BABYLON IN IRAQ, THE PLACE OF THE FIRST AND LAST REBELLION ON THE EARTH AGAINST GOD

Grace unto you and peace from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. By the leading of the Holy Spirit, we begin to share with you all today the counsel of the most High God concerning Babylon. As the Father gives grace and the Spirit gives utterance, we shall reveal to you all according to the written Word of the Lord the past, the present, and the future of this ancient city. Understand and know that this is the counsel of the Lord of the whole earth; therefore all these words shall be accomplished and nothing shall hinder them.

Surely, there has been lots of controversy in the body of Christ today concerning the Babylon mentioned in the book of Revelation (Rev 17 & 18). Many have preached that this Babylon is the city of Rome and that Mystery Babylon is the Catholic Church while some others say this Babylon is the United States. But then, what does the word of the Lord say? If any man say to the people what the Lord hath not said, will his words not fall to the ground? Will his words not be forgotten in the days to come? Will he not bear his own shame? But yet still, why would men not seek the Lord for His counsel to know them that they may be wise? Why have they not marked His words and heard it? Why have they not searched it out? Whose counsel is sure? Whose counsel shall stand forever from generation to generation? Is it not the Lord’s? So then, what is the counsel of the Lord concerning Babylon? Where is Babylon located? Which city is it? Is it Rome, or Iraq, or America? Is this a spiritual city or a literal place? What does the word of the Lord say about its future?

Now hear the counsel of the Lord as revealed in His Word: Babylon, the one mentioned in all Scriptures, was one of the earliest and most celebrated cities of antiquity. Its hanging gardens were among the wonders of the ancient world with her strong fortified walls and very high towers. The temple of Bel, an idol god, and other large buildings made Babylon the greatest city in the world in those days. Between 792-722 B.C. in the days of Isaiah the Prophet, Babylon was of little importance. Assyria under Sennacherib, whose capital was Nineveh (somewhere between Iraq and Syria today), was then the reigning Empire. This was the time Isaiah prophesied concerning Babylon (Isa 13). Between 786-757 B.C., Nahum the prophet (Nah 1:9-11, 2:1-13) prophesied of the coming destruction of Assyria in Nineveh because of their oppression of Israel for they had taken the ten-tribe northern kingdom of Israel (the house of Joseph) captive at that time. This meant that another Empire must rise up to defeat Assyria. This did happen and commenced the rise of Babylon. The destroyers of Nineveh in Assyria were Cyaxares of Media, and Nabopolassar, the father of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. About 100 years after the prophecy of Isaiah, Babylon had reached its height under Nabopolassar and his son, Nebuchadnezzar. It was at this time that Daniel and Ezekiel were taken captive to Babylon.

How did Babylon begin? The ancient city of Babylon was founded in the very beginning by Nimrod (Gen 10:8, 10). At that time, it was called Babel. Nimrod, whose name in Hebrew is marad, which means to rebel, with the help of the people built a tower in those days in a city called Babel. This is the tower of Babel. The name Babel literally means confusion. This they did in rebellion against God, and this is the first collective rebellion of a people against God recorded in all Scriptures in the world we currently live in today, after the flood of Noah. It is written concerning Nimrod in Gen 10:10-11 “ And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. 11 Out of that land went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh(Assyria), and the city Rehoboth, and Calah ”. From this scripture we understand clearly that the city of Nineveh, which became the capital of Assyria, was built by Asshur, grandson of Noah, son of Shem, who went forth from Shinar, in the days following the flood of Noah. Nineveh was situated on the river Tigris, and was first called Nina, from the patron goddess of the city. The people were idolaters. In those days, Nimrod reigned from Babel in the land of Shinar from where Asshur came out from to build up Nineveh. Gen 11:1-2 also mentioned Shinar as the place where mankind in the whole earth gathered together with one speech to build the tower of Babel up into the heavens in rebellion against God. In this, they prospered for a season until God came down and destroyed the tower, confounded the language of the people, and scattered them across the face of the earth. Shinar was also mentioned in Gen 14:1, Isa 11:11, and Dan 1:2. Therefore, we understand that Babel and Assyriaoriginated from a specific land. The first rebellion in the whole earth after the flood of Noah also originated from this land. According to the word of the Lord above, this land is called the land of Shinar. Now, we all know that lands don’t change; only the people inhabiting lands change from time to time. That is, the land of America in 1800 is the same land today. But the people of America in 1800 are not the same people today. So then, what land is this exactly? Where is this land of Shinar located?

It is written in Dan 1:1-2 “ 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 ”. From this scripture we understand that Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon came against Judah and led Jehoiakim, king of Judah captive. According to the word of the Lord, Nebuchadnezzar also took part of the precious vessels in the temple of the Lord at Jerusalem, and carried these vessels to the land of Shinar. This land was Babylon, from where Nebuchadnezzar came. So then, according to the word of the Lord, the land of Shinar is Babylon , the one Nebuchadnezzar reigned from. Today, this is literal IRAQ. It is neither America nor Rome. If the Word of the Lord says it is in IRAQ in the Middle- East, then it is in Iraq. Is this not what the word of the Lord says? Why then would men not believe? Saints of God, believe and know today that Babylon, the same one Nebuchadnezzar reigned from in distant past, is the ONLY Babylon mentioned in all Scriptures. Today, it is in the country of Iraq. If any man says otherwise, he has not heard from the Lord and assuredly we say unto you, his words shall not stand. It shall fall to the ground and shall be forgotten.

The Scriptures also used three major symbols to symbolically refer to Babylon. These are: A great eagle (Ezek 17), the head of gold (Dan 2:37-38) and a lion (Dan 7:3-4). Babylon was also referred to in scriptures by a number of names. According to the word of the Lord, these are the only names for Babylon. It was called Chaldea (Jer 50:9-10, 51:24, 35, Ezek 11:24, 16:29, 23:15-16). It was called Shinar (Gen 11:1-9, 14:1-9, Isa 11:11, Dan 1:2, Zech 5:11). It was called Merathaim, which literally means double rebellion (Jer 50:21); so-called because the empire was founded on double rebellion. It was called Pekod (Jer 50:21), which literally means visitation; so-called because it was to be visited with judgment (Jer 50:21, Ezek 23:23), and it was also called Sheshach, named after Shach, a famous goddess of the city. This name was used twice by Jeremiah the prophet (Jer 25:26, 51:41). God Himself listed a number of nations/kings in Jer 25:20-26 that would partake of His wrath in the day of the Lord, the very day of the second coming of Christ. The king of Sheshach is to be the last to be judged of all these kings. The king of Sheshach is to be the last to drink of the wine cup of the wrath of God on that day.

Now it is written in Rev 16:17-19 “ And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. 18 And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. 19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath .” From this scripture above which will be fulfilled during the Great Tribulation, great Babylon is to come to God’s remembrance, to drink of the wine cup of the wrath of God. Is this not exactly what Jeremiah the prophet declared in Jer 25:20-26 cited in the previous paragraph above? Did the scripture above quoted from Revelation not say that God remembered? Why would God remember something suddenly? Can God not remember what He has already foretold in times past by His prophets? If this was already foretold, is it not right for Apostle John under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to use the word “in remembrance”? Did Apostle John in the scriptures above not say great Babylon? Where then is great Babylon? Is it not written in Dan 4:30 concerning Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon which is literal Iraq, wherein he said “ is not this great Babylon that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honor of my majesty? This proves beyond reasonable doubt that great Babylon mentioned in the book of Revelation that is to be judged by God in one hour during the Great Tribulation is the same Babylon that Nebuchadnezzar reigned over in times past. Again, according to the word of the Lord alone, this Babylon is in the country of IRAQ today. Is it not written that the things that has been are the things that shall be? That there is no new thing under heaven? If the first rebellion against God in the earth started in Babylon, would the last rebellion against God in the earth not spring forth also from Babylon? Is the word of God not like a circuit? Is Gen 1 which is the first chapter of the Scripture, not a picture of a perfect recreated earth? Is Revelation 22 not the same picture? Was the Garden of Eden not mentioned in the very beginning as a perfect place for man? Are the new heavens and the new earth in the book of Revelation not the same picture? Is the tree of life not mentioned in Rev 21 as it was mentioned in Gen 3 in the very beginning?

Many deep things are happening in Iraq today and the people of God must understand and know what God is about to do. But as it is written: how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? Understand and know that God allowed the current war in Iraq. He allowed it because His counsel must be done. As Iraq was the center of activity and focus in the earth in the very beginning after the flood of Noah when Nimrod the hunter reigned in it, so also, Iraq is come to stay in the center of activity in the earth in these last days and it shall be so for many days. This is already begun and it shall not go away. The country of Iraq is being prepared for the Antichrist who shall reign over it in the days to come. He will come in peaceably and obtain the kingdom by flatteries. He is the man of peace that is to come. By his peace, he shall make war. He shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people. He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches: and he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds, even for a time. Great wickedness will spring forth from this city in those days. Great and terrible persecution against the saints of God will thrive and prosper in it for a season. It shall also be in those days. The current terror in Iraq is a shadow of things to come. Babylon will be rebuilt. A place synonymous with the site of ancient Babylon will be built in Iraq in the days to come. This shall be done, for ALL the word of the Lord concerning this city must be fulfilled. It must be rebuilt to be completely destroyed with fire in one hour. It shall even be like when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. America will support Iraq until all these things shall be finished, until all these words shall be accomplished, until when this ancient city shall be rebuilt. At the appointed time, she also shall be overcome by the ten horns. These are the ten toes prophesied by Daniel the prophet. Behold, their days draw near. War is coming to the world and it shall devour the whole world. This, the Spirit speaks expressly as the Lord has revealed unto us in a vision of the night. Prepare saints of God! Prepare! For the Lord, my GOD soon cometh. It shall not be long. Remain holy and pure unto Him in all things. Repent of every sin in you and live holy unto the Lord day by day. Cease from all unrighteousness and let everyone that nameth the name of the Lord my GOD depart from iniquity. For thou knowest not the very hour the master of house cometh, lest he comes and find you sleeping. So then, Prepare, Watch, and Be Ready. For at the hour that you think not, the son of Man cometh. Him that hath an ear let him hear.