EB: 3 When is Endtime Babylon destroyed in the sequence of Endtime events?

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Chapter 3 Endtime Babylon’s Destruction in the Sequence of Endtime Events

A) Revelation does not describe Endtime events in a consistently sequential manner

B) Endtime Babylon’s destruction will occur during The Beginning of Birth Pains

C) Endtime Babylon’s destruction will occur before The Greatest Persecution

D) Endtime Babylon’s destruction will occur before the Church’s Rescue

E) Endtime Babylon’s destruction will occur before Christ’s Wrath

F) The meaning of Revelation 16:19

G) Why is Endtime Babylon’s destruction placed awkwardly in Revelation?

Primary points

This chapter will argue that the Church will be present on the Earth when Endtime Babylon exists and is destroyed. If that is the case, then it becomes vitally important for God’s people living in Endtime Babylon to understand its identity and the nature and timing of its destruction.
You cannot read the Book of Revelation sequentially to understand the order of Endtime events. Revelation chapters 17-18 is another “parentheses” that interrupts the flow of Revelation.
It is suggested that Antichrist’s Attack on Endtime Babylon is what is primarily being portrayed in the opening of the 2nd Seal of war.
The destruction of the wealth of Endtime Babylon with nuclear weapons is what will lead to the results of other Seals of Preparation, including famines and unprecedented death.
The attributes of Antichrist’s Reign on Earth make it difficult to believe he will have an economic, military, or political rival at that time.
The descriptions of the woman sitting on top of the Antichrist, as she rides and controls him, portray the fact that Endtime Babylon’s economic, military, and political power will be suppressing the Antichrist’s ability to rise to absolute power over the world at the beginning of the Endtimes. That is why he and the Coalition will hate Endtime Babylon and destroy it.
If God’s people are being commanded to move out from Endtime Babylon before its destruction, then this indicates this will occur before the Church’s Rescue.
The Church will not be present on the Earth during Christ’s Wrath. Therefore, there would be no reason for God to command His elect people to leave Endtime Babylon (Rev 18:4) if its destruction were to occur during this time.
The fact that the world is mourning the loss of Endtime Babylon’s wealth in Revelation 17-18 is very odd, if the much more painful and destructive catastrophes of the Trumpet and Bowl Punishments have happened before this.
In the biblical sequence of Endtime events, the Antichrist will not have the required time to rebuild Babylon in Iraq. Therefore, it will already exist at the beginning of the Endtimes.
The 6th and 7th Bowl Punishments (cf. Rev 16:12-21) are describing the Battle of Armageddon and the end of the world. This cannot be the timing of Endtime Babylon’s destruction as most scholars claim.
God awkwardly inserted chapters 17-18 in the narrative of Revelation to get our attention. But despite God’s efforts, Christians have largely ignored and denied the meaning and significance of Revelation 17-18.

This chapter will be one of the longer and more complex in Endtime Babylon. That’s because the sequence of events in the Book of Revelation is a rather complex topic.

Most Bible scholars believe that Antichrist’s Attack on Endtime Babylon and its complete destruction occurs at the relative end of Christ’s Wrath. This is because it is described nearing the end of Revelation in chapters 17-18. More specifically, it is thought that it occurs during the 7th Bowl Punishment described in the immediately preceding verses of 16:17-21. ^{^[1]}

This is the primary reason that the topic of Endtime Babylon is so neglected in Evangelical theology. It is assumed that the Church will not be there. This chapter will argue that in fact the Church will be present on the Earth when Endtime Babylon exists and is destroyed. If that is the case, then it becomes vitally important for God’s people living in Endtime Babylon to understand its identity and the nature and timing of its destruction.

It will be argued in this chapter that Antichrist’s Attack on Endtime Babylon and its complete destruction will occur during the massive war portrayed with the opening of the 2nd Seal (Rev 6:3-4) during The Beginning of Birth Pains. These arguments will begin by noting the complicated nature of the sequence of events portrayed in Revelation.

A) Revelation does not describe Endtime events in a consistently sequential manner

What virtually all Bible scholars recognize about the Revelation is that the text often changes back and forth from being progressive to being parenthetical. The “parentheses” are inserted in the sequence of events being described and interrupt the flow of the narrative. A parenthetical passage does not unfold the progress of events. Rather, it describes in more detail events that have occurred previously in the sequence of Endtime events.

It is suggested that there are at least two parenthetical passages in the Revelation: chapter 12 and chapters 17-18. Chapter 12 is a good example of a parenthetical passage. The verses just previous to it (11:15-19) have been progressive in nature, revealing the completion of the Trumpet Punishments by describing the 7th Trumpet. At this point, starting with chapter 12, the progress of events is halted, and the remaining verses of this chapter describe the activities of Satan, particularly his activities during The Greatest Persecution.

In the book Christ’s Endtimes Teaching a specific sequence of Endtime events was biblically demonstrated. Based on that biblical sequence, we know that The Greatest Persecution described in Revelation chapter 12 (and 13) will occur before the Trumpet Punishments described in chapters 8-9 and 11. Therefore, chapter 12 is a parenthetical passage that stops the narrative of the sequence of Endtime events in the Revelation, and describes in more detail something earlier in the sequence of those events.

It becomes readily apparent that it is critical to recognize when a passage is progressive or parenthetical if the Revelation is going to be interpreted correctly. Consider the confusion if Revelation 12 were to be interpreted as progressive instead of parenthetical. We would then interpret the text as describing a persecution of God’s people that is taking place after the 7th Trumpet Punishment. As demonstrated in the book, Christ’s Endtimes Teaching, this will not be the case as the Church’s Rescue will occur before Christ’s Wrath.

The point here is that you cannot read the Book of Revelation sequentially to understand the order of Endtime events. Revelation is telling the story of the Endtimes in “cycles.” We have described one such “cycle” that ends with a progressive text in chapter 11 and is followed by a parenthetical passage in chapter 12. Chapter 12 goes back in time to give more details about events that occur before those described in chapter 11.

Revelation chapters 17-18 is another “parentheses” that interrupts the flow of Revelation. Previous chapters describe the Bowl Punishments during Christ’s Wrath (chs. 15-16), ending with preparation for the Battle of Armageddon and the 7th Bowl Punishment that ends Christ’s Wrath (16:17-21). This is followed by a parenthetical passage in chapters 17-18 that go back in time to give more detail about an Endtime event that occurs before the 7th Bowl Punishment. One reason for this is that Revelation 16:18-19 describes the final and complete punishment of the worldwide, city-centered power of the anti-God World Babylon the Great, by causing all the cities of the nations to collapse with a severe earthquake. Therefore, chapters 17-19 describe more about the initial punishment of Endtime Babylon that occurred earlier in the sequence of Endtime events. ^{^[2]}

This interpretation will be supported further in what follows. The suggested “cycles” in Revelation can be shown in the following table.

Table: The Cycles in Revelation

Chs.	Endtime Events in the Revelation
Cycle #1
6 vs. 1-8	Beginning of Birth Pains. Seals 1-4. War, famines, and plagues killing one fourth of Earth’s population. Includes the destruction of Endtime Babylon in Seal 2 and aftermath in Seal 3.
6 vs. 9-11	The Great Persecution Seal 5
6 vs. 12-17	Christ’s Return Seal 6
7 vs. 9, 14	Church’s Rescue before Christ’ Wrath.
8-11	Christ’s Wrath in 7 Trumpet Punishments and partial destruction of Earth.
Cycle #2
12	Abomination of Desolation when Satan indwells antichrist and begins the Great Persecution.
13-14	The Great Persecution
14 vs. 1-13	The Great Persecution
14 vs. 14-16	Church’s Rescue
14 vs. 17-20	Christ’s Wrath ending with Battle of Armageddon
15-16	Christ’s Wrath in 7 Bowl Punishments– final destruction of Earth, ending with Battle of Armageddon which consummates Christ’s Wrath.
Cycle #3
17-18 vs. 17:1-19:4	Beginning of Birth Pains Describing the destruction of Endtime Babylon during the war unleashed in Seal 2 and resulting in the famines, plagues, and death portrayed in Seals 3-4.
19 vs. 11-21	Christ’s Wrath ending with Battle of Armageddon.

Admittedly, demonstrating the cycles and progressive and parenthetical passages in the Revelation is difficult to clearly grasp in a brief section like this. The important point here is that Bible scholars recognize the Revelation does not describe Endtime events in a consistently sequential manner. Therefore, it is not a surprise to claim that even though Revelation chapters 17-18 are near the end of Revelation, they are actually giving details about something that happens relatively early in Endtime events.

B) Endtime Babylon’s destruction will occur during The Beginning of Birth Pains

Before continuing, it will be helpful to review the biblical sequence of Endtime events at its very beginning. A primary purpose of the previous books, Christ’s Endtimes Teaching and The Beginning of Birth Pains, was to demonstrate this sequence of Endtime events. The following table summarizes the conclusions made there. As we are reminded of this sequence of events, the reasons for claiming Antichrist’s Attack on Endtime Babylon occurs during The Beginning of Birth Pains will become more evident.

Table: The First 6 Primary Endtime Events

“Pregnancy” Events
❶	10-nation Endtime Coalition emerging	Will unite with Antichrist to destroy Endtime Babylon (cf. Dan 7:7, 15-25; Rev 17:3, 12-17; Dan 2:41-44)
❷	Antichrist’s Rise	He first emerges as the famous Jewish ruler of a small country in the vicinity of Russia (cf. Dan 7:8, 24; 8:9-11; Ezek 38:1-4; 39:1-6; Rev 16:14; 19:11-21).
The Beginning of Birth Pains
❸	Antichrist’s Resurrection 1st Seal	The first certain sign the Endtimes have begun (cf. Rev 6:1-2; 13:3-8; 17:8; 2 Thess 2:9-11).
❹	Antichrist’s Religious Covenant 1st Seal	A covenant with many to form a world-wide religion for the worship of the Antichrist (Dan 9:27).
❺	Antichrist’s Attack on Endtime Babylon 2nd Seal	The Antichrist & 10-nation Coalition will unite to destroy the economic super-power on Earth with fire in one hour such that no one will ever live there again (cf. Rev 17-18; Jer 50-51; Matt 24:6-7; Rev 6:3-4; Dan 8:24).
❻	Famines, plagues, & earthquakes 3rd – 5th Seals	These will combine to kill the people living on one fourth of the Earth (cf. Rev 6:7-8; Matt 24:6-8).

It is suggested that Antichrist’s Attack on Endtime Babylon is what is primarily being portrayed in the opening of the 2nd Seal of war. It will also be the primary, if not only fulfillment of Christ’s prediction of wars between nations and kingdoms (Matt 24:6-7) during The Beginning of Birth Pains. Accordingly, the massive war occurring to destroy Endtime Babylon fits the description of wars that Jesus said will alarm people during the beginning of birth pains (Matt 24:6, 8 NIV). The war that will occur between the 10-nation Coalition and Babylon the Great described in Revelation 17:16 best fits that description.

As the Antichrist is rising to power, the great political, economic, and even military power of Endtime Babylon will suppress the Antichrist from fully ruling the world and being worshipped. Accordingly, the woman Endtime Babylon is described as sitting on top of the beast Antichrist as she rides him (Rev 17:3, 7), portraying Endtime Babylon’s suppression of his activities and authority. Therefore, Revelation 17:16 predicts he will destroy Endtime Babylon.

The result of this war will be what is referred to as The Remaining World. It will be a world that is devoid of Endtime Babylon’s economic, military, and political influence. It will be this destruction of the current super-power of the world that will be a primary cause of the events of The Beginning of Birth Pains that will follow. These will include increasing famine, devastating plagues, and Antichrist’s continuing rise to power over the Remaining World.

Indeed, Antichrist’s Attack on Endtime Babylon and its complete destruction with fire (Rev 17:16), fits well into the 2nd Seal. There we read:

When the Lamb broke the second seal, I heard the second living being say, “Come!” Then another horse appeared, a red one. Its rider was given a mighty sword and the authority to take peace from the earth. And there was war and slaughter. (Rev 6:3-4 NLT ^{^[3]})

The 1st Seal portrays the Antichrist’s emergence on the Earth probably with his Resurrection and his resulting worship (cf. BBP chs. 11, 13). But the wealth and power of Endtime Babylon will be a significant rival for his worship. Therefore, with the opening of the 2nd Seal of massive war, the Antichrist and 10-nation Coalition will hate the Prostitute [Babylon the Great, v. 5], and these will permanently remove all people from her and strip her naked and they will devour her body and will burn her down with fire… in one hour (Rev 17:16; 18:10). Such an attack certainly reflects the kind of war that is occurring in the 2nd Seal.

The destruction of Endtime Babylon portrayed in the 2nd Seal, will lead to the severe economic hardship described in the 3rd Seal. When Endtime Babylon is attacked, the prophecy states that the merchants of the world will weep and mourn and cry out … “In one hour such great wealth has been brought to ruin!” (Rev 18:15-17 NIV). The destruction of such great wealth in Endtime Babylon in the war of the 2nd Seal is the best explanation for the economic hardship and famine described in the 3rd Seal:

When the Lamb broke the third seal, I heard the third living being say, “Come!” I looked up and saw a black horse, and its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard a voice from among the four living beings say, “A loaf of wheat bread or three loaves of barley will cost a day’s pay. (Rev 6:5-6 NLT)

Such economic scarcity does not reflect the luxurious wealth that Endtime Babylon will possess and share with the rest of the world. Therefore, it seems the destruction of Endtime Babylon and its wealth occurs sometime before the 3rd Seal of Preparation. More specifically, it will occur during the massive war portrayed in the 2nd Seal, during The Beginning of Birth Pains.

The deaths being caused by the destruction of the people and wealth of Endtime Babylon in the 2nd and 3rd Seals will lead to the deaths described in the 4th Seal. Endtime Babylon’s destruction is described as permanently removing all people from her and … burning her down with fire… in one hour (Rev 17:16; 18:10). It will be argued in later chapters that this is predicting nuclear warfare. Because Endtime Babylon will be such a powerful and prosperous place when the Endtimes begin, it will also probably be a very populated place. Its depopulation with nuclear weapons will be a primary reason that with the opening of the 4th Seal a fourth of the earth will be killed by sword, famine and plague (Rev 6:8).

A nuclear attack on Endtime Babylon will immediately kill some by the sword of war. But most people will die from the famine and disease that will result. The population that is killed in one fourth of the earth during The Beginning of Birth Pains will include those killed in Antichrist’s Attack on Endtime Babylon which will permanently remove all people from her and … burn her down with fire… in one hour (Rev 17:16; 18:10).

The destruction of the wealth and people of Endtime Babylon with nuclear weapons is what will lead to the results of other Seals of Preparation, including famines and unprecedented death. Therefore, Endtime Babylon’s destruction will probably occur at the beginning of The Beginning of Birth Pains during the massive war portrayed with the opening of the 2nd Seal.

Additional evidence for this is that Endtime Babylon’s destruction occurs before other Endtime periods and events.

C) Endtime Babylon’s destruction will occur before The Greatest Persecution

Above, we were reminded of the sequence of the first 6 primary Endtime events. Before going further, it is important to be reminded of the broader sequence of Endtime events. This sequence and the Pre-wrath Rescue Position were biblically supported in the book Christ’s Endtimes Teaching. The first part of that biblical sequence can be summarized in the following table:

❶	The Beginning of Birth Pains	False Christ(s), wars, famines, plagues, and earthquakes. (cf. Matt 24:4-8; Luke 21:11; Rev 6:1-8; Dan 8:24-25)
❷	Antichrist’s Claim to be God	The “abomination of desolation” when the Antichrist enters a rebuilt Jewish temple and proclaims himself to be God. (cf. Matt 24:15; 2 Thess 2:4; Rev 13:5-6; Dan 7:24-25; 9:27)
❸	The Greatest Persecution	Antichrist’s wrath against God’s people. (cf. Matt 24:9, 16-21; Rev 6:9-11; 12:7-17; 13:7-10; Dan 7:21, 25; 12:1, 7)

Jesus clearly taught in His Endtimes Sermon that after The Beginning of Birth Pains, the Antichrist will Claim to be God in a rebuilt Jewish temple. This will initiate The Greatest Persecution against the Church and Jews. It will be important to keep this sequence and the labels of events in mind in the following discussion.

It was argued above that Endtime Babylon’s destruction will occur during The Beginning of Birth Pains. More evidence for this is that it will occur before Antichrist’s Claim to be God and The Greatest Persecution. More specifically, the attributes of Antichrist’s Reign on Earth make it difficult to believe he will have an economic, military, or political rival at that time.

Revelation 13 describes the effects of Antichrist’s Claim to be God, which triggers The Greatest Persecution:

The whole world will be asking, “Who is like the beast? Who can wage war against it?” and he will have the power to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them and have authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast. (Rev 13:3-4, 7-8 NIV)

The Greatest Persecution will result in the following regarding the False Prophet:

It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name. (Rev 13:16-17 NIV)

Therefore, it is clear that during The Greatest Persecution, the Antichrist will have complete control over the world’s people, worship, and its wealth. As explained in the previous book, this will be a result of Antichrist’s Resurrection (cf. BBP, ch. 13). Surely this cannot occur without the destruction of the power and wealth of Endtime Babylon occurring sometime before The Greatest Persecution and during The Beginning of Birth Pains.

Before Endtime Babylon’s destruction, it will be a powerful influence over the peoples, multitudes, nations and languages of the world, and all the nations will have drunk the maddening wine of her spiritual adulteries including all the kings of the earth (Rev 17:15; 18:3). This is why the wealthy and powerful people and place of Endtime Babylon must be destroyed before the Antichrist can come to power. Therefore, the description of Endtime Babylon’s destruction in Revelation 17-18 will also occur before Antichrist’s Claim to be God (“abomination of desolation”) and The Greatest Persecution.

There are other clear indications of this in the prophecy of Revelation 17-18 itself. At its very beginning we read:

I saw a woman [Endtime Babylon] sitting on a scarlet beast [Antichrist] (v. 3 NIV)

I will explain to you the mystery of the woman [Endtime Babylon] and of the beast [Antichrist] she rides (v. 7 NIV)

Notice in these descriptions that at this point in the Endtimes the Antichrist is not completely free to reign and be fully worshipped by the world. The woman Endtime Babylon is sitting on top of the Antichrist, and she rides on top of him.

Sitting on (kathēmenēn epi) top of something in this passage means to have influence over it. The great prostitute [Endtime Babylon] who sits by many waters (Rev 17:1) is explained later in the text. Using the same Greek word as v. 3, we read in v. 15: The waters you saw, where the prostitute sits [kathētai], are peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages that are influenced by Endtime Babylon. Therefore, the woman sitting on top of the beast means she is exercising influence over the Antichrist. Accordingly, the Revelation scholar G. K. Beale comments:

That she ‘sits’ both here and in vs. 3, 9, and 15 connotes that she is able to control the multitudes and the beast because of her powerful influence.” ^{^[4]}

More specifically, Endtime Babylon will be suppressing the Antichrist’s ability to rise to absolute power over the world at the beginning of the Endtimes.

This is confirmed in the picture of the woman who rides (bastazontos) the beast. The Greek word here means: “to sustain a burden, carry, bear.” It is rather synonymous with several other Greek words that can mean to simply carry something. Thus some translations have the beast that carries her at Revelation 17:7 (NASB, ESV, NET). This translation is used to support several common errors.^{^[5]}

First, it is wrong to suggest that in the Endtimes the Antichrist will be influencing Endtime Babylon. As noted above, the imagery that Endtime Babylon sits on the peoples (17:15) clearly refers to it influencing them. The same is true of the imagery that Endtime Babylon will be sitting on the beast Antichrist (17:3). Contrary to what several Bible scholars claim, Endtime Babylon will not be gaining its power and influence from the Antichrist. Rather, it will be suppressing the Antichrist.

A second common mistake is to claim that at the beginning of the Endtimes, Endtime Babylon will be serving the Antichrist, and they will have a friendly relationship. But there is absolutely no hint of such a thing in the prophecy. Even at the very beginning of the Endtimes the Antichrist will be burdened, obstructed, and suppressed by Endtime Babylon. This is why, later in the prophecy, we read:

The ten horns [the 10-nation Endtime Coalition] … and the beast [Antichrist] will hate the Prostitute [Endtime Babylon] and these will permanently remove all people from her and … will burn her down with fire. (Rev 17:16)

Therefore, other translations of bastazontos at Revelation 17:7 are somewhat more accurate than carries. The NLT has the beast … on which she sits, correctly reflecting the imagery of sitting on the beast in v. 3. As noted above, the NIV has the woman and of the beast she rides. The NIV is a good translation of the Greek word bastazontos in this context. It can refer to “animals used for riding.” ^{^[6]} The idea of “riding” a beast suggests in some way restraining and controlling it.

Accordingly, at least 10 uses of bastazontos in the NT more specifically mean “of bearing anything burdensome,” or “to bear up under especially trying or oppressive circumstances, bear, endure.” ^{^[7]} For example:

Whoever does not carry [bastazei] their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:27 NIV)

Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear [bastasai]? (Acts 15:10 NIV)

Carry [bastazete] each other’s burdens. (Gal 6:2 NIV)

Therefore, the imagery of the beast … on which she sits [bastazontos] suggests Endtime Babylon will be a great burden and restraining force on the Antichrist from the very beginning of the Endtimes. Accordingly, bastazontos is used elsewhere specifically in Revelation to convey this idea:

I know that you cannot tolerate [bastasai] wicked people (Rev 2:2 NIV).

You have persevered and have endured hardships [ebastasas] for my name (Rev 2:3 NIV)

Therefore, contrary to many Bible scholars, both the meaning of the Greek in Revelation 17:7, and the context of the passage as whole, clearly describe Endtime Babylon’s economic, military, and political power suppressing the Antichrist and 10-nation Coalition from gaining power over the world. That is why they hate Endtime Babylon and destroy it. ^{^[8]}

Accordingly, NT scholar Thomas Edgar concludes after a lengthy discussion on the matter:

The beast and the ten kings with him … will hate … the harlot [Endtime Babylon] that keeps them from complete freedom to carry out their own plans… The beast and his confederates chafe under the restricting influence and control of this economic entity and eventually throw off her dominion by military force. ^{^[9]}

Likewise, Andersen notes:

This necessitates understanding Babylon the Great as an entity outside of the antichrist’s dominion, an entity which at the beginning of the [Endtimes] wields greater power and influence than the antichrist’s realm, and which has been the world’s greatest superpower throughout the era of history leading up to the [Endtimes]… The destruction of this entity is therefore necessary to facilitate the antichrist’s rise to power. ^{^[10]}

This is why, later in the prophecy, we read:

The ten horns that you saw and the beast will hate the Prostitute and these will permanently remove all people from her and strip her naked and they will devour her body and will burn her down with fire. (Rev 17:16)

Again, Antichrist’s description during The Greatest Persecution reflects a time when he has become its unrivaled worldwide Dictator. That cannot happen while the wealthy and powerful people and place of Endtime Babylon exists. When the Antichrist is exercising its authority for forty-two months during The Greatest Persecution, and given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation, including forcing all people … to receive his mark … so that they can buy or sell (Rev 13:5, 7, 16-17 NIV), it is obvious that the wealth and power of Endtime Babylon has already been destroyed.

Sometime before Antichrist’s Reign (described in Revelation 13), Endtime Babylon will be destroyed (as described in Revelation 17). Again, this illustrates that Revelation does not describe Endtime events in a consistently sequential manner.

These facts fit well with interpreting Endtime Babylon as America. It is impossible to imagine a world where the Antichrist is its dictator while the military power of America exists. Likewise, Scripture is clear that the Antichrist will control all commerce on the Earth. All of this will be much easier with the destruction of America.

D) Endtime Babylon’s destruction will occur before the Church’s Rescue

Before continuing let us be reminded of the sequence of Endtime events after the completion of The Greatest Persecution. Again, this sequence is clearly reflected in Christ’s Endtimes Sermon (cf. Matt 24:29-31) as explained in the book, Christ’s Endtimes Teaching (CET).

❶	Christ’s Return	His visible, glorious appearing. (cf. Matt 24:30; Rev 6:14-16; 2 Thess 1:6-7; Dan 7:13-14; Tit 2:13)
❷	The Church’s Rescue	Lifting up both living and dead Christians (cf. Matt 24:31; 1 Thess 4:13-18; 2 Thess 2:1; Rev 7:9-14; Dan 12:2).
❸	Christ’s Wrath	God’s wrath against His enemies on Earth. (cf. Matt 24:37-41; Rev 6:17; 1 Thess 1:6-7)

If Endtime Babylon’s destruction occurs before Antichrist’s Reign and The Greatest Persecution as demonstrated above, then according to Christ’s Endtimes Teaching, Endtime Babylon’s destruction will also occur before Christ’s Return and the Church’s Rescue. Therefore, the Church will be on the Earth at the time of Endtime Babylon’s destruction.

The prophecy in Revelation 18 reflects this very thing. In verse 4 we read:

Then I heard another voice from Heaven say: “Move out from Babylon the Great My people; so that you will not be connected to her sins and so that you will not experience her being struck hard with a sudden and severe disaster. (Rev 18:4 ^{^[11]})

My people (laoi) refers specifically to Christians in the Last Generation Church living in Endtime Babylon. Babylon in the Revelation is not a reference to Jerusalem or the people of Israel (cf. ch. 7, sec. B). The same phrase is used a little later in Revelation to certainly refer to the Church. There we read:

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people [laoi], and God himself will be with them and be their God. (Rev 21:3 NIV)

God’s people in both Revelation 18:4 and 21:3 include the Church. They are God’s elect people (eklektous; Matt 24:22, 24, 31) and the saints (Dan 7:25-27; Rev 13:7, 10) that will experience Endtime events (cf. CET chs. 4, 6-7).

Therefore, the Church’s Rescue has not occurred before the destruction of Endtime Babylon. Again, this is confirmed by the biblical sequence of Endtime events demonstrated in a previous book, Christ’s Endtimes Teaching (CET).

E) Endtime Babylon’s destruction will occur before Christ’s Wrath

As noted, the most common understanding of when Endtime Babylon is destroyed is to place it during Christ’s Wrath and the 7th Bowl Punishment (cf. Rev 16:19). But the Bible clearly teaches that the Church will not be present on the Earth during Christ’s Wrath (cf. 1 Thess 5:3; CET ch. 14). Therefore, there would be no reason for God to command His elect people to leave Endtime Babylon if its destruction were to occur during Christ’s Wrath. If the Church is still on the Earth in Revelation 18:4 and living in Endtime Babylon, then it is obvious its destruction will occur before the Bowl Punishments and Christ’s Endtime Wrath.

Still, most suggest that Endtime Babylon’s destruction is occurring during Christ’s Wrath and “the day of the Lord.” Indeed, Isaiah gives a prophecy against Babylon (13:1) and its destruction, but puts it in the context of when the day of the LORD is near and still to come like destruction from the Almighty (v. 6 NIV; cf. v. 9). This fits the chronology argued in this section that Endtime Babylon’s destruction occurs before “the day of the Lord” and Christ’s Wrath.

The description of Christ’s Wrath and the Trumpet and Bowl Punishments in Revelation also reflect Endtime Babylon’s destruction occurring before these events. For example, in Revelation chapter 8 we read that in the 2nd Trumpet Punishment:

Then the second angel blew his trumpet, and a great mountain of fire was thrown into the sea. One-third of the water in the sea became blood, one-third of all things living in the sea died, and one-third of all the ships on the sea were destroyed. (Rev 8:8-9 NLT)

This will be a monumental catastrophe for those owning commercial shipping in the Endtimes. But notice that Revelation 18 portrays a time when Every sea captain, and all who travel by ship, the sailors, and all who earn their living from the sea will be weeping and mourning because the great city Babylon, through which all who had ships on the sea became rich through her wealth, has been destroyed. If the world’s sea captains have a third of their ships destroyed at the very beginning of Christ’s Wrath in the Second Trumpet Punishment, will they be mourning about the loss of trade sometime later when Endtime Babylon is destroyed? Probably not. This indicates that the much greater catastrophe of the destruction of one-third of all the ships on the sea will occur before the destruction of the commerce of Endtime Babylon.

Likewise, Revelation 9 describes demonic locusts that will sting and torture everyone on Earth so painfully for five months, that people will seek suicide, but not be allowed to die (Rev 9:3-6 NIV). It also describes the unleashing of 200 million (NLT) riders on demonic horses whose mouths will belch fire, smoke, and sulfur so that a third of mankind will be killed (Rev 9:16-18 NIV).

Now think about it. Revelation 18 portrays a time when the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over the destruction of Endtime Babylon because no one buys their cargoes anymore (Rev18:11 NIV). Do you really think such merchants will be concerned about the decreased sales of their goods after the events of Revelation 9 occur? Probably not. Therefore, it would seem the events in Revelation 17-18 will occur before the events of Christ’s Wrath described in Revelation 9.

This is why in the midst of describing Christ’s Wrath, we read in Revelation 14: “Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great, which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries” (v. 8, NIV). Fallen (epesen) is in the aorist tense, “which is typically used to indicate past action indicating something that has already happened.” ^{^[12]} Accordingly, Thomas translates the Greek as “Babylon the great has fallen, has fallen.” ^{^[13]} Likewise, Morris notes: “The position of the verb and its repetition put emphasis on fallen, the aorist marks completed action.” ^{^[14]} Accordingly, Walvoord concludes at Revelation 14:8:

There is some evidence that the woman called “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes” (17:5) … is actually destroyed at the beginning of the great tribulation in preparation for the worship of the beast.” ^{^[15]}

All of this indicates that in the sequence of Endtime events reflected in Revelation chapter 14, Endtime Babylon’s destruction has already occurred. Therefore, the fall of Endtime Babylon is described as occurring before the final judgments of God in Revelation 15-16. Even so, more details about its destruction are given in chapters 17-18. ^{^[16]}

Revelation chapter 16 describes the 2nd Bowl Punishment when all the oceans of the Earth will be turned into blood and every living thing in the sea will die (16:3 NIV). However, again, Revelation 18 portrays a time when every sea captain will be weeping and mourning because the great city Babylon has been destroyed and its commerce has been lost. It needs to be asked, would ocean commerce even happen after all the oceans are turned into blood? No. So again, it would seem the events in Revelation 17-18 will occur before those described in Revelation 16.

Along these lines, Andersen writes:

The shock and grief expressed by the kings, merchants, and sailors of the earth at the destruction of Babylon the Great indicates that its destruction is the first great catastrophe of the tribulation period. By the time of the midpoint of the tribulation, after the seal judgments and the first six of the great trumpet judgments, the world will be conditioned to catastrophic happenings, and there would be some expectation that another big disaster might be about to happen.

If the world economy had already suffered a great famine (Matt 24:7; Rev 6:5-8), the sinking of a third of the ships in the sea (Rev 8:8-9), and the death of half the world’s population, mainly by war (Rev 6:3-4; 9:13-21; cf. Ezek 38–39; Dan 11:39-43; Matt 24:6-7), the kings and merchants would be saying, “Not another catastrophe!” or “We can’t take any more of this!” Instead, they react as if Babylon the Great’s fall is the first great calamity that has impacted them. ^{^[17]}

The fact that the world is mourning the loss of Endtime Babylon’s wealth in Revelation 17-18 is very odd if the much more painful and destructive catastrophes of the Trumpet and Bowl Punishments have happened before this. This is clear evidence that Endtime Babylon’s destruction occurs before Christ’s Wrath.

The above sections help us to rule out a popular interpretation of Endtime Babylon. Especially Pre-tribulationists claim that during the Endtimes the Antichrist will rebuild the ancient ruins of the city of Babylon in Iraq and make it the economic, cultural, military, and political capital of the world. That of course would require a considerable amount of time. When would the Antichrist do this?

In the biblical sequence of Endtime events described above, he would not have the required time to rebuild Babylon in Iraq. Endtime Babylon’s destruction will occur even early in The Beginning of Birth Pains. Therefore, it will already exist at the beginning of the Endtimes.

Accordingly, the wars, economic hardship, famines, and plagues of The Beginning of Birth Pains would make it difficult for the Antichrist to build the economic, military, and political power of Endtime Babylon during that time. Accomplishing this while Christ’s Wrath is punishing the Antichrist’s followers and kingdom on Earth would seem impossible.

The best interpretation by far is that Endtime Babylon exists when the Endtimes begin, and is destroyed relatively early in Endtime events.

F) The meaning of Revelation 16:19

Most scholars place the destruction of Endtime Babylon as occurring during the 7th Bowl Punishment, part of which is described as follows:

The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and out of the temple came a loud voice from the throne, saying, “It is done!” Then there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and a severe earthquake. No earthquake like it has ever occurred since mankind has been on earth, so tremendous was the quake.

The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. God remembered Babylon the Great and gave her the cup filled with the wine of the fury of his wrath. (NIV)

With the mention of Babylon the Great here, it is understandable that most Bible scholars place the timing of its destruction here. Accordingly, it is claimed that its destruction that occurs during the 7th Bowl (cf. Rev 16:17-21) is further described immediately in Revelation 17:1-19:5. For example, Thomas writes at Revelation 16:19:

The headquarters city of the beast, Babylon the great, will come under siege [by the Antichrist and Coalition at this time]… The monstrous earthquake was only preliminary. Babylon’s drinking of God’s wrath is yet to come [as described in Rev 17:1-19:5]. ^{^[18]}

Thomas and other scholars ^{^[19]} are claiming that the following event is occurring during the 7th Bowl in Revelation 16:19:

The ten horns [Coalition] … and the beast [Antichrist] will hate the Prostitute [Endtime Babylon] and these will permanently remove all people from her … and will burn her down with fire (cf. 17:16).

Is this occurring during the 7th Bowl Punishment as most scholars claim? Several points demonstrate this to be wrong. And this author could find no commentator who even recognized, let alone resolved, the following difficulties. The first reason Endtime Babylon’s destruction cannot occur during the 7th Bowl is the timing of the Battle of Armageddon in the 6th Bowl. The second reason is that the end of the world is occurring in the 7th Bowl.

First, the opening of the 6th Bowl Punishment (16:12-16) describes the beast Antichrist going out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle at Armageddon (16:14-16). The kings will include the ten kings (Rev 17:16) in the 10-nation Endtime Coalition (cf. Rev 17:14). The Antichrist and the Coalition are rather immediately destroyed in Christ’s 2nd Appearance described in Revelation 19:11-21. As MacArthur rightly points out:

Chapters 17 and 18 are inserted into the chronological flow of Revelation, which continues in chapter 19. The pouring out of the 7th Bowl (16:17) is actually followed immediately in time by the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to end the great world battle (19:11). ^{^[20]}

Therefore, the following impossible scenarios are being claimed:

1) The Antichrist and 10-nation Coalition gathering the kings of the whole world … for the battle at Armageddon in Israel; will be occurring essentially at the same time as when The ten horns [Coalition] … and the beast [Antichrist] will hate the Prostitute [Endtime Babylon] and these will permanently remove all people from her … and will burn her down with fire (cf. 17:16).

2) Or, the Antichrist and 10-nation Coalition destroy Endtime Babylon after being defeated at the Battle of Armageddon.

These are the only reasonable options if Endtime Babylon’s destruction is occurring in the 7th Bowl Punishment (16:19). This is one more reason to deny this event occurs at the end of Christ’s Wrath.

Second, Revelation 16:17-20 describes essentially the end of the events portrayed in Revelation, and the end of the world. When the seventh angel poured out his bowl of punishment, then out of the temple came a loud voice from the throne, saying, “It is done!” (v. 17 NIV), referring to Christ’s Wrath.

Then there came … a severe earthquake (v. 18). Then Every island fled away, and the mountains could not be found (v. 20 NIV). This reflects the allusion to the end of the world described elsewhere in Revelation where we read: I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake… The heavens receded like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. (Rev 6:12, 14 NIV).

This is describing the end of this world as we know it. Therefore, if Revelation 16:17-20 describes the end of the world, then the events described in Revelation chapters 17-18 occur before this.

Accordingly, even after the destruction of Endtime Babylon, the prophecy indicates that the governments and commerce of the world still exists in the kings of the earth (Rev 18:9), and the ship captains and merchants (vs. 11, 15, 17). That will not be the case after all the cities of the nations collapse (16:19). Therefore, the common claim that Endtime Babylon’s destruction occurs in the 7th Bowl Punishment (cf. Rev 16:19) is false.

So what is happening in Revelation 16:19? God is completing His wrath against the worldwide manifestation of Babylon the Great by destroying all the cities of the nations.

This is what prompts God to reveal next in Revelation 17-18 how He began His destruction of Endtime Babylon. There it is burned down with fire by the ten horns … and the beast (17:16) during The Beginning of Birth Pains such that no one ever lives there again (cf. vs. 21-23). But here at Revelation 16:18-19, at the end of Christ’s Wrath, we read that God will remember Babylon the Great and punish it again with the cup filled with the wine of the fury of his wrath. Therefore, it will certainly be among the cities of the nations that collapse from a severe earthquake (Rev 16:18).

And this will not even exhaust God’s punishment of Endtime Babylon. In an unfulfilled prediction of its destruction in Jeremiah, Scripture says: The sea will rise over Babylon; its roaring waves will cover her (Jer 51:42 NIV). This is a remarkable prophecy that Endtime Babylon will be completely flooded by water. ^{^[21]} This prediction seems to be repeated in Revelation where we read:

Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a huge millstone. He threw it into the ocean and shouted, “Just like this, the great city Babylon will be thrown down with violence and will never be found again. (Rev 18:21)

These prophecies were never fulfilled in ancient Babylon. For one reason, it was located over 300 miles from any ocean.

Nor will this flooding of Endtime Babylon be the end of its punishment. The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever (Rev 19:3). Evidently, even after the flooding of Endtime Babylon to extinguish the fires resulting from Antichrist’s Attack, God will again ignite a fire there for eternity.

The multiple punishments predicted for Endtime Babylon are reflected in God’s pronouncement in Revelation 18:6: “Double her penalty for all her evil deeds” (NLT). The double or multiple punishments for Endtime Babylon may also be reflected in the thrice repeated statement in Scripture, Babylon has fallen, has fallen! (Isa 21:9; Rev 14:8; 18:2).

But the punishment of Endtime Babylon will not occur in only multiple catastrophes for the nation and city it will be centered in. As described further in the next chapter (4), Endtime Babylon represents the anti-God World that manifests itself in cities all over the Earth. Therefore, the punishment described in Revelation 16:18-19 as a severe earthquake is not only focused on the nation/city where Endtime Babylon is headquartered. Rather, by causing all the cities of the nations to collapse, the entire anti-God World symbolized by Babylon the Great is finally and completely destroyed.

The anti-God culture and city that Nimrod began in Babylon (Gen 10:9-10), will be finally and completely punished at the end of Christ’s Wrath. Again, the spiritual roots of Babylon through Nimrod will be discussed in the next chapter (4, sec. B). ^{^[22]}

We should not be surprised by a process of destruction for Endtime Babylon in Revelation. ^{^[23]} The Seals and Trumpet and Bowl Punishments describe a similar progression of destruction of the Earth and its people. God’s eventual goal is to completely punish and destroy the anti-God World. But he will begin by punishing and destroying its primary capital and source in Endtime Babylon. ^{^[24]}

Based on the above, a table can be offered again to reflect the biblical sequence of Endtime events including Antichrist’s Attack on Endtime Babylon.

Table: The First 6 Primary Endtime Events

“Pregnancy” Events
❶	10-nation Endtime Coalition emerging	Will unite with Antichrist to destroy Endtime Babylon (cf. Dan 7:7, 15-25; Rev 17:3, 12-17; Dan 2:41-44)
❷	Antichrist’s Rise	He first emerges as the famous Jewish ruler of a small country in the vicinity of Russia (cf. Dan 7:8, 24; 8:9-11; Ezek 38:1-4; 39:1-6; Rev 16:14; 19:11-21).
The Beginning of Birth Pains
❸	Antichrist’s Resurrection 1st Seal	The first certain sign the Endtimes have begun (cf. Rev 6:1-2; 13:3-8; 17:8; 2 Thess 2:9-11).
❹	Antichrist’s Religious Covenant 1st Seal	A covenant with many to form a world-wide religion for the worship of the Antichrist (Dan 9:27).
❺	Antichrist’s Attack on Endtime Babylon 2nd Seal	The Antichrist & 10-nation Coalition will unite to annihilate the economic super-power on Earth by consuming it with fire in one hour such that no one will ever live there again (cf. Rev 17-18; Jer 50-51; Matt 24:6-7; Rev 6:3-4; Dan 8:24).
❻	Famines, plagues, & earthquakes 3rd – 5th Seals	These will combine to kill the people living on one fourth of the Earth (cf. Rev 6:7-8; Matt 24:6-8).

Therefore, you can begin to understand what kind of events the Church in America needs to be watching for in order to know when it is time to obey Revelation 18:4 and physically leave Endtime Babylon. This will be discussed further in chapter 18.

G) Why is Endtime Babylon’s destruction placed awkwardly in Revelation?

Now we can ask why God placed this huge “parentheses” of Revelation 17-18 in the narrative flow of Revelation. It would have made a lot of sense to simply follow Revelation 16 describing the gathering of kings at Armageddon (v. 16), with the description of Christ defeating those kings at Armageddon in Revelation 19 (vs. 11-21). Why insert chapters 17-18 that describe events occurring at the beginning of Endtime events?

Because God wanted to get our attention and reveal the importance of this prophecy. It describes one of the most important events in the history of humanity. It will be argued that it predicts that the greatest Christian nation to ever exist will become the greatest spiritual Prostitute to ever exist. Its moral decline and promotion of idolatrous worship will lead to its horrific punishment.

Therefore, it seems God especially intended to get the attention of American Christians. But despite God’s effort to do so, Christian scholars, Pastors, and people living in America have largely ignored and denied the meaning and significance of the biblical prophecy in Revelation 17-18. The following chapters are intended to correct that great, arrogant, and potentially very dangerous error.

For the view that Endtime Babylon’s destruction occurs at the end of Christ’s Wrath see Thomas, 276; Osborne, 669; Walvoord, 258-59; Ladd, 217. ↑
MacArthur recognizes the “parenthetical” nature of Rev 17-18 when he writes:

Chapters 17 and 18 are inserted into the chronological flow of Revelation, which continues in chapter 19. The pouring out of the seventh bowl (16:17) is actually followed immediately in time by the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to end the great world battle (19:11). Chapters 17 and 18 digress to look not at God’s specific judgments, but at what is being judged. Those two chapters go back to describe the world system led by Satan, Antichrist, and the false prophet, before recording its destruction. John had already heard harbingers of Babylon’s destruction (14:8; 16:19); now the details of that destruction will be given in these remarkable visions. (MNTC, Rev, 157)

MacArthur probably places the Antichrist’s Attack on Endtime Babylon in the 7^th Bowl Punishment as most Pre-tribulationists do (cf. endnote #? below). However, there does not seem to be a clear statement on this in his commentary. Regarding Rev 14:8 (Babylon is fallen, fallen), he writes: “Babylon’s yet future fall is so certain that it can be spoken of as though it has already taken place” (89). Accordingly, it seems MacArthur would place Antichrist’s Attack on Endtime Babylon near the end of Christ’s Wrath. ↑
The NLT adds everywhere in Rev 6:4 which is not in the Greek text. ↑
Beale, 848.

↑
Unfortunately, commentaries on Revelation in general say nothing, or very little about the use of bastazontos in Rev 17:7 to depict Endtime Babylon’s relationship with the Antichrist. As explained here, both the Greek words used and the imagery in these descriptions reflect the fact that Endtime Babylon will be a power that restricts the Antichrist from rising to full power in the world.

But as noted, many Bible scholars want to claim the imagery depicts that the Antichrist will be supporting and united with Endtime Babylon, instead of hating it because it restricts him. For example, Wiersbe expresses the common view, especially in Pre-tribulationism:

It is important to note that “the beast” carries “the harlot.” Satan (and the Antichrist) will use the apostate religious system to accomplish his own ends (i.e., attain world power) (Rev 17)

On the contrary, the influence being portrayed by the “harlot” sitting on top of and riding the “beast” (17:3, 7) is in a downward direction from the “harlot” to the “beast,” not the other way around. Therefore, contrary to Wiersbe, there is no hint in the text that the “harlot” will be serving or helping the Antichrist gain power in the world, which is why he will hate and destroy her (cf. Rev 17:16).

Likewise, Thomas writes at Rev 17:7:

The verb [bastazontos] that here portrays the beast’s relationship to the woman indicates that he supplies her motive force and purpose” (1329).

This would imply two things that seem false. First, such an interpretation would suggest the Antichrist will be influencing Endtime Babylon. But this is not the meaning of Endtime Babylon sitting on top of and riding the Antichrist (17:3, 7). Thomas admits later that the description that Endtime Babylon sits on peoples, multitudes, nations and languages (17:15), means: “She controls the lifestyle of the mixed populations of the world through their voluntary submission to her” (1346, underlining added). Indeed, the world’s “submission” to Endtime Babylon will be “voluntary,” but not Antichrist’s.

Again, contrary to Thomas and many others, when Endtime Babylon is portrayed as sitting on the beast (17:1) or sitting on peoples (v. 15), it means it is influencing them, not the other way around.

Secondly, Thomas’ interpretation implies a congenial relationship between the woman and the beast which is nowhere in the text. He writes:

False religion [Endtime Babylon] has used its hold on the beast to gain a greatness all her own, but suddenly the charm disappears and the attraction for the harlot turns to hatred toward her” (1347).

First, Thomas seems to be saying something different here than earlier. Earlier he wrote: “the beast’s relationship to the woman indicates that he supplies her motive force and purpose” (1329). That would imply that the Antichrist is the one who has a “hold” on and is influencing Endtime Babylon. But here (1347) Thomas writes of the “hold” that Endtime Babylon had “on the beast.” This language would seem to support the claim in this section of EB that Endtime Babylon will be restricting, not supporting the Antichrist.

Secondly, Thomas is wrong to claim that Endtime Babylon will “gain [its] greatness” from the Antichrist. Interestingly, this is the opposite of what another Pre-tribulationist (Wiersbe) claimed above. Wiersbe claimed the Antichrist will gain his influence from Endtime Babylon. Here, Thomas claims that Endtime Babylon will “gain [its] greatness” from the Antichrist. Which is it? Neither contradictory claim is true. Again, there is no indication of either of them in the text. On the contrary, Endtime Babylon will gain its power because of the mutually powerful forces of Satan’s anti-God World and humanity’s sinful nature. For more on this see chapter 13, sec. B.

Finally, Thomas is wrong to suggest there will ever be any “charm” between Endtime Babylon and the Antichrist. The imagery does not portray some sort of united, synergistic, and friendly relationship between the woman and the beast. Admittedly, they are both evil and servants of Satan. But there is never love between any servants of Satan. Eventually, Satan himself will want the idolatrous wealth and worldly power of Endtime Babylon to be destroyed so that his ultimate servant the Antichrist will alone be worshipped, and therefore making the world’s worship of Satan even more direct (cf. Rev 13:4). There will never be any “charm” between Endtime Babylon and the Antichrist but from the very beginning the Antichrist will hate the prostitute (Rev 17:16).

Beale is equally wrong to claim cooperation between the Antichrist and Endtime Babylon when he writes:

That she rides the beast connotes her alliance with the state [Antichrist’s Beast Empire]. The woman must represent that part of the ungodly world that works together with the state [Antichrist’s Beast Empire], such as the social, cultural, economic, and religious aspects of the world. (853) ↑
Riding an animal is the meaning of bastazontos given in BDAG at Rev 17:7 (2.a.). ↑
BDAG #2.B.

↑
As argued in this section, Rev 17 predicts that Endtime Babylon will be a power that hinders the Antichrist from being fully worshipped and depended on in the world. Therefore, the Antichrist will hate the Prostitute (v. 16). However, it is admitted that their relationship may have some complexities. This is one reason it is called a mystery (v. 7).

Of course, both Endtime Babylon and the Antichrist are used and influenced by Satan. It can be asked, why would two servants of Satan fight one another? Do we really need to ask that? Satan’s servant Antichrist will destroy Satan’s servant Money so that Satan’s worship from humanity is even more direct and powerful in the incarnated Antichrist (cf. Rev 13:4). We would expect this from a kingdom that is divided and the exact opposite of the holy unity in the Trinity and the Kingdom of God. If the very essence of the Trinity is love and unity, then the very essence of any entities bound to Satan will be hatred and division.

Others might object that Jesus denied Satan’s kingdom was so divided. When the teachers of the law accused Him of casting out demons by the power of the Devil, Jesus responded:

How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand… And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come. (Mark 3:22-26 NIV)

Perhaps Jesus was implying that in His day Satan’s kingdom was not divided. But Satan’s kingdom surely will not stand, partly because it is divided, just as Jesus said. The time will come when Satan opposes himself and is divided and his end has come. This is a good description, even prediction, of the Antichrist destroying the spiritual Prostitute of Endtime Babylon at the end of Satan’s short end time on Earth (Rev 12:12).

This is another great contrast between Christ and Satan. Christ loves His Church and bride and has died for it. Satan’s bride could be considered the anti-God World and the idolatrous worship it produces. But in the end, Satan will hate his bride, and destroy it, so that his worship will be more direct.

There is additional evidence of Satan’s division in the Endtimes. The locusts with power like scorpions will torture worshippers of the Antichrist in the 5th Trumpet Punishment. They come out of the Abyss (Rev 9:2-3 NIV). This indicates they are of demonic origin. Therefore, demons (Satan’s servants) are torturing Satan’s followers. This is exactly the kind of division and hatred we would expect in his kingdom. As Thomas notes: “In the end, Satan’s kingdom will divide against itself, signaling that its demise is near (cf. Mark 3:23-26).” (1347). ↑
Thomas R. Edgar, “Babylon: Ecclesiastical, Political, or What?,” Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 25, no. 3 (1982): 340-41, underlining added. ↑
Andersen, 19, cf. 11. ↑
For an explanation of the suggested translation of Rev 18:4-5 see EB ch. 16, sec. A. ↑
Andersen, 11, underlining added. ↑
Thomas, 1184. ↑
Morris, 174. ↑
Walvoord, 224. ↑
However, most scholars translate the aorist epesen (fallen) in Rev 14:8 as a “proleptic use of the aorist tense” (Thomas, 1185). MacArthur explains the result of this when he writes: “Babylon’s yet future fall is so certain that it can be spoken of as though it has already taken place” (89; cf. Beale, 754; Osborne, 537). It should be admitted that this is possible, as there are many instances in Revelation where something is described in the past tense, even though it will occur in the future. However, Andersen responds to the above as follows:

The two verbs epesen epesen (fallen, fallen) are in the aorist tense, which is typically used to indicate past action indicating something that has already happened. Within the narrative context of the book of Revelation, this proclamation is issued at the midpoint of the tribulation period.

Even if one does not accept that the book of Revelation is organized chronologically, it should be noted that the sequence of angelic announcements in Revelation 14:6-11 is very specific. The angel who warns against receiving the mark of the beast is said to have “followed” the angel who proclaimed the fall of Babylon the Great in the past (Rev 14:9). The mark of the beast is implemented after the midpoint of the tribulation period, which marks the time of these angelic announcements as the midpoint. Thus, Revelation 14:8 is a clear statement of the fall of Babylon the Great before the midpoint of the tribulation period…

The majority of premillennial commentators hold that epesen (“fallen”) is a proleptic aorist (like a past tense verb used for a future event), and that Revelation 14:8 is a preview of Babylon the Great’s fall, which does not actually occur until the end of the tribulation period. [But] epesen as signifying a past action is required to make sense of the narrative.

The angel is calling everyone on earth to repent and believe the gospel immediately, before the mark of the beast is imposed on the world and unbelievers are hardened by a deluding influence which keeps them from repenting (cf. 2 Thess 2:9-12). In order to induce men to repent, the angel points to the sudden [and past] destruction of the seemingly impregnable Babylon the Great as both a demonstration of God’s judgment of the world in the recent past, and as a demonstration that God will destroy the rest of world in the near future.

Since all the nations have drunk of the wrath-bringing wine of Babylon the Great’s sexual immorality, it is inevitable that the judgment which fell upon Babylon the Great will fall upon them as well. However, it would make no sense to set forth Babylon the Great as an object lesson of God’s judgment were it still in existence—the angel’s message would be dismissed as a hollow threat, and men would have no fear of a coming judgment. In summary, Revelation 14:8 is a direct statement that Babylon the Great has fallen [in the past in relation to the narrative]. (Andersen, 11-12) ↑
Andersen, 14. The reader will find several references and quotes from Steven Andersen’s paper, “Excursus: The Identification of Babylon the Great with the United States of America.” It was originally accessed as a 59 page paper that seems to be no longer available. An abbreviated version can be found on Dr. Andersen’s blog at https://truthonlybible.com/tag/usa-in-prophecy/.

The bulk of this book, Endtime Babylon, was written a considerable time before finding Dr. Andersen’s article. There is much in this book and the Endtimes Essentials series that would disagree with Dr. Andersen, including his belief in Pre-tribulationism. However, the article contained several valuable insights, and several points of confirmation with the conclusions of Endtime Babylon, and the author wishes to convey his gratitude to Dr. Andersen for this. ↑
Thomas, 1300. ↑
Likewise, most Revelation scholars place the timing of Antichrist’s Attack on Endtime Babylon at the time of the 7th Bowl Punishment described in Rev 16:17-21. Accordingly, Mounce writes regarding Rev 17-18 writes: “Both chapters spell out in detail what is involved in the final bowl judgment” (305). Likewise, Osborne writes:

The judgement of 17:1-19:4 is seen as an extension of the bowl judgments, probably intended as an elaboration of the last two bowls that led to the destruction of Babylon the Great (esp. 16:19) (607). ↑
MacArthur, MNTC, Rev, 157. ↑
For more on the prediction that Endtime Babylon will be completely flooded by water see EB ch. 9, sec. D. ↑
There is some debate as to whether the great city that will split into three parts (Rev 16:19) is Jerusalem or Babylon the Great. MacArthur seems correct to conclude:

The great city cannot be Babylon, as some think, because it is distinguished from “Babylon the great” mentioned later in verse 19. A comparison with 11:8 clearly identifies the great city as Jerusalem, “the great city … where also [the] Lord was crucified.” That the great city is distinct from the cities of the nations offers further evidence that Jerusalem is in view. (Rev, 152. Cf. Thomas, 1298-1299) ↑
Accordingly, Thomas writes, “Stages in Babylon’s downfall come in 17:16 and 18:8 (Beckwith), but her ultimate collapse is in 19:18-21” (1300). ↑
Andersen’s commentary on Rev 16:18-19 is worth reading (16-17). He supports the view in this section that this is describing a different punishment of Endtime Babylon than Rev 17-18 and also explains how the punishment of the cities of the nations applies to Endtime Babylon. However, he unnecessarily denies that the severe earthquake could also affect Endtime Babylon, and he seems to ignore the predictions of multiple punishments for Endtime Babylon. ↑

Chapter 3

Endtime Babylon’s Destruction in the Sequence of Endtime Events

Contents

Primary points