Let's settle this debate. Let's look at the merchants who mourn for Babylon. If we can identify who they are and where they are from, we can solve this mystery, right? I've shortened the below to focus on key words from Rev 18, which describes the mourning of the Kings who traded with Babylon.
Rev 18:
[SUP]11 [/SUP]“And the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, for no one buys their merchandise anymore: [SUP]12 [/SUP]merchandise of gold and silver, precious stones and pearls, fine linen and purple, silk and scarlet, every kind of citron wood, every kind of object of ivory, every kind of object of most precious wood, bronze, iron, and marble; [SUP]13 [/SUP]and cinnamon and incense, fragrant oil and frankincense, wine and oil, fine flour and wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and bodies and souls of men. [SUP]14 [/SUP]The fruit that your soul longed for has gone from you, and all the things which are rich and splendid have gone from you, and you shall find them no more at all. [SUP]15 [/SUP]The merchants of these things, who became rich by her, will stand at a distance for fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, [SUP]16 [/SUP]and saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city that was clothed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls! [SUP]17 [/SUP]For in one hour such great riches came to nothing.’ Every shipmaster, all who travel by ship, sailors, and as many as trade on the sea, stood at a distance [SUP]18 [/SUP]and cried out when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, ‘What is like this great city?’
[SUP]19 [/SUP]“They threw dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and wailing, and saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city, in which all who had ships on the sea became rich by her wealth! For in one hour she is made desolate.’
Here are the key words.
gold
silver
precious stones
ivory
fine linen and purple
bronze, iron
cinnamon and incense and frankincense
wine and oil
cattle and sheep
horses
bodies and souls of men
They threw dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and wailing
The merchants of these things, who became rich by her
all who had ships on the sea became rich by her wealth!
at a distance for fear of her torment
Do we have any companion passages in other places in the Bible with the same key words? You betcha. I will shorten the below from Ezek 27 to focus on the same key words.
[SUP]12 [/SUP]“Tarshish was your merchant because of your many luxury goods. They gave you silver, iron, tin, and lead for your goods. [SUP]13 [/SUP]Javan, Tubal, and Meshech were your traders. They bartered human lives and vessels of bronze for your merchandise. [SUP]14 [/SUP]Those from the house of Togarmah traded for your wares with horses, steeds, and mules. [SUP]15 [/SUP]The men of Dedan were your traders; many isles were the market of your hand. They brought you ivory tusks and ebony as payment. [SUP]16 [/SUP]Syria was your merchant because of the abundance of goods you made. They gave you for your wares emeralds, purple, embroidery, fine linen, corals, and rubies. [SUP]17 [/SUP]Judah and the land of Israel were your traders. They traded for your merchandise wheat of Minnith, millet, honey, oil, and balm. [SUP]18 [/SUP]Damascus was your merchant because of the abundance of goods you made, because of your many luxury items, with the wine of Helbon and with white wool. [SUP]19 [/SUP]Dan and Javan paid for your wares, traversing back and forth. Wrought iron, cassia, and cane were among your merchandise. [SUP]20 [/SUP]Dedan was your merchant in saddlecloths for riding. [SUP]21 [/SUP]Arabia and all the princes of Kedar were your regular merchants. They traded with you in lambs, rams, and goats. [SUP]22 [/SUP]The merchants of Sheba and Raamah were your merchants. They traded for your wares the choicest spices, all kinds of precious stones, and gold. [SUP]23 [/SUP]Haran, Canneh, Eden, the merchants of Sheba, Assyria, and Chilmad were your merchants. [SUP]24 [/SUP]These were your merchants in choice items—in purple clothes, in embroidered garments, in chests of multicolored apparel, in sturdy woven cords, which were in your marketplace.
[SUP]25 [/SUP]“The ships of Tarshish were carriers of your merchandise.
You were filled and very glorious in the midst of the seas.
[SUP]26 [/SUP]Your oarsmen brought you into many waters,
But the east wind broke you in the midst of the seas.
[SUP]27 [/SUP]“Your riches, wares, and merchandise,
Your mariners and pilots,
Your caulkers and merchandisers,
All your men of war who are in you,
And the entire company which is in your midst,
Will fall into the midst of the seas on the day of your ruin.
[SUP]28 [/SUP]The common-land will shake at the sound of the cry of your pilots.
[SUP]29 [/SUP]“All who handle the oar,
The mariners,
All the pilots of the sea
Will come down from their ships and stand on the shore.
[SUP]30 [/SUP]They will make their voice heard because of you;
They will cry bitterly and cast dust on their heads;
They will roll about in ashes;
[SUP]31 [/SUP]They will shave themselves completely bald because of you,
Gird themselves with sackcloth,
And weep for you
With bitterness of heart and bitter wailing.
[SUP]32 [/SUP]In their wailing for you
They will take up a lamentation,
And lament for you:
‘What city is like Tyre,
Destroyed in the midst of the sea?
[SUP]33 [/SUP]‘When your wares went out by sea,
You satisfied many people;
You enriched the kings of the earth
With your many luxury goods and your merchandise.
[SUP]34 [/SUP]But you are broken by the seas in the depths of the waters;
Your merchandise and the entire company will fall in your midst.
[SUP]35 [/SUP]All the inhabitants of the isles will be astonished at you;
Their kings will be greatly afraid,
And their countenance will be troubled.
[SUP]36 [/SUP]The merchants among the peoples will hiss at you;
You will become a horror, and be no more forever.’”’”
Here are the key words:
gold
silver
ivory tusks
precious stones, emeralds and rubies
purple, embroidery, fine linen
iron, vessels of bronze
choicest spices
oil, the wine of Helbon
wheat of Minnith
lambs, rams, and goats
horses, steeds
They bartered human lives
will cry bitterly and cast dust on their heads
You enriched the kings of the earth
Their kings will be greatly afraid
Not only are the similarities stricking, there are many locations given in Ezek 27 that tells us where this takes place. Above in red are the places and below the modern locations for names which might to be familiar to everyone.
Tarshish- Sourthen Turkey near Syria
Javan, Tubal, and Meshech - Turkey
Togarmah - Turkey
Syria
Judah and the land of Israel
Dedan - Saudi Arabia Southeast coast of Persian Gulf
Minnith - Jordan, east of the River Jordan and the Dead Sea
Damascus
Helbon - Syria, just north of Demascus
Dan - Israel
Javan - Greece
Arabia
Kedar- Northwestern Saudi Arabia
Sheba and Raamah - Southwestern Saudi Arabia
Haran, Canneh, Eden - Iraq and Northern Saudi Arabia
Chilmad
Everything, and I mean everything about Babylon screams of the Muslim world and MECCA as it's spiritual capital.