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Posted on 12/5/2001, 5:45:41 AM by VaBthang4

This is what I have been hearing from a couple of friends of mine and I would like to hear commentary and feedback by anyone who cares to share constructively...

Revelation 18
1
After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor.
2
With a mighty voice he shouted: "Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great! [The United States of America?] She has become a home for demons and a haunt for every evil spirit, a haunt for every unclean and detestable bird.
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For all the nations have drunk the maddening wine of her adulteries. The kings of the earth committed adultery with her, and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries." [Is there any doubt about what Nation that could be?]
4
Then I heard another voice from heaven say: "Come out of her, my people, [Christians....The Rapture?] so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues;
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for her sins [Understand that "sin" has nothing to do with what we see as "right" or "wrong". Sin is anything done that is not directed by God] are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her crimes.
6
Give back to her as she has given; pay her back double for what she has done. Mix her a double portion from her own cup.
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Give her as much torture and grief as the glory and luxury she gave herself. In her heart she boasts, "I sit as queen [Effeminate spirit that rules this country?]; I am not a widow, and I will never mourn."
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Therefore in one day her plagues will overtake her: death, mourning and famine. She will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.
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"When the kings of the earth who committed adultery [exalted their relationship with this nation over their relationship with God] with her and shared her luxury see [On T.V.?] the smoke of her burning, they will weep and mourn over her.
10
Terrified at her torment, they will stand far off [Some believe this could very well be a result of possible Nuclear destruction] and cry: "`Woe! Woe, O great city, O Babylon, city of power! In one hour [Some believe this to refers to possible Nuclear destruction] your doom has come!'
11
"The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her because no one buys their cargoes any more-- 12
cargoes of gold, silver, precious stones and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk and scarlet cloth; every sort of citron wood, and articles of every kind made of ivory, costly wood, bronze, iron and marble;
13
cargoes of cinnamon and spice, of incense, myrrh and frankincense, of wine and olive oil, of fine flour and wheat; cattle and sheep; horses and carriages; and bodies and souls of men. [Foreigners come here to work]
14
"They will say, `The fruit you longed for is gone from you. All your riches and splendor have vanished, never to be recovered.'
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The merchants who sold these things and gained their wealth from her will stand far off, terrified at her torment. They will weep and mourn
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and cry out: "`Woe! Woe, O great city, dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet, and glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls!
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In one hour such great wealth has been brought to ruin!' "Every sea captain, and all who travel by ship, the sailors, and all who earn their living from the sea, will stand far off [Ships stop in midcourse...and do not come].
18
When they see the smoke of her burning, they will exclaim, `Was there ever a city like this great city?' 19
They will throw dust on their heads, and with weeping and mourning cry out: "`Woe! Woe, O great city, where all who had ships on the sea became rich through her wealth! In one hour she has been brought to ruin!
20
Rejoice over her, O heaven! Rejoice, saints and apostles and prophets! God has judged her for the way she treated you. [The disdain our nation has for "real" Christian men and women in general]'"

This coupled with Israel requiring the anti-christ and the revived Roman Empire [Europe] to provide for it's security [something the United States has always guaranteed] and the eventual attack on Israel by Gog and Magog [Russia and Eastern Europe] and the Kings of the East [Middle Eastern nations and China] seems to rule out these nations as "Babylon".

The only nation left that fits the description is the United States.

Anyone have anything that can be backed up by scripture and common sense that could explain what nation is represented here in Revelation 18?

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