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The current events of the Middle
East trumpet a LOUD warning that the rapture of the Church could
take place at ANY second. With America's continued and unprecedented
involvement in Iraq at the present time it serves as a reminder of
the prophetic times we live and the prophetic importance of the
region our nation finds itself engulfed in. The region of Iraq,
known as Babylon, Mesopotamia, and the Land of Shinar is the second
most often mentioned place/nation in the Bible. The word
Mesopotamia means "between the two rivers," more exactly between the
Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. For America to be involved here at this
point in our nation's history is huge and certain to be understood
in light of the Scriptural importance of this region that our
success or failure may go a long way in determining our very
existence.
By Chris McDonald
TEXT: Genesis 10:8-10
And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth. [9]
He was a mighty hunter before the Lord: wherefore it is said, Even
as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the Lord. [10] And the beginning
of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the
land of Shinar.
Daniel 2:31-38
Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image,
whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form
thereof was terrible. [32] This image's head was of fine gold, his
breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass,
[33] His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. [34]
Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote
the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and break them
to pieces. [35] Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver,
and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff
of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, that
no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image
became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. [36] This is
the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the
king. [37] Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven
hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. [38] And
wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and
the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made
thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold.
The Tower Of Babel/Nebuchadnezzar Connection
Genesis 9:1,7
And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and
multiply, and replenish the earth. 7 And you, be ye fruitful, and multiply;
bring forth abundantly in the earth, and multiply therein.
To understand this second chapter of Daniel one must go back to Genesis and see
the progression from the Flood to the Tower of Babel and how these two events
are connected to "the head of gold," in Nebuchadnezzar's dream. God’s command to
Noah reminds of His earlier words to Adam and Eve: “Be fruitful and increase in
number; fill the earth and subdue it” (Gen. 1:28). God’s gracious protection of
Noah and his family in the ark allowed them to become the new Adam and Eve of
the post-Flood world.
They were given another chance to live according to God’s
will, to spread out across the entire world and form families that would live in
obedience to God. Humanity’s problem has never been its environment or in
circumstances – it’s always been man’s sinful and rebellious heart. Scarcely
had the door of the ark cracked open on Mount Ararat when the next crisis
erupted between God and His creation. Genesis 9 goes on to give the sad account
of Noah’s drunkenness and Ham’s inappropriate and disrespectful behavior which
many commentators link to a homosexual act Ham performed on his father while
Noah lay drunk and naked on the ground. This same "spirit of homosexuality,"
grips the modern world today and is part of the warnings Jesus spoke of when
saying His coming would take place when things were "as in the days of NOAH and
LOT." The world once again even after God's judgment began yet another descent
down the slippery slope of rebellion.
Nimrod
Noah’s son, Ham, had tremendous character defects which were passed on his
lineage. Some of the nations and peoples that developed from Ham’s line included
EGYPT, the Babylonians, the Assyrians, and the various groups of Canaanites.
Virtually, all of Israel’s major enemies in biblical history came from the line
of HAM.
Genesis 9:22-27
And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two
brethren without. [23] And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon
both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their
father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father's
nakedness. [24] And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had
done unto him. [25] And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall
he be unto his brethren. [26] And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of Shem; and
Canaan shall be his servant. [27] God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell
in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.
Genesis 10 lists Ham’s descendants, and tucked in the midst of this list of
names is Nimrod:
Genesis 10:8-10
And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth. [9] He was a
mighty hunter before the Lord: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty
hunter before the Lord. [10] And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and
Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.
The name Nimrod could come from the Babylonian name "Namra-uddu," a form of the
name for Marduk, Babylon’s chief god. Another form of his name comes from the
Babylonian name Nu-marad, which means “man of Marad.’ Moses likely used play on
words by spelling Nimrod’s name in the Genesis account so that it sounded like
the Hebrew word for REBEL (‘marad’). Nimrod was a REBEL, and the cities he
founded were rebellious cities. Moses described Nimrod as a “mighty warrior,”
and a “might hunter before the Lord.” Kings of that time traditionally
demonstrated their right to rule people by displaying prowess over the animal
kingdom. Nimrod’s hunting skills and physical abilities rocketed him into a
position of leadership. Nimrod’s mighty skills were known in a special way to
God. One commentator wrote of Nimrod:
“Nimrod showed his right to rule over the kingdom he had created by force by
killing the animal creation God had entrusted to him.”
This was the beginning of Babylon. Babylon was a city conceived in rebellion.
Nimrod was the architect of man’s union against God, and Genesis 11:1-9 records
the catastrophic consequences of his actions. God commanded Noah and his
children to “fill the earth,” following their departure from the ark. But what
God intended for good, the people perceived as a threat. They were afraid to
separate, afraid to go to new lands, afraid to rely on God’s strength instead of
their own.
Though Nimrod’s name is not used in Genesis 11, chapter 10, informs
us that he was the chief leader in the first movement to build a center at
Babylon. Moses describes the initial settlement on “a plain in Shinar,” the
broad plain of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers south of present-day Baghdad. The
area is a somewhat flat alluvial plain. The Tigris and Euphrates Rivers meander
through on their way to the Persian Gulf, supplying water for drinking and
irrigation to a land that would otherwise be bare desert. Those two rivers
provide life, and by using canals and irrigation, civilizations have flourished
in the Mesopotamian region for centuries. There are no mountains on the plain of
Shinar and, consequently, no stones for building materials. But what the land
lacks in rock, it offers in OIL. The oil that today powers much of the world was
also used in the days of Nimrod.
Genesis 11:3-4
And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them
thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar. [4] And
they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto
heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of
the whole earth.
Because the people lacked stones with which to build, they baked bricks. In
place of crushed limestone, they used tar as mortar. William White, describing
the city archaeologically, noted, “brick and mud-wall construction occurred
everywhere.”
People still use brick for building in that region, and often the bricks are
dried in the sun. But for permanent construction, the people use kiln-fired
bricks for added strength. The builders of Babel used Kiln-fired bricks because
they wanted their project to last. The focus of their efforts was to be a city
with a tower, or ziggurat that reached to the heavens. The purpose for the tower
at Babylon, as well as that of the later ziggurats, was to serve as a “suitcase”
from earth to heaven. Human beings wanted to reach God by their own efforts and
that is still going on today. Moses describes the tower as “a tower that reaches
to the heaven” (Gen 11:4).
Genesis 11:4
And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach
unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the
face of the whole earth.
The people wanted to make a name for themselves. Having rejected God’s expressed
will, these descendants of Noah’s decided to construct a monument to their
greatness and glory. They didn’t realize that a truly great name comes only from
God, and that men like Abraham, to whom God said, “I will make your name great”,
easily supersede the Nimrods of this world (Gen. 12:2). As a result of this
rebellion, the people began to build. They gathered in the first city recorded
in the Bible, under a rebel leader, to work together for their own glory and
honor. Then, Moses writes, God “CAME DOWN” to view this tower which man intended
to reach “to the heavens.” No matter how high they built, God was still far out
of reach. God’s concern was not that their building was too tall, but rather
than humankind had united in opposition to Him.
Genesis 11:6
And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language;
and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which
they have imagined to do.
Obviously, God did not have to worry that humanity would become too much for Him
to handle. His power and majesty surpass anything these people possessed. The
union of Nimrod and his followers embraced all mankind to the exclusion of God.
Had their plan succeeded, the world would have been again as it was before the
Flood when “every inclination of the thoughts of man’s heart was only evil all
the time.” (Gen. 6:5). Therefore, God “confused the language of the whole
world.” (Gen. 11:9). He unraveled the fabric of the society humanity was trying
to weave. The builders tried to build a gateway to God, but God turned their
effort into conclusion.
Before the conclusion at Babel, the world had one language and a common speech.
But after God’s judgment, people scattered throughout the world, failures at
their attempt to “make a name for themselves,” victims of the very fate they had
feared and tried to avoid. Their plan was supplanted by God’s plan for human
redemption through the seed of Abraham, the man whose name God chose to make
great. Babel was humanity’s first united attempt to short-circuit God’s purpose
and it will be the seat of humanity’s LAST attempt to short-circuit God’s
purpose. The people wanted unity and power, and Babel was to be the seat of that
power. Babylon, the city of man trying to rise to heaven, was built in direct
opposition to God’s plan. Once Babylon is rebuilt in the coming months and
possibly years it will once again become the source and seat of the man of sin,
who will, like Nimrod, oppose God and His plans in the earth in one-last stand
of rebellion. But the end of Babylon will not be as glorious as its beginning.
Babylon will be destroyed.
The Spirit Of Babel (Confusion)
Babel means “confusion. The now deceased Saddam Hussein felt he was called by
God to be another Nebuchadnezzar. His service or destiny was to destroy the
Great Satan. That alone made him much more dangerous than the ordinary dictator.
Hitler believed he was called to raise a super race. That's what made him so
dangerous along with the fact by all viewpoints Hitler had a (supernatural)
mission and more than likely was aided and abetted by a demonic spirit. He was a
dress rehearsal for the Antichrist. His words swayed millions by what he said.
Sadaam Hussein had the same affect on Europe, the Middle East and the world in
general. Hussein did succeed to divide America’s allies and decade old alliances
prior to the 2003 Iraqi invasion, something that did not take place when the
United States entered into World War II. In 1942, it was the United States,
which was reluctant to get involved in the war prior to the Japanese attack on
Pearl Harbor in 1941, that sought to unite the world against the forces of
Nazism. The lines between good and evil were plain. People knew Hitler was evil
and his schemes needed to be stopped
In this case it has been the most frustrating issue with me personally to hear
the world basically dish off the threat of Saddam Hussein even with evidence
that he has been lying to the world for 13 years since the Gulf War. But instead
of the world uniting, we became more and more divided. Why is this may you ask?
Well, I believe that the same spirit of ancient Babylon was and is alive and
well in modern Babylon. People have blamed President Bush for his “failed”
diplomacy. If we’re going to blame anybody for failed diplomacy we in the church
need to take responsibility for this to a degree. I have repented personally
before the Lord for getting caught up in the war fever myself instead of getting
caught up in a spirit of intercession to see this conflict handled through
spiritual means not earthly. (2 Corinthians 4) Even now Iraq sits in a spirit
of confusion as two branches of Islam - Sunni and Shi’ia cannot come together to
form a unity government. America's diplomats and politicians daily scream we're
involved in a "civil war" at the present time between the two factions. Oh
really? We're just not coming to that conclusion. What the politicians don't get
is the SPIRITUAL power behind this confusion is rooted in Biblical passages and
that at some point in the future the friction between the Sunni and Shi'a will
be replaced with a unity of purpose to DESTROY the United States and Israel. If
you notice, when those seeking to build the Tower of Babel came together they
actually made progress enough that caused God had to intervene personally to
stop the building!
This spirit of confusion has divided the world. Despite Hussein's death, now it
is IRAN, Iraq's neighbor that poses a clear and present danger to not just the
region as a whole but the entire world, especially Israel. The world is STILL
divided over how to handle events in the Middle East. It's called the SPIRIT of
confusion! Even people in our own country cannot see the threat. It’s like a
cloud of delusion rests on the minds of many in relation to an evil dictator,
who in many ways, may be more dangerous and ruthless than Hitler or Stalin
combined. The atrocities we have heard about even now are enough to make one
weep to hear the brutality in which peoples under the jack booted heel of
Islamically ruled nations face each day if they don't submit to Islam's rule.
Stories of people's inward parts being cut off by wood chippers, torturing
national soccer teams in the national soccer stadium after a loss, and the rape,
torture and beating of women and children in front of those who disagree and
dissent against rulers are the NORM and not the exception in Middle Eastern
Nations.
President Bush has made a TON of mistakes in his handling of the Iraqi war. His
critics lambaste him daily in op-ed pieces, television interviews and other news
media outlets. Most feel we could have handled Iraq and now Iran with
"diplomacy," and "talking" to these rogue nations. Diplomacy was NEVER going to
work with Iraq. You cannot deal with evil through diplomacy. You cannot deal
with tyrants and evil dictators through appeasement. Instead of blaming
President Bush, we need to recognize the REAL source of the problem in Iraq and
Iran and that's the powers of DARKNESS that control these regions and produce
the hatred that is willing to destroy millions of lives in the name of a
demonically inspired religion. Most who have spewed their anti-war venom both
here in America and in Europe usually spew out at the same time anti-Semitic
rhetoric as well. The same spirit that has controlled this region of the world
for millenniums and caused Nimrod to build his tower of rebellion; nothing has
changed in that the same spirit controls the region TODAY.
But if you think the situation is muddled now, neighbor hang on to your seat.
Things coming in the future will be filled with even more confusion. I heard a
well-known evangelist say recently that he felt the Lord tell him that America’s
greatest peril would NOT come with Iraq, but what would happen to her
AFTERWARDS. These same prophetic voices are warning America that if we continue
to rebel against God and willfully and consciously seek to remove God from our
society and culture, we are going to be invaded by a foreign power. Some snicker
at that and say that is impossible but there were those before 9-11-2001 that
never dreamed of the carnage that three gasoline filled airplanes hijacked by
ISLAMIC terrorists produced in a matter of minutes on a fateful Tuesday fall
morning now six years ago.
That should give us all sober reasons to fall on our
knees and pray for mercy for our nation and intercede for the heavens to rain
righteousness on this nation before it is eternally too late. When our freedoms
are gone and we are controlled by a foreign power we will then understand the
plight that Daniel found himself in Babylon. Israel had been warned by Daniel's
contemporaries over and over that judgment was coming and those warnings were
ignored. Now, in land of rebellion, Daniel stood under a death sentence
interpreting a dream for a heathen king that would outline world events and
history that would show us what is ahead prophetically right through the Second
Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ!
Demon Spirits Controlled Babylon
It's interesting to note that Nebuchadnezzar did not send for Daniel first when
the king first became troubled at the dream. He did not know Daniel had ability
in this area and even though he interrogated Daniel, along with the three Hebrew
children, and had been impressed with their "skill and wisdom," he did not KNOW
the God of Daniel and that the Lord had given Daniel "understanding in all
visions and dreams."
Daniel 1:17
As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning
and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.
Only Daniel knew the interpretation; not even the king or his godless
astrologers and soothsayers. Therefore, even though he had been greatly
impressed by these young men, still, he would not, at least at this stage, even
remotely have placed them in the category of "magicians," "astrologers,"
"sorcerers," and "Chaldeans."
The "magicians," and "sorcerers," performed their work by the means of
witchcraft i.e. demon spirits.
The "astrologers," attempted their divination by the stars.
All of this was carried on in connection with demons, in some cases
called "familiar spirits."
The "Chaldeans" were, no doubt, a special class who advised the King by their
wisdom and intelligence. This means that the mighty Babylonian Empire, as well as every other nation of that day, was guided and directed by demon spirits, at
least until Daniel arrived on the scene regarding Babylon. Actually most of the
governments of the world have always been, and presently are, guided by demon
spirits, which "steal, kill and destroy." (John 10:10)
The reason for the great blessings upon America, Canada, England and Australia,
as well as several other countries in the world, is because of Biblical
influence. Tragically that influence is waning and weakening and dying. Such is
happening because the CHURCHES are dying. No, they are not dying economically or
numerically, but they are dying spiritually. The true Body of Christ is to be a
vehicle through which the Spirit of God can flow, which, of course, is anchored
in the Word of God. It is to preach the CROSS, in effect, holding up Christ and
the Cross as the sole answer to humanity and the problems of humanity. While
money or numbers may or may not come, the Church will be a positive influence
ONLY by the power of the HOLY GHOST that the Church allows to operate and flow.
At this time in history when the church needs to be a great LIGHT in a growing
DARKNESS of apostasy, the church has never been weaker in a spiritual sense but
has been deceived because of the money and the numbers, claiming such to signs
of the Blessings of the Lord.
Israel was prosperous in an economic sense up the very day of her destruction by
Nebuchadnezzar; however, she had long since to be prosperous in a spiritual
sense, and hence her doom was sealed. America's doom, and I don't care how many
preachers say otherwise because many are proclaiming nothing bad is coming to
our nation, will be sealed as well if we don't have more than just a few revival
services, but a REFORMATION of preaching and character in the Body of Christ. We
must come back to the CROSS and all that the CROSS entails, which is in effect
being UNITED again with OUR HEAD, the LORD JESUS CHRIST and the power of the
HOLY GHOST. Paul used the term "disjointed at the head," to describe a spiritual
condition where the Body ceases to get life from the Head (CHRIST) and in effect
falls into vain philosophy, deceit, self-will and in modern terms, humanism.
This is why there is a deluge and has been for two decades now of the 'mind'
sciences and 'mind' methods i.e. psychology that have engulfed the church. You
reject the Holy Spirit and the power of the Cross and neighbor you really have
nothing else to turn to BUT psychology!
Revival is not going down the street beating big drums or leading parades, and
believe it or not, Revival is not even really sinners coming to Christ. The
LATTER is the RESULT of Revival, not Revival itself! Through a dream given to a
heathen king, a dream, incidentally, one which he could not remember, God gave
the events of the future that would unfold from Daniel's time right on through
the COMING OF THE LORD! THINK ABOUT THAT. We are living in the same prophetic
times neighbor! This is the prophetic season we live in.
Nebuchadnezzar, along with all of Babylon constantly delved into the spirit
realm in the realm of demon spirits to get answers. They did not know Jehovah;
therefore, all of this was completely beyond their realm of thinking, even as it
is presently with those who do not know the Lord. The Bible is the ONLY book in
the world which tells where man came from, where man is, and where man is going.
Consequently, the people who love and obey the Book and have accepted it AUTHOR
as their Lord and Saviour, alone know and understand what the future holds. It
is ALL given in the World of God.
There astrologers and magicians and sorcerers of Babylon were ministers of the
gods of Babylon, "Nebo," and "Bel." These men were supposed to receive answers
from their "gods," and to be sure, they were paid. But what happened was even a
heathen king recognized that what these men were saying was "lying and corrupt
words," that meant nothing and aroused his anger even more.
Daniel 2:9
But if ye will not make known unto me the dream, there is but one decree for
you: for ye have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, till the
time be changed: therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that ye can show
me the interpretation thereof.
These wicked men were being guided by "familiar spirits," which could at times
give information from the supernatural. (Lev. 19:31, 20:6, 27; Deut. 18:11; 1
Sam. 28:3, 7-9; 2 Kings 21:6; 23:24; 1 Chron. 10:13; 2 Chr. 33:6; Isa. 8:19;
19:3; 29:4) There is no profit in trafficking with demon powers as these men
found out and America had better find out soon!
Apostasy and American's Future; Why Is America NOT Seen On This Image?
How does this relate to America then one may ask? Well to understand that, let
me take a right turn to another prophet who would write during the same
Babylonian captivity that Daniel was apart of and that prophet is Ezekiel.
Ezekiel Chapters 36 and 37 portray the restoration of the nation of Israel,
which incidentally began to take place in 1948, when the beleaguered Jews,
after wandering the world for some 1,900 years, once again became a nation, and
in the boundaries of their ancient homeland, and is called the state of Israel.
All of this is the beginning of the fulfillment of that which Ezekiel saw, and
which Daniel, after a fashions, will address as well. Chapters 38 and 39 of
Ezekiel proclaim the Battle of Armageddon even though some see this as a
separate battle that will take place either immediately prior to the rapture or
right before the Great tribulation period. We know this simply because Israel
will then become the leading nation of the world, which cannot take place until
the Second Coming, which, incidentally, till take place during the very midst of
the Battle of Armageddon, and which commences with Chapter 40 and continues
through Chapters 48 , the end of that Book. If, in fact chapters 38 and 39
record some other battle, as some Preachers claim, then it would be impossible
to immediately begin the supremacy of Israel in Chapter 40. But the supremacy of
Israel with Christ accepted as their King, begins in Chapter 40, because 39 and
39 portray the Battle of Armageddon.
What am I saying? Prophetically speaking we are living in Ezekiel 37 which will
not be fulfilled in totality until the Second Coming. Chapters 36 and 37 portray
the Restoration of Israel, not only as a nation, but, as well, their restoration
spiritually. They will make very little precious program until the coming Great
Tribulation, which process will not completely fulfilled until the Second
Coming, when they will, then and there, accept Christ as their Lord, their
Saviour and their Messiah. The prophet Zechariah proclaimed this in detail the
12th and 14th chapter of his book. Israel is God's prophetic time clock, and, in
fact, always has been. From the fulfillment of Bible prophecy, as it regards the
restoration of Israel, at least as nation, we know that the Church is winding
down to the very sloe of its days. In other words, the Dispensation of the
Church is about to END and is winding down to the very close of its days. The
dispensation of Israel is about to open once more just as the prophets of old
including Daniel and Ezekiel predicted. This means that the Rapture of the
church is very near!
While apostasy comes in many shapes and forms, and always refers to a departure
from the Word, to make it even more understandable, it is a departure from the
Cross. All false doctrine begins with a wrong interpretation of the Cross, or a
repudiating of the Cross altogether. When the Christian fails to understand that
the Cross of Christ is at the center of all things, in other words, the
intersection of all Biblical Doctrine, one might say, such a Christian will go
astray in some way. The souls of men can be lost as a result of this of which we
speak. Actually, the entirety of the book of Hebrews was written by Paul to
portray this very truth.
While it applies to all believers, both Jews and Gentiles, Paul's greater thrust
in Hebrews was directed toward Christian Jews. They had accepted Christ as their
Savior and Messiah, but because of persecution and discouragement, or for
whatever reason, some of these Christian Jews were turning their backs on
Christ, and going back into Judaism. In Hebrews 6-10 Paul graphically outlines
the fact, that if they did this, which, in effect is a repudiation of Christ and
the Cross, that they would lose their souls. Faith in the cross must be
maintained or one will wind up in apostasy. Such is the state of the church,
especially here in America today. Self-faith or rather faith in one's SELF has
replaced faith in the Cross. SELF is new idol of the 21rst Century Church and a
huge idol it has become!
The facts are, most people in Churches who claim to be "Christians," aren't
really Born Again. In other words they aren't saved. They are religious and have
in fact, accepted a Christian "philosophy," or outlook on life but they have not
met the Master. Some even have Christian ethics and are morally good people but
they FIGHT against the work of the Holy Spirit who ALONE produces true Christian
results! It is becoming impossible in most Churches these days for a person to
get saved. Why? Because NOTHING is preached as it regards such, and in fact, the
Holy Spirit, Whose Presence and WORK and MINISTRIES are absolutely ignored, yet
are absolutely REQUIRED to be in operation to bring sinners to Christ. Jesus
said "few" would make it in these last days concerning the faith.
The apostasy at the present is a MAJOR sign we are nearing the end of the church
age and the Rapture is right around the corner. The Rapture as we have stated
pertains every single Born-Again believer who has never lived, all the way from
Abel to the First Resurrection which is in the Rapture. Paul explained this in 1
Corinthians 15. At some point after this the world will enter into Great
Tribulation which Jesus said would be the worst that the planet has ever known
in fact, so bad that such would never be seen again.
Matthew 24:21
For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the
world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
The Great Tribulation concludes with the Battle of Armageddon, which will be the
greatest and most horrible conflict the world will see and experience within the
Tribulation. It will be interrupted by the Second Coming of the Lord. The world,
with Christ personally reigning on this Earth, will begin a thousand years of
peace and prosperity such as it has never known before. During that time, Satan
and all of his demon spirits and fallen angels will be locked away in the pit.
If you notice in this first prophetic vision in Daniel that there is no direct
reference to the United States of America. There is not even a remote reference
to the U.S.A. The question is always asked, “Is America in Bible prophecy?” The
answer is not a simple yes or no but the basic answer is NO. Some have thought
that the three letters in the midst of Jerusalem pertain to the U.S.A. However,
there is no direct Bible reference to that anywhere in Scripture.
Having said that, it is clear that America is up to its eyeballs in the Middle
East. The area known today as Syria, Iraq, Iran, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, Lebanon
and Greece is what I believe is prophecy Ground Zero. As I update this lesson in
the Fall of 2007, our nation remains engulfed in a conflict in Iraq and is
deeply involved in a peace process between the Israelis and Palestinians, many
of whom live in the region known as Lebanon. Syria, Turkey, Jordan and Iran are
in the news daily. Turkey has just recalled its ambassador to the United States
and Russia has all of a sudden began acting once more like the Bear of cold-war
years. I mention Russia in this statement because many former Soviet Union
states occupy the region just north of Turkey, a region many feel will play
prominently in end time events, especially a coming war on Israel and more than
likely America.
The question has to be asked and asked somberly, what is the future of the
United States of America if we are not mentioned in Bible prophecy? If Israel is
the KEY player and we are the only world’s superpower on earth at the moment (in
fact we are the last superpower on earth before the rise of Antichrist) then
something BIG may very well be decreed on the United States to cause us to lose
our superpower status.
Our personal feeling is that after the rapture the United States may very well
lose its sovereignty and be invaded by a foreign power at some point in the
future. Conventional wisdom would have one believe this would more than likely
take place after the Rapture of the Church. The Trump of God could very well
snatch as much as 60% of the entire population out in the twinkling of an eye.
That will leave nothing but anarchy, chaos and God only knows what else. The
world community will notice the vacuum that is left. Enemies who have cursed the
U.S.A. for decades but did not have the power to do anything about it may see
such a catastrophic disappearance as their chance to exact horrible revenge on
the bastion of democracy. That is just a thought and I don’t have any revelation
from the Lord but it’s a plausible possibility. I say "60%" but only God knows
the number of those truly born again by the Spirit of God who are American
citizens.
I do know this. The USA is NOT mentioned in Bible prophecy. Something is going
to happen in the not too distant future to cause this nation to lose its role as
the world’s superpower. The decline of the USA will cause the world to readily
accept the rise of the Antichrist’s kingdom that will hold many answers to a
world gone mad without God after the rapture. The “mystery” of lawlessness will
be on the rise and the spirit of Antichrist will rapidly spread over the earth
without anything to hinder it save the 144,000 Jewish remnant and those born
again after the trump of God. I also know this. God knows the PAST, PRESENT and
the FUTURE. Mortal men try their best to prognosticate such but fail miserably,
just as these heathen astrologers did in Babylon. The term "latter days," is
used quite a bit in New Testament eschatology and from those passages where it
is mentioned one thing stand out - APOSTASY will engulf millions prior to the
Rapture of the Church and just grow more pronounced during the Great Tribulation
period being embodied by the FALSE PROPHET who is to come and be a spiritual
partner with the Antichrist, who will be more of a political figure.
1 Tim. 4:1
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart
from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
Matthew 24:11
And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
Daniel's prophetic vision in Babylon of the Babylonian Empire would span all the
way through the end of the latter days which in effect is the Second Coming of
Christ. While America is not mentioned by name and to be frank not even in
symbolism without a huge stretch, in contrast, ISRAEL is ALL OVER the pages of
Bible prophecy. Everything written by the prophets – Isaiah, Daniel, Zechariah,
Joel, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Malachi – and by John the Revelator centers its
focus on ISRAEL. Civilization started in the Euphrates Valley, which is the seat
of where many of these countries mentioned above exist right now. The very first
rebellion against God took place in place we know today as IRAQ. Sounds funny
don’t it. But what’s even more powerful to think about is that the LAST
rebellion against God will basically begin in the same place when the Antichrist
sets up his kingdom in Babylon before moving it to Jerusalem in the middle part
of the Great Tribulation period. This age, according to the Bible, will thus end
in the Euphrates Valley.
As we stated in an earlier lesson, what has happened since 1989 with the fall of
the Soviet Union and Communism and the rise of tensions between Israel and the
Palestinian Liberation Organization, is only preparing the world for the rise of
the Antichrist and the fulfillment of things written close to 2500 years ago!
That is mind-boggling but it should also be encouragement to us a believers.
Israel is now preparing drawings of the temple that they will one-day build on
the site where the Dome of the Rock now stands in Jerusalem. Israel is not yet
100% whole but the time for that is rapidly approaching at mind-boggling speed.
Israel cannot be whole until she occupies all the land God gave her through the
royal grant He made to Abraham, which includes the West Bank and the temple
site. The present temple site (Dome of the Rock) is the third most holy place
in the Muslim religion, with the other two being in Saudi Arabia. So, we have a
crossroads that will soon have to be crossed between the Jews and Arabs in the
very near future. Something major is on both the political AND prophetic
horizons. Israel's government does not grasp these truths because it is seeking
to divide Jerusalem at the present time (2007) and give a portion of it over to
the Palestinians. Mark my words that a catastrophe of unprecedented proportions
awaits the region if that is finalized. Jerusalem is not Israel's to give away
or divide; Jerusalem belongs to God!
The Head Of Gold –Babylon
Daniel 2:31-32 - Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great
image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof
was terrible. [32] This image's head was of fine gold
Daniel 2:36-38
This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the
king. [37] Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given
thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. [38] And wheresoever the
children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath
he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou
(Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian Kingdom) are the head of gold.
As we can see in this passage, God gave a dream that contained symbols. He also
gives the interpretation of that dream in verses 36 and 37. To state it again,
the great Babylonian Empire was the most grandiose of all the kingdoms that were
to follow. Its splendor, its greatness, and its glory have never been equaled.
Others were more powerful and stronger, but they were never equaled in relation
to the grand design of Babylon. Hence, the head of gold was used in describing
Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom. The city of Babylon, which was the capital of this
empire, was an ancient walled city between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. The
leading citizens of the nation of Judah were carried to this city as captives
about 587 B.C. after Jerusalem fell to the invading Babylonians. The ancient
capital of the Babylonian people was the scene of the first rebellion against
God and it has often been portrayed as a source of paganism, idolatry and sin.
Jeremiah 51:44
And I will punish Bel (heathen deity) in Babylon, and I will bring forth out
of his mouth that which he hath swallowed up: and the nations shall not flow
together any more unto him: yea, the wall of Babylon shall fall.
Daniel 4:30
The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for
the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honor of my
majesty?
Babylon was situated along the Euphrates River about 300 miles northwest of the
Persian Gulf and about 30 miles southwest of modern Baghdad in Iraq. It’s name
in the Greek comes from a form of the word “BABEL,” which means in Persian “the
gate of God.” In the Assyrian tablets it means "The city of the dispersion of
the tribes." The monumental list of its kings reaches back to B.C. 2300, and
includes Khammurabi, or Amraphel (q.v.), the contemporary of Abraham. It stood
on the Euphrates, about 200 miles above its junction with the Tigris, which
flowed through its midst and divided it into two almost equal parts. The
Elamites invaded Chaldees (i.e., Lower Mesopotamia, or Shinar, and Upper
Mesopotamia, or Accad, now combined into one) and held it in subjection. At
length Khammu-rabi delivered it from the foreign yoke, and founded the new
empire of Chaldea (q.v.), making Babylon the capital of the United Kingdom. This
city gradually grew in extent and grandeur, but in process of time it became
subject to Assyria. On the fall of Nineveh (B.C. 606) it threw off the Assyrian
yoke, and became the capital of the growing Babylonian empire.
Under Nebuchadnezzar it became one of the most splendid cities of the ancient
world. After passing through various vicissitudes, the city was occupied by
Cyrus, "king of Elam," B.C. 538, who issued a decree permitting the Jews to
return to their own land (Ezra 1). It then ceased to be the capital of an
empire. It was again and again visited by hostile armies, till its inhabitants
were all driven from their homes, and the city became a complete desolation, its
very site being forgotten from among men.
On the west bank of the Euphrates, about 50 miles south of Baghdad, there is
found a series of artificial mounds of vast extent. These are the ruins of this
once famous proud city. These ruins are principally (1) the great mounds called
Babel by the Arabs. This was probably the noted Temple of Belus, which was a
pyramid about 480 feet high. (2) The Kasr (i.e., "the palace"). This was the
great palace of Nebuchadnezzar. It is almost a square, each side of which is
about 700 feet long. The little town of Hillah, near the site of Babylon, is
built almost wholly of bricks taken from this single mound. (3) A lofty mound,
on the summit of which stands a modern tomb called Amran ibn-Ali. This is
probably the most ancient portion of the remains of the city, and represents the
ruins of the famous hanging-gardens, or perhaps of some royal palace. The utter
desolation of the city once called "The glory of kingdoms" (Isa.13:19) was
foretold by the prophets (Isa.13:4-22; Jer. 25:12; 50:2, 3; Dan. 2:31-38). The
Babylon mentioned in 1 Pet. 5:13 was not Rome, as some have thought, but the
literal city of Babylon, which was inhabited by many Jews at the time Peter
wrote.
1 Peter 5:13
The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, salutes you; and so
doth Marcus my son.
The literal Babylon was the beginner and supporter of tyranny and idolatry.
Ultimately, the city and its whole empire would be taken by the Persians under
Cyrus, who were subdued by the Macedonians or Greeks, who were in turn conquered
by the Romans. ALL of this was seen in Daniel's prophetic interpretation of
Nebuchadnezzar's dream. The point to remember is that Rome's roots go back to
the power of old Babylon and as such adopted the worship of the false deities
conquered by each successive empire. By Rome's own act she became the heiress
and successor of all the Babylonian idolatry, and of all that was introduced
into it by the immediate successors of Babylon, and consequently of all the
idolatry of the earth." (WALVORD) Some people believe Rome to be "mystical
Babylon," or "that great city which reigneth over the kings of the earth"
(17:18). We do not hold to that theory even though we do believe that the same
spirit of idolatry, rebellion and sin that held Babylon in such sway will be
resurrected in the end times (it's already begun) and will be what brings God's
judgment crashing down upon a newly rebuilt city at some point in the future.
Rev. 17:18
And the woman, which thou sawest, is that great city, which reigneth over
the kings of the earth.
Rev. 18:1-3
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. [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.
In the Old Covenant, the prophetic books of Isaiah and Jeremiah predicted the
downfall of the city of Babylon through God’s punishment on her for the
destruction of Jerusalem and her treatment of Judah during its captivity. The
Medes and the Persians exacted that revenge during the night of Daniel’s
interpretation of the handwriting on the wall. One empire ended, another began.
In the spirit world, one principality replaced another. That pattern holds true
today and we believe is what took place in 1989 when the principality that
controlled and produced communism was taken down and replaced by a principality
that is destined to control end time events and has produced the explosion of
ISLAM across the entire World at record speed. (It is an opinion of this writer
that the principality of Revelation 17:7-10 is the one in control over the
Middle East AS WE SPEAK)
Isaiah 43:14-19
Thus saith the Lord, your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; For your sake I
have sent to Babylon, and have brought down all their nobles, and the Chaldeans,
whose cry is in the ships. [15] I am the Lord, your Holy One, the creator of
Israel, your King. [16] Thus saith the Lord, which makes a way in the sea, and a
path in the mighty waters; [17] Which bringeth forth the chariot and horse, the
army and the power; they shall lie down together, they shall not rise: they are
extinct, they are quenched as tow. [18] Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.
[19] Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know
it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.
Jeremiah 50:9-11
For, lo, I will raise and cause to come up against Babylon an assembly of
great nations from the north country: and they shall set themselves in array
against her; from thence she shall be taken: their arrows shall be as of a
mighty expert man; none shall return in vain. [10] And Chaldea shall be a spoil:
all that spoil her shall be satisfied, saith the Lord. [11] Because ye were
glad, because ye rejoiced, O ye destroyers of mine heritage, because ye are
grown fat as the heifer at grass, and bellow as bulls;
Daniel 5:27-31
Tekel; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. [28] Peres;
Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians. [29] Then commanded
Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put a chain of gold about
his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third
ruler in the kingdom. [30] In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain. [31] And
Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.
Isaiah gives a more somber prophecy regarding Babylon’s future in the last days
and in doing so also detailed the fall of Satan, who is called "the king of
Babylon," in this passage:
Isaiah 14:4-28
That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say,
How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased! [5] The Lord hath broken
the staff of the wicked, and the sceptre of the rulers. [6] He who smote the
people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is
persecuted, and none hindereth. [7] The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet:
they break forth into singing. [8] Yea, the fir trees rejoice at thee, and the
cedars of Lebanon, saying, Since thou art laid down, no feller is come up
against us. [9] Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming:
it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath
raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations. [10] All they shall
speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like
unto us? [11] Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols:
the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee. [12] How art thou
fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the
ground, which didst weaken the nations! [13] For thou hast said in thine heart,
I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will
sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: [14] I
will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. [15]
Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. [16] They that
see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the
man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms; [17] That made the
world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the
house of his prisoners? [18] All the kings of the nations, even all of them, lie
in glory, every one in his own house. [19] But thou art cast out of thy grave
like an abominable branch, and as the raiment of those that are slain, thrust
through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcase
trodden under feet. [20] Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because
thou hast destroyed thy land, and slain thy people: the seed of evildoers shall
never be renowned. [21] Prepare slaughter for his children for the iniquity of
their fathers; that they do not rise, nor possess the land, nor fill the face of
the world with cities. [22] For I will rise up against them, saith the Lord of
hosts, and cut off from Babylon the name, and remnant, and son, and nephew,
saith the Lord. [23] I will also make it a possession for the bittern, and pools
of water: and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction, saith the Lord of
hosts. [24] The Lord of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so
shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand: [25] That I
will break the Assyrian in my land, and upon my mountains tread him under foot:
then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their
shoulders. [26] This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth: and
this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations. [27] For the Lord
of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched
out, and who shall turn it back? [28] In the year that king Ahaz died was this
burden.
Eventually the balance of power passed from the Persians to Alexander the Great
of Greece, to whom Babylon willingly submitted in 331 B.C. Alexander planned to
refurbish and expand Babylon and make it his capital but he died before
accomplishing these plans. This is important to remember because the Antichrist,
who will be aided and abetted by the same demon prince that abetted Alexander
the Great, will have Babylon as his headquarters during the first 3 ½ years of
the Great Tribulation period. The city later fell into insignificance but we
know from Bible prophecy that its significance would come back in the latter
days and it has in the largest of ways.
The Rebuilding Of Babylon in The Last Days
The Bible foretells the rebuilding of Babylon in the last days. The purpose of
this rebuilding effort will culminate in this city of rebellion becoming a
source once again of world commerce to the point that, upon her destruction by
God, the nations of the world will weep, lament, wail and mourn. (Rev. 18:10)
Rev. 18:10
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. 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 thymine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner
vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble,
This time is yet future. Iraq’s threat to world peace today paralleled
descriptions of Nebuchadnezzar’s rise to power in 605 B.C. At the heart of this
crisis is Saddam Hussein, president of Iraq. Well-known for his atrocities,
tortures and ruthlessness, he stands to play a very key role in the days ahead
in this current conflict with America and eventually the entire Middle East. The
key to the mystery of this region of the world is summed up in one word –
BABYLON.
From Genesis to Revelation, Babylon occupies a unique position in God’s Word. As
prophetic events unfold, we will see two cities on the stage of the world
becoming more and more important – JERUSALEM and BABYLON. That is what makes the
recent events in Iraq so tremendously important. Sadaam was a ruler who was
determined for years to stamp his name on the pages of history. His goal was
complete dominion of all surrounding nations, and he had spent vast sums of
money to outfit an army capable of holding out his wishes. He held absolute
power, and he did not hesitate to execute those who posed even a remote threat
to his leadership. People were arrested and imprisoned for the simple crime of
not revering his image.
This is similar to how Nebuchadnezzar II ruled the Babylonian empire, which once
stretched from sea to sea. In his day, the lands of what are now Iraq, Saudi
Arabia, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, and Kuwait were all under Babylonian
control. It is a good possibility these regions of the world (including Israel)
will once again come under this control during the first half of the seven-year
Tribulation with the reign of the Antichrist, who as we have stated many times
in this study already, will originally make his headquarters in Babylon. In
August 1990, Saddam Hussein tried to reclaim a portion of that early empire when
he invaded Kuwait. A coalition of nations, led by the United States, pushed back
the Iraqi army, but Hussein remained in control of Iraq. Some 13 years later,
his death made it impossible to complete his hope to reclaim the entire Kingdom
of Nebuchadnezzar. However, the ruler who arises from the ashes of this conflict
could very well seek to claim that region again – this time not through
dictatorship – but democracy, deceit, flattery and diplomacy. If it’s not the
very next leader of Iraq, it could very possibly be a future leader to be sure.
We cannot forget about Iran's influence in the region either. There is a good
chance that no matter who eventually rises from the ashes of Iraq to rule may be
so weak that Iran will overrun the nation and take over Iraq's holiest Islamic
sites. (That is a study all to itself)
After years of Iraqi aggression to the neighbors of the Middle East, mainly
Israel, Iraq is not the threat but the center of a new threat from Iran and all
Islamic terrorism for that matter. Events taking place now in both nations -
Iraq, Iran and even Syria and Lebanon for that matter are setting the stage for
the Antichrist in the not too distant future. The current Israeli-Palestinian
issues over the West Bank and the Gaza Strip have ties to leaders from the
Babylonian Empire which once ruled the world. Babylon will be a great city
again. It is not right now at the level the Apostle John saw it during his
sojourn on Patmos but give it time. The Bible mentions Babylon over 288 times
and many of those references are to the future city of Babylon that is rising
from the fine sands of the desert today. Consider the following biblical
prophecies:
Isaiah 13:1
The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see.
Isaiah 13:6
Howl ye; for the day of the Lord is at hand; it shall come as a destruction
from the Almighty.
Isaiah 13:19
And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees' excellency,
shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.
Isaiah 14:1-4
For the Lord will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set
them in their own land: and the strangers shall be joined with them, and they
shall cleave to the house of Jacob. [2] And the people shall take them, and
bring them to their place: and the house of Israel shall possess them in the
land of the Lord for servants and handmaids: and they shall take them captives,
whose captives they were; and they shall rule over their oppressors. [3] And it
shall come to pass in the day that the Lord shall give thee rest from thy
sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to
serve, That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and
say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased!
Isaiah 14:7
The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into singing.
Babylon has never been suddenly overthrown like Sodom and Gomorrah in their
fiery destruction. It was conquered by the Medes and Persians and fell into
decline, but it was not violently destroyed. Our President has stated over and
over that the destruction of Iraq is not a goal in this conflict. Our issues are
with the regime of the region, not the country itself. Even though there may
very well be destruction to certain areas of the country, it will not be
destroyed as Isaiah states here. It’s clear that these prophecies are yet
FUTURE. The “day of the Lord,” described by Isaiah refers to the tribulation
period that is still to come. Babylon’s destruction, then, will come in the time
of the Great Tribulation – a seven-year period of time just before the physical
second coming of Jesus Christ. When Babylon IS ultimately destroyed, Israel will
finally be at peace and will dwell in safety. Israel has been a nation since
1948, but not for one day has the nation of Israel known real peace or ease. It
has never been able to claim al the lands God promised the Israelites and
Israel’s Arab neighbors have been a constant threat and danger.
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