In prior posts, I have indirectly addressed the end times U.S., which I personally believe to represent both the last days nation of ‘Babylon’ as well as the last days ‘northern kingdom.’ In addressing each of these, I used separate sets of scripture.
In one passage, entitled Prophecy in the Book of Hosea, I went through Hosea’s life story as a symbol in prophecy, along with prophecy about God’s people, ‘Israel’ and ‘Ephraim,’ who live in today’s last days version of the ‘northern kingdom’ of Israel (i.e. ‘Ephraim’ and ‘Samaria’). I stated my belief that these people and the land that is being referred to in the book of Hosea are largely represented by the U.S.
In my last series, including four passages about end times ‘Babylon,’ I used prophetic scripture elsewhere in God’s word that either refers specifically to ‘Babylon,’ or that refers to last days ‘Jacob’ and his people, who I have established as residing in end times ‘Babylon.’ I have stated my belief that the last days nation of ‘Babylon’ is represented by the U.S.
Now, I will directly compare the prophetic story of end times ‘Babylon’-U.S. with that of the ‘northern kingdom’ as it is described in the book of Hosea. If scripture describing both indeed refers to the same land and people, as I believe it does, then we should expect to find many similarities, and certainly no significant discrepancies or inconsistencies.
In fact, this is what we find. So, in this current passage (Part 1), I will address the major prophetic themes about the last days land and people of ‘Babylon’ and the ‘northern kingdom.’ I will provide a comparison and cross-check between them based on content in my prior passages as well as some additional scripture that applies.
The themes that I will address in this passage, Part 1, herein include:
- False gods and idols
- Sin and wickedness
- God’s punishment on his vineyard
- God and his ‘Jacob army’ in ‘Babylon’-U.S.
If you are a regular reader on this site, then you will be familiar with these areas by now, but my specific purpose in this passage is to show that prophetic scripture that applies to both last days ‘Babylon’ and the ‘northern kingdom’ is consistent, and is applicable to the same land and people.
False gods and false idols
End times ‘Babylon’ and the ‘northern kingdom’ in scripture are both filled with false gods and false idols due to being anti-Christ Chaldean-infested.
The prophet Hosea’s wife Gomer, a symbol of unfaithful ‘Israel’s/Ephraim’s people who worship Baal and false idols, is a prostitute. In Hosea, we are told that Gomer the prostitute (Israel) has “decked herself with rings and jewelry” (Hos 2:13) and has burned incense to Baal. Meanwhile, in scripture about ‘Babylon,’ we know that it is symbolized by the woman, harlot who rides the beast of the Babylonian kingdom. Recall that the woman harlot of ‘Babylon’ in Revelation is “decked with gold and precious stones and pearls” (Rev 17:4), representing a kingdom of idols and riches.
I have described in a previous passage, and reiterated in my ‘Babylon’ series, worship of false gods being an issue of the heart. In Hosea, God shows he wants his people’s (Israel’s) love through Gomer who has otherwise forgotten him, her husband, and has not acknowledged that he was the one who provided for her (Hos 4:11). God furthermore says that his people’s “heart is divided” due to these other gods and idols. In scripture referring back to ‘Babylon’s Chaldeans, God similarly says, a “deceived heart has turned him (who is blinded) aside” (Is 44:20). The following scripture is a lesson to God’s people about their divided loyalties:
- “Harlotry and wine and new wine take away the heart.” (Hos 4:11)
There is much scripture that makes it clear that end times ‘Babylon,’ today’s ‘northern kingdom’ of Israel, is filled with false gods, idols, and images along with their respective altars. The following are just a few examples that show the peoples’ worship of these foreign gods:
- “As they called them, so they went from them: They sacrificed unto Baalim, and burned incense to graven images.” (Hos 11:2)
- “And now they sin more and more, and have made them molten images of their silver, and idols according to their own understanding, all of it the work of the craftsmen: They say of them, Let the men that sacrifice kiss the calves.” (Hos 13:2)
- “And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image: He falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou art my god.” (Is 44:17)
In scripture describing both ‘Babylon’ and the end times ‘northern kingdom,’ it is apparent that these false gods and idols will not work when people call upon them in the last days. I explained in my last series how these idols cannot save when trouble comes, but will instead only cause ‘Babylon’s people and its leaders confusion, confounding and madness.
Those among God’s people who return to Jesus Christ in the last days will finally recognize this. In the book of Hosea, ‘Ephraim,’ which will be ashamed of ‘Assyrian’ counsel, will finally return to God, and remarks, “What have I to do any more with idols” (Hos 14:8). As for Gomer, God says that when he restores her, he will “remove the names of the Baals from her lips” (Hos 2:17).
Sins and wickedness
Especially in the last days, wherever there are false gods and idols, there will be much sin and wickedness. I have discussed many times how false gods and rampant sin is a mark of an anti-Christ Chaldean society. Such a society will always also include lawlessness as well. This type of society describes last days ‘Babylon,’ the end times ‘northern kingdom’ of Israel. The following scripture in Hosea summarizes the relationship between false gods, lawlessness and sin:
- “Because Ephraim hath made many altars to sin, altars shall be unto him to sin. I have written to him the great things of my law, but they were counted as a strange thing.They sacrifice flesh for the sacrifices of mine offerings, and eat it; but the Lord accepteth them not; now will he remember their iniquity, and visit their sins: they shall return to Egypt. For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and buildeth temples…” (Hos 8:11-14)
Remember, the meaning of ‘returning to ‘Egypt’ in this last days time period is worshiping anti-Christ Chaldean occult-based false gods- a belief system in which sin and wickedness is built-in.
In the ‘Babylon’ series on this site, I reminded that Satan and his Anti-Christ-controlled kingdom will include rampant lying, along with stealing, killing and destruction. I provided supporting scriptures in each of these areas. Meanwhile, we learn the same in the book of Hosea. The first comment below through Hosea is directed to the “children of Israel” in the last days ‘northern kingdom’:
- “…for the Lord hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood.” (Hos 4:1-2)
- “When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria: For they commit falsehood; and the thief cometh in, and the troop of robbers spoileth without.” (Hos 7:1)
You understand by now that a key marker of a sinful, wicked anti-Christ Chaldean kingdom is lawlessness and injustice. I gave examples of this in my recent ‘Babylon’ series. In the book of Hosea (8:1), God says, “they have transgressed my covenant and trespassed against my law.” Oppression and lawlessness happens every time in a Chaldean society that is filled with citizens who take oaths and agree to serve other powers above all else. Lies, cover-ups and misdeeds are then sustained and truth goes by the wayside. Scripture in the book of Hosea refers to this:
- “Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment, because he willingly walked after the commandment.” (Hos 5:11)
- “None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: They trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.” (Is 59:4)
I have described before, especially as it applies to the last days country of Israel, that Chaldeans destroy societies from within, and then come and destroy from without. As a worldwide network of corrupt and oppressive tyrants who keep each other in power and operate “above the law,” they create problems, and then pretend to provide the solutions.
Chaldeans target God’s people
We have learned that the anti-Christ Chaldeans target God’s vineyard, either to recruit them and corrupt them, or else to victimize them. Chaldeans, through their spy apparatus, “catch” them in their sins if they are not members, or require them to engage in sin, and subsequently document it, if they are members. This is what is referred to in the following scripture:
- “They (Chaldeans) eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity.” (Hos 4:8)
- “They (my people) make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies.” (Hos 7:3)
You will recall from King David’s ancient scripture in the Psalms how he describes the Chaldeans of his day constantly setting up traps and stumbling blocks.
Speaking again of the country of Israel, I am reminded here of God calling it out for its peoples’ lewdness (Ez 24:13), which God says is their primary problem. This is also a major problem also for Chaldean-infested ‘Babylon’ and the last days ‘northern kingdom’ as well as described in my prior passages. The Chaldeans of ‘Babylon’ encourage and institutionalize this sinful behavior. Sin of a sexual nature is especially called out in the book of Hosea. Speaking of, God says that he will discover Gomer’s “lewdness” in the sight of her lovers (Hos 2:10). Gomer, as a sign of ‘Israel,’ is a strong indicator that the ‘northern kingdom’s sins as a nation will be revealed.
God’s punishment on his vineyard
I have written many times on this site about how in the last days God punishes his vineyard, the house of Israel, due to their wickedness. I have also shown that much of this punishment takes place in ‘Babylon’ at the hands of the anti-Christ Chaldeans.
God does this because of his peoples’ disobedience in partaking in those interrelated areas of sin just described. This happens as a result of a people collectively choosing to serve false gods and idols, thereby perpetuating sinful behavior.
In fact, it will be shown that many of God’s people have fallen into the anti-Christ Chaldean trap, described in the section above. This is the trap of being “captured” and becoming prisoners to their sins, and subsequently taking secret oaths of allegiance to the Chaldeans; thereby, submitting to bondage and control by their own enemy. This includes nonsensically adhering to enslaving, sabotaging anti-Christ Chaldean practices and their occultic belief system.
The Chaldeans are the very enemy that intentionally lead God’s people astray, and then will turn on them in the last days. As I have addressed previously, the Chaldeans are the primary force behind God’s people becoming an “empty vine,” and are the reason behind the following:
- “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: Seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.” (Hos 4:6)
- “The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up; his sin is hid.” (Hos 13:12)
- “It is in my desire that I should chastise them; and the people shall be gathered against them, when they shall bind themselves in their two furrows.” (Hos 10:10)
These verses above refer to God’s peoples’ blindness and voluntary bondage to the Chaldeans. In these last days, God’s own people will be among those who are greatly deceived because they refused the “love of the truth (Jesus Christ) that would have saved them” (2 Thess 2:10). God will turn his people over to the false gods they love. Consistent with his policy of retribution, God tells Hosea to call the daughter born to Gomer a name meaning “not loved,” and says, “I will no longer show love to Israel…” At this point, God turns them over to their Chaldean enemies. This is described as follows:
- “Israel hath cast off the thing that is good: The enemy shall pursue him.” (Hos 8:3)
- “For, lo, they are gone because of destruction: Egypt shall gather them up, Memphis shall bury them: the pleasant places for their silver, nettles shall possess them: thorns shall be in their tabernacles.” (Hos 9:6)
The “enemy” in these last days is ‘Egypt’- the new world order system that is anti-Christ and is aligned against God’s people.
God’s unwise people participate in their own destruction
In many ways, God’s vineyard has brought on their own punishment. In the book of Hosea, God says, “Ephraim brings forth fruit to himself” (Hos 10:1). Committing to and being deceived by the Chaldeans means inter-mingling with the Chaldeans, which is a modern-day form of breaking God’s ancient instructions for his people not to mix with other peoples, at that time, in the holy land. God’s vineyard in ‘Babylon’ merely becomes part of what God says are “mingled” people that are “in the midst of her.”
His people become diluted as they fall into intentional schemes of inter-marrying Chaldeans and intentional divorce, thereby further diluting God’s inheritance by having children, including “strange children,” and children of adulterous practices. Related to adultery, as was seen in scripture for ‘Babylon,’ is also word-for-word in Hosea: “They are all adulterers” (Hos 7:4, Jer 9:2). This is consistent with the last section above in this passage describing God’s people’s sin and wickedness.
Meanwhile, the following scriptures from the book of Hosea refer to God’s people as a stripped vine or a “mingled people”:
- “Ephraim is smitten, their root is dried up, they shall bear no fruit…” (Hos 9:16)
- “Ephraim, he hath mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake not turned.” (Hos 7:8)
So, anti-Christ Chaldeans destroy God’s vineyard in many ways. As shown earlier, they actively recruit them and lead them into sin. They also intentionally intermingle. Then, they ultimately turn against them in stripping God’s vineyard through more aggressive oppression and persecution tactics, as well as by criminal means, that take them into bondage in the modern age. I have addressed some of these tactics in my prior posts.
Meanwhile, the following scriptures show this facet of the silent war and destruction of God’s vine as described for both the ‘northern kingdom’ in Hosea, as well as for ‘Babylon’:
- “And the revolters are profound to make slaughter, though I have been a rebuker of them all.” (Hos 5:2)
- “And I will destroy her vines and her fig trees, whereof she hath said, These are my rewards that my lovers have given me: and I will make them a forest, and the beasts of the field shall eat them.” (Hos 2:23)
- “Israel is a scattered sheep; the lions have driven him away: first the king of Assyria hath devoured him; and last this Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon hath broken his bones.” (Jer 50:17)
- “Their quiver is as an open sepulchre, they are all mighty men. And they shall eat up thine harvest, and thy bread, which thy sons and thy daughters should eat: They shall eat up thy flocks and thine herds: they shall eat up thy vines and thy fig trees: They shall impoverish thy fenced cities, wherein thou trustedst, with the sword.” (Jer 5:16-17)
God in ‘Babylon’ with his ‘Jacob army’
While it could be argued that the other themes discussed in this passage (and in Part 2 to follow) could apply to many possible countries in the last days, probably the strongest evidence of a tie-in directly that shows ‘Babylon’ as one-in-the-same with the ‘northern kingdom’ is the presence of God himself, end-times ‘Jacob,’ and the ‘Jacob army’-Judah remnant that is referred to in each. In fact, scripture in Hosea even addresses the “house of Israel,” “Israel,” and the “children of Israel”- all of which allude to ‘Jacob’ and his people, who we know are in ‘Babylon.’
Finally, scripture in Hosea also refers to God’s “watchman,” similar to watchmen elsewhere in scripture, some of whom carry that title as a result of their warnings issued about end times ‘Babylon,’ its Chaldeans, and its coming punishment. These warnings are the same or similar to those described many times as a “woman in travail.” This includes the ‘Daughter of Zion’ being in travail, which is prominent in scripture about ‘Babylon,’ but a woman in “travail” is also referred to in the book of Hosea for the ‘northern kingdom,’ which I will address in Part 2.
God is there and then hides his face
Most importantly, of course, God himself is present. In my passage on God’s Coming Punishment on ‘Babylon,’ Part 1, I described and provided supporting scripture about God’s presence in ‘Babylon.’ God is “watching,” and is also in a warrior role while fighting the silent war versus the anti-Christ Chaldeans. This is in the last days, in a time period prior to truth ultimately being revealed to the public, and subsequent to God’s final judgment beginning. Meanwhile, in regard to God’s slow, quiet judgment process taking place, the following scripture in the book of Hosea is consistent with scripture about last days ‘Babylon’:
- “Therefore will I be unto Ephraim as a moth, and to the house of Judah as rottenness…” (Hos 5:12)
- “Therefore I will be unto them as a lion: As a leopard by the way will I observe them…” (Hos 13:7)
Related to the first scripture above, you will recall a similar passage in Isaiah (51:8) about God’s quiet process of judgment on ‘Babylon’ symbolized as a “moth eating a garment.”
Another clue we have that God himself is in ‘Babylon’ is that scripture tells us that there is a point at which he decides to “hide his face”; scripture also tells us that he “withdraws,” obviously implying his presence in the first place. I have previously estimated that the event of God hiding his face in the end times from ‘Babylon’ can possibly be associated with the Restrainer (Holy Spirit, third member of the trinity) being “taken out of the way.” And I have further estimated that this will happen around the time that the truth about the silent war begins to be more openly revealed; which, in turn, triggers the final invasion on ‘Babylon’ in the Tribulation period (as I described in my passage entitled, God’s Coming Judgment on ‘Babylon’ (Part 2). Of God hiding his face, he says:
- “Woe to them when I depart from them.” (Hos 9:12)
I have addressed God hiding his face in these last days previously, but as it applies to ‘Ephraim,’ the ‘northern kingdom’ of Israel, scripture in the book of Hosea says that ‘Ephraim’ will not (immediately) find God when real trouble comes and they finally decide to turn their hearts to seek him:
- “They shall go with their flocks and with their herds to seek the Lord; but they shall not find him; he hath withdrawn himself from them.” (Hos 5:6)
- “I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: In their affliction they will seek me early.” (Hos 5:15)
- “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.” (Is 59:2)
God hiding his face from his people, ‘Jacob,’ in the last days is also described in the book of Isaiah. This is presented in the context of warning of trouble that will come onto his people in ‘Babylon’/the ’northern kingdom’ that comes in the Tribulation period.
The ‘Jacob army‘
It is well-established in my prior passages that the righteous ‘Jacob army’-Judah remnant is in ‘Babylon’ and fighting the anti-Christ Chaldeans in a behind-the-scenes war in the last days. ‘Jacob,’ ‘David,’ and the ‘Daughter of Zion’ are among those who battle in ‘Babylon’ against the evil Chaldean forces. God gives them tremendous power in their quiet war that eventually destroys the Chaldeans and breaks down their “wall” by revealing truth to the public for the first time about their secret, oppressive, criminal activities.
Meanwhile, scripture in the book of Hosea adds ‘Ephraim’ (likely as a people group within ‘Babylon’) to the ‘Jacob army,’ in describing the righteous battle against the anti-Christ Chaldeans as shown below:
- “And Ephraim is as an heifer that is taught, and loveth to tread out the corn; but I passed over upon her fair neck: I will make Ephraim to ride; Judah shall plow, and Jacob shall break his clods. Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: For it is time to seek the Lord, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.” (Hos 10:11-12)
The righteous ‘Jacob army’-Judah remnant are also holy and royal in God’s kingdom to come. We are told in Hosea (11:12) that Judah still “walks with God” and is “faithful with the saints,” likely referring to this remnant. So they are present in the last days ‘northern kingdom’ in Hosea, just as we have learned they are in ‘Babylon.’ I have surmised that this may be a small remnant that is delivered first, as signaled in scripture as ‘Jacob’ being saved out of the time of “Jacob’s trouble.” This is salvation that is provided by God, possibly around the same time that he hides his face. Following are a couple of scriptures about this event from the book of Hosea:
- “Yet I will show love to Judah; and I will save them—not by bow, sword or battle, or by horses and horsemen, but I, the Lord their God, will save them.” (Hos 1:7)
- “For I will be unto Ephraim as a lion, and as a young lion to the house of Judah: I, even I, will tear and go away; I will take away, and none shall rescue him.” (Hos 5:14)
Finally, in the book of Hosea, God promises this Judah remnant that he rescues that he has a harvest appointed at the time that he delivers all of the remainder of his remnant from their captivity.
~
In summary, it is clear that prophetic scripture about end-times ‘Babylon,’ along with that for the end times ‘northern kingdom,’ align together in telling a consistent story about events to come soon to the United States of America. Evidence shown in this passage herein combined with that which will be presented in my next passage, Part 2, demonstrating this very strong alignment overall.
Grace & Peace,
Lion’s Lair (LL)
I love your Bible studies. You write them in clear and concise manner.
Keep going. Your study on Babylon I followed your study it led me to something that I had mistakenly interpreted. It was about that “northern kingdom”. Also, this post gave me a thought about Gomer. There is a Gomer mentioned in Bible Prophecy, I believe it is in Ezekiel, do not have my notes in front of me.
God Bless you Leo!
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Thanks for your comment. God bless you as well!
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