoy our foul entertainment, their opinion of “Christian” America is that she is a land of moral pollution . . . and they are right.
32. DWELLING UPON MANY WATERS: “Thou that dwellest upon many waters” (Jeremiah 51:13) probably refers to a nation with many coastlands and ocean ports . . . such is not the case with Iraq, the homeland of ancient Babylon which has no ocean port.
33. A WEALTHY NATION: The phrase “abundant in treasures” (Jeremiah 51:13) is crystal clear. End-time Babylon will be wealthy beyond comprehension. It is estimated that 7% of the world’s population owns 50% of the world’s wealth!
34. INTELLECTUALLY STUPID: Verse 17 seems so ironic -- “Every man is stupid by his knowledge.” How can a person become stupid by knowledge? The fact is, “the fear of the LORD is the be-ginning of wisdom.” Higher education without the knowledge of the LORD is vain and totally bankrupt.
35. AGAINST ISRAEL: God refers to the “evil that they have done in Zion.” (Jeremiah 51:24) On the surface, that couldn’t possibly apply to the United States of America. After all, we have been one of Israel’s most loyal friends. But the fact is, in past years our State Department has supported the Palestinians time after time and our leaders have pressured the State of Israel to trade land for peace.
It would appear that every time we have sided against the people of Israel in giving up their God-given land for peace, some kind of natural disaster has befallen our country. It may be more than mere coincidence that soon after we were involved with brokering the agreement to give the Gaza Strip to the Palestinians, we were faced with several severe hurricanes. God’s promise to Abraham is still in effect – “I will bless them that bless you and curse them that curse you.” (Genesis 12:3) Who are we, or any nation for that matter, to give away the land that God claims as His own? Even Israel’s leaders may have to learn that God’s land is not theirs to barter away.
36. PRAISE OF EARTH: Babylon is referred to as “the praise of the whole earth.” (verse 41) Such was certainly not the case of wicked ancient Babylon under the cruel leadership of King Nebuchadnezzar.
37. IDOL WORSHIPPERS: God declared that He will “punish Bel” (Jeremiah 51:44) when He sends wrathful destruction upon Babylon. “Bel” refers to the wicked worship of Baal which was characterized by the ungodly slaughter and sacrifice of children.
38. MOUNT UP TO HEAVEN: Jeremiah 51:53 is one of the most remarkable verses that describes end-time Babylon – “Though Babylon should mount up to heaven . . .” Could this verse be referring to the remarkable ventures of end-time Babylon in flight or possibly space?
39. MILITARY STRENGTH: Jeremiah 51:53 continues -- “. . . and though she should fortify the height of her strength . . .” This description may refer to the strength of the armed forces of end-time Babylon. This passage may also be referring to the development of a powerful air force or space missile defense system.
40. DRUNKEN LEADERSHIP: The next description is very sobering – “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.” (verse 57)
We learn from the Bible that “perpetual sleep” is another grave judgment that falls upon mankind when he forgets the God who created him. Whenever men boast “I will not believe,” soon they cannot believe. When people fail to give glory to the Creator, God gives them over to immorality. (Romans 1:21-24)
When a nation fails to repent of immorality, God gives them over to perversion. (Romans 1:26-27)
When a nation fails to repent of perversion, God gives them over to a reprobate mind. (Romans 1:28)
A “reprobate mind” is a mind that is incapable of making wise choices. It is a mind that is 180 degrees out of phase from the wisdom and counsel of God. The most insignificant decisions become continual blunders. Example: This is the current spiritual condition of the United States. Our public school system is incapable of making wise choices. Many young people graduating from high school cannot even read. Our answer to this problem is to invest more money and continue to convince youngsters there is no God and no right or wrong. We will have nothing to do with anything that remotely hints of the Judeo-Christian ethic and then wonder why we can’t solve our social problems.
Isaiah chapter 13:
The thirteenth chapter of Isaiah deals primarily with the final destruction of that great end-time land called “Babylon.” We will deal with that in depth in another section. There are several phrases, however, which add to the clear descriptions of end-time Babylon.
41. LAND OF INIQUITY: “I will punish the world for their iniquity.” (verse 11) Babylon, along with many other nations, faces the judgment of God for its evil.
42. NATIONAL ARROGANCE: The LORD declares – “I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible . . .“ (verse11) Nothing is more deplorable in the eyes of a holy and righteous God than pride and arrogance.
Ancient King Nebuchadnezzar once congratulated himself for the greatness of his kingdom and glory. You can read about his humbling experience of eating grass with the cattle of the field for seven years in Daniel chapter 4.
43. GLORY OF KINGDOMS: God refers to end-time Babylon as the “glory of kingdoms.” What a wonderful title but it could not possibly be referring to the wicked ancient Babylon.
Isaiah Chapter 18:
No actual reference to “Babylon” or the “daughter of Babylon” is made in Isaiah chapter 18. However, there are striking verbal descriptions that apparently apply to an end-time nation that sounds remarkably like a highly technical end-time nation. You be the judge who the prophet may be describing.
44. SHADOWING WITH WINGS “Woe to the land shadowing with wings.” (verse 1) Is this a reference to the land whose national insignia is an eagle? Possibly but unlikely. I prefer to think it is probably referring to a land whose skies are filled with aircraft.
In the Hebrew language the word “shadowing” is actually translated “quivering,” “rattling” or “vibrating.” Speak to anyone who lives under the flight pattern of large commercial or military jets coming and going and ask them if their house ever vibrates or rattles. If their house doesn’t rattle, their nerves probably do! End-time Babylon will apparently be a nation with an incredible amount of commercial air traffic!
45. WEST OF JERUSALEM: Verse one of Isaiah chapter 18 even pinpoints the general location of the end-nation destined for judgment and destruction – “beyond the rivers of Ethiopia . . . “
In this passage, the Lord is describing a nation that is located to the west beyond Ethiopia. Ancient Babylon was east of Jerusalem, but this end-time nation is to the west, “beyond the rivers of Ethiopia.” The Hebrew word “beyond” is better translated “over beyond.” What a remarkable prophetic description of a nation beyond Africa and the seas!
46. MANY AMBASSADORS: “That sendeth ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of bulrushes upon the waters . . .” (Isaiah 18:2) Whoever this end-time nation is, it will be a nation that dispatches ambassadors and peacemakers all over the world.
47. A SCATTERED NATION: “Go ye swift messengers to a nation scattered . . .” (Isaiah 18:2) “Scattered” can be translated “planted and developed.” This reference is apparently about a country with great agricultural production, not to a country that is primarily a desert wasteland like so much of the Middle East and Iraq.
48. “DON’T TREAD ON ME!” “ . . . to a people terrible from their beginning . . .” (Isaiah 18:2) In this passage, the ancient prophet was describing a people that are to be feared or respected. In the world’s vernacular, the people of this end-time nation will be a people “not to mess around with!” The military might and expertise of end-time Babylon will win the respect of nations all over the world.
49. A NATION MEASURED OUT: “ . . . a nation measured out and trampled down . . .” (Isaiah 18:2) “Measured out” is thought by many to refer to a land that is plotted and mapped. Much of the modern world is on detailed maps that show topographical elevations, private and public lands, buildings, governmental lands and easements, and the list goes on and on. Totally mapped . . . a good description of an end-time nation!
50. A NATION TRAMPLED DOWN: “ . . . a nation measured out and trampled down . . .” (Isaiah 18:2) This probably refers to a land of many roads and highways.
51. POLLUTED RIVERS: “ . . . whose land the rivers have spoiled . . .” (Isaiah 18:2) Some Bible scholars understand “spoiled” to mean filthy or polluted rivers. Others believe that this is referring to a land which has become prosperous because of large rivers and the ability to transport goods on the nation’s waterways.
The mere existence of many rivers leads us to the conclusion that the prophet was not referring to a vast desert wasteland such as modern-day Iraq, the land of ancient Babylon. End-time Babylon will be a land characterized by many rivers filled with commercial traffic.
Isaiah Chapter 47:
Isaiah chapter 47 is ripe with many descriptions of “the virgin daughter of Babylon.” The prophet begins the chapter – “Come down, and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon.” There is little question as to whom this was directed – a young end-time descendant of ancient Babylon.
52. A CALL FOR NATIONAL REPENTANCE: God calls out to the “virgin daughter of Babylon.” (Isaiah 47:1) This is God’s call for national repentance very similar to Isaiah 1:18 – “Come now, and let us reason together saith the LORD, though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” The “virgin daughter” is probably an appeal to a nation that has experienced the Lord’s protective care just as a father would protect and preserve the purity of his daughter.
53. INNOCENCE LOST: “. . . thou shalt no more be called tender and delicate” (Isaiah 47:1) is an indictment against a nation that was once young and innocent and has now turned to sin and debauchery. Example: Those of us who love our great land and know what it stood for in its inception are broken-hearted to see her abandon her godly foundation and roots.
54. NATIONAL EMBARRASSMENT: “Thy nakedness shall be uncovered, yea, thy shame shall be seen . . .” (Isaiah 47:3) The purity of end-time Babylon will become polluted by ungodly, dishonest and immoral leaders and representatives . . . exposed for all the world to see.
55. TARNISHED TESTIMONY: “ . . . for thou shalt no more be called the lady of kingdoms . . .” (Isaiah 47:5) The testimony of moral integrity and purity will have become greatly blemished in end-time Babylon. Some Bible commentators have gone so far as to suggest that this reference to “the lady of kingdoms” could be speaking of our nation as depicted by our Statue of Liberty. Perhaps this is so, but I would personally hesitate to make this direct connection.
56. SELF-CONFIDENT: “And thou hast said, I shall be a lady forever, so that thou didst not lay these things to thy heart, neither didst remember the latter end of it.” (Isaiah 47:7) End-time Babylon will be confident that her dress will never be wrinkled and that she cannot be brought down.
57. FUN CAPITAL OF THE WORLD: This description of end-time Babylon is very revealing – “thou are given to pleasures.” (Isaiah 47:8) The people of end-time Babylon will spend their time and efforts (and money) to be entertained.
58. SAFE AND SECURE: “thou dwellest securely . . .” (Isaiah 47:8) This Biblical phrase is without doubt referring to the security that will be enjoyed by the people of end-time Babylon and may refer to a land that is blessed with strong military and police protection.
59. NO SORROW: “ . . . thou sayest in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me; I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know the loss of children.” (Isaiah 47:8) The people of end-time Babylon will take pride that they have not known the pains of military invasions and national defeat.
60. BEWITCHED BY WITCHCRAFT: “. . . for the multitude of thy sorceries and for the great abundance of thine enchantments. . . “ (Isaiah 47:9) The Hebrew word for “sorceries” is literally “magic” or “witchcraft.” The people of end-time Babylon will become totally enamored with evil and the likes of Harry Potter. The theme of witchcraft is also a major part of video games and children’s cartoons which are capturing the minds and imaginations of an entire generation.
We have every reason to dread the future when we have abandoned spiritual values and embraced the occult. This is a very real problem on our school campuses where a growing number of students often dress in black and even wear black makeup as a symbol of their angry defiance and of the evil they openly embrace.
Infatuation with spiritual darkness and wickedness is justifiably, a great reason for alarm. Police officers tell us that they are finding dead animals that have been mutilated and sacrificed in sadistic rituals. When this “game” matures, will children be at risk?
61. HIDDEN CRIME: “For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness; thou hast said, None seeth me.” (Isaiah 47:10) White collar crime and computer fraud are growing at an alarming rate. This passage could very well be describing modern-day computer and identity theft where would-be criminals think they can remain invisible.
62. INTELLECTUALLY STUPID: “Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee; and thou hast said in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me.” (Isaiah 47:10) Knowledge without acknowledgement of God is the goal of public schools and universities pretty much all over the world. No wonder so many parents here in America have opted for home-schooling . . . but multitudes of parents are not aware until it is too late that their children have been negatively impacted by a humanistic worldview thrust upon them by liberal college professors. These teachers seem to take special delight in shipwrecking the Biblical faith of their students. 63. ATTACKED BY TERRORISM? “Therefore shall evil come upon thee; thou shalt not know from where it riseth, and mischief shall fall upon thee; thou shalt not be able to put if off, desolation shall come upon thee suddenly, which thou shalt not know.” (Isaiah 47:11)
This passage could very well be a description of end-time terrorism. Many western countries now have numerous enemy terrorist cells living amongst their citizens who are eagerly awaiting the opportunity to shed innocent blood and wreak havoc. When an attack comes, people will be confused as to who the real enemy is and where the attack came from.
This verse even declares “thou shalt not be able to put it off, desolation shall come suddenly.” Terrorism thrives on the unsuspecting and ill-prepared. Our public leaders are even warning the public regarding future terrorists’ attacks – “It is a matter of when, not if.”
64. TALK, TALK, TALK: “Thou are wearied in the multitude of thy counsels.” (verse 13) End-time Babylon will apparently be the peacemaker of the world. Sometimes we all become weary of the unending rhetoric. Wherever or whatever the crisis, America is right in the middle of it. We have assumed the role of the “defenders of freedom,” but sometimes it seems that America makes enemies by forcing ourselves into the center of every dispute.
65. ASTROLOGY: “Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee.” (Isaiah 47:13) It may surprise many people that our military leaders consulted mediums and astrological charts in selecting attack dates for many of the battles of World War II.
To this day, horoscope readings and mediums play a major role in what many modern-day people do and when they do it. In mockery, God challenges all these mediums to give direction for rescuing a nation now doomed to judgment.
66. ABANDONED BY HER FRIENDS: “Thus shall they be unto thee with whom thou has labored, even thy merchants, from thy youth; they shall wander every one to his quarter; none shall save thee.” (Isaiah 47:15)
This prophecy shall be more fully developed as we consider the destruction of Babylon in the following section. The prophets were simply declaring that all of the merchants that bring goods to Babylon will abandon her when her day of infamy begins.
Ezekiel 39:6:
The Prophet Ezekiel does not specifically identify one of the nations involved in the Battle of Gog and Magog which apparently occurs at the beginning of the Tribulation and possibly immediately following the Rapture . . . but the descriptions are quite revealing: “And I will send a fire on Magog, and among those who dwell securely in the coastlands; and they shall know that I am the LORD.” (Ezekiel 39:6)
67. GREAT MILITARY MIGHT: “ . . . those who dwell securely . . .” Whoever this nation is that enters a devastating conflict with “Gog of the land of Magog” (Russia), it will be a mighty military power. To dwell securely means simply that the people have no fear of foreign invasion or distant armies. This description certainly could fit the United States. No other nation on earth has such sophisticated weaponry and a well-trained military.
68. BEYOND THE SEA: “ . . . in the coastlands . . .” This can be understood as “beyond the sea” or “farthest parts.” The same Hebrew word is used in several interesting verses in conjunction with definitive locations - Jeremiah 25:22 – “ . . . the kings of the coasts which are beyond the sea . . .”
Isaiah 41:5 – “The coasts saw it, and feared; the ends of the earth were afraid . . .”
When destructive fires fall on Magog (Russia) they will apparently also descend upon the “coastlands” which are “beyond the sea” and at “the ends of the earth.”
APPLICATION: The Lord does not provide such clear word pictures just to be ignored. There is a reason that He wants end-time people to know that judgment will one day fall quickly. His purpose is not to cause terror, but to urge mankind to come into a proper relationship with Him through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Do you know Him personally as Redeemer and Lord?
“But God showed His love toward us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23
“For whosoever will call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:13
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