Babylon’s Rise to Worldwide Power through War & Conquest
Key of Interpretation #1: A Distinguishable Unity Between All 6 Trumpets
Having understood the prophetic significance of a third of the trees burning up at the sounding of the 1st Trumpet and thereby realizing that a third of the kingdoms of the earth are going to be destroyed, one is compelled to think and consider how such a feat would be accomplished. Then, the enlightened student of prophecy reads on from Revelation 8:7 only to find an enlarging of the thought. In the following Trumpets one is made to see a discernable unity of the trumpeted events. One is compelled to consider the singularity of the event(s) which will be accomplished by the plurality of Trumpets. Why? Because, a third of the kingdoms of the earth are going to be destroyed at the 1st Trumpet, a third of the creatures and ships of the sea will be killed and destroyed at the 2nd Trumpet (Rev. 8:8-9), a third of the rivers and fountains of freshwater will be poisoned at the 3rd Trumpet (Rev. 8:10-11), and a third part of the sun, moon, and stars in their cycles will be darkened at the 4th Trumpet (Rev. 8:12). Then, skipping a Trumpet, a third of mankind on earth will be killed at the 6th Trumpet (Rev. 9:13-21)! Could it be that these 6 Trumpets are prophesying of one single event? That in one event or in a single war that is comprised of many battles worldwide, all of these woes would be fulfilled? My reader, why else would an unprecedented Army of Devils will be released to the hurt and torment of unmarked men for 5 months at the 5th Trumpet (Rev. 9:1-12), and, climactically, at the 6th Trumpet, 200 Million Angels march across the breadth of the earth killing a third of mankind (Rev. 9:13-21)?
Could it be that the same cataclysmic event that kills a third of mankind does also destroy a third of the Kingdoms of the Earth and the surrounding ecosystems of creation? Upon a quick analysis of the 6 Trumpets, the quantified amount of catastrophic damage that takes place is clear and plain, it’s a third of the whole. To those who are acquainted with the technological advances of modernized warfare and the scope of potential destruction that’s clear within reach, the loss of a third to destruction or death is a modest outcome of World War III. Worldwide nuclear warfare would be pervasively and universally destructive to the land, sea, freshwater, and sky of the earth, literally speaking. In other words, it could easily burn, kill, destroy, poison, blackout, and slay a third of the trees & grass, sea creatures & sea vessels, rivers & fountains, the sun, moon, & stars, and mankind itself. However, seeing that there are analogous elements to theses prophecies and a strictly literal interpretation proves erroneous and contradictory, we need to approach this from the vantage point of pastime divine tutorials; doing so, we have already examined the 1st Trumpet, but there are many more prophetic analogies to be acquainted with that will only strengthen the posed interpretation.
Key of Interpretation #2: A Distinguishable Unity Between Analogous Terminology
In order to understand the forthcoming Trumpets, we need to study how and in what way the divine tutorial of pastime Tribulation Periods utilized prophetic analogies for the sea, rivers, fountains, sun, moon, and stars. Furthermore, and likewise, we need to study the use of darkness in the sky, smoke from the pit, locusts with scorpion tales (or such like flying creatures), destroying and warring angels, armies on horses whose heads are as lions and whose tales are like serpents, and so on. Without surprise, though, such terms find their origin and similitude in the same reservoir of scripture and prophecy already used to interpret the 1st Trumpet. Hereby, a distinguishable unity is observable in both prophetic catalogs: the 6 Trumpets of Revelation Ch. 8-9 and the prophecies of Tribulation Period #1. Furthermore, both prophecies were and will be accomplished by Babylon’s rise in prominence through war and conquest unto a worldwide dominion and One World Government. The prophecies were (incompletely) fulfilled in the war and conquest of historical Babylon. The prophecies will be (completely) fulfilled in the war and conquest of Spiritual Babylon (Mystery Babylon the Great: Rev. 14:8, 17:5, 18:2-5, 10). Shockingly, and without coincidence, the diverse terminology of both prophecies point to the same event(s) – those which pertain to the physical and spiritual birth, growth, and dominance of the antichrist kingdom as a worldwide governmental power of old and anew (Dan. 7:7), here called Babylon.
Therefore, the 6 Trumpets are conveying the future fulfillment of these old-time and to-be-renewed prophecies in that – through war and conquest – Spiritual Babylon is finally and securely established and, according to the chronological ordering of the events in Revelation 8:1-10:11, all of this is right in time for the antichrist to arrive on the scene and assume worldwide sovereignty (Dan. 7:8). The 6 Trumpets set the stage for this because this system of worldwide government must be installed before the Man of Sin is revealed and the 70th week of Daniel commences (Dan. 7:7-8, 19-25), and by Revelation Ch. 11 it is already the second half of the 70th week of Daniel. If you can remember, my reader, after the antichrist assumes power over Spiritual Babylon, he establishes “peace” for the first 3 ½ years of the 70th week of Daniel (Dan. 9:27, 11:21-45); and, this “peace” is suddenly turned into war against the people of God (both Christians and physical, literal Jews) at the beginning of and for the duration of the latter 3 ½ years of the 70th week of Daniel, called the Great Tribulation (Dan. 11:32-35, 12:1). Evidently, by Revelation Ch. 11 the ministry of the Two Witnesses commences during the Great Tribulation (Rev. 10:1-11:14), so all of the foregoing details must come to pass through the event(s) of the 6 Trumpets. For, at present (May 2018), the national governments of the world are not unified to give their power unto the beast system, saying, “Who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him?” (Rev. 13:4), therefore the beast system must rise by war and conquest unto world dominance (“it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it” – Dan. 7:7, “the fourth kingdom…shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces” – Dan. 7:23). Therefore, and necessarily so, an account was given concerning the judgment of God upon the Church in that God would in this manner raise up Spiritual Babylon.
Wise and instructed saints of the 21st century will understand how prominent and vital the rise of Spiritual Babylon is in reference to the Last Days. They will be looking for it and expecting it, not merely for the geopolitical necessity of it as a precursor to the Man of Sin, but much more for the spiritual utility for which it will be divinely employed: the judgment of God upon the Church. The moral warrant for Babylon’s rise to power as God’s instrument of judgment was and will be the backsliding of the Church. Herein, also, the doctrine of marking or sealing the saints finds objective and definitive significance.
Saints of God in the 21st century, have you been bent-backwards with dreadful amazement at God’s choice means of judgment upon the Church, Spiritual Babylon? From the present standpoint of world affairs in the year 2018 and this, in the light of the prophetic calendar, no other event is of greater imminence or significance besides the rise of Spiritual Babylon by war and conquest. Why? Think of it from a secular and humanitarian perspective regarding the wellbeing of humanity at large in the nations of the world, my reader: historical Babylon was called “the Hammer of the Whole Earth” (Jer. 50:23); or, if you prefer, “Babylon hath been a golden cup in the LORD’S hand, that made all the earth drunken” (Jer. 51:7). Moreover, Babylon is called a “Destroying Mountain” that “destroyeth all the earth” (Jer. 51:25). Such unprecedented death and destruction befell the heathen nations of the earth who resisted historical Babylon because God raised up Babylon as a divine utility of judgment! War ensued before historical Babylon reigned worldwide because she was, at the first, greatly resisted by the nations of the earth at large. Hence, God’s judgment of the entire world was by the sword of Babylon, first (this is the Lord’s cup of fury and drunkenness; Jer. 25:15-29), and then the LORD will judge Babylon’s world by the sword of the 2nd Advent of Christ (Jer. 25:30-38). The LORD utterly destroyed all nations through historical Babylon until they all became servants thereunto (Jer. 25:8-11, Jer. 27:1-11), and thus it shall be with Spiritual Babylon. Fearfully, though, after Spiritual Babylon conquers all she will be loved insomuch that she’s called, “the Praise of the Whole Earth” (Jer. 51:41). From a prophetic perspective, my reader, don’t you think that God would account of Spiritual Babylon’s rise to power in the Book of Revelation?
How will the present status of the nations of the earth be altered and transformed into a one world government in preparation for the antichrist’s appearance whereupon 10 Kings will give their power to the Beast (Rev. 17:12-18)? The trumpeted events of the 6 Trumpets bear witness of conquest and war that will kill and destroy a third of the earth and the people therein; the event of secular history that will be known as World War III, God willing. Through these forthcoming battles the sundered nations of the heathen world will be united under one title, “Mystery Babylon the Great” (Rev. 17:5), and thereby the Gentile Church, which is worldwide, will be engulfed in the fires of Tribulation (Isa. 24:15). This brings us to revisit the primary point of emphasis, my reader. Why is the one world government called Spiritual Babylon, do you know? Of course, this is a reapplication of the Doctrine of Babylon to the End-Time scenario of the Church.
In other words, God intends to bring the Church into Great Tribulation first and foremost! To repeat, and by necessity emphasize, let it be known by the reader that Spiritual Babylon’s future rise to power is a judgment of God upon the Church, primarily speaking (1 Pet. 4:17-18). The pastime divine tutorial (Tribulation Period #1) teaches us how the heathen nations resisted Babylon and were judged thereby, albeit, it was a work of God in judgment upon them in vengeance for the injuries they inflicted upon the Church of that time, the people of Israel and Judah. Nowadays, however, things are slightly very different in that the Church is not exclusive to one nation or geographic location as it was in the Old Testament. Rather, the Church is worldwide – the Gentile Church – and being thus, God’s judgment of the heathen nations of the world through the future rise of Spiritual Babylon will be a judgment upon the Church in the heathen nations of the world, first of all, and of course a judgment upon the unconverted heathen of those nations in respect to how they have evilly affected and acted injuriously towards the Church of God in their midst. The various heathen nations of the world were and will be judged (arbitrarily) through Babylon’s rise to power, this is true, but these judgments are peripheral to God’s judgment of the Church.
“I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them” - Dan. 7:21
“And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations” - Rev. 13:7
Further demonstrating this, moreover, the pastime divine tutorial accounted of by the Prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel (Tribulation Period #1) dedicated only 18 out of a 100 Chapters of prophecy to the judgment of heathen nations (Ezek. 25:1-32:32, 35:1-15, 38:1-39:29; Jer. 46:1-51:64, 25:15-38, 27:1-11). This means that 82 out of 100 Chapters of prophecy were dedicated to God’s judgment of the Church through historical Babylon. Historically, the heathen nations were judged in respect to their ill relationship to the Church; therefore, inasmuch as the heathen nations evilly affected the people of God and hastened their declension into sin, or inasmuch as the heathen rejoiced to see God’s judgment of the Church through Babylon and therein blasphemed, God took vengeance. Howbeit, God’s focus was upon the Church to execute in them the judgment written (nonarbitrary judgments). Speaking historically or futuristically there is harmony: the rise and conquest of Babylon was the wrath of God against the Church and the nations among whom She dwelt, therefore Babylon was the work of the Lord in judgment upon them (Jer. 48:10); notwithstanding, and moreover, the fall of Babylon is the wrath of God against Babylon’s World and the work of the Lord’s judgment upon it (Jer. 50:24-25, 51:19-24).
Confirming this, all of the analogous terms of the 6 Trumpets had their fulfillment in Tribulation Period #1 via the rise of historical Babylon to worldwide dominance through war and conquest. Hence, the Spirit of Prophecy drew upon and comprehensively compounded all the old-time prophetic and analogous terms in the judgment of the 6 Trumpets of Revelation Ch. 8-10; thus, we observe the complete and entire fulfillment of the old-time prophecies via the rise of Spiritual Babylon to worldwide dominance through war and conquest. In other words, starting with the analogous terms of old that were incorporated anew into Trumpet #1, what happened when hail, fire, and blood burnt up trees and grass? In summation of the historical event(s) that took place when hail, fire, and blood burnt up trees and grass in Tribulation Period #1, Babylon attacked, conquered, and dominated!
Even so, what happened when the Day of the LORD and the year of visitation came upon the nations of earth? Or, what happened when God determined a cloudy and dark day for a people and sent blood and pestilence into her streets or upon the mountains or filling the rivers? Babylon attacked, conquered, and dominated! Moreover, what happened when the Lord, and not man, had a sacrifice to make? What happened when the Lord, not man, unsheathed His sword to make it drunk in blood? What happened when the Lord brandished His sword and gave it to man to wield? What happened when the Lord made mighty men and warriors into women in travail, or what happened when whole nations were made into drunkards who were wallowing in their own vomit? Or, what happened when a dragon was plucked from the waters and cast into the wilderness? What happened when the Lord made waters of rivers or seas to overflow and flood lands, cities, and nations? What happened when the Lord made waters desolate and dried, kindled fires, made the sea sorrowful, cut down trees, caused plagues to abound, and brought the four winds from the four quarters of the heavens and the east wind to blow? Namely, Babylon attacked, conquered, and dominated!
Egypt (according to Jeremiah): As a nation her waters boasted an overflowing flood as she went forth to war against Babylon (Jer. 46:7-8), not knowing that the LORD had raised up Babylon for Egypt’s judgment (Jer. 46:10, 13, 15, 18, 21, 26). God’s judgment called, “the Day of the Lord GOD of Hosts” and “the time of their visitation” (Jer. 46:10, 21), wherein, parabolically, the Lord had a sacrifice to make wherein He would make the sword drunk with Egyptian blood (Jer. 46:10), was historically fulfilled in Babylon’s war and victorious conquest of Egypt.
Egypt (according to Ezekiel): Egypt was called the troubler of waters and the fouler of rivers (Ezek. 32:2), and God would not suffer it any longer! In other words, God determined a cloudy and dark day for Egypt (Ezek. 30:3, 18, 32:7-8)! Egypt was a Tree to be cut down (Ezek. 31:4-18), a nation to be burned with fire (Ezek. 30:8, 14, 16)! Egypt, the dragon, was removed from the waters and cast into the wilderness (Ezek. 29:3-5); yea, and furthermore, the rivers were dried up (Ezek. 30:12) and the mountains and rivers were watered and filled with blood (Ezek. 32:6)! All of the aforementioned and more was accomplished in that Babylon attacked and conquered (Ezek. 29:17-20, 30:10, 24-25, 32:11)! Can you believe it? The LORD was very plain in His speech, saying, “…I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and put My sword in his hand: but I will break Pharaoh's arms, and he shall groan before him with the groanings of a deadly wounded man. But I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and the arms of Pharaoh shall fall down; and they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall put My sword into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall stretch it out upon the land of Egypt” (Ezek. 30:24-25). Fearfully, the LORD said, “Yea, I will make many people amazed at thee, and their kings shall be horribly afraid for thee, when I shall brandish My sword before them; and they shall tremble at every moment, every man for his own life, in the day of thy fall. For thus saith the Lord GOD; The sword of the king of Babylon shall come upon thee” (Ezek. 32:10-11). Hereby, and after the slaughtering, the fowls of heaven will devour the unburied people (Ezek. 32:4).
Philistines: Babylon will rise upon Philistia as the waters of an overflowing flood and shall overflow the Land (Jer. 47:2), thus will Babylon invade, conquer, and spoil! This is what is expressly meant by, “the LORD will spoil the Philistines” (Jer. 47:4); for, the swords of the Babylonian Army are altogether the “sword of the LORD” (Jer. 47:6-7). Speaking of this, the Prophet asks, “O thou sword of the LORD, how long will it be ere thou be quiet? Put up thyself into the scabbard, rest, and be still. How can it be quiet, seeing the LORD hath given it a charge against Ashkelon, and against the sea shore? There hath He appointed it” (Jer. 47:6-7).
Moab: When speaking of Moab, God said, “he magnified himself against the LORD” (Jer. 48:26, 42), therefore the LORD determined for them inescapable judgments (Jer. 48:8, 37, 44-45); namely, the sword of Babylon would invade, conquer, and take captives from Moab (Jer. 48:2, 7, 11), and all of this is called “the work of the LORD”, “the year of their visitation”, and “the judgment of Moab” (Jer. 48:2, 10, 21, 44, 47)! Why? Because Moab was like “a vessel wherein is no pleasure”, the Potter declared (Jer. 48:38). Therefore, waters will be made desolate (Jer. 48:34), fires will burn (Jer. 48:45), and the mighty men of Moab will be “as the heart of a woman in her pangs” while beholding the Babylonian Armies flying “as an eagle” and spreading it is “wings” over Moab (Jer. 48:40)! All of this will effectually reduce Moab into drunkenness insomuch that he would “wallow in his vomit” (Jer. 48:26).
Edom: Unto Edom, the LORD swore to visit him (Jer. 49:8, 13), to wit: “He shall come up like a Lion” (Jer. 49:19) and “fly as an eagle” (Jer. 49:22) insomuch that “Edom be as the heart of a woman in her pangs” (Jer. 49:22)! In other words, Babylon will attack, conquer, and dominate! Herein, the earth will be moved (Jer. 49:21), the plagues shall abound (Jer. 49:17), and Edom’s overthrow will be like Sodom and Gomorrah’s (Jer. 49:18).
Damascus: The sea shall be sorrowful (Jer. 49:23), a fire will be kindled (Jer. 49:27), and Damascus will be “as a woman in travail” (Jer. 49:24) when Babylon attacks and conquers!
Kedar: With Kedar, just as the former nations, the Lord did “scatter into all winds” (Jer. 49:32) via Babylon attacking, conquering, and taking captives (Jer. 49:28, 30)!
Elam: With Elam, again, and by the very same means, God brought “the four winds from the four quarters of heaven” (Jer. 49:36) insomuch that Babylon did attack and conquer! By interpretation, this meant: “I will bring evil upon them, even My fierce anger, saith the LORD; and I will send the sword after them, till I have consumed them” (Jer. 49:37). Shockingly, also, the LORD said, “I will set My Throne in Elam, and will destroy from thence the king and the princes” (Jer. 49:38)!
Tyre: Upon Tyre, also, came the floods of an overflowing sea (Ezek. 26:3, 19), a destroying east wind (Ezek. 27:26), while blood and pestilence was sent into the streets (Ezek. 28:23); in other words, Babylon attacked and conquered (Ezek. 26:7)!
When speaking to the Kings of the earth and prophesying to the kingdoms of the lower world, it is only meet that the LORD refers to Himself in the address, using the title: “the KING, whose name is the LORD of hosts” (Jer. 46:18, 48:15, 51:57; Rev. 17:14). When God says what He wants to say to whom He speaks, He wants the Kings of the earth to know that it’s the KING of Kings who’s speaking! When describing the fate of human armies and the outcome of earthly wars, speaking to earthly warriors, He wants the soldiers of war to know that it’s the LORD of Hosts who’s speaking! When the God of Israel has a message for the heathen, the messenger running the errand is “an ambassador” that is “sent unto the heathen” (Jer. 49:14) on behalf of a transcending and heavenly Kingdom! Therefore, when the Lord counsels and purposes against the nations, transcendent and majestic over all, so do the Kings and Armies whom He chooses to use as invaders (Jer. 49:14, 20, 30). In summation, the conquests and warfare of Babylon against other nations were and will be “the work of the LORD” (Jer. 48:10, Hab. 1:5, 11; Ezek. 29:20).
With this in mind, and knowing that Babylon is the choice weapon of judgment wielded by the Majesty of the LORD for the Great Tribulation, we have need to analyze and interpret the analogous terminology of the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th Trumpets. Albeit, upon reaching the 5th Trumpet a compelling aspect of the Tribulation Period is brought into perspective: God’s command of celestial principalities who rule over earthly nations. Keep this staggering element of the Majesty of the LORD in mind as we venture onward, my reader.