CONTINUING ON WITH THE THEME OF THE CONTINUITY OF PROPHETIC SCRIPTURE FROM GENESIS TO REVELATION…. 

Now one purpose of this book is to show the mind and purposes of God in direct line of correlation between the Writings of Torah (the first 5 books of the Bible), the Prophets, and Psalms alongside the New Testament Words of Christ and His Apostles. One great theme running throughout Scripture is that the nefarious rebellious forces of the unseen supernatural realm in this World are in control of the Gentile Rulers of the Nations, and of the vast inhabitants of the Earth. Man, being tempted and corrupted in mind, imagination and heart from the beginning by these forces, and drunk from their Cup of abominations, are united in rebellion against their Creator. (Understood from Genesis 6:1-5, 11:1-6; Jeremiah 51:7,13 with Revelation 17:1,4,5 16:13,14) This drama of the spirit realm and fallen man being played out together for the eternal purposes of God Almighty is illustrated for us in Type and Prophetic Word from Genesis to Revelation. And it is comprehended only by “….rightly (correctly, skillfully, by the Holy Spirit John16:13) dividing the (entire Old and New Testament) word of truth.” [2 Timothy 2:15]  

The “Types and Shadows” and the Old Testament prophets’ unfulfilled prophecies are in one accord, in that they almost exclusively have to do with Jesus Christ’s Second Coming. And nowhere is that seen more clearly than laying Old Testament Prophecy over New Testament Prophecy, especially the Book of Revelation. Continuing to look at these then from their all important End Time perspective, we move from the Torah, through the Prophets Jeremiah, Isaiah, Ezekiel and Daniel etc. to show their Words of Prophecy are to be fully understood from the New Testament revelation of Jesus Christ. (As briefly as needed, as the multitude of Scriptural examples are too vast to cover in this book. So by refraining, we may focus on other enlightening critical aspects associated with Christ’s Return). First we discover consistently that God is not saying many things, but is saying a few things in many ways throughout the entire Bible. And how harmonious those many ways are! Such is the case of those ancient and historical great persecutors of Israel and Judah; the Nations of Assyria and Babylon, to whom God directed much of the Old Testament Prophets’ Words. The many Words and Types being formed and directed in such a way that God reveals again, and again, both politically and spiritually, the stage and players of the Last Days….showing the End from the Beginning.  

A great key for Christians to understand End Time Prophecies in the New Testament, is to understand the Prophetic Words of the Prophets. For example, the prophecies from Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel are not only directed to Israel and Judah, about Assyria and its king, and Babylon and its king, in their days, but it is important to see that their God–inspired Words are clearly aimed at pointing towards their corresponding anti-types, to be fulfilled in the Last Days. And specifically those days just preceding and following the Second Coming of the Messiah. So when Isaiah wrote of the destruction of Babylon in the 13th Chapter of Isaiah, we can see that it was not for any time close to his day. For it is in the Great Day of The Lord… that he writes of (Isaiah 14:6,9) and its destruction will be sudden like that of Sodom and Gomorrah. (Isaiah 13:19) That same time and event is again seen in Jeremiah 51:63,64 which most assuredly has Revelation 18:21 in view. It is only then that Babylon’s destruction is accomplished according to the Old Covenant prophecies in that it shall never be inhabited again by men. 

These prophecies can only have whatever that Babylon, that great city of Revelation 17 and 18 and Revelation 16:19, has in view. This, Isaiah declares happening, as does Joel 3:14-16, and Hebrews 13:10,13. And as Luke 21:26 describes, “at that time” there will be a great shaking, a frightening disturbance of the heavens, in the sun, moon and stars. That very same time is referred to by our Lord in Matthew 24:29,30. That time Jesus specifies for us as after, or at the very end of the great Tribulation, that same time and event of Revelation 6:12-17. And then Jesus says, “….they shall see the Son of Man Coming….” As also does Babylon’s destruction described in Revelation 18 just precede the return of Jesus Christ in Chapter 19. 

That Isaiah or any other Prophet cannot be foretelling of any complete destruction of Babylon until the End Times associated with the Return of Jesus Christ is seen in the historic fact that Babylon has never been utterly destroyed or uninhabited. And to the certainty that these prophecies of Isaiah have this End Time in view; it is also clearly seen as we go on into the 14th Chapter where Isaiah puts the times of these judgments to correspond to Israel’s and Judah’s revival gathering, back into the Land, in that Millennial Rest. That time when  “the whole earth is at rest, and quiet….” [Isaiah 14:1-7] 

To this End Time scenario of the destruction of Babylon before the Coming of the Messiah and the restoration of Israel we read Jeremiah in chapters 50 and 51. Ezekiel chapters 36:22-38 and 37:15-23 are prophetic pictures of the Restoration of Nation of Israel at that time. And Daniel 7:23-27, 12:1 also testifies of the destruction of the last days Beastly “Babylonian” kingdom and king. All Prophets and prophecy have in view the very same End Time and events, just before and at the 2nd Coming of Jesus Christ found in Revelation 16:19 and further described in chapters 18 and 19. 

The Prophets as do the Types, speak to the Cities, Nations, and to the kings or rulers in their days but also with implications to the End Times. We have made a point about how Babel/Babylon throughout Scripture is both spiritually and secularly defined as both a religious system and governmental system. They both are satanically designed to ensnare and control mankind, whose Judgment fates are discovered in the Book of Revelation chapters 17 & 18 before Christ’s assuming His rightful Throne over this World.  

So then we should mention that other Great City of Scripture, Jerusalem; God’s ancient appointed holy place. That place thought to be where Abraham offered up his son to God, and later became the great City of David, God’s chosen holy City in the promised land, and in the Millennium of Justice introduced to the Earth, after Jesus Christ’s Second Coming, the Worship Center of the Earth. “And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain.” (Zechariah 14:17) 

And to which that City points to beyond the Millennium of Christ’s Reign, in the time of the New Heavens and New Earth, when we see the Great Anti-Type coming down out of Heaven from God. “Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.” [Revelation 3:12] 

So it is that we trace the ancient Cities and Empires from the Prophets through the New Testament Gospels, to Jesus Christ’s Revelation. We must also see the Ancient Gentile kings are emblematic of the End Times embodiment of the Anti-Christ, such as the great king of “Assyria” that Isaiah refers to. “Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will (then) punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks.”  [Isaiah 10:12] 

No doubt these Words have the future End Times in view, as God’s whole work on Jerusalem or on His Chosen People is obviously not yet complete, as that great  End Time “Assyrian” king has not yet come upon the scene. And when he does, God’s “whole works” are clearly defined for us in the Book of Revelation, in that He will finally refine His People. This is that severe work, related by Jeremiah as “Jacob’s Trouble” and in Zechariah 13:8,9 which we may also see in 12:17 and again in 14:12. He has declared that after He has refined His “People” and performed His Work upon Mount Zion and Jerusalem, He will punish the Anti-type king of the Old Testament Prophets. “And the (anti-Christ) beast was taken,…cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.” (Revelation 16:16 with 19:17-21.) 

Jeremiah chapter 50:18 speaks to these same future works of God in type pointing on to the Anti-Christ. “Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; “Behold, I will punish the king of Babylon and his land, as I have punished the king of Assyria. And I will bring Israel again to his habitation, and he shall feed on Carmel and Bashan, and his soul shall be satisfied upon mount Ephraim and Gilead. In those days, and in that time, saith the Lord, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will pardon them whom I reserve.” 

Now the Old Testament Prophets also hold forth at this End Time, Judgments upon the more culpable malevolent supernatural spirits (beings in the unseen high places) to which the Book of Revelation adds great light. “And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high and kings of the earth upon the earth.” (Isaiah 24:21 with Hebrews 12:26). This speaks of those fallen angel forces, cohorts of satan, that one full of pride and malicious intent, that great serpent himself, (Isaiah 14:3-15) God shall now shake their kingdom and punish.  

The first of those punishing Judgments on these forces on high come during the 70th week of Daniel, that 7 year Tribulation period and the beginning of ”Jacob’s Trouble” at about the 3 ½ year mark. “And there was (arose) war in heaven (the unseen 1st heaven associated with this World) ….and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him….Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea! For the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. [Revelation 12:7-12]  

That great wrath and short time (probably 3 ½ years) is reflective of his awareness of the impending 2nd Coming of Jesus Christ to the Earth. In that Jesus Christ, having secured the redemption of Earth’s heavens from the ruling supernatural forces, which is in the first heavens’ war of chapter 12, satan will then soon expect the battle for the Earth. That great battle of both the natural forces of man, who then are in alliance with the supernatural forces upon the Earth for its redemption, and the further, and more horrifying punishment discovered in the Words of Isaiah 24:22. “And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited”  that prophecy being then filled with meaning in Revelation 20:1-3. “And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.” The “little season” answers to Revelation 20:7 in that after the 1000 year Age of Righteousness, satan and his forces are loosed but for a short period. But afterwards comes their final punishment, when they are cast into the lake of fire and brimstone forever.  

Now in brief summary: Babel was the first militarily founded city, and it was that city which had great discourse with supernatural forces. (“….for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.” Revelation 18:23b) God had yet laid off judging it entirely by the ancient Medes, and will continue until (“….great Babylon came in remembrance before God) those last few months before Christ Returns (…to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.” (Revelation 16:19) But until that time, God suffers the spirit of religious harlotry it has introduced into the earth (“MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH” Revelation 17:5). Nimrod was one of many defiant “mighty hunters” and was the first Despot Ruler, and one of Scripture’s great type and templates of the last Anti-Christ Beast–ruler in the Earth, at Christ’s Return. (“And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb…” Revelation 13:8) Both the earthly beast and earthly kingdom continue rising up here and there throughout history. The mere type being such as Antiochus Epiphanes, Nero, and Hitler and others, repeating the drunken madness of their predecessors, and will continue to do so, in predicted form and fashion, until God finally judges and puts an end to their (fallen spirit and fallen man) unholy alignment and their continuation. (Revelation 17:17) This end is seen in that final great gathering of the supernatural BEAST (Revelation 11:7, 13:1-8, 17:8) and kings of the earth and their armies which will then be arrayed against the Lord. “And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshiped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.” [Revelation 19:19-21]