(Read also Genesis 12:1-4, Isaiah 48:20, Jeremiah 50:8-9, Jeremiah 51:7-9) 

Revelation 18:1-4 (NKJV) After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory. And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird! For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury.” And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.

As we have discovered over the last two posts, Babylon is a place and a spiritual reality, which has functioned ever since the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11). The geography, although real, is specifically related to spiritual Babylon: a one world government and religion, synergized for the purpose of defying God and deactivating His people. The purpose of Babylon is carried out either through captivity and assimilation of followers of YHWH or by killing every one of them.

Interestingly, the religion of Babylon tolerates many faith’s and false god’s, as it has been existed in one form or another throughout world history, where multiple deities exist; but are unified under one head deity. The only worship not tolerated, in Babylon’s religious system is that of the One True God and His Anointed Messiah. The government and the religion are animated by the hate expressed in Psalm 2:1-3.

Before we dive into the possible identity of end-times Babylon, we must first establish some ground rules. First and foremost, we acknowledge that some things in the Book of Revelation, as well as other important prophetic texts from the whole of scripture, are difficult to nail down. We can assert that in some cases we will not be able to know, for certain, until the sign or occurs.

Perhaps one of the most hotly debated items of the end times deals with the “mark of the beast”. Although many technological advances have appeared, which could potentially fit “the mark of the beast”, we will not really know until it is put forth as the only means to gain needed provision to live.

Secondly, we must agree that like the “spirit of Antichrist”, which I John tells us was alive and well in the first century, Babylon, as a spiritual and governmental desire of the world’s people, has existed since before Christ. This ungodly system has been spoken of in every age and culture, as well as pursued. One need not go far in our past, in western culture to see this fairy tale idea in John Lennon’s ridiculous song “Imagine” or the sappy “We are the World” from the mid 1980’s.

Seeing a governmental desire for what is referred to as the “New World Order”, can be seen in the failed “League of Nations” from the 1920’s until the establishment of the Untied Nation (another NWO organization). For Americans we only have to look at the language used from our four previous presidents. George H. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barak Obama all used phrases reminiscent of announcing the need for a New World Order.

The reason we must understand these elements before moving forward, is that the key pieces for end-times Babylon’s rise exist today, as they did 70 years ago and if the Lord tarries, they will exist and be ready for advance, as soon as the LORD of history declares “Babylon the great has fallen”; signalling its final rise and destruction.

In my opinion, I believe we are in those times, therefore our choices of end times  Babylon are few, but very possible, for our day. Let us explore the character of “Babylon”. We will focus mostly on Revelation 16, 17 and 18.

REVELATION 16

Revelation 16:19 (NKJV) Now the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. And great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath.

When dealing with the phrase “Now the great city was divided into three parts” we understand this as referring to Jerusalem. The division occurs because of the most devastating earthquake in history, when the seventh bowl judgment of God’s wrath is poured out on the world. The reason we understand this “great city” to be Jerusalem is that Revelation 11:8 uses the same terminology “great city” and declares it the city where our Lord Jesus was crucified.

The rest of Revelation 16:19 reveals the earthquake also causes the nations of the world to fall and that Babylon was remembered by God and set for Judgment. This is important for the nations of the world are unified against God, under the last one world government of Babylon. Yet Babylon is also represented as a city of enormous economy, cultural and religious influence, in Revelation 18:19.

Babylon is a governmental/spiritual entity and a specific geographic location. Some have proffered that the city spoken of is Jerusalem or  the city of Tyre rebuilt, as Ezekiel 27 language is used in Revelation 18 to describe the city of Babylon when it falls. This could be a possibility, but as we understand much of prophecy in Revelation  is based on types (from the O.T.), we understand that end-times Babylon is so great because it encompasses all the economic power and might of all the YHWH hating nations of world history.

I believe it possible that end-times Babylon is not headquartered in Jerusalem, or a city on the Mediterranean Sea or in the middle east.

REVELATION 17

Revelation 17:1-6 reveals a few characteristics of end times Babylon. In the first place Babylon is referred to as a woman, in fact verse 5 declares BABYLON is the “MOTHER OF ALL HARLOTS AND OF ALL THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH”. The word “HARLOT” is important for it means whore, or one who hooks up with anyone or anything for self serving purposes.

Babylon is also the mother of all “ABOMINATIONS”. This carries with it the most egregious sin and practice, including lying, witchcraft, sorcery, abortion, sexual immorality and licentiousness, and persecution of the saints under the guise of personal freedom. This means “Babylon” represents the satanic principal in its government and culture, which is “Do what you will, is the whole of the law”; while doing it under the guise of being benevolent to all.

Babylon, the whoring woman sits on many waters, which has a two fold meaning: 1) Babylon has been sitting as the most dominate nation in the world for some time, influencing the nations of the world in industry, culture, government, religion and economy (verse 15).

In Revelation 17:3-4 we see the woman on a scarlet beast that has seven heads (from the seven great empires of Old World) and ten horns (the ten king confederacy in the last days). We understand this beast is symbolic of the Antichrist and the governmental power of ten nations which gives him political and military clout.

Interestingly, the woman rides the beast, which indicates control of the beast or direction given to the beast. More likely, the beast allows the woman to believe she is in control, or has his favor, through her religious harlotry.  This makes sense after reading Revelation 13:11-17, where the false prophet gives the beast credence with the apostate church and pagans of the world through false signs and lying wonders. In my next post we will discuss the Roman Catholic Church and its participation, potentially, as the amplification of the last days one world religion.

In Revelation 17:16-18, we discover that the ten kings hate the WHORE, “BABYLON”. Most likely because “Babylon” has dominated them for so long. We understand that there is a point where these nations turn to destroy Babylon, with its pluralistic pagan religion and culture and its economic and military dominance. Finally we understand that Babylon is…

Revelation 17:18 (NKJV) And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth.”

In my biblically informed opinion, should the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ be sooner than later, there is potentially a nation that has had major influence in all these nations and Israel… The United States of America.

Let us look further at Revelation 18 to see the continuing character of end-times Babylon revealed.

REVELATION 18

In Revelation 18:1-4 we find that Babylon is a place of overt spiritual darkness, where demons dwell in plain sight, through the permitting of every sin in violation of God’s love and the image he made man in. Babylon is a place where every type of sexually immoral thought can find expression, where greed drives culture and entertainment, where Babylon’s reach of degradation is not just in its own nation and people, but world wide.

In addition we also discover that industry of Babylon and it’s trade and economy flood the world with all kinds of inventions and products. Consider the list of production, industry and innovation arising out of end times Babylon from Revelation 18:11-18.

In Revelation 18:23 we read “… For your merchants were the great men of the earth“. Consider the great men of wealth and industry in the last 150 years and their names… Carnegie, Rockefeller, Mellon, Morgan, Vanderbilt, Edison, Ford, Boeing, Gates, Jobs, Zuckerberg, Bezos and Musk.

Babylon also deceives the nations through it’s sorcery, which is the Greek word pharmakeia. This is another interesting characteristic, for it is where we get the word pharmacy from. In John’s day pharmakeia was linked to the used of herbs and substances to gain altered states and commune with demons or false gods, for the purpose of divination and healing.

Interestingly, the United States is still at the forefront of research and development for pharmaceuticals for everything under the sun. These things are used as a lever to condition the people (and too often the saints) to trust in anything other than God Almighty.

In addition to the sorcery of pharmakeia, in the way of substances, let’s consider the sorcery of television, cinema and computer devices. Though labor for these things has long ago left the Untied States, the influence of development, implementation and connectivity are founded in this nation. If we merely diagnosed the influence of politics, entertainment and sport, through our mesmerizing devises, how many have come under their spell?

Can anyone argue that in the United States, our culture is filled with the demonic, the foul, the crass, the destructive. Our freedom has led to the enslavement of millions of our own people in sports and entertainment, pornography, useless pursuits and electronic comas, from devices. Our own inventions have taken Satan’s plans world-wide like no other nation, through the air and circuit.

We see that Babylon’s sins have reached to the heavens (Revelation 18:4-6). In America we have more money and infrastructure to care for the orphan, than any other nation on the planet. Despite this reality, the United States slaughters 1700 children a day, through abortion, which is a sacrifice to the god’s of this world. If the Lord were to repay the U.S. double for our approaching 70,000,000 abortions, we would loose close to 1/3 of our population of 330,000,000 in one day.

Let me ask you? Is there any other nation with such prolific influence economically, militarily, religiously, and culturally than the United States of America? I would venture to say, there has never been a more influential nation with cites of influence on a global scale; like New York and Washington D.C. San Francisco, Los Angeles. Nor do I see one in the future.

In my next two post, we will look at how the Roman Catholic Church and U.S. not only exhibit the governmental and cultural aspects of the end-times Babylon, but also that of the one world religion.