The Great Tribulation is Over

Recently I wrote about a mighty angel throwing the great city of Babylon into the sea like a millstone.  In Revelation 19, John tells of the aftermath of the fall of Babylon.  People in heaven are cheering loudly.  God has judged "the great whore" and avenged the blood of His servants at her hand.  "And her smoke rose up forever and ever."  It's interesting that John sees people in heaven, and doesn't mention the angels.  And what about the saints on the earth?  Wouldn't they also rejoice?  This raises the question of whether all the saints are in heaven at this point.  The twenty four elders and the four beasts are also mentioned in the celebration. 

When the great city of Babylon falls, not only a city has fallen.  Babylon is the seat of the beast's empire.  The whole empire has collapsed.  

It is now time for the Lamb, Jesus Christ, to marry his bride, the church, who is dressed in a wedding gown of white linen.  All of heaven is excited about it, and an angel tells John to write, "Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb." 

 John sees heaven open, and Christ sitting on a white horse, and goes on to describe how glorious He is.  He is called Faithful and True, The Word of God, and King of Kings and Lord of Lords. 

His eyes are like a flame of fire and He is wearing many crowns. His clothing is dipped in blood, signifying His death as the perfect sacrifice to God to pay for the sin of man.  

He has several names - one known only to him, also Faithful and True, The Word of God, and then on his clothing and on his thigh the name: King of kings, and Lord of lords.  The armies of heaven are with him riding white horses, and wearing white linen. 

Then John saw an angel standing in the sun, calling to the birds that fly "in the midst of heaven," to come and gather themselves to the supper of the great God. 
They will be eating the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both small and great.

The beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gather to make war against Christ and his army. 

The beast and the false prophet, are taken in this silly war. They are thrown alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.  They will be there a long time - eternally.  The interesting thing about their being cast alive into the lake of fire is that they are the first to go there in all time, and they haven't been to the Great White Judgment, where people's lives are examined.  Everyone else will be judged at this judgment.  

Also, notice that the Harlot of Babylon isn't being cast into the lake of fire.  Why? Because she is a personification of a city, not a person.  

Jesus and the saints win the war, and the great tribulation is over. 

Revelation 19 art

Revelation 19

Written from memory

1. And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia, Salvation, and glory and honour and power, unto the Lord our God, 

2. For true and righteous are his judgments, for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. 

3. And again they said, Alleluia, and her smoke rose up forever and ever. 

4. And the four and twenty elders, and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen, alleluia. 

5. And a voice came out of the throne saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him both small and great, 

6. And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia, for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.

7. Let us be glad and rejoice and give honour to him, for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 

8. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white, for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. 

9. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb, and he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God. 

10. And I fell at his feet to worship him, and he said unto me, See thou do it not, for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus.  Worship God, for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophesy. 

11. And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 

12. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns, and he had a name written that no man knew, but he himself. 

13. And his was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood, and his name is called The Word of God. 

14. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed with fine linen, white and clean. 

15. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations, and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and the wrath of Almighty God. 

16. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. 

17. And I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together to the supper of the great God,

18. That ye may eat of the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. 

19. And the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat upon the horse, and his army. 

20.  And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. 

21. And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceedeth out of his mouth, and all the fowls were filled with their flesh. 

A Dutch Lullaby

Wynken and Blynken and Nod one night sailed off in a wooden      shoe,
Sailed on a river of crystal light, into a sea of dew. 
"Where are you going and what do you wish?" the old Moon asked the three. 
"We have come to fish for the herring fish that live in this  beautiful sea,
Nets of silver and gold have we," said
 Wynken and Blynken and  Nod. 

The old Moon laughed and sang a song, as they rocked in the    in the wooden shoe, 
And the wind that sped them all night long ruffled the waves of  dew. 

Now the little stars are the herring fish that live in that beautiful sea, 
"So cast you nets wherever you wish! Never afeared are we!" So cried the stars to the fishermen three, 
 Wynken and Blynken and Nod. 

All night long their nets they cast to the stars in the twinkling  foam, 
Then down from the sky came the wooden shoe, bringing the  fishermen home. 
"Twas o so pretty a sight it seemed as if it could not be, 
  And some folks thought 'twas a dream they dreamed, 
   of sailing that beautiful sea. 
But I shall name you the fishermen three, 
  Wynken and Blynken and Nod. 

Wynken and Blynken are two little eyes, and Nod is a little        head, 
And the wooden shoe that sailed the skies, is a wee one's trundle  bed. 
So close you eyes while Father sings of the beautiful sights that  be, 
And you shall see all the beautiful things as you rock in the  misty sea, 
Where the old shoe rocked the fishermen three, 
Wynken and Blynken and Nod.  

 –– Eugene W. Fields    

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otSDqRvD4C0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pagkDQAJdE

Jacob's Ladder

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwHCujtH8Wc

The Fall of Babylon

Matthew Henry  October 18, 1662 - June 22, 1714  Here is part of the problem in trying to understand the book of Revelation.  A leading commentator died 300 years ago.  

For example, who is Babylon?  Babylon is a city, according to Revelation 18.  I have speculated that the city is New York City, because NYC meets many of the criteria of Revelation 17.  In 1714 New York City didn't meet any of the criteria for being Babylon.   Since Matthew Henry, one of the most revered commentators, thought it was Rome, because at the time John wrote the prophesy it was understood to be describing the Rome of his day, Rome has been dogmatically accepted by many to be "the Harlot of Babylon."  

Some have decided that that was then this is now, and Rome doesn't fit anymore.  Therefore new theories must be floated. Theories that ancient Babylon will be rebuilt and spring back into existence to provide a more satisfying fulfillment of prophesy than she has so far.  Theories that the Babylon in Revelation 17 and Revelation 18 are two entirely different cities, because chapter 18 begins, "And after these things..."  Theories that Babylon MUST be Jerusalem.  

In  trying to read the history of Babylon, I've found that the history seems to be written according to what people that wrote the history wanted it to be, emphasizing ancient accounts or dismissing them accordingly.  

Some say that prophesies of Jeremiah and Isaiah on the fall of Babylon have never been fulfilled.  Well, it seems to depend on what one understood them to have prophesied.  Babylon wasn't suddenly conquered in a horrible cataclysm or battle.  However, Babylon has disappeared from history.  It has only been fairly recently that anyone even found ruins of Babylon, and many believed the biblical accounts of ancient Babylon to be purely imaginary, as there was no evidence at all that it ever existed.  A whole world empire - poof.  

In trying to sort out the history of Babylon, and the prophesies of Babylon, I find myself running into histories and commentaries that spend page after page completely off the subject, and answering what seems to me like silly questions. Was John seduced by the Harlot of Babylon?  Well, when one speaks of a ship as a "she," does anyone imagine that lonely sailors are falling in love with "her"?  John knows this Harlot of Babylon is a city.  I don't think he's struggling with his romantic interest in her.  It's as if the commentator said to himself, "No one is going to read this anyway, I just need to write twenty pages of craziness."  


I have opinions.  I think the Babylon of chapter 17 and the Babylon of chapter 18 are the same.  I don't think we're talking about literal Babylon.  Babylon is being used as a metaphor, as nearly every other thing John has brought up has been.  I don't think it's Rome.  I think the first century church thought it was Rome, and it was expected that they would.  Hence, Rome, though unspoken, is also a metaphor of this city.  I don't think it's Jerusalem.  And what does that leave?  If all the events described in Revelation were happening today, under the current circumstances, I would say it is New York City.  


Some will argue, "Oh, noooooooo.  This prophesied city is rich!  New York City has a lot of outright squalor! This prophesied city is a seaport.  NYC doesn't unload cargo in the city anymore, mostly due to 9/11.  NYC doesn't live 'deliciously.' "  Etc. Etc.  Well, in addition to other criteria, I think we're talking about a city of the Western world.  "But NYC doesn't behead Christians, or even throw them to the lions," they cry.  "Yet," I answer.  The "Harlot of Babylon" needs to be royal.  Again, it seems like people have their thinking confused with this being a person and this being a city.  It is not a person.  To be a royal city, you only need to be the ruling city of the empire, not related to a king.  

Unfortunately, when one goes down the metaphorical or spiritual road, they seem to depart completely from any element of logic.  If we're not being literal, then logic doesn't matter anymore!   

I also feel that this city will be in the English speaking world, simply because of the fact that English has become a world lingua franca, and there would need to be a lingua franca for the political situation to operate on a world scale.  Logically, the dominant city would be an English speaking city.  Would it make sense for the political and economic and religious affairs of this final world empire to be necessarily conducted in English, and yet choose to rule from a city where the language is Chinese?  

Moving on.  The "kings of the earth have committed fornication with her."  Fornication is used here to mean breaking a sacred trust with God.  How do they do this?  Well, there are a lot of aspects  to modern life that have broken with the former code of conduct with God.  One hears, "I don't think anyone should legislate morality."  And yet all of legislature is legislating morality, and that ultimately comes down to God's thoughts on the law.  The laws of the United States were formulated using the Ten Commandments as the model.  It's not just something Christians have done either.  Witness countries of the Moslem world, adhering to Islamic law.  The Ten Commandments are the basis of the legal system.  If we aren't legislating morality, then we also should not send anyone to prison for murder or theft.  If you carry this thinking to its logical conclusion, there can be no law at all.  And, in fact, this will be the problem with the last empire - it will be a lawless place, run by lawless people.  So what if they're fornicators? cry some.  We can be fornicators if we like!  Why should that be against the law?  

Well, the kings of the earth are all fornicators, in the sense especially that they don't adhere to any laws because they don't adhere to God.  The Antichrist will seemingly present the perfect solution for them.  The new deity not only doesn't disapprove of fornication in any sense of the word, he encourages it!  

Curiously, in chapter 17, the kings of the earth have abandoned their thrones in order to turn everything over to the Antichrist, because they have all decided to do away with the Harlot of Babylon, and the Antichrist will help them.  Immediately after this, Babylon is destroyed.  Are the kings of the earth happy now?  Not so much.  They are weeping, mourning, and wailing.  But isn't this what they wanted?  I'm not quite sure.  They didn't like being controlled by Babylon, but they enjoyed the benefits of Babylon, which was wealth.  With Babylon destroyed, the economies of the kings of the earth, and the merchants of the earth go down.

Some have pointed to Revelation 18's treatment of "the merchants of the earth," as indicating that John, and by extension, God, is speaking against business or countries operating with economies.  Evil evil evil.  "Money is the root of all evil!"  But this is incorrect.  Scripture states that the LOVE of money is the root of all evil.  It therefore makes sense that the final empire would be morally destitute for the sake of money.  However, I don't feel that this is an indictment of merchants or of countries having economies.  Everyone in it will have abandoned righteousness for money and the things it can buy.  If one abandons morals for money there is a problem.  With all law and morality abandoned, the whole world goes off into uncharted territory.   

I suppose what the kings of the earth wanted was control of Babylon, not collapse.  

Was it the Antichrist that destroyed Babylon?  Or was it the hand of God?  Did God use the Antichrist to destroy Babylon?  

"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." Revelation 18:21

One angel picks up a stone the size of a great millstone?  How much would that weigh?  I suppose at least what a car would weigh. That must be a strong angel.  

"And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he may be, shall be found any more in thee, and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee.

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;" Revelation 18:22-23

No more music, no cobblers, no mechanists, no bakers, lawyers, doctors, or any other profession.  What if in New York City all the businesses were closed forever?  It would be a sad day. 

Not only that, no lights, no weddings...  What if it were abandoned, vacant, a ghost town?  Here one might find a hubcap left, if that.  

No, not New York City!  But, if not New York City, another equally remarkable city, "utterly burned with fire," gone completely and forever, in one hour.  

Why, why, why?  We are finally given an answer to the great question of man in Revelation 18:23-24, "for thy merchants were great men of the earth, and by thy sorcery were all nations deceived, 24. and in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth."

Revelation 18

Written from memory  

1. And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power,  and the earth was lightened with his glory, 

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. 

3. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. 

4. And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. 

5. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. 

6. Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double. 

7. How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. 

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. 

9.  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, 

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. 

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, 

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. 

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!  

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, 

18. And cried, when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city! 

19. 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. 

20. Rejoice over her thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets, for God hath avenged you on her. 

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. 

22. And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters shall be heard no more at all in thee, and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee, and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee, 

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, 

24. And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth. 

Bunnies Stick Out Their Tongues