Is New York City Babylon the Great?

I was asked for my thoughts on the potential for New York City to be Babylon the Great City. I believe many people are wondering if New York City is Babylon the Great City, so I will share my thoughts on whether the city represents Babylon the Great City in this article.

New York City Pros

Many believe that New York City is a strong candidate to represent Babylon the Great. Here are some of the reasons why many view the city as a prime candidate to represent Babylon the Great City:

  • The city is a major global, economic and financial center. Arguably, it is the most important economic and financial center in the world.
  • The city is located on the coastline, which would enable merchants to see its smoke if something were to happen to the city (Revelation 18:17-18).
  • The United Nations is currently headquartered in the city.

New York City Cons

Despite this, I do not believe that New York City is Babylon the Great City. Here are some important issues that I think proponents of New York City need to consider:

  • New York City is arguably the most important economic and financial center in the world at this time. However, will New York City remain so in the future? The United States is facing a looming fiscal disaster with mounting national debt and unfunded liabilities in the tens of trillions of dollars. The consequences of this fiscal disaster have serious economic, financial, and political implications that could significantly weaken the United States’ standing in the world. I wonder whether New York City can maintain its status as a leading economic and financial center if/when the United States’ power declines drastically.
  • New York City’s most compelling item of support to me is the fact that the United Nations is currently headquartered in the city. However, will the United Nations remain in New York City or will it move to another location if/when there’s instability in the U.S. or if/when the U.S. decides to no longer fund the United Nations?

The main issue that I have with the argument that New York City represents Babylon the Great is that there’s a lack of a direct scriptural reference to New York City. In contrast, the Bible mentions specific areas and terms exclusive to Babylon, Iraq, such as the “land of the Chaldeans”, the land of the north, the “north country”, etc. in passages and chapters (like Jeremiah 50, Jeremiah 51, and Isaiah 13) pertaining to Babylon and its demise in the end times. The Bible can be very specific geographically in end time prophecy.

If you would like to learn about the “mystery” of Babylon the Great, click this link to read my article on the topic: Babylon the Great: Insight into Mystery Babylon

Do You Want to Study Bible Prophecy? Get My Free eBook!

Join my mailing list, and as a special welcome gift, I’ll send you my eBook guide to studying Bible prophecy. You’ll also get my latest articles and updates delivered to your inbox.

End of Post Newsletter Form Signup

Your privacy is valued. For more information, please read the Privacy Policy.

Prophecy Proof Insights Guide to Studying Bible Prophecy
Share This Post
Wayne Croley
Wayne Croley

Hi! I’ve studied and written about Bible prophecy since I was a teenager. My goal is to make Bible prophecy easy for you to understand while avoiding the sensationalism seen elsewhere. I am the author of several end time books, including Prophecy Proof Insights on the End Times, a comprehensive book about the end times. I hold an M.B.A. and degrees in Managerial Economics and Political Science.

26 Comments

Leave a Reply to YCancel Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. So your argument against Babylon, NY not being the Babylon mentioned in the Bible is due to events suggest it will eventually fail? There’s like a whole chapter in Revelation how Babylon is supposed to fall. Your argument against it actually supports the prophecy.

  2. Hi Wayne . For what it is worth I believed the whole world is Babylon with all the decisions and transactions mostly being based on greed. Whenever I hear someone say God revealed to me, I listen with much scepticism. Anyways I am going to say God showed me the number 4 until I got it correctly. 4 kings several years ago Syria, Iran, North Korea and Russia made a pact to take out the USA. Unlikely companions ! Like a scared knee jerk idiot whenever I was given a date ( from God ) I thought this is it ! Had to calm down and get in the word and sit with several pastors to discern things. I have grandchildren to be watchful over as well. All I can say is the Statue of Liberty is Ishtar! I dug that up myself. God showed me a beautiful woman with long flowing hair looking to the EAST. The next day I saw NYNY and asked God if the two were connected and got confirmation. I won’t say how I got confirmation because you wouldn’t believe me. Nothing like the dog moving and waking you up to stare at the clock saying 4:44 again either. Used to too many coincidences . 70 year anniversary of Israel is over . The year 5777 also . Babylon is to fall very shortly. Learn to trust and lean not on your own understanding . We will see each other at the wedding table later.

  3. Im not convinced of this but here’s some food for thought… (Revelation 17:4-6) reference to ‘Babylon the great, the mother of all the prostitutes and all the filthy practices on the earth’ could relate to Margaret Stanger (initial founder of planned parenthood, Brooklyn NY), died 9/6/66.. which in numerology,the nine cancels and its 666

    • Planned parenthood is on their 5th president/ head of organization (6th if you include their medical chief, Mary Calderon who advocated for abortion law reform)… Revelations 17:3 ‘So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.’ This could be several of those 7 heads.. just a hypothesis

  4. Zechariah 5:6-11: ““And I said, ‘what is it?’ And he said, ‘This is the ephah going forth.’ And he said, ‘This is their eye in all the earth.’ And look! A disk of lead was lifted up, and this one woman sitting in the midst of the ephah. And he said, ‘This one is The Wickedness.’ And he thrust her into the midst of the ephah, and he thrust a stone of the lead over its mouth.

    And I lifted up my eyes, and I saw, and look! Two women going forth, and wind was in their wings, and they had wings like the wings of the stork, and they lifted up the ephah between the earth and the heavens.

    And I said to the messenger, the one speaking with me, ‘Where are they taking the ephah?’ And he said to me, ‘To build for her a house in the land of Shinar; and it will be established and set there upon her base.’”

    – – –

    “The disk of lead seals the ephah, and may also itself be describing a seal, like that used by countries, states and cities. For example, the Great Seal of the United States is known throughout the earth as having an eye, lifted up over a base, namely a pyramid.

    Individual cities and states have their own unique seals as well, with their own distinctive symbols. For example, the seal of the state of New York has two caped women, representing Liberty and Justice. The foot of “Liberty” tramples upon a crown, and “Justice” holds a pair of scales for weighing, and a sword. Underneath them is the Latin motto, “Excelsior,” meaning “Ever Upward.” They stand between a shield, which contains a mountain, a river and ships, and with what looks like a lid being lifted up. Around the seal is a rope.” (See lettertothejews.com/chapter 40 )

    It’s certainly not proof, but it makes for interesting reading. Especially if you also factor in the Statue of one of the two women on the seal – namely, Liberty, is on a base.

    • That is very interesting. Were you aware that the Statue of Liberty is a statue of Babylon? She is also atop the capitol building in Washington, D.C.

      • Hi Connie. I read somewhere that the Statue is Ishtar, the goddess of Babylon. I didn’t know she is also atop the capital building! Very interesting.

        By the way, it’s worth taking a look at Isaiah 62:1-4 as well. Here God is talking about Zion, but the language could almost describe the Statue of Liberty in New York.

        – a woman
        – her righteousness shines like a bright light
        – her salvation burns like a torch
        – called by a new name
        – a crown of beauty in YHWH’s hand
        – no longer abandoned. (The poem at the base of the Statue calls her the “Mother Of Exiles.”)

        This chapter (chapter 62) comes before the one coming from Edom with stained garments (Isaiah 63), which Christians know to be Jesus. (Revelation 19:13)

        I wanted to point this out, because I suspect YHWH is using this language perhaps to draw subtle attention to the contrast between the world’s shining beacon, and YHWH’s. But also, the positioning of this prophecy in Isaiah 62, just before the man who has just trampled Edom (Isa 63), is perhaps of major significance.

        • Interesting. For some time I have been noticing that the prophecies of Edom/Moab/Ammon seem to have a parallel to those of Babylon. Especially the ones about Bozrah (Edom). As I believe America is Babylon, I also think that the far prophecies of the endtime triplets might be referring to America too, when it talks about Edom/Moab/Ammon. They often seemed linked as a triad in the endtimes prophecies. And these three also escape out of antichrist’s hands. And Edom is referred to as Israel’s sibling, which the church is. America is basically Israel’s only ally. The church and Israel are both God’s children. Why America might escape out of antichrist’s hands is that she is powerful and on the other side of the world. Babylon and the beast are not getting along (as evidenced by the fact that he destroys her), and some of the O.T. prophecies seem to indicate that refugees from Israel are found in American (Babylon) after the abomination of desolation. Several verses point to this possibility. Just as we are told to come out of Babylon before she is destroyed, so they are too in the O.T. in Jer. 50. We know that Israel is hidden in the wilderness, so that she can be brought back into the covenant (Ez. 20) and when that prophecy was given in Rev. 12, truly America was a wilderness. If America is safe from the beast’s hands, then the Jewish refugees would be too if they are here. This does not mean that the American Laodicean church does not have to worry about the mark during the tribulation. I think Babylon has her own plans for the church which will not be very nice. This country is rapidly becoming very anti-Christian in spite of the new president who supports Christianity. I think the American Christians will be sacrificed for Babylon’s purposes.

    • L was born in New York state and l was rest in New York state l am a new York person and l love my state of New York state l am very happy to be a part of New York state l l am very appreciative for my state of New York state l am very thankful for the state l was born in l don’t not feel that New York state is Babylon no l believe the state is the good and support New York state l am very much am a new York person l don’t not believe that NO the hold world is going to end up with God anger towards the end of the to the world l am feeling towards the people in the world should not look at New York state NO is Babylon no l am feeling people are getting the wrong news about new York state is not the state of Babylon l do believe the people in the world is will face god anger towards the end of the not new York state NO l don’t not believe that NO l was born in New York state and group up in New York state l had a great time in my life 😘 ♥️ group up in the New York state l do believe in God and l be saved by God for giving for all of my sins God saved people who call out for for giving sins who call out to God will be saved and believe in God 🙏❤️ with all your 💓 and 😇 souls should be seved l don’t not believe that NO New York state is the Babylon no l because a child of God when l was born in New York state and be a child ❤️ of God and still am a child of God 🙏 in my life and I will always believed in God and never stop have strong believer in God loves and for giving me all of my sins in my life and seved my soul from hell and God bless me with good health and happiness and good family in the 💓 New York state in my years group up in the state of New York state you believe in God wants state you come from God will bless you if you ask for forgiveness l don’t not believe that NO New York state is Babylon

      • Dawn, I am born and raised in the great state of Kentucky. I understand how you feel. What does all this surmising about NY matter anyway. No one knows the true location of the coming Babylon! As Christians our primary goal surrounds being a light for God in which non-Christians can recognize. I believe we need to take care of what God has assigned each of us, and stop trying to resolve thoughts and potential actions of God. We are simply not equipped to do so.

  5. Hello Wayne,

    It is really important that the youth today understand a very, very big difference in the USA they face and the USA of 1975. The USA of the past was without Japanese (and now Korean and German) automobile assembly factories and their suppliers.
    Japan (and the Pacific Ocean) is defended by the U.S. military.
    The U.S. south is the harlot of Babylon – harlot of its industry.
    They have broken the northern U.S. and the population doesn’t think of it at all.
    Their “church” is apostate and worships Jet aircraft (dragons).
    The “beast” is the Japanese Empire held in place by the military.
    666 is a Toyota hood ornament.
    Japan is a serious candidate for the Revelation Babylon.

    Regards

  6. That is a significant point but I know some people who’ve commented on this blog in the past would disagree that this eliminates Jerusalem as a possibility.

  7. The Hebrew word “many” in Daniel 9:27 and in Daniel 8:25 is used in 439 verses in the Old Testament. I think it’s a stretch to say that “many” refers directly to Israel.

  8. And by peace he [Antichrist] shall destroy THE MANY
    …”

    The problem, however, is that this particular expression – “THE
    MANY” – is an Old Testament reference to the people of Israel, not to humanity
    as a whole, and has been recognized as such by the vast majority of evangelical
    scholars.

    And he (ANTICHRIST) shall confirm the covenant with THE
    MANY(ISRAEL) for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the
    sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations
    he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined
    shall be poured upon the desolate.” (Daniel 9:27)

    Plainly, the Scriptures are referencing
    ISRAEL here; and in particular Israel’s participation in a Defense Pact with the
    Antichrist [i.e., “Babylon the Great” (that is to say, the American New World
    Order System)]
    – a defense pact that Isaiah calls “… your [Israel’s]
    COVENANT WITH DEATH” and your “AGREEMENT WITH HELL:”
    “Wherefore, hear the
    word of the Lord, ye … men that rule this people which is in
    Jerusalem.

    “Because ye have said, We have made a COVENANT WITH DEATH, AND
    WITH HELL (Prophetic Babylon) are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge
    shall pass through, it shall not come unto us “

    http://www.antipasministries.com/html/file0000300.htm

    According
    to Daniel 9:26-27 … [Babylon (i.e., the United States)] will make a covenant
    with Israel for a seven year period. This covenant evidently … guarantees
    Israel’s integrity [i.e., is a defense pact]

    http://www.cuttingedge.org/NEWS/n1017.html

    • This is the Context of Daniel Chapter 9:25-27

      24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.

      There is no mention of the antichrist in the above context. I don’t know why you are making the antichrist central to this passage well in fact it was about Israel, Jerusalem, Jesus Christ, and the Covenant.

  9. “Babylon” is going to be completely destroyed and never inhabited again so obviously it can’t be jerusalem since Jesus will rule from there.

  10. God tells His people to flee Babylon 7 times in Jeremiah 50-51.

     

    “Remove out of the midst of Babylon, and go
    forth out of the land of the Chaldeans, and be as the he goats before the
    flocks.” Jeremiah 50:8

     

    “Cut off the sower from Babylon, and him
    that handleth the sickle in the time of harvest: for fear of the oppressing
    sword they shall turn every one to his people, and they shall flee every one to
    his own land.” Jeremiah 50:16

     

    “The voice of them that flee and escape out
    of the land of Babylon, to declare in Zion the vengeance of the LORD our God,
    the vengeance of his temple.” Jeremiah 50:28

     

    “Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and
    deliver every man his soul: be not cut off in her iniquity; for this is the time of the LORD’S vengeance; he
    will render unto her a recompence.” Jeremiah 51:6

     

    “We would have healed Babylon, but she is
    not healed: forsake her, and let us go every one into his own country: for her
    judgment reacheth unto heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies.” Jeremiah 51:9

     

    “My people, go ye out of the midst of her,
    and deliver ye every man his soul from the fierce anger of the LORD.”
    Jeremiah 51:45

     

    “Ye that have escaped the sword, go away,
    stand not still: remember the LORD afar off, and let Jerusalem come into your
    mind.” Jeremiah 51:50

    These verses alone rule out the possibility of Jerusalem being Babylon the Great.

    Babylon is America and sooner than you think, the call will sound to flee this country. I  believe the 2014 year of the blood moons will be significant in regards to that call to flee. God bless you.

  11. I concur. Have you read “The Islamic Antichrist” by Joel Richardson? It’s very well written and researched, and worth the read to see how Islam  may play a leading role in end-times prophecy

    • Sarah,

      I don’t think that the Islamic Antichrist will be that appealing and Charismatic to the Jews and Christians if it is true what Jesus said that even the Elect will be deceived if that were possible.

      IMO, the Islamic antichrist (King of the South/Clay) could be a dummy antichrist that will be defeated by the real antichrist from the Revived Roman Empire (King of the North/Iron). These are the Ten Toes from the Two Feet of the statue of Nebuchadnezzar, a mixture of Clay and Iron. All of them are responsible for the killing and persecution of the christians. They had been ruling for an hour since the time of the demise of the Old Roman Empire. The Old Roman Empire’s last retreat was in the British isles and in Turkey.

  12. Yes, I saw the report Wednesday morning. It’s a gathering of the Shanghai Cooperative. I’ve been aware of that group for the past several years.  I think that group has potential and merits watching.

  13. Did you see Iran, China, Russia and others met today seeking an alliance against the west.  Its on the drudge report.

    I’ll try to stay inside my coup.

  14. What is wrong with you people?  Don’t you believe in the Bible?  Don’t you believe the bible  to be the word of God?  Do you believe the bible to be infallible?

    The city of Babylon is the city of Babylon. 

    You sound like the people of the early 1800’s who believed the return of the Jews to the land of Palestine was not literal but symbolic.  When the dollar collapses so will the USA.  A new financial capital will be needed.  What better place than a new improved city in a recently improved country.

    A new city that is built will need new things.  New buildings.  New merchants.  New entertainment for the workers.  Look at all crafts and workers mentioned in Revelations 18:11-24 (see also Isaiah 24:1-12).  Many will be made rich in a short time.

    The Euphrates river flows right through the middle of the city.  The two prophets that prophecy in Jerusalem before Armageddon will close up heaven that it rain not(Rev. 11:3,6; Jeremiah 9:15; 23:15; Lamentations 3:15).  This will dry up the Euphrates preparing the way for the kings of the east to join in Armageddon. (Jeremiah 50:35-40; Rev 16:12; Isaiah 19:4-10).  When Babylon is destroyed, like Sodom and Gomorrah, the smoke thereof will be seen hundreds of miles away.  The Arabian sea is not that far away.

    This quincidently is also the place that Ahmadinejad wants as the new world caliphate where the 12th Imam will rule.  Also Islam likes to behead people people fulfilling Revelation  20:4.

    Revelation 17 has not yet come to pass so we are only guessing as to who the ten kingdoms are. There are easily 10 countries that will support Ahmadinejad’s idea.  To get the world to agree a false peace may be needed with Israel.

    When this happens the US will be in great duress because of the collapse of the economy.  This will give Gog the idea that an invasion of the US is possible (Ezekiel 38:10-14). 

    I believe that all this could happen in as little as 6 years time, things would have to move rapidly though.  It will more likely take 7-12 years before Armageddon but could take as long as 120 years.