America and Revelation 18: Part 2

Where do we stand?

James F. Gauss

January 16, 2021

• 

Excerpted from 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. 

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”

In the tenth characteristic we see that because she refuses to repent, Babylon’s sins are piled high. “For her sins have reached to heaven [are heaped up], and God has remembered her iniquities” (Revelation 18:5; author’s emphasis).   Even when Israel’s sins were piled high and she had become an abomination to God, God offered the Hebrews a way out, a way back to Him.  All they had to do was repent and turn back to Him.   “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; and I will not remember your sins” (Isaiah 43:25).

But the reason that the sins of this Babylon had reached to heaven is because they refused to repent.  They did not see anything wrong with their wretchedness and therefore their unforgiven sins kept mounting up until God could no longer forget them or overlook them.  Have America’s sins against God been piling high without repentance?  √Check!

The eleventh characteristic of the new Babylon is that the multitude of her sins will be doubly repaid. “Render to her just as she rendered to you, and repay her double according to her works; in the cup which she has mixed, mix double for her” (Revelation 18:6; author’s emphasis).   Babylon’s sins are so bad, such an assault on the goodness of God that it justifies her getting repaid two times over for her evilness.

It is terrible enough for one to be repaid fairly for what ones transgressions are, but to be doubly repaid would seem unfair and intolerable.  But God is just and in this case, Babylon’s sins warrant a double payback.  And, even though He may not be the direct author of that payback, He will let the sins of Babylon bring upon her the consequences of those great iniquities to the degree of twice what she would normally disserve.  Do America’s sins of murdering over 62 million babies warrant double payback?  How about America leading the world in sexual perversion?  Does America deserve double payback for her sins? √Check!

The twelfth characteristic of Revelation’s Babylon is that she is prideful. “In the measure that she glorified herself and lived luxuriously, in the same measure give her torment and sorrow; for she says in her heart, ‘I sit as queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow’” (Revelation 18:7; author’s emphasis).

God hates pride and especially among those He has richly blessed and who have lived luxuriously, yet He receives no credit for their well-being and success.  “And after all this, if you do not obey Me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins.  I will break the pride of your power; I will make your heavens like iron and your earth like bronze” (Leviticus 26:18-19).  

Despite Babylon’s great wealth that has afforded its inhabitants to live well; perhaps even above the standards of the world, she prides herself in her accomplishments.  She has become her own god.  Has America become overly prideful?  √Check!

The thirteenth characteristic of the Babylon in Revelation, unlike the historical Babylon, is that her end will be swift—in one day; in one hour.  “Therefore her plagues will come in one day—death and mourning and famine. And she will be utterly burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God who judges her . . . For in one hour your judgment has come” (Revelation 18:8, 10b; author’s emphasis).

For the Babylon of the Old Testament, her demise came at the hands of military invasions and occupations that took months and even years.  But the end of the Babylon in Revelation will be unfathomable; thought impossible and unthinkable, but it will be in the blink of an eye.

The COVID “pandemic” illustrated to Americans and the world how quick things and life can change.  However, in this electronic/cyber age, one computer hack can change the course of the world in an instant.  Or, a nuclear attack on a nation’s power grid and computers could send it back to the dark ages in a mille-second.  With all of America’s enemies—Islam, Russia, China, North Korea, Iran, etc.—chomping at the bit to destroy America, is America at the precipice? √Check!

For a fourteenth characteristic of the Babylon in the Book of Revelation is that the whole world will mourn her demise. “The kings of the earth who committed fornication and lived luxuriously with her will weep and lament for her, when they see the smoke of her burning, . . . They threw dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and wailing, and saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city, in which all who had ships on the sea became rich by her wealth! For in one hour she is made desolate’” (Revelation 18:9, 19).  Would it be possible that the sudden passing of one city would cause the world to mourn?  Not likely unless it were New York City, London or some other major trading or financial hub.

However, the rapid disappearance of a wealthy, powerful nation upon which the rest of the world depended for its wealth and prosperity would certainly bring about a lot of weeping and gnashing of teeth among those who depended on her greatly for their sustenance and way of life.  Would the world “weep and lament” if England disappeared?  Or Australia?  The world would adjust.  However, if America, the world’s largest economy with the strongest military and on whose currency, the world depends, were to be no more, the world, indeed, would be at a great loss.  Would the world weep and lament at America’s passing?  √Check!

Revelation 18:11-13 presents a fifteenth characteristic for this Babylon and that is that she is a marketer of much that the world desires, including her money and precious resources.

“And the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, for no one buys their merchandise anymore: merchandise of gold and silver, precious stones and pearls, fine linen and purple, silk and scarlet, every kind of citron wood, every kind of object of ivory, every kind of object of most precious wood, bronze, iron, and marble; and cinnamon and incense, fragrant oil and frankincense, wine and oil, fine flour and wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and bodies and souls of men (author’s emphasis).

Even so, not only is she no longer around to buy the world’s goods, but she is no longer a resource for what the world desires and craves.  The rest of the world quickly discovers that it will be difficult to go on without her rich resources and market.  In 2020, the U.S. averaged around $180 billion in exports every month.  Prior to the impact of COVID-19 it was about $210 billion.  In addition, the generous United States provides about $50 billion in foreign aid to 175 countries every year.  That’s almost every nation on the globe.  Pre-pandemic, the U.S. imported over $3 trillion of the world’s goods.  Also, practically every country on the planet sends students to America for education in America’s schools and universities.  Do you think the world would miss America if she no longer existed?  √Check!

A sixteenth characteristic of the New Testament Babylon is, just like her historical example, she has an insatiable lust for riches.  “The fruit that your soul longed for has gone from you, and all the things which are rich and splendid have gone from you, and you shall find them no more at all” (Revelation 18:14; author’s emphasis).   Or, as the New Living Translation (NLT) puts it: “All your luxuries and splendor are gone forever, never to be yours again.”

It is hard to conceive that such a great nation that not only had an abundance of wealth but was a nation that the rest of the world greatly depended on was all of sudden no longer in existence.  Indeed this would be a monumental tragedy for the world.

According to a recent TD Ameritrade survey, the average American spends almost $700/month on non-essential items (Millennials spend $838/month on non-essentials or luxuries).  According to an analysis by Deutsche Bank Securities, during the period of 1984-2014, America’s wealthiest residents spent 65% of their income on luxuries.  Do you think the businesses of the world would miss American money?  √Check!

The seventeenth characteristic of this once great nation is that there was absolutely nothing like her in the history of the world.  “They will cry out as they watch the smoke ascend, and they will say, ‘Where is there another city as great as this?’” (Revelation 18:18, NLT; author’s emphasis).

The Babylon of Revelation was unique and exceptional.  There was nothing like her—not in the past and not likely in the future.   Yet, in spite of her great wealth and power, she will be tossed on the dung hill of time and become a distant memory.  Much will likely be written about her, but she will never rise again.

According to a study by https://owlcation.com, the average civilization/empire lasts about 349 years.  America’s Revolution started in 1775, or 246 years ago.  However, the year the Pilgrims arrived at Plymouth Rock in current-day Massachusetts and made a covenant with God and each other was 1620, or almost 401 years ago.  Has America exceeded the length of the average civilization?  √Check!   

Finally, the eighteenth characteristic of the Babylon in Revelation is that she was a source of great deception.  “The light of a lamp shall not shine in you anymore, and the voice of bridegroom and bride shall not be heard in you anymore. For your merchants were the great men of the earth, for by your sorcery all the nations were deceived” (Revelation 18:23; author’s emphasis).  Has America been the source of great deception and evil dealings over the centuries?  √Check!

A personal note.  I derive no pleasure in sharing these stark realities about my beloved country.  I fervently pray that this will not be the end of America, a country that was established on a Godly foundation and Godly principles.  The question is:  Will the Church in America wake-up in time and repent and lead a great awakening and revival to restore America to her God fearing roots?

Some might think I am a “doom and gloom” person.  I am not.  But in every generation, God raises up watchmen to warn His people of their errant ways and path.  I am but one of many.  I do not relish my calling.  Like Jeremiah of old, who wept over Israel’s demise, I weep over America.

Pray for America and the Church!

Go Here for Part 1 (The first 9 characteristics). 

Visit Books by Gauss website for more information and book selections.