Chapter Thirty-Two/God's Anger Brought to a Finish - The River Euphrates Dried Up

 The sixth trumpet blast heralded the releasing of the "four angels that are bound at the great river Euphrates." (Revelation 9:14) Historically, Babylon was the great city that sat of the river Euphrates. And in 1919 the real release of the symbolic four angels accompanied a significant fall of Babylon the Great. (Revelation 14:8) It is noteworthy, then, that the sixth bowl of God's anger also involves the river Euphrates: "And the sixth one poured out his bowl upon the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, that the way might be prepared from the kings of the rising of the sun." (Revelation 16:12) This too is bad news for Babylon the Great!

In ancient Babylon's heyday, the abundant waters of the Euphrates were a major part of her defense system. In 539 B.C.E. those waters dried up when they were diverted from their course by the Persian leader Cyrus. Thus, the way was open for Cyrus the Persia and Darius the Mede, the kings from "the rising of the sun" (that is, the east), to enter into Babylon and conquer it. In the hour of crisis, the river Euphrates failed in the defense of that great city.  (Isaiah44:27-455:7; Jeremiah 51:36) Something similar is due to happen to modern Babylon, the worldwide system of false religion.

Next time: Chapter Thirty-Two/God's Anger Brought to a Finish - The River Euphrates Dried Up - Continue

From the jw.org publications