The phrase, "the merchants of the earth", is mentioned twice in the Book of Revelation chapter 18 and no where else; the word "trade", found in this same chapter, is the only mention in the New Testament that refers to trading between nations (the other mention in Matthew 25:16 refers more to trading or business of an individual). Something special with regards to modern global business and trading is hidden here.
2,000 years after John wrote the Book of Revelation he received directly from Jesus on Patmos Island, today, the destruction of Mystery Babylon in Revelation chapter 18, is closer than ever before to its prophetic fulfillment. Trump has officially launched his North American trade war on March 4th^, imposing 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada. On the same day, following the previous round of 10% tariffs imposed on all goods originating from China a month earlier, an additional 10% tariffs was imposed. This looks like the beginning of a global trade war. Countries hit with US tariffs are unlikely to take it lying down. Will the tit-for-tat get out of hand and lead to open military conflicts and hot wars? Only time can tell.
[^Note: Two days later, U.S. announced a temporary exemption of tariffs on some Canadian, Mexican imports until April 2nd.]
Of all the Bible authors, only John wrote about the mark of the beast (I believe it's the digital ID chip) and the end-time global trade, in prescient details. "And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name." While the digital ID is described in Revelation chapter 13, the end-time global trade conducted by the merchants of the earth is detailed in Revelation chapter 18, with key focus on Mystery Babylon. Although portrayed by John as an adulterous woman, Mystery Babylon is actually a "great city" (Rev 17:18; 18:10, 16, 18, 19, 21) -- the kings of the earth have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her (18:3, 9) -- and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies (18:3).
John saw in the Apocalyptic vision 2,000 years ago two remarkable modern developments -- digitalisation and globalization -- preconditions necessary for rolling out the mark-of-the-beast technology and for facilitating international trade. Without the advent of the computer, it is impossible to have a cashless payment system foisted on the people of the world. Without a digital ID in your right hand or forehead, no one can buy or sell in the dystopia soon to come. International trade today is so interconnected that all it takes is a ship blocking the Suez Canal for seven days to hold up US$10 billion worth of trade. This actual scenario took place in March 23–29, 2021.
The great city of Mystery Babylon holds sway over great men of politics and business. At this point in history, on the cusp of the Tribulation, only one city comes close to checking all the boxes of Revelation 18. New York City is the world's number one financial hub. According to the Oxford Economics Global Cities Index 2024, the Big Apple ranks number 1 in the economics category. It also occupies the top spot in overall ranking. Its GDP in 2023 is a whopping US$2.3 trillion.
Seven of the top 10 global cities by economics score are American. No wonder Trump is so confident in waging a global trade war. He has a lot of leverage. The total percentage of exports of Canada and Mexico into America is 75% and 80% respectively according to Google AI. Both America's closest neighbors rely more on US markets than the other way around. They don't have the cards, as Trump would say.
New York City is home to the United Nations Headquarters. This is the great city where the kings of the earth meet regularly to vote for the UN resolutions. So economically and politically, no other cities fit Mystery Babylon better than NYC.
The Babylon Code
This code is hidden in Rev 18:11, "And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more". The merchants of the earth are the conglomerates, tech giants, and MNCs. They supply everything money can buy, without which no man can live. Despite the much hyped up metaverse (virtual world), man is still living in a physical world the last I checked. We still need "things", stuff we can touch, food and drink, clothes we wear, washing machine, refrigerator, furniture etc -- everything material in a residential home. Extend that to the commercial and industrial sectors, the amount of physical "things" needed for the economy are much more substantial. 90% of these merchandise are shipped by sea due to cost and volume. Hence, the strategic importance of freedom of navigation of global waterways -- vital assets fiercely contended and guarded by competing global powers.
Control the supply of these merchandise, you have the people in the palm of your hand. One word sums up what the mark of the beast is all about -- control. Take the mark or die of hunger or decapitation. No wriggling room for a third option. You do not want to be around and get trapped in the beast system with no escape. The Babylon Code reveals the beast in this diabolical system!
For readers who follow my letters, you might have recollection of Rev 18:11 -- John's 1318th verse -- out of the 1415 verses he wrote (879+105+13+14+404; John, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Revelation). The number 1318 is the CV (chapter-verse) number of Rev 13:18 -- the 666 beast scripture. What first caught my attention is the Greek gematria of Rev 18:11, which is 10 times 793 -- the standard English gematria of Barack Hussein Obama.
Described in John's 1318th verse, the merchants of the earth "mourn" over the destruction of Mystery Babylon. The Greek word for "mourn" (penthéō) has a Strong's number 3996, that is SIX TIMES 666! This Greek word is listed as the 1318th form in the '2042' set of different forms extracted from the KJV translation of the Book of Revelation (link) !!!!!! It appears three times in the Book of Revelation, exclusively applied to the mourning and wailing over Babylon in chapter 18.
The Greek word for "merchandise" is gómos; its Strong's number, 1117, when taken as H1117, is the Hebrew word for Bamah, a place in Palestine -- which points to O'Bama! The word only appears once in the Hebrew Bible in Ezekiel 20:29, v20925. As number of days of Obama since birth, day 20925 is day 666 after he left the White House at the end of his second term -- in the 666th month since his birth! G1117 (gómos) is listed as the 283rd form in the '2042' set of forms. The in-text Hebrew gematria of "ash" (H666) in 1 Kings 20:38 is 283!
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Doves, I know my numbering approach may seem unorthodox even to fellow Bible numericists. But I also realize that just as there are as many theologians as there are verses in the Bible, every numbers-focused watcher may have his own unique take on numbers. My North Star, if it exists at all in Bible Numerics, is Rev 13:18 -- I believe its solution lies in its verse order 30,927, which is 39 times 793 -- the standard English gematria of Barack Hussein Obama. To believers who are open to the Hebrew and Greek gematria as valid source of hidden Bible codes, the use of English gematria may not be acceptable to them; they may also question other data sources -- for example, Strong's numbers, chapter and verse numbers, and others.
But ultimately, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. The moment of truth will come when we see Jesus face to face, whether your pet theory holds water or not. Of course, by that time, your joy of meeting Jesus should far exceed the feeling of eggs on your face should your pudding turn out to be sour :)
Come, Lord Jesus!
John