By Pastor Hal Mayer
Dear friends,
Welcome to Keep the Faith Ministry once again. Today, we’re going to see more amazing parallels and types between ancient Babylon and it’s fall with modern Babylon and its fall. Modern Babylon is a spiritual Babylon which is trying to control every nation and people around the world. They will prohibit keeping the Sabbath holy because Satan despises Christ and hates the Sabbath because it’s Christ’s special day. The infrastructure for modern Babylon is already well under construction, in fact, it is almost completed. We shall soon see what it means to run counter to the system of censorship and control. Persecution will come to the free world which will no longer be free. Just as predicted by God through the Bible and through the Spirit of Prophecy every earthly support will be cut off.
So, let us review. Let’s go back to Belshazzar’s party. Turn with me to Daniel 5:1-4.
“Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand. Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein. Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them. They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.”
Belshazzar’s party was meant to defy God. Belshazzar was a wicked king that rejected his grandfather Nebuchadnezzar’s conversion and he tried to make it known that he was not going to follow in his steps. This is not the only move he made but it’s the only event recorded in scripture. There was quite a long period of decline in Babylon’s moral standing before this event took place. Belshazzar knew full well what he was doing. He had heard and was fully aware of what had gone on during Nebuchadnezzar’s reign.
Belshazzar thought that nothing would disturb his fun and games. No human being could stop him. He thought God would not hold him accountable for his sins and debauchery. Maybe he even thought that God didn’t really care, or that God wasn’t paying attention. But scripture tells us what the consequences of this view of God are. Turn to Psalms 73:11, 12.
“And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High? Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.”
And just like ancient Babylon, modern Babylon also has a prevailing arrogance that is rejecting God. In Revelation 18:7 Babylon is described as saying the following.
“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.”
But the unseen and unrecognized Watcher was aware of everything that was going on at the debauched party, as He is aware of everything that modern spiritual Babylon is doing today. We don’t have to fear that God does not see and hear what goes on. Belshazzar confronted God. Now God was going to confront this Belshazzar. After all, Daniel, as God’s witness was still alive and nearby. When the bloodless hand began writing on the wall everyone at the feast, Belshazzar and all the people with him watched it with astonishment and terror. The Bible says in verse 6, that he was so terrified that his joints were loosed and his knees smooth together. Let’s read it.
“Then the king’s countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.”
The astonishment of his Lords is typical of the astonishment of the kings and merchants of the earth when modern Babylon is confronted. The king tried to read the burning letters on the wall but could not. He wildly called out in a panic to the astrologers, the Chaldeans and the soothsayers; to the men he supposed were wise to read the writing.
Daniel 5:7, “And the king spake, and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.”
Notice the scarlet robe and the gold chain that Belshazzar was going to give to that person who should interpret the writing on the wall. These are symbols of Rome. Listen to it from Revelation 17:4.
“And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication…”
His trusty soothsayers and the wise men of Babylon and the Chaldeans, who were supposedly very smart to read signs and omens and could understand mysteries, could not read it and they could not tell the interpretation of it. When man turns his back against God, he cannot discern spiritual things for spiritual things are spiritually discerned. Necromancers and spiritualists certainly cannot interpret the things of God. So, Belshazzar was left without anyone to tell him what the meaning of the writing on the wall was. This made Belshazzar more troubled than before. The Bible says his countenance was changed in him and his lords were astonished. He was utterly troubled and could not find understanding and peace.
It’s amazing that he didn’t think of Daniel. Maybe he knew that Daniel would prophesy against him and would not tell him something good. Or maybe he just forgot about him because he wasn’t using him on a regular basis to advise him. Unspiritual men forget to associate with the righteous because they don’t want the rebuke of their presence on their lifestyle. They also don’t seek their advice because it will not be what they want to hear.
The Queen Mother, whose name was Nitocris, heard of the trouble, for she must have been told the words of the king, her son. She had not come to the feast. But now she decided to come and tell Belshazzar to call Daniel and get him to interpret the writing. Notice what she says about Daniel. It’s in Daniel 5:10-12.
“Now the queen, by reason of the words of the king and his lords, came into the banquet house: and the queen spake and said, O king, live for ever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed: There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers; Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will shew the interpretation.”
There are several important observations to be made. First of all, Nitocris uses his Jewish name, not his Babylonish name. This is being very respectful of his religious convictions. At the time of this emergency one ought not to be disrespectful to the one who could interpret the mysterious letters and foretell coming events.
Second, Nitocris is convicted and acknowledges the spirit of the holy gods that is in him. And being the daughter of Nebuchadnezzar, she saw and knew what happened to him for defying God. Again, she pays tribute to his religious worship and his usefulness to the government and to the previous ruler Nebuchadnezzar.
Third, Nitocris gives full credit to Daniel’s understanding and wisdom, and she mentions that Belshazzar’s grandfather Nebuchadnezzar made him the master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers. This suggests that Belshazzar had demoted Daniel from his position in defference to the jealousies of these men.
At the end of time, the astonishing events that unfold in the world will not be able to be interpreted by anyone to the satisfaction that is needed, except by God’s true, faithful people. They will interpret times. Daniel will again stand in his lot through the faithful people of God.
When Daniel came into the feast, he first pointed the king to the God of heaven and referred him to the history of his grandfather which he knew very well and then reproved him for not humbling his heart. It’s found in Daniel 5:17-23. It’s quite a speech.
“Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; yet I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation. O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour: And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down. But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him: And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will. And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this; But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified: Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written.
Then he read the words on the wall and gave the interpretation. Daniel 5:25-28, “MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.”
“MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it. TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.”
Notice that God had written “MENE,” twice for emphasis. “God hath numbered thy Kingdom, and finished it.” It is interesting that this parallels Revelation 14:8 and when it is repeated in Revelation 18:2.
Revelation 14:8, “And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.”
Revelation 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.”
In each case the message is given that Babylon is fallen twice, for emphasis. Modern spiritual Babylon falls lower and lower like ancient Babylon. When God decrees something it is final, there is no appeal. Trying to restore it and rebuild it would be an exercise in futility. Here is a statement from Early Writings, page 274.
“I saw that since Jesus left the holy place of the heavenly sanctuary and entered within the second veil, the churches have been filling up with every unclean and hateful bird. I saw great iniquity and vileness in the churches; yet their members profess to be Christians… An innumerable host of evil angels are spreading over the whole land and crowding the churches. These agents of Satan look upon the religious bodies with exultation, for the cloak of religion covers the greatest crime and iniquity.”
God’s messenger also says that the fall of Babylon includes the churches that have become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and the cage of every unclean and hateful bird. Be careful that your church doesn’t become the dwelling place of devils and every foul spirit and every unclean and hateful bird. Continuing on…
“The message of the fall of Babylon, as given by the second angel, is repeated, with the additional mention of the corruptions which have been entering the churches since 1844.”
There is a double application of the type here. First, this is a moral fall just as it was in ancient Babylon. At the height of its immorality, Cyrus, who represents Christ, entered the city. The churches will not generally accept the messages of Revelation 14 and 18. In fact, they will morally fight it, especially after 1844. So, at the height of their arrogance, when they persecute the saints and try to kill them because they keep the law of God; when they are at the lowest point in moral worth, Christ will come.
Second, the fall was physical. Before the physical fall, Babylon lost its glory and moral standing and descended into debauchery. Likewise, a loss of morality by the churches, or modern spiritual Babylon, will end in unexpected physical collapse. And by the way, that will be an overwhelming surprise. And Babylon is overthrown after the long decline of morality in the churches, similar to ancient Babylon. Babylon’s worldwide system will be destroyed and incapable of lifting a finger against God’s people.
Great Controversy, page 606 makes an interesting statement that parallels the terrifying astonishment of those at Belshazzar’s party.
“The sins of Babylon will be laid open. The fearful results of enforcing the observances of the church by civil authority, the inroads of spiritualism, the stealthy but rapid progress of the papal power—all will be unmasked. By these solemn warnings the people will be stirred. Thousands upon thousands will listen who have never heard words like these. In amazement they hear the testimony that Babylon is the church, fallen because of her errors and sins, because of her rejection of the truth sent to her from heaven.”
The doom of Babylon was declared inside of her before it came to pass. Let’s look at Jeremiah 51:60-64.
“So Jeremiah wrote in a book all the evil that should come upon Babylon, even all these words that are written against Babylon. And Jeremiah said to Seraiah, When thou comest to Babylon, and shalt see, and shalt read all these words; Then shalt thou say, O LORD, thou hast spoken against this place, to cut it off, that none shall remain in it, neither man nor beast, but that it shall be desolate for ever. And it shall be, when thou hast made an end of reading this book, that thou shalt bind a stone to it, and cast it into the midst of Euphrates: And thou shalt say, Thus shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise from the evil that I will bring upon her: and they shall be weary. Thus far are the words of Jeremiah.”
Similarly, the doom to come upon Modern Babylon is now being proclaimed by some in the worldwide Babylon by the 3rd angel’s message. The doom which eventually befell Babylon did not come until after the declaration of the coming collapse of her power. Similarly, the collapse of modern Babylon will not transpire until the third angel’s message has been given to modern Babylon.
Seraiah was only one man. Similarly, there will be only a few who proclaim the three angels’ messages, And it won’t be all of God’s professed people, only the faithful ones. Seraiah bound a stone to the writing against Babylon and dropped it into the river Euphrates symbolizing that the river no longer would serve Babylon as a defense, but it would be the reason for her destruction. Cyrus’ soldiers would overrun Babylon.
Likewise, angry people will also overrun moral spiritual Babylon. Waters represents “peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues.” (Revelation 17:15). Modern Babylon which used the people to do her bidding, especially her persecution of the true followers is of God, will turn on her and burn her with fire.
“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.”
The stone that Seraiah threw in the river Euphrates depicted the utter destruction of Babylon. She was dragged down and could not rise again. Likewise, modern Babylon is also represented by a stone. Let’s read it from Revelation 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.”
As Cyrus and his conquering armies overthrew Babylon, so, the armies of heaven overthrow modern spiritual Babylon. Ancient Babylon’s sins were great. Modern Babylon’s sins are greater and extend to the whole world. Both ancient and modern Babylon were overthrown because their sins had reached unto heaven and their unrepentant and arrogant spirit toward heaven was manifest.
The close of probation in ancient Babylon typified the close of probation for modern Babylon. The bloodless hand wrote on the wall indicating that the Babylonian kingdom was ended. And God confirms it and locks it in, in Revelation 22:11 he says, “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.”
Look at this statement from Great Controversy, page 491. This is just one example of the way God’s messenger applies type to the antitype.
“‘Watch ye therefore: … lest coming suddenly He find you sleeping.’ Mark 13:35, 36. Perilous is the condition of those who, growing weary of their watch, turn to the attractions of the world. While the man of business is absorbed in the pursuit of gain, while the pleasure lover is seeking indulgence, while the daughter of fashion is arranging her adornments—it may be in that hour the Judge of all the earth will pronounce the sentence: ‘Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.’ Daniel 5:27.”
Babylon became the habitation of wild, unclean creatures. It is predicted in a number of verses in Isaiah and Jeremiah. Let’s read some of them.
Jeremiah 50:39, “Therefore the wild beasts of the desert with the wild beasts of the islands shall dwell there, and the owls shall dwell therein: and it shall be no more inhabited for ever; neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation.”
Jeremiah 51:37, “And Babylon shall become heaps, a dwellingplace for dragons, an astonishment, and an hissing, without an inhabitant.”
Isaiah 13:21, “But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and owls shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there.”
Isaiah 14:23, “I will also make it a possession for the bittern, and pools of water: and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction, saith the LORD of hosts.”
In the spiritual antitype Babylon is described as being filled with foul spirits, devils and unclean birds. Let’s read it again in Revelation 18:2.
“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.”
Isaiah 21:9 tells us the same thing for the type that Revelation 14:8 does for the antitype.
“And, behold, here cometh a chariot of men, with a couple of horsemen. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground.”
Isaiah’s prophecy can apply to both ancient Babylon and modern spiritual Babylon. It has a double meaning, or a double application. But the process of becoming the “hold of every foul spirit and the cage of every unclean and hateful bird,” happens over a long period of time. But in the end, Babylon will be desolate. Let’s read it from Jeremiah 25:12.
“And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished, that I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation, saith the LORD, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and will make it perpetual desolations.”
Jeremiah 51:57 emphasizes perpetual desolation, describing it as sleep.
“And I will make drunk her princes, and her wise men, her captains, and her rulers, and her mighty men: and they shall sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake, saith the King, whose name is the LORD of hosts.”
So also, in the antitype. Turn to Revelation 18:22-23.
“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; 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.”
This “perpetual desolation” has an antitype as well. Let’s start by reading it from Great Controversy, page 658.
“The revelator foretells the banishment of Satan and the condition of chaos and desolation to which the earth is to be reduced, and he declares that this condition will exist for a thousand years.”
So, during the Millennium, the whole earth, Babylon’s usurped dominion will be desolate and devoid of any life altogether. The devil and his angels will be the only ones left to experience the desolation. Babylon will be no more. Never again to rise and cause chaos and confusion for God’s kingdom.
Revelation 18:8 tells us that strong is the Lord God who judges her.
“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.”
Jeremiah 50:34 tells us about ancient Babylon.
“Their Redeemer is strong; the LORD of hosts is his name: he shall throughly plead their cause, that he may give rest to the land, and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon.”
Revelation 18:9 says that the kings of the earth bewail and lament for her. And Jeremiah 50:46 parallels this in the type.
“At the noise of the taking of Babylon the earth is moved, and the cry is heard among the nations.”
This is a cry of distress. The merchants that did business with Babylon had no one to trade with them anymore. Revelation 18:20 tells us that heaven actually rejoices when Babylon is destroyed.
“Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.”
And sure enough Jeremiah 51:48 provides a typical experience.
“Then the heaven and the earth, and all that is therein, shall sing for Babylon: for the spoilers shall come unto her from the north, saith the LORD.”
The land of Idumea or Edom is a type to represent the destruction of all the wicked. Isaiah 34:9, 10 speaks of Idumea and describes this destruction.
“And the streams thereof shall be turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into brimstone, and the land thereof shall become burning pitch. It shall not be quenched night nor day; the smoke thereof shall go up for ever: from generation to generation it shall lie waste; none shall pass through it for ever and ever.”
In Revelation 19:3 speaks of the symbolic whore in the same terms.
“And her smoke rose up for ever and ever.”
“The smoke of their burning” of Revelation 14 is speaking of those that worship the beast and his image. Revelation 19:3 is another “smoke,” the smoke of the whore.
“And her smoke rose up for ever and ever.”
Now let’s go back and look at the river Euphrates. We don’t hear much about this when you hear sermons on these prophecies. But the river Euphrates plays an important and significant part in the antitype of end-time prophecies.
Jeremiah 51:64, “And it shall be, when thou hast made an end of reading this book, that thou shalt bind a stone to it, and cast it into the midst of Euphrates: And thou shalt say, Thus shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise from the evil that I will bring upon her: and they shall be weary.”
Revelation 18:21 parallels this.
“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.”
Ancient Babylon was a literal city built on or straddling the literal river Euphrates. But spiritual Babylon is a city system that is built on the spiritual river Euphrates. Look at Revelation 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.”
A city is an organized system where social, legal, economic and religious activities take place. And ancient Babylon had all of that. But spiritual Babylon has it too. It is an organized system that will control all of the social, legal, economic and religious activities of the whole world once it is mature. So, the symbolic city is referring to the world-wide system of control that Rome and the elites are setting up. And we can already see elements of this system falling into place. The superstructure is getting quite mature. There is already a surveillance state in place that can track and spy on individuals and enforce social compliance with the predominant narrative. The legal structure of the inquisition is being rebuilt including the punishments for defying its authority. That’s been happening since 9/11. Soon there will be CBDC’s that will control the economy. And there is a religious juggernaut that is being forged by ecumenical alliances that will not tolerate dissent.
The city that is represented as modern spiritual Babylon is more than just a literal place. It is a global system of control that spans virtually every country. It isn’t just the city of Rome or the Vatican. It includes Rome, of course and it is the nexus where all the evil of the system emanates from. But the system spans the whole world. While it isn’t quite there yet, it is getting close.
There is an interesting phrase that must be understood. It is found in Revelation 16:12.
“And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.”
What is referred to as “the way of the kings of the east might be prepared?” Let’s look at the type.
Isaiah 41:2, “Who raised up the righteous man from the east, called him to his foot, gave the nations before him, and made him rule over kings? he gave them as the dust to his sword, and as driven stubble to his bow…”
Cyrus, who led the Medes and the Persians against Babylon, came “from the east,” “from the rising of the sun.” Cyrus came from Persia, which is east of Babylon.
Isaiah 41:25, “I have raised up one from the north, and he shall come: from the rising of the sun shall he call upon my name…”
In fulfillment of this, we see that in 2 Chronicles 36:22, 23 there are a number of statements that clearly tell us that this prophecy was fulfilled in every detail. Let’s read it.
“Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth hath the LORD God of heaven given me; and he hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? The LORD his God be with him, and let him go up.”
Cyrus is declared to be the king of Persia and he calls upon the name of the Lord God of Heaven and declares Him to be the one who gave him “all the kingdoms of the earth.” It was Cyrus of Persia who led the Medes, and their allies of the north, against Babylon. Cyrus came from Persia which is east of Babylon and also the Medes came from the east. So, the Medes and the Persians were under kings that were from the east. Cyrus also gave the decree for the liberation of the Jews and the return to Palestine to rebuild Jerusalem along with the temple and its services. So, Cyrus was important to the restoration of the true worship of God, just as Jesus and His people are important to restoring the law of God and true worship in the whole world.
Modern spiritual Babylon is also to be subdued by the kings of the east. We’ve already seen that Cyrus represents Christ. The way of the kings of the east is prepared by the drying up of the river Euphrates. The persecuting power of the nations and people’s cut off. And the need for protection of God’s people will prepare the way for Christ to come from the east. Who in the great controversy releases God’s people from the captivity in Babylon so they can rebuild the true worship of God untainted by anything that is evil? Christ comes to release His people and reestablish His true worship.
As Christ descends from heaven, His coming will appear first in the east, from the place of sunrise. All heavenly bodies appear to arise in the east. Just as our sun passes overhead and because of the rotation of the earth, is seen by all the world. So, Christ, with His vast retinue, will be seen by all the world.
Revelation 1:7, “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.”
Isaiah 46:11 says that Cyrus would come from a far country.
“Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.”
In Luke 19:12 Jesus speaks of God as a nobleman that went to a far country.
“He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.”
“Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:”
Jesus represents God as a nobleman going to a “far country” so when Jesus comes as a suffering servant, the servants of the nobleman kill Him. But when Jesus comes back as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, we need to understand that he is coming from that “far country” and represents the Father and would destroy those servants.
Isaiah 44:23 says that Cyrus was God’s shepherd.
“That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.”
Jesus is the “Good Shepherd.” He is also known as the “great shepherd” (Hebrews 13:22) and the “chief shepherd.” So again, we see that Cyrus represents Christ. He was God’s anointed (Isaiah 45:1) or “Messiah” and overthrew ancient Babylon, and the Babylonian captivity. Likewise, Jesus is “God’s anointed” and His “Messiah” (John 1:42) comes to deliver his people and overthrew spiritual Babylon.
Now, Cyrus diverted the river Euphrates from ancient Babylon. By the divine judgments on the earth Jesus will divert the attention of the people from their murderous designs on God’s true worshippers so that they cannot persecute them any longer.
So, you can see the Old Testament origin and significance of the statements made by John in Revelation. To attribute the kings of the east to anything other than Christ adds something entirely irrelevant to the purpose of prophecy. In his portrayal of the overthrow of spiritual Babylon John describes it by using the Old Testament records of the overthrow of literal Babylon. Only when viewed in this way can the correct interpretation of Revelation 16:12 be understood.
“And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.”
Friends, we don’t want to be a part of fallen Babylon. Notice that it is stated in the present tense. Babylon is fallen. We have to come out of her now and anything related to her in our lives. Otherwise Satan will have access and can get a foothold on us. The fall of Babylon is very great and will mark the close of probation and the end of the world. There are many more types regarding the fall of Babylon. Maybe you can study them on your own.
Let us pray. Our Father in heaven, Please help us to see plainly that the fall of Babylon has been prophesied in the Old Testament as well as the new. Help us not to be a part of it. But may we have a close relationship with Jesus that His power will be in our lives so that we can overcome the enemy that drives Babylon. Help us to see that ancient Babylon’s great party at the close of its probation is the decadence that will be the prominent feature that will lead to the destruction of modern spiritual Babylon. Please make us ready for the close of probation and the sealing of our souls to God. In Jesus name, amen.