Armageddon and the fall of Babylon the Great.

[Jack Ryan]

The Watchtower teaches that the Great tribulation begins with the fall of Babylon the Great.
But while reading Revelation chapter 16:12, we learn that the sixth angel pour out his bowl on the Euphrates and then verse 16 says "And they gathered them together to the place that is called in Hebrew Armageddon."
And verses 17 to 21 are talking about Babylon the Great. Verse 19 says that "Babylon the Great was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath".
It seems that the fall of Babylon the Great comes after Armageddon.
How do you explain that?

[Evacuated]

Reading the chapters through  Rev. 16:12- 19:21 shows how the same general sequence of events is repeated 3 times with different features, rather than a chronological shopping list. I see it rather like a procession of tableaux, each exceeding the previous in detail and scope.

Rev 16:12. Drying up of Babylon the Great's defenses in preparation for her destruction.

Rev 16:13-16. Gathering nations to prepare for confrontation at Armageddon.

(Neither events are actually executed in these descriptions).

Rev. 16:17-21. Features of Babylon the Great's destruction and accompanying events described in brief summary.

Rev. 17. Far more detailed account of Babylon the Great's fate and the reasons for destruction.(Governments instrumental, so back a step chronologically and prior to Armageddon). Armageddon briefly touched on in v14.

Rev 18. Back onto Babylon the Great with more detail of her disgusting practices and reasons for destruction. Interesting detail on reactions of governmental and commercial entities on loss of their collaborator, indicating Armageddon not yet occurred in this scenario. 

Rev 19:1-10. Interlude, looking at heavenly rejoicing over Babylon the Great's destruction, focusing a little on the Lamb's marriage or reuniting with his bride, the Christian congregation.

Rev 19:11-21. A much fuller description of the war of Armageddon and it's results

[JW Insider]

On 4/5/2016 at 9:48 PM, Eoin Joyce said:

Reading the chapters through  Rev. 16:12- 19:21 shows how the same general sequence of events is repeated 3 times with different features, rather than a chronological shopping list. I see it rather like a procession of tableaux, each exceeding the previous in detail and scope. . . .

Rev. 16:17-21. Features of Babylon the Great's destruction and accompanying events described in brief summary.

That seems right. It's logical for the bowls to be sequential since they are numbered and the plagues on Egypt were in a certain order. But I agree that it's reasonable that the 6th bowl (16:12) is only a more imminent gathering towards Armageddon, not the actual battle. But the 7th bowl is "final" and even if only a brief summary, 16:17-21 does refer to the actual fall of Babylon.

We also know it's the "kings of the earth" who are the primary focus of Armageddon:

(Revelation 16:14-16) . . .they go out to the kings of the entire inhabited earth, to gather them together to the war of the great day of God the Almighty. . . . 16 And they gathered them together to the place that is called in Hebrew Armageddon.

And after the more detailed look at what happens to Babylon . . .

(Revelation 17:1, 2) 17 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me: “Come, I will show you the judgment on the great prostitute who sits on many waters, 2 with whom the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality. . .

. . . note who are still looking on to see her fall:

(Revelation 18:9, 10) 9 “And the kings of the earth  who committed sexual immorality with her and lived with her in shameless luxury will weep and beat themselves in grief over her when they see the smoke from her burning. 10 They will stand at a distance because of their fear of her torment and say: ‘Too bad, too bad, you great city, Babylon you strong city, because in one hour your judgment has arrived!’