The prophetic community is somewhat divided over whether or not America is the “Babylon the Great” mentioned in Revelation 17-18. Others believe this term was the Roman Empire of Jesus’ day and/or the modern-day Catholic Church based in Rome.
Many believe that Babylon’s origin goes all the way back to Babel in Genesis 11. Babylon is also mentioned in the Old Testament in places like Isaiah 21:1-10 and Jeremiah 50-51. There was also Babylon in Daniel’s time, which some believe will literally be restored in the future, since the city of Babylon still exists in modern-day Iraq. Still others believe that Babylon is a metaphor for the rampant End-Times Apostasy, the False Church of the last days.
It can be exhausting and frustrating to consider each viewpoint. Even more troubling is the fact that Babylon the Great is expeditiously and completely destroyed.
Let’s look at some aspects of Babylon the Great that are mentioned in Revelation. It is easy to see how America has brought prosperity to the earth, yet has caused the world to get drunk on her adulteries (Rev. 18:3). It also has a vast shoreline that would put its destruction in plain view (vs. 17-18). There are several other compelling similarities. However, our country has not yet come even remotely close to persecuting and martyring Christians (17:6 & 18:24). Currently in America there are only rare cases of persecution, and they pale in comparison to what millions of believers in other countries have endured and continue to endure on a daily basis.
Another problem I have with the “America-equals-Babylon” viewpoint is that I sense there are strong and deeply rooted hints of nationalistic pride in the hearts of some of those who believe our country is God’s best yet also worst creation ever. God is not sitting on his throne draped in our flag and speaking English, but He does deeply care for every soul.
Lastly, my main hurdle with staking a vehement claim that America is now Babylon the Great is that it means you have to completely ignore the Middle Eastern context of the Bible. Yes, Revelation is perhaps the main book in God’s Word that speaks of what happens to the whole earth, and America could be Babylon. But, in my opinion, this cannot be proven until all of the events of Revelation have taken place.
For what it’s worth, I have also investigated a rather compelling case that Saudi Arabia is actually Babylon the Great. With the decadent lifestyle of the sheiks, getting the world “drunk” on oil, the country’s persecution of Christians (primarily in the form of beheading), its strategic Middle East location between the Red Sea and Persian Gulf, etc., there are many similarities to consider.
At this point though, my opinion is that neither nation (nor any other) perfectly fits the description of Babylon the Great in the Bible – yet. And the hour is late, so the true identity will probably be revealed soon.
My bottom line: At the very least, America has the spirit of Babylon the Great, and that is enough for me to have grave concern for our country’s future. What’s worse, the main cause of this spirit, in my mind, is the failure of the American Church. The Body of Christ has made the downward progression from being the driving force at our nation’s founding to being (spiritually) anemic and lazy pew sitters who don’t live different from the country’s non-believing population. We’ve turned a blind eye to sin and actually built our “faith” around self-indulgence, believing that God owes us whatever we ask.
We desperately need repentance and revival, but at this point, it will likely only occur after the country “has been brought to ruin” (18:17). I’m sorry for such a dreary outlook, but a Holy and Righteous God will not be mocked by a nation whose bedrock was to fear and obey Him, but now no longer does.