Fulfillment of Prophecy on 11 Sep 2001 ? New York City is Babylon the Great ?

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Fulfillment of Prophecy on 11 Sep 2001 ? New York City is Babylon the Great ?

Forum: Theological Expressions
Date: 2001, Sep 20
From: Grace_Messenger Grace_Messenger

The hottest news over the media recently was terrorists hijacking of airplanes and turn them into missiles to bomb two 110 storeys World Trade Centre Towers at New York and the Pentagon building at Washington in United States of America on 11th September 2001. For the case of New York, the two towers collapsed. A nearby 47 storeys tower also collapsed with them. This catastrophe killed at least 5,000 people of many different nationalities. Other buildings within 100 metres of the World Trade Centre were reported to have suffered structural damage and could collapse too in the coming days. Some Christians concluded that New York City is "Babylon the Great" and the catastrophe there is a fulfillment of prophecy in Revelation 17 and 18 because some of occurrences seem to fit some of the general statements in the Bible quite well. Christians often to link catastrophes happening today in "the dispensation of the grace of God" (Eph 3:2) as a fulfillment of some prophecies in the Bible. To see whether it is in fact so, we need to study the details of the events and compare them with the details (not some general notions) as recorded in the Bible. Another critical factor to consider is to check whether the occurrences fit the time line as given in the Bible. Let us now examine the details and the time line. # The name and physical location of Babylon Babylon is also called "the whore" (Rev 18:16), and "the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth." (Rev 18:5) Since Babylon is a mother, she has many children of the same adulterous character. She is depicted as being carried by the beast "which hath the seven heads and ten horns" (Rev 17:7), implying that the places that she went and will go will be where the beast went and will go. The founder of Babel or Babylon was Nimrod (Gen 10:9-10). Babel was in the land of Shinar (Gen 10:10, 11:2). "The land of Shinar" was where the famous "Nebuchandnessar king of Babylon" took Daniel and many other Jews to captivity (Dan 1:1 and 2). So the ancient Babylon is located somewhere in the Middle East and not North America. It was at Babel that men, in rebellion against God, instead of scattered throughout the earth, gathered together, built a city and a tower "whose top may reach unto heaven" (Gen 11:4), that is intending to set up their own religion. Gen 10:9 He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD. 10 And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel {Greek "Babylon}, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. Dan 1:1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it. 2 And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god. Gen 11:4 And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top [may reach] unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. # Babylon is a great, rich and trading city Rev 17:18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth. Rev 18:11 And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more: 12 The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble, {thyine: or, sweet} 13 And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men. {slaves: or, bodies} 14 And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all. 15 The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, 16 And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! (Question: Is New York City like the rich trading great Babylon city literally ?) # Babylon corrupted people of different nationalities with her false religions (Rev 17:1-2, 15) The "many waters" of Rev 17:1 is clearly identified as multitude of human being of different nationalities and languages in Rev 17:15. Babylon corrupted different nationalities with spiritual "fornication" (Rev 17:1) of false religions of the devils (Rev 18:2). Babylon deceived them by mean of "sorceries" (Rev 18:23) which is divination with assistance of evil spirits and witchcraft. Rev 17:1 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: Rev 17:2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. Rev 17:15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. Rev 18:2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. Rev 18:23 And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived. # Span of Babylon is a long line of Gentiles powers Babylon is recorded to be carried by the beast that has seven heads and ten horns (Rev 17:7). Babylon covers a long period of time, including the kingdoms of the beast which represent Gentiles powers. The kingdoms of the beasts consists of seven kingdoms and then another ten kingdoms (Rev 17:7). At the time when John wrote Revelation, out of the first seven kingdoms, five already had "fallen" (Rev 18:10) which means that the kingdoms of Babylon stretched far back before John's time. Babylon will also stretch to the future time of the beast and the ten kingdoms. Rev 17:7 And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns. # # Identity of the 7 heads The 7 heads are "seven mountains" (Rev 17:9) or kingdoms, or "seven kings" (Rev 17:10). The kings ruled over kingdoms. At the time when John wrote Revelation, five of these kingdoms had already "fallen." At the time of John, the sixth kingdom "is" or still in existence. The seventh kingdom "is not yet come," that is still not in existence yet. When the seventh kingdom comes, she will "continue a short space," which is will only last a short span of time. Rev 17:9 And here [is] the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. 10 And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, [and] the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space. # # Identity of the beast The beast is "the eighth" king, following after the seven king. The beast "is of the seven" which means his source or lineage is from the seven kings (Rev 17:11). Rev 17: 11 And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition. The beast "that was, and is not, and yet is" indicated that the beast once was alive, then he "is not," or is not alive for he was "at the bottomless pit." The beast "yet is" or is yet to come or will come alive, "ascend out of the bottomless pit". The king of the bottomless pit is "Abaddon" (in Hebrew) or "Apollyon" (in Greek) meaning a destroyer (Rev 9:11). He has something to do with the beast. Finally he will "go into perdition," utter loss or ruin (Rev 17:8). Rev 17:8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is. In 2 Thes 2:3, "that man of sin" is also called "the son of perdition." Jesus Christ called Judas Iscariot "the son of perdition" (John 17:12). So Judas Iscariot will come to life in the future as the beast but his coming back to earth will only be recognizable after the member of the body of Christ, who has the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, has been raptured (2 The 2:6). During the tribulation period, the beast will want to be worshipped as God and will "sitteth in the temple of God" (2 Th 2:4). He will not come in his own power but "after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders" (2 The 2:9). No wonder, Jesus said Judas Iscariot "is a devil" (John 6:70). There are many other details on the activities of the beast in the Bible. Rev 17 12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. John 17:12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition ; that the scripture might be fulfilled. 2 The 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for [that day shall not come], except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 2 The 2:6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. John 6:70 Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? ## Identity of the ten horns The ten horns are ten kings, though have not kingdom yet, they will have kingdom later. The survival of the ten kings will be short, only "one hour with the beast" (Rev 17:12). These ten kings "have one mind," that is think alike, have the same mind or same objective. They "shall give their power and strength unto the beast," (Rev 17:13) that is will support the beast activities. Dan 7:24 also speak of the "ten horns" representing ten kings. The ten kingdoms are confederate against Israel and God. The ten kings are listed in Psa 83:6-8. Psal 83:6 The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarenes; 7 Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre; 8 Assur also is joined with them: they have holpen the children of Lot. Selah. {holpen: Heb. been an arm to} (Question: How long has New York City been in existence? Before John's time ? ) # Babylon killed the saints (Rev 17:6; 18:24). Rev 17:6 " And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration. Rev 18:24 And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth. Saints are believers saved by the blood of Christ. By the time of the tribulation, the Body of Christ would have been taken out of the earth to the heavenly places. The saints that lived during the tribulations are kingdom saints, for example those in the seven churches of Revelation 2 and 3. They included "the house of David" or Jews who recognized Christ as the Messiah that their father "have pierced" in Zech 12:10 and the 144,000 Jews (Rev 7:4). Zech 12:10 "And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for [his] only [son], and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for [his] firstborn." Rev 7:4 "And I heard the number of them which were sealed: [and there were] sealed an hundred [and] forty [and] four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel." (Question: Did New York City go after the blood of the prophets and the saints ?) # Total Destruction of the city of Babylon by Fire The time taken to destroy Babylon "to nought" or totally, is very short, "in one hour" (Rev 18:10,17) of "one day." (Rev 18:8). Note the Babylon is described here as "that great city." It is a physical, literal place on earth. This is the revived Babylon city of old founded by Nimrod (Gen 10:9-10) and where people like Daniel and other Jews were taken to captivity by "Nebuchandnessar king of Babylon" (Dan 1:1-2) in the Middle East. Rev 18:10 Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come. Rev 18:17 For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, Rev 18:8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong [is] the Lord God who judgeth her. The destruction of Babylon by "fire"(Rev 18:8, 16) is total and will be "found no more at all" (Rev 18:21) from then on. Rev 18:8 "She shall be utterly burned with fire." Rev 18:16 And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! Rev 18:21 And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast [it] into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all. (Questions: Is New York City destroyed in "one hour" on 11 September 2001? Is New York "found no more at all," totally destroyed? Answer to both questions is definitely no. New York City is still standing. So far only the twin 110 storeys World Trade Centre Tower and the 47 storeys World Trade Centre Tower have been destroyed. Even if all the seven World Trade Centre Towers were destroyed, they do not constitute the whole of New York City.) # Who destroyed Babylon? The "ten horns," or kings will go against Babylon "for God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will" to destroy it (Rev 17:16-17) It is "the Lord God who judgeth her" (Rev 18:18) "for her sins have reached unto heaven" (Rev 18:5). Rev 17:16 And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. Rev 17:7 And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns. Rev 18:8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong [is] the Lord God who judgeth her. The supernatural power of the beast is "after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders" (2 Thes 2:9). The ten kings "receive power as kings one hour with the beast" (Rev 17:12) mean that the ten kings are in power at the same time as the beast during the tribulation period. In the tribulation period, the beast wanted to be worshipped as God (2 Thes 2:4). So the destruction of Babylon by the ten kings was because the latter wanted power and glory for themselves with the beast, rather than letting Babylon has them. The ten kings are the same as the ten kings mentioned in Dan 7:24 and they are those ten confederate kings (Psa 83:6-8) in Middle East that have evil plan to destroy the "nation" of Israel so that "the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance." (Psa 83:3) Psa 83:6 "The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarenes; 7 Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre; 8 Assur also is joined with them: they have holpen the children of Lot. Selah." (Question: Did the ten kings involve in the airplane attack against New York City on 11 September 2001 ? ) # Tribulation Period Versus Dispensation of the Grace of God. Revelation 17 and 18 happens during "the Lord's day" (Rev 1:10), or "the day of the Lord" (1 The 5:1), in particular the tribulation period. This is yet in the future. We the members of the body of Christ are living in the "dispensation of the grace of God" (Eph 3:2). Only after the close of the dispensation of grace of God when the members of the body of Christ are "caught up" (1 The 4:16) that the tribulation period dramas unfold. Apostle Paul stated clearly that the members of the body of Christ "are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief" (1 The 5:4), that is the darkness of that tribulation day will not overtaken them. The body of Christ will be taken out of the earth before the tribulation overtaken them. They will "be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air" (1 The 4:16). Paul wrote that for members of the body of Christ, "God hath not appointed us to wrath," (1 The 5:9) that is will not go through the tribulation "wrath to come" (Matt 3:7,12). In view of not having to go through the tribulation, they are to "wherefore comfort yourselves together." (1 The 5:11) (Question: Are we living in the tribulation period or in the dispensation of the grace of God? ) # Conclusion From the details given in Revelation 17 and 18, it is just too far off to identify New York City as the great Babylon. In conclusion, the horrendous tragedy that occurred on 11 September 2001 in United States of America is not a fulfillment of Revelation 17 and 18.