Introduction
The Late Great United States (2009) by Pastor Mark Hitchcock, PHD is a certified conservative evangelical pre-tribulation rapture prophecy authority’s response to some of today’s most commonly asked questions concerning America such as:
- Is America mentioned in prophecy?
- Could the Antichrist come from America?
- Why do “they” hate America?
- What is the secret of America’s greatness?
What are his answers to these questions?
In short, Pastor Hitchcock believes that America’s support of Israel is both the secret of her greatness and the reason why “they” hate America. He doesn’t think that the role of the United States is specifically addressed in the Bible, however, if it was, he feels that she has the best chance of being found listed among the “young lions” of Tarshish of Ezekiel 38:13. He believes that it’s unlikely that the Antichrist could be an American.
Although various things Pastor Hitchcock believes such as America’s support of Israel is both the secret of her greatness and the reason why “they” hate us can ultimately be proven false, this article will only address his responses to the question as to whether or not America could be “Babylon the Great”.
Is America mentioned in prophecy?
Pastor Mark Hitchcock relies upon logical fallacy instead of thorough research and biblical exegesis in dismissing the possibility that America is Babylon the Great.
Dr. Hitchcock assumes Babylon is Satan’s capital city on earth because Babylon was the capital city of Nimrod; the first world ruler, and the capital city of the first four Gentile world empires to rule over Jerusalem. Because of Babylon’s past role as the capital city of world rulers, he circularly reasons that Babylon will be resurrected to become Antichrist’s capital city. He employs Revelation 14:8; 16:19; 17:5; 18:2; 18:10; 18:21 as proof texts supporting this faulty logic. He then concludes that America can’t be Babylon the Great because God will destroy Antichrist’s capital city Babylon at the end of the seven-year Tribulation period. He believes there is no indication in the text that “Babylon” is to be taken symbolically or figuratively so it must refer to Babylon, Iraq.
The following paragraphs discuss the errors in this teaching and destroy the foundational arguments Pastor Hitchcock uses to justify his belief that Babylon the Great refers to Babylon, Iraq.
Revelation 17:12-18 explains that 10 kings will destroy the great city Babylon the Great BEFORE they present their kingdom to the beast. This prophecy proves that the unification of the fourth and final global kingdom of Daniel 7:19 to be led by Antichrist occurs after that great city “Babylon the Great” of Revelation 17:5 is destroyed; not before as Mark Hitchcock asserts.
It is true that Revelation 16:19 foretells of “great Babylon” receiving the wrath of God. “Great Babylon”, however, describes a different kingdom than “Babylon the Great” of Revelation 17:12-18. How can we know that great Babylon is a different entity than Babylon the Great?
Revelation 16:10-13 shows that both the beast kingdom and the false prophet are in power when “great Babylon” of Revelation 16:19 receives God’s wrath. On the other hand, according to Revelation 17:12-18, “Babylon the Great” was destroyed before the kingdom was given to the beast. “Great Babylon” of Revelation 16 refers to the fourth and final global beast kingdom of Daniel 7:19. This global Babylon is unified under Antichrist after the sovereign “city“or nation-state “Babylon the Great” is destroyed.
Great Babylon of Revelation 16:19, the final global kingdom of Daniel 7:19, is also referred to as the “beast out of the sea kingdom” in Revelation 13:1-10. This global Babylon receives the wrath of God when the Lord Jesus Christ returns at Armageddon to destroy this beast kingdom according to prophecies like Revelation 16:10-21; Revelation 19:11-21; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10; Zechariah 14; Joel 3 and others.
The fact that “great Babylon” of Revelation 16:19 and “Babylon the Great” of Revelation 17:5 are different entities. Because of this Babylon must be interpreted figuratively or symbolically; not literally as Pastor Hitchcock believes.
Pastor Hitchcock fails to see that Daniel 11:45 indicates that the final capital city of Antichrist where the global tyranny of Antichrist will come to its end will be located “between the seas in the glorious holy mountain”. This is a description of beautiful Mount Zion in Jerusalem, Israel.
Although it’s possible that Antichrist will establish temporary headquarters in Babylon before moving his palace to Jerusalem; Mount Zion is certainly a far cry from war torn, radioactive depleted uranium particle laden Babylon, Iraq isn’t it?
Conclusion
The preceding paragraphs have demolished arguments used by Mark Hitchcock to dismiss the possibility that America is Babylon the Great.
In dismissing this possibility, however, one closes their eyes and ears to what God has to say in Revelation 17-18 about the present character of the U.S. and our relationship to her. This blindness affects the ability of a person to discern the moral character of U.S. public policy and to pray effectively for our nation and those in positions of government service.
Understanding that God is addressing us in Revelation 17-18 as “Babylon the Great” helps us receive the truth that the United States government is effectively ruled by an elite group running our largest international corporations. It becomes easier to believe that these people cycle through a revolving door between government policy making positions, Wall Street financial firms, Defense/Security firms and other influential corporate sectors controlling media, elections, politicians, and military. (Perkins, 2007)
It explains why Democratic President Barack H. Obama continued warmongering like Republican George W. Bush did. It helps us understand that since the days of Andrew Jackson financial powers have owned the U.S. government and U.S. Presidents have become gangsters for large international corporations, Wall Street and international bankers. It believable that wealthy elites have shaped U.S. policies and reaped great profit from the wars they have supported because these elite dollars fuel American foreign policy. (Rothkopf, 2008)
It’s not so surprising that America administers globalization as its military policeman by keeping integrated Core nations connected to the global economy and using her force to spread globalization to partially integrated Seam and disconnected non-integrated Gap states. (Barnett, 2005)
Revelation 17:5 says Babylon the Great is the mother of harlots and abominations. This idolatrous, whorish nation-state serves to force the nations of the world to integrate their sovereign economies with a predatory global economic system. This idolatrous, antichristian system will eventually demand the life of all who refuse to identify or mark themselves as an integrated member of it. (Revelation 13:15-18)
In 2009 when The Late Great United States was first released, Pastor Hitchcock overlooked that the United States was serving as the mother of Iraq in bringing that nation into the global economic system in accordance with The Security Agreement (SOFA).
The U.S. invaded Iraq when it was considered to be outside the greater core of nations already integrated within the rule set of the global capitalistic system.
According to The Strategic Framework Agreement (SFA) now serving as a foundation for a long-term, bilateral U.S.-Iraqi relationship, the U.S. will continue to act as the mother of Iraq nurturing its full integration into the rule set of the global economic system.
The United States Department of Agriculture, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Commerce, Department of Energy, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of the Interior, Department of Justice and Department of Transportation, Department of the Treasury, United States Agency of International Development are actively partnering with the Iraqi government to protect U.S. interests in Iraq and the Middle East, support Iraqi sovereignty and help fully integrate Iraq into the global economy. (U.S. Department of State, 2011)
The massive U.S. Embassy in Iraq pictured below stands as proof of the commitment that U.S. government agencies have made to support Iraq’s development in education, energy, trade, health, culture, law enforcement, and judicial cooperation.
With the incorrect biblical thinking underlying Mark Hitchcock’s belief about Babylon the Great exposed, it follows that Mark Hitchcock and his followers need to undertake a truly independent, Holy Spirit taught study solving the mystery, Babylon the Great. Such work is essential in light of the current desire of the United States to force Middle Eastern countries to integrate with globalization’s Core. This idolatrous, covetous interest in Middle Eastern oil and the luxurious wealth and power its control brings us threatens to lead us into a disastrous World War III type scenario. It further provokes a Holy God to anger against these fallen United States for our murderous violence. It moves us ever closer to that fatal hour foretold in Revelation 17-18 when the U.S. will reap the violence she’s sown forging an antichristian New World Order on behalf of the wealthy elite controllers of the United States of America.
Bibliography:
Barnett, T. P. (2005). What The World Needs Now. In T. P. Barnett, The Pentagon’s New Map Blueprint For Action: A Future Worth Creating (pp. 1-69). New York: G.P.Putnam’s Sons.
Perkins, J. (2007). Prologue. In J. Perkins, The Secret History of the American Empire (pp. 1-9). New York: Peguin Group.
Rothkopf, D. (2008). Globalists vs. Nationalists. In D. Rothkopf, SUPERCLASS: The Global Power Elite and the World They Are Making (pp. 145-189). New York: FSG.
U.S. Department of State. (2011, December 23). U.S.-Iraqi Relations. Retrieved December 23, 2011, from Embassy of the United States Baghdad Iraq: http://iraq.usembassy.gov/american-iraqi.html
