MICHAEL'S STAND AGAINST "BABYLON".
(Rev 17:15 to 19:3 & Dan 12:1 NEB).
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When Michael stands, Daniel's "countrymen" survive,
But "Alas for the great city" shall "her" traders say,
Kings wallowing in "her" shameless luxury shall die,
In famine, death and burning     God they disobeyed.

Be glad you servants of God, in heaven and on earth,
In one symbolic "hour" (15 days) her evil works shall end,
The smoke of "her" torment denounces "her" birth,
And great shall be the fall of "Babylon's" descent.

Portents in the sky and upon the earth shall be,
The moon turned to "blood", the sun to night,
In Babylon/Iraq this has already been seen,
Burning oil fires, black smoke, by day and by night.

Soon shall appear in heaven the sign that heralds,
The appearance of The Christ the Son of Man,
The day and the hour no one on earth can know,
But the fulfilments of his holy prophecies we can.
 


SOURCES.

We witnessed the destruction of the wealth and splendour of Babylon/Iraq by death, mourning, famine and burning in both Gulf Wars. (Rev 18:8-10). On our television screens we witnessed smoke blackening the sky as Kuwaiti oil platforms were set on fire by Iraqi forces as they retreated from the allied advance, reminding us of the scripture:

"I will show portents in the sky and on earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke; the  sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes."  (Joel 2:30,31 NEB).

As allied forces gathered against Iraq and destroyed the oil fields that provided her wealth and splendour, the sun was "turned into darkness" by the smoke billowing into the sky from burning oil fields. In the minds of her victims and wound-dressers night bombing of Iraqi cities by allied forces did turn the "moon into blood".

Cities of Babylon/Iraq became short of food, water, electricity, and hospital beds. Day and night their accumulated wealth, their cities, their military machine, their oil fields and their manufacturing base were destroyed.  (Rev 18:8).

On the third day of the war against Babylon/Iraq by allied forces, Iraqi forces began launching Scud missiles against Israel in an attempt to provoke their retaliation. But the United States put pressure on Israel not to retaliate because of the threatened involvement of Jordan and Syria if Israel were to become engaged in the war. The U.S. instead deployed Patriot interceptor missile batteries in Israel. Billeted in tents, U.S. military forces were planted on Israeli soil, as it is written: "And he will plant his palatial tents between the grand sea and the holy mountain of Decoration" (Dan 11:45). The political "wild beast" of the United States became the warring authority of satan in Israel.  (Rev 13:4).

A MINOR FULFILMENT OF DANIEL 12:1.
The Christ Michael is the heavenly name of the First-born Son of God. It has been revealed that when satan plants his "palatial tents" of authority in Israel, Michael will stand up to exercise his heavenly authority  to  defend Daniel's "fellow-countrymen", the future sons of "Jacob".  (Dan 12:1 NWT & NEB)  (Isaiah 14:1  NEB).

"At that moment Michael shall appear, Michael the great captain, who stands guard over your fellow  countrymen". (Dan 12:1 NEB). (Note the underlined expression). The political "wild beast" of the United States is satan's warring authority in Israel and has planted tents of authority "between the grand sea and the holy mountain of Decoration". (Dan 11:45. Rev 13:4). With reference to our Lord Michael "who stands guard over your fellow-countrymen", the U.S. supplied Israel with Patriot anti-missile batteries and military personnel to guard Israel against attack from Iraqi Scud missiles. Patriot is from the Latin Patriota which means Fellow-countryman. It means that while U.S. forces were planted on Israeli soil "between the grand sea and the holy mountain of Decoration", their Patriot anti-missile batteries were standing guard over future sons of "Jacob". But as for the proud and arrogant citizens of Israel, they are destined to be disposed of.  (Zeph 3:11 NEB).

PATRIOT:

One who exerts himself to promote the wellbeing of his country.
One who maintains and defends his country's freedom or rights.

WHO "WILL MEET HIS END WITH NO ONE TO HELP HIM"?
The "king of Babylon" who "will meet his end with no one to help him" is satan. But this was also true of another king of Babylon, Saddam Hussein, whose countrymen were engaged in battle with many powerful nations. (Isaiah 14:3-6 NEB). Babylon/Iraq was under siege. Economic sanctions stopped goods entering or leaving the country and were in operation for months. Shortages of food and water were reported. Thousands of Iraqis were killed in allied bombing raids. And even though Saddam Hussein made desperate attempts to bring Arab nations into the conflict on his side, he too was destined to "meet his end with no one to help him".  (Dan 11:45 NEB).
 

 

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