“After these things, I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority, the earth was lit up by his splendor” (Revelation 18:1).
An angelic messenger comes down from heaven with great authority; the earth was ‘lit up by his splendor’ or ‘illuminated by his glory.’ The Hebrew word for ‘splendor’ is hod and means ‘majesty,’ but isn’t in the Hebrew version. The Hebrew word for ‘authority’ is kabbir and means ‘great and mighty.’ This great and mighty messenger was shining on the earth from the heavens revealing his glory.
Hebrew Word Pictures
Shining – hayareh
ה Hey – A Window means ‘reveal’ or ‘behold.’
א Alef – An Ox means ‘first’ or ‘strength.’
י Yod – Closed Hand means ‘finished work.’
ר Resh – A Head means ‘highest authority.’
ה Hey – A Window means ‘reveal’ or ‘behold.’
The Hebrew Word Picture for hayareh: behold first strength finished work of highest authority.
Authority – kabbir
כ Kaf – An Open Palm means ‘to allow’ or ‘to cover.’
ב Bet – A House means ‘house’ or ‘family.’
י Yod – Closed Hand means ‘finished work.’
ר Resh – A Head means ‘highest authority.”
The Hebrew Word Picture for kabbir: to cover the house finished work of highest authority.
Glory – kavod
Kaf – An Open Palm means ‘to allow’ or ‘to cover.’
Bet – A House means ‘house’ or ‘family.’
Dalet- A Door means ‘pathway.’
The Hebrew Word Picture for kavod: to cover the house pathway.
“He cried out in a strong voice, ‘She has fallen! She has fallen! Bavel the Great! She has become a home for demons, a prison for every unclean spirit, a prison for every unclean, hated bird'” (Revelation 18:2).
Babylon means ‘gate of the gods’ in Greek; it is Bavel in Hebrew and became the name of the city that built a Tower to the gods; and Adonai confused their language. Babylon was the ancient capital of southern Mesopotamia for about one thousand years BCE, until it became a province of Ur of the Chaldeans for about one hundred years at the height of its prestige. Eventually, the area included Assyria and modern-day Iraq. The ruins of Bavel are on the Euphrates River about 55 miles south of Baghdad.
Hebrew Word Pictures
Babylon – Bavel
ב Bet – A House means ‘house’ or ‘family.’
ב Bet – A House means ‘house’ or ‘family.’
ל Lamed – Shepherd’s Staff means ‘urge forward.’
The Hebrew Word Picture for bavel: family house urges forward.
Abraham left the land of Ur in the Chaldean and eventually was called to Adonai’s land of promise (Genesis 11:29-12:5). He left a pantheon of gods and goddesses, specifically Marduk, sometimes called Bel or ‘Lord.’ Marduk, portrayed as a man, was associated with the Greek god Zeus and was depicted riding a dragon. Other familiar gods in Babylon are the Queen of Heaven, Ishtar (Easter), and Tammuz for whom the people of Isra’el weep for 40 days (Lent).
Babylon has become the dwelling place for demons, a prison for ‘unclean’ spirits.’ Demons are evil spirits that are associated with the occult. Evil spirits can be divined through witchcraft and channeling and will appear as people we once knew. This is known as a ‘familiar spirit’ and many people embrace these spirits as the ‘return of a loved one.’ In reality, they are demons taking physical or emotional shape leading their prey away from the Truth of God’s Word: “it is appointed for a man to die once and then face judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).
After King Saul of Isra’el lost his kingship for disobeying Adonai, he no longer heard from Elohim. He went to the witch of Endor requesting she call forth the dead spirit of the prophet Samuel. Samuel returned but only to repeat that Saul had lost the kingdom because of his disobedience with the Amalekites (1 Samuel 28:3-25). Even his disobedience Adonai calls ‘witchcraft:’ ““For rebellion is like the sin of sorcery, stubbornness like the crime of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of Adonai, he too has rejected you as king” (1 Samuel 15:23).
Adonai calls the practice of witchcraft and channeling spirits ‘destestable:’ extremely hateful; very odious; deserving abhorrence (Deuteronomy 18:10-12). These verses describe the activities of the occult that are not only practiced on the occult’s high holy day of Samhain (Halloween), but are becoming more prevalent and normalized as the end of times gets closer.
Babylon was a prison for every ‘unclean,’ hated bird. In Hebrew the word for ‘prison’ is mishmar and means a ‘place of confining’ or ‘observing.’ ‘Unclean’ birds had become the ‘home’ for ‘unclean spirits.’ Babylon ‘confined’ and ‘observed’ unclean birds in their satanic rituals. Babylon had let so many evil spirits loose that they possessed ‘unclean’ birds like ravens, hawks, owls, and eagles. This speaks loudly about the ‘mystery’ religion Babylon embraced –– everything hated by Elohim inclusive of sacrificing and consuming ‘unclean’ birds (Isaiah 66:16-18).
The word ‘unclean’ in Hebrew is tame and means ritually ‘unclean.’ Ritual ‘uncleanness’ is moral, ethical, and religious. It refers to people, places, and animals. Instead of remaining separate from the ‘unclean,’ Babylon embraces the evil spirits and defile humans as well as animals. ‘Beastiality’ is a possibility within this evilness, and there will be “a curse on anyone who has sexual relations with any kind of animal” (Deuteronomy 27:21).
“For all the nations have drunk of the wine of God’s fury caused by her whoring — yes, the kings of the earth went whoring with her, and from her unrestrained love of luxury the world’s businessmen have grown rich” (Revelation 18:3).
The spiritual antithesis of the pure virgin Bride of Messiah is the WHORE of Babylon, the bride of the Adversary. The ‘whoring’ religion of this ‘woman’ is impure, unclean and cursed. It affects the family, the government, and commerce in the entire world.
Sometimes ‘whore’ is translated as ‘prostitute’ which means this ‘woman’ sold her soul for the lies and deception that she promotes. The ‘woman’ religious system has prostituted herself with the world; there will be no division between ‘church and state.’
In Hebrew, the word for ‘whore’ is kedeshah and is the feminine form of kadesh. The Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh is kadesh. Yeshua, the visible image Adonai is kadesh. Those who understand the ‘patriarchal’ lineage of authority are kadesh. When the patriarch turns to the matriarch, it will be known as the rise of the ‘divine feminine.’ This ‘matriarchy’ will ‘whore’ itself with all other religions and will be filled with the ‘spirit of Jezebel’ that knows Satan’s dark occult secrets.
Another word in Hebrew used for ‘whore’ is zanah and means ‘to commit adultery’ with the idea of idolatry. The ‘mystery’ Babylon religious system commits spiritual adultery through idolatrous practices. This word is used for the prostitution in the ancient religious practices of the Canaanites. Even today, India still uses young girls and women as temple prostitutes. Ironic, that the current vice president of the United States has a Hindu goddess name, and the philosophy of Hinduism allows the combining of all religious ideologies.
Babylon has ‘unrestrained’ love. The Hebrew word for ‘unrestrained’ is sarach and means ‘to go free, overrun, exceed.’ Their ‘love’ is not the ‘love of Adonai’ described in 1 Corinthians 13. It is a sexual lust that embraces ‘loving whomever and whatever one wants.’ Sha’ul taught about a ‘restrainer’ that will be removed allowing for complete lawlessness that twists love to take over the world (2 Thessalonians 2:6). The ‘restrainer’ has great power to hinder the advance of the anti-messiah and prevent the satanic kingdom from overwhelming the world, BUT it will one day be removed. Ichabod.
Then I heard another voice out of heaven say:
“Then I heard another voice out of heaven say: ‘My people, come out of her! so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not be infected by her plagues, for her sins are a sticky mass piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her crimes'” (Revelation 18:4-5).
The depravity of Babylon is so evil that Adonai commands that His people remove themselves from the ‘whore.’ Babylon’s iniquities bring on natural the consequences of plagues, diseases, sicknesses that pile up to heaven. Adonai remembers her crimes and will judge her, but like in Egypt, He calls His people to become ‘separated’ by coming out from her (Isaiah 52:11). Sha’ul gives the same direction to the Corinthians as the prophet Isaiah gave to Isra’el, “Go out from their midst; separate yourselves; don’t even touch what is unclean. Then I myself will receive you. In fact, I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters says Adonai-Tzva’ot. Therefore, my dear friends, since we have these promises, let us purify ourselves from everything that can defile either body or spirit, and strive to be completely holy, out of reverence for God” (2 Corinthians 6:17-7:1).
Touching anything ‘unclean’ remains a Torah command until there’s a new heaven and new earth. Disobedience to His commands brings defilement of body and spirit –– the essence of the WHORE of Babylon who rejects everything from the Word of Adonai.
“Render to her as she rendered to others! Pay her back double for what she has done! Use the cup in which she has brewed to brew her a double-sized drink! Give her as much torment and sorrow as the glory and luxury she gave herself! For in her heart she says, ‘I sit a queen — I am not a widow, I will never see sorrow.’ Therefore, her plagues will come in a single day — death, sorrow and famine; and she will be burned with fire, because Adonai, God, her Judge, is mighty” (Revelation 18:6-8).
Adonai will judge Babylon. She will be paid back double! The ‘cup’ she used will become a double-sized drink that she used to ‘brew.’ The definition of ‘brew’ contains the words ‘boiling,’ ‘steeping,’ ‘mixing various ingredients,’ ‘concoct.’ The WHORE of Babylon will mix various religions and concoct a system that will involve boiling and steeping. Because of the contempt Babylon showed for Adonai’s holy ones, she will receive a double portion from the same ‘cup’ (Luke 6:38).
The WHORE is prideful. She sits like a queen, with the Adversary as her king, believing she will never become a widow. ‘Widow’ in Hebrew is almanah and means ‘a desolate place.’ She believes she will never fall or see affliction. She will always be prosperous and never know desolation. Because of her arrogance over Adonai, she will receive plagues. The Hebrew word is maggephah and means ‘a blow.’ The WHORE will receive three ‘blows’ and then be burned up.
In Hebrew the word ‘death’ is maveth. This word does not mean physical death, but spiritual death, an eternal separation from Adonai. ‘Sorrow’ in Hebrew is yagon and means ‘grief.’ This type of ‘sorrow’ will not bring forth repentance because it acknowledges sin. It is deadly sorrow, the sorrow that consumes the soul with utter darkness. The Hebrew word for ‘famine’ is ra’ab and also means ‘hunger.’ This famine will not be about food, but about the loss of the hearing of Word of Adonai forever (Amos 8:11).
“The kings of the earth who went whoring with her and shared her luxury will sob and wail over her when they see the smoke as she burns. Standing at a distance, for fear of her torment, they will say, “Oh no! The great city! Bavel, the mighty city! In a single hour your judgment has come!” (Revelation 18:9-10).
The judgment of WHORE will be swift. The leaders of the nations who ‘whored’ with her will sob when they see the smoke of her burning (2 Peter 3:10-12). The Aramaic word for ‘hour’ is sha-ah and is used in Daniel for ‘look’ or ‘glance,’ and ‘in the ‘twinkling of an eye’ meaning ‘in an instant.’ ‘Twinkling of an eye’ is also used by sailors for that moment at sunset when the sun first touches the horizon and then dips below. There is a flash of light when the atmosphere causes the sunlight to separate into different colors. This is how quickly Babylon the WHORE will be judged.
“The world’s businessmen weep and mourn over her [Babylon], because no one is buying their merchandise any more — stocks of gold and silver, gems and pearls, fine linen and purple, silk and scarlet, all rare woods, all ivory goods, all kinds of things made of scented wood, brass, iron and marble; cinnamon, cardamom, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, oil, flour, grain, cattle, sheep, horses, chariots — and bodies — and people’s souls“ (Revelation 18:11-13).
Sometimes the word businessmen is translated ‘merchants’ and these ‘merchants’ are involved in worldwide trade. The word ‘businessman’ in Hebrew can mean ‘men of faith;’ however, these ‘merchants’ have put their faith in the ‘god’ of monetary gains through selling merchandise. They have ‘stocks’ which can mean a ‘stock pile’ of these things or just ‘stocks’ where they buy and sell commodities from gold and silver to herbs and spices to livestock and people’s souls.
When one buys and sells a soul could be physical like human trafficking and slavery. Buying and selling souls could also mean that people sell their soul in order to stay alive. People’s souls also indicates a spiritual connection to what Babylon did through their ‘faithless men’ and merchants (Jeremiah 15:2).
“The fruits you lusted for with all your heart have gone! All the luxury and flashiness have been destroyed, never to return!” (Revelation 18:14).
The Greek word for ‘fruit’ is opora and means ‘late summer fruits.’ In Hebrew the word for ‘fruit’ is megadim and means ‘valuable’ and ‘pleasant.’ The ‘lust for fruit’ started the demise of the world. The Hebrew word for ‘lust’ is agab and means ‘inordinate or excessive affection for.’ Havah ‘lusted’ after the pleasant-looking ‘fruit’ of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Her excessive desire brought deception and sin into the world that removed her from Paradise, had her know the pain of one son killing another son, and watching Nimrod, one of her great-grand children build a great city and Tower of idolatry. The final culmination of Havah deception and believing the serpents lie is the ‘fruit’ of Babylon the WHORE (2 Thessalonians 2:11-12).
The ‘fruit’ could also be the ‘works’ of their own hands. The Hebrew word for literal fruit like pears and peaches is pri and can mean ‘product or reward.’ The Babylonian religious system is idolatry of self and self-reward –– narcissism (1 John 2:15-16). It is not a psychological illness that needs medication, it is a spiritual illness –– sin. It is ‘the Lie’ that ‘we can become like God’ that mankind seeks. Instead of becoming more like Yeshua through the power of the Ruach haKodesh, mankind will become more depraved in body, mind, and soul until their consciences have been seared as with a hot iron (1 Timothy 4:2). They will become more like their ‘father’ of lies’ –– the Adversary.
“The sellers of these things, who got rich from her, will stand at a distance, for fear of her torment, weeping and mourning, and saying, “Oh no! The great city used to wear fine linen, purple and scarlet! She glittered with gold, precious stones and pearls! Such great wealth — in a single hour, ruined!” All the ship masters, passengers, sailors and everyone making his living from the sea stood at a distance and cried out when they saw the smoke as she burned, “What city was like the great city?” (Revelation 18:15-18).
Those who were ‘sellers’ of souls and got rich and remain at a distance watching the destruction of the WHORE mourning as they see the smoke of Babylon burning. Ship masters, passengers, and sailors who made their living from the sea cry out. Everyone weeps and mourns because of Babylon the WHORE. They all say “in a single hour, ruined!” The destruction is not only instantaneous, it is witnessed by millions.
Ashur, the land north of Babylon is compared to the Adversary’s ‘seed’ – the anti-messiah. The prophet Isaiah gives further prophecy about the destruction of Babylon (Ashur):
“Woe to those who enact unjust decrees and draft oppressive legislation to deprive the impoverished of justice and rob my people’s poor of their rights, looting widows and preying on orphans! What will you do on the day of punishment, when calamity comes from afar? …That is not what Ashur intends, that is not what they think; rather, they mean to destroy, to cut down nation after nation. For [their king] says, ‘Aren’t all my commanders kings? Hasn’t Kalno [suffered] like Kark’mish, Hamat like Arpad, Shomron like Dammesek? Just as my hand reached the kingdoms of non-gods, with more images than in Yerushalayim and Shomron; so won’t I do to Yerushalayim and her non-gods what I did to Shomron and her idols?’ Thus Bavel [Babylon], that jewel of kingdoms, the pride and glory of the Kasdim [Chaldeans], will be like S’dom [Sodom] and ‘Amora [Gomorrah] when overthrown by God. It will never again be inhabited, never lived in through all generations. Arabs will not pitch tents there nor shepherds bring their flocks. But wildcats will lie there, their houses will be full of owls, ostriches will live there, and wild goats will dance there.Jackals will howl in their palaces and wild dogs in their temples of delight. Its time is close at hand, its days will not last long” Isaiah 10:1-3, 7-11; 13:19-22).
“And they threw dust on their heads as they wept and mourned, saying, “Oh no! The great city! The abundance of her wealth made all the ship owners rich! In a single hour she is ruined!” (Revelation 18:19).
Throwing dust on one’s head is a symbol of great mourning and great humiliation. Humankind was made from the ‘dust of the earth’ and to ‘dust each will return’ (Genesis 2:7; 3:19). Dust is also used figuratively for the grave. Babylon, in her entirety, went to the ‘grave’ or she’ol never to break through its gates and return to life.
When the woman caught in adultery was brought to Yeshua, he wrote in the dust. He wrote the names of those who abandoned Elohim, the source of living water (Jeremiah 17:13). Dust is also used to describe an very large multitude of people. As Yeshua sent the disciples out into Isra’el, he told them to say shalom alechem on the towns they entered. If the people of the town didn’t return the shalom, they were to wipe the dust off their feet and the town would receive judgment in the world to come (Matthew 10:15).
Many suggest that Babylon the WHORE is the United States, but one of the judgments is that “Arabs will not pitch tents there nor shepherds bring their flocks.” I am not sure that Arabs are pitching their tents in the United States nor are shepherds bringing their flocks here. That is the literal view. From a spiritual perspective, we do have Arabs coming into this country, pitching their ‘tents’ in major cities around the country. They are also bringing their ‘flocks’ meaning their families that adhere to Islamic ideologies.
It is more important to view prophecy from a Middle Eastern, Isra’el, Jerusalem perspective. Which country exports goods and services? Where do Arabs pitch their tents and shepherd their sheep? Which country embraces multi-god worship? What countries hate Isra’el, the center of the prophecy?
“Rejoice over her, heaven! Rejoice, people of God, emissaries and prophets! For in judging her, God has vindicated you” (Revelation 18:20).
Rejoice! The messenger of Elohim tells the people of Adonai, the disciples of Yeshua, and the prophets to ‘rejoice’ because they are vindicated.
In Hebrew, the word for ‘vindication’ is shaphat and means ‘to contend,’ ‘pronounce sentence,’ ‘punish,’ and ‘execute judgment.’ ‘Vindication’ proves that ‘someone or something is right, reasonable, or justified.’ At this ‘appointed time,’ everything spoken by Adonai from beginning of time until this moment is proven right: His people, His disciples, His prophets, His Son.
The word ‘rejoice’ in Hebrew is giyl and means “to spin round under the influence of any violent emotion” or ‘dance;’ an expression of exceedingly great joy. When Babylon the WHORE is destroyed, the people of Adonai will dance with great joy because they are finally vindicated (Psalm 48:12, Zechariah 2:14, Zephaniah 3:14).
“Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a great millstone, and hurled it into the sea, saying, “With violence like this will the great city Bavel be hurled down, never to be found again!” (Revelation 18:21).
Yeshua uses the millstone to describe the what it will be like for those who lead little children away from trusting and believing in him. Imagine having that stone around your neck and being thrown into the sea! This is what will happen to those in Babylon who engage in destroying children emotionally, physically, and spiritually. This is the judgment of the WHORE that sacrifices and murders children before and after birth, trafficks children for financial reward or makes children into non-gender creatures (Matthew 18:6, Mark 9:42, Luke 17:2).
We live in a depraved time when children are completely led away from knowing the love and light of Yeshua. Instead of teaching little children to know his love, protection, and forgiveness, the world has created a view focusing on the darkness rather than the Light.
Millions of children no longer have intact families with birth parents who love them and want to nurture their souls. Absent fathers or mothers leave their children to others to raise them or they survive on their own. Even parents who believe they are present allow the enemy’s culture to infest the minds and souls of their little ones through mysticism and satanism found in every video produced today. Schools indoctrinate children against God, mock creation, and the hope that is found in Yeshua. Government preaches separation between church and state, but places restrictions on religious activities. Many nations control religious beliefs through the guise of religious freedom.
Teaching children to love Yeshua has always been, and will always be, a spiritual battle against Satan’s desire for their souls. In the end times, his ways will no longer be covert. This is why Adonai tells His people to ‘come out from among them.’ It is the only way to protect the hearts, minds, and souls of children.
Babylon the WHORE will be destroyed with the violent act of being hurled down into the sea as if she has a millstone around her neck. The Greek word for ‘violence’ is found only one time in Scripture. The Hebrew word for ‘violence’ is chamas and suggests ‘aggression’ and ‘terror.’ When the messenger of Adonai begins this judgment, it will terrorize the nations and leave them desolate.
“The sound of harpists and musicians, flute-players and trumpeters will never again be heard in you. No worker of any trade will ever again be found in you, the sound of a mill will never again be heard in you, the light of a lamp will never again shine in you, the voice of bridegroom and bride will never again be heard in you. For your businessmen were the most powerful on earth, all the nations were deceived by your magic spell. In her was found the blood of prophets and of God’s people, indeed, of all who have ever been slaughtered on earth!” (Revelation 18:22-24).
“All who have ever been slaughtered on earth” is all-encompassing from the beginning of time until the moment of vindication. Adonai breathed His Ruach (breath) of life into the human soul and put that lifeblood in that soul’s body. After the flood, Noach was told that Adonai would demand an accounting of whoever sheds human blood because human beings were made in His image (Genesis 9:5-6). The Adversary came to steal, kill and destroy lives (John 10:10). The murder of every human being from Abel until this moment will be brought to justice through the destruction of Babylon, the Adversary’s cohort.
David’s harp in his ‘tent’ and the music of the Psalms will no longer be heard; the joyful sound of worship with the sound of flutes will end. The prophets’ warning voices and the call to repentance through the shofar will no longer be needed in Babylon. Nations will not trade with each other for they will no longer exist. The light of Yeshua and the lamp of the Word of Adonai will be gone, and the voice of Yeshua through his Bride will never be heard in Babylon again.
The ‘faithless men’ who were financially powerful and deceived the nations through their false religious platitudes, false spiritual prophets, and false lawless messiahs will no longer spin their magic spell deceiving the nations to believe ‘the Lie’ –– ‘the Lie’ of the serpent. They will no longer kill the prophets or the people of Adonai. There will no longer slaughter of humans –– children or adults –– for their time on earth has come to an end.
“But among the people there were also false prophets, just as there will be false teachers among you. Under false pretenses they will introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, and thus bring on themselves swift destruction. Many will follow their debaucheries; and because of them, the true Way will be maligned. In their greed they will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their punishment, decreed long ago, is not idle; their destruction is not asleep!” (2 Peter 2:1-3).
Chapter 19 – The Bride and the Wedding Guests
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