The older brothers wanted to return to Jerusalem. They were warned to flee, because Babylon was coming to overrun and destroy Jerusalem. But that would not be the end of the matter. Babylon itself was subject to God’s will and would also be destroyed. The Lord has always retained ultimate control over the nations, and they exist only with His tolerance.
“And it shall come to pass, saith the Father, that the sword of my justice shall hang over them at that day; and except they repent it shall fall upon them, saith the Father, yea, even upon all the nations of the Gentiles.” (3 Ne. 20: 10.)
They will all end. No nation, including the United States, will survive.
“And thus, with the sword and by bloodshed the inhabitants of the earth shall mourn; and with famine, and plague, and earthquake, and the thunder of heaven, and the fierce and vivid lightning also, shall the inhabitants of the earth be made to feel the wrath, and indignation, and chastening hand of an Almighty God, until the consumption decreed hath made a full end of all nations.” (D&C 87: 6, emphasis added.)
This is in keeping with Jeremiah’s similar prophecy: “For I am with thee, saith the Lord, to save thee: though I make a full end of all nations whither I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee: but I will correct thee in measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished.” (Jer. 30: 11, emphasis added.) Trusting the powers of this world, as Nephi’s brothers did, is misplaced. It is misplaced in our day as well. All nations will end at some point. Only God’s authority will remain.
In our day, as Nephi writes to us, “Babylon” includes all the false religious, philosophical, educational and governmental systems of the world. Though the point will inevitably be reached in which Babylon will war against the Saints, the outcome is certain: Babylon will fall. However, temporarily at least, Babylon appears to have the upper hand. She dominates in culture, values, philosophy, government and economics. Babylon is the presiding mistress of the world. However it looks to the contrary, Babylon’s existence continues only with tolerance from the Lord. As soon as it pleases Him to remove her, she will be gone.