A379 : by Tony Garland
I can’t offer any additional information regarding secular developments concerning Babylon, but I have yet to come across anything that would dissuade me of what Scripture teaches: the city of Babylon plays an important role at both ends of history.
As to when its role in future developments will become more obvious, I can’t predict, since Scripture gives us only limited insight.
Some seem convinced it can’t be the literal city because of the time needed to rebuild such a city—and to garner the necessary global influence inferred by Scripture at the time of the end.
I don’t share their viewpoint: Scripture doesn’t reveal exactly when the city will be rebuilt or how long it may take — only that it will.
Nor is there any passaged I’m aware of that would connect the rebuilding of the city with the return of Jesus for His Church. The Rapture and the rebuilding of Babylon have no defined relative timing relationship within Scripture. Thus, the amount of time it may take for Babylon to regain significance politically and commercially does not affect the imminency of Jesus’ return for the Church.
For more on this issue, I can recommend Dr. Wood’s recent book: Babylon: The Bookends of Prophetic Historya.
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