Not Now, Not Ever

Throughout the Bible, when something is important it is mentioned seven times. Seven is symbolic of completion, The Lord finishes what He determines. When we see sevens in scripture, we know that The Lord is the designer.

There is one exception, everything related to Babylon comes in sixes. Sixes are symbolic of man. When we see sixes in scripture, we know that these are the schemes of man. In The Revelation and in Daniel, these plans are symbolized by Nebuchadnezzar’s statue of the gentile political and religious kingdoms. These kingdoms are in rebellion against The Lord’s authority over mankind.

In Chapter 18 of The Revelation, there is a long poem about the demise of Babylon the Great. Towards the end of the book, there are six double negatives. In English, a double negative is Improper Grammar; they cancel each other out. However, in the Greek and Hebrew, the double negative is for emphasis. In English, we modify the word with very, much, or surely for emphasis.

These double negatives are translated as no more. Their meaning is: no – never, not now – not ever, not in time – not in space, will the sound of joy be heard in her streets. This will be the Roman Church’s judgment for her great crime of persecuting God’s people.

Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, “So shall Babylon the great city be thrown down with violence, and shall be found no more; 22 and the sound of harpers and minstrels, of flute players and trumpeters, shall be heard in thee no more; and a craftsman of any craft shall be found in thee no more; and the sound of the millstone shall be heard in thee no more; 23 and the light of a lamp shall shine in thee no more; and the voice of bridegroom and bride shall be heard in thee no more; for thy merchants were the great men of the earth, and all nations were deceived by thy sorcery. Rev. 18:21-23

And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all who have been slain on earth.” Rev. 18:24 

The language in The Revelation is reminiscent of Isaiah’s prophecy about the demise of the first Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylon was cursed to be a complete ruin and never be inhabited by humans. [Is 13] Antiochus Epiphanes depopulated the city and it eventually fell into ruin. The late Iraqi dictator, Sadam Hussein, intended to rebuild the city as a tourist destination. A few walls were rebuilt, but alas, the first Babylon is no more.

This Babylon the Great, is the last Babylon. Her religious oppression over God’s people will end. The Messiah will throw, at some predetermined time, the beast and his false prophet into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur.

At the end of our gentile statue of the political and religious powers that rule man, The Ancient of Days will hand over the nations to the Messiah.