Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for
understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid
treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the
knowledge of God
(Proverbs 2:3-5).
As with many of the prophetic Scriptures, they have a near and far fulfilment.
Some aspects of a prophecy may be fulfilled in one generation while other
portions of the same prophecy await a future fulfilment (e.g. Olivet
Discourse). Some of the Scriptures are also figurative or symbolic, therefore,
it is incumbent upon the student of Scripture to discern the difference, or
rightly divide the Word of Truth, for there is a real danger of spiritualizing
or interpreting the Scriptures rather than taking the plain sense of the text
in its context, thereby allowing God to say what He means.
The vast majority of the reformers believed that the woman of Revelation 17
represented Roman Catholicism. They believed this for what appears to be very
valid reasons and this conviction has continued on till this day, primarily
among those who would consider themselves to be fundamental Christians.
However, there are several factors that indicate that this woman cannot be Rome
but is clearly revealed as
that great city Babylon
(Revelation 18:10) which we will summarize in the following ten points.
Babylon was to be destroyed as Sodom and Gomorrah.
And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees'
excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah
(Isaiah 13:19).
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
(Jeremiah 50:40).
How then did God destroy Sodom and Gomorrah?
Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from
the LORD out of heaven
and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the
smoke of a furnace
(Genesis 19: 24, 28).
Historically, this has not yet been fulfilled, however we read of its future
fulfilment in the eighteenth chapter of the Revelation.
Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and
famine; and
she shall be utterly burned with fire:
for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her
. And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived
deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see
the smoke of her burning
, 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
And cried when they saw
the smoke of her burning
, saying, What city is like unto this great city!
(Revelation 18:8-10, 19)
When Babylon was first defeated by the Medes (Isaiah 13:17) around 540 B.C.
(Daniel 5:30-31), some 175 years after Isaiah's prophecy, she was not destroyed as Sodom and Gomorrah, rather, as Daniel interpreted the handwritting on the wall, he told Belshazzar,
Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians (Daniel 5:28). The Babylonian kingdom was not destroyed, it was divided. Furthermore,
Babylon continued as an important city until well after the time of Christ. As
Paul was an apostle to the Gentiles, Peter was an apostle to the Jews
(Galatians, 2:7, 8). Peter apparently traveled to Babylon, which had a large
Jewish population at the time, where he wrote his first epistle.
The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you;
and so doth Marcus my son
(1 Peter 5:13).
After the Babylonian captivity in 586 B.C. very few Jews returned to Judea when
they were set free by the Medes, choosing instead, to stay and live in Babylon.
However, they would come up to Jerusalem for certain feasts, and on the Day of
Pentecost,
the dwellers in Mesopotamia
(Acts 2:9) were there to hear
the wonderful works of God
(Acts 2:11). In 500 A.D. there was still a large Jewish population in Babylon
where Jewish scholars compiled the Babylonian Talmud. And in the
last days we read that the Jews will be gathered back to Israel out of all the
world including
Shinar
(Isaiah 11:11) where Babylon is located.
Although many writers have understood the prophecies of Isaiah and Jeremiah to
have been fulfilled when Babylon disintegrated around A.D. 500, the fact
is that Babylon has never been destroyed
as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah
. Furthermore, Isaiah specifically says that the complete fulfilment of his
prophecy will happen in
the day of the LORD
(Isaiah 13:6, 9). This will be accomplished only after Babylon is rebuilt in
the last days and then miraculously destroyed by God as revealed in the book of
the Revelation.
It will never be inhabited again.
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
(Isaiah 13:19-20).
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
(Jeremiah 50:39-40).
We find the final fulfilment of this prophecy in the book of the Revelation.
And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters,
shall be heard
no more at all in thee
; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in
thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard
no more at all in thee
; And the light of a candle shall shine
no more at all in thee
; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard
no more at all in thee
(Revelation 18:22-23).
Although Babylon eventually fell into ruins, it has never been completely
uninhabited and has been at least partially rebuilt by the Iraqi government.
Recently, the fallen dictator of Iraq (location of ancient Babylon) has
invested much effort to rebuild and revive the Babylon of King Nebuchadnezzar's
antiquity, and since his overthrow, "The Future of Babylon Project"
has been launched by the World Monuments Fund with funding from the US
Department of State and in collaboration with Iraq's State Board of Antiquities
and Heritage and UNESCO which intends on making Babylon, "fit for the
coveted title of World Heritage Site".
Jeremiah said that the destruction of Babylon would be so complete that,
it shall be no more inhabited for ever; neither shall it be dwelt in from
generation to generation
so
shall no man abide there, neither shall any son of man dwell therein
(Jeremiah 50:39-40). Herodotus, the Greek historian, visited the city the
century following its defeat by the Medes and found it to be in a glorious
state. He claimed the outer walls of the city were 52 miles in length.
This does not seem to fit when Jeremiah said,
Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed: howl for her; take balm for her
pain, if so be she may be healed. We would have healed Babylon, but she is not
healed: forsake her, and let us go every one into his own country: for her
judgment reacheth unto heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies
(Jeremiah 51:9). Her destruction and violent overthrow would come suddenly in
one hour
(Revelation 18:10, 17), or
one day
(Revelation 18:8), not a slow and gradual disintegration over a millennium, but
when
her sins have reached unto heaven
(Revelation 18:5), then sudden destruction shall come from the Almighty.
One only needs to take a trip to Babylon with Google Earth and survey that area
to see that it is indeed inhabited today. Babylon is located in the province of
Babil and its capital, Al Hillah, located on the site of Babylon had a
population of over 300,000 in 1998. Many are pitching their tent there, sowing
their crops there, tending their flocks, and dwelling therein. This most
assuredly does not fit Isaiah and Jeremiah's prophecies when they say,
It shall
never
be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation
it shall be no more inhabited
for ever
; neither shall it be dwelt in
so shall
no man
abide there, neither shall any son of man dwell therein.
Recent DNA (Y chromosome) studies conducted by the National Geographic Magazine
on the bones of ancient Babylonians and living people from the province of
Babil, where ancient Babylon is located, have shown that the modern peoples
carry the same ancient Babylonian genetic material, proving that this region
has continued to be inhabited since its fall as a great empire.Therefore, the
complete and final fulfillment of this prophecy will be during the tribulation
period in the last days.
She will finally sink beneath the sea.
The sea is come up upon Babylon: she is covered with the multitude of the
waves thereof
And it shall be, when thou hast made an end of
reading this book, that thou shalt bind a stone to it, and cast it into
the midst of Euphrates: And thou shalt say, Thus shall Babylon sink, and
shall not rise from the evil that I will bring upon her: and they shall be
weary. Thus far are the words of Jeremiah
(Jeremiah 51:42, 63-64).
This has not yet happen to Babylon, however we read of its fulfilment at the
end of the tribulation in the book of the Revelation.
And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and
cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city
Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all
(Revelation 19:21).
When the Medes conquered Babylon, she was not overthrown as Sodom and Gomorrah.
However, one day in the future, Babylon shall
be utterly burned with fire
(Revelation 18:8).
The Middle East is known for its great oil reserves, and perhaps you will
remember the Gulf War of '91, when many oil wells were left burning after the
liberation of Kuwait. It took over a year with the help of the International
Community to get all of those wells put out.
Imagine when Babylon is destroyed as Sodom and Gomorrah, the world
shall see the smoke of her burning
(Revelation 18:9) via satellite TV, with the merchants
stand
[ing]
afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing
(Revelation 18:15), for they
cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like
unto this great city!
(Revelation 18:18). We can remember the shock as we watched on television, when
the Twin Towers were left burning with fire after terrorists slammed two
passenger jets into them, with thousands of lives lost. This will be as nothing
compared to the future judgment of Babylon, when the world
shall see the smoke of her burning
.
With such a great overthrow, how could this fire ever be put out? It will take
more than an international effort, it will take the intervention of God, and so
we read, Babylon shall be
cast
into the sea
(Revelation 18:21).
Thus shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise
(Jeremiah 51:63-64).
She is a literal city.
Some have concluded that there are Two Babylon's mentioned in the
Scriptures, as portrayed in Alexander Hyslop's scholarly work by the same
title. One being the ancient city of Babylon between the Tigris and Euphrates
Rivers in modern day Iraq, the other being a mystical entity located in Rome,
which they identify with Roman Catholicism.
However, we are told that the woman is the symbol of a city, and we are clearly
told what city that is,
Babylon the Great
. But some would insist on making the city the symbol which the angel of the
Revelation does not do. That she is a symbol of a city is clear for we are told
the woman which thou sawest is
that great city
, which reigneth over the kings
(kingdoms)
of the earth
(Revelation 17:18).
Babylon is referred to in the book of the Revelation as an actual city not just
a symbol, and there is no reason to believe it is other than literal Babylon.
It is referred to as
that great city
six times (Revelation 14:8; 17:18; 18:10, 16, 19, 21),
Babylon the great
twice (Revelation 17:5; 18:2),
great Babylon
(Revelation 16:19) once and
this great city
(Revelation 18:18) once.
Babylon is clearly identified as
that great city
. Rome is not mentioned once in the Revelation. If the angel of the Revelation
meant Rome He would have revealed that to John. But John recorded that the
woman was
that great city Babylon
(Revelation 18:10), and the identity of the harlot is even written on her
forehead,
Babylon the Great
.
You would have to spiritualize the Scriptures rather than taking a contextual,
and therefore, literal interpretation to come up with Rome. Some have alleged
that Babylon was a code word used to refer to Rome.
However, there is nothing to substantiate that claim. When Paul wrote his
letter to the church at Rome he used no such code word and Peter's referral to
the
church at Babylon
(1 Peter 5:13) was to the Christian Church that was established in Babylonia.
There is no reason to believe otherwise. To misuse the Scriptures in such a way
would be similar as saying the church is now Israel which some erringly do
today.
She existed as a kingdom in the past and will be revived again.
Because Babylon has not been rebuilt up until this time and attempts in the
past to rebuild her have failed, it does not mean that she will never be
rebuilt again.
The beginning of
[Nimrod's]
kingdom was Babel
(Genesis 10:10), but when God confounded the language of the post Flood
rebels,
they left off to build the city
(Genesis 11:8) and God scattered them across the face of all the earth.
This same city and kingdom along with its religion was resurrected after this
by Nebuchadnezzar, and the Scriptures indicate that it will be revived once
again in the last days as it appears in the Revelation.
The prophet Zechariah, who prophesied after the fall of Babylon when it was
conquered by the Medes and the Persians, had a series of visions, one of which
it appears was directed towards the rebuilding of Babylon. An angel showed
Zechariah a
woman
(perhaps synonymous with the woman of the Revelation) in an
ephah
with a
talent
of lead
covering the mouth. An
ephah
was a measuring basket and a
talent of lead
was a weight. Both of these were used in commerce. The angel then said this
was
their resemblance throughout all the earth
This is wickedness
(Zechariah 5:6, 8).
When economy and commerce becomes the most important thing to a nation and
corrupt religion permeates society,
This is wickedness
(Zechariah 5:8). In the last days Zechariah said this would be
their resemblance throughout all the earth
(Zechariah 5:6).
He then saw the
woman
inside the
ephah
with the
talent of lead
on the top being lifted up by two other women with wings as storks. Zechariah
then asked,
Whither do these bear the ephah?
And the angel replied,
To build it an house in the land of Shinar: and it shall be established,
and set there upon her own base
(Zechariah 5:11).
Zechariah saw that the whole world would be caught up in this
wickedness
. It would be
their resemblance throughout all the earth
. However, this great commercial and religious system began back in Babylon and
was carried throughout the whole world on the backs of the nations when the
Lord confused their language and scattered them upon the face of all the earth.
Once it had permeated the whole earth its headquarters would be re-established
upon her old foundation back in the
land of Shinar
(Zechariah 5:11).
The
land of Shinar
(Daniel 1:1-2) is also referred to as,
the land of Babylon
(Jeremiah 51:29) and
the land of Nimrod
(Micah 5:6). Nimrod became the world's first dictator organizing a single
government under his rule and the
beginning of his kingdom was Babel
(Genesis 10:10).
This was the beginning of mankind's empire building schemes to make a name for
himself, in direct conflict with the will of God. The consummation of man's
self willed ambitions will be Babylon rebuilt and re-established as the
Antichrist's center of world commerce as described very lavishly in Revelation
chapters 17 and 18.
The rebuilding of Babylon will make the merchants and the inhabitants of the
world filthy rich.
And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with
gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of
abominations and filthiness of her fornication
(Revelation 17:4).
Some have used this verse to identify the woman with Roman Catholicism due to
her vast riches and that the priesthood of this religion often wear garments
that contain scarlet and purple. However, in the context of the Revelation this
is not what is meant. Babylon was
abundant in treasures
(Jeremiah 51:13) back in the days of Nebuchadnezzar and in the future,
purple and scarlet colour
gold and precious stones and
pearls
along with all other merchandise are commodities that are bought and sold
through the world financial center of Babylon that will be set up in the last
days. This commercial religious system will require all to
worship the image of the beast
and that
no man might buy or sell
(Revelation 13:15-18) without receiving the mark of the beast in their right
hand or forehead.
And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man
buyeth their merchandise any more:
The merchandise of
gold,
and silver, and
precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and
scarlet
, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels
of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble, And cinnamon, and
odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and
wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls
of men. And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and
all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt
find them no more at all.
The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her,
shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, And
saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was
clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and
precious stones, and pearls!
For in one hour
so great riches
is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and
sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, And cried when they saw
the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city! And
they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas,
alas, that great city,
wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her
costliness!
for in one hour is she made desolate
(Revelation 18:11-19).
In the Middle East there are some fantastic cities being built with the oil
wealth of those countries. They are consuming a large amount of commodities
without consideration for the expense of them and the costly materials which
they have chosen in building them. It boggles the mind at the resources that
are going into these great metropolises, but in the last days when Babylon is
rebuilt and then judged by God the question will be asked,
What city is like unto this great city!
The great cities of United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Japan, Taiwan, United States
and others will be nothing compared to Babylon when antichrist sets his mind to
rebuild her as the capital of the world.
For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication,
and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and
the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her
delicacies
(Revelation 18:3).
The size of Babylon when it is rebuilt will be beyond our imagination for she
is called
that great
[Greek: megas]
city
[Greek: polis]
Babylon
(Revelation 18:10). These two Greek words are where we derive our English word
megalopolis
which means a very large city especially one consisting of several large
cities and suburbs that adjoin each other.
The rebuilding of Babylon will make many filthy rich when it is restored
by reason of her costliness
(Revelation 18:19). It will be the Antichrist's mega project and will be the
pinnacle of man's prideful arrogance. When Babel was first built their
motivation was
let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and
let us make us a name
(Genesis 11:4). When Nebuchadnezzar rebuilt Babylon he said,
Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the
house of the kingdom
by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?
(Daniel 4:30)
In the last days the people will once again rally under antichrist
To
build it an house
in the land of Shinar: and it shall be established, and set there upon her own
base
(Zechariah 5:11). But the merchants shall wail greatly saying,
What city is like unto this great city!
(Revelation 18:18) when she is judged by God and quickly and finally brought
to desolation and overthrown as
Sodom and Gomorrah
(Jeremiah 50:40) and
utterly burned with fire
(Revelation 18:8), then finally
cast
into the sea
(Revelation 18:21).
She is the great whore, and MOTHER of harlots.
If we are to understand this
mystery
aright, we must go back to the beginning of this
present evil world
(Galatians 1:4), when the post Flood population united in an effort against
the will of the Lord. God had told them to
Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth
(Genesis 9:1). But their reply came back,
And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may
reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon
the face of the whole earth
(Genesis 11:4), and the name of their city and
kingdom was Babel
(Genesis 10:10, same word as Babylon).
To thwart their rebellion, God came down and confounded the language of the
rebels and scattered them throughout the whole earth so that
By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one
after his tongue, after their families, in their nations
(Genesis 10:5). Thus, each family was divided into a specific region with
their own language and they became the Gentile nations of the world.
However, when they were scattered, they brought with them the false religion
and kingdom building philosophies that were produced at Babel. Thus we find
pyramids and similar religions and gods around the world.
Babylon thereby became the fountainhead or mother of all false religion and
abominations that filled the earth. This
great city
is truly
THE
MOTHER
OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH
(Revelation 17:5). This was a great mystery, which perhaps the people of God
should already have recognized, but now it is clearly unveiled in the book of
the Revelation what sort of influence Babylon has had on this present evil
world.
This woman is therefore also called
the great whore
(Revelation 17:1)
.
The word
whore
comes from the Greek word
porne
, which is similar to
pornos
and
porneia
that is translated fornication and fornicator. To
commit fornication is to commit any sexual act outside of marriage. She is the
great fornicator for
she made
all nations
drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication
(Revelation 14:8).
Jeremiah said,
Babylon hath been a golden cup in the LORD'S hand, that made all the
earth drunken:
the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad
(Jeremiah 51:7). The drunken fornication that happen at Babel produced the
nations of the world and her offspring were spread out from Babel into the
whole world. In effect, each nation became a little colony of Babel.
In a spiritual sense a fornicator would refer to anyone who worships or serves
other gods rather than the one true God and Creator. This woman has
truly spawned all the false religions of the nations that departed from the one
true God. The religions of polytheism, pantheism, animism, astrology, nature
worship or any of the modern religions of today, whether they understand it or
not, all have their roots that go back to Babel.
Babylon's influence has unquestionably reigned over the nations and the Gentile
kingdoms of this world and this is why she is called the THE MOTHER OF
HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. She influenced Israel in the Old
Testament as Isaiah lamented,
How is the faithful city become an harlot
(Isaiah 1:21). And since New Testament times, the church has
jumped into bed with her, primarily the Roman Catholic Church which became the
state church when Christianity was legalized in the fourth century
by the Roman Emperor Constantine.
However, Roman Catholicism clearly does not fit the description as the
originator or mother of all false religion. She may have committed fornication,
adopting many of the tenants of paganism and become a harlot, much like Israel
did in the Old Testament, however, Babylon is clearly
THE
MOTHER
OF HARLOTS
.
She does not sit on seven literal hills.
And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven
mountains,
on which the woman sitteth
(Revelation 17:9). Many have concluded that Rome is
that great city
because she is situated on seven hills. Encyclopaedia Britannica
identifies Rome as The city of the seven hills, of treasures and
tourists
(26:980). In Compton's Encyclopaedia, under the heading
ROME, it says, The city
spreads over the low Seven Hills
in
altitude from about 40 feet above sea level to about 270 feet (Vol. 21,
p. 249).
These seven hills are the Palatine, Capitoline, Quirinal, Viminal, Esquiline,
Caelian, and the Aventine. However, Rome has many other hills such as the
Pincian Hill, the Janiculum Hill, Velia Hill, and of course, the famous Vatican
Hill where the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church are located in Vatican
City which is an autonomous entity apart from Rome.
We should also note that Vatican Hill was never considered one of the
seven hills of Rome, nor does the Roman Catholic Church sit on the
Seven Hills of Rome. Also, Rome is said to be the city of seven
hills,
not
seven mountains
as the Bible tells us.
The Bible says that,
The seven heads are seven
mountains
, on which the woman sitteth
(Revelation 17:9). There is a great difference between a mountain and a hill.
In the Scriptures the word
hill
is usually translated from the Greek word
bounos
whereas the word
mountains
is translated from the Greek word
oros.
For example,
Every valley shall be filled, and every
mountain
[Gr. oros]
and
hill
[Gr. bounos]
shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough
ways shall be made smooth
(Luke 3:5). To say that the woman sits on seven hills is to
misalign God's incorruptible Word.
Furthermore, the mountains, we are told, actually symbolize seven kingdoms for
we are told that the
seven heads
[of the beast]
are
[Greek
eisi
]
seven
mountains
[Greek
oros
]
, on which the woman sitteth. And
there are
[Greek
eisi
; translated at least 23 times as
they are
or usually just
are
]
seven kings
(Revelation 17:9-10). So, the
seven heads
are
seven mountains
, and
they are
seven kings
.
(Seven heads = seven mountains = seven kings)
There is no need to step outside of the Scriptures to interpret what these
seven heads and mountains represent. The angel of the Revelation plainly
reveals to John that they are
seven kings
or kingdoms. Elsewhere in the Bible
mountains
are often used to symbolize kingdoms or government (Isaiah 2:2, 13:1-2, 40:4,
Daniel 2:34-35, Jeremiah 51:24-25, Zechariah 4:7, Micah 4:1-2). Therefore, in
this specific context, the
mountains
are symbolic and we are told that they signify kings.
The woman is carried by a beast with seven heads that represent seven great
kingdoms of the earth down through history and she has reigned over them.
The woman is seen sitting on a
scarlet coloured beast
as well as the
seven heads
of the beast. The
seven heads are seven mountains
(Revelation 17:9), which represent
seven kings
(Revelation 17:10) or kingdoms. We are then told that
the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the
kings of the earth
(Revelation 17:18). Simply put, she is a great city that reigns over these
seven kingdoms of the earth, past, present and future.
Now of these
seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet
come
(Revelation 17:10). At the time that John wrote the Revelation five of these
kingdoms had already come and gone. One presently existed (
one is
) which was the
Roman Empire (the sixth), and the seventh kingdom was still to come (Revelation
17:9-10).
But the complete seven-headed ten-horned beast represented the
eighth
(Revelation 17:11) and final worldwide kingdom before Christ returns. We are
told that the eighth kingdom
was, and is not
(Revelation 17:8), that is, it existed in the past, but ceased to exist at the
time when John penned the Revelation. However, one day the beast would
ascend out of the bottomless pit
, and
they that dwell on the earth shall wonder
when they behold
the beast that was, and is not, and yet is
(Revelation 17:8).
After these descriptions the angel comes right out and tells John,
the woman which thou sawest is
that great city
, which reigneth over the kings
(kingdoms)
of the earth
(Revelation 17:18). We must wonder as John, what
great city
has influenced or reigned over the kingdoms of the world down throughout
history? Is she Jerusalem, Washington, Moscow, or perhaps Rome? These and many
other cities have been suggested, however, as we search the Scriptures, I
believe we will find it absolutely indisputable as to what great city she
signifies.
This great city must have existed prior to the five
fallen
kingdoms (represented by the seven heads of the beast) in order to exercise
her influence over them. It is said that she
reigneth
(Greek
echo
: to have or hold in possession) over all the kings/kingdoms of the earth. This
would disqualify the Roman Catholic Church for it would be impossible for her
to reign over the five kingdoms prior to the Roman Empire for she did not exist
before the Roman Empire.
Although the woman did not exist as the predominant physical and geographical
city at the time when John wrote the Revelation (Rome was the capital city of
the Roman Empire, the sixth kingdom), she existed as a great city in the past
and will rise up again only to be judged by God in the latter days. We must
remember as well that the beast that carried her
was, and is not, and shall ascend
(Revelation 17:8). It appears then, that when this eighth kingdom ascends to
power she too will be exalted as the great and mighty city of the beast.
Of these seven kingdoms,
five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come
(Revelation 17:10). When John wrote the Revelation five of these kingdoms
already ceased to exist. Rome was the sixth kingdom and the seventh was
not yet come
. The seventh kingdom, we are told, would be a revised or divided Roman Empire
ruled by a 10-king confederacy represented by the
ten horns
on the seventh head of the beast. And in the days of this ten king
confederacy, the
eighth
(Revelation 17:11) and final kingdom would
ascend
, represented by the complete seven-headed, ten-horned beast, for
the beast
is the eighth
(Revelation 17:11), and these
ten
shall
agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast
(Revelation 17:17).
Many have come to the conclusion that the beast represents a revived Roman
Empire, however this cannot be for we are told that this
beast
was, and
is not
; and shall ascend
[and of the]
seven kings: five are fallen, and
one is
[sixth]
, and the other
is not yet come
[seventh]
And the beast that was, and
is not
, even he is the eighth
(Revelation 17:8, 10-11).
When John wrote the Revelation the sixth kingdom was the Roman Empire (
one is
). At the same time we are told that the beast
was, and is not
. We are told
one is
and the other
is not
. The language is very clear. The beast existed before the Roman Empire but
is not
the Roman Empire but would be revived in the last days as the
eighth
kingdom.
Out of the five kingdoms that were already
fallen
(Assyrian, Egyptian, Babylonian, Medo-Persian, and Grecian), one would
ascend
again to be the last and final kingdom before Christ returns to set up His
kingdom. The Bible distinctly indicates that it would be the Babylonian kingdom
as declared in the Bible
and
great Babylon
came in remembrance before God, to give unto
her
the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath
I will shew unto
thee the judgment of
the great whore
(Revelation 16:19, 17:1).
It should be noted that Babel or Babylon existed before all of these kingdoms
and was the
beginning of
[Nimrod's]
kingdom
(Genesis 10:10), therefore it is rightly said that she
reigneth over the kings of the earth
, and it is therefore fitting that she is called the
lady of the kingdoms
(Isaiah 47:5).
Mystery as it is used in the New Testament was the revelation of some unknown
truth.
The New Testament meaning of the word mystery is that of a hidden truth
unveiled. We should also take note that when the word
mystery
is used in the New Testament, it is in relation to some great doctrine not
clearly taught in the Old Testament. These great truths were hidden or kept
secret from the foundation of the world until the revelation of Jesus Christ,
such as, the translation and rapture of the saints (
Behold, I shew you a mystery
1 Corinthians 15:51-53, 1Thessalonians 4:15-18); the
mystery of Christ
(Ephesians 3:1-9), that is, the uniting of Jew and Gentile in the body of
Christ;
the mystery of the kingdom of God
(Mark 4:11); the mystery of Israel's blindness and the salvation of the
Gentiles (Romans 11); the indwelling Christ (Colossians 1:26-27); and the
manifestation of God in the flesh (1Timothy 3:16), etc.
We must also point out that the word Revelation comes from the
Greek word
apokalupsis
, which means unveiling or revealing of those things that were at one time
concealed. One of the things that the angel says he will reveal is the mystery
surrounding this woman.
And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE
MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH
. And the angel said unto
me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and
of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns
(Revelation 17:5, 7).
The identifying name of the woman is not Mystery but BABYLON
THE GREAT. Babylon was the fountainhead of all false religion and became
the abominations of the earth. She infected every nation with her pagan
religion and from Babylon this wickedness flowed out to all the regions of the
world in those early post-Flood years.
This false religious system so permeated the world that all the inhabitants of
the earth were made
drunk
with the wine of her spiritual fornication. Jeremiah said,
the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad
(Jeremiah 51:7). It was not until the Light of God's Word entered into the
world that this mystery was unveiled. Perhaps the saints should have had the
perception to recognize this long ago, but now through the Word of God, it is
made plain for us to see.
However, this was not the only mystery mentioned in the Revelation, for the
angel told John
I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth
her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns
(v. 7). The beast was another mystery that represented the revived kingdom of
Babylon that was originally established at Babel long ago. In the book of
Genesis we are told,
the beginning of
[Nimrod's]
kingdom was Babel
(Genesis 10:10). It appears that this was the beginning of man's concerted
effort to build his own kingdom, and to govern his own affairs, politically and
religiously, without God.
Since that time the earth has been divided up, each nation with their own
distinct language. In essence each nation became a little colony of Babel. Some
of these grew up to be great nations and kingdoms, while others dwindled to
become dispersed nomadic tribes, and some clans became extinct altogether.
However, in the last days there will be another concerted effort to unite and
rebuild this great religious and commercial center, thus reviving a literal,
religious and geopolitical Babylon once again.
To insist that Rome is this woman is to seriously misjudge the global impact of
this ancient mystery. In Dave Hunt's video bearing the same title as his book,
A Woman Rides the Beast, he asks the question, Could Rome be
this woman on the beast? That would make good sense because the beast she rides
is the Revived Roman Empire.
Here we believe is another error that has been perpetuated for some time by
scholars in these last days. The fact of the matter is that the Roman Empire
does not need reviving for it never really ceased to exist. Rather, it was
transformed and divided into the political and religious structure we see today
throughout the world.
The prophet Daniel was shown a great image that represented four great kingdoms
from his day forward. The fourth kingdom represented Rome, but Rome was never
conquered as were its predecessors, but we were told, it
shall be divided
(Daniel 2:41), and that it would
be partly strong, and partly broken
(v. 42).
The image that Daniel saw appears to be an idol of a man. The head was Babylon,
the breasts and arms were Medo-Persia, the belly and thighs were Greece, and
the legs, feet and toes represented the Roman Empire.
This empire would be divided, and so it has as represented by the legs, feet
and toes. The empire was first divided in half with Rome in the West and
Constantinople in the East. Eventually the west became the Holy Roman
Empire under the popes, and the east came under control of the Greek
Orthodox Church. And to this day, the world is politically divided between east
and west. However, the final revision of the Roman Empire will be
that of a ten king confederacy, as represented by the ten toes. The kingdom was
never conquered as its predecessor kingdoms, rather, its structure has been
transformed, and finally,
out of this kingdom
(Daniel 7:24, not after) shall arise ten kings.
The Roman Empire we were told would be
partly strong, and partly broken.
It would first be divided in half as represented by the two legs of iron. When
we get to the feet, we find that clay is mixed with the iron weakening the
structure, and finally, in the last days, it would be divided into ten regions.
It would not cease to exist, but its structure would be transformed and fill
the whole earth, or as Daniel says, it
shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and
shall tread it down, and break it in pieces
(Daniel 7:23).
Many advocates of a Revived Roman Empire use Daniel 9:26 to rest their case
which states,
the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the
sanctuary.
It was the Roman army that destroyed Jerusalem and Herod's Temple, so the
prince that shall come
(the Antichrist), must come out of the Roman Empire. However, if the Kingdom of
Rome never ceased to exist, but was divided or
partly broken
and transformed, it is still possible for the Antichrist to arise out of this
kingdom. And this is what Daniel says,
And the ten horns
out of this kingdom
are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall arise after them
(Daniel 7:24). If the Roman Empire ceased to exist, the ten kings could not
arise
out of this kingdom
.
Daniel then said,
behold, there came up among them another little horn
(Daniel 7:8). The Antichrist or the
beast
shall rise up from among these ten kings, which will be the final
division of the Roman Empire, and the antichrist will represent the
eighth
(Revelation 17:11) and final kingdom,
Babylon the great
. It appears that this has been Satan's scheme from the beginning, to sit upon
the throne of the earth ruling through antichrist, and ever since it fell he
has been seeking to revive it.
Conclusion
To be sure this same Babylon is referred to in the Old Testament and the
Revelation, there are many parallel Scriptures to confirm this. John was told
that this harlot
sitteth upon many waters
(Revelation 17:1). Jeremiah said the same,
O thou that dwellest upon many waters, abundant in treasures, thine end
is come, and the measure of thy covetousness
(Jeremiah 51:13). John also repeated (Revelation 17:1-2) what Jeremiah said
long ago.
Babylon hath been a golden cup in the LORD'S hand, that made all the
earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore
the nations are mad
(Jeremiah 51:7).
The ancient cry was,
My people, go ye out of the midst of her, and deliver ye every man his
soul from the fierce anger of the LORD
(Jeremiah 51:45). This cry will be echoed in the future when God judges
Babylon for the final time.
Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and
that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and
God hath remembered her iniquities
(Revelation 18:4-5).
As God called Lot out of Sodom and Gomorrah before its destruction, so too will
God call his people out of Babylon before her final judgment.
This is what the Bible says concerning Babylon, then and now, we just need to
believe God for,
the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple
(Psalms 19:7).