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Revelation Jeremiah

Background
The prophecies of Jeremiah parallel the last prophecies of Revelation.

Comparison
Revelation | Chapter | Topic | Discussion
--- | --- | --- | ---
1-3 | The seven churches | 2-38 | The sins of Israel | The status of the church
4-6 | The seven seals | 39-44 | The fall of Jerusalem | The curses released
19 | The Second Coming | 45 | Cyrus the deliverer | A deliverer is called
14 | Warn the nations | 46-49 | Warn the nations | Call for repentance
17-18 | Babylon the great | 47 | Babylon | Babylon, the queen of the world
18 | Babylon falls | 50-51 | Babylon falls | The punishment of Babylon

Chapter 1: The Prophet
Jeremiah proves that the life of the chosen prophet is not a glamorous one. He was called before his birth to be a prophet of the Lord and a tester of his people. He lived before and during the Babylonian captivity.
» Called Before Birth. Before I formed you in the womb I knew you. And before you were born I consecrated you. I have appointed you a prophet to the nations. (Jeremiah 1: 5)
» Tester. I have made you an assayer and tester among My people, that you may know and assay their way. (Jeremiah 6: 27)
But he was mocked, ridiculed, cursed and rejected by the people. And he had to bear this burden alone.
» Single. The word of the Lord came to me saying, "You should not take a wife for yourself nor have sons or daughters in this place". (Jeremiah 16: 1-2)
» Cursed and Hated. Woe to me, my mother, that you have borne me as a man of strife and a man of contention to all the land! I have not lent, nor have men lent money to me, yet everyone curses me. (Jeremiah 15: 10)
» Alone and Tested. Your words were found and I ate them, and Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart. For I have been called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts. I did not sit in the circle of merrymakers, nor did I exult. Because of your hand upon me I sat alone. For You filled me with indignation. Why has my pain been perpetual and my wound incurable, refusing to be healed?
» God Was Unreliable. Will You indeed be to me like a deceptive stream with water that is unreliable? (Jeremiah 15: 16-18)
Although he was chosen before birth, yet he had to choose his destiny after many trials designed to make him reject this calling. If he voluntarily chose God and understood wisdom after such a rejection and constant disappointment, then God would use him as His prophet. Although he was chosen, there was no predestination. There was only free choice.
» Deceived and Abandoned by God. O Lord, you have deceived me and I have been deceived. You have overcome me and prevailed. I have become a laughingstock all day long. Everyone mocks me. ... because for me the word of the Lord has resulted in reproach and derision all day long. For I have heard the whispering of many, terror on every side! Denounce him, yes let us denounce him! All my trusted friends watching for my fall say "Perhaps he will be deceived, so that we may prevail against him and take our revenge on him". (Jeremiah 20: 7-8, 10)
» Chooses to be a Prophet. Therefore, this says the Lord, if you return then I will restore you. Before me you will stand. And if you extract the precious from the worthless, you will become My spokesman. They for their part may turn to you, but as for you, you must not turn to them. (Jeremiah 15: 19)
He cannot run away like Jonah.
» Still Zealous. But if I say, "I will not remember Him or speak any more in His name, then in my heart it becomes like a burning fire shut up in my bones. And I am weary of holding it in, and I cannot endure it". (Jeremiah 20: 9)

Regrets His Birth
At one point he forgot the feeling of joy. In utter despair, he regrets his birth.
» Despair. My soul has been rejected from peace. I have forgotten happiness. (Lamentations 3: 17)
» Curses his Birthday. Cursed be the day I was born. Let the day not be blessed when my mother bore me! Cursed be the man who brought the news to my father saying, "A baby boy has been born to you!" And made him very happy. But let that man be like the cities which God overthrew without relenting, and let him hear an outcry in the morning and a shout of alarm at noon. Because he did not kill me before birth, so that my mother would have been my grave, and her womb ever pregnant. Why did I ever come forth from the womb to look on trouble and sorrow, so that my days have been spent in shame? (Jeremiah 20: 14-18)
Job uttered the same sentiment.
Afterwards Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. And Job said "Let the day perish on which I was born, and the night which said "a boy is conceived" may that day be darkness. Let not God above care for it, nor light shine on it".
... Why did I not die at birth? Come forth from the womb and expire?
... Why is light given to him who suffers, and life to the bitter of soul who long for death, but there is none, and dig for it more than hidden treasures, who rejoice greatly and exult when they find the grave? (Job 3: 1-4, 11, 20-22)

A Sign To The People
Just like Isaiah and Ezekiel, God made Jeremiah do strange things to demonstrate their future punishment.
» Hide Your Underwear. Thus the Lord said to me, Go and buy yourself a linen waistband and put it around your waist, but do not put it in water. ... Take the waistband that you have bought, which is around your waist, and arise, go to the Euphrates and hide it there in a crevice of the rock. ... After many days the Lord said to me, "Arise, go to the Euphrates and take from there the waistband which I commanded you to hide there". Then I went to the Euphrates and dug, and I took the waistband from the place where I had hidden it, and look, the waistband was ruined. It was totally worthless.
Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, Thus says the Lord, "just so will I destroy the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem". (Jeremiah 13: 1, 4, 6-9)
» The Potter's Jar. Thus says the Lord God, "Go and buy a potter's earthenware jar, and take some of the elders of the people and some of the senior priests". Then you are to break the jar in the sight of the men who accompany you and say to them, Thus says the Lord of Hosts, just so will I break this people and this city, even as one breaks a potter's vessel, which cannot again be repaired, and they will bury in Topheth, because there is no other place for burial. (Jeremiah 19: 1,11)

Chapter 2-38: The Sins Of Israel
Israel sins and the priests of Israel abandon their responsibilities. False prophets appear, who soothe the people into believing that they will have peace. The prophets tell the people what they want to hear. The people seek teachers who will tell them what is comforting. This sounds like prosperity ministers who preach prosperity and happy times and think that it is divisive, unproductive and negative to also preach about the warnings and coming judgments. God is not pleased with these one sided messages.
» Incompetent Shepherds. Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of My pasture! declares the Lord. Therefore, thus says the Lord God of Israel concerning the shepherds who are tending My people: "You have scattered My flock and driven them away, and have not attended to them. Look, I am about to attend to you for the evil of your deeds" declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 23: 1-2)
» Disobedient People. For the land is full of adulterers. For the land mourns because of the curse. The pastures of the wilderness have dried up. Their course also is evil and their might is not right.
For both prophet and priest are polluted. Even in My house I have found their wickedness", declares the Lord Therefore their way will be like slippery paths to them, they will be driven away into the gloom and fall down in it. "For I will bring calamity upon them, the year of their punishment", declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 23: 10-12)
» False Prophets. They keep saying to those who despise Me, The Lord has said, "You will have peace". As for everyone who walks in the stubbornness of his own heart, they say, "Calamity will not come upon you". (Jeremiah 23: 17)
They have healed the brokenness of My people superficially, saying "peace, peace", but there is no peace. (Jeremiah 6: 14)

Chapter 27: Babylon Defeats Many Nations
God gave many lands in the region to Babylon. This reign is to last about three generations.
Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre and Sidon, Israel. Now I have given all these lands into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon, My servant, and I have given him also the wild animals of the field to serve him.
Three Generations. All the nations shall serve him and his son and his grandson
The End of Babylon. until the time of his own land comes, then many nations and great kings will make him their servant. (Jeremiah 27: 6-7)
This is almost parallel to the conquest by the last king of the North or Babylon the Great. Edom, Moab and Ammon are now the country of Jordan. Tyre and Sidon are in the region of Northern Israel and Lebanon. All of these places are under the control and influence of the United States.

The Kings of Babylon (Three Generations)
Ancient Babylon | Babylon the Great
--- | ---
1 | Nebuchadnezzar | Father | 40 | Ronald Reagan
2 | Nabonidus | Son | 41 | George H. Bush
- | Evil-Merdach | Usurper | 42 | William Clinton
- | Neriglissar
- | Labsi-Marduk
3 | Belshazzar | Grandson | 43 | George W. Bush
The prophecy only recognizes the rule of the father, son and grandson. It ignores the rule of the usurpers

Edom, Moab and Ammon (Jordan). "He will also enter the Beautiful Land, and many countries will fall; but these will be rescued out of his hand: Edom, Moab and the foremost of the sons of Ammon.
Egypt, Libya, Ethiopia and Other Countries. "Then he will stretch out his hand against other countries, and the land of Egypt will not escape. "But he will gain control over the hidden treasures of gold and silver and over all the precious things of Egypt; and Libyans and Ethiopians will follow at his heels.
Israel. He will pitch the tents of his royal pavilion between the seas and the beautiful Holy Mountain; yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him. (Daniel 11: 41-42, 45)
The Time Of The End For Babylon

609 BC | Babylon | 539 BC | Old Babylon defeated for 2520 years | 1981 | Babylon the Great defeats Iraq (Babylon) | 1991
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---

Stage | Year | Old Babylon | Year | Babylon the Great | The Pattern
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Merger | 615 | 10 year civil war between Chaldea and Assyria ends | 1981 | United States and Catholic church cooperate | The merger of the powers that would form Babylon
Defeat and Occupation | 609/ 605 | Siege and control of Jerusalem. Jewish kings remain. | 1991 | Sanctions or "Siege" against Iraq. Saddam remains. | Economic warfare tactic to break the city
597 | First captivity. Babylonian kings installed. | 2003 | United States occupies Iraq | Country is defeated and occupied twelve years after the siege. The leaders are replaced.
First Leader has Mental Injury | ~570 | Nebuchadnezzar suffered from Lycantrophy for seven years. He thought that he was an animal. He lived like an animal. He had long fingernails and wild hair that was matted like "eagle's feathers" | 1995- | The two leaders associated with the beginning of the new Babylon suffer debilitating illnesses that affect their apparent mental status and their communication. President Reagan - Alzheimer's. Pope John Paul II - Parkinson's disease. Saddam lived like an animal. Had lice and overgrown wild hair at his capture and he is mentally ill. We had 7 years of Bush's madness in Iraq 2001-2008.
Attack Worship | ~602 | Idol worship | - | Worships image to the beast | Religious worship affected under penalty of death.
586 | Second captivity. Temple destroyed | - | Mark of the Beast persecution
- | Time of worship legislated by Persians | - | Sabbath worship
Last Leader | 535 | Belshazzar. A drunken party, confident about his military defenses and had no respect for the religion. Fell in one night | - | A drinker, overly confident, mixes religion and politics. | Spreads immorality around the world, even by force
War | 535 | War with Persia | - | War with Iran | War with the eastern kings
Rescue from the east | 535 | Persia defeats Babylon and frees Israel. They dry up the Euphrates and enter the city under the walls. | - | The sixth plague. The Euphrates dries up and God rescues His church. | Rescued by the kings from the east who eliminates Babylon's support

Jeremiah predicts that Babylon will rule the nations until the time of the grandson, then Babylon will begin to fall after three generations. This is what has happened.
From the prophecy of Daniel 4 we show that Babylon the Great appears around the year 1981. We also said that it may not necessarily last for seventy years, because the final Israel is righteous and should not be in captivity for that length of time.
The pattern shows that in the defeat of Iraq by the United States, God symbolically demonstrated an uninterrupted history in which He defeats ancient Babylon as the Old Testament prophecies predict. So that the final punishment of ancient Babylon continues over 2520 years later as it passes the kingdom to the final power called Babylon the Great. Then Babylon the Great will be defeated by God in a pattern that is similar to the defeat of Ancient Babylon by the Persians. This is why I find it so fascinating that we are trying to pick a fight with ancient Persia (Iran).

We also showed the strange similarity between the way ancient Babylon and modern Babylon were conquered. We also pointed out the strange similarities between the personalities of the kings.

- Nebuchadnezzar. His pride caused his punishment. He was mentally ill for seven years. Reagan had Alzheimer's from the time he was in the office. He sent troops to Lebanon and had problems with Libya.
  By 2008, when president Bush leaves office, we will have exactly seven years of his madness (2001-2008). Even conservative news papers are questioning his mental sanity because of his stubbornness and foolishness and unwillingness to take any sane council. Marching towards disaster based on his own foolish ideas.
- Nabonidus. He did not seem to be interested in ruling Babylon. He went to conquer Arabia and loved vacations and celebrations. Both the Bush presidents made a war in Arabia.
- Belshazzar. He was a coregent with his father. He was a drunk who surrounded himself with religious artifacts and he caused Babylon to fall because of his negligence and feeling of invincibility. When the son took office, the same people from his father's presidency came with him. It was almost like a coregent reign!
- The Usurpers. The Clinton administration represents this group. He is not among the family of Republicans and his reign does not count as a father, son or grandson. He sent troops to Somalia and tried to stop Al-Qaeda.

The Bush Presidency
It is very spooky how much the personality of George W. seems to merge with Nabonidus and Belshazzar.
In early 2005 he began to look as if he was imploding from within. Perhaps he has had to confront the reality of the war. Rumors suggest that he has begun drinking heavily again. He is aloof, constantly on vacation and seems out of touch. He has aged visibly this year and physically looks as if he is being propped up by strings. If this continues he might even have a mental illness also. So all the personalities appear to be converging in this one man. The man under whom the United States seems to be waging an unsuccessful war with nature and with the international community. Babylon the Great is falling!
China is positioning itself to be world leader when the United States crumbles under the weight of war, debt and a failing national infrastructure. But, according to prophecy, the United States will be the last superpower. Sorry China!

The End Of The United States
In this time of the end, it seems that we will be at the mercy of many nations. Revelation 17: 17 even seems to predict a war or mutiny with Europe. Ancient Babylon was defeated by Cyrus the Great, the Persian King. The United States will be defeated by Jesus Christ who takes on the symbol of the Persian king. We will probably also have a significant confrontation with Iran. Therefore, the reference to "many nations and great kings will make him their servant" is probably parallel to the events in the phrase "He shall come to his end and no one shall help him". (Daniel 11: 45)
Since we must maintain some control to manage a global persecution, this fulfillment might be the current embarrassment that we have been facing in the world since our misguided war on Iraq. Our enemies are challenging our military and economic ability to confront them. Smaller nations and our enemies are mocking our ineptness and misfortunes in the war and in the natural disasters. Larger nations are waiting to see if they will emerge as the next super power.
If these are the dynamics, then it appears that along with the religious component, a wave of nationality will sweep across the country as we try to maintain our political and economic status. This will cause many to persecute all negative statements that are critical of the United States and its government as acts of treason.

Chapter 29: The Seventy Year Reign Of Babylon
The whole land will be a desolation and horror, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon seventy years. Then it will be when seventy years are completed I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation, declares the Lord, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and I will make it an everlasting devastation. (Jeremiah 25: 11-12)
According to this all the nations will be under the domination of Babylon for seventy years. Zechariah confirms the period of punishment to be seventy years.
Say to all the people of the land and to the priests, "when you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months these seventy years, was it actually for Me that you fasted?". (Zechariah 7: 5)
For thus says the Lord, "When seventy years have been completed for Babylon, I will visit you and fulfill my good word for you, to bring you back to this place". I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and will gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord. And I will bring you back from the place where I sent you into exile. (Jeremiah 29: 10,14)
People have always stated that this prophecy says that Israel will be captured for seventy years. But it actually states that Babylon will be a power for seventy years. Israel will be captured for a part of that time. But it was under their control for seventy years after the battle of Meggido.
The Battle of Armageddon. The name of this final cosmic battle has its roots in the word Meggido. Ancient Israel was rebellious and went under punishment and were defeated by Babylon in the battle of Meggido. The final global Israel will be righteous and will be rescued by God when they are attacked by Babylon the Great in the battle of Armageddon.
After Babylon falls, then God will gather the people of Israel from out of the nations where they are exiled. For this reason the creation of Israel in 1948, cannot be a fulfillment of these prophecies since Babylon the Great did not fall before 1948. But it can be used as a sign that the gathering for the final deliverance is near. Babylon the Great is falling and the call is still going out to leave Babylon.

Date | Event
--- | ---
722 | Assyria takes ten tribes of Israel
Babylon conquers nations
70 Years | 609 | Fall of Josiah in the battle of Meggido. Judah loses its independence and is under the protection of Babylon.
605 | Battle of Carchemish, Egypt and Babylon. The whole region came under Babylonian rule
597 | The exile began (it is traditionally dated as 586). Only the ruling class are exiled.
586 | Zedekiah revolts, more people are taken into exile, the country is destroyed after a 18 month siege. The temple is destroyed
539 | Medo-Persia invades Babylon
Babylon falls
537 | Jewish exiles return
538/7 | First decree by Cyrus to restore and build Jerusalem (Ezra 1: 1-4)
519 | Second decree by Darius to restore and build Jerusalem (Ezra 6: 7-12)
457 | Third decree by Artaxerxes to restore and build Jerusalem (Ezra 7: 11-12)
522-521 | Babylon revolts
520-515 | Second temple rebuilt
482 | Babylon revolts. They were heavily taxed, large parts of the wall are torn down and destroyed statues of the god Marduk.
450 | Babylon struggles under heavy taxes and high inflation
450-400 | Reformation by Nehemiah and Ezra. Walls rebuilt
334 | Greek Empire
363 A.D. | Emperor Julian tore down the walls of Babylon

In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing:
"Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.
Whoever is among you of all his people, may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel; He is the God who is in Jerusalem. (Ezra 1: 1-3)

Chapter 30: The Time Of Jacob's Trouble
Speaking of the end of time, the Bible predicts that the people of God will be in severe tribulation similar to Jacob's wrestling with God, just before their names are changed from Jacob to Israel.
Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble, but he shall be saved out of it. (Jeremiah 30: 7)

- Labor Pains. The earth is in the throes of labor pain as it struggles to give birth to the children of God. It is an unusual event because a man is in labor. Only at the creation of the earth and at the recreation at the cross have men ever given birth to a new nation.
  Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness? (Jeremiah 30: 6)
- The Wrath Of God. It is in the "latter days" that these events will occur at the time of the seven last plagues.
  And ye shall be my people, and I will be your God. Behold, the whirlwind of the Lord goeth forth with fury, a continuing whirlwind: it shall fall with pain upon the head of the wicked. The fierce anger of the Lord shall not return, until he hath done it, and until he have performed the intents of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it. (Jeremiah 30: 22-24)
- The Resurrection Of King David. The seventh plague is the Second Coming and resurrection. This statement elevates this prophecy from a local to a global fulfillment.
  For it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off thy neck, and will burst thy bonds, and strangers shall no more serve themselves of him: But they shall serve the Lord their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them. (Jeremiah 30: 8-9)
  On that day we will be free from the bondage of sin. Then Jacob, the schemer will become the righteous Israel, the son of God with their Father's name written on their foreheads (Revelation 14: 1).

Chapter 39-44: The Remnant Of Israel
After the conquest by Babylon, the remnant in Israel try to go to Egypt. They ask Jeremiah to ask God what they should do. They promised to be obedient.
... all the commanders of the forces ... and all the people great and small approached and said to Jeremiah the prophet, "Please let our petition come before you, and pray for us to the Lord God, that is for all this remnant. Because we are left but a few out of many, as your own eyes now see us. That the Lord your God may tell us the way in which we should walk and the thing that we should do". (Jeremiah 42: 1-3)
But when Jeremiah told them to stay in Israel and not go to Egypt because Egypt will also be captured by Babylon, they rebelled. Instead they chose to go to Egypt and worship the queen of heaven.
Chose to Reject the Word of God. ... all the arrogant men said to Jeremiah, "You are telling a lie". The Lord our God has not sent you to say "You are not to enter Egypt to reside there".
... and they entered the land of Egypt (for they did not obey the voice of the Lord) and went in as far as Tahpanes. (Jeremiah 43: 2, 7)
Chose Disobedience and Idolatry. As for the message that you have spoken to us in the name of the Lord, "we are not going to listen to you". But rather we will certainly carry out every word that has proceeded from our mouths, by burning sacrifices to the queen of heaven ... (Jeremiah 44: 16-17)
Rejected By God. Nevertheless, hear the word of the Lord, all Judah who are living in the land of Egypt, "Look, I have sworn by My great name", says the Lord, "never shall My name be invoked again by the mouth of any man of Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying", "As the Lord lives." See, I am watching over them for harm and not for good, and all the men of Judah who are in the land of Egypt will meet their end by the sword and by famine until they are completely gone. (Jeremiah 44: 26-27)
» Avoiding Egypt and Leaving Babylon. Babylon conquered Israel and Egypt. In Daniel 11: 44-45, the King of the north also conquers Egypt and Israel. Revelation 11 also describes a beast coming out of the abyss who kills the witnesses of God and leaves their dead bodies in the streets of Sodom and Egypt. In the context, one gets a picture of the global church giving a final warning to Sodom, Babylon and Egypt.

Sins at the End of Time
Place | Sin | Victim | Text
--- | --- | --- | ---
Egypt | Slavery | Others | James 5: 1-5
Sodom | Immorality | Self | Revelation 19: 2
Babylon | Idolatry | God | Revelation 18: 2

God warned the remnant of ancient Israel not to go to Egypt. They did not listen. But at the time of the end, Israel will obey the voice of the Lord. They will not go to Egypt and they will leave Babylon. They will not practice idolatry and immorality and economic slavery and they will rely on God alone for support.

Chapter 45: Cyrus The Deliverer
Thus says the Lord to Cyrus His anointed, whom I have taken by the right hand, to subdue nations before him and to loose the loins of kings. To open doors before him so that gates will not be shut. I will go before you and make the rough places smooth. I will shatter the doors of bronze and cut through their iron bars. I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden wealth of secret places, so that you may know that it is I, the Lord, the God of Israel, who calls you by your name.
"I have aroused him in righteousness and I will make all his ways smooth, He will build My city and will let My exiles go free, without any payment or reward", says the Lord of hosts. (Isaiah 45: 1-3, 13)
The Persian king, Cyrus was called to deliver Israel from Babylon. Persia is both north and east of Babylon. So it fits the description of kings coming from the north of Babylon and from the east. This prophecy was made about 175 years before his birth. He conquered the drunken soldiers of Babylon in one night when he diverted the Euphrates river, causing it to dry up. That caused the iron gates that were guarding the entrance to the city by water to be exposed. The army marched down the dry river bed, under these gates one night and defeated the city.
God uses this historical situation of the deliverance of Israel from Babylon to describe the final deliverance of global Israel from global Babylon the Great by Christ. He is the Priest-king who comes from the east.
The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river, the Euphrates. And its water was dried up, so that they way would be prepared for the kings from the east. (Revelation 16: 12)

Chapter 50-51: The Fall Of Babylon

Babylon: Center of Idolatry and Rebellion
The Tower of Babel. In this same region, the ancients tried to build the tower of Babel and rebel against God. The speculation is that this structure was either a building in the center of the city (E-temenanki) or it was ruins seven miles north of the city. The Golden Image. On the plains of Dura, Nebuchadnezzar tried to force Israel to bow down to an idol. The City of Babylon. God accused them of being a land of idols. Every gate was dedicated to a god and there were hundreds of idols in the city.

The end of Babylon involves two major events. The first is the call for the righteous to come out of Babylon, the next is the actual punishment and fall which are caused by the wrath of God.
» Revenge. God takes revenge when, Babylon is repaid for her sins and her crimes against the people of God.
Come to her from the farthest border. Open up her barns. Pile her up like heaps and utterly destroy her. Let nothing be left to her. ... Summon many against Babylon, all those who bend the bow. Encamp against her on every side, let there be no escape. Repay her according to her work. According to all that she has done so do to her. (Jeremiah 50: 26, 29)
And he cried out with a mighty voice saying, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the Great! She has become a dwelling place of demons and a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean and hateful bird."
Pay her back even as she has paid, and give back to her double according to her deeds. In the cup which she has mixed, mix twice as much for her. (Revelation 18: 2, 6)
» Come Out of Babylon. God urges His people to leave quickly. This is one of the last three warnings to the people of the earth.
Flee from the midst of Babylon, and each of you save his life. Do not be destroyed in her punishment, for this is the Lord's time of vengeance. He is going to render recompense to her. (Jeremiah 51: 6)
Come forth from her midst My people, and each of you save yourselves from the fierce anger of the Lord. (Jeremiah 51: 45)
» The Message of the Three Angels. I heard another voice from heaven saying, "Come out of her My people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues". (Revelation 18: 4)

The Sins Of Babylon
» Land of Idols. A drought on her waters, and they will be dried up! For it is a land of idols, and they are mad over fearsome idols. (Jeremiah 50: 38)
» The Wine of Babylon. Babylon corrupts the world by telling lies, corrupting the priests and promoting idolatry. Her sins pile up and God does not remove them. In contrast, after the judgment of the righteous, God removes their sins which have also piled up.
Babylon has been a golden cup in the hand of the Lord, intoxicating all the earth. The nations have drunk of her wine. Therefore the nations are going mad. Suddenly Babylon has fallen and been broken. Wail over her! Bring balm for her pain. Perhaps she may be healed. We applied healing to Babylon, but she was not healed. Forsake her and let us each go to his own country. For her judgment has reached to heaven and towers up to the very skies. (Jeremiah 51: 7-9)
For her sins have piled up as high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. (Revelation 18: 5)
For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the passion of her immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed acts of immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich by the wealth of her luxury. (Revelation 18: 3)
» Murder. Babylon murders the righteous. Here we get a sense of why God merges the actions of Satan into the activities of end time Babylon. Satan is described as the real king of Babylon. He is also described in Revelation as the eighth head of a seven headed beast! The seven heads are human systems, but God recognized the controlling role of this supernatural arch fiend. Babylon is guilty of the murder of all people because Satan is guilty of all their murder. As each unrighteous nation joins the army of Satan they become guilty of participating in a system which has a long tradition of murder.
Notice that Jeremiah predicts that Babylon will fall twice. Once for Israel and then for the crimes against the whole earth.
Indeed Babylon has fallen for the slain of Israel, as also for Babylon the slain of all the earth have fallen. (Jeremiah 51: 49)
And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints and of all who have been slain on the earth. (Revelation 18: 24)

The Destruction Of Babylon
Babylon fell to the armies of the Medes and Persians on October 12, 539 BC (Tishri 16). Tishri 16 was the second day of the feast of Tabernacles. This is a seven day feast that symbolizes the time when Israel goes to live with God. It is a highly symbolic act that God freed them to come back home to live with Him in the Promised Land during this feast.
This also gives us a clue that the Second Coming will also occur during this fall feast.

Triple Level Fulfillment
- | Babylon | Nation | Eastern Kings
--- | --- | --- | ---
| Ancient Babylon | Babylon | Medo-Persia
| Modern Babylon | Iraq and USA | Iran, Syria
| Babylon the Great | United States | God

A multi-Layered Fulfillment. It is our belief that the events in the Middle East and Iraq will reflect the same events at the fall of ancient Babylon. This is as a sign that Babylon the Great will soon collapse and the same problems that are occurring in Iraq will occur in the United States.
God resurrected this scenario to fulfill the images from the ancient prophets which appeared to both prophesy about the past and then to include events thousands of years in the future at the fall of Satan.
The problems now facing Iraq symbolically link them to ancient Babylon as a sign that the prophecies are ready to be completed. At the same time, the future of the United States becomes entangled with the history of Iraq and Iran as it takes over the mantle of "Babylon the Great" that is destined for war with "the kings from the east". It is destined for war with Iran and with Christ.
The following comparisons involve only the military aspects of the fall of Babylon. It does not address the fact that Babylon the Great has a spiritual component, the Catholic church. It will also suffer the same events in the final collapse.

- King from the North and Remote Regions. Look, a people is coming from the north, and a great nation and many kings will be aroused from the remote parts of the earth (Jeremiah 50: 41)
  Ancient Babylon was attacked by the empires of the Medes and Persians who were in the north and east.
  It could mean an Iranian-American war that could also involve Syria in the north. Iran is in the north and east. The United States came from half way around the world. That is the most remote location.
  In the last days, the kings from the north and east will be God who comes to end the global persecution.
- River Dries Up. ... and I will dry up her sea and make her fountain dry ... (Jeremiah 51: 36)
  Cyrus diverted the river into a marsh in the north. When the level of the river had fallen thigh high the soldiers went up the river bed from the north and south entrance. The gates to the city along the river were left open so they marched in.
  We will have to wait and see if the conflict with Iran and Syria will involve water supply and the Euphrates river. At a minimum, it means the loss of support of Turkey which is the source of the Euphrates.
  The support of the United States by the United Nations and Europe will be gone. Although this has happened now, there is a greater fulfillment in the end after the nations unite to persecute the church.
- Drunk. I will make her princes and her wise men drunk ... that they may sleep a perpetual sleep and not wake up ... (Jeremiah 51: 57)
  The people were celebrating a festival that night so they were having a drunken party with dancing and wine.
  The illusion of security will be shattered by the reality of foolish leaders and misplaced confidence in our technology.
  We will feel secure when we have suppressed all people and enforced our will.
- Walls. ... even the wall of Babylon has fallen down ... the broad wall of Babylon will be completely razed and her high gates will be set on fire ... (Jeremiah 51: 44, 58)
  The walls were 300 feet high and 25 feet thick (91m and 8m). They were destroyed over many years.
  The borders of Iraq are being breached by thousands of insurgents from all over the world. The USA is responding to the violence in Baghdad by building a wall around the city!
  The land of America will not be safe in the end. Enemies will pour in from Mexico, Canada and from the sea. It is amazing that we are building a wall on our borders!
- Idols. Therefore look, days are coming when I will punish the idols of Babylon and her whole land will be put to shame and all her slain will fall in her midst. (Jeremiah 51: 47)
  ... Babylon has been captured, Bel has been put to shame, Marduk has been shattered. Her images have been put to shame, her idols have been shattered. (Jeremiah 50: 2)
  There were 53 temples and hundreds of altars to their gods. The temple of Marduk was in the center in a complex called the Esagila. Beside it was a ziggurut that was supposed to be the tower of Babel (Etemananki).
  We will see other religions suffer now that the new constitution signifies a return to Islamic religious law.
  Revelation 13 predicts enforced idolatry in the United States as we promote Catholicism.
- Violence and Mutiny. ... and violence will be in her land with ruler against ruler. (Jeremiah 51: 46)
  Gobyras, a governor in Babylon, joined forces with the Persians and he entered the city with them when it fell.
  Thousands of Iraqi people are being killed every month with suicide bombs, civil war, torture and insurgent war. Al Qaeda is trying to start a war between the Sunni's and Shia. They set off explosives in the day and the Shia death squads capture and torture at night.
  In July 2007, government officials told the people to arm themselves because they cannot protect them.
  Torture is our policy. The country is extremely divided. The final mutiny will occur to fulfill Revelation 17: 16.
- Wealth Plundered. ... A sword against her treasures and they will be plundered. (Jeremiah 50: 37)
  The treasures of Iraq were plundered in the first days of their fall in April 11-12, 2003. Their oil wealth is also being stolen. Internal corruption has caused the loss of over 20 billion dollars so far. They are forced to pay premium prices for shoddy reconstruction work. No one is being held accountable. Al Qaeda has taken over the oil rich Al-Anbar province and use the proceeds to fund their war.
  Our vast national debt and economic deals will cause a global economic collapse that fulfills Revelation 18.
- One Year. ... for the report will come one year, and after that another report in another year ... (Jeremiah 51: 46)
  Ancient Babylon fell in one night while the city was drunk.
  Iraq fell to the United States in about fourteen days, without a ground fight, prompting the president to declare a premature victory on May 1, 2003. Within that year, the fall of Babylon the Great began as America met the strong resistance of an insurgency and reports of civil war in another year after.
  Babylon the Great will fall in one prophetic day or one year during the seven last plagues.
  "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 judges her." (Revelation 18: 8)
- Split in Three. Ancient Babylon was divided among the Medes, Persians and Babylonians.
  The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. Babylon the great was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of His fierce wrath. (Revelation 16: 19)
  Revelation says that Babylon the Great will be split into three parts.
  It is very interesting that civil war and sectarian interests are splitting Iraq into three groups, Sunni, Shi'a and Kurds. This possibility and the sheer coincidence of the conflicts since 2001 has made me realize that all these things will happen on a minor scale in the Middle East, not as fulfillments of the prophecies in Revelation but as a sign that the final version of the fulfillment is coming to our generation. And these fulfillments will look like the events in the past.
  By June 2007, at least one senator, the National Intelligence Estimate and the conservative Brookings Institute are recommending that the country should be split into three along sectarian lines.
  At the end, the mutiny will split the United States, the church and the occult, and Europe. (Revelation 17: 16)
- Refugees: Israel and Judah Freed. There is a sound of fugitives and refugees from the land of Babylon, to declare in Zion the vengeance of the Lord our God. Vengeance for His temple. ... the sons of Israel are oppressed and the sons of Judah as well; and all who took them captive have held them fast, they have refused to let them go. (Jeremiah 50: 28, 33)
  ... I will punish Bel in Babylon, and I will make what he has swallowed come out of his mouth. And the nations will no longer stream to him. Even the wall of Babylon has fallen down! (Jeremiah 51: 44)
  According to this information, there are no lost tribes of Israel. The ten tribes who were taken by Assyria were apparently under the control of Babylon when it conquered Assyria. So at the fall of Babylon all of Israel could be freed. This includes the ten "lost tribes" taken by Assyria 183 years before and the two remaining tribes captured by Babylon seventy years before. But Israel did not want to leave their comfortable lives in Babylon.
  International Refugee Crisis. By February 2007 there are over four million refugees from Iraq. One million in Syria, 750,000 in Jordan, 1.8 million living in tents in Iraq because they have been driven out of their homes, about one million in Iran and others in surrounding countries like Saudi Arabia. Only 600 were allowed in the United States so far. One million people are dead. By February 2008, 2 million were internally displaced. 58% are under 12 years old.
  Both Israel and Judah will be besieged according to Zechariah 12. They will be rescued at the Second Coming. The entire church will be rescued from persecution at the Second Coming to be refugees in Heaven.
- Desolate. ... and it will never again be inhabited or dwelt in from generation to generation. ... no man will live there, nor will any son of man reside in it. (Jeremiah 50: 39-40)
  This will occur in the millennium.
- Rest. Their Redeemer is strong. The Lord of hosts is His name. He will vigorously plead their case so that He may bring rest to the earth, but turmoil to the inhabitants of Babylon. (Jeremiah 50: 34 )
  When Babylon the Great falls, the earth will have rest for 1000 years. When ancient Babylon fell, it took 1000 years for idols to officially come back in the church of God around the year 460 A.D.

Back To The Future
Here is a summary of how our times seem to have gone back in time to pick up where significant famous revolutions ended. This makes it possible for several similar events to occur again. A war between Babylon and Persia, fall of Babylon, fall of the papacy and the freedom of Israel.

- Fall of Babylon (539 BC). The fall of Iraq mimics this fall as the United States takes over.
- Fall of Rome (476). The disappointing rejection of the European Union in 2005 and the constant threats to unity and the attack by terrorist barbarians.
- French Revolution (1798). America is at war in the holy land as France was at war in the holy land when the papacy fell.
- Iranian Revolution (1981). The leader of the revolution appears to be part of the government of Iran elected in November 2005. The president Ahmadinejad and one female vice president have been named as two of the student leaders. Their efforts to engage in a nuclear program is setting the stage for a conflict between Babylon the Great and Persia (The United States and Iran).

Fallen, Fallen

Babylon Falls (1) | Rome | Papacy Falls (1) | Babylon the Great Falls | (2) | Papacy Falls | Satan Falls | 1000 Years | Satan Falls
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
- | 539 | Medo-Persia | Rome | 1798 | French Revolution | Second Coming | - | Hell Fire

Everyone falls twice. This is because God gives them an opportunity to repent and reflect between the period of both falls. Babylon falls twice, once for Israel and once for the world.

- Babylon. Babylon falls to the Medes and Persians in 539 BC. They also fall again at the Second Coming.
- Babylon the Great. The Papacy falls in the French Revolution and at the Second Coming.
- The King of Babylon. Satan falls at the Second Coming and 1000 years later after the final judgment of hell fire.
  The future powers that represent Babylon follow the same pattern. The physical nation of Babylon the great arose to power 2520 years after the fall of ancient Babylon. But the spiritual component that would represent Babylon started to rise 1000 years after the fall of Babylon (460 A.D.). So the idols of Babylon came back to life after a millennium when the church allowed idol worship. And the nation came back after seven prophetic times (2520 years) as Babylon the Great.

Further Developments
It is now April 2015 and my last update was in January 2006. The nations of the former Roman empire and the Middle East are in turmoil.

- Syria (15 March 2011 - Present). The Arab Spring (uprising of Islamic citizens in Islamic nations in the Middle East and north Africa) resulted in civil war which has resulted in the destruction of the country. By March 2015 4.5 to 5.1 million are internally displaced, 3,420,000 refugees and 220,358-313,358 killed. In this power vacuum Al Qaeda and other militant Sunni factions have sent soldiers to train and have launched out to Iraq in 2014.
- Islamic Terrorism. In March 2014 terrorism had a new face called ISIS/ISIL - the Isamic State. Like Al-Qaeda they are a Sunni organization committed to forcing Islam on the world. They received funding from rich Saudi nationals and training in the Syrian civil war and began by taking over the north west region of Iraq, murdering Shia, Yazidi and Christains in their efforts to bring Islamic rule under Sharia law. They have been destroying ancient artifacts and capturing the Iraqi oil wealth and selling it on the black market through Turkey.
- Iraq. As of 2015 Iraq is fighting ISIL which was initially supported by the Iraqi Sunni minority.
- Iraq (Three Divisions). With the fall of Iraq, the Shia majority took power, aligned with Iran and have largely marginalized the Sunni minority who were once in power. In this power struggle the Kurds have been defending their territory while trying to gain the oil rich Mosul region.
  It is my firm belief that at the end of time, probably during the seven last plagues, Europe will fracture and the United States will split into three.
- Iran. They have joined in to help the Shia Iraq government as "advisors". Simultaneously they have been building their own nuclear weapons capability in defiance of the UN-USA-Israel objection.
  Iran agreed to accept restrictions on its nuclear program and to submit to increased international inspections which guarantees not to pursue nuclear weapons for about ten years in exchange for the lifting of sanctions. Israel is angry. This is based on negotiations (26 March to 2 April 2015) with USA and the P5+1 nations in the "Iran nuclear deal framework" which is to be finalized by the end of 30 June 2015.
- Turkey. It has been the hub for foreign fighters who go to Syria and train to fight before going to Iraq or going back to the western countries to commit acts of terrorism.
- Lybia. They surrendered to the USA after a brief conflict. Now they have been destabilized and have now become the hub for a flood of refugees coming from Africa and Syria who go on boats headed to Europe.
- Europe. Serious financial problems among five nations - the PIIGS (Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Greece and Spain) have led to severe austerity measures in which German-backed loans have led to severe economic actions felt in Greece and Spain. The refugee crisis from North Africa has led to further economic problems for Italy and Spain while the USA financial collapse exposed many weaknesses in the European economy.
- Germany. They have been asserting power once again. By using their strong economy they now control the governments of the failing economies in Europe, the PIIGS. They are part of the "P5+1", the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, plus Germany in the nuclear negotions with Iran.
  Their status will become important at the end of time because I am not convinced that Germany has been punished for the atrocities of the Nazi holocaust. So they will rise to power for the purpose of making their fall more spectacular.
- Russia (Ukranian Revolution And The Crimean Crisis). The cold war is heating up again. At the end of the winter olympics in February 2014, hostilities broke out in the Ukraine after a pro-European group attempted to overthrow the government which had decided to accept a Russian cancellation for its oil debt and align with Russia. Russia responded by annexing Crimea on 18 March 2014. With over 90% Russian population, they voted to join with Russia. Crimeria was given to Ukraine in 1948 by the USSR and Russia's only warm navy base is located in Sevastopol since 1783.
- Vatican. Benedict XVI, a German, became pope on 19 April 2005. He announced his resignation on 11 February 2013 and left office on February 28. This was the first resignation since Pope Gregory XII in 1415 was forced to resign and the first voluntary resignation since Celestine V in 1294. He was replaced by Pope Francis, from Argentinia, in March 2013.
  Francis is the eighth sovereign of the Vatican City State since it was established by the Lateran Treaty in 1929.
- United States. We had a near fatal financial collapse in November 2008. It caused a global financial collapse. The problems were caused by risky loans, betting on the future (derivatives) and the availability of cheap loans from China which flooded the housing market.
  In 2015 another Bush is running for the office of president.

Study to show yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2: 15 | Time: 60 minutes Print: 11 pages
Copyright First Created : June 2005. Updated: January 2006. Credits: Author: Laverna Patterson. Editor: Patterson (January 2008)