<p>16:20 <em>And every island fled away and the mountains were not found</em>- On 13:1 I suggested that the earth / land is the territory promised to Abraham, and the &quot;sea&quot; refers to the nations immediately bordering that land; areas we now know as Turkey, Egypt and Iran. The &quot;isles of the Gentiles&quot;, islands within that &quot;sea&quot;, would therefore refer to the nations of the world; mountains likewise refer to nations. But they flee away, retreating from the scene in the land, having been urged to come and get involved in the &quot;final solution&quot; of the Jewish / Jerusalem / Middle East problem.</p><p>The nations in this confederacy will turn against 'Babylon' in the ultimate 'time of the end';&nbsp;through them God's judgment against her is administered. Babylon &quot;gathereth unto him all nations&quot;, but &quot;shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, Woe to him... shall they not rise up suddenly (and) bite thee... and thou shalt be for booties unto them?&quot; (Hab. 2:5-8 AV). First of all the islands (nations) flee away from Babylon (Rev. 16:20), the birds and animals scatter from under the big tree as it starts to totter. But fleeing away suggests they are not all caught up in her judgment; the same word is used in Mt. 3:7 of fleeing from the wrath to come in repentance. This is in response to the Lord's command to flee s.w. Jerusalem (Mt. 24:16).</p>