One of the interesting teachings of our Lord Yeshua about prophetic events is the connection He made with the “days of Noah.” He taught that those days of the past will be similar to what will be taking place before the return of our Messiah – Yeshua HaMashiach!

Subject: “THE DAYS OF NOAH”
Scripture: Genesis 6:1-17; Matthew 24:36-44

Matthew 24:37 – “but as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be”

WHAT MAKES THE DAYS OF NOAH LIKE THE DAYS WHEN THE MESSIAH WILL RETURN?

1A. POPULATION EXPLOSION – Genesis 6:1
“when men began to multiply on the face of the
earth”

NOTE: Average age of those listed in the first genealogy of Genesis 5 is 857 years (if you exclude Enoch, the number is over 900 years!). It says of them “begat sons and daughters” – at least four children. The total amount of years from Adam to Noah and the flood is 1656 years. If you take the year they began to have children and give at least four children to every person,
in 15 generations we have over one billion people on the planet!

2A. MORAL CORRUPTION – Genesis 6:5, 11a, 12
Matthew 24:12 – “iniquity (lawlessness) will
abound” – cf. II Timothy 3:1-5 – “perilous times”

3A. TERRIBLE VIOLENCE – Genesis 6:11b, 13
cf. II Timothy 3:3 – “fierce” (brutal)

4A. DEMONIC INFILTRATION – Genesis 6:2, 4
cf. I Timothy 4:1 – “seducing spirits and doctrines
of demons” – cf. Jude 6-7 and Revelation 9:20-21

NOTE: The term “sons of God” is used for angels in Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:4-7; Psalm 34:7; Daniel 3:24-25; but, in the NT it is used of believers – John 1:12; I John 3:10

5A. LIMITED OPPORTUNITIES – Genesis 6:3
cf. Matthew 24:42, 44; 25:13; I Peter 3:20;
II Peter 3:8-9

6A. GLOBAL DISASTER – Genesis 6:13, 17
cf. II Peter 3:10-12

7A. PERSONAL SALVATION – Genesis 6:8-10
cf. I Peter 3:20; II Peter 2:9; 3:9
cf. Matthew 24:40-41

Only eight people survived the global deluge of the entire planet in the days of Noah. Noah, his wife, his three sons (Shem, Ham, & Japheth) and their wives.
Yeshua taught us that the way to destruction is a “broad way” (Matthew 7:13-14) and that the way to everlasting life is a “narrow way” and “few” will find it!
The majority of those who say they are believers (Matthew 7:21-23) at the time before the Messiah returns are, in fact, NOT believers! Yeshua will say to them: “Depart from Me, ye workers of iniquity – I NEVER knew you!” Awesome words indeed! May God help us all to be men and women of integrity and honesty, not hypocrisy and manipulation! May we all examine ourselves carefully as to whether or not we are true believers! Is our trust in the Lord Himself and what He has done for us, or are we trusting our own wisdom, works, and profession?

In Matthew 24:34-35 we read these words from the lips of our Lord Yeshua, the Messiah of Israel:

“Verily I say unto you, THIS GENERATION shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.”

Bible teachers argue over the meaning of the words “THIS GENERATION” – The English word “generation” comes directly in sound from the Greek words. The following are possibilities:

1. The words can refer to A PERIOD OF TIME.

The Jewish people in the wilderness for 40 years are referred to in Hebrew 3:10 as “that generation.” Some believe that it refers to a period of 40 years and debate over whether it should begin with Israel becoming a nation in 1948 (Obviously this view is incorrect!) or with the taking of the Old City of Jerusalem in 1967 (this means that it concludes next year!).

Others believe that it refers to a 40 year period between the time that Yeshua spoke these words and the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD (often called the “preterist view”).

Some Bible teachers have argued that the length of a person’s life (stated to be 70 or possibly 80 years) is what is meant – this gives them a bit more leeway in trying to fit the words with their particular viewpoint.

2. The words refer to A RACE OF PEOPLE.

The Greek words certainly are used that way (both in the Bible and in extra-Biblical sources). The primary (from the standpoint of history) view concerning a “race of people” is that it refers to the Jewish people to whom Yeshua was speaking. This view supports the idea mentioned above, that it was fulfilled in 70 AD with the destruction of Jerusalem. The point that these words refer to the Jewish people is very likely the most adequate and accurate view. Matthew 23:36, in fact, uses the words “THIS GENERATION” in exactly that way!

Those who believe that these words express some sort of change in God’s relationship with Israel and the Jewish people believe that the Church has now replaced Israel in God’s prophetic program due to their rejection of Yeshua as their Messiah.

Added to this, in the passage in Matthew 16:28 which says: “Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in His kingdom.” It would appear at first reading that the coming of God’s judgment is meant, and that those listening to Yeshua at that time would not die until it happened!

However, the Greek text (which originally had no chapter divisions!) continues (Matthew 17:1) with the word “AND” – and the next few verses prove that the ones who would not die until they saw the glory of the Messiah revealed were Peter, James, and John – what we call the Mount of Transfiguration. In II Peter 1:16-18 Peter refers to this event and says that there “eyewitnesses of His majesty” and says it was on the “holy mount.”

We believe that the best interpretation of the words “THIS GENERATION” is that it refers to the Nation of Israel surviving the DAY OF THE LORD which will be a day of God’s wrath upon planet earth! Bible believers refer to it as the coming GREAT TRIBULATION. It will appear that survival on the part of God’s people during the tribulation will be a major problem! In Matthew 24:21-22 Yeshua said: “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake (this would refer to a believing remnant of Israel) those days shall be shortened.”

There are three classic reasons why we believe that the words “THIS GENERATION” refer to the Nation of Israel surviving the “time of Jacob’s trouble” or the “great tribulation”:

1. GOD’S FOREKNOWLEDGE – Romans 11:1-2 tells us that “God hath no cast away His people which He foreknew.”

2. GOD’S FAITHFULNESS – Psalm 89 speaks powerfully of this attribute of God – He is faithful to His promises. In verses 30-32 God speaks of His punishment upon the children of Israel for their disobedience and sin. However, in Psalm 89:33-37 we read:

“Nevertheless My lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer My FAITHFULNESS to fail. My covenant will I NOT break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of My lips. Once have I sworn by My holiness that I will not lie unto David. His seed shall endure forever, and his throne as the sun before Me. It shall be established forever as the moon, and as a FAITHFUL witness in heaven.”

God’s promises and His covenant to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and their descendants is based on His FAITHFULNESS, NOT their performance!

3. GOD’S FORGIVENESS – Jeremiah 31:31-37 proclaims the terms of God’s “new covenant” by which He will forgive the iniquity of His people and remember their sin against them no more! In verses 36-37 it is clear that the Nation of Israel will continue to exist forever! THAT’S THE PROMISE OF GOD HIMSELF!

Therefore, THIS GENERATION (the Nation of Israel) will not pass away, until everything our Lord Yeshua described for the future takes place! Heaven and earth may pass away, but GOD’S WORD WILL NEVER PASS AWAY!

Special thanks to those of you who are enjoying the outlines about the word “Babylon” from the Bible. Of course, many Bible teachers disagree with each other over the meaning of it. We are not trying to promote a particular view of it but only trying to get the Word of God’s teaching on it available to you before you draw a conclusion. We hope you have enjoyed this series – this is the last one out of the four we have made available to you.

Subject: “THE FALL OF BABYLON”
Scripture: Revelation 18:1-24

Question: Is Babylon the harlot woman in both chapters (Revelation 17-18)?

(1) The usage of the word “Babylon” – Rev. 17:5, 18
never used of the beast or its heads
(2) The context before and after Revelation 18 –
cf. 16:19; 17:1, 18; 18:2-3; 19:2
(3) The statements of Revelation 18:3, 24 with 6:9-11.

1A. THE PREDICATIONS OF THE FALL OF
BABYLON – Revelation 18:1-3

1B. The REAPPEARANCE of another angel – v. 1
(Greek: allos)

2B. The RESULTS of the fall of Babylon – v. 2
cf. Isaiah 13:19-22; Jeremiah 51:36-37, 41-44,
49, 53-55. 59-64

3B. The REASON for the fall of Babylon – v. 3

1C. The extent of her influence – “all nations”
and “the kings of the earth”

2C. The explanation of her seductive ways –
“have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her
fornication” and “have committed fornica-
tion with her” – cf. Rev. 14:8; 17:6

3C. The effect of her seductive ways – “the
merchants of the earth are waxed rich
through the abundance of her delicacies”
cf. I Timothy 6:10

2A. THE PLEA TO GOD’S PEOPLE – Rev. 18:4-5
cf. Jeremiah 50:8-10; 51:45; I Tim. 6:5; II Tim. 3:5
cf. Rev. 16:19 – “reached” (Greek: kollao) – putting
bricks together with mortar (remember the Tower
of Babel – Gen. 11)

3A. THE PAYMENT WHICH BABYLON WILL
RECEIVE – Revelation 18:6-8
cf. Deut. 32:35; Rom. 12:19

1B. The EXTENT of that payment – “reward her
even as she rewarded you, and double unto her
double” – cf. Rev. 14:10

2B. The EXPLANATION of her sins and iniquities
“How much she hath glorified herself and lived
deliciously” and “she saith in her heart, I sit a
queen, and am no widow, and shall see no
sorrow”

3B. The EXPERIENCE of sorrow – “so much
torment and sorrow give her”

4B. The EVIDENCE of her judgment – “her
plagues come in one day, death, and mourning,
and famine, and she shall be utterly burned with
fire” – cf. Rev. 17:16 cf. Daniel 5:30-31

5B. The EXECUTION of this payment – “for
strong is the Lord God Who judgeth her”

4A. THE PEOPLE WHO ARE AFFECTED BY
THE FALL OF BABYLON – Revelation 18:9-19

1B. The SOVEREIGNS of the earth – vv. 9-10
cf. 14:8; 17:2, 18: 18:3, 9, 23; 19:19-21

2B. The SELLERS of the earth – “merchants” –
vv. 11-17a – three reason why they weep:

1C. No one buys their merchandise anymore –
v. 11

2C. All the things which are dainty and
goodly have gone and are found no more
-v. 14

3C. In one hour so great riches are come to
naught – v. 17 cf. Luke 12:15-21

3B. The SAILORS of the earth who trade by sea –
vv. 17b-19 – cf. Ezekiel 27:29-36 and Isaiah 23
(judgment on Tyre)

5A. THE PRAISE OF THE BELIEVERS – Rev. 18:20 cf. 19:1-6

6A. THE PRONOUNCEMENT OF BABYLON’S
FALL – Revelation 18:21-24

1B. A violent CATASTROPHE is announced –
v. 21 cf. Jeremiah 51:63-64

2B. Several CONSEQUENCES are described –
vv. 22-23a

1C. No more music

2C. No more manufacturing

3C. No more marriage

All activity is removed – “and the light of
a candle shall shine no more at all in thee”

3B. Two basic CAUSES are given – vv. 23b-24

1C. The sorceries – v. 23b

2C. The slayings – v. 24

Many of you have enjoyed the studies and outlines we have been giving you on the subject of “BABYLON.” We continue this week by taking a look at Revelation 17 on the subject of “THE MYSTERY OF BABYLON.” With your Bible in hand, may God bless you as you study His Word!

Subject: “THE MYSTERY OF BABYLON”
Scripture: Revelation 17:1-18

1A. THE DETAILS CONCERNING THE WOMAN
WHO SITS ON THE BEAST – Revelation 17:1-6

1B. She has great AUTHORITY that affects all
peoples of the earth – vv. 1, 15

2B. She has the APPEARANCE of great wealth –
v. 4 – contrast I Timothy 2:9 & I Peter 3:3

3B. She has many ABOMINATIONS in her
history – vv. 2, 4b; 18:3
cf. Jeremiah 51:6-8

1C. She is called “the great whore” – v. 1
v. 15 – “where the whore sitteth”
v. 16 – “hate the whore”

2C. She is characterized by fornication with
the kings of the earth – v. 2, 4b; 18:3a

4B. She has ANTAGONISM toward true believers
v. 6 – “drunken with the blood of the saints, and
with the martyrs of Jesus” – cf. Rev. 6:9-11; 18:24

5B. She has obvious ASSOCIATION with the
ancient city of Babylon – v. 5

1C. She is a MYSTERY – word used 22 times
cf. Rev. 1:20; 10:7; 17:5, 7

2C. She is a MOTHER – “the mother of
harlots and abominations of the earth”

2A. THE DESCRIPTION OF THE BEAST UPON
WHICH THE WOMAN SITS – Revelation 17:7-15

1B. The IDENTITY of the seven heads – vv. 7-11

1C. Seven heads were on the dragon with
seven crowns on the heads – Rev. 12:3

2C. The beast who arose from the sea had
seven heads and ten horns with crowns
on the horns – Rev. 13:1

3C. The beast came out of the bottomless pit
and will go into perdition – Rev. 17:8, 11;
19:20

4C. The beast ceased to exist and then came
back to life – “the beast that was, and is
not, and yet is” – cf. Rev. 13:3 (deadly
wound apparently was inflicted on one of
its heads – presumably the sixth one)

5C. The seven heads are seven mountains on
which the woman sits – Rev. 17:9

6C. The seven heads are seven kings or
kingdoms.

1D. The first five had already fallen in
John’s day (Egypt, Assyria, Babylon,
Medo-Persia, and Greece)

2D. One was existing in John’s day –
Rome

3D. The seventh head had not yet come –
a future empire with ten divisions –
“ten horns”

7C. The seventh head will last only a short
time – Rev. 17:10b

8C. The eighth will come out of the seven –
Rev. 17:11 – cf. Daniel 7:8

2B. The INVOLVEMENT of the ten horns (on the
seventh head) – Rev. 17:12-13
cf. Daniel 7:7-8, 23-25

3B. The IMPOSSIBILITY which the ten horns
will face – Rev. 17:14
“they that are with Him” – cf. John 14:2-3
“called and chosen and faithful” –cf. I Cor. 1:9,
23-24, 26-29

3A. THE COMING DESTRUCTION OF THIS
WOMAN – Revelation 17:16-18

1B. The MEANS by which the woman is destroyed
v. 15 – cf. 18:8-9, 18

2B. The MOTIVATION behind this destruction of
the woman – v. 17 cf. Matthew 5:17-18
cf. Jeremiah 50:45; 51:6, 11, 24, 29, 54-56

3B. The MEANING of the woman – v. 18
“that great city” – cf. Rev. 11:8; 14:8; 16:19;
17:5; 18:2, 10, 19, 21; 21:10

In last week’s article we gave a bit of history concerning the usage of the term “BABYLON” in the Bible. Many of you have expressed appreciation for this information and the brief outline given so here is a second article on the subject.

Subject: “THE KING OF BABYLON”
Scripture: Isaiah 14:1-27

1A. THE PROPHECIES given to Israel will all come true – Isaiah 14:1-2

1B. The COMPASSION of the Lord will be
experienced – “the LORD will have mercy
on Jacob”

2B. The CHOICE of Israel will be a reality –
“and will yet choose Israel”

3B. Their COMING to their own land will be
fulfilled – “and set them in their own land”

4B. The CLEAVING of other nations to them
will occur – “and the strangers shall be joined
with them, and they shall cleave to the house of
Jacob”

5B. The CONQUEST by Israel is promised – v. 2

1C. Domestically
2C. Militarily
3C. Politically

2A. THE PEACE THAT THE LORD WILL BRING
TO THE LAND OF ISRAEL – Isaiah 14:3-8

1B. The CURSE is removed – v. 3

2B. The CEASING of oppression is announced –
vv. 4-6

3B. The COMING of peace brings joy from all
creation – vv. 7-8

3A. THE POMP OF BABYLON IS CUT DOWN –
Isaiah 14:9-11 – cf. v. 4 – “proverb against the king
of Babylon”

1B. The RAISING of the dead to meet him – v. 9
“all the kings of the nations” (they are alive!)

2B. The REACTION they have – v. 10 – “art thou
become like unto us?”

3B. The RESULT is gruesome – v. 11 – “brought
down” – cf. v. 15

4A. THE PERSON BEHIND THE KING OF
BABYLON – Isaiah 14:12-21

1B. The REFERENCE to “Lucifer” is a play on
Canaanite religion – v. 12a
cf. Luke 10:17-20

NOTE: The Hebrew word helel means “morning star” – Helel & Ishtar in Canaanite religion attempted a heavenly coup that failed (according to Canaanite mythology).

2B. The REALIZATION of how he affected the
nations – v. 12b

3B. The REASON for his fall – vv. 13-14
(five “I will” statements)
v. 13 – a reminder of the Tower of Babel of
Genesis 11:1-9
v. 14 – a reminder of Genesis 3 – “I will be
like the Most High”

NOTE: The phrase in v. 13 – “in the sides of the north” is translated in the Jewish TANAKH – “on the summit of Zaphon” (abode of the gods); NIV: “on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain” – the same thing is found in Psalm 48:2 where the phrase “sides of the north” is literally “summit of Zaphon.” The NRSV translates “on the heights of Zaphon.” Mount Zaphon in northern Philistia was considered to be the seat of Canaanite gods.

4B. The RESULT cannot be avoided – v. 15
“brought down to hell (Sheol) to the sides of the
pit” – the abyss or the bottomless pit – cf.
II Peter 2:4; Revelation 9:1-2, 11; 20:1-3
“Sheol” – Hebrew translated into Greek is
“Hades” and refers both to the “grave” and to
“Hell.”

5B. The REMEMBRANCE of what he had done
would be judged severely by God – vv. 16-21

1C. His influence over others would be
mocked – vv. 16-17

2C. His importance would not be recognized
by others – vv. 18-20

3C. His iniquity would bring tragedy and
failure to his descendants – v. 21

5A. THE PURPOSE OF GOD WILL BE
FULFILLED – Isaiah 14:22-27

1B. It is based on the DESTRUCTION of Babylon – vv. 22-23 – “I will rise up against them, saith
the LORD of hosts”
“I will make it…”
“I will sweep it…”

2B. It is based on the DECISION of the Lord
Himself – v. 24 – “the LORD of hosts hath
sworn”

3B. It is based on the DELIVERANCE God will
bring – v. 25

4B. It is based on the DETERMINATION of God
in carrying it out – vv. 26-27 – “For the LORD
of hosts hath purposed – who shall disannul it?”