TODAY'S TECHNOLOGY IN BIBLE PROPHECY
Lesson 48: The prophesied atomic destruction of "Mystery Babylon."
I Setting:
A Rev. 17 explained "Mystery Babylon's" rise to world
power, its relationship to the world's great powers,
and how the world's ten most economically powerful
nations will eventually destroy the city with fire.
B Rev. 18 describes Babylon's commercial might, its
overall violent character, the ostentatious lifestyle
of its inhabitants, and the atomic judgment of the city.
II "Another angel's" more detailed description of Babylon's
overthrow.
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 (Rev. 18:1-2).
A The description of this angel--"having great power; and
the Earth was enlightened with his glory,"--reveals that
he has received a powerful message concerning Babylon,
which will shed more light on its operation and final
destruction at the end of the great tribulation.
B The angel's proclamation "Babylon the Great is fallen"
declares that the desolation of the city will be so
complete that no human will ever inhabit the place again.
C The reference to demons, unclean spirits, and unclean
birds dwelling there emphasizes the perpetual
uninhabitable condition of the site.
D Since nuclear fire will destroy the city, the site will
remain unpopulated because of the intense long-lived
radiation in the area.
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
(Rev. 18:3).
A "For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of
her fornication," identifies the worldwide rebellion
against God and acceptance of Babylon's anti-Christian
religion as the reason for the utter ruin of the city.
B "And the kings of the earth have committed fornication
with her" shows that the nations will willingly join
Mystery Babylon's rebellion against God.
C For example, big business will use its influence to get
their respective governments to submit to the new
international capital's rule because it will be a
financially profitable arrangement.
D The Bilderberg Conference (1954), and the Trilateral
Commission (1973) are two organizations composed of
international business leaders, government officials,
selected journalists, and intellectuals, from the U.S.
Western Europe and Japan, who meet secretly once a year
to work towards their goal of establishing a world
government, run by none other than their self-proclaimed
intellectual elite selves.
E David Rockefeller's opening address to the 1991
Bilderberg Conference in Germany, provides insight into
these organizations current plans to set up a world
government:
"It would have been impossible for us to develop our
plan for the world if we had been subject to the bright
lights of publicity during these years (since 1954).
But the world is now more sophisticated and prepared to
march towards a world government which will never again
know war but only peace and prosperity for the whole of
humanity. The supranational sovereignty of an
intellectual elite and world bankers is surely
preferable to the national autodetermination practiced
in the past centuries."
III Another voice orders Christians to disassociate themselves
from the world capital.
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 (Rev. 18:4).
A Initially the world government will provide a number of
attractive job opportunities.
B In time, however, the last beast's goal to eliminate
God's people will emerge.
C Therefore God commands all those who call themselves by
His name "to come out of her" to avoid becoming an
accomplice (or "partaker of her sins") in the wholesale
murder of innocent people around the globe.
D What is the meaning of the closing warning "that ye
receive not of her plagues?"
1 It does not mean that the Christian who becomes a
part of the world government, will be excluded from
the rapture and left to endure the seven last plague
events, for disobeying this warning.
2 Rather the warning seems to be similar to the trouble
that befell Lot and the weak members of his family
who were influenced by the evil practices of the
Sodomites they dwelled among.
3 In other words Christians will escape the final
judgment of the city but they may lose their children
if they raise them in such a place of evil.
5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath
remembered her iniquities.
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 (Rev. 18:5-6).
A "For her sins have reached unto heaven" emphasizes the
magnitude of the oppression imposed on the earth by the
world capital and the reason Christians should not
support the world government in any way, shape, or form.
B Thus, although it will appear that Babylon is violating
God's laws with impunity, God will "remember her
iniquities" and eventually judge the city.
C "For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the
whirlwind" (Hosea 8:7a). Men always reap what they sow
and in greater quantity.
IV The prophesied fall of Babylon from great wealth to ashes.
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.
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
(Rev. 18:7-8).
A The world capital's inhabitants will "live deliciously"
in absolute luxury, at the expense of the oppressed of
the world.
B Much of this wealth will be siphoned off by Babylon's
computerized central banking system and the confiscation
of the accounts of Christians and other "undesirables."
C What is the meaning of the statement "she saith in her
heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no
sorrow"?
1 It indicates that wholesale pilfering of international
funds and lavish spending by those running the world
government, will be the order of the day.
2 The absence of any higher authority to enforce proper
fiscal controls will apparently convince the city's
inhabitants that nothing could possibly reverse their
good fortune.
D What is the meaning of the statement "therefore shall
her plagues come in one day"?
1 It means Babylon's highly visible, outrageous life
style will create widespread animosity toward the
city, and predictably, as the bureaucracy's
insatiable greed grows, so will a determined
opposition against the capital.
2 Public outrage will eventually convince the ten most
economically powerful nations to put an end to
Babylon's destructive extravagant policies.
3 Note that since Christ will remove His anti-world
government followers immediately before the time of
the seven last plagues begins, everyone left behind
should be able to live in harmony.
4 Yet, in a very short time (referred to here in terms
of "her plagues will come in one day, death, mourning
and famine") a tremendous power struggle will break
out between the ten nation group and the bureaucrats
running the capital.
5 The ten will move with one accord to dismantle the
city's authority and strip the bureaucrats of their
wealth and power.
6 The Ten's final action will be an atomic attack,
ending in the nuclear obliteration of the city.
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.
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.
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
(Rev. 18:9-19).
A This passage itemizes Babylon's overflowing riches and
how those who will be connected with her--kings,
merchants, shipmasters, and sailors--will grieve their
loss of business after the city is destroyed.
B What does the statement "What city is like unto this
great city!" tell us about Babylon?
1 It proclaims that the world capital will be a show place
on a scale of unprecedented proportions.
2 The city will be greater in size, number of tall
buildings, volume of trade, wealth, etc., than any
other city in the history of the world.
C How does the language of the text reveal that the world
capital will be destroyed by nuclear bombs?
1 The tremendous clouds from "the smoke of her burning"
are mentioned twice.
2 John also records the great loss felt by kings,
merchants, and sailors at sea who "stood afar off," for
fear of the intense radiation in the vicinity of the
burning city.
3 The thrice repeated reference to Babylon's destruc-
tion coming in "one hour," serves to underscore the
suddenness of the nuclear vaporization of the city.
4 This event will likely take place within a 60 minute
time-period.
20 Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and
prophets; for God hath avenged you on her (Rev. 18:20).
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 (Rev. 18:20-21).
A "A mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone,
and cast it into the sea" to demonstrate the absolute
ruin of the city.
B In other words the city would be as completely destroyed
as that stone was covered by the sea's waters,
never to be found again.
C In fact, the angel stated that Babylon will be thrown
down with such violence that it "shall be found no more
at all."
D In light of today's knowledge of nuclear weapons, it is
easy to believe that this city will literally vanish
from the earth in a matter of minutes in the face of a
nuclear attack.
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.
24 And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of
saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth
(Rev. 18:22-24).
A What explanation can be given for the nations touching
off a second, even more global, nuclear war after the
incredible long-term destruction they will be enduring
from the First Atomic War?
1 Fear of the first strike capability of their nuclear-
armed neighbors will breed hate.
2 That hate will breed more fear, and more hate, until
the insanity of fear and hatred builds to the
crescendo of AWWII.