Chance and Ron Reese, re TWELVERS, NUCLEAR DESTRUCTION, and MYSTERY BABYLON

Chance, regarding the information you provided on 31 January, you are right-on-the- money as far as the TWELVERS are concerned. The TWELVERS (SHIA Iran largely, and Iraq), plus Alawites (a break-away group from the TWELVERS, e.g., Bashar Assad, Syria), all have an apocalyptic interest in creating chaos to bring their al-Mahdi out of hiding. It is the ‘TWELVER’ (SHIA) branch of Islam that anticipates the appearance of their 12^th Imam ― al-Mahdi ― who has been in ‘occultation,’ since AD 941; (meaning that he has been born, but he is presently concealed). Al-Mahdi must be a direct descendant of Muhammad, whose lineage can be identified today, by the Muslim Imams/leaders who wear black turbans. (Cf. Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeneini and his successor, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.) But, I also understand that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei does not want any of his three sons to succeed him as leader of the SHIA Islamic Republic. See my website: www.beastandbabylon.com

So, who will be the 12^th Imam? When will he appear, and will he attract SUNNI, as well as SHIA and TWELVER branches of Islam to his cause? On the other hand the SUNNI fanatics from Pakistan and the Taliban (Afghanistan), who helped raised Al Qaeda and then ISIS to power in Syria and Iraq (June 2014‒Dec. 2017) have not given up on their quest to produce al-Mahdi. Their latest moniker ISIS Khoresan, (ISIS-K) is based on an area in northern Afghanistan, from whence al-Mahdi is expected to come with his army, bearing the black flags of Muhammad, which carry the Seal (tughra) of the Prophet! (Aka ‘mark’ of the beast.) However, I thought that when Barak Obama bombed ISIS-K in Nangarhar Province, in Aghanistan, back in April 2017, that at least the USA had a ‘smidgen’ of knowledge about the intentions of this particular group to produce al-Mahdi, hence the action taken to thwart them. U.S. bombs, destroys Khorasan group stronghold in Afghanistan > Air Force > Article Display

My first ‘local book’ that was printed early in 2014 ― which was partly replicated in The Beast and Babylon – The Revival of Radical Islam, published by WestBow Press, USA, 2017) ― grew from my letters to Five Doves as far back as 2005, which anticipated that the beast and the false prophet would rise up from a radical Islamic Caliphate that would soon come into existence to promote the return of al-Mahdi, hence the Islamic State Caliphate and ISIS-K! My conclusions were based on the fact that the Antichrist message is written all around the Muslim Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount, which deny that God has a Son. The Arabic Islamic Inscriptions On The Dome Of The Rock In Jerusalem, 72 AH / 692 CE (islamic-awareness.org) (Cf. 1 John 2:18, 22; 4:3; 2 John 1:7 regarding the Antichrist spirit; and Matt. 24:24; Mark 13:22, 2 Thess. 2:10‒12 regarding false prophets.)

Whether the USA recognises that Mahdism is a ‘Gordian knot’ problem ― that has to be fixed in the ‘traditional’ way ― which has been caused by Iran’s intransigence over their nuclear programme, the IRGC and Basij killing of thousands of demonstrators, and Iran’s support for its proxy (designated terrorist) groups like Hamas, Hezballah and Houthis; the Trump Administration has now been roused to curb Iran’s influence (in one way or another), to fix the problem… How that turns out is anyone’s guess!

Ron, regarding your letter on Five Doves 31 January (dated 15 January), about sudden ‘Nuclear’ destruction (cf. 1 Thess. 5:1‒10), I hope you have noticed the references to ‘they and them’ and ‘you, we and us’ in that scripture passage. Mystery Babylon is obviously not part of ‘you, we and us’ ― the elect of God ― because it is God’s will to destroy her (Rev. 17:15‒18); instead, she belongs to ‘they and them’ the God-opposing, ‘unbelieving’ end time generation who will worship the beast and receive his mark (Rev. 16:2), who are associated with the eastern kings who cross the great River Euphrates (think al-Mahdi’s army from Iran/Afghanistan), who assemble at Armageddon (Rev. 16:12‒14), who will be alive during the end time denouement called the consummation! (Dan. 9:27) https://www.fivedoves.com/letters/may2024/TheFigTree_Part3.pdf 31 May, 2025)

According to what I read in the Bible, the sudden destruction won’t be aimed at the United States or New York, because the only sudden destruction that I can find in Revelation… is related to the fall of the great city called Mystery Babylon! (Rev. 14:8) As far as I can ascertain from the Bible, Mystery Babylon is not New York or USA as some Doves seem to think. Instead, the Book of Revelation shows that Mystery Babylon is closely associated with the seven Gentile Empires (i.e., the ‘heads’ on the beast), that rose up in Mesopotamia, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, during the whole Biblical Age, while the eighth will come from the seven in the end time. (Rev. 17:7 9‒11) The rest of the New World is referred to as ‘…the ends of the earth!’ Or the coastlands!

Therefore, finding the correct identification of Mystery Babylon is the first step toward understanding where and when ‘those days’ occur, which actually start the apocalypse described in Jesus dissertation on the Mt. of Olives. (Matt. 24:29; Mark 13:24) The identification of Mystery Babylon is complicated, and should not be determined by throwing a dart at a map and saying this or that city is her! She is a mystery, a riddle, an enigma that has to be carefully unravelled piece by piece (see below) until she is exposed for what she is… an idolatrous end time great city, that is sitting on the God-opposing entity called the beast that is located in the wilderness (Rev. 17:3, 7), from where she exercises immense authority and power over the kings and seafaring merchants in the Middle East, and over the inhabitants of the earth! (Rev. 17:1‒2, 15; 18:9) N.B. Mystery Babylon is also held responsible for the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who were slain on the earth. (Rev. 17:6; 18:24)

We should begin the unravelling by understanding that (according to Rev. 18:8, 10, 17, 19) sudden destruction happens to Mystery Babylon in one hour on one day while she is sitting on the beast in the wilderness. (Rev. 17:3, 7) N.B. The beast has had periods of existence and non-existence according to its interrupted tenures of power. (Rev. 17:8, 11) Also, I do not believe that Gog and Magog are actors in the soon apocalypse, because Revelation 20:7‒10 allocates their effort to invade Israel, to the post-millennial period. This makes sense because, according to Ezekiel 38‒39 Israel is dwelling peacefully, post-Aliyah period, without walls, and is incredibly wealthy (as she should be) after 1,000 years of Christ’s earthy reign…

What follows (below) is an excerpt adapted from a book I am writing at the present time, based on my Fig Tree studies: So, to return to the topic of the sudden destruction of Mystery Babylon by ‘whatever’ means…

According to the Biblical record, the ancient people of Iran, (ex the Medes, Elam and Persia) had long ago been prophesied by Isaiah and Jeremiah to ‘play a big part’ in the destruction of ancient Babylon, which didn’t happen in 539 BC when Babylon was ‘taken over’ by Cyrus and the Persians, because the city was not destroyed.

Note: The book of Daniel was partly-written in Babylon while Persia ruled over its vast territories. After Persia, Babylon was taken by Alexander the Great (Macedon-Grecian Empire), who died there in 323 BC; then during the Greek Seleucid period much of Babylon’s population, was transferred to other towns and cities. Babylon was sacked by the Parthians and was gradually abandoned in the 2^nd Century AD. As a result of later invasions and occupations Babylon’s ruins slowly crumbled, and they are still there, to be seen today. Ancient Babylon suffered no torment or trauma from burning in its decline, unless Saddam Hussein’s crude attempts at restoration can be described as such!

But those ancient prophesies will be fulfilled; God has not forgotten Babylon’s sins, therefore the DAUGHTER OF BABYLON (who is a descendant of ancient Babylon), will be destroyed for her mother’s sins; as described in these references:

Psalm 137:7‒8; Isaiah 47:1‒11; Jere. 50:41‒42, 46; 51:1‒14, 25‒29, 57‒58).

N.B. the destroying wind and shout (loud noise), and the earth trembles, when God uses people from nearby nations, and the kings of the Medes to achieve His purpose to roll her down from the rocks, and make her a burnt mountain, and go into darkness, when her walls will be broken and her high gates will be burned with fire, in a moment, in one day. Furthermore, she will not know from where the evil that befalls her comes, therefore she can’t avoid it, or put it off.

Note: Fortunately, for Jerusalem and for Israel, God’s plan is for any of His people who are dwelling with the DAUGHTER OF BABYLON (in the vicinity), to flee to Zion, because God wants His land to be fully inhabited, and He will be a wall of fire all around her, and He will be the glory in her midst. (Zech. 2:4‒13); Cf. Isaiah 26:20‒21, Come, My people, enter your chambers, and shut your doors behind you; hide yourself, as it were, for a little moment, until the indignation is past... (aka the consummation). For behold, the LORD comes out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; the earth will also disclose her blood, and will no more cover her slain.

Notably, the woman who is the great city that reigns over the kings of the earth, (Rev. 17:18) is seen ― in the end time ― sitting contentedly in the wilderness on a scarlet beast (full of blasphemy) [1] with seven heads and ten horns (Rev. 17:1‒5, 18). She is not Babylon in Chaldea, Mesopotamia, but she is the DAUGHTER OF CHALDEA, DAUGHTER OF BABYLON, LADY OF KINGDOMS (Isaiah 47:1, 5); and since she has inherited her mother’s name and identity, she is now called Mystery Babylon who is herself the mother of harlots! They all (ancient Babylon, daughter of Babylon/Chaldea, and harlot grand-daughters) have continued their matriarch’s legacy of idolatry, pride and opposition to God, by martyring God’s people, shedding their blood, and by ruling over the ‘kings of the earth’ (in the Middle East). Thus, Mystery Babylon, the great city that has exerted her power, will be dealt sudden destruction in an hour on one day (on behalf of her ancestors), when God’s vengeance for His martyrs is carried out. (Rev. 19:1‒3) Even though Mystery Babylon sits as spiritual Queen on the beast that has now assumed the colour of the great red fiery dragon (its patron, cf. Rev. 12:3; 17:3), who gave his throne to the beast (Rev. 13:2), she is (apparently) to be dethroned by the 10 horns allied with the eighth entity (Rev. 17:16) when the great city suffers sudden destruction and torment by fire, that will be achieved by the Medes/Iranians (as prophesied by Isaiah and Jeremiah). Topical Bible: The Daughter of Babylon (biblehub.com)

If anyone reads Revelation 17:16‒18, they should ask these questions… What are the words of God that God wants to be fulfilled via the proposed actions of the ten horns allied to the beast? What is the ‘thought’ that God puts in the hearts of the ten horns combatants to fulfil His purpose? Surely that ‘thought’ must be of a seditious sort, otherwise why would allies of the beast, on whom Mystery Babylon was happily sitting ― in a seemingly symbiotic relationship ― hate the harlot; make her desolate and naked, eat (consume) her flesh and burn her with fire? What is it about Mystery Babylon that makes the ten horn ‘kings without kingdoms’ want to destroy her so badly, that they ignore the beast’s relationship with her?

In seeking answers to these questions I referred back to the prophecies pronounced by Isaiah and Jeremiah (above), concerning the proposed destruction of ancient Babylon by the Medes, i.e., Iran (ex Elam and Persia), when God’s judgments were apparently put on hold and delayed until the end time. Meantime, Mystery Babylon’s sins have been heaped up to heaven (layer upon layer via the beasts’ seven heads’ conquests over each preceding empire), even as her idolatrous daughters had also infiltrated those territories and ‘taken over’ the capital cities of all seven of the beast’s historical kingdoms that were infused with idolatry during their tenures of power. Since the days of the Old Testament prophets, Babylon the ‘idolatrous’ great city, and the daughter of Babylon, and her daughters’ cities have ruled over the people, nations, tongues and kings in the Middle East and wider world. Today, the reality behind these ‘metaphors,’ lies in the mosques that have proliferated throughout the world in Islam’s holy cities (i.e., Grand Mosque, Masjid Al Haram, the most sacred place on earth in the city of Mecca), then Medina, and Jerusalem, followed by Najaf, Karbala, Mashhad, Kadhimiya, Samarra and Qom. Holiest sites in Islam - Wikipedia

Thus, even during the New Testament period, idolatrous Mystery Babylon, and her harlot daughters have had spiritual control over the 6^thbeast kingdom (idolatrous Roman Empire), which later divided to become (Roman Catholicism (via icons) in Rome in the west), and after the Roman Empire’s capital was moved to Constantinople as Greek Orthodox (via icons) in the east. Then, when Constantinople was conquered in 1453 by Turkic Muslims, Mystery Babylon moved to control the x 2 iterations of the 7^th beast (1) Sunni Ottoman Empire, in Constantinople/Istanbul, plus Mecca; and (2) the Sunni ISIS Caliphate in Mosul in Syria, and Raqqa in Iraq, plus Mecca. As a result, Mystery Babylon has acted as ‘Queen’ sitting in the beast’s capital cities, during the whole New Testament age. This is why various scholars have claimed Mystery Babylon was Rome, then Pergamum, Constantinople, Jerusalem (Sodom and Egypt) and now I’m suggesting she represents Mecca, in the Hejaz region of Saudi Arabia, as the great city in the end time.

Mecca must be where Mystery Babylon’s final resting place lies because… via the qiblah placed in every Mosque around the world, the qiblah points 2.06 billion Muslims (26% of the world’s population), to the Kaaba in Mecca, during their five-times-a-day prostration in prayer and worship of Allah, which is incumbent on all Muslims who believe in the Quran. This is why John was taken to the wilderness, to see where Mystery Babylon was sitting on the beast in Mecca; where the throne (the Kaaba) had been given to the beast by the dragon/Satan to ensure that his authority and power was centred in Islam’s great city in the end time. Accordingly, Mecca ― hidden among the seven mountains of the Sirat Range that surround it ― is where Mystery Babylon’s ‘end time persona’ exercises her control over the peoples, multitudes, tongues, and nations belonging to the Islamic ummah, and from where she conducts her vile relationships with the kings in the Middle East; all of whom are required to attend the Hajj or Umrah pilgrimages at least once in their lifetime, to conduct their idolatrous Ziyarat practices while visiting the holy sites in Mecca. 7 Historical Islamic Mountains In Makkah You Must Visit (theislamicinformation.com)

But to return to the topic of sudden NUCLEAR destruction, the nearest description of a future event of that sort that I can find in the book of Revelation (from whatever origin, or by whomever is responsible), occurs at the opening of the 6^th Seal, which has been described in 1^st Century ‘language’ as ‘seismos’ an earthquake! (A word used 7 X in Revelation.)

¹²I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood. ¹³And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. ¹⁴Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place. ¹⁵And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, ¹⁶and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! ¹⁷For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?” (Rev. 6:12‒17; NKJV)

But, there is no way that a ‘normal’ earthquake produces those atmospheric after-effects (above), which are further researched (below…) This 6^th Seal introduces… EITHER an asteroid strike… (e.g., the stone kingdom, made without hands [Dan. 2:35, 44-45], which depicts the arrival of the Kingdom of God that fills the whole earth, and turns the world’s kingdoms into chaff); OR this is a nuclear detonation of some sort (or a suspected EMP attack) that moves nearby islands and mountains out of their place. (Cf. Rev. 16:19-21) Notably, the nearest ‘Islands to Mecca’ in the Red Sea are: Shu’aybah Island, a small island southwest of Port Jeddah (which itself lies 48 miles N.W., via an ‘hour’s drive’ from inland Mecca); Umm al-Qamari Islands, a pair of islands located further south, and Jabal al-Lith Islands, south of Port Jeddah (a protected nature reserve). Nevertheless, while either of these ‘impacts’ affecting islands and mountains could be described as an ‘earthquake’ that shakes the ground, such earthquakes do not not usually affect the sky!

Besides, many people (rich and poor, and the great and not-so-great) don’t usually go and hide in caves and among the rocks during an earthquake! BUT, they might do that if they lived near caves in the rocks of the mountains in Mecca, to escape what they saw in the sky; (i.e., amongst the rising clouds, smoke and sooty debris, e.g., the wrathful face of the Lamb; cf. the sign of the Son of Man, Matt. 24:30). Also, caves and rocks might be good places to hide if they were worried about nuclear radiation and the fallout from a dense sooty cloud that looked like a scroll when the sky was rolled up, which obscured their vision of the sun (as if looking through black sack-cloth); while the moon looked ‘blood red’ through the smoke-filled clouds, while debris from the ‘explosion’ rained down on their heads (like figs) after a mighty wind!

Note: This atmospheric phenomenon is not the result of an earthquake, even though small amounts of dust may briefly appear above a city when its buildings fall down.

Effects of nuclear explosions - Wikipedia Localised earthquake; explosion induced lightning 10 to 100 times brighter, lasting 100 times longer; a fireball, intense heat (firestorm); shock wave (wind); thermal radiation, and a mushroom cloud. Atmospheric nuclear blasts cause a double flash, and the ‘mighty’ wind may approach the speed of sound (1,000 mp/h). Blast effects, cause electrical-shorts and fires, and fling soot into the atmosphere. If drawn into the fireball, sand will be fused into molten glass called trinitite, (or atomsite), Trinitite - Wikipedia i.e., 1‒3 cm thick light green fragments of aerated glass [smooth on one side and rough on the other], that fall back to earth [perhaps as small shining ‘stars’ until they cool down]. Rain droplets may fall, the size of marbles.

The survivability effect on people would be flash burns on exposed areas, flash-blindness and retinal burns, lung damage, and burst eardrums. (Cf. Zech. 12:9; 14:12; Micah 1:4; Psalm 68:2; Ezek. 22:22; Peter 3:10‒13; Rev. 21:8)

Air burst - Wikipedia (Cf. the 7^th Bowl of wrath, poured into the air. Rev. 16:17, when ‘It is done!’)

Meteor air burst - Wikipedia e.g. Tunguska meteor event in 1908 in Central Siberia; Russian Chelyabinsk meteor in 2013. (Meteor air bursts are described as a bright flash, whistling sound, deafening explosion called a ‘sonic boom’ breaking windows, toppling buildings etc., producing kgs of meteorite fragments.) JPL Fireball and Bolide reports were commenced in 2005.

Chance and Ron, since you are both knowledgeable about the Bible’s contents, the identity of who Mystery Babylon is… can be deduced from the descriptions provided in Revelation about her, and about her relationship with the beast!

Note: But first, we must realise that when the ‘figurative entity’ called the beast with 7 heads and 10 horns first appears in Revelation 13, it has no woman sitting on it (nor is she mentioned yet). Therefore, there is no suggestion that this iteration of the beast appears in any period of time other than when the Roman Empire existed; i.e., ‘the one is’ (Rev. 17:10) that John so politely referred to in its 6^th iteration as the beast: first in Rome and then in Constantinople (for 1,000 years) after the Roman Empire was divided. (Dan. 2:41) But then we are told that there would be another seventh iteration of the beast yet to come. (Rev. 17:10‒11) That too, would be followed by an eighth out of the seven!

But, regarding Mystery Babylon we have been told nothing at all about her until:

· Abruptly in Revelation 14:8, Mystery Babylon is suddenly declared to be destroyed. Although she was a great city ― because she has made all the nations drink of the wine of her fornication ― she was destroyed! This is stated bluntly, without any preamble provided in Revelation, as to who or what she is, where she is, and who or what destroys her; until later in Chs. 16 and 17.

Interestingly, however, if we follow the earthquake thread of information, and go to Revelation 10:7 we learn that… the mystery of God would be finished when the seventh trumpet sounds; a significant event that occurs at the 2^nd Coming of Christ; so it is at this trumpet blast that we learn:

The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ… Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake and great hail. (Rev. 11:15)

But nothing more is said about Mystery Babylon until the seventh bowl is poured out into the air, in Revelation 16:18, when a loud voice from the throne says: ‘It is Done!’

· And there were noises and thunderings and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake as had not occurred since men were on the earth. Now the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. And great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath. Then every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. And great hail from heaven fell upon men, each hailstone about the weight of a talent. Men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail since that plague was exceedingly great. (Rev. 16:20‒21)

N.B. a ‘talent’ is the largest known Biblical weight 75 lbs, or 34 kg. [2]

Note: The first mention of an earthquake in Revelation was at the opening of the 6^th Seal, (where thunderings and lightnings and giant hail are not mentioned), but unusual phenomena like a mighty wind and falling ‘stars’ and the sky being rolled up are! The question must be asked, are the two scriptures (indented above) just repeats of that first ‘anomalous earthquake event’ in Rev. 6:12‒14, at the opening of the 6^th Seal, or are they referring to later separate events. My opinion is that they are all one and the same event, and they occur on the Day of the Lord. (Joel 2:31; 2 Peter 3:10)

Then retrospectively, an angel carries John away in the Spirit to the wilderness (a realistic experience for him), to explain the gaps in the foregoing narrative about Mystery Babylon, and for him to see Mystery Babylon sitting on the 7^th iteration of the beast in the end-time (Rev. 17:1). The angel explains to John what Mystery Babylon was doing there (recorded in Rev. Ch. 17 and 18 and 19:1‒3), and what she was guilty of.

· So, in the wilderness, (Rev. 17:1‒3) the idolatrous Mystery Babylon is seen sitting on the [neuter gender animal] called the beast with seven heads and ten horns: the seven heads represent all seven sequential empires in Gentile history (aka mountains or kingdoms, Rev. 17:9‒10) and the ten horns in (Rev. 17:12) are the ‘so-called kings’ (who have received no kingdom yet), but who come from the 10 nations (Rev. 13:1, that constitute the beast), all of which are derived from those 7 historic empires that all had blasphemous names written on their heads, (aka names of idols/idolatry Rev. 13:1). (See end note ¹)

Consequently, the tripartite beast that Mystery Babylon is seen sitting on in the wilderness in the end time, is composed of parts of territory from three ancient empires: [personified in most recent order], as the leopard, bear, and lion (Rev. 13:1‒2), OR [in historical order] Babylon, Persia and Greece, which were all arch enemies of Judah during Old Testament times, which existed in Asia, Mesopotamia and the Middle East. So, after the last iteration of the Roman Empire (aka Daniel’s 4^th beast, in its guise as the beast with the ‘little horn’ had been destroyed, Dan. 7:11)… Cf. https://www.fivedoves.com/letters/mar2023/ear312-2.htm …the three preceding Middle Eastern empires (i.e., the rest of the beasts had their lives prolonged for a season and a time, Dan. 7:12). Those beasts’ territories were afterward amalgamated so they could reappear in Revelation 13:1‒2 as the leopard, bear, lion beast (i.e., the earthly agent of the dragon, Satan called the Devil), that had tenure during the latter part of the New Testament age. Although the beast was first described by John as ‘One is’ (i.e., the Roman Empire), Revelation 17:10 makes it clear that ‘the other has not yet come’ would arrive in future history as the beast’s 7^th iteration.

Thus after Rome (the 6^thiteration of the beast) had moved its capital to Constantinople in AD 324, the Roman Byzantine Empire was afterward conquered by the 7th iteration of the beast, i.e., the Sunni Ottoman Empire/Caliphate in 1453, which became heir to Rome. Its prototype had already appeared in the 7^th Century → via the Islamic conquest, when Islam spread abroad out of Mecca (via the hordes of Muslim armies) led by the false prophet, Muhammad who is called the Seal of the prophets. Muhammad was the source of the Quran after ‘words’ had been spoken to him in AD 610, by Jibril, a Jinn (a supernatural being created by Allah), who appeared to Muhammad in the cave of Hira, in Mecca where the great city lies among seven mountains.

Note: John had already reported that a ‘mouth’ for propaganda purposes had been gifted to the seven-headed beast by the dragon (Rev. 13:5); possibly because Muhammad could neither read or write. Therefore, when ‘he’ comes ― via Islam in the 7^th Century, and during the rest of the New Testament era as the 7^th head on the beast ― the ‘mouth’ (aka Muezzin’s call to prayer [5 times a day] from the minarets of Islamic Mosques), and the ‘orally’ dictated Quran have proliferated the Islamic worship of Allah, and the veneration of Muhammad his messenger. Meanwhile, particular anti-Semitic and anti-Christian verses in the Quran stirred up ‘Muslim believers’ who practice the ‘5 pillars of Islam’ to become enemies of both Jews and Christians (Rev. 12:17). Fundamentalist Muslims consider that ‘unbelievers’ aka ‘infidels’ or ‘kafirs’ should be persecuted and killed. This intense religious opposition has put the ownership of Jerusalem at the forefront of Islam’s warfare against Israel.

Unfortunately, the 7^th beast’s religious tyranny and terrorism ― via the Sunni Ottoman Caliphate’s tenure 1453 → that ceased to exist after WWI, when its titles were written out of existence in 1922 ― has lately been ‘revived’ in the 21^st Century.

· … ‘he’ must continue a short time… Thus, following the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks in New York by al-Qaeda → and afterward when the fundamentalist branches of Sunni Salafist belief gradually morphed into a revivified Sunni Caliphate ― called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), with Caliph Ibrahim as its head ― ‘he’ continued for a short time (June 2014‒Dec. 2017) for 42 months (Rev. 13:5). Since then, innumerable Islamic inspired terrorist and jihadist attacks have multiplied against Israel, and against western nations throughout the world, in the name of Allah.

· However, there is also a mystery about Mystery Babylon’s pending destruction described in Revelation 14:8, because we are not told when it happens, other than knowing her demise is accompanied by an earthquake and atmospheric phenomena when it does occur (Rev. 16:20‒21). But as far as ‘the perpetrators’ of Mystery Babylon’s destruction are concerned ― Revelation 17:16 names them as the 10 horns which John saw on the beast; whereas, relating to her forebear’s name Babylon ― both Isaiah and Jeremiah have prophesied that ancient Babylon/ DAUGHTER OF BABYLON’s downfall would be at the hands of the Medes (cf. Isaiah 13:17; 21:2; Jeremiah 51:11), who come from north-western Iran. (Cf. Page 1 [above] re ISIS-K, and Islamic State’s interest in the Khoresan area in north-eastern Iran, bordering Afghanistan.)

It is not a coincidence that ancient Babylon’s destruction, prophesied in the ‘Old Testament’ is to be carried out by ‘fire’ (Isaiah 13:19‒22; Jere. 51:55), and by a ‘destroying wind’ (Jere. 51:1), because these elements agree with the ‘fire’ torment to be suffered by Mystery Babylon (Rev. 18:8‒9, 18; 19:3) and by the ‘mighty wind’ associated with the opening of the 6^th Seal (Rev. 6:13b), which I believe is when Mystery Babylon falls. Also, Revelation 17:16‒18 tells us that Mystery Babylon will be destroyed by ‘fire’ (at the hands of 10 seditious ‘kings’ who are without kingdoms, (some of who come from east of the River Euphrates, Rev. 9:14; 16:12), who are allied to the beast on the day of that great battle. So, Mystery Babylon’s destruction is purposed by God, so that His words by Isaiah and Jeremiah are fulfilled. (Rev. 17:17)

· Mystery Babylon the great city presently sits as a Queen (Rev. 18:7) on the beast in the wilderness where the throne of the beast is located (Rev. 16:10); she also sits on many ‘waters’ (Rev. 17:1) which are peoples, multitudes, nations and tongues (Rev. 17:15); even as she has reigned over the kings of the earth, and corrupted the earth with her religious fornication (Rev. 17:18; 18:9; 19:2) ― traits which have always existed within ancient Babylon’s heritage and lineage that she passed on to her daughter Mystery Babylon, and to her harlot grand-daughters ― all of which are an abomination to God. Thus, the question is asked by Jeremiah… Can Babylon be healed? The answer is given…

We would have healed Babylon, But she is not healed. Forsake her, and let us go everyone to his own country; For her judgment reaches to heaven and is lifted up to the skies. (Jere. 51:9)

Consequently, ancient Babylon is abandoned until God’s judgment is carried out against her last representative… in the end time… after a warning has been given:

And I heard another voice from heaven saying. ‘Come out of her my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. For her sins have ‘reached’ to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.’ (Rev. 18:4‒5)

The NKJV margin notes that her sins have been ‘heaped up’ i.e., layered ‘one upon the other’ during the passage of time, as she has dominated each of the seven iterations of the beast, and violated them through her idolatrous fornication. But now, in the end time, God has remembered what she has done, so her demise is imminent, and her destruction will be carried out during the tenure of the eighth coalition of jihad combatants (who come out of the seven). (Notably, the eighth ― refers to a continuation of the anti-Christian spirit: via the pagan idolatry exhibited by all seven former beast empires.) In Revelation 17:11 ― the eighth is not one of them, but the eighth comes from them. Revelation 17:11 Commentaries: "The beast which was and is not, is himself also an eighth and is one of the seven, and he goes to destruction. (biblehub.com)

· Mystery Babylon is wearing purple and scarlet ― emblems of royalty and religion that she has worn throughout the tenures of the seven head/empire iterations of the beast ― representing her position as an idolatrous intermediary between state and people, as she has defiantly lodged herself in the capital cities of those empires, via her spiritual role, while the seven empires succeeded one another throughout the Middle East in the Biblical period.

· She had in her hand an expensive GOLDEN CUP full of abominations (i.e., idolatry in opposition to God, and to God’s 1st Commandment proscribing idols and images), as she indulged in ‘adulterous’ relationships and ‘fornication’ with the kings of the Middle East. (Generically, spiritual idolatry went hand-in-hand with the political Gentile empires, from Babel, Babylon, Assyria, Persia, Greece, to Rome, and, to put it crudely…, Idolatrous Mystery Babylon was always ready to ‘jump into bed’ with each of the succeeding heads (kings/kingdoms) that came to power!

· As the great city, and the mother of religious harlots (like herself), Mystery Babylon has spawned great cities (of like mind and practice) spread out all around the earth; that is why Muslims call Mecca, Umm al-Qura, the Mother of cities.

· Mystery Babylon, as the pagan idolatrous woman, is held responsible for the blood of saints and martyrs, (Rev. 17:6), and of all who were slain on the earth (Rev. 18:24); so she has obviously been in existence for a very long time ― since the flood ― from whence she has been in close collaboration with all of the seven heads/Gentile empires (agents of Satan) that have avidly persecuted and killed the people of God. (Rev. 12:17)

· She is scheduled to be destroyed by the radicalised jihadist combatants who are gathered (Rev. 16:12‒14) from among the 10 horn nations that are affiliated with the beast, via its eighth iteration out of the seven former beast empires’ (Rev. 17:11, 16), who decide to form an alliance from all of those territories: from Asia, Mesopotamia, east of the Euphrates, the Middle East and from North Africa and Europe (Rev. 17:15‒18).

· Revelation 16:13‒14, shows that these combatants were initially lured to participate in a war against the Lamb and his followers (the called, chosen and faithful), by the demonic spirits that issue forth from the ‘mouths’ of the dragon, the beast and false prophet, viz., their ‘propaganda’ broadcast to the nations of the world via their anti-Semitic, anti-Zionist and anti-Christian rhetoric. What issues forth from the demonic spirits ‘mouths’ demonstrates their planned agenda to assemble at the place called Armageddon and march on Jerusalem for the battle of that great day of God, Almighty, which (during its terminal stage) takes place in the Valley of Jehoshaphat, which lies below Mt. Zion (aka Mt. of Olives), near the walls of Jerusalem. (Cf. Rev. 14:1; Joel 3:1‒2; Zech. 12:2‒3; 14:3‒4), and Revelation 14:17‒20, when the earth was reaped.

· Therefore, it appears from the structure of the verses in Revelation 17:14‒17 that the impulsive attack on Mystery Babylon had not been pre-planned ― until God put a ‘thought’ into their minds to attend to HIS PURPOSE; which caused the 10 horns to attack Mystery Babylon the great city ― in order to fulfil THE PROPHETIC WORDS already spoken against ancient Babylon (cf. Isaiah 30, Jere. 50‒51). It may also have been ‘out-of-character’ for the 10 horns affiliated with the beast to do ‘such a thing’ prior to God’s intervention; unless what happened to the great city was a dreadful mistake, when the 10 horns aimed a nuclear device or ballistic ordnance in Mecca’s direction!

· Ultimately, the attack on Mystery Babylon must happen EITHER before the beast and its coalition goes to war against the Lamb and His followers (Rev. 17:14) at the battle on that great day of God Almighty (Rev. 16:14); OR it occurs simultaneously (and perhaps remotely) while the combatants are gathering at Armageddon, in preparation for the beast and its 10 horn allies to advance on Jerusalem against the Lamb and his followers (Rev. 14:1), because that is where they will all be destroyed. (Rev. 19:19‒21) There are multiple scriptures that indicate on the Day of the Lord, God’s judgments (destruction and disaster fall) on one segment of earth’s population, simultaneously with redemption/salvation (blessing, safety and healing) being poured out on God’s people.

(Is. 11:11; 13:6‒10; 27:12‒13; 30:25‒26; Jere. 46:10; Dan. 12:1‒2; Joel 2:1‒2, 30‒31; 3:12‒14, 16‒18; Micah 4:6‒7; Zeph. 1:14‒18 3:14‒20; Malachi 4:1‒2; Thess. 5:2‒3)

· Consequently, under the auspices of the 10 horns allied to the beast, idolatrous Mystery Babylon, the great city, is totally destroyed in an hour in a day (Rev. 17:8, 9, 17, 19). Whatever is left of her is symbolically thrown into the SEA. (Cf. Ancient Babylon, Jere. 51:63‒64, where a scroll containing her sins was to be tied to a stone and thrown into the Euphrates River [foreshadowing her judgment], but here in Revelation, what remains of Mystery Babylon, is thrown into the Sea and consequently, she is not found anymore! Rev. 17:21; 18:2; 19:3.)

· The seafaring merchants who saw her ‘smoke’ from a distant shore or harbour, could venture no closer for fear of participating in Mystery Babylon’s torment. (Rev. 18:10) They had become mutually and exceedingly rich by trading with her, as she accumulated gold, precious stones, and pearls with which to adorn herself. Then, the Merchants mourned and wept (at her destruction) over their loss of income, because of all that she had previously bought from them; perhaps because her isolated home in the wilderness/desert did not produce all the exotic things that she yearned for, which she desired to fulfil her existence, including slaves. (Rev. 18:11‒19)

N.B. It has only been during the last two decades that Mecca has become a great (by size) city of Megalopolis proportions (created by the Saudi Binladin Group), which caters for 13 million visitors during the Umrah and Hajj pilgrimages, and hopes to raise that number to 30 million.

So, from 2025 → Mecca is being profoundly transformed by Saudi Arabia’s ‘Vision 2030’ beginning with the King Salman Gate project. This project bears some resemblance to the origin of the first city called ‘Babel’ from the Akkadian "Bāb-ilim," meaning ‘Gate of God.’ Topical Bible: Babylon: Origin of the Name (biblehub.com)

· Finally, the hour and day time-frame for the destruction of Mystery Babylon, appears to coincide with the preparations that had been made for the 4 kings from east of the River Euphrates and their affiliated jihads, to begin their war which lasts for the hour and day and month and year, in which a third of the symbolic two hundred million combatants who had gathered from all over the world to make war, were killed, which equals 66,666,666! (Rev. 9:13‒21) This is a rather ‘recognisable number!’

My conclusions, after reading and studying Revelation for about 70 + years of my life, is that Mystery Babylon’s final ‘resting place’ will be the great city of Mecca in Makkah Province in the Hejaz region of Saudi Arabia, which has a population of about nine million. This will mean the end for both ancient and modern Mystery Babylon and her idolatrous harlot daughters’ careers, while ‘hopping’ from one destination to another; appearing in the ‘capital cities’ belonging to all seven iterations of the beast. This is why her identifications (by scholars), and her locations have varied from Babel to the capitals of Babylon, Assyria, Persia, Greece, to Rome, to Constantinople, and finally to Mecca, where Mystery Babylon’s latter-day source of power and propaganda has persisted during the tenure of the 7^th Beast, as it will continue… for the eighth… until she is destroyed.

The appearance of this eighth coalition appears to be imminent as it rises up from the SHIA/TWELVER Iranian branch of Islam together with Iran’s affiliated Non-State Terrorist Organisations (NTO’s) called the ‘Axis of Resistance’ whose 10 horn ‘membership groups’ of radicalised jihads are scattered throughout the world. They are waiting for the call from the unclean demonic spirits that inhabit the dragon, the beast and the false prophet, for them to assemble (Rev. 16:12‒14), when they hope to achieve victory over the Lamb and His followers, so they can receive those ‘kingdom territories’ promised to them by the beast. But fortunately, the end result of the battle of that great day of God, Almighty, has already been clearly recorded in scripture (Rev. 19:19‒20:3).

Note: Mystery Babylon located at Islam’s H.Q. in Mecca cannot continue to exist much longer… because when the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ at the sounding of the 7^th trumpet (Rev. 11:15); there is no place for alternative kingdoms to exist anymore, once the Kingdom of God on earth is here! Great Babylon’s destruction, accompanied by lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake and great hail – will occur prior to this great event ― when a loud voice comes out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, says, ‘It is done!’ (Rev. 6:12‒14; 14:8; and 16:18‒21)

A thorough study of the ‘anomalous’ earthquakes ― that repetitively occur in Rev. 6:12; 8:5; 11:19; and 16:18 ― has led me to believe that the sudden destruction of Mystery Babylon occurs in Mecca, at the opening of the 6^th Seal in Revelation 6:12, when the sign of the Son of Man appears in the heavens and myriad men hide themselves in the caves and rocks of the mountains that surround it. Therefore, it is the destruction of Mystery Babylon in Rev. 6:12, which triggers the other events that happen on the Day of the Lord (which are seen from different angles by John), when ‘fire’ from the altar is thrown to the earth (Rev. 8:5); Christ receives the kingdoms of the world (Rev. 11:15, 19); the victorious Lamb and the 144,000 appear on Mt. Zion (Rev. 14:8); followed by the belated description of the phenomena that occurred (Rev. 16:18‒21), when Mystery Babylon was destroyed at the 6^th Seal.

The trumpet warnings and the bowl judgments are all descriptions of the battle that occurs on the Day of the Lord, when the beast and the false prophet and the eighth coalition are defeated. These judgments refer to the third of the earth that is affected on that day (over which the dragon had assumed control), and they describe the nature of the combatants and the modern weapons they used, followed by the effects of the wrath of God being poured out on everything connected to the beast’s kingdom and the eighth coalition’s combatants in the Valley of Jehoshaphat.

So, the sixty-thousand-dollar question that remains, which needs an answer is… why would the 10 horns affiliated to the eighth iteration of the beast, arising out of the seven former empires want to destroy Mecca, the idolatrous source of the beast’s religious power and Islamic inspiration? Well, it has happened before (in Nov. Dec. 1979), when action was taken against Mecca because of the Saudi Arabian Monarchy. Grand Mosque seizure - Wikipedia

Given half-a-chance, and the opportunity to do it again, the fundamentalist SUNNI Salafis and Wahhabis who become part of the 10 horns eighth coalition, who have aniconism beliefs and a penchant for destroying monuments and breaking things ― which they amply demonstrated via ISIS in Iraq and Syria, when swathes of religious and cultural artefacts were destroyed ― are just as likely to destroy modern Mecca for the same reasons:

(1) Because Mecca’s rudimentary ancient site that served Muslim pilgrimage since the 7^th Century, is now being ‘monstrously’ transformed 2025 → into an ultra-modern Acropolis-metropolis like Las Vegas, which exhibits the same characteristics and practices described in Revelation about Mystery Babylon: trading luxury goods, merchandise, and the souls of men (foreign workers), to elevate her own idolatrous spiritual standing on behalf of her political masters, Saudi Arabia; (just like ancient Pergamum (1^st Century), where ‘Satan’s seat’ existed as the Altar of Zeus among impressive towers, temples and grandiose architectural buildings that created tension between spiritual belief and cultural idolatry, providing a battleground between faith and idolatry). Pergamum’s Struggles with Idolatry and Faith - MarmaraTours OR

(2) When ‘a plan’ is devised and fomented against the Saudi Arabian Monarchy by rebels among the 10 horn terrorist groups who support TWELVER and SHIA Iran’s jealousy and opposition to Saudi Arabia being the sole ‘caretaker and guardian of the two Mosques!’ So, from Muslims’ point of view, they cry…

‘Alas, Alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour your judgment has come.’ (Rev. 18:10)

But, remember, God has HIS purpose in the complete destruction of latter-day Mystery Babylon, to fulfil the Old Testament prophecies against ancient Babylon, which will be performed against the DAUGHTER OF BABYLON at the end of this Gentile Age, which will clear the way for the kingdom of God to be established. First by …destroying the works of the Devil (1 John 3:8), and then, by removing everything that offends out of His kingdom (Matt. 13:41) at the harvest. (Rev. 14:17‒20)

It is for this reason that Mystery Babylon and the throne of the beast must be destroyed BEFORE the 7^th trumpet is sounded at the 2^nd Coming of Jesus Christ (Rev. 11:15; 14:1‒5), when the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ.

So, from heaven’s point of view, the destruction of Mystery Babylon fulfils God’s word…

‘Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you holy apostles and prophets, for God has avenged you on her!’ (Rev. 18:20; cf. Rev. 6:9‒11; Jere. 51:48‒49)

My assertion that Mystery Babylon is destroyed by the ‘anomalous earthquake event’ which occurs at the opening of the 6^th Seal; means it is caused either by an asteroid/meteor strike or by the detonation of a Nuclear device, planted in the midst of Mystery Babylon by the 10 horn coalition (Rev. 17:16), so before that happens, earth-dwellers are urged to:

‘Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.’ (Rev. 14:7)

Flee from the midst of Babylon, and everyone save his life! Do not be cut off in her iniquity, for this is the time of the LORD’S vengeance; He shall recompense her. Babylon was a golden cup in the LORD’S hand that made all the earth drunk. The nations drank her wine; therefore the nations are deranged. Babylon has suddenly fallen and been destroyed. Wail for her! Take balm for her pain; perhaps she may be healed. (Jere. 51:6‒8)

…but she is not healed. Forsake her, and let us go everyone to his own country; for her judgment reaches to heaven and is lifted up to the skies. (Jere. 51:9b)

Come out of her my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. (Rev. 18:4)

(3) An additional, possibly irrational thought that comes to mind, is that because SHIA Iran is presently under tremendous international pressure to (1) abandon its proxies: NTO’s Hamas, Hezbollah and Houthis etc.; (2) rectify its human rights abuses; (3) cancel its ballistic missile production programme; and (4) stop its uranium enrichment processes (when they may already possess a Nuclear weapon of some sort); IRAN could use such a weapon against Mecca to its advantage. It would be possible to rouse the whole Islamic ummah throughout the world to join the SHIA/TWELVER and SUNNI Islamist eighth coalition of God-opposing power in its jihad (Holy War) against ‘little Satan’ Israel, and ‘big Satan’ USA ― whose ‘armada’ is already spread around the Middle East ― if the destruction of Mecca via a Nuclear device could be blamed on them! It would be of little consequence to SHIA Iran (that has its own Holy mosques in its cities), if Mecca the great city was destroyed, particularly if it produces the required chaos and world-wide Muslim uprising against Israel, the USA, and the western nations; that awakens the 12 Imam from his occultation, i.e., the al-Mahdi with the Antichrist spirit, who would hopefully lead the eighth alliance and the Muslim ummah to victory in Jihad, Holy war at ‘the last day!’ Furthermore (in this regard), the demonic spirits that urged the Muslim combatants to gather at Armageddon to fight against the Lamb and His followers, who perform signs on behalf of the dragon, the beast and the false prophet; might actually tempt the 10 horns belonging to the eighth coalition to perform those signs… and destroy Mecca ― as a ‘false-flag’ operation ― and blame the result on Israel or the USA! Now that would rile and rouse the whole Islamic ummah to join in their Jihad!

At the present time, the idolatrous great city named Mystery Babylon, is raising towers to heaven via Saudi Arabia’s ‘Vision 2030’ project that is transforming Mecca ― through a continuous building boom on its gigantic construction site, into a modern sky-scraper Megalopolis in the end time ― to fit the Biblical descriptions of ancient Babylon! [3] Only Mecca can satisfy the specific requirements recorded by John in the book of Revelation, and by the Old Testament prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah regarding the Daughter of Babylon, which to Mystery Babylon’s appearance in the end time. Mecca is now a mighty luxurious and religious city hidden among seven mountains, where she is adorned with gold and symbols of wealth. Mecca is embedded in relationships with both royal and religious kings of the earth, and totally involved in supplying pilgrimage efficiency, for the millions of patrons who visit annually during the Umrah and Hajj. Mystery Babylon, via Mecca is also responsible for the blood of the saints and the martyrs of Jesus during the various Islamic conquests that began in AD 622 when Muhammad migrated to Medina, which continued until 1453 at the fall of the Constantinople to the Ottoman Empire. That is not to mention the recent revival of radical Islamism, resulting in terrorist attacks and the murder of ‘infidels and kafirs’ around the world! However, when John saw Babylon the great, the harlot woman who represents a great idolatrous city, he was greatly amazed; so, today Mecca is an astonishment, a commercial hub where merchandise and goods of every description are brought to the Port of Jeddah by seafaring ships from around the world, to supply the city’s every need, to glorify her and satisfy her soul. (Rev. 18:7‒14)

Finally, a projected nuclear attack or ‘anomalous earthquake event’ that takes place in the wilderness territory in the Hejaz in Saudi Arabia, which destroys Mystery Babylon ― where there are caves and rocks in the seven mountains surrounding Mecca ― would allow the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man (who might be participating in the Hajj or Umrah in Mecca) to hide themselves… from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! Even as the merchant ships based about 50 ks away, at the Port of Jeddah on the Red Sea coast would be able to see the smoke of her burning from a safe distance.

The destruction and demise of the great city called Mystery Babylon (described in Rev. 16:18‒21; 19:1‒3), by an anomalous ‘great earthquake’ causing event, does not take place in the United States, or New York, because neither are sitting on the beast entity in the wilderness, which represents seven former Biblical Empires that rose up in the Middle East. Nor does the United States or New York have a history of idolatry like Mystery Babylon, or practice persistent persecution of the saints and martyrs of Jesus. Finally, neither the United States or New York, are responsible for the blood of prophets and saints and all who were slain on the earth?

[1] Blasphemy is always directed by the dragon and ‘his agents’ against Yahweh, God, to offend Him.

[2] The hail size calculator Hail Size Calculator (calculatorshub.net) ‘…helps estimate the maximum possible diameter of hailstones based on the updraft speed of a thunderstorm. By applying a physics-based formula, the calculator predicts how large hailstones can grow before gravity overcomes the storm’s powerful upward winds.’

Therefore the great weight of these hail-stones would be dependent on the strength and power of the ‘mighty wind’ mentioned in Revelation 6:13 at the opening of the 6^th Seal; and in Jeremiah 51:1 the ‘destroying wind’ sent with ‘winnowers to empty her land’ in the day of doom; relating to the fall of Babylon! So, what is it about the ‘mighty, destroying wind’ that causes such great hail-stones to fall from the sky, and what causes such a wind? Maybe someone which a ‘physics degree’ can calculate how much upwind energy is required to keep 34 kg hail-stones aloft! Perhaps an asteroid strike or a nuclear explosion would do it!

[3] Saudi Vision 2030 - Makkah Route Initiative

Redevelopment project of Mecca 🕋 (kaba) vision 2030 // SAUDI ARABIA 🇸🇦 // FUTURE MECCA // MAKKAH - YouTube

EXPANSION OF KHANA KAABA | EXPANSION OF MASJID AL HARAM | FUTURE OF KHANA KAABA | vision 2030 - YouTube