A prophet of God prophesied over twenty-five hundred years ago that Babylon would experience a rebirth and that it would be a very painful experience. The prophet made it plain that this rebirth would be dramatic and sorrowful, even like a “carcass trodden under foot.” The people of this rebirth would be troubled by evildoers. These evildoers were destined to create great trauma for the population of this reborn nation. Its entire period of a short-lived renewal would be plagued with trouble. The prophet Isaiah did not miss one point.
Here are his perfect predictions as given to him by the Holy Spirit, “But thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch, and as the raiment of those that are slain, thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcase trodden under feet. Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed thy land, and slain thy people: the seed of evildoers shall never be renowned. Prepare slaughter for his children for the iniquity of their fathers; that they do not rise, nor possess the land, nor fill the face of the world with cities. For I will rise up against them, saith the LORD of hosts, and cut off from Babylon the name, and remnant, and son, and nephew, saith the LORD. 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.” (Isaiah 14:19-23) (This is the kind of prophecy that makes the Word of God breathtaking.)
It has been as if Babylon and Iraq did not exist in the mind of the church world for nearly two thousand years. Any talk of Babylon being rebuilt has been met with mostly sarcasm or cries of ignorance. I received an e-mail just this week calling me insane for speaking of literal Babylon in Bible prophecy. This man, along with a multitude, has declared with vigor that the United States is modern Babylon. Actually, there are not many cities in the world that could not be called Babylon if you speak of the tragic presence of utter moral filth. Because, prophetically, Babylon has been in the grave; I can understand why this vigorous denunciation of the few unwavering souls that dare to believe God meant what He said to Isaiah. This is always the case with Bible prophecy. It is why Israel did not know that Jesus Christ was the promised Messiah. They did not take Scripture literally.
I have dared to prophesy of Babylon’s rebirth for over forty years. The response has been mixed, but, finally, it is changing toward the positive. Everything Isaiah said is happening. The danger in Iraq, at the present, is of itself prophetic. This reborn nation will never know the peace we enjoy in America. Bloodshed will dot their existence until the fateful hour of God’s judgment. My heart hurts for the innocent people of this struggling nation. They are there by birth and have never known anything but living with sorrow. Those among them that know Jesus Christ as Savior can take heart because God never judges the righteous with the wicked. As the fateful hour of judgment draws near, God will speak to His own. His words are already recorded, “Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” (Revelation 18:4b)
Those who talk of evangelizing Iraq and making it a Christian nation are extremely foolish and have no sense of Bible prophecy. Of course, individuals can and will be converted and for that cause we should be committed. There is already an incredible movement of the One World Religion and Babylon will be a key focus. It will not be Bible-believing Christianity. Paul Crouch of TBN was there at the same time as I was during my recent trip, but he was there spreading his false religion of replacement theology. I personally heard him bragging about his commitment to ecumenicalism of the One World church. He did not use that term, but his language was plain. He made fun of the word Protestant and personally said, “I am not protesting anything.” In fact he was working toward starting a TV station covering Iraq. He, or someone that represents him, will be there to announce the Antichrist to the world.
This great prophecy in Isaiah is being fulfilled as I write. This nation will become the center of a one-world government. The United Nations is already discussing moving their headquarters to Babylon. Let me quote the most recent discussion concerning this fact. “Triggered by the Iraq War, informed sources say that the international Quartet of world powers (the US, UN, European Union and Russia) has drafted a proposal to transfer the seat of the United Nations to Baghdad (ancient Babel or Babylon)! The move would relieve the space constraints of the New York headquarters while also freeing it from the physical jurisdiction of the US. Though it’s only a draft of the Quartet, plans appear to be in the works to establish a third and perhaps final worldwide organization.” (Israel Today, December 2003) (Pre-Trib Perspectives, March 2004) The United Nations is pagan to the heart. They hate America and Israel; and our nation will be blessed to be free of their influence.
Babylon is being reborn by Divine decree so it can be judged by Divine perfection. Notice the last verse of Isaiah’s prophecy. He said, “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.” (Isaiah 14:23) John stated near the close of Holy Scripture, “Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her. 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 18:20-21) The presence of the Shiite Muslims in Southern Iraq is prophetic. The leaders of this sect could not hate Christianity with a greater hatred. They are the final product of the very heart and soul of Babylon, and they will be judged with the city where false religion was born.
Northern Iraq is destined to become a great nation and will be called Assyria during the Millennial Reign of Jesus Christ. Again, Isaiah prophesied of this future fact, “And the LORD shall smite Egypt: he shall smite and heal it: and they shall return even to the LORD, and he shall be intreated of them, and shall heal them. In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians.” (Isaiah 19:22-23) The Cradle of Civilization has become an incredible center of End Times fulfillment. Watch for a future Prophecy News Alert dealing with Northern Iraq and the rise of a reborn Assyria. The Word of God has never been more alive with perfect fulfillment.
Joseph R. Chambers
jrc@pawcreek.org