From such and like interpretations of the Scriptures arise Spiritualism, Christian Science, and many other doctrines of demons. It is alarming to notice into how many erroneous ideas and doctrines this interpretation of Scripture will lead. It is always dangerous to resist the plain, positive statements of God s Word. There is not the least intimation that this verse is to be taken otherwise than literally. Land in this verse means land as much so as it does in any verse.
Sinners means sinners, and nothing more.
Destroy means destroy, not to convert. When God says that He will make the land about Babylon desolate, I take it to mean that the literal land about literal Babylon will be made literally desolate. When He says that the sinners of that land shall be destroyed out of it, I take it to mean that every sinner in and around Babylon shall be literally cut off, in some way, from the face of the earth. As yet, these things have never taken place. Besides, we are told that these things are to come in the day of the Lord.