NYC is the one who says she sits here a queen (part 2)
8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.
This is the point. The judgement about to come on NY all comes in one day. To be "utterly burned with fire" suggests nuclear bombs to me. When the US firebombed Tokyo it appeared to have "utterly burned" parts of the city, but not the whole thing. It is very hard to believe anything short of nuclear would utterly burn NYC, especially in one day. The port in NYC and New Jersey is the largest port on the East Coast. If this port were destroyed in one day it would lead to famine.
9 And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning, 10 Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.
Clearly we are talking about a city, a mighty city. That narrows the list down to about ten. We have already eliminated London because they would not be so foolish as to say "I shall see no sorrow". We have also eliminated Tokyo, they are not a major global consumer and after WW2 they would never say they would not see sorrow. Also, they are not a melting pot. The kings in Europe cannot "stand afar off" from cities in Europe or even Moscow. That eliminates Paris and Amsterdam. Singapore has not forced anyone to drink their befuddling wine. Seoul, Shanghai, Dubai, and Beijing are exporters, not importers. An exporter is a merchant, selling their wares, they are the ones made wealthy by their customer buying their stuff.
11 And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more:
The US is the biggest consumer nation. If one of these other powerful cities were destroyed people would be upset, but not because "no one buys their merchandise anymore". Which of these ten most powerful cities being utterly destroyed would have the biggest impact on merchants who export their goods? Clearly it is NYC.
12 The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble, 13 And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men. 14 And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all. 15 The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing,
To "stand afar off from" is easy if we are talking about NYC. But how do the merchants in China stand afar off from Tokyo or Seoul? If you look at all these other cities the only one they can stand afar off from is Singapore, but that city has virtually nothing else in common with this chapter.
16 And saying, Alas, alas that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! 17 For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,
Notice this word "every shipmaster". That would not be true of China, where most of the ship masters are. The US sits on two oceans. The more you look at this chapter only two cities show up, NYC and London. But London cannot be considered a Christian city, though it can be considered a melting pot. This great city must be a great port, not for exporting but for importing.
18 And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city! 19 And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.
20 Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her. 21 And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.
This is a direct reference to Matthew 18. New York City was deeply involved in the slave trade and had one of the largest enslaved populations in colonial America. By 1703, over 42% of NYC households enslaved African people, the second-highest proportion of any city after Charleston, SC. NYC held a key role in the institution, including an official slave market on Wall Street.
22 And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee; 23 And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived. 24 And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.
8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.
This is the point. The judgement about to come on NY all comes in one day. To be "utterly burned with fire" suggests nuclear bombs to me. When the US firebombed Tokyo it appeared to have "utterly burned" parts of the city, but not the whole thing. It is very hard to believe anything short of nuclear would utterly burn NYC, especially in one day. The port in NYC and New Jersey is the largest port on the East Coast. If this port were destroyed in one day it would lead to famine.
9 And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning, 10 Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.
Clearly we are talking about a city, a mighty city. That narrows the list down to about ten. We have already eliminated London because they would not be so foolish as to say "I shall see no sorrow". We have also eliminated Tokyo, they are not a major global consumer and after WW2 they would never say they would not see sorrow. Also, they are not a melting pot. The kings in Europe cannot "stand afar off" from cities in Europe or even Moscow. That eliminates Paris and Amsterdam. Singapore has not forced anyone to drink their befuddling wine. Seoul, Shanghai, Dubai, and Beijing are exporters, not importers. An exporter is a merchant, selling their wares, they are the ones made wealthy by their customer buying their stuff.
11 And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more:
The US is the biggest consumer nation. If one of these other powerful cities were destroyed people would be upset, but not because "no one buys their merchandise anymore". Which of these ten most powerful cities being utterly destroyed would have the biggest impact on merchants who export their goods? Clearly it is NYC.
12 The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble, 13 And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men. 14 And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all. 15 The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing,
To "stand afar off from" is easy if we are talking about NYC. But how do the merchants in China stand afar off from Tokyo or Seoul? If you look at all these other cities the only one they can stand afar off from is Singapore, but that city has virtually nothing else in common with this chapter.
16 And saying, Alas, alas that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! 17 For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,
Notice this word "every shipmaster". That would not be true of China, where most of the ship masters are. The US sits on two oceans. The more you look at this chapter only two cities show up, NYC and London. But London cannot be considered a Christian city, though it can be considered a melting pot. This great city must be a great port, not for exporting but for importing.
18 And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city! 19 And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.
20 Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her. 21 And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.
This is a direct reference to Matthew 18. New York City was deeply involved in the slave trade and had one of the largest enslaved populations in colonial America. By 1703, over 42% of NYC households enslaved African people, the second-highest proportion of any city after Charleston, SC. NYC held a key role in the institution, including an official slave market on Wall Street.
22 And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee; 23 And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived. 24 And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.