No — the ancient city of Babylon will never be rebuilt because God's Old Testament judgment decreed it would become a permanent, uninhabited desolation.
Scripture pronounces a lasting curse on Babylon: it would become like Sodom and Gomorrah, never inhabited again from generation to generation. Les Feldick affirms this Old Testament decree and teaches that the Babylon of Revelation is therefore the worldwide system of religion, politics, and economics — not a literal city that will rise again. When human rulers such as Saddam Hussein have tried to rebuild it, those attempts have not succeeded.
Isaiah 13:19-20 — This is the key pronouncement that Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, would be overthrown like Sodom and Gomorrah and never be inhabited again.
Jeremiah 51:26 — This verse explicitly forbids taking a stone from Babylon for building foundations, declaring it desolate forever.
Jeremiah 50:39-40 — This passage reinforces that Babylon will be a permanent habitation of wild beasts and owls, never dwelt in from generation to generation.
The Bible records a specific, permanent judgment against the ancient city of Babylon. In Isaiah 13:19–20 God declares: "And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees' excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there." The imagery is total desolation: the proud capital would end precisely like the overthrown cities of the plain. Jeremiah reinforces the same decree. Jeremiah 51:26 says, "And they shall not take of thee a stone for a corner, nor a stone for foundations; but thou shalt be desolate for ever, saith the LORD." In other words, nothing would be salvaged from Babylon even as building material, and its desolation would be forever. Jeremiah 50:39–40 adds that wild beasts of the desert and owls would dwell there, and it would "be no more inhabited for ever." The verdict of Scripture is final: this city would never be rebuilt.
Les Feldick is explicit that the ancient city of Babylon will never be rebuilt. He acknowledges that some theologians feel ancient Babylon will be rebuilt and become the center of end-time activity, but he disagrees: "I think the Scripture meant what it said, that once Babylon was destroyed it would become nothing but a habitation of wild beasts" [Clip 1]. He points to the Old Testament itself, which says Babylon will "never be rebuilt" and "will always be a habitation of nothing but wild animals and birds of prey" [Clip 2]. Because the literal city is under a permanent curse, Les explains that the Babylon of Revelation cannot be the ancient city. Instead, Revelation's Babylon is the whole worldwide system — the world's religions, politics, and economics — that is coming together today as one interdependent global system. When Babylon falls in the end times, it will not be one city but all the cities of the world falling into nothingness by the spoken word of God [Clips 0, 2, 4].
The Old Testament is unambiguous. Babylon would become like Sodom and Gomorrah — never inhabited, never dwelt in from generation to generation, with no Arabian tents or shepherds' folds (Isaiah 13:19–20). Desolate creatures — wild beasts, owls, and satyrs — would be its only occupants (Isaiah 13:21–22), and not one stone would be taken from it for building (Jeremiah 51:26). Jeremiah 50:39–40 concludes that it would "be no more inhabited for ever."
Les Feldick says no. He rejects the view that ancient Babylon will be rebuilt: "I just cannot quite envision the ancient city of Babylon being rebuilt" [Clip 1]. Because the Old Testament says it will never be rebuilt and will remain a habitation of wild animals and birds of prey [Clip 2], the Babylon of Revelation must instead be the whole worldwide system of religion, politics, and economics [Clips 0, 2].
Les describes Babylon's historical fall: the Medes and Persians gained entrance under the walls by diverting the river Euphrates, and the city was destroyed suddenly, falling almost overnight [Clip 4]. Taking the long-term view, he says the same sudden destruction awaits the end-time Babylon — the whole worldwide system of economy, politics, and religion — which will come under God's wrath and be destroyed in one hour [Clips 4, 5].
Les notes that Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein had "grandiose schemes" to rebuild the ancient city of Babylon a little south of Baghdad and spent great sums of money on the project. But, as Les observes, the effort was not going anywhere and tourists were not coming to it [Clip 1]. Human plans cannot overturn God's decree.
Babylon as the World System
Les defines the Babylon of Revelation as the world's religions, politics, and economics — the framework that keeps the literal city out of the end-time picture.
Les Rejects a Rebuilt Babylon
Les directly states he cannot envision ancient Babylon being rebuilt, citing Scripture's insistence that it became a habitation of wild beasts, and notes Saddam Hussein's failed rebuilding attempts.
The Old Testament Decree Against Babylon
Les says the Old Testament says Babylon will never be rebuilt and will remain a habitation of wild animals and birds of prey, which is why Revelation's Babylon is the world system rather than the city.
Noah’s Ark: How Did All the Animals Fit? (Genesis 6-7)
All right, now I have to stop again. The Babylon in Revelation is not the ancient city because the Old Testament says it will never be rebuilt. It will always be a habitation of nothing but wild animals and birds of prey. But the Babylon of Revelation is the whole worldwide system as we see it coming together today, the whole one world concept where Tokyo and Berlin and London and Rome and New Yor…
Babylon's Sudden Fall — Near and Far
Les recounts how the Medes and Persians destroyed Babylon suddenly, and says the end-time world system will likewise be suddenly destroyed by God's wrath.
The End-Time Babylon Falls in One Hour
Les describes the kings and merchants of the earth lamenting the great city Babylon as judgment comes in one hour — the fall of the worldwide commercial system.
What the Bible Really Says About the Times of the Gentiles
And so, the residue of the ancient kingdom of Babylon that is part and parcel of our everyday existence in this very year in which we live is banking. The whole idea of interest and usury was really begun on that kind of a scale in Babylon. And so, the Jew just embraced that, and they take it back.
Babylon's Rulers Had Run Their Course
Les notes that the Persians and Medes destroyed Babylon after its rulers 'had run their course,' confirming the ancient city's judgment.
Isaiah 13:19-20: And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees' excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there.
This is the central decree that Babylon would be destroyed like Sodom and Gomorrah and never inhabited again.
Isaiah 13:21-22: But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and owls shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there. And the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their desolate houses, and dragons in their pleasant palaces: and her time is near to come, and her days shall not be prolonged.
This describes the permanent desolation that would replace the once-glorious city — the 'wild animals and birds of prey' Les references.
Jeremiah 51:26: And they shall not take of thee a stone for a corner, nor a stone for foundations; but thou shalt be desolate for ever, saith the LORD.
This explicitly forbids using Babylon's materials for any rebuilding, making its desolation forever.
Jeremiah 50:39-40: Therefore the wild beasts of the desert with the wild beasts of the islands shall dwell there, and the owls shall dwell therein: and it shall be no more inhabited for ever; neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation. As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbour cities thereof, saith the LORD; so shall no man abide there, neither shall any son of man dwell therein.
This reinforces that Babylon would be an eternal habitation of wild creatures, never again to be dwelt in by man.
Revelation 18:10: 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.
Les quotes this verse to show that the end-time Babylon — the world system — falls suddenly in one hour of judgment.
Yes. Les notes that Saddam Hussein of Iraq had grandiose schemes to rebuild ancient Babylon and spent great sums of money, but the effort was unsuccessful — tourists were not coming. Les sees this as consistent with Scripture's declaration that the city will not be rebuilt [Clip 1].
Because the Old Testament says the ancient city will never be rebuilt and will remain a habitation of wild animals and birds of prey. Les therefore interprets the Babylon of Revelation as the worldwide system of religion, politics, and economics that falls in one hour [Clips 1, 2, 4].
Les teaches that when end-time Babylon falls, it will not be one city but all the cities of the world falling into nothingness by the spoken word of God, destroyed suddenly and totally under the wrath of God [Clips 2, 4].
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