The Christ in Prophecy Journal

Antichrist Will Be Headquartered In Babylon

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Where will the headquarters of the Antichrist be located during the Great Tribulation? Will it be Rome, Jerusalem, New York, Babylon, or some other city? Twelve different Bible prophecy experts were asked this question. The following seven believe his headquarters will be a rebuilt Babylon in Iraq.

Daymond Duck

I believe it will be Babylon. I have believed that Babylon will be rebuilt for several years, for several reasons.

First, Zechariah 5:5-11 teaches about a wicked women, a women called “wickedness” who represents commerce and false religion which will be moved to the land of Shinar at the end of the age. And, I believe that women called “wickedness” is Mystery Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots. So, I think she will go to Babylon.

Second, virtually all scholars trace false religion and world government back to the Tower of Babel and Babylon. And, that is where I believe it will go back to. Revelation 17:10 teaches us this false religious system existed in Egypt and Assyria and Babylon and Medo-Persia and Greece before Rome ever came on the scene.

Third, I think there are several prophecies about the final destruction of Babylon that have not been fulfilled. Isaiah 13:4 indicates that Babylon’s final destruction will be by many nations, but ancient Babylon was not destroyed by many nations. The Medes and the Persians conquered it and eventually ancient Babylon was buried under sand. Isaiah 13:5 indicates that Babylon’s final destruction will be during the indignation or the Tribulation period. Ancient Babylon was not destroyed during the indignation or the Tribulation period; that is still future. Isaiah 13:19 says Babylon’s final destruction will be like the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Ancient Babylon wasn’t destroyed by fire and brimstone like Sodom and Gomorrah were. In fact, if you go to the book of Revelation it tells us three times that Babylon will be destroyed by fire in one hour. It seems to me that God is going out of his way to tell us that there is going to be a Babylon that is going to be destroyed differently from the way ancient Babylon was destroyed. Isaiah 13:20 says Babylon will never be inhabited again. We do know that a few people are living in the part that Saddam Hussein has rebuilt. Isaiah 14 says Israel will be in the land when Babylon is destroyed. Well, when ancient Babylon was captured by the Medes and Persians, Israel was not in the land. One more of these, the bricks will never be reused again (Jer. 51:26). Saddam Hussein reused some of the bricks when he started rebuilding Babylon. There are many prophecies.

If you will read Jeremiah 50:5 and Isaiah 13 and 14, there are many prophecies about Babylon’s final destruction that appear in both of those chapters. I think that God links all of that together. For example, Isaiah 13:21 says satyrs or demons, devils and false spirits will dance in Babylon after its final destruction. We go over to the Book of Revelation 18:2 and we read there that Babylon will become the habitation of devils and false spirits. Jeremiah 50:15 says, “As she, Babylon, as she has done, do unto her.” We go over to the book or Revelation 18:6 and we read, “Reward her even as she has rewarded you.” We go back to Jeremiah 51:7, Babylon has been a golden cup in the Lord’s hand. We go over to Revelation 17:4 and we read mystery Babylon has a golden cup in her hand. Jeremiah 51:7, the nations have been drunk on Babylon’s wine. In Revelation 18:3 we read Babylon has made the nations drunk on wine. Jeremiah 51:8 says Babylon has suddenly fallen. Revelation 18:2, we read that Babylon is fallen. Jeremiah 51:9 says “forsake her.” Revelation 18:4 says “come out of her my people.” One more, Jeremiah 51:13 says Babylon sits upon many waters. In Revelation 17:1 we read Mystery Babylon sits upon many waters.

In other words, there is a lot of ties between what is in the Old Testament that is a prophecy about ancient Babylon and what’s in the new prophecy, the New Testament, that is a prophecy about rebuilt Babylon. I think God tied them together and we’ve always believe that those Old Testament prophecies were about ancient Babylon, not Rome and that kind of thing.

Arnold Fruchtenbaum

I personally take the Bible more literally, so I would say that Babylon would be the capital of the Antichrist. It would be both a political and economic capital. According to both Zechariah 5 as well as Revelation 18, his religious capital will be Jerusalem where he will set up his image in the Jewish Temple. Where his economic and public capital will be Babylon the city.

Al Gist

Generally speaking, I try to always interpret the Bible literally. I think that’s by far the best approach. So, when we read Revelation 17 and 18 where it talks about the city of Babylon, I tend to take that literally as well. I believe that Babylon will be his capital city during his Tribulation reign. Possibly, the events that we are seeing take place right now in Iraq are leading up to that. Iraq is becoming a central focal point of the world since our invasion in Iraq. And, I don’t know where this is going to lead, or how it is going to develop, but I personally do believe in the revival of Babylon itself on the Euphrates River. I have heard the arguments about Rome being the leadership city I guess you would say of the Antichrist, and I am not a 100% opposed to that, but again I just lean more towards the literal acceptance of the city of Babylon.

Phillip Goodman

I believe that it will be Babylon because the Bible speaks of a literal Babylon in the Last Days. If we are to take as an example the prophecy of the First Coming of Jesus, that he would be born in Bethlehem Ephrathah (Micah 5:2), very specifically a city and a Messianic prophecy that was fulfilled literally, then we’ve got to take the prophecy that Babylon will be overthrown as Sodom and Gomorrah and never to rise again. It is a very specific prophecy that has to be fulfilled in every detail, and that prophecy of course has never been fulfilled. So, it requires the rise of Babylon in the Last Days.

You find again in Revelation 16 that Babylon exists right along with Jerusalem and all the cities of the nations they are literal, and so is Babylon. The cities of the nations will fall. Jerusalem will be split into three parts. Babylon will also fall at that time, very literally renderings of that city.

Finally, I want to make one last point. Babylon in Revelation 18 has an exact correspondence with the Babylon that is described in the two lengthy chapters of Jeremiah 50 and 51, precise parallels all the way down through those chapters. So, we know that Jeremiah 50 and 51 at least in parts of that has a prophecy of Babylon in the Last Days. I want to read you a passage out of there that specifically geophysically tells us that this is a literal city in the Last Days, and that it is the Babylon that is on the Euphrates River as we know it in modern day Iraq. Going back to Jeremiah 50:45, it says this it is talking about Babylon in the context of the Last Days of the End Times. It says, “That Babylon and His purposes which He has proposed against the land of the Chaldeans.” So, the land of the Chaldeans is not Rome, it is not New York City, it’s Babylon on the Euphrates. You come on down to verse 35 in chapter 51 and it tells us this, “‘May the violence be done to me, may the violence done to me and to my flesh be upon Babylon,’ the inhabitant of Zion will say, the inhabitant of Jerusalem [the literal Jerusalem] will say, ‘and upon the inhabitant of Chaldea.'” So, we have a geopolitical designation for a literal Babylon in the Last Days.

And so, at least we know this much, Babylon is going to be the megacity that Revelation 18 talks about, and it is going to be literal. And, the whole economy of the world is centered in Babylon and the Antichrist controls the economy of the world. The demand and supply that he has on buying and selling that the Scriptures say he will, then his capital will surely be Babylon in the Last Days.

Ray Gano

I am a person who reads Scripture literally. I believe that the End Time capital will be Babylon.

It is interesting to find out that Saddam Hussein started to rebuild the ancient city of Babylon. And, it was his intent to actually create this area as a Wall Street of the Middle East. Babylon today is highly wired. They got all this going on. He was turning it into a visitors center or a business center and then the war took place, construction stopped, things like that. The interesting thing is, is that the UN just announced that they are going to start working and rebuilding Babylon. In fact, just this last November 14 America jumped on board and they are going to start giving money to the process. And, I guess, our soldiers went in and occupied parts of Babylon as a fortress of something. They are going to help rebuild it, repay for it. And back in early 2003, Israel Today reported that the Quartet — and that’s being the US, UN, EU, and Russia — they all came together and they started talking about the UN actually moving their headquarters from New York to Babylon. And so, I do see Babylon being the seat of the Antichrist.

Mark Hitchcock

I think the Antichrist’s End Time capital is going to be a revived city of Babylon there on the Euphrates in what’s modern-day Iraq. The reasons for that is you have the words “Babylon,” “Babylonian,” “Chaldea” — those are used about 300 times through the Bible. And, the Book of Revelation is called the Apocalypse of Jesus Christ. It is an unveiling, it is not a veiling. It seems odd to me that when you get to the very last couple chapters in the Bible all of a sudden Babylon wouldn’t mean Babylon anymore, after 300 times or so of this being stated that that’s what the word indeed refers to.

Also, when you go back to the Scriptures to the very beginning that’s where, after the Flood, that’s where the first world empire began — Nimrod build this city. And, from the very beginning, some have likened this to the Tail of Two Cities. You have the city of Babylon mentioned in Genesis 10 and 11 with the Tower of Babel and Jerusalem is first introduced in Genesis 14, and you kind of trace these cities all the way through. Then, in Revelation 17 and 18, you have Babylon again, and in Revelation 21 and 22 you have the New Jerusalem. It also says about Babylon in Revelation 17, this great city that rules over the kings of the Earth in the End Times. It says that this city is the mother of all harlotry. It’s the fountain head of all harlotry. And, when you go back to the Bible, into the very beginning the fountain head of all false religion and all idolatry, there was the city of Babylon.

So, I think it’s going to be rebuilt in the End Times as a great economic, political, and religious center for the final world leader. So, history is going to kind of come full circle, from Nimrod and the first world empire to Antichrist in the final world empire of Babylon.

Don McGee

That’s a question I still struggle with. For years I thought it was going to be Rome, but I am beginning to lean in the direction of Babylon. And, one of the reasons I did not think so for many years is because of the decayed state of that part of the world. But, when you look at what is happening in Dubai and other places in the Middle East, you can see the magnificence structures can be built and great cities can be built in very, very short periods of time. I think that if you step back from the whole aspect of Scripture and look at it, I think Babylon means exactly that — Babylon.

Seven of the twelve interviewed have stated that they believe the headquarters of the Antichrist will be Babylon. And, they have given some very good reasons for coming to that conclusion. In an upcoming article we’ll look at the other five answers stating that the Antichrist’s headquarters will not be in a rebuilt Babylon in Iraq.

You can watch this Q&A at our website on Christ in Prophecy.

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Dr. Nathan E. Jones

As the Internet Evangelist at Lamb & Lion Ministries, Nathan reaches out to the over 4.5 billion people accessible over the Internet with the Good News of Jesus Christ. He also co-hosts the ministry's television program Christ in Prophecy and podcast The Truth Will Set You Free.

27 CommentsLeave a Comment

  • So many believe that the Antichrist's "headquarters" will be smack dab in the Middle East, yet how many of them believe that the Antichrist will come from the Middle East, or be Muslim? Ray Gano's approach to this question and a few others asked here recently is the most straight-forward and thought out imho. Not only will the AC be headquartered in the Middle East, he will come from the Middle East and be a practicing Muslim. That makes the most sense to me.

  • I think that "Babylon" is the literal Babylon in Iraq.

    It's the home of the first global government, first global religion, and global commerce. How fitting for globalism to move back home (who says you can't go home again?) to the plains of Shinar?

    When I think of the prophecy Daniel gave Nebuchadnezzar about the the tree (Babylon) spreading its branches over the whole world, I take that as unfulfilled. Some say today, "Well, Babylon wasn't a global kingdom in reality, so AC's kingdom won't be either", we assume that this prophecy has been fulfilled, because Babylon isn't the powerhouse it once was. What if Daniel was looking to a time still yet future?

    Iraq is considered to be the "Cradle of Civilization." I think that very soon, someone is going to rebuild Babylon into a cultural, commercial, and religious supercenter. Why not? The Roman Church is based on Babylonian traditions. In fact many of our Protestant traditions are based out of Babylon. so why not a literal Babylon?

    With the Middle-eastern Muslim nations in shambles after the Psalm 83 and Gog-Magog wars, it's very likely someone will move in as a symbol of unity to prevent something like that from happening again.

    And what better place than where mankind was once united as one?

  • This one has left me in confusion. The a/c will be of Roman decent, his rise will come thru the EU but his headquarters will be in the Middle East though he is neither a Jew nor Muslim.

    Helllllllllllllllllp!!!!!!!!!

  • Suggestion: Could some of you submit your "timeline" of events (as in the following example though in no particular order, just for display purposes):

    1. Rapture
    2. Psalm 83
    3. Rise of A/C
    4. Gog/Magog
    5. Rebuild Temple
    6. Babylon Rebuilt
    7. Peace Treaty
    etc.

    This would be of help to me and also quite interesting (I think).

    Thanks to anyone taking me up on this.

  • Timeline:

    1)Psalm 83
    2)Gog-Magog
    3)Rapture
    4)US crippled by rapture and becomes 3rd world nation and under European control
    5)UN moves to Iraq to keep peace in Middle-east (but in reality the US can't pay them anymore) and sets up shop in Saddam's palace in Babylon
    6)UN splits world into 10 regions for easier management and to fulfill Daniel's prophecy of Babylon's "tree"
    7)UN revamps security council to 10 members
    8)Israel builds 3rd Temple
    9)Rise of AC
    10)Security council now regional governors or kings
    11)3 regional governors or kings rise up
    12)AC squashes them and is mortally wounded
    13)Satan indwells AC and he declares himself God in Temple
    14)Jews run to Petra
    15)God sends judgements
    16)Messiah returns

    Some of these are overlapping. #'s 6 and 7 probably occur at the same time. I think #15 runs through most of it.

  • Billy, tomorrow's post covers the Antichrist's hq in Rome, and hopefully wil help with any confusion.

    My take on it is, if you're the world leader, you can put your hq wherever you want to. I'd pick a nicer spot than the middle of the desert, maybe in Montana?

  • This coming from a guy who lives in Texas? Might as well be Iraq. Too hot there. Too hot. What is it down there today? Like a 1,000 Farenheit? 🙂

    Unfortunately, there is no symbolic reason for moving to Montana, but it is much nicer. Prettier, too.

  • Since moving to Texas almost 2 years ago it seems like being in the 90s is a cool day. 101 again today!

    Switzerland is nice for a world hq I hear, too. Shows the Antichrist has no taste should he choose a sweltering sand pit. 😉

  • I don't know. It seems is all the James Bond movies, the villain always picks a scenic alpine vista for his secret headquarters. The desert seems almost anticlimactic.

  • one thing dr reagan seems not to realize (no offense) is the babylon in ch17 and ch 18 are two different babylons. one symbolic (or mystery) the other literal. one destroyed by the beast the other God. granted babylon is often symbol for rome but i'm not sure its the case here tho it could be. furthermore it seems anti-christ has more then 1 headquarters. political and military seems to be Rome, economic seems to be babylon and religous Rome the 1st half and Jerusalem the 2nd half. according to daniel 11 it seems during or just prior to armegeddon his military headquarters is moved to jerusalem. IF…IF literal babylon is rebuilt i dont think itll happen til the 2nd half of the tribulation.

  • thunder, tho not dogmatic and not to get too off, im only gonna state this once cuz im more interested in the topic at hand. my official answer is i donno by the way, i disagree slightly bout ur timeline. the evidence ways heavily for Gog/magog occuring AFTER the rapture tho im not sure bout psalm 83. if you wanna discuss this further and "get into it" so to speak let me know and we'll revisit the blog about the timing of Gog/magog. for now tho im interested in this cuz im really not sure where i stand on this. there is tons of evidence on both sides and i want all the insight i can get on this.

  • The timeline thing is pure speculation. The Rapture could be before or after these actions. Frankly, I don't know either. Only God Almighty knows. Billy asked so I answered. I really have no desire to "get into it" with anyone, especially people I like.

    I'm of the opinion, getting back to Babylon, that at this moment Rome is the spiritual Babylon: the headquarters of the Babylonian religion. I do think that here at the end everything religious is going to go back to the beginning.

    "Triggered by the Iraq War, informed sources say that the international Quartet of world powers (the US, UN, European Union and Russia) has drafted a proposal to transfer the seat of the United Nations to Baghdad (ancient Babel or Babylon)! The move would relieve the space constraints of the New York headquarters while also freeing it from the physical jurisdiction of the US. Though it’s only a draft of the Quartet, plans appear to be in the works to establish a third and perhaps final worldwide organization." (Israel Today, December 2003)

    This kind of thinking is what I base my conclusions on.

  • Dawg, I was asking people for a timeline just to get others perspective out of my own curiosity (though off topic, I know). Thunder replied and I appreciate it. I did NOT mean for it to blossom into an offshoot discussion or debate. Thanks for the reply Thunder!

  • Thunder…thanks for reference article on Ark. End of the article references verse which reveals the Ark is in Heaven. I didn't know that. So I guess any "ark" revealed tomorrow is a fake.

    I have to laugh at this…a TRUE INCIDENT…my word verification to post this time is "HOTHEDS"!!!

    ROFL!

  • There is a curse on Jerusalem in this earth; in the new earth there will be no more curse (Re.22:3).

    Because there is a curse (Re.22:3), Jerusalem will play a dual role – one: the holy city Jerusalem; secondly, that great city Babylon (Re.18:10).

    The mystery of Babylon the great is that the holy city Jerusalem will play a dual role once the false prophet sits in the temple of God (2 Thess.2:4).

    The holy city Jerusalem is the pleasant land (Dan.8:9); it is the faithful city which has become an harlot (Isa.1:21).

    NOTE Re.21:10 – that in the "new" earth the holy city Jerusalem's name is complete, "that great city, the holy Jerusalem".

    Patricia © Bible Prophecy on the Web
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BibleProphecy

  • by "get into it" i simply meant the discussion not a fight. i'm always up for these discussions its one of my passions. know what i mean? im not sure about the timeline. by the way, if babylon was to be rebuilt literally wouldnt it already be a major city by now and not just rumors? it seems my position shifts weekly as to whether babylon is Rome or Babylon. someone once mentioned the reason Babylon isnt mention in Gog/magog is cuz God has different plans for Babylon. However as stated it seems Babylon would be a major city by now if it were to be rebuilt.

  • Gotcha, hart. It just seems that more often than not these things turn into a bitter throwdown, especially when the Richardsonites get involved.

    And, if you read the works of W.E. Vine and John Foxe, the Catholic (Universal)Church is often refered to as the "Antichrist Church" or "Antichristian Church." Much of what the Vatican teaches and has taught comes straight out of, you guessed it, Babylon. Things like the Holy Mother, the sacrament turning to flesh and blood, Easter eggs, etc. These are things that were practiced during the reign of Nimrod, the first picture of AC we get in the Bible.

  • so what you're saying, thunder, if i correctly understand is mystery Babylon being Rome AND Roman catholocism may be synonomous. if thats what you're saying i'll have to agree.

  • Roman Catholisism IS Rome physically and Babylon spiritually. And, I think, the two will become one IN Babylon: the literal rebuilt Babylon.

    The Roman Empire never really fell, it transformed. The Roman Empire became the Holy Roman Church which became, in time, the Roman Catholic Church.

    Seriously, head down to your local library and see if they have John Foxe's "Book of Martyrs". See how the Holy Roman Church abused and butchered and burned those who disagreed with them.

    Understand, I'm not trying to denegrate the average Catholic. Most have never read the Word (and neither have most Protestants [I would encourage everyone to do so]) and therefore have no idea what It says. But when you compare the teachings of Catholicism with what the Babylonian religions were based on, they match up almost identically.

  • "The Roman Empire never really fell, it transformed. The Roman Empire became the Holy Roman Church which became, in time, the Roman Catholic Church. "

    That is incorrect.

    The Roman Empire persisted until 1453 when it was conquered by the Islamic Caliphate, and it's seat of power, Constantinople seized.

    The Caliphate moved it's administration to Constantinople.

    The Caliph of Islam then assumed the title for himself Cesar of Rome.

    Thus the Empire of the true Babylonian Religion, Islam, finally conquered the Roman Empire and assumed its throne.

    Just as the Babylonians did with the Assyrians, and the Persians with the Babylonians, followed by Alexander.

    Babylon was the capital of the Babylonian, Persian , and Macedonian (Greek) Empires.

    Later on Babylon (aka Baghdad) was the Capital of the Empire that was to destroy Rome.

    The New Empire moved its throne of the Babylonian/Persian/Greek Capital City to the newly conquered Roman Capital City, Constantinople.

    The Caliphate ruled over the lands of ALL the past empires until 1922 when the Turks abolished the Caliphate in Constantinople but retain the right to reestablish it.

    It should be noted that the Old Testament (and the Rev church of Pergenum) please a special emphasis on the lands around Turkey, Assyria as it relates to where the Antichrist comes from.

    Rome, italy is obviously uninvolved… just as John says THREE TIMES in Rev 17.

  • Babylon is also referred to as false religion in the Bible, not just a literal place. Why Babylon is connected with Rome is because the anti-christ is not a person. Also, check your strong's concordance anti does not mean 'against' but 'in place of. It is the system of Papacy. Many understand this and Martin Luther understood this.

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