America and Revelation 18

Where do we stand?

James F. Gauss

January 12, 2021

Available worldwide as an eBook on Barnes & Noble at this link or on Kobo here.

“Dr. Gauss has authored a work that has elevated his star as a modern-day prophet. There are few books I have read that have held my attention for its entire duration. Every page is filled with pertinent news and information that should wake the church up and fire-up preachers to PREACH!”

David L. Cobb, Evangelist, Southern Baptist Conference

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Excerpted, in part, from Revelation 18 and the Fate of America.

In the fall of 2010, as I was getting ready for bed, I felt the Spirit of the Lord urge me to read Revelation 18.  The Book of Revelation is far from my favorite and when I did read it, it was not with an inquisitive mind or spirit.  I could not remember what chapter 18 was about and I certainly did not want to read it right before going to bed, but I submitted to the Spirit’s urging.  As I read each verse, the Spirit of God seemed to say to me, “This is America.”  At first, I did not want to accept that conclusion, but as I pondered that assessment over the following days, I decided to do my homework and follow my gut feelings.  I was horrified with the results, but I resisted sharing my conclusions for three years.  By 2013, it seemed like God would not leave me alone on the issue and I finally penned and self-published the almost 400-page book, Revelation 18 and the Fate of America.

In Chapter 3 of the book, I review the 18 characteristics of “Mystery Babylon the Great” mentioned in chapters 14, 16, 17 and 18 of the Book of Revelation. 

In view of the 2020 presidential election, I feel an urgency to review those 18 characteristics and see where America stands.  In the Introduction to my book, I wrote:

            Will America survive?  That is the question that is becoming more frequent in the minds and on the tongues of Americans at home and abroad and also non-American observers worldwide.  Can the United States of America survive the unyielding assaults on its constitution, morals, economy, justice system and religious foundation—not only from without, but also from within its own borders?  Can America survive and regain its traditional strength and leadership when its own leaders are becoming more radical and anti-American?  America’s survival and re-establishment of its God-ordained greatness will depend on the response of the people of America in general and the Christian church in particular—not ten years from now; not in five years; not even one year from now, but NOW!

So, after a vicious, fraud-ridden presidential election, where does America stand in fulfilling the 18 characteristics of Mystery Babylon the Great?  I will review them one-by-one and see what you think.     

Characteristics of “Mystery, Babylon the Great”.  Some might argue that the Babylon in Revelation is mentioned as a city.  However, that does not mean that it could not be a country.  In ancient times, as well as now, a country often took on the characteristics and recognition of its major city or center of power and influence.  Thus, in the Old Testament, when Babylon is mentioned it not only includes the city of Babylon but the whole of Babylonia, the country, or the nature of the whole region controlled by Babylon.

Today, it is similar.  When we think of a country or region we automatically think of the location of the center of power and influence.  It is where decisions and laws are made that control the country and its people and determine the economic and political flow of life.  Thus, when referring to or thinking of the United States of America, more often than not, people would identify the country with its seat of power and influence, Washington, DC.

So, what about the “Babylon” mentioned in the Book of Revelation?  What distinctive attributes must it have to match the city-state or country described in Revelation?  The first mention of Babylon by name occurs in Revelation 14:8.  “And another angel followed, saying, “Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication” (author’s emphasis).

The first characteristic of the Babylon is that she must be so powerful that she can control all nations and make them do what she wants them to do.  It is hard to imagine that a city, no matter how powerful, could control the whole world.  But a powerful, wealthy nation could.  Not only would this Babylon be so powerful, but it would have the absolute power, influence and supremacy to market its wanton sinfulness upon others.  Other Bible versions refer to her fornication as passionate immorality or adulteries or passionate idolatry.  This Babylon would have the power and influence to control the morals of the world.  Does America fit the description? √Check!

The next mention of Babylon in Revelation is in Revelation 16:19.  “Now the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. And great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath” (author’s emphasis).

The second characteristic of this Babylon is that its city or center of power was divided into three parts.  Some biblical scholars say that this indicates Babylon’s total destruction, but that would be incongruous with the second part of the sentence: the cities of the nations fell.  For all the cities of all the nations to fall because of Babylon, Babylon would still have to be functioning at the time of that collapse.  Instead, is it possible that the center of this Babylon’s power is governed by three parts, such as the government of the United States which is divided into the Executive, Legislative and Judicial? If so, does America fit the description? √Check!

The third characteristic of Revelation’s Babylon is that it has such strong influence over the leaders and people of the world that it can make them do whatever it desires.  Revelation 17:2 states,   “with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication” (author’s emphasis). Or, in the New Living Translation (NLT) of the Bible, “The kings of the world have committed adultery with her, and the people who belong to this world have been made drunk by the wine of her immorality.”

This future Babylon would be so powerful and controlling that all the heads of state would be in “bed with her”, that is, be in collusion with her.  Not only the world’s leaders but all those who considered themselves to be of this world would fall prey to her waywardness and the sinful intoxication of her immorality.  Does America fit the description? √Check!  We saw this play out in spades during the last two presidential elections where foreign countries and entities linked up with the Democratic Party to try and overthrow the will of the people to elect their candidate.

A fourth characteristic of this Babylon in the Book of Revelation is that it would have to be a society of great wealth, yet pervasive with immorality and those things that were an abomination to God.   “The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication” [Revelation 17:4 or “full of obscenities and the impurities of her immorality” (NLT); author’s emphasis].  Does America fit the description?  √Check!

The United States has become the greatest purveyor of pornography and sexual perversion in the world.           

The fifth characteristic is that this Babylon in Revelation, like the Babylon of antiquity, is a center of great perversion and wickedness.  And, not content to wallow in her own sinfulness she pursues exporting it to the world.  She has become the mother of all that is evil and an abomination to God.

In Revelation 17:5, it proclaims that this Babylon, the Babylon of the End Times, is the mother, that is, the one who has given birth to all the harlotry and immorality in the world.  She is the “Mother of All Prostitutes and Obscenities in the World” (NLT).  Does America fit the description?  √Check!

America is not content with its own rampant sinfulness, wickedness and perversion.  Before the horrific child-murdering decision of Roe vs. Wade in 1973, abortion was considered a heinous inhuman act.  In 47 years since the legalization of this infanticide, America has murdered over 62 million of its preborn.  Worse, in exporting this abhorrent immoral mindset, there have been over 1.6 Billion babies by abortion techniques throughout the world.  Can God ever forgive us?

Revelation 17:6 presents a sixth characteristic of the futuristic Babylon:  “I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement” (author’s emphasis).  Like the Babylon of old that tried to destroy the Jews, this Babylon would be intent on destroying all that represented Christianity.  It is a society ruled by those who were intent on destroying the Christian church and the followers of Jesus Christ.  Does America fit the description?  √Check!

While the blood of the saints and the blood of the martyrs of Jesus may not be running in the streets of America just yet, the Marxist left, a contingent of Democrats, BLM, Antifa (fascists) and other anti-Christ members (including within the Church) are hell-bent (no pun intended) on silencing the true Church and followers of Jesus Christ (this will be explored in a future post).

The seventh characteristic is that this Babylon will be a dwelling place of demons. “And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird!” (Revelation 18:2; author’s emphasis).

While the Babylon of old was wicked and worshipped many false gods, the Babylon of Revelation will be the residence of all forms of demons and the embodiment of every anti-God spirit.  Does America fit the description?  √Check!

In “modern” America, there is hardly a sinful rock left unturned when it comes to perversion and wickedness.  Such iniquities have invaded all of society, but especially within political and Church circles where Americans look for exemplary leadership in the flesh.

An eighth characteristic of the Babylon in John’s revelation is mentioned in Revelation 18:3. “For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchantsof the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury” (author’s emphasis).  Because of her great wealth and the pursuit of even more wealth, the Babylon of Revelation is not only a prime market for the world’s goods but also has made those who trade in the import and export of her material goods wealthy as well.  This Babylon and its residents can never get enough of its own and the world’s goods and resources to be satisfied.  Does America fit the description?  √Check!

The ninth characteristic of Revelation’s Babylon is that her plagues will overwhelm her.  “And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues” (Revelation 18:4; author’s emphasis).  The Babylonian culture represented in this verse is so engrossed in its sinful behavior that it does not see the plague of repercussions heading its way as payback for its iniquities.  As it has turned away from God it has become hardened and resistant to His repeated warnings about the consequences of their rampant sin and falling away from Him.  Does America fit the description? √Check!

Throughout human history there has always been wars, natural disasters, plagues, etc. The last several years, perhaps decades, have not been any different.  However, what set 2020 apart from all other recent years, since the dust bowl years of 1931-39 that devastated America, was the unexpected and rapidly spreading coronavirus plague known as COVID-19.  It completely blindsided Americans and the whole world.  What is particularly disturbing is that it was likely developed by human hands and deliberately spread throughout the world.  For some reason, America was particularly hard hit—at least that is what the media, politicians and certain medical professionals keep telling us.

TO BE CONTINUED HERE.  There are nine more characteristics of Mystery Babylon.  How does America fit?

For more information and book selections, visit Books by Gauss website.