It was two years ago I wrote my “The Mystery of Babylon and today’s events” blog and today I am revisiting the subject, having given it a lot of thought since then but with as many questions that remain unanswered as I have firm views on what is the Mystery of Babylon and its significance, despite studying the subject more.

In fact, I was almost going to walk away from “going there” because I have yet to nail it – it being what is this mystery and why does it matter, for matter it does and for all sorts of reasons I will get to. I even checked out the Internet for words of wisdom from learned preachers etc., and there is a lot out there. While some of it was helpful, most did not bring out the sort of points I wanted to be addressed. What I would like to do here is shoot from the hip and follow up later with a more measured response. I am aware, there is a range of approaches by Christians on this often-controversial subject of End Times, about which Babylon is but one facet, from ignore the subject to obsess over it. Here we seek a fine balance.

Let me take a step back. Two weeks ago, I posted my seminal “Bible prophecy and current events” blog that took a look at several significant world events taking place right now, exploring how these related to not yet fulfilled Bible prophecy. Not long before that I had posted my “Coleman Street Chapel and the Last Things (1966 – 1977)”, which was a paper I presented at a history conference that was to do with the Plymouth Brethren, a group I have been associated with for much of my life and one that from my youth encouraged me to study the Bible, including prophecy related to End Times, the times it was argued we are now living in.

In that paper, I made the statement “While most members of the Chapel did not have a complete view concerning how events detailed in the Book of Revelation would pan out in the days to come, my recollection is those who thought they nearly did usually believed that after the scenes set in heaven, in Chapters 4 and 5, the rest of the Book is about happenings in a yet to take place future, including the Great Tribulation, in which period the Antichrist emerges. Two notable occurrences in that period are the forcing of humanity to take the Mark of the Beast (Chapter 13) and the Mystery and Fall of Babylon (Chapters 17 and 18)”. I also wondered what my mentors of fifty years ago would have made out of these “two notable occurrences” knowing what we now know. After all the technology to force the “Mark” is much more advanced as is the agenda to have digital ids based on social credit scores and the move toward the cashless society – as well as a global financial reset, which looks imminent and will undoubtedly have a huge impact.

But what of Babylon? What would they make out of today’s situation? I start with a confession – I have just read for the umpteenth time Revelation 17 and 18 and for good measure Revelation 19, and did so in different Bible versions. Trying to take in all what is written is not easy. What is clear though is it picks up on Old Testament prophecy concerning the Fall of Babylon (as surely it will) and almost, it seems, in the same time frame – Jesus returning to Planet Earth on a white horse, leading His army of angels. My confession though is – I am even less sure now what to make out of it, despite knowing more. I am still convinced there will be a literal millennium and, despite obvious symbolism, I believe Revelation should be interpreted futuristically, literally and sequentially, notwithstanding now disagreeing with my early PB mentors, who saw the mystery of Babylon in terms of the Roman Catholic church, the Common Market and the Antichrist and, before everything comes to a head, the Church will be raptured.

It seems to me there are two (at least) facets to Babylon to interest us – spiritual and commercial. It was the spiritual that particularly interested my PB mentors and this is graphically portrayed by the scarlet woman sitting on the Beast. There is a lot to intrigue here – alliances and betrayals and then the Fall of Babylon. I would like to reflect more on the identity of this scarlet woman that I was told represented the Apostate church that persecutes or aids the persecutors of the true Church (persecuting believers is now a very present reality worldwide). But that will have to wait, for my focus right now is on the commercial Babylon, although if we relate this to earlier manifestations, starting with the Tower of Babel, they are closely linked, as humankind came together in one place (Babel – Babylon) to build a Tower reaching heaven, in defiance of God.

It seems to me that the prophet, Yuval Noah Harari, of the World Economic Forum, which in effect is a front for today’s commercial Babylon, is seeking to bring together the spiritual and commercial strands by declaring man can replace God, as was attempted at the original Babylon in building the Tower of Babel. The WEF advocacy of a public private partnership to tackle global problems is ominous, given the agenda is more to do with getting us to give up rights and property in exchange for peace and security, in order to address the very problems the cabal who run the planet have themselves created (an example of Hegelian dialectic – problem, reaction, solution).

Why I am intrigued with commercial Babylon is that almost every time I go outside to watch on my wall, I see signs of Babylon and what it is doing. I recently reflected on the power of Big Pharma that is behind the Unholy Trinity (Media, Politicians, Elite) and, beyond that, mega corporations, notably Blackrock and Vanguard, who control lesser big corporations that in turn control the world’s economy. One wonders, who besides the Devil controls them, noting that the yet to emerge Antichrist also has a major part to play?

Then there is the move to get rid of the middle class, principally by making it difficult or impossible for smaller businesses to function, a trend we observed with the last lockdown and will continue with the next one that is in the offing. The idea is to have a tiny elite who call the shots with everyone else who are beholden to the elite, noting throughout history a strong independent, resourceful middle class is what often gets in the way to prevent this. We see other moves to control the masses by making them dependent on those who can manipulate the Babylonian system for their own nefarious ends, e.g. when it comes to employment prospects, restrictions concerning commercial activities, disallowing free speech, punishing those who oppose or upset those “in charge”, undermining national sovereignty though wars e.g. in Ukraine, planned pandemics, unrestricted immigration, manufactured climate crisis, creating “natural disasters” and false flag events e.g. Maui fire, placing people in “15-minute cities” and further moves to a cashless society and digital ids linked to social credit scores. On the face of it, this is a gloomy prospect. Yet we are also told: “Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues” Revelation 18:4 and “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen” (18:8).

As I intimated at the start, while many have expounded on Babylon as mentioned in the Bible, in particular, Revelation 17 and 18, I have yet to see anyone satisfactorily tackling these connections. I am also aware of people who are at the forefront of the “Great Awakening” movement (I referred to in my last blog), like Melissa Redpill (check her out on Bitchute), who I found is often on my wavelength, who points to signs that the Babylon system, such as I outlined, is about to fall, followed by 1000 years of peace (the Millennium).

Here I have to disagree, even though I would love the baddies to be called out and get their just desserts and good people put in charge. I am mindful though many are asleep, yet people are waking up. Firstly, I believe the Antichrist, who may well be waiting in the wings, will emerge, who will align with and be supported by the Babylon system. Secondly, soon after it falls, Jesus will personally be coming back to earth. Only then will there be 1000 years of peace. Significant in all this is how nations are lining up with each other, whether in unity or in opposition, with one final, great battle just before Jesus returns, and the part that is being played by Israel.

We may not have all the answers but we can and must continue to …