Traditional theology has always interpreted prophecy by saying that Babylon the great will be part of the antichrist’s world system, explaining that Babylon’s destruction will take place at the end of the tribulation. However, God’s time sequence of events—what we find in His Word—does not say this. This Scriptural evidence will be the foundation on which we will build our premise in discovering America’s role in Bible prophecy. To verify our position, we will drill down into the Word of God and show you our findings and clarify our interpretations.
THE FIRST TIME-SEQUENCE HINT:
In Revelation 16:19, the angel makes a reference to Babylon: “and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.” The Greek word for remembrance in this verse is mimneskomai, meaning, “to recall information from memory” or to “recollect” or “remind oneself.” In other words, this “remembrance” is referring to a “past tense” event.1 Additionally, the phrase “give unto her” is the Greek word didomi, translated “to make her drink.”2
The English Standard Version Bible translation gives us a further insight, interpreting the passage in this way: “God remembered Babylon the great, to make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of His wrath.” The wine in this verse is oinos and is translated “punishment that God inflicts on the wicked.”3 From this narrative we now realize that the seventh vial of judgment being poured out is not the beginning of Babylon’s judgment but is the final and ‘last drop’ of God’s fury. This last drop is judging all the world who have followed the Babylonian spirits.
But if the seventh vial contains God’s last drop of fury, where is the first drop?
To further explain this time sequence, God sent John an angel.
THE SECOND TIME-SEQUENCE HINT:
Revelation 17:1 says, “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.”
Notice in this verse the angel taking John away is not the seventh angel that had the seventh vial, but instead, it is one of the seven angels who had already poured out its vial. John is being taken away from the original time sequence, in which the seventh vial of destruction has just been poured out, to view a previous event in the time sequence, the destruction of Babylon the great.
From this point on (Rev. 17:1–11), this angel describes Babylon as a mystery. The word for mystery—mysterion—means “mysteries, reli- gious secrets, confided only