JUST A WORD OR TWO in review, that we might have our proper bearings, should be given. Revelation, chapters 6, 8 and 9, and 16, as we have repeatedly seen, give us the chronological order of events as they occur in the Tribulation. The end of the Tribulation is reached at the end of chapter 16. John, following the law of recurrence, filled in details into the survey of the history of the Tribulation, as we see in chapters 17, 18, and 19. Babylon the harlot is destroyed in the middle of the Tribulation as set forth in Revelation, chapter 17. Now we come to the consideration of Babylon the city, described in Revelation, chapter 18.

There are prophecies in the Old Testament which show that Babylon is to be destroyed in the Tribulation Period, the day of Jehovah. For instance, in Isaiah 13:1-14:27 we have a clear description of the fall of Babylon in the day of Jehovah, when God is punishing the sinners of the world. Since Babylon has been destroyed, it must be rebuilt in order for the prophecy to be fulfilled. For the one who is particularly interested in this subject, I would also direct his attention to a study of Isaiah, chapters 46-48, because this passage assumes also the existence of Babylon in the end time. Moreover, Jeremiah, chapters 50 and 51, likewise speak of the destruction of Babylon in the day of Jehovah. In order, therefore, for these prophecies to be fulfilled, Babylon, literal Babylon, must be rebuilt in the end time.

Someone may say that, if this be true, the coming of the Lord is in the very far distant future. Not necessarily so. We are living, not even in the atomic age, but in the hydrogen bomb age, and are moving rapidly into other eras. Babylon can rise out of the dust of the past in a very few months and be the city that is mentioned by the prophet. The Word of God is certain and absolutely sure.

In Revelation 18:1-3 we have the announcement; "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, and is become a habitation of demons, and a hold of every unclean spirit, and a hold of every unclean and hateful bird." As we have already seen, the announcement in chapter 14:8 is concerning the fall of Babylon the harlot. These two announcements are entirely different. The one in chapter 14 is the announcement of the overthrow of Babylon the harlot, the ecclesiastical system, whereas this one in chapter 18 is the announcement regarding Babylon the city at the end of the Tribulation.

"That the Babylon mentioned in chapter 18 is a literal city is quite evident to everyone who will, with an unbiased mind, read the entire chapter; for it has the earmarks of being literal throughout. To read something into it other than the literal meaning is to attempt to perform intellectual acrobatic stunts, of which no man is capable.

In Revelation 18:4-24 we have the prediction concerning the overthrow of Babylon the city which shall be the capital of the world, the royal city of the Antichrist, (The reader is especially urged to ponder over this entire chapter.)

In verses 4 and 5 we have a call to the people of God that will be living in Babylon at the time when it is about to be destroyed. Thus the Lord says: "Come forth, my people, out of her, that ye have no fellowship with her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues: 5 for her sins have reached even unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities." Someone may ask this question: Since the destruction of Babylon the city occurs at the end of the Tribulation, how is it that there will be children of God in it at that time, seeing that the Church is raptured before the Tribulation? That question is very easy. After the Church is removed by the rapture before the Tribulation, the Tribulation judgments come upon the world. The seed which we are now sowing in all Israel will be watered by the rains of the judgments of the Tribulation, that will cause the seed to germinate and produce an army of 144,000 Jewish "Pauls"--servants of God--who will bring about the world-wlde revival. An innumerable host of people will learn of the truth through the preaching of these 144,000 evangelists. These will wash their robes and make them white in the blood of the Lamb. Note the fact that they come out of the Tribulation, the great one. God will have saints upon the earth during the Tribulation, that is, the Tribulation saints, moreover, some of those constituting the people urged to come forth out of Babylon before its final collapse may be the Jewish people who will turn to the Lord at the very end of the Tribulation, repudiate their national sin, and accept Christ. Thus there is a call for all of the people--then living upon the earth--who have any longing for God to come forth out of Babylon before its final collapse.

As we learn from Isaiah 40:1,2, Israel will receive double punishment for all her sins. The reason for this fact is that he has had advantages and opportunities for advancement that no other nation, as a people, has enjoyed. But God is going to render double to Babylon for all of her sins, as we see in 18:6,7; "Render unto her even as she rendered, and double unto her the double according to her works; in the cup which she mingled, mingle unto her double. 7 How much soever she glorified herself, and waxed wanton, so much give her of torment and mourning: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall in no wise see mourning."

Babylon will have had unparalleled opportunities to receive the truth, but will have sinned against all the light God grants to her; therefore the punishment she is to receive is to be doubled unto her.

This scene is set forth in Revelation 18:9-19. When Babylon is overthrown, the literal kings of the earth who will commit fornication wantonly with her, that is, with Babylon, "shall weep and wail over her, when they look upon the smoke of her burning" (vs. 9).

These merchants express their woe and horror over the complete destruction of the materials constituting their merchandise, as is described in verses 10-14, ". . . standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the strong city! for in one hour is thy Judgment come" (vs. 10).

Among the merchandise of her traffic there is a very sad note sounded in the latter part of verse 13; ". . . and cattle, and sheep; and merchandise of horses and chariots and slaves; and souls of men." Men and women who traffic in the souls of others deal with spiritual realities that are to have their effect upon those thus treated throughout all eternity.

The second woe is found in verses 15-18. Here they express themselves as being overtaken by judgment saying: "Woe, woe, the great city, she that was arrayed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, and decked with gold and precious stone and pearl! 17 for in one hour so great riches is made desolate. And every shipmaster, and every one that saileth any whither, and mariners, and as many as gain their living by sea, stood afar off, 18 and cried out as they looked upon the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like the great city?"

One cannot avoid the conclusion that this is the destruction of a literal city. It will be the greatest city that ever is built, the finest, as we see in the song which constitutes Isaiah 25:1-5.

The third woe is found in verse 19. These merchants and traffickers cast dust on their heads, they weep and mourn, and say; "Woe, woe, the great city wherein all that had their ships in the sea were made rich by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate." Thus in this passage Babylon rebuilt is represented as the commercial center of the entire world.

Notwithstanding its greatness and power and magnificence, it is to be destroyed in one day, as we see in verse 8. According to the statement in verse 10 it is to be destroyed "in one hour." The same thought is expressed again in verse 17, "for in one hour so great riches is made desolate. Finally, in the third woe, the statement is repeated, "for in one hour is she made desolate."

"20 Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye saints, and apostles, and ye prophets; for God hath judged your judgment on her" (18:20). Naturally, the saints in heaven will see things from God's standpoint and will rejoice over the execution of God's judgments against such sinners as those in charge of Babylon of the end time.

According to verse 21 a strong angel took up a stone "as it were a great millstone," cast it into the sea, and uttered this prophecy: "Thus with a mighty fall shall Babylon, the great city, be cast down, and shall be found no more at all.'' This is an echo of the prediction that the prophet made in Jeremiah 51:59-64.

In Revelation 18:21-24 we see the final, sudden, and complete overthrow of Babylon. It will become the dwelling place during the Millennium of everything that is unclean, as we see in Isaiah 13:19-22. It will be in the same category with Edom, as expressed by Isaiah 34:8ff. When the curse will have been lifted from the entire earth, it will still remain upon old Babylon and Edom. Men cannot sin away their day of grace and contemn the Almighty, and go unpunished. The Almighty is a God of righteousness and justice, who performs truth, and justice and righteousness in the earth in dealing with men.

When Babylon is thus overthrown in fulfillment of these marvelous predictions, Christ will take over the governments of the world, will lift the curse, and will establish His reign of righteousness from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth. At that time the glory of God will encircle the earth as the waters cover the sea.