I assume you are referring to Revelation 18:8-10 which says, “Therefore her plagues shall come in one day—death and mourning and famine. And she will be UTTERLY BURNED WITH FIRE, for strong is the Lord God who judges her. The kings of the earth who committed fornication and live luxuriously with her will weep and lament for her, WHEN THEY SEE THE SMOKE OF HER BURNING, standing at a distance for fear of her torment, saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour your judgment has come’” (NKJV). There are many reasons why this prophecy does NOT refer to the devastating FIRES that are occurring in Los Angeles, CA right now. I will bring out four of those reasons.

1) What we are seeing in Los Angeles has already lasted for “more than one day” and there has not been the “loss of life” or “famine” that these verses mention. When this prophecy is fulfilled, there will be a COMPLETE DESTRUCTION of this city called Babylon with tremendous loss of life and it will all happen literally in ONE DAY and perhaps in ONE HOUR (compare verse 10 with verses 17 & 19). Add to this the thought that Babylon’s destruction will be a “direct judgment from God” like God’s judgment upon Sodom and Gomorrah when He rained down FIRE AND BRIMSTONE upon the cities of the plain (see Genesis 19:1-29 and Jude 7). We don’t know yet what has caused the fires in Los Angeles County, but no one believes they must be a direct judgment of God from heaven.

2) In the coming overthrow of the city of Babylon, the whole world will “weep and lament for her,” especially the “merchants of the earth…who became rich by her” (read verses 11-19). Though Los Angeles is a very important commercial city, it pales in comparison to what we read here of “that great city Babylon, that mighty city” (verse 10). Babylon will be a city which “controls the world market” and the whole world will weep as their main commercial city is reduced to ashes.

3) Babylon is Babylon, not Los Angeles. Some believe Babylon is the “city of Rome” which will also be prominent at that time when the Roman Empire is revived with Rome as its capital. Others believe it will be “Babylon itself, located on the Euphrates River” (some dismiss this view for ancient Babylon was destroyed, but those who espouse this view say it will be rebuilt). At any rate, this will be a city in the Middle East, not a city in America. In fact, there is not one scripture which speaks of America or any of its cities having a major role in the coming Tribulation Period.

4) I just referred to the Tribulation Period and that brings us to the 4th reason. The Tribulation Period is a “seven-year period” foretold by Daniel the prophet in Daniel 9:27 and 12:1, 8-11 and by the Lord Jesus in Matthew 24:15-22. It is a time of unparalleled judgments that are described in detail in Revelation chapters 6-18. It will be followed by the Second Coming of Christ in power and glory to establish His kingdom on the earth (Matthew 24:29-31; 25:31; and Revelation 19:11-20:6). No one who interprets the Bible literally believes that these prophecies have been fulfilled. The fact is, we are now living in the “Church Age” which has been rightly called “The Day of Grace.” The gospel of Jesus Christ has been going out to all the world for 2,000 years but in time, the Church will be translated to heaven when the Lord comes to take believers home (see John 14:2-3; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17; and Revelation 3:10-11). They will be worshipping God in heaven (Revelation chapters 4 and 5) while the Tribulation Period (with a series of 21 judgments of God taking place on earth) begins with Christ opening the book containing the first “seven-seal judgments” (Revelation 6:1-17).  (DO)  (657.0)