The book of Revelation gives more attention to an entity called “Babylon the Great” than to any other single subject, with more than two chapters (17:1–19:4) dedicated to a discussion of this entity. As it is presented in that section, Babylon the Great is clearly the most significant player in the world of the end times. As such, its identification ought to be obvious to anyone living in the end times. However, at present pretribulational dispensationalists are badly divided as to the interpretation of these chapters, and commentators who do not follow a strictly futuristic view of Revelation 4–22 add even more interpretations to the mix. The lack of consensus on the identification of a prophetic entity that ought to be plainly evident indicates that none of the prevailing views does justice to the text of the book of Revelation, resulting in a state of confusion.
This article will argue that Babylon the Great is the United States of America, and that this identification is definitive and excludes all other possibilities. What follows below is a summary of a much longer and more detailed argument regarding the identity of Babylon the Great, available for free download here. This article is part of a commentary I am writing on the book of Revelation. Support for this work is appreciated; visit my Buy me a coffee page to make a donation.
The Unity of Revelation 17 and 18
Traditionally, most (not all) pretribulationist interpreters have differentiated the Babylon the Great of Revelation 17 from the Babylon the Great in Revelation 18, arguing that Revelation 17 speaks of an apostate church symbolically as a prostitute, and that Revelation 18 describes a literal city. However, an analysis of Revelation 17–18 shows that both chapters refer to the same entity, and that this is a political entity, not an apostate church.
First, Revelation 17:18 directly states that the prostitute of Revelation 17 is the great city (more accurately, the great “polis,” or state) of Revelation 18: “And the woman whom you saw is the great state, which has a kingdom over the kings of the earth.” Revelation 17:18 clearly establishes that the prostitute is a political entity, not a religious one. Babylon the Great is a world hegemon, a superpower that dominates world politics, economics, and culture in the last days.
On the other hand, there is no direct statement of any kind in Revelation 17:1–19:4 to the effect that the prostitute is an apostate church or other ecclesiastical entity, rather than a political entity with ungodly spiritual values and practices. Revelation 17 does not even mention a false religion or system of worship of any kind, such as idolatry and occultism (contrast Rev 9:20) or heretical teaching (contrast Rev 2:14-15). There is a remarkable lack of references to a religion of any kind in Revelation 17:1–19:4. The major argument that Revelation 17 describes a worldwide church is that this is an implication of the term “sexual immorality” and the figure of a prostitute. However, a study of references in Scripture to committing sexual immorality in a figurative sense shows that this figure is used of a nation (Ezek 16:26; Jer 2:20; Mic 1:7) and individuals (Jer 5:7; Matt 12:39), but nowhere in Scripture is a false religion or apostate church said to commit sexual immorality. Likewise, while individuals are sometimes said to figuratively “prostitute themselves” (Exod 34:15-16) or to be “adulterers” (Isa 57:3; Jer 9:2; Heb 12:16; James 4:4), and the figure of a prostitute may be applied to nations or cities, it is never applied to a false church or religion. The prostitute image is used of Jerusalem (Isa 1:21; Ezek 16), of Israel and Judah (Jer 3:1-10; Ezek 23; Hos 2:1-13), of Tyre (Isa 23:15-18), and of Nineveh (Nah 3:4). The latter two uses show that prostitution can refer to commercial intercourse and the transmission of the materialistic value system which accompanies it, as well as to a powerful country that lures other countries to itself and then takes their money.
The main difference between the Revelation 17 and Revelation 18 is this: Revelation 17 portrays Babylon the Great and its fall by means of heavenly signs and symbols, whereas Revelation 18 portrays the impact of Babylon the Great’s fall on the earth in a largely non-symbolic fashion.
The Name “Babylon the Great”
Traditionally pretribulationists have held one of two major views of the identity of the political Babylon the Great, which all acknowledge is described at least in Revelation 18. These are the proposals that Babylon the Great is Rome and that it is old city of Babylon in Iraq. The identification of Babylon the Great as Rome was originally developed by Protestant Reformers who saw the Roman Catholic Church as the primary source of evil in the world; now, its major proponents are critical (liberal) scholars and other preterists who believe that John was describing the politics of his own day, rather than prophesying. If one believes that John was prophesying of an eschatological entity, and that the Roman Catholic Church is not the primary source of evil in the world, then there is virtually no basis whatsoever for the identification of Babylon the Great with Rome; thus, few pretribulational dispensationalists now hold this view. The view that Babylon the Great is the city of Babylon in Iraq is more widely held by pretribulational writers. This view is based almost exclusively on the use of the name “Babylon.” However, the assertion that this name must refer to a rebuilt city of Babylon in Iraq falls apart quickly upon analysis.
First, it is striking that in Revelation 17:5, John says the name of the prostitute is a “mystery,” even though he reads it plainly. That verse is best translated, “And on her forehead a name was written, a mystery: ‘Babylon the Great, the Mother of the Prostitutes and of the Abominations of the Earth.’ ” Although some translations attempt to alleviate this difficulty by making the word μυστήριον, mystērion (“mystery”) the beginning of the prostitute’s name, this is an extremely improbable interpretation. Babylon the Great is never called “Mystery” elsewhere, as would be expected if this word were part of its name. The only other occurrence of μυστήριον, mystērion in Revelation 17:1–19:4 is in 17:7, in which the angel tells John that he will reveal “the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carries her.” Thus, it is the woman’s identity that is a mystery; mystery is not part of her character, as if she represents a mystery religion (i.e., a religion with occultic secrets).
If Babylon the Great were a reference to the rebuilt city of Babylon in Iraq, its name would be no mystery. Even if it were a reference to Rome, the name would not be especially mysterious, since Rome was the great world power of John’s day, and Peter even refers to Rome as “Babylon” in 1 Peter 5:13. Instead, Revelation 17:5 indicates that the name refers to some future entity whose identity was entirely unknown in AD 96, which was therefore represented symbolically—as with other eschatological entities in the book of Revelation. The characterization of the name “Babylon the Great” as a mystery shows that it is consistent with the literal hermeneutic to understand the name as referring to something other than a rebuilt city of Babylon in Iraq.
Virtually all writers refer to Babylon the Great as “Babylon,” which tends to leave the impression that Babylon the Great is the old city of Babylon, rebuilt. However, an examination of the occurrences of this name in Revelation reveals that John never follows this practice. The book of Revelation calls this entity “Babylon the Great,” “the great city, Babylon,” and “Babylon, the great city,” but never “Babylon” absolutely, alone and without modifiers (Rev 14:8; 16:19; 17:5; 18:2, 10, 21). Four times, it is simply called “the great city,” without the use of the name “Babylon” (Rev 17:18; 18:16, 18-19). Conversely, in the Old Testament, Babylon is only called “great Babylon” (= “Babylon the Great”) once, in Daniel 4:30, and there in a speech by a pagan king. It is never called “the great city, Babylon,” “Babylon, the great city,” or even “the great city.” If a rebuilt city of Babylon were in view in Revelation, it ought to be called “Babylon” without modifiers at least once, if for no other reason than to make it clear that Babylon the Great is indeed the old city of Babylon, rebuilt. Instead, the consistent use of the descriptive adjective “great” accompanied by the definite article indicates that a different entity is in view in the book of Revelation. Following the biblical terminology, this article always uses “Babylon the Great” for the eschatological entity in Revelation 17:1–19:4.
The primary reason that the book of Revelation calls the prostitute “Babylon the Great” is that she represents an entity that did not exist and was wholly unknown at the time the book was penned. Hence, the Revelator chose to use a metaphor and state that the real name was a mystery (Rev 17:5). Similar naming conventions are used in the Bible for other future entities: Russia is called “Gog,” and many of the modern countries mentioned with it in Ezekiel 38:1-6 are called by other now-defunct names. The antichrist’s ten-nation confederation is represented by the Roman Empire (Dan 2:40-43; 7:23-24). The name of Antiochus IV was not given in his descriptions in Daniel 8 and 11. The name of the antichrist is never given, only the number of his name (Rev 13:18). But even though none of those names is given, there has been and will be no doubt as to the identification of these persons or nations when they come, for the Bible gives identifying information that is far more specific than a name. The name “Babylon the Great” was chosen, rather than some other name, to show that the entity it represents is the pinnacle of the glory, wealth, power, and wickedness of the kingdoms of man.
Babylon the Great Is not Destroyed at the End of the Tribulation Period
It is commonly held that Babylon the Great is destroyed at the end of the tribulation period, either at or just prior to the second coming of Christ, due to the placement of Revelation 17:1–19:4 in the narrative and the mention of Babylon the Great in the description of the seventh bowl (Rev 16:19). If this view is correct, then Babylon the Great would have to stand for the antichrist’s kingdom or base of power, since the antichrist dominates the world economic system throughout the second half of the tribulation period (Rev 13:16-17) and is the most powerful ruler on earth (Rev 13:7). On the other hand, if Babylon the Great is destroyed at any time before the second coming, and especially if it is destroyed before the midpoint of the tribulation period, it could not be identified with the antichrist’s kingdom, since the antichrist remains in power until Armageddon (cf. Rev 13:5-7). Babylon the Great must refer to some other entity that is even more powerful than the antichrist’s kingdom at the start of the tribulation period. The destruction of this entity is therefore necessary to facilitate the antichrist’s rise to power. A number of reasons will be presented in favor of the latter position.
In Revelation 14:8, which is the first verse to mention Babylon the Great in the book of Revelation, an angel proclaims “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the Great, which has given all the nations to drink of the wine of the wrath of its sexual immorality.” The two verbs ἔπεσεν ἔπεσεν, epesen epesen (fallen, fallen) are in the aorist tense, which is typically used to indicate past action. 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.
According to Revelation 17:16-17, Babylon the Great is destroyed by the antichrist and the ten kings in the European alliance that comprise his base of power (cf. Dan 2:42; 7:7-8, 24; Rev 13:1). Prior to this time, Babylon the Great has dominated world politics and has controlled the world economy. Since Revelation 13:3-7 presents the antichrist’s kingdom as the dominant world power during the second half of the tribulation period, and Revelation 13:16-17 shows that he controls the world economic system throughout the second half of the tribulation period, Babylon the Great must be destroyed before the midpoint of the tribulation period. Certainly the fact that Babylon the Great is destroyed by the antichrist’s militaries, rather than directly from heaven, argues strongly for its fall occurring before the second advent.
If Babylon the Great is destroyed before the midpoint of the tribulation period, this raises the question of how this momentous event is related to the judgments of the first half the tribulation, namely, the seal judgments and the first six trumpet judgments. While the seal judgments do not directly mention Babylon the Great, there are many textual indications that Babylon the Great is destroyed early in the tribulation period, as a major part of the first four seal judgments. The first seal judgment pictures the antichrist conquering through war (Rev 6:1-2), and it is entirely in accord with Revelation 17 to understand this to signify his destruction of Babylon the Great.
While Babylon the Great is mentioned in the narrative of the seventh bowl judgment (Rev 16:19), that verse does not state that Babylon the Great itself is destroyed with the cities of the nations after the seventh bowl is poured out, but rather that Babylon the Great called to remembrance before God, for the purpose of finishing God’s wrath against her. To use the terminology of the book of Revelation, Babylon the Great caused all the nations to drink of the wrath-bringing wine of her sexual immorality (Rev 14:8; 18:3; cf. 17:2). According to Revelation 16:19, it is exactly this wine that is poured out in the seventh bowl judgment. By judging the nations that drank of Babylon the Great’s cup, God is judging Babylon the Great itself, destroying and condemning all that she has produced.
Revelation 17:1–19:4 is placed between the narrative of the seventh bowl (Rev 16:17-21) and the narrative of the second advent (Rev 19:5-21) because the entire world system created by Babylon the Great will be judged at the second advent. However, Revelation 17:1–19:4 is a topical unit, not a narrative unit. The introduction of Babylon the Great and the description of its fall are dramatically placed just before the final judgment. Yet while the final judgment is universal, the destruction of Babylon the Great is a targeted judgment which occurs at an early stage of the tribulation period.
The Identification of Babylon the Great as the Great World Superpower of the End Times
A study of Revelation 17:1–19:4 shows that Babylon the Great is the world’s great superpower in the end times. The following facts emerge from an analysis of this section of the book of Revelation: (1) Babylon the Great has the largest economy of any entity in the world. It is the center of wealth in the world, and it is responsible for an extended period of global wealth creation in the end times. (2) Babylon the Great has shaped global culture in the end times, in a directly antichristian manner. (3) Babylon the Great has the greatest political power of any entity in the end times. (4) Babylon the Great is considered to have the strongest military in the world of the end times. All of these characteristics uniquely and definitively match the United States of America. For exegetical details, see the larger paper.
Most commentators assume, based on the use of the Greek word πόλις, polis with reference to Babylon the Great, that Babylon the Great is a city, not a large nation-state composed of many cities, towns, and villages. However, “city” is only one possible meaning of word πόλις, polis. The lexicon LSJ gives “country,” “state,” and “community” as other possible meanings, with numerous examples from Classical Greek. In fact, πόλις, polis was the normal word for “state” in extrabiblical Greek, and typically carried political implications. It is hard to think of a better term that the angel could have used to describe the United States than ἡ πόλις ἡ μεγάλη, “the great polis.” The term ἔθνος (nation) generally denotes a racial or ethnic group, and there is no American race. The term βασιλεία (kingdom) encompasses all the domains ruled by a state, not just the state itself—which in the case of Babylon the Great could refer to the entire earth (Rev 17:18). The term βασιλεύς (king) would create confusion as to whether a nation or a its leader is in view, and is not the normal Greek term for a political entity. The term χώρα (country) refers to a tract of land or a district, and does not carry political implications. Thus, there is no better term in the Greek lexicon to describe a modern sovereign state than πόλις, polis.
Babylon the Great is a world hegemon, a country which dominates world politics, economics, and culture in the end times. Further, the text of Revelation indicates that it is a unique entity in the world, ἡ πόλις ἡ μεγάλη the great polis. It uniquely makes all the nations of the world wealthy, reigns over the nations of the world, imposes its culture on all the nations, and leads them in a massive downward spiral of materialistic depravity that culminates in worldwide worship of Satan and the antichrist during the second half of the tribulation period. These are things that can only be done once, and the United States is now doing them. Never before in history has a single country dominated all the other countries of the world and enjoyed such preeminence in comparison to all the others. The United States finds itself in the historically unique position of monopolizing every significant power source in the world—a position it began to occupy since the end of World War II, and which was greatly enhanced by the end of the Cold War.
In summary, the book of Revelation describes Babylon the Great as the dominant superpower in the world of the end times—so dominant, that it actually shapes the culture and economy of the world as it exists at the start of the tribulation period. The nature and scope of Babylon the Great’s dominance is such that only one such entity could ever exist in the history of the world, and there is no doubt that the United States of America is this entity. While some aspects of the prophecy remain to be fulfilled—most notably the prophecies of Babylon the Great’s attempts to put Christians to death worldwide (Rev 17:6; 18:20, 24; 19:2)—enough aspects already match so as to leave no doubt as to the fulfillment of the rest.
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Steven Anderson, your right on the money, ill buy that, absolutely correct! Your article on the rapture is refreshing too,, its in the “WORD” when the rapture is and its definitely not at the beginning of the tribulation. Thanks for a couple of great articles!
IT IS SO CLEAR, only the blind cannot see ! But the Bible tells us: “They have eyes, but cannot see – and ears, but cannot hear.” Americans, in particular, are so “Hell yeah, USA !” that they are brainwashed against the TRUTH spelled out PLAINLY in the Bible !
I heard another voice from heaven, saying, “Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive her plagues;” Revelation 18:4
Could this be the rapture being spoken of?
That is an interesting idea, but I don’t think it quite works. One issue is that this is a command to believers to flee, whereas the rapture is something that God does without any action needed on the part of believers. A second issue is that the warning against participation in her sins seems to imply that Christians should flee before the sins of Babylon the Great reach their full fruition.
His Steven!
How can the below verse relate to the US though?
“And in her was found the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who were slain on the earth.” (Revelation 18:24)
We weren’t even around at the time of the prophets and haven’t been slaying saints in general.
Thanks in advance!
Hi! This is what I wrote in my commentary:
It is striking that the blood of prophets is found in Babylon the Great, since there have not been genuine prophets active in the church since the first century. There are passages that speak of limited prophetic activity during the tribulation period (Rev 11:3, 10; 16:6), though false prophets seem to be the more common type (Zech 13:2-6). Perhaps the reference to prophets includes pastors and teachers who accurately interpret prophecy and proclaim biblical truth. An alternate suggestion is that Babylon the Great is vicariously responsible for the blood of prophets who were murdered in the past, since Jesus held the scribes and Pharisees guilty of all the murders of all the prophets since Abel, even though they did not physically kill the Old Testament prophets (Luke 11:50-51; cf. Matt 23:35). However, since the blood of prophets was found “in” Babylon the Great, it seems more likely that the reference is to Christian preachers who proclaim prophetic truth.
Although this verse highlights the murder of Christians by Babylon the Great, it is clear from the phrase all who have been slain on the earth that Babylon the Great has killed many non-Christians as well. For example, as of 2022 there have been 60 million babies murdered by abortion in the United States. A country that rejects the Bible and embraces the materialistic worldview of Darwinian evolution will not value human life or treat the human body as sacred. The decades ahead will see many more people killed by the United States, perhaps through forced euthanasia, assisted suicide, legalized drugs, assassinations, and wars, along with pressure placed on other countries to execute or extradite Christians. Recently there has also been increased interest in cannibalism in popular culture. The spiritual and cultural values spread by Babylon the Great through its music, movies, video games, sports, tech companies, and other forms of media are wicked and violent, and lead to murder (cf. Matt 5:21-22; John 8:44; Rom 1:28-29; Rev 9:21). Thus, the “mother of prostitutes and of the abominations of the earth” (Rev 17:5) is held responsible not just for those who have been murdered as a matter of official government policy, but also for the murders and atrocities that she has led other nations to commit. Not only does Babylon the Great bear responsibility for all the blood shed on the earth in the last days, she also shares in the guilt of all the innocent blood shed in the world since the murder of Abel in Genesis 4 (cf. Matt 23:29-36; Luke 11:45-52).
Thanks and maranatha!
Gotta be close given how we were told things would be like at the end (prayerfully 2023)!
Nate
No, 50% of Jews live in the USA. They are to be where? That’s right. Israel. “Come out of her MY PEOPLE”. 🙂 So, probably Jews and any born again descendants of the tribes of Israel…and others.
One problem with this idea is that the New Testament is written to Christians. Non-Christian Jews pay no attention to the book of Revelation.
Maybe the Rapture happens before that. And God is talking to Jews because Jews are not saved and won’t be raptured.
Unsaved Jews don’t care what Revelation 18:4 says, so this admonition only makes sense if addressed to Christian believers. Or, if this verse is addressed to new converts after the rapture, it should be addressed to all new converts, and not just to Jews.
And it was given to the antichrist to make war with saints and overcome them; if the church(saints) are raptured before the tribulation who is the antichrist making war with.
There will be vast numbers of people saved during the first half of the tribulation period.
Okay. So what should Christians of the United States do then as it says to “Come out of her my people”. Should we leave the United States? This greatly concerns me.
In short, yes, I believe that Christians should leave the United States. However, the question as to when to leave will have different answers for different people. At a minimum, Christians should recognize that “unthinkable” events are indeed happening in the world today, and we cannot plan to live freely in the United States for decades to come. Therefore, it is wise to make preparations to go somewhere else. The process of moving overseas is very complex from a legal and logistical perspective, and radical events can happen quickly (e.g., passing a constitutional amendment or even rewriting the Constitution, as the leftists in Chile is currently doing). I don’t recommend Christians to make long-term plans for life and retirement in the United States. I heard today of a pastor in Ukraine who had prepared his congregation for the war; his entire church moved together to a country in Eastern Europe when Russia invaded, and they are currently ministering to other refugees there.
Thank you for a most enlightening explanation. We too got this warning, way back in the late 1990’s and it took a while, but we moved our family to Panama in 2006. It’s worked out well for all of us, but I can understand why so many people would resist taking such a giant leap of faith. However, we feel the situation is much clearer today than way back then, and now it’s only a matter of time. We were living in Canada in 2005, and considered moving to one of our properties in the USA, but God made it very clear than neither of those countries would escape his judgement and wrath. Back then there were way more believers than there are now. If we recall what he did to Israel, who He’d blessed so much, when they turned away from him, we get an idea of what’s coming for the whole of the North American continent, Canada too will suffer the same fate, it’s totally dependent on the USA. God seems to really get upset when nations He’s blessed so much, turn away from him. Right now Canada has 37% believers, the USA still at least 56%, but those numbers have been dropping steadily and fast, so the projections are by 2031 or so, the USA will have risen to the top of the list with the most atheists – other than China (which by virtue of it’s large population and history, we’d expect) After that I’d say we’re all in a whole heap of trouble, but it’s all down to God’s timing, not ours.
Exactly. It doesn’t matter where you live in my opinion. The entire world will be judges not just the USA? That is why it is important to accept Jesus as your personal lord and savior and avoid this. Jesus is the only way. Period. This is in the Bible. It is done no matter where you live. I pray for all. God bless. You all
Hi Jennifer, my husband and I are considering Panama as well. I don’t have Twitter or FB and wondered if there might be another way to contact you and if you might be willing to share your thoughts on Panama? We’ve done some preliminary research but would really welcome personal recommendations. Thank you!
Uhhh first of all I would leave when they start persecution of Christian’s here bc it will happen. If the dems stay in office we are definitely heading in that direction and is the only part of this grave prophesy left.
On the other hand do I really want to stay and have to deal with the Antichrist and be tortured and starve to death bc I don’t get the mark? I think I’d rather be blown away in a quick second with a nuclear bomb. It says one day one hour – pretty quick lights out to me!
Thanks for your comments. My article on the pretribulational rapture can be found here: https://truthonlybible.com/2022/03/29/why-i-believe-in-the-pretribulational-rapture/
Hello, I was wondering how much longer do you think the US has until it gets destroyed. Do we have enough time to even try to move and start over somewhere else??
I believe it will be at least several decades before the U.S. is destroyed. And I believe that Christians will be taken to heaven in the rapture before the U.S. is destroyed. Thus, the point of leaving is for protection from spiritual/moral corruption and persecution.
I beg to differ with you, Steven. The “voice from Heaven” in Revelation 18:4-5 is clearly Jesus, warning His people (Christians) to LEAVE the USA / Mystery Babylon PHYSICALLY. The original text was written in Greek COMMAND tense – Jesus is ORDERING us to LEAVE, or face the consequences (“so that you will NOT receive any of her plagues”), or BURN with her. God gave Lot’s family the same command. Remember the fate of Lot’s wife !
The reason given in the text for the warning to flee is to avoid participation in Babylon the Great’s sins, as that would entail sharing in Babylon the Great’s plagues. The warning against participation in her sins implies that Christians should flee before the sins of Babylon the Great reach their full fruition.
Come out of her my people …. Meaning, stop with the worldly ways!!!
This is the most common view of Revelation 18:4 in the commentaries—that Babylon the Great represents “the world-system that is opposed to God,” and that the call to come out of Babylon the Great is therefore a generic call for separation from sin. However, it is clear from Revelation 17–18 that Babylon the Great is a literal end-time superpower, and not a general symbol for worldliness. Therefore the call to leave Babylon the Great must be a call for a literal physical departure from Babylon the Great.
Just found this today after looking for others with this same thought. The USA seemed to jump out at me as the Babylon of Revelation 17 & 18 a few years back. I have not found all that many who agree with this, but it seemed pretty clear to me. Your explanation goes far beyond my “hunch” and – I believe – is very sound! Thanx for writing this. I was raised in what used to be called “Fundamental Church” background and definitely appreciate what I was taught. However, once I started reading more and more myself, I believe we will be here until Christ’s return at the end of the Tribulation time period – (or death, actually during that time for most of us, probably.) – I also agree it is best to leave the USA but not sure many of us can or will. Unfortunately, that makes me feel like I am responding like Lot in Sodom and Gomorrah – not good! I’m feeling like time is about up!
Thanks! Others have mentioned to me that they don’t agree with the pretribulational rapture, so I published an article explaining why I hold that view. https://truthonlybible.com/2021/08/23/the-imminence-of-the-rapture-does-the-bible-teach-it/
I agree that the true believers will be raptured. I also have always thought that the United States is Mystery Babylon. Almost no one agrees with me on that, but I can’t find a solid argument to make me believe otherwise. I also believe that since the USA is the financial giant of the world, it will be destroyed before the Anti-Christ goes into power.
How about Jonah and Noah?
I recently heard God’s calling again after years of drifting away from him,I believe this was a sign that his coming is near. I gave up drinking,partying,and hanging around friends that would pull me away from God. I hope I can stay on this road because I really feel my eternal soul is at stake.I used to think America was blessed because it was founded by Christians,and most of the constitution was taken from the Bible,but I no longer believe this. There is so much sin happening in our once great country. We have become indifferent and turned a blind eye to this instead of standing against it,in fear of ridicule or angering someone.Add to that Putin’s recent nuclear threats,which would leave you to believe he is confident in his ability to wage and win a war against us. I’ve been reading about our ability to defend against a nuclear strike from Russia and it’s not good. We would really have no defense if they sent multiple nukes at us. I pray that all of us aren’t here when it happens,that we are taken in the Rapture to spend 1,000 years of peace with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. God bless us all.
Just remember brother Darrell The Lord Jesus Christ knew you before the foundation of the world and know one will pluck you from His hands,not even you.
As of right now America is not a super power we have not even been a country for years. The un is the super power who controls the United States corporation. The world military power could be Russia or China. But thanks for sharing this study really helps with some insight.
Okay, I understand that some Americans hold this view, but it is disconnected from political reality. Other countries in the world, certainly, would not say that the U.S. is not a superpower, or that it is controlled by the UN.
What currency are all the transactions of the world made in? The yen or euros?? No it is made with the US dollar. All oil- absolutely all oil transactions in the world are made with the US dollar and only the US dollar. Yes all countries are subject to the USdollar and major transactions cannot be made without the dollar. No countries can buy oil without the US dollar- that is huge! That’s why countries buy our bonds so they can have US dollars in there vaults not the yen or euros. The US dollar took the place of gold when we went off the gold standard. This is why the US dominates and thus explaining the economic aspect of these two chapters!
Those are some pretty foundless claims you make.
if Russia is any indications of a real superpower base on the events of the last 9 month then we have miss it and as for China they are at least 30yrs away from being a legitimate superpower.
Would you recommend citizens (well subjects) of the UK leave too? It is bound to the US in many ways. Would it be subject to the same judgement? In many ways, the USA is the British Empire’s successor state in global affairs.
You pose a good question. In terms of the prophetic future of the UK, it most likely will be one of the ten component parts of the antichrist’s kingdom (Dan 7:7-8, 24; Rev 13:1; 17:3, 12-13), which will destroy Babylon the Great early in the tribulation period (Rev 17:16-17). Clearly some sort of serious rift will develop between the U.S. and Europe.
While three of the ten governments of the antichrist’s confederation will attempt to block the coup in which he seizes dictatorial power (Dan 7:8, 24), it seems that all ten governments would have to be bereft of Christian values in order to support the antichrist’s initial rise to power (prior to his demand for full dictatorial powers).
If the UK is part of the antichrist’s kingdom, then it is likely that the spiritual darkness in the UK will continue to increase. I don’t see any specific command in Scripture to leave the UK, but it may be a prudent thing to do if the religious freedom of Bible-believing Christians is being lost. Certainly the UK is following the US in the LGBTQ+ agenda, which is driving persecution of Christians.
So, yes, if I lived in the UK I would be looking at my options for moving to a “neutral” or conservative country.
Many claim the Rapture is close, but they also claim Rome or ancient Babylon or even large cities in Saudi Arabi will be Babylon The Great. But they fail to realize that it would take many years for any other place to build up into what America is today. And that would require a great resource to fuel such a rise. Such a place will not magically pop into existence in order to fulfill prophecy.
And another thing, if they rose to such power, they would be simply retracing what America has already done. In fact, they would have little left to do. They could not have a long history of being the greatest world super power unless they rose and lasted for a century. And then the Rapture could not be close.
America has been influencing cultures around the world for a century with it’s books, radio, TV, movies, music. America has spread idolatry around the earth with it’s many celebrities and fictional characters. America has created social media where people became worshippers of themselves and built altars about themselves. America has caused slavery around the world with it’s corporate sweatshops. America has spread pornography around the earth. America created industries that are devoted to tempting people with sin. America has promoted around the world, lifestyles of money worshiping, adultery and drug use. America spread the idea that abortion is not murder. The American government has caused many wars, funded wars and caused millions to die around the world. America even created an industry of prosperity gospel.
Many American Christians know America is getting worse and worse. But they seem to think of America as God’s favorite, after Israel. Many don’t seem willing to face the possibility that America is really, the Devil’s great tool he has used to corrupt the earth.
And if America is Babylon The Great, does Jeremiah 51:49 mean America’s politicians betrays Israel in some way and causes many Israelis to die? The democrats are already anti-Israel. And as we’ve seen, the republicans have many RINOs who side with democrats. Could they betray Israel? Or coax Israel into a very bad decision that hurts the country?
The people who drink the wine of her wrath are judged by God What is this wine would it be the eating of her contaminated food could this be what it means? its all over the grocery stores contaminated food would this be drinking the wine of the wrath of her fornication.?
The wine refers to the materialism, the commercialism, and the whole anti-Christian value system of Babylon the Great. Those who participate in this system incur guilt which brings God’s wrath.
Certainly you are right that Revelation 17-18 is prophesy about the United States. Your explanation in this article is, it seems to me, beyond dispute. I studied eschatology a great deal in the 70’s and 80’s, went to many of the seminars put on by professors and graduates of the Dallas Theological Seminary and read ten or more of their books. This article is excellent. I don’t agree, though, that the United States will be destroyed by a “revived Holy Roman Empire.” At its roots, the theory that the Roman Empire will be revived comes from a misunderstanding of Daniel 9:24-27. That misunderstanding was created by Sir Robert Anderson when he wrote his book “The Coming Prince.” Anderson thought he had deciphered that passage and that it prophesied, to the day, the crucifixion date of Jesus. Sir Anderson was wrong and several very competent and thorough scholars have demonstrably proven he was wrong. See, for instance the article printed in Nature by Humphreys and Waddington or, (though I don’t vouch for this source) http://www.pickle-publishing.com/papers/sir-robert-anderson.htm
Hi Randy! Thanks for the feedback. I do believe that Hoehner’s adaptation of Sir Robert Anderson’s calculation only has a few minor errors, which can easily be corrected. However, Daniel 9:24-27 is not the only passage that teaches that the antichrist arises from an eschatological form of the Roman Empire. In the visions of Daniel 2 and 7, the antichrist’s kingdom emerges from the Roman Empire. In addition, Daniel 11:40-44 describes the antichrist waging war against countries from the north, south, and east (relative to Israel), which shows that he is from the west.
Thank you for the reply. I have not kept up with all this for some time but am just now looking it all over again. A was aware there have been attempts to rejigger Anderson’s calculations, and maybe one of those attempts could be correct. I know I came to a very firm opinion Anderson was simply wrong, wrong, wrong and that his theory has been wrongly accepted by a lot of people who thought he was right. I also came to the conclusion that end time studies in general have been built on several foundations that are just false foundations and most of the huge bank of understanding we have about the end times is just really not understood – yet. However, some of the details are beginning to be understood and one of those very, very important details is that the United States is “Babylon the Great.” Your study of that is, in my opinion, very accurate and very, very important. I intend to follow your work closely.
Well put together, and I agree that the spiritual powers exerting ever increasing (democratic) control over the US indeed comprise the “mystery” of “Babylon the Great” (or the greatest Babylon out of them all). This accounts for the US in general as the genesis of the internet, and more specifically as the epicenter of the Internet’s greatest merchandise: pornography. This “mystery” is predominantly “female” in expression, and as Revelation predicts, is both hated, preternaturally stripped naked, and eternally doomed to destruction and consummation by (hell) fire from within. Romans 13 is the prescription for the believer; and all the more for the “American” believer!
Another reason that the United States is Babylon is because our language, English, has now become the world’s dominate language. The entire world spoke one language (Gen.11:1) and an early group decided to build a city with a tower that would reach to heaven. The Lord confused their one tongue and they began speaking the different languages and scattered around the world. After the confusion of the language, the city they had built was named “Babel.” Nearly all scholars believe that Babel was where Babylon, Iraq now sits. In only the past 40 years English has became the single language that now permeates our world’s industry, arts and education.
Yes the world language and the US dollar is the worlds transaction currency
Babylon the Great is clearly Washington DC, is it not?
The Greek word πόλις, polis is translated as “city” by nearly every English Bible version in Revelation 17-18, but the word in Greek can be used of a sovereign state, or what we would call a “country.” In order to be the world’s dominant political and economic superpower, Babylon the Great must be a large country that includes hundreds or thousands of cities; it cannot be a single city. While Washington, D.C. could represent the entire country, it is better to see Babylon the Great as a reference to the entire United States.
I would say the entire US and our system. If it were referring to a great city, I would say New York bc it is definitely surrounded by many waters and also the United Nations headquarters and stock exchange are there in New York
I have only somewhat recently begun to question whether the US is Babylon the Great. Your article has pretty much removed any doubts. Do you think its possible that the Antichrist and Gog are the same person, and perhaps Russia is responsible for the destruction of America? Thanks.
Revelation 17:16-17 states that the antichrist and the ten “kings” of Europe who are associated with him will destroy Babylon the Great, so it won’t be Russia that launches the attack. According to Daniel 11:38, the antichrist will invest heavily in military technology and weapons. I think it is possible that after the mainland U.S. is destroyed, the U.S. Navy ships that are at sea when the attack happens will sail to Russia and join the Russian Navy, since Russia is the European Union’s greatest enemy. Daniel 11:40 speaks of the king of the north (Russia) attacking the antichrist with many ships, and it is possible that this large fleet includes the elements of the U.S. Navy that survived the nuclear attack on the United States mainland.
I plan to write at least two blog posts on Ezekiel 38-39, explaining the prophecy of Gog and Magog and how it relates to Russia. I think Gog is likely a country, not a person, and that it stands for the country of Russia.
Thanks for your response. I’ve always been taught the last king of the North is Antichrist, in comparison to Antiochus IV Epiphanes. This way he could come from both the old Greek and Roman empire. As an aside,there has been a study on Emmanuel Macron and how his lineage is traced all the way back to Antiochus.
I ve also been taught that the Magog invasion by Gog and his allies is separate from the Antichrist and his invasion of the M.E./Israel. I do find some interesting similarities in both events as described by Daniel and Ezekiel. Perhaps a Russian leader unites Europe and reforms the Eastern half of the old Holy Roman Empire? You know there was a time when Constantinople was the capital of the Empire.
In Daniel 11:40-45, the antichrist fights kings from the north, south, and east, which implies that he is the king of the west. Daniel and Revelation are clear that there are ten component parts (“kings”) of the antichrist’s kingdom. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.
Something that people overlook when they name Rome or places in the Mideast as Babylon The Great, is that if those places were hit with nukes by the AntiChrist and then later obliterated by God on the scale that is described in the bible, it would devastate Israel and other nations that are involved in later prophecies. Nuclear fallout, smoke and dust would plague Israel and all of the Mideast if Rome suffered such a catastrophe. Not only would Israel’s climate be stricken but the shockwaves from the destruction of Italy would send devastating Mediterranean tsunamis their way.
Mideast nations like Saudi Arabia are even closer to Israel. If they were home to Babylon The Great, their destruction could not happen without greatly damaging Israel also.
I really enjoyed this because I have believed for some time that America is Babylon that will fall at the end of days. I too spent much time researching it. The library of congress confirmed it for me. The “temples” like the Temple of Liberty, the symbolism everywhere is all Babylonian statues like Minerva, also the eagle, the first design for the “great seal” as well as “columbia” and so much more there at the capitol city of Babylon. I appreciate your work it is so very rare to find many that truly understand what that we are in the Days of Daniel….May God continue to bless you with eyes to see and ears to hear….thank you for sounding the alarm.
I tried to buy you coffee and it was declined. Anyway, I have a question. Is it possible that the judgment on the harlot in Revelation 17 and following began in Revelation 8 with the casting of wormwood into freshwater. The largest body of fresh water in the world is the Great Lakes with its tributaries accounting for approximately 1/3 of the world’s freshwater. This is just from my initial understanding but it sparked my curiosity.
This is an interesting idea. However, I connect the the destruction of Babylon the Great with the first seal judgment (Rev 6:1-2), which is well before the trumpet judgments. The third trumpet judgment (Rev 8:10-11) appears to describe a celestial object hitting the earth and disintegrating in the atmosphere, contaminating a third of the earth’s freshwater sources in the process. I understand this to mean a third of the total surface area of freshwater, not necessarily a third of the volume of freshwater.
With regard to the problem you mentioned for Buy Me a Coffee, there is also a PayPal donation option on the “About” page of the blog: https://truthonlybible.com/about/ Thanks!
Thank you Steve for enlightening me on this discussion,l agree with you on this topic and will share with my mens bible study.
This video shows what the site of Babylon in Iraq looks like today. Definitely not Babylon the Great! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtUNHjDmGOY
I’m glad I was able to come across your blog when I asked google if USA is the harlot from revelation. I’ve subscribed looking forward to learning more from you.
About 15 years ago when reading through the prophetic books of the Old Testament, I felt the Lord telling me that the United States was indeed end times Babylon. This was largely based on the unique descriptions of Babylon provided in Jeremiah and Isaiah. It’s description in Revelation further reinforces the idea.
While I am skeptical of a pre-trib (or even a mid-trib) rapture, I believer there is overwhelming evidence the United States fits the description of Babylon the great.
I hope God provides a way for me and my family to flee. My husband has a past but now is a born again believer. His past charges prevents him from ever getting a passport to ever leave here.
America is indeed the revived Babylon.
I’ve said this for years, but patriotism has blinded people.
It was a closer look at Liberty that put the puzzle together for me.
Her crown of rays represents the 7 continents and seas from my understanding–
and that alone speaks symbolic and spiritual truth.
America is a “she”, an old ancient Goddess and spirit that has been
resurrected.
The feel and vibe of it speaks Babylonian to me.
Anyone can do research on this, and connect all the dots; just not
what I’m saying, but you as well.
I agree America is Babylon, but I don’t agree with a rapture before the antichrist.
I personally believe ALL will be put to the test. Christ plainly states in Matthew,
HE would return immediately AFTER tribulation.
The thoughts of being raptured is wishful thinking, imo.
When Christians aren’t raptured they will assume perhaps, there is no
Christ and take the mark. Then, he will return after all has been tested.
Remember, keep your lanterns lit.
See this post for my reasons for believing in the pretribulational rapture: https://truthonlybible.com/2022/03/29/why-i-believe-in-the-pretribulational-rapture/
YES, your observation is CORRECT ! Most Americans have been blinded by “false patriotism” – they enjoy “waving the flag” and shouting “Hell yeah – USA !”, while looking with a blind eye on all the SINS & CRIMES America has committed. Revelation 18:4-5 is key: Jesus warns us – “COME OUT OF HER, MY PEOPLE…” God also warned Lot and family to LEAVE (physically flee) ancient Sodom & Gomorrah, before they were destroyed by fire. And America / “Mystery Babylon” will likewise be destroyed by FIRE – in a SINGLE HOUR !
This is the most credible and well written documentation and interpretation of the scriptures about the US being Babylon. I’m having the same concerns that no one I tell believes when I go into the details found in Rev. 17 and 18, and other related bible verses, especially that we should leave before its persecution or destruction occurs, but that is making more sense as I see so much lukewarmness among the Christians I know with all their attachments to the things of the world, especially the conveniences and prosperity in the US. This country was once a beacon for Christ and the people had God’s goodness, faith, love, and virtue, but now it has become like an unfaithful wife, she has prostituted herself and the people have abandoned her first love which is why she is called a harlot. So much deadness of heart, coldness and lack of basic love and not having any concern about the widespread signs of evil we see everyday in the media. The whole system of government and culture has become corrupted, the music and entertainment so evil in both blatant and subtle ways. I really hate living in this country now, the churches are not anything of a blessing like they used to be, it seems like they are following after the principles of imitating the world in both preaching and worship. I would like to find likeminded people to pray for God’s leading and direction, maybe establish connections on a Facebook page or something else. We seem to be a small minority of believers, though I hear about growing numbers of expatriate communities in other countries, and I think these people left maybe not because they thought it was Babylon, many are not even believers, but more related to the oppressive things going on here. I think we should be praying for the Lord to open up doors, and give us some type of sign or direction in our hearts how to proceed in finding a way to leave and where to go, to listen to what God is saying, to establish a nascent community. However, I did have a so called Christian friend say an ungodly comment by trying to convince me that all you said about the US being Babylon were lies, even though this is the best documented, rationale and faithful interpretation of Rev 17 and 18 I have come across. He also tried to say that are still so many people here in the US to reach for the gospel, or witness through works and ministries of love to the homeless or drug addicted. I’m open to that latter part possibly being true, but also wonder at what point have all these people been reached out to by Christian ministries and they have all heard the message but refuse to repent and turn to God. Shouldn’t we be seeing revival by now if that were the case? Are we becoming so hopeless like Sodom and Gomorrah before its destruction? I often wonder if other countries have the extent of evil we see here.
In the Old Testament when God was about to judge someone or some place (Babylon and Sodom and Gomorah) he would make sure that His people were removed. Christians today are told, in essence, to “come out of her”; that is, to separate themselves from the wickedness of the world: “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. . . . Therefore, ‘Come out from them and be separate,’ says the Lord. ‘Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you’” (2 Corinthians 6:14–17). I believe this was so that His own would not be led astray by the idolatry and sinfulness of these entities. If you fast forward to the present time, it appears that the Roman Catholic Church is trying desperately to make a comeback by using the hierchy of the church to unite all the religions of the world. Therefore, the world must be prepared in advance to give total spiritual allegiance to the future pope that Satan will choose as his false prophet at his coming.
The Roman church has been training people in obedience to the pope for the last 1,500 years. They have managed to convince about one-sixth of the world population that the pope is ‘The Holy Father’.” As they are aligned with the Globalists and the ultra-wealthy, that is the only foothold they will need to bring the world under their spiritual and temporal dominion. ick
While I certainly agree that the Roman Catholic Church teaches many false doctrines and a false gospel, Babylon the Great is neither the city of Rome nor the Catholic Church. The world is increasingly turning against Christianity, not towards it, and in fact conservative Catholics are suffering persecution for their beliefs about homosexuality, marriage, and abortion.
Thank you, Brian, for the comment. Yes, the vast majority of American evangelicals do not want to leave the United States, whether for love of the materialistic lifestyle in the United States, or misconceptions about the cultural superiority of the United States to all other countries, or false hopes (based on the failure to understand prophecy) of “turning the country back to God,” or emotional attachment to the place. I read recently that 4,000 Ukrainian civilians are still refusing to leave Bakhmut, in spite of the fact that they have no utilities, are being shelled constantly, and are being offered free evacuation by brave volunteers. Most Christians of all political persuasions are convinced that they can solve America’s problems and the world’s problems through political activism. Some would prefer martyrdom for their political principles over emigration to a friendlier country. (There is a great need for missionary work in other countries, where people are more open to accepting the gospel.) When I have traveled (outside of Europe), I am generally surprised by how people in other countries seem to be more traditional and polite than Americans, and how the “woke” agenda is not pushed like it is by the hard left in the United States. I do think pressure by the United States will eventually force most other countries to adopt the homosexual agenda to some extent, but it is already almost illegal in the United States to condemn homosexuality, and children are heavily indoctrinated; many other countries have less hostility to biblical teaching and a biblical lifestyle.
Brother Amen Amen Amen!!!! I see the emotional attachment some “ Christians “ have to this world through the following of aggressive politics and activism… I do believe that there are only a remnant that have totally removed themselves from this world and I’d love to find them. Thank you for your comment, and thank you even more for making me feel that I’m not alone.
You are very welcome! I agree about the world being lost in political division. Many on the right who purport to be Christians don’t have Jesus as Lord or their life or have active repentance from sins in their lives. There is a fear among the right that the left is bringing into the new political realm a disguised form of Marxism or government control disguised as as the agnostic or atheistic diversity, equity, and inclusion, and while there is a danger of this, it also could be the false, unrepentant, inclusive Christianity that could be the bigger deception.