All Kindreds Wail!
A day of weeping & wailing so universal, it is comparable to the miseries of those in hellfire; and, yet, being upon earth, there’s hope for the trembling mourners.
My reader, it behooves us (as readers of prophecy) to approach this climactic occasion of futurity from afar; that, in our approach, we would proceed cautiously! For, the hurried reader will look and see nothing of what prophecy unveils. Boastful readers will gloat as having beheld the future and yet… they’ve seen nothing! For, had they seen it, and truly beheld the tearful occasion, they themselves would be weeping tears of astonishment and wonder. Yet, at having read of it, and not truly seen it, they abide tearless at the testimony of worldwide weeping and wailing! Therefore, I plead, let us look upon the scenery of futurity and approach cautiously. Lest the enormity of these events go unrealized, let us consider them prayerfully.
“then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn” – Matt. 24:30
“all the kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him” – Rev. 1:7
A fluid reading of Jeremiah 50-51 applied in its superior and ultimate fulfillment of the future illustrates the final moments that lead up to Day 1,290 and the aftermath thereof, the day that marks the full overthrow of the Empire of Babylon which, in turn, means the liberation of the Jews. If the totality of this conclusive victory could be summed up in but a few words, or if one observation were to be uttered in a single breath, a frightened observer would remark: “all the kindreds of the earth do wail because of Him” (Rev. 1:7, Matt. 24:30)! Literally, every single family of the earth will be weeping and wailing in this remarkable moment of victory! My reader, that includes the family of the Jews – both, in Jerusalem (Zech. 12:10-14), and in the uttermost parts of the world (Zech. 14:1-2; Jer. 50:4-8, 31:8-9, 51:50).
“And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon. And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart; The family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of Shimei apart, and their wives apart; All the families that remain, every family apart, and their wives apart.” – Zech. 12:10-14
“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. They shall ask the way to Zion with THEIR FACES THITHERWARD, saying, Come, and let us join ourselves to the LORD in a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten. My people hath been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains: they have gone from mountain to hill, they have forgotten their resting place. All that found them have devoured them: and their adversaries said, We offend not, because they have sinned against the LORD, the habitation of justice, even the LORD, the hope of their fathers. REMOVE OUT of the midst of Babylon, and GO FORTH out of the land of the Chaldeans, and be as the he goats before the flocks.” – Jer. 50:4-8
“…a great company shall RETURN thither. They shall COME with WEEPING, and with SUPPLICATIONS will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.” – Jer. 31:8-9
“Ye that have escaped the sword, GO AWAY, STAND NOT STILL: remember the LORD afar off, and let Jerusalem come into your mind.” – Jer. 51:50
When the Lord of Glory roared upon His enemies in the initial descent upon Jerusalem, and then tread the Winepress, the desired affect was accomplished. Who, among all the Jewish inhabitants of Jerusalem, could abide tearless while seeing and hearing such things! Even so, also, when the swords of the Armies of Heaven were unsheathed and bathed in blood, the desired affect was accomplished. Namely, because the Jewish Captives of Babylon scattered throughout the world, also called “Prisoners of Hope” (Zech. 9:12), are turning their tear-stained faces toward Jerusalem! The Gentile survivors of the war, also, weeping and wailing as they go, “shall turn every one to his people, and they shall flee every one to his own land” (Jer. 50:16)! Babylon is abased. Babylon is abandoned. Babylon is fallen! Yea, and in the aftermath of the war when the noise of the worldwide battle is quieted, a steady roar of weeping and crying can be heard from coast to coast in every continent of the earth!
“And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it any more.” – Ex. 11:6
“And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead.” – Ex. 12:30
“And the men that died not were smitten with the emerods: and the cry of the city went up to heaven.” – 1 Sam. 5:12
Egypt cried. Philistia cried. Even so, every nation of Babylon’s World will cry! When Egypt cried, the Egyptians yielded to the demands of Jehovah and hastened to relinquish the Jews to their God! When Philistia cried, and the sound thereof went up to heaven, they came to the frightening realization that the God of Israel, who was sojourning among them via the Ark, was putting His heavy hand upon them. Yea, but Babylon’s World will realize much, much more!
“Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.” – Isa. 40:4-5
An invasion, being fearful enough, flattens the pride of towering mountains (Isa. 40:4-5)! A weight, being heavy enough, collapses the stoutest bodies to the floor! Thus, to no surprise, God bows the unbending knees of Babylon. The Empire imploded for fear in looking upon Christ & the Horse-Riding Armies of Heaven (“…a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.” – Heb. 10:27)! The Lord, whose voice roared the universe into trembling and scattered adversarial hosts at the Winepress, did verbally direct the Armies of Heaven in their courses throughout the ongoing war around the globe until all faces were reduced to tears (Jer. 50:21, Rev. 19:11-16).
As each remaining City, State, Nation, and Kingdom were invaded and conquered, the sound of the battle could be heard worldwide insomuch that the Babylonian Empire suffered a great destruction unlike any other since the world began (Jer. 50:22-23); moreover, when every blood-bathed sword was put to rest in the scabbard (Jer. 47:6), or any undeserving soul was overpassed in the judgment, every surviving individual of Babylon’s World was still in the throes of distress! Yea, when the angry countenances of the Armies of Heaven were eased in the judgment (Prov. 29:27, Zech. 6:8) and meanwhile delighted in the sound of the world in dismay (Rev. 16:5-7, 19:1-6, Ps. 137:9, 149:6-8, Prov. 21:15), their eyes will widen in happy anticipation of what comes next! Yea, while the corrupt masses of earth do erupt into “weeping and wailing”, the righteous minorities of every age do “rejoice” over Babylon (Rev. 18:9-24)! Why? For, so great a mighty and utter destruction will befall Babylon, it is nothing short of the LORD opening His armory to wield the weapons of His indignation (Jer. 50:25-27), while all surviving peoples of mankind will be pained to realize that it’s all for a mighty and glorious restoration of the Jewish People in a resurrected Jerusalem!
“A sound of battle is in the land, and of great destruction. How is the hammer of the whole earth cut asunder and broken! how is Babylon become a desolation among the nations!” – Jer. 50:22-23
“Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The children of Israel and the children of Judah were oppressed together: and all that took them captives held them fast; they refused to let them go. Their Redeemer is strong; the LORD of hosts is his name: He shall throughly plead their cause, that He may give rest to the land, and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon.” – Jer. 50:33-34
In other words, these acts of war will be on behalf of the Jews because their Captors will refuse to let them go (Jer. 50:33). Thus, the disquieting of Babylon by war will grant rest to the Jews (Jer. 50:34). Through the onslaught of the sword upon man and beast, bulwark and battlement, every Babylonian man will scream and cry like a woman (Jer. 50:35-37)! The polluted waters of this Empire will be dried up (Jer. 50:38, 51:36, Rev. 16:12) so that a cleansing fountain might flow from Jerusalem (Ezek. 47:1-12, Zech. 13:1).
“How is Sheshach taken! And how is the praise of the whole earth surprised! How is Babylon become an astonishment among the nations!” – Jer. 51:41
“…their voice shall roar like the sea, and they shall ride upon horses, every one put in array, like a man to the battle, against thee, O daughter of Babylon. The King of Babylon hath heard the report of them, and his hands waxed feeble: anguish took hold of him, and pangs as of a woman in travail.” – Jer. 50:42-43
“Rejoice over her thou Heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.” – Rev. 18:20
The redeemed of every age and from every nation, tribe, and tongue – being resurrected as Israelite Kings (Jer. 51:19-24, Rev. 19:11-16) – will roar like the sea and show no mercy in the Battle (Jer. 50:42-43)! So dreadful a Horse-Riding Army this shall be that the Antichrist, who fortified himself at Jerusalem before it fell, waxed feeble and was thrown into anguish as a woman in travail just at the report of the Armies of Heaven & their Commander (Jer. 50:43)! Lo and behold, the lion who terrorized the whole earth will be put in fear and made to wish for an opportunity to flee just like all the others (Jer. 50:44)! Amazingly, even the least of the Armies of Heaven will dismay Babylon as each coast and borderland is visited, and hereby the earth will be moved insomuch that a cry will be heard among the nations (Jer. 50:45-46)!
“And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it any more. But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the LORD doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel. And all these thy servants shall come down unto me, and bow down themselves unto me, saying, Get thee out, and all the people that follow thee: and after that I will go out. And he went out from Pharaoh in a great anger.” – Ex. 11:6-8
“And when they arose early on the morrow morning, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground before the Ark of the LORD; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off upon the threshold; only the stump of Dagon was left to him.” – 1 Sam. 5:4
“…And when the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, The Ark of the God of Israel shall not abide with us: for His hand is sore upon us, and upon Dagon our god.” – 1 Sam. 5:7
“Therefore hear ye the counsel of the LORD, that He hath taken against Babylon; and His purposes, that He hath purposed against the land of the Chaldeans: Surely the least of the flock shall draw them out: surely He shall make their habitation desolate with them. At the noise of the taking of Babylon the earth is moved, and the cry is heard among the nations.” – Jer. 50:45-46
Let the reader understand and remember well how the Babylonians refused to weep and wail (the Gathering; Rev. 16:12-16, 17:14, 19:19), just as the Egyptians did in the old time. The Babylonians assayed to steal the Throne of God, usurping Jerusalem, just as the Philistines stole the Ark of old. Yet, in a little while… after dreamlike woes do befall them in the 2nd Advent War (Isa. 29:5-8)! …and, after they behold the sights and sounds of a swift annihilation on every side! – Lo, they would cherish the opportunity to relinquish what belongs to God! Or, they would hope for the opportunity to simply depart from His borders! Or, they would wish to be even as Philistia of old, who sent the Ark back to the Land of Israel (1 Sam. 5:4-7)! Or, they would wish to be as Egypt of old when they relinquished possession of the Jews in Goshen! In history, God was appeased in the giving back of what the LORD was claiming as His own. Yet, in futurity, the LORD isn’t passing through like before. In futurity, the LORD is coming to claim all.
“We give Thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, …because Thou hast taken to Thee Thy great power, and hast reigned” – Rev. 11:17
“Who shall not fear Thee, O Lord, and glorify Thy Name? for Thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before Thee; for Thy judgments are made manifest.” – Rev. 15:4
Like with Dagon (1 Sam. 5:4-5), that which was built-up for the Antichrist (“the Seat of the Beast” – Rev. 16:10) has been broken down by Christ. Now, the lofty stones of shattered buildings lay prostrate in humble adoration (Matt. 24:2, Lk. 19:40, 44). The smoke of Jerusalem’s burning was seen from afar as astonished escapees hurried to the Mountains and Rocks in hopes to evade the torment of this dreadful Invader that descended from Heaven (Rev. 6:15-17, 18:9-10)! And, if this was the aftermath of the first battle at the start of the 2nd Advent War, what is to be expected at the end of the War except that “all the kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him” (Rev. 1:7, Matt. 24:30)!
Even so, just as Egypt hastened to undo their enslavement of the Jews and make right the wrongs done to them for fear of the LORD (Ex. 3:21-22, 12:35-36, Ps. 105:37), even so shall the surviving Babylonians hasten to do the Jews good and not evil all the days of their life. For, as Dagon was chopped down and prostrated of old (just as the Image of the Beast is demolished), even so shall the loyal beast-worshippers of Babylon prostrate themselves and wish for an end of the violence. This response is simply irresistible! For example, take another look at Egypt; this time, look upon her as she will be made to react in the events of futurity amidst the 2nd Advent War.
“…Behold, the LORD rideth upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt: and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at His presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it.” – Isa. 19:1
Even so, my reader, the heart of Babylon’s World will melt with terror and flow in tears (Jer. 51:17-24)! The people’s mouths will be filled with earnest entreaties of peace before the ongoing Armies of Heaven! Ah, but the LORD will be unmerciful towards all men who refuse to answer the Call! Thus, upon fleeing, the Babylonians will be chased, captured, and killed! …their families will be slain without pity (Jer. 51:3-5, Ps. 137:8-9, Isa. 49:25-26)!
“Against him that bendeth let the archer bend his bow, and against him that lifteth himself up in his brigandine: and spare ye not her young men; destroy ye utterly all her host. Thus the slain shall fall in the land of the Chaldeans, and they that are thrust through in her streets. For Israel hath not been forsaken, nor Judah of his God, of the LORD of hosts; though their land was filled with sin against the Holy One of Israel.” – Jer. 51:3-5
“O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us. Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones.” – Ps. 137:8-9
“But thus saith the LORD, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children. And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I the LORD am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.” – Isa. 49:25-26
The vast Empire of Babylon, which contained all the peoples of the earth, will be radically reduced in number. I repeat, only those who answer the Call will remain alive by the end of the 2nd Advent War. However, as you may have noticed, there’s more to the Call than “defy Babylon and live!”, or, “Who is on the LORD’s side?”. Now, in looking beyond the events of Day 1,290 (as is the subject of our study henceforth), it is expedient that we understand all that will potentially be communicated in the Call. Yet, proceeding cautiously, let us briefly consider how, or in what way, the LORD will give joy for mourning and to whom.