Iraq, & The Coming Wars Of Babylon

by Phillip Goodman

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It grieves us here at Thy Kingdom Come when we think of war; men, many barely out of their teens, violently locked in deadly struggles on foreign fields. War is the bloody outworking of man’s fall into sin at the outset of creation and all the more reason to look with anticipation for the return of the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ.

But the Bible predicts two coming wars in Babylon— modern Iraq— and according to Jeremiah, there may be a third. But first, the infamous City of Babylon must be rebuilt. Iraq’s Saddam Hussein began that rebuilding project some years ago. Recent satellite photos show that Babylon is rising again.

Before we consider the rebuilding of Babylon and the coming wars there, we must be careful to never “demonize” any race of people. In fact, there will be many Iraqis in that final number of saints who have accepted Jesus Christ and gained entrance into heaven.

After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues…Revelation 7:9 An Iraqi “Disneyland?”

In our files we have a picture of 50 Jews standing on the Mediterranean Sea shore in 1909 dedicating the vacant area as the future site of Tel Aviv. Within 50 years, the place had been transformed into the metropolis it is today. Tel Aviv is a manifest reminder to skeptics, who refer to the rebuilding project taking place at Babylon as nothing more than a Disney-like amusement park, to do a sober retake. What was Tel Aviv— or even Israel— to the skeptics in 1909?

The fulfillment of every prophecy has a starting point. Even the incarnation of the Messiah began in a manger. The same Bible that foretold the seemingly impossible return of the Jews declares that Babylon will also rise again. And it is. Will There Be 3 Future Wars In Babylon? There are 2 coming wars of Babylon which are certain according to Revelation. One is the war of the Antichrist & 10 Kings when they destroy the worldwide false religious system situated in end-time Babylon. (Rev.17) The other is described in Revelation 18. At the return of Jesus Babylon meets a climactic fate similar to that of Sodom & Gomorrah. (Jer. 50:40)

However, Jeremiah 50-51, which clearly makes mention of both of the Revelation wars, seems to include another. Notice that Babylon’s judgment comes in phases. It spans the time from Nebuchadnezzar’s era (Jer. 50:17) all the way to the final restoration of Israel when they will accept “an everlasting covenant that will not be forgotten.” (50:5)

Thus, Jeremiah’s description of Babylon’s judgment spans the entire period from 539 BC until the second coming— a series of events leading to Babylon’s final fall. But some of the events do not seem to fit what we know about the fall of ancient Babylon or the future judgments of Revelation 17-18. Nations From The Ends Of The Earth Here are some of the Biblical prophecies that could be pointing to a war in Babylon that occurs before the Tribulation:

Many Nations —“A horde of great nations from the land of the north…Their arrows will be like an expert warrior…” Jeremiah 50:9

Nations from Remote Parts of the Earth —“A great nation & many kings, will be aroused from the remote parts of the earth.” Jeremiah 50:41

Nations Attack from All Sides —“Draw up your battle lines against Babylon on every side …Come from the farthest border.” Jeremiah 50:14,26

These battle descriptions, interspersed through a period in Jeremiah covering 2500 years, sound ominously familiar, & similar to the looming events of our own day: A coalition of nations from the far corners of the earth descending upon Iraq from every direction. Or their final fulfillment may yet be in the future— but not the too distant future.

Why? Because the convergence of all of the other signs of the soon coming of our Lord are weighing heavy upon this generation. Whatever the case, Babylon/Iraq has a judgment prepared for her & ready to be proclaimed from heaven at the time of her final destiny, “Hallelujah! HER SMOKE RISES UP FOREVER AND EVER.” Revelation 19:2-3

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