When discussing prophetic issues and timetables referencing their fulfillment, it always has been the approach of the Presence movement to see things through the lens of covenant. God is a covenant God who gave us a covenant book about his working through a covenant people. Reasonably, it seems, all eschatology should be seen as "covenant eschatology." When we stray from the passing of the Old Covenant and the establishment of the New, we have cut ourselves loose from the story of Scripture and the plan of God from before time (Titus 1:2).
To date, much of the world of Christianity does not choose to view prophetic issues in this light. Many, in fact, choose to experience Scripture as a record of what is unfolding before our eyes on the pages of "current" history and within the scheme of "current" events. So much so that it would be impossible to be a student of prophecy and not acknowledge the numerous attempts to link characters, images and world powers with predictions of dates and near-future fulfillments as they, it is claimed, unfold before us.
Such is the case with the current Gulf War between the United States and Iraq. Recently I read an article from an End-time perspective entitled, "Babylon, Why the Confusion?"
As I feel it would be instructive to explore the differences between a Premillennial versus a Transmillennial® view, it is our intention to provide a synopsis of this article and then a brief response. (As it is not my intention to address the "person" behind the writing – just his "ideas," I am going to forgo mentioning the author by name. Our goal is simply to be instructive as to our understanding of prophecy.)
In brief, here is the thesis of the article with which we take exception:
The basic premise is that Scripture predicts that Babylon will rise again. The original site of the Garden of Eden was somewhere near Babylon and is the scene where Satan begins his ministry of worldwide domination. Therefore it should not surprise us that we find his "man on the ground" in the modern-day character we know as Saddam Hussein.
As the thinking goes, Saddam is beginning to "re-build" the ruins of Babylon… surely a sign of the end of all things. Saddam, so the reasoning goes, carries all of the characteristics of Nebuchadnezzar and is merely a "puppet" in the hands of Satan.
Since Habakkuk 1:5 says that God will do a work in "your days," and since it is obvious that Saddam is linked with Babylon’s rebuilding, it is evident that the Habakkuk prophecy is addressing our time, i.e., 2003 and counting. In the view of this End-time perspective/author, this ties in neatly with Daniel’s prophecy (2:35) of the rock that will "crush the four kingdoms at the same time." The work of Saddam is calling forth such a judgment. . . and this judgment is 'near.'
The "stump" that remains has done so until this time – the present day in which Saddam has risen to establish Babylon as a world-ruling kingdom. Naturally this should be seen as concordant with the beast of Daniel 11:32 which will manifest its identity after the removal of the "restraining power" of 2 Thessalonians 2:4-7. Clearly, Saddam has been appointed to prepare the way for this beast that will soon make war upon the earth. For those with eyes to see, how could it be missed that Saddam is the one described in Revelation 6:1 as, "the conqueror bent on conquest"? After all, he gassed the Kurds and invaded Kuwait.
We then are admonished to take hope in knowing that 1 Corinthians 15:24 tells us that Jesus is ultimately victorious. BUT, before we get too excited about this, we must know that a great holocaust, unlike any the world has ever known, must first take place (Matt. 24:21). It also is asserted that "on the one hand," Jesus did fulfill all prophecy regarding his "first" appearance (Luke 24:44), but that he would "return" again – and this time, to deliver more information to John the Revelator before his (John’s) death (John 21:22). It was at this time of Jesus’ visitation that he gave John the vision contained in the Book of Revelation (Rev. 1:9-11).
By adding it all up, the conclusion for the author is clear and should not be the least confusing for those who understand prophecy, "Today, before your very eyes prophecy is being fulfilled! Babylon is rising again."
An Alternate Perspective:
One of the strengths of our faith is that biblical history is woven within world history – both in time and location. Because of this, without a fulfilled paradigm it is only natural to make comparisons and begin to ‘see’ what clearly is taking place by way of prophetic fulfillment. In our article under scrutiny, the author is compelled by the present war between the United States and Iraq to encourage believers to ‘add up’ Scripture so that all confusion might be eliminated – Babylon is rising again, Saddam is preparing the way for the beast, the end of time is near.
Well, that is certainly ‘one way’ to add it up. But there is an alternate perspective – a perspective we believe more closely follows the thinking of Daniel, Jesus and John, that we here wish to consider.
Perhaps it is true that the Garden of Eden was located in the land we now know as Iraq. In the biblical discourse this would be the place where Satan waged his first war upon humanity and where evil was introduced into the world. It is also true that the location of Iraq is the same as biblical Babylon – and there is truth in comparing Baghdad with the palatial (and erring) lifestyle of Nebuchadnezzar. It may also be true that Saddam Hussein is guilty of the same egoistic view of the world and his need to conquer it as was Nebuchadnezzar – but that is about where we see the end of all of these comparisons with what is taking place within the 'covenant' story of Scripture.
The Prophecy of Daniel:
As with all other prophecy, Daniel’s is rooted in history. This prophecy is to the Hebrew Bible what the apocalyptic writings of the Revelation are to our New Testament’s. It is no coincidence that Daniel and John the Revelator stand in unison.
In this prophecy, Daniel traces the course of four world empires – Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome. He does this through two sets of imagery. The first set is found in Daniel 2 and the image of the statue (2:31ff.). This statue has a head of gold, chest and arms of silver, thighs of bronze and legs of iron with feet partly of iron and partly of clay. According to 2:41-43 this last imagery tells us that the kingdom was divided as the clay and iron could not bond. In chapter 7 Daniel presents this same unfolding history by referencing four kingdoms. Both visions represent world kingdoms that eventually will give way to the everlasting kingdom of God.
It is during the period of this fourth empire that he sees the kingdom’s establishment (which is the overall theme of Daniel). While there are numerous ways to make these calculations, for the sake of simplicity we’ll appeal to the words of Jesus in establishing the time of Daniel’s prophetic fulfillment; "So when you see the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place, as was spoken of by the prophet Daniel… then those in Judea must flee to the mountains…" (Matthew 24:15-16).
For Jesus, the prediction of Daniel was a certainty regarding "his" generation – "they" would see the "abomination of desolation" as Daniel had prophesied generations before (Daniel 9:27). So certain was Jesus as per the time of this event, that he assures his audience that there would be "some standing there" who would not die until they witnessed the consummation of these events (Matt. 16:27-28).
Daniel, Jesus and a Great Tribulation:
According to both Daniel and Jesus, the events leading up to the establishment of this kingdom would produce a time of ‘unparalleled’ tribulation (Daniel 12:1 and Matthew 24:21). It would be the time when the "little horn" would make war with the saints.
The "little horn" of Daniel corresponds to the zealous Jewish believers (such as Paul before his Damascus road experience) against the church. This persecution was typified by the two sons of Abraham – Ishmael and Isaac (Galatians 4:21ff.). According to the allegory, just as Ishmael (who represented the Old Covenant and Old city of Jerusalem) persecuted Isaac (New Covenant believers of Christ), so it was happening "then."
What is the answer for this predicament? "Cast out the slave and her child; for the child of the slave will not share the inheritance with the child of the free woman" (Galatians 4:30). When would this casting out take place?
The Time of Fulfillment:
The Olivet Discourse of Matthew 24 provides the setting for Jesus’ addressing the time when the "ministry of death" (Old Covenant, 2 Cor. 3:7) would be taken away. As the Old Covenant system was intricately woven into the city of Jerusalem, the temple, priesthood and sacrificial system, it was of great interest to his disciples that all of the things associated with this massive complex would be removed.
While exiting the temple, Jesus speaks of a time when the entire structure would be destroyed. This prompts the disciples to inquire, "Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?" (24:3). Throughout the discourse that follows, Jesus describes many of the events that would take place on the road to fulfillment. Regarding the ‘time’ of their fulfillment he says that, "this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place" (24:34). Included in this ‘time of fulfillment’ is the "abomination of desolation" spoken of by Daniel (24:15-21).
It is popular for End-time authors to argue that "this generation" carries the meaning of "race" and does not actually refer to the generation then living when such a statement is made. But there is a great problem in trying to make such a case. Of the other seventeen uses of the same phrase "this generation," all seventeen occurrences speak to the generation then living at the time the words are spoken. Matthew 24:34 is no exception. Clearly Jesus puts the time of the fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecy as occurring in the lifetime of some who are standing in his audience (Matthew 10:23; 16:27-28; 24:34).
Daniel and the Book of Revelation:
Both Daniel and the Book of Revelation deal with the subject of the end time – and when John was writing, the end was "at hand" (Revelation 22:10). Both Daniel and John are apocalyptic writers addressing the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple.
If we assume that John was about the same age as Jesus when he wrote the Revelation, this puts him in his sixties during Nero’s reign and in his late 90’s during Domitian’s reign. Given the life expectancy of the first century, it is hardly likely that John lived to his 90’s. Most likely we can place the writing of the Book of Revelation during the reign of Nero somewhere in the late 60's.
One of the strongest arguments for this early date is that the Roman persecution of Christians was not significant until Nero AND that the Jewish persecution of Christians would have been unlikely ‘after’ the destruction of Jerusalem since their (Jewish) power base was effectively destroyed at that time.
As well, it is 'highly' unlikely that after A.D. 70 the Jews would have cooperated with the Romans who had just destroyed their city, temple, religious life and society. Even before this time the alliance between Romans and law-zealous Jews was strained at best. A hatred of Christians would take them only so far in their common goal of persecuting participants of "the Way."
Descriptive of this alliance is the image that this fourth kingdom would have feet of iron and clay, therein not mixing. This is a portrait of the Jews and Romans working together to persecute the followers of Christ, the people of God. This made for strange relations indeed.
The reign of Nero, therefore, provides the historical evidence for the brief window of time for the collaboration between Jews and Romans and also serves as the only contextual timeframe fitting the facts and reading of Revelation 13.
The Identity of Babylon:
If Daniel’s prophecy is to be fulfilled in the generation of Jesus’ disciples, then who is Babylon? For this, we need only go to the Book of Revelation to find our answer. What we will discover is that the identity of the Babylon of Daniel’s prophecy and of John’s is identical.
The second division of the Book of Revelation (chapters 12-22) deals with the 70th week of Daniel, which also is divided into 2 distinct periods of 42 months. The first 42 month period is the tribulation of the saints and their battle with the beast (Revelation chapters 11 and 13).
The second 42-month period is the destruction of Jerusalem, or Babylon (Rev. 12:1-2,18; Dan.9:26-27). The saints’ battle with the beast in Rev. 13:1-7 is the same as Daniel’s in 7:17-28 along with the once faithful city that now is to be measured for destruction (something difficult to do if the book is written post-A.D. destruction of Jerusalem, Revelation 11:2).
This city was known as Babylon the great (Rev.17:5) in whom the blood of the saints was found (18:24; Matt. 23:24-25), linking Revelation with the 70th week of Daniel and the destruction of Jerusalem. They all stand together.
The identity of Babylon is a significant factor in determining the date of the Book of Revelation as well. The actual city of Babylon had long since fallen, and, if by "Babylon" John meant Rome, we have some problems. Even by taking a late date for the Book of Revelation, Rome would not fall for several more centuries. That alone would exclude it from being the subject of John’s "at hand" vision specifically written to the seven churches of Asia. Additionally, Babylon is described as an adulteress (18:2). Rome was never in covenant with God and certainly never said to be married to him. The only city fitting this description is Jerusalem.
Furthermore, Babylon is called the great city 11 times in Revelation. In Revelation 11:8 it is called Sodom and Egypt, "where our Lord was crucified." Now, this Sunday go to church and pass out 100 copies of a test to members of all ages. The test question is simple. "Jesus was crucified in the city of a.) Jerusalem, or b.) Rome." We know this answer! The identity of Babylon is clear – it is the city where our Lord was crucified and the city where the blood of the saints and prophets was spilled. It was also the city, Jerusalem, that was going to experience the dreadful events prophesied in Daniel and John, "which must soon take place" (Revelation 1:1).
Conclusion:
In evaluating the events of today in light of biblical prophecies, it is helpful to see that Daniel, Jesus and John all spoke of the destruction of Jerusalem as the concluding events of the "time of the end." This end time was the end of an Old Covenant world that was in the ‘process’ of fading away at the time of the writing of the Book of Hebrews (8:13). This earthly city of the flesh would give way to the heavenly city of the spirit (Galatians 4:21-31).
Daniel said it would take place at a time of unparalleled tribulation (Daniel 12:1). Jesus identified this as a time concurrent with ‘his’ generation (Matthew 24:15ff., 34). John saw it as being part of those things that "must shortly take place" (Revelation 22:10, 12, 20). All of this fits the saying of Jesus that his time was the time of the fulfillment of "all things written" (Luke 21:22).
Our End-time friend concludes his article by saying, "Today, before your eyes, prophecy is being fulfilled! Babylon is rising again!" We would prefer to say that today, before our very eyes we have seen that all prophecy has been fulfilled.
Rather than seeing Babylon rising, all we see that is rising today is smoke – and that from a different city called Baghdad.
TIM KING is president of Presence Ministries and editor of Living Presence Journal. He and his family live in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
URL:
http://www.presence.tv/cms/babylon-iraq.php
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