The Rebuilding of Babylon

I recently finished reading the 5-book series of novels by Joel Rosenberg (The Last Jihad, The Last Days, The Ezekiel Option, The Copper Scroll, and Dead Heat). Really great books, particularly considering the eerie true-to-life circumstances that coincided with their development and publication. Typically, I'm not a fan of "end of the world" Christian fiction, simply because there's an abundance of clumsy, heavy-handed writing out there (not to mention some sloppy eschatological assumptions behind some of it). But Rosenberg offers both a compelling suggestion of prophetic events as well as some really good stories that are just plain hard to put down.

So I've begun stopping by Rosenberg's blog every so often. He posts some fascinating news over there, especially as it relates to tensions in the Middle East and the possible connections to Biblical references.

Of particular interest to me was a story that appeared last month regarding the rebuilding of the city of Babylon. Apparently the goal is to create a setting that will attract global tourism, and the Obama administration is already contributing funds to the World Momuments Fund's "Future of Babylon Project" through the State Department. A summary of the project can be found here.

Of course, all this is particularly interesting since the book of Revelation refers to a city by the name of Babylon at the end of days. There's been a lot of eschatological speculation over the years regarding what the prophecy is referring to -- perhaps some symbolic global center of commerce and power, or the heart of a religious empire, or the deceptions of a grotesquely hedonsitic world culture. But there's no reason that it couldn't refer to the actual city of Babylon being rebuilt (a significant theme in Rosenberg's novels).

One thing is for sure: Whether it's the WMF's project to restore the historical site in Iraq or whether it's some completely different entity at the end of history, Babylon will rise again, bringing with it the oppression, deception, idolatry, and debauchery made famous in Nebuchadnezzar's days. But as surely as it will rise again, Babylon will eventually fall in the face of God's judgment and the completion of history.

And the kings of the world who committed adultery with her and enjoyed her great luxury will mourn for her as they see the smoke rising from her charred remains. They will stand at a distance, terrified by her great torment. They will cry out, "How terrible, how terrible for you, O Babylon, you great city! In a single moment God's judgment came on you." (Revelation 18:9-10 NLT)