The Coalition to Destroy Babylon

Jeremiah 50:41-51:9

“Behold, a people shall come from the north, and a great nation, and many kings shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth.  They shall hold the bow and the lance: they are cruel, and will not show mercy: their voice shall roar like the sea, and they shall ride upon horses, every one put in array, like a man to the battle, against thee, O daughter of Babylon.” (Jeremiah 50:41-42)

It is not clear exactly when Babylon will be destroyed in the end of time, but Revelation 16 clearly indicates it will be during the Tribulation period.  Daniel 11:14-17 indicates that at the start of the Tribulation, the King of the North will attack the Kin of the South and defeat him, supported by many other countries.  “And in those times there shall many stand up against the king of the south: also the robbers of thy people shall exalt themselves to establish the vision; but they shall fall.  So the king of the north shall come, and cast up a mount, and take the most fenced cities: and the arms of the south shall not withstand, neither his chosen people, neither shall there be any strength to withstand.  But he that cometh against him shall do according to his own will, and none shall stand before him: and he shall stand in the glorious land, which by his hand shall be consumed.  He shall also set his face to enter with the strength of his whole kingdom, and upright ones with him; thus shall he do: and he shall give him the daughter of women, corrupting her: but she shall not stand on his side, neither be for him.”

In the process of conquering the King of the south, he will invade Israel and establish a treaty with them.  When alexander the Great died, the Greek Empire was split into four Kingdoms between his four generals.  The southern Empire included part of Libya, Egypt, Sudan  and Saudi Arabia.  The eastern kingdom included present day Jordan, Iraq, Iran Afghanistan and Pakistan.  The northern kingdom included Syria, Turkey, Armenia, Georgia, and later grew to include part of the Ukraine and Russia and some of the areas around the Caspian Sea.  The western empire included Greece, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Albania part of Romania, southern Italy and some of the coastal areas around the Mediterranean Sea.  The southern and eastern kingdoms fought over possession of Israel until conquered by the Romans.  After the fall of the Roman Empire, Babylon was overrun by the Moslem forces from the southern kingdom, and have continued as part of the Moslem world to the present time.   It is quite possible that Babylon will be destroyed either at this time, or three and a half years later, when the Antichrist seizes power, as in both cases, the Mideast will be invaded by a strong military alliance led by a northern ruler, but we do know that she will be wiped out before the end of the Tribulation. 

“The king of Babylon hath heard the report of them, and his hands waxed feeble: anguish took hold of him, and pangs as of a woman in travail.  Behold, he shall come up like a lion from the swelling of Jordan unto the habitation of the strong: but I will make them suddenly run away from her: and who is a chosen man, that I may appoint over her? for who is like me? and who will appoint me the time? and who is that shepherd that will stand before me?  Therefore hear ye the counsel of the LORD, that he hath taken against Babylon; and his purposes, that he hath purposed against the land of the Chaldeans: Surely the least of the flock shall draw them out: surely he shall make their habitation desolate with them.  At the noise of the taking of Babylon the earth is moved, and the cry is heard among the nations.” (Jeremiah 50:43-46)

When Babylon is destroyed that time it will have a tremendous impact on the people of earth.  Revelation 18:9-19 describes the world’s reaction when Babylon will be destroyed. “And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,  Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.  And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more: 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, 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.  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.

The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, 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!  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, And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!  And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.

I suspect that at some point Babylon will become a major center of the Moslem religion in an attempt to unite the various factions and establish peace in the Mideast.  At some point, their demands that everyone else live by their standards of Sharia Law will lead to the destruction of the leaders, but that is only speculation.

“Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will raise up against Babylon, and against them that dwell in the midst of them that rise up against me, a destroying wind; And will send unto Babylon fanners, that shall fan her, and shall empty her land: for in the day of trouble they shall be against her round about.  Against him that bendeth let the archer bend his bow, and against him that lifteth himself up in his brigandine: and spare ye not her young men; destroy ye utterly all her host.  Thus the slain shall fall in the land of the Chaldeans, and they that are thrust through in her streets.  For Israel hath not been forsaken, nor Judah of his God, of the LORD of hosts; though their land was filled with sin against the Holy One of Israel.” (Jeremiah 51:1-5)

God had inspired Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians to defeat and punish Israel.  In the process, Nebuchadnezzar set himself up as God, as Daniel 3 describes.  Later, in Daniel 4, He turned to God, but his descendants did not, with Belshazzar deliberately mocking God by using the vessels from the temple to throw a drunken party.  Because they have so totally rejected God and destroyed Judah, God will bring an enemy against her that will kill them and burn the city like a destroying wind.    God has not forgotten his promise to Judah and Israel, and will protect them. 

“Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and deliver every man his soul: be not cut off in her iniquity; for this is the time of the LORD'S vengeance; he will render unto her a recompense.  Babylon hath been a golden cup in the LORD'S hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad.  Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed: howl for her; take balm for her pain, if so be she may be healed.  We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed: forsake her, and let us go every one into his own country: for her judgment reacheth unto heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies.” (Jeremiah 51:6-9)

Anyone who wishes to escape God’s judgment on Babylon must leave the city before it begins.  God has used Babylon to draw all the nations together and they have followed her lead, but now they will be destroyed.   They had the opportunity to turn to God for centuries but instead chose to follow something else.  Now judgment is coming and it is time for other people to get out. 
The warning to leave is much like the warning to Lot to leave Sodom.