Tisha b’Av: to the Jew, this is a date, the 9th of the Hebrew month Av. It is the 11th month of the civil calendar or the 5th month of the religious calendar. The month is not named in the Bible. Av usually occurs during July or August on the Gregorian calendar.
Historically, the date has resulted in heartache and pain for the Jewish people. Bad things have happened to nation Israel.
On the traditional Hebrew lunar calendar, In 2026, Tisha b’Av begins at sunset on Wednesday, July 22 and ends at sunset on Thursday, July 23.
On the Dead Sea Scroll solar calendar or the Essene calendar, Tisha b’Av begins at sunset on Saturday, July 25 and ends at sunset on Sunday, July 26.
As usual, the Temple Institute chooses the somber occasion to look forward to a brighter day and the building of the 3rd Temple.
One G-d, acknowledged by all: that is the one plan in heaven and on earth that can bring lasting peace to mankind. And the one place on earth for all mankind to gather as one and witness the awesome presence of G-d is the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. For 2,000 years we have mourned the tragedies of the past on Tisha b’Av. While we must never forget the destruction of the past, on this Tisha b’Av the time has come to build for the future!
“And in this place I will grant peace!” Chaggai 2:9
Haggai 2:9 The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the LORD of hosts. And in this place I will give peace, declares the LORD of hosts.
By the way, still looking for the red heifer…
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Exodus 15:4 Pharaoh’s chariots and army He has cast into the sea; the finest of his officers are drowned in the Red Sea.
Jeremiah 51:7 Babylon was a gold cup in the hand of the LORD, making the whole earth drunk. The nations drank her wine; therefore the nations have gone mad.
Are we watching the end times economic re emergence of ancient Babylon???
During Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s visit to Washington in mid-July 2026, Iraq signed around 48 deals with U.S. companies, totaling roughly $60 billion in agreements and partnerships. These focus on energy, oil production, infrastructure, and alternative export routes. apnews.com
Ezekiel 38/39 and Jeremiah 49: Ancient Persia/Elam or modern day Iran
The Gates of Hell Open: Washington Mobilizes for a "Wider War" and Nuclear Brinkmanship, While Tehran Paralyzes the Gulf and Relies on the Pakistani Depth — Talal Nahle
Monday, July 20, 2026 General Strategic Landscape The region has officially entered the trajectory of a… pic.twitter.com/6D6Be2DNdj
“Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen…” — Revelation 18:2
For generations, many prophecy teachers dismissed the idea of a future literal Babylon.
“Impossible.”
“The city is a ruin.”
“Babylon is merely symbolic.”
Yet today, that objection is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain.
Iraq is investing billions in infrastructure. The massive Al-Faw Grand Port and Development Road corridor aim to connect the Persian Gulf with Europe, Asia, and beyond through a major commercial network. No, this does not prove prophecy is being fulfilled. But it does make a future economic hub in Iraq far more plausible than skeptics once claimed.
Commentary and analysis on the Al-Faw Grand Port and Development Road below provided by Paul Lehr.
For countries on the western shores of the Persian Gulf: United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia, the Al-Faw Grand Port and Development Road will allow them to bypass the Strait of Hormuz to the north.
The road and railway go through the heart of ancient Babylon and the modern day Babylon Governorate in modern day Iraq.
And that matters because Babylon occupies a unique place in Scripture.
❖ The Bible Begins and Ends with Babylon
The first organized rebellion against God emerged at Babel.
“Come, let us build ourselves a city… and make a name for ourselves.” (Genesis 11:4)
Under Nimrod (Genesis 10:8–10), humanity united politically, economically, and spiritually in defiance of God.
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Now turn to Revelation. The final world system is centered around “Babylon the Great” (Revelation 17–18).
The parallels are striking:
❖ Global unity apart from God
❖ Political influence over nations (Rev. 17:15)
❖ Economic dominance (Rev. 18:3)
❖ Religious deception (Rev. 17:5)
❖ Sudden divine judgment (Rev. 18:8)
The Bible’s story opens with Babylon and closes with Babylon. That doesn’t feel accidental.
As Andy Woods notes, Babylon serves as one of the great bookends of biblical history—a symbol of organized human rebellion against God from Genesis to Revelation.
❖ A Remarkable Amount of Prophetic Attention
Consider how much prophetic real estate God devotes to Babylon.
Isaiah 13–14.
Jeremiah 50–51.
Daniel’s prophecies.
Revelation 17–18.
References stretching from Genesis to Revelation. Few cities receive such sustained attention across the entire biblical narrative.
That alone should make us cautious about dismissing Babylon as a minor theme or reducing it to a vague symbol.
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❖ The Literal Reading Is the Natural Reading
Babylon appears nearly 300 times in Scripture.
Babylon means Babylon in Genesis.
Babylon means Babylon in Isaiah.
Babylon means Babylon in Jeremiah.
Babylon means Babylon in Daniel.
Yet when we arrive at Revelation 17–18, many suddenly insist Babylon must become something entirely different.
Why? If Jerusalem means Jerusalem…
If Israel means Israel…
If Egypt means Egypt…
Why should Babylon not mean Babylon? The burden of proof belongs to those abandoning the normal reading.
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❖ A Destruction Still Future?
Isaiah writes: “Babylon… shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.” (Isaiah 13:19)
“It will never be inhabited, nor will it be settled from generation to generation.” (Isaiah 13:20)
Jeremiah adds: “Babylon shall become heaps.” (Jeremiah 51:37)
“No one shall dwell therein.” (Jeremiah 50:39)
Yet when Persia conquered Babylon in 539 BC, the city was not destroyed like Sodom. There was no sudden fiery annihilation. No permanent overnight devastation. People continued living there for centuries. Alexander the Great even planned to make Babylon his capital.
A fair question therefore emerges: When was Babylon ever destroyed the way Isaiah described?
Many futurists conclude the ultimate fulfillment still lies ahead.
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❖ Revelation 18 Sounds Like a Real Commercial City
Read Revelation 18 carefully. The chapter is saturated with economic language.
“The merchants of the earth have become rich…” (Rev. 18:3)
“Cargoes of gold and silver…” (Rev. 18:12)
“Every shipmaster, all who travel by ship, sailors, and as many as trade on the sea, stood at a distance.” (Rev. 18:17)
“In one hour such great riches came to nothing.” (Rev. 18:17)
Merchants. Cargo. Luxury goods. Shipping. International commerce. Global influence.
Many futurists see Revelation 17 emphasizing a religious Babylon and Revelation 18 highlighting a commercial Babylon.
Whether one accepts that distinction or not, the language sounds remarkably concrete.
The rise of major Gulf trade infrastructure makes such a scenario easier to envision than at any time in modern history.
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❖ The Same Pride, The Same Judgment
Genesis 11 records mankind saying: “Let us make a name for ourselves.”
Revelation 18 records God answering: “In one hour your judgment has come.” (Rev. 18:10)
The first great rebellion.
The final great rebellion.
The same spirit.
The same pride. The same desire to build a world without God.
And the same Judge.
No one should set dates.
No one should claim every construction project fulfills prophecy.
But believers should watch. Because the city that launched humanity’s rebellion against God may yet play a role in its final rebellion before the return of the King.
“Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen…” (Revelation 18:2)
On This Week in Prophecy… Iraq is breaking down. Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr has announced he is stepping down from politics. The result is a violent power grab. The Green Zone is Baghdad is a war zone. The violence is spreading throughout the country. A nationwide curfew has been imposed. The United States appears to be air lifting personnel from their embassy facility within the Green Zone.
Iran and Russia continue to strengthen their economic ties. Both countries have agreed to complete financial transactions with rials and rubles. India, China, and Saudi Arabia have signaled they are willing to complete economic transactions apart from the US Dollar. Other currencies include the yuan and the rupee.
China’s Yangtze River is running dry. Drought and a heat wave is gripping China this summer. Crops do not have water to grow. Pressures continue to mount on food security around the globe. Hydroelectric plants are no longer producing energy.
Shocking pictures from China: World’s third-largest river dries up in drought 👇pic.twitter.com/1rXKa01quq
— Daniel Moser – dmoser@mastodon.social (@_dmoser) August 23, 2022
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Floods are devastating Pakistan. Over 1,000 are dead. 33,000,000 people have been affected. Basic provisions of food, water, and shelter have been significantly disrupted.
A regional energy emergency has been declared. Gas prices in the upper Midwest of the United States are going up. A major fire at a refinery has severely affected gas distribution in Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. The refinery accounts for 20-25% of gas to the four states.
Genesis 11:31 Terah took Abram his son and Lot the son of Haran, his grandson, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram’s wife, and they went forth together from Ur of the Chaldeans to go into the land of Canaan, but when they came to Haran, they settled there.
March 7, 2021: Pope Francis has made a historic trip to the land of the ancient Chaldeans and Sumerians, modern day Iraq. The pontiff has traveled to the Shia Muslim holy city of Najaf, the Christian community of Qaraqosh, Abraham’s birthplace of Ur, Erbil, and the ancient city of Nineveh or modern day Mosul. This is the first time a pope has visited Iraq.
In Najaf, the Pope met with Iraq’s Shia Cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani. The visit is reported to have lasted about 50 minutes. Focus of the talks were on religious tolerance.
The following quote is from the Grand Ayatollah Sistani. “…affirmed his concern that Christian citizens should live like all Iraqis in peace and security, and with their full constitutional rights.”
Pope Francis traveled to modern day Nasiriyah or ancient Ur. This is the birthplace of Abraham, the father of the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim faiths. The Great Ziggurat of Ur was the location of the interfaith service.
“This is true religiosity: to worship God and to love our neighbor. From this place, where faith was born, from the land of our father Abraham, let us affirm that God is merciful and that the greatest blasphemy is to profane his name by hating our brothers and sisters. Hostility, extremism and violence are not born of a religious heart: They are betrayals of religion.”
“It all started from here. This blessed place brings us back to our origins. We seem to have returned home.” -Pope Francis.
By the way, those of the Hebrew faith were not invited by the Iraqi government. Many spoke out against the decision by the Iraqi government including representatives of the Pope. There was no Jewish representation at the interfaith service.
Iraq has begun a “major” military operation to gain control of oil fields and military bases in the Kurdistan region near Kirkuk.
Jeremiah 51 and Isaiah 13 are dedicated to the future judgment of Babylon (modern day Iraq). The prophets state Babylonian judgment will take place at the hands of the Medes (modern day Kurds). These passages speak to the complete destruction of Babylon and it is never again to be inhabited by people.
Are we witnessing the beginning of the fulfillment of these prophecies? Here are references related to the actors.
Jeremiah 51:1-2 Thus says the LORD: “Behold, I will stir up the spirit of a destroyer against Babylon, against the inhabitants of Leb-kamai, and I will send to Babylon winnowers, and they shall winnow her, and they shall empty her land, when they come against her from every side on the day of trouble.
Jeremiah 51:11 “Sharpen the arrows! Take up the shields!
The LORD has stirred up the spirit of the kings of the Medes, because his purpose concerning Babylon is to destroy it, for that is the vengeance of the LORD, the vengeance for His temple.
Jeremiah 51:28-29 Prepare the nations for war against her, the kings of the Medes, with their governors and deputies, and every land under their dominion. The land trembles and writhes in pain, for the LORD’s purposes against Babylon stand, to make the land of Babylon a desolation, without inhabitant.
Isaiah 13:17-22 Behold, I am stirring up the Medes against them, who have no regard for silver and do not delight in gold. Their bows will slaughter the young men; they will have no mercy on the fruit of the womb; their eyes will not pity children. And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the splendor and pomp of the Chaldeans, will be like Sodom and Gomorrah when God overthrew them. It will never be inhabited or lived in for all generations; no Arab will pitch his tent there; no shepherds will make their flocks lie down there. But wild animals will lie down there, and their houses will be full of howling creatures; there ostriches will dwell, and there wild goats will dance. Hyenas will cry in its towers, and jackals in the pleasant palaces; its time is close at hand and its days will not be prolonged.
Scripture is pretty clear. We know how it will end. These events are likely to have many twists and turns. Is this the beginning of the end for Babylon??? We don’t know. Time will tell. At the least, these events in Iraq are likely to have an impact on our world.
Genesis 11:1-2, Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. And as people migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there.
Genesis 11:9a Therefore its name was called Babel…
This area in Genesis 11 was established around 2,100 BC. Shinar is another name for Babylon.
Click on video link below for additional geography and analysis.
Ancient Babylon is the home and setting to the writings of the prophet Daniel. Babylon under the leadership of King Nebuchadnezzar invaded Jerusalem. Jewish captives were taken and exported to Babylon in 606 BC.
Daniel 1:2b …And he (Nebuchadnezzar) brought them to the land of Shinar…
Daniel was a member of the party of people taken from Jerusalem.
Daniel 1:6 Among these were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah of the tribe of Judah.
The prophet Daniel served the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar as a young man. Later in his life as an older man, Daniel would serve the Medo-Persian Empire under King Darius the Mede and King Cyrus the Persian.
Daniel 6:28So this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
Media or the Medes were located north of ancient Babylon. Ancient Media is consistent with the modern day group of people called the Kurds.
This is modern day, 21st century Iraq. It appears the ancient rivalry of the Babylonians (Iraq) and the Medes (Kurdistan) is on the verge of being reignited. The Kurds recently voted to become an independent nation, Kurdistan. None of their Middle East neighbors approve of the will of the Kurdish people. Turkey, Iran, and Iraq consider the Kurds terrorists.
seekingalpha.com
The issue is oil. The Kurds gained control of the oil fields as a result of ISIS invading the area. Kurdish reserves are estimated to be at 45 billion barrels of oil. The Kurds can move approximately 700,000 barrels per day. The oil and gas pipelines run through primarily Kurdish territory on their way to the open market.Turkey’s President Recep Erdogan has threatened to close off the flow of Kurdish oil. “Who are they going to sell the oil to? If we close the valve, their income is gone too.”
Turkey and Iraq have been completing joint military exercises since the Kurds voted for their independence. President Erdogan is also quoted as saying, “We may arrive one night, suddenly.”
October 13, 2014: Iraqi troops are on the move towards Kirkuk. The Iraqi government wants to retake control of the oil fields currently managed by the Kurds. Iraq has deployed troops about 10 km (6 miles) south of Kirkuk. The Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Squad is on location. And the 9th Armored Division of the Iraqi Army is nearby in Tazza.
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi does not want to engage the Kurds, but “federal authority has to be imposed in Kirkuk and the disputed areas.”
For their part, the Kurds are sending thousands of troops for reinforcement to Kirkuk.
“We call on all components of the Kurdish people…to prepare fully to respond to those who want war and battle, and to support the Peshmerga forces by all means in order to save the cities of Kurdistan. We want to avoid our cities becoming like Mosul, Anbar and other Iraqi cities which have been afflicted by mass murder, devastation, and destruction.” -Nejervan Barzani, Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG)
Here is a thought. Jeremiah 51 promises the future destruction of Babylon. Are we entering this time and event?
Jeremiah 51:28-29 Prepare the nations for war against her, the kings of the Medes, with their governors and deputies, and every land under their dominion. The land trembles and writhes in pain, for the LORD’s purposes against Babylon stand, to make the land of Babylon a desolation, without inhabitant.
