Babylon-America, Iran & North Korea

Part 2: Biblical Prophecy Perspectives

Editor's Note: See also our earlier article from February: "America's Coming Destruction" - LINK HERE.  See also "Life After an EMP Attack" - LINK HERE.

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See Also Additional Related News Developments

Iran-Syria-N.Korea Shocker:

Congress Reveals US Threatened
By "Evil Love Triangle"


LINK

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Jeremiah 51:1

"Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will raise up against Babylon, and against them that dwell in the midst of them that rise up against me, a destroying wind;"


Consider verse one by the individual English phrases as follows. We'll examine each in the original Hebrew in micro-detail.


Phrase #1. "Thus saith the Lord..."

Phrase #2. ..."I will raise up against Babylon..."

Phrase #3.  "and against them that dwell in the midst of them..."

Phrase #4.  "that rise up against me..."

Phrase #5.  ..."a destroying wind..."


Phrase one is rather explanatory in and of itself. It announces a specific statement as a direct quote from the Lord God of Israel. For this reason, we need to take careful notes on the Hebrew wording.

Phrase two ..."I will raise up against Babylon..." consists of only two Hebrew words, one of which is Babylon itself. This means that the phrase "I will raise up against"... consists of a single Hebrew word. That word, as transliterated into English is the word "uwr." It looks like this in Hebrew...  רוע
The Hebrew word "uwr" in the Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Hebrew-English lexical section is the number 5782. It is a Hebrew participle in the Hiphil stem. Thus we find the generic meaning of the term in Strongs to be: "to rouse or stir up, or to act in an aroused manner , as in being awake."
In the Gesenius Hebrew-English lexicon we find the term defined in the Hiphil stem as: "to arouse from sleep, to awake."

So in Jeremiah 51:1 we find that God is quoted as saying that He will incite or cause to take action against Babylon and then describes more specifically ..."and against them that dwell ..." This phrase is the word "yashab" = #3427. Generically it means ..."to dwell, remain, sit, abide, inhabit."

The next phrase: "in the midst" is the word "Leb" = #3820 = "in the middle"
The next phrase: "of them that rise up against me" = #6965 = "quwm" = To arise in a hostile sense...to be established, to be set, fixed."

So God is saying He will take action or cause to take action against Babylon and those who dwell in the middle of Babylon (i.e. the heartland) ...

The final phrase: ..."a destroying wind." The word "destroying" = 'shachath' = #7843 = "to destroy, corrupt, go to ruin, decay...to spoil, ruin, pervert." as in a land or country or city. Brown-Driver-Briggs also includes the idea of mutilation, spoiled, ruined.

The term "wind" is the Hebrew word "ruach" which can mean "spirit" as in Holy Spirit or literally wind as the wind of heaven or the quarter of heaven (near earth). It can also be a vain, empty thing.

So we wrap this verse up indicating that:

God will cause or incite against Babylon and the middle of or the heartland of Babylon, a destroying/corrupting/decaying/spoiling/ruinous wind.

The Word of the Lord continues in verse 2.

Jeremiah 51: 2

"And will send unto Babylon fanners, that shall fan her, and shall empty her land: for in the day of trouble they shall be against her round about."

Key term for analysis: "fanner." = zuwr = #2114 = in the Qal stem = to be strange, stranger. foreigner, enemy.

Gesenius' Lexicon says: "to turn aside, to depart." "to lodge at anyone's house" hence to be a stranger, foreigner.
Brown-Driver-Briggs Lexicon adds .."visitor." foreigner to the land - as such usually of enemies.

Next phrase: "...that shall fan her..." = "zarah" = #2219 in the Piel stem. = to scatter, disperse, to winnow, sift.

Gesenius adds: to disperse - as in disperse dust by wind. to spread out, to scatter or disperse as in a nation. To shake out thoroughly.

Brown-Driver-Briggs adds: to cause to fly, scatter (of wind), winnow, fan. especially of peoples when used in the Piel stem.

Next phrase: "empty her land"... = baqaq = #1238 = in the Polel stem = To empty out, devastate. Gesenius & B-D-B both say: "to depopulate." in the Polel stem.


Now we move on to verse 3.

"Against [him that] bendeth let the archer bend his bow, and against [him that] lifteth himself up in his brigandine: and spare ye not her young men; destroy ye utterly all her host."

Key terms:  

In the Hebrew the first 3 words are one in the same. It is the word "darak." The first time it is used, the translators translate it as the phrase "Against him that bendeth." For the second time it is used, the phrase is..."let the archer"  and the third time the word is used the word is translated as "bend." This may seem confusing so let me again show below the first 3 Hebrew words:

"darak, darak, darak."  

ךרד        ךרד     ךרד

So you see it just as it is expressed 3 times, back to back in the Hebrew.

Now, the Strong's Code Number is #1869. All three instances of the word are printed in the Qal stem. Strong's lists 5 possible definitions of the word:

1) to tread, march, march forth

2) to tread on, tread upon

3) to tread (a press)

4) to tread (bend) a bow

5) archer, bow-benders (participle)

Now, the Gesenius lexicon tells us a lot more. We are told that the word is onomatopoeic - the adjective form of the noun - onomatopoeia. Of course that tells you everything you need to know, right? LoL. Let me define that English word formed from a compound Greek term.

Onomatopia is defined as: 1. the naming of a thing or action by a vocal imitation of the sound associated with it (as buzz, hiss) or 2. the use of words whose sound suggests the sense of the meaning. Other examples are the words: Cuckoo, meow, honk, or boom.

So what does "darak, darak, darak" sound like to you? Well, for the Jews that was their onomatopoeic term for the idea of marching footsteps or more likely the marching sounds of the tramping of soldier's footsteps, although it could be civilian also. In its usage as a verb of action, the translation could be "tramp" or "tramping" such as the American English song lyrics of "tramp, tramp, tramp, the boys are marching."

Now Gesenius tells us an extra tidbit about the definition itself. The sound is one that suggests the idea of marching or stepping on a branch of wood and breaking it.

Gesenius also tells us it can carry the metaphorical idea of "to tread down enemies as if they were grapes."

Also, it was used to refer to the idea of walking to a place or from a place. "Darak" was also used to describe the act of bending a large, strong box by putting one's foot on it. It also carries a figurative sense of "might" or "power."

The third use of  the word "darak" appears to carry the context of bending a bow as the next word is "qesheth" meaning bow. So this entire opening phrase could be a reference to trampling down the power/might of Babylon or trampling down the Babylonians who bend the bow. In what way? In modern terms, bow might refer to missiles and archers or those who bend the bow as missile men or it may refer to war planes and pilots. Or it may have a figurative or metaphorical sense of trampling down Babylon's military power.

Our next phrase in verse 3 is "against him that lifteth himself up" which is attibuted to a single, Hebrew word - "alah" = #5927. This word would appear to have been stolen by Arab Muslims as the term for their god, "allah" although with the twin use of the consonant "L" this may be an incorrect assumption or merely a coincidence. In this instance, "alah" is in the Hithpael stem which limits its meaning to the notion of "lifting oneself."

The next phrase is "in his brigandine" used for the single Hebrew word "ciyron." = #5630. It means " a coat of armor." This word is only used by Jeremiah in the entire Bible and he uses it twice. The first time is Jeremiah 46:4 and again here in 51:3  The Lexicon of Brown-Driver-Briggs states this phrase can best be translated as "Let him raise himself in his armor." It carries the idea that it is difficult for one wearing armor to get up from a laying down or sitting down position and thus needs help. In this case, the suggestion is for no one to help him or come to his aid.

Verse 3 continues "and spare ye not her young men." This is comprised of 2 Hebrew words: "Chamal"=#2550 = spare, pity, compassion; and "Bachuwr"=#970= young man or young warrior. Both are pretty much cut-and-dried terms.

The final phrase of verse 3 is: "destroy ye utterly all her host." Again this phrase is comprised of 2 Hebrew words: "charam"=#2763= to exterminate or completely destroy, literally to shut up or shut in. Can be used with the idea of breaking someone's nose. The second Hebrew word for this phrase is "tsaba"= #6635 = an army or host as in host of angels.

So to review verse 3, the idea is of trampling down Babylon's might/power (ground and air) to the extent that no one will help or come to her aid. The destruction of her armed forces will be total and complete.

Verse 4 further explains the extent of the judgment results. No need to examine this verse in minute detail for this article. We have done so in prior articles and in "America, The Babylon."

Verses 5 and 6 interrupts the prior topic of destruction and focuses on Israel and the Jews and a command for the Jews still living in Babylon to flee back to Israel.

Verse 7 gives a reason (one of many) for Babylon's destruction.

Verses 8 and  tells us the destruction is sudden, and that despite any efforts to comfort or heal her she cannot or will not be healed. Therefore, everyone should flee the land of Babylon and immigrants should return to their homeland nations. This verse is a subtle way of indicating that this future Babylon is a "land of immigrants."

Verse 10 speaks of escaping Jews returning to Israel to give testimony to God's work against Babylon.

Verse 11 shifts gears. Now we find out something about the attackers.

The first phrase is: "make bright the arrows" which translates 2 Hebrew words: "barar" = # 1305 = to purify, polish, make bright; and "chets" = #2761= arrows.

The next phrase is: "gather the shields" and covers 2 Hebrew words: "male" = #4390 = "fill"; and "shelet" = #7982 = shields.

Then the next phrase is reminiscent of verse 1 "the Lord hath raised up" and there is no need for further comment.

Our next phrase spells out the "whom" that God has raised up.The "spirit" of the kings of the Medes.

The term "spirit" is the Hebrew term "ruach" and it can mean spirit but it can also mean everything we stated about the term in verse 1. However, there is no adjective modifying the word, so it is difficult to know whether the intention of the author is towards "Spirit" or wind. Technically, either one could make exegetical sense in this part of the verse.

The primary reason we're focusing on this verse is because it introduces the "Kings of the Medes." It should be noted that "Medes" consisted of a series of autonomous tribes that would band together for national unity and defense. The tribal lands of the Medes consisted of what is now present day western Iran. So this is our first solid indication of human involvement in Babylon's coming judgment.

As a side note: Verse 12 changes the flow to point to the fact that this all takes place at the time of the coming of Messiah. We see Messianic idioms indicating this all takes place in "the latter days" at the time of the coming of Messiah.

In verse 14, "The LORD of hosts hath sworn by himself, [saying], Surely I will fill thee with men, as with caterpillers; and they shall lift up a shout against thee."  The phrase "I will feel thee with men" apparently refers back to the "fanners" of verse 2. So that there apparently will be a substantial but unknown number of male enemies within Babylon. The end phrase: "lift up a shout against thee" suggests the famous Muslim phrase "allahu ahkbar" (god is great).


From this point we spring forward to verses 27 and 28 where we once again find a reference to the Medes plus 3 other tribes not part of the Median tribal system. These 3 additional tribes also resided in what is now known as modern-day Iran.

The fact that modern-day Iran is mentioned and the descriptions of the fanners strongly suggests a linkage between the fanners and Iran. Also in 51: 28, the phrase: "Prepare against her the nations with the kings of the Medes." suggests that Iran's allies will be involved. At the moment, Iran's allies consist of Syria, North Korea as well as Hezbollah and Hamas terrorists. These latter two allies suggest a linkage to the "fanners" concept, although one might make a case for an alternate interpretation of verse 1 that would suggest North Korea is involved with the idea of a destroying wind, which could be an EMP bomb detonating over the middle of the United States. However, I believe this is an unrealist stretch of the terminology. More likely, verse 1 and the "wind" is a reference to perhaps a biological warfare attack using "airborne" spread of laboratory-created diseases.

Iran is believed to have an extensive inventory of 8 or 9 virulent, weaponized bio-warfare diseases, all of which would be disseminated by means of an airborne release. In fact, using small, civilian aircraft would be an easy way for such bio-warfare weapons to be release across the entire United States. Such a concept fits with both Jeremiah 51:1 and 2. How so? Terrorists distribute bio-warfare weapons, using small aircraft as well by teams of sleeper-cell squads. Many counter-terror experts believe that between Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas, there  could easily be as many as 100,000 or more sleeper-cell agents as of around 2005. Reports of thousands of additional agents secretly crossing the Mexican border in recent years could raise that estimate dramatically. These terror-cells, operating under Iranian command and using bio-warfare weapons along with traditional firepower, could create substantial chaos that could empty the land of American civilians, thanks mostly to the bio-weapons.

The fanners and a bio-warfare attack by Iranian agents could well occur in advance of the Divine 1-hour fire judgment. In fact, the fanner activity could be a pre-judgment that even precedes the rapture of the church before Babylon-America's fiery judgment which then trigger's the rise to power of the Antichrist, as described in Revelation 17:12-14 which happens in a one-hour time period that is the same one hour period as the fire judgment initiated by God.

For this reason, I am greatly concerned that the American Church may undergo a special dosage of tribulation within the continental United States at the hands of Iranian terrorists, prior to the Rapture of the church. If this is indeed the case, then American Pastors and American believers had better be prepared for upheaval and tribulation as a foretaste of what is yet to come for the world after the Rapture. I will continue to conduct further textual research and analysis on this possible interpretation but at the moment, my understanding of the Hebrew grammar is that the early activity of Jeremiah 51 could well be a gap in time of unknown quantity between the fanning and the fire judgment. In other words, the fanning (bio-warfare?) and terror may precede the rapture and fire judgment by a matter of days, weeks or even months. The text, as I understand it now, does not give us any further idea as to the time frame differentials, if any between the fanning and the fire-judgment, which is a a post-rapture event.

Stay tuned for possibly further, interpretive updates on these issues.

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