Babylon’s Role In History

The sixth of the seven last plagues includes an earthquake that destroys cities around the world.  Special mention is made of the destruction of Babylon, in Revelation 16:19.  “… and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.”   Revelation 17 explains why the destruction of Babylon is such a significant event.    One of the angels who carried the seven last plagues introduces the subject in Revelation 17:1-2.  “And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will show unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.”  The angel describes the city as a courtesan, a woman who prostitutes herself in the courts of government to gain influence and wealth.   As a result she develops relationships with powerful political leaders, using her looks and influence to manipulate various officials.  

The angel then took John into the desert to show him the great prostitute, in Revelation 17:3.  “So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.”  John describes her as a prostitute riding the beast from Revelation 13:1.  “And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.”  As we saw, that beast of monster represented the world government led by the Antichrist. 

Revelation 17:4-5 clearly identifies the prostitute.  “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: And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.”  She is identified by several names.  The first, Mystery refers to secret religious rites.  The second, Babylon the Great,  refers to the Land of Babel, mentioned in Genesis 11:1-9.  She is then described as the Mother of harlots nad abominations of the earth.  The tower of Babel was the first false religion, deliberately built to seduce people into disobeying God’s order to fill the entire earth.  It laid the groundwork for every false religion since.  Those false religions have consistently persecuted and killed those who follow God from the very beginning, as Revelation 17;6 describes.  “And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.”

The angel then goes on to explain exactly what each part of the vision means, in Revelation 17:7-18.  “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.

The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.  And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.  And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.  And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.

And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.  These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.  These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.  And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.  For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.  And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.”

As we mentioned earlier, the beast represents the global government under the Antichrist.  It is based on seven earlier world empires, one of which did not yet exist when John was writing the Revelations.  Under the Antichrist’s leadership there will be an alliance of ten nations which were not known in John’s day.  They will support the Antichrist in his efforts to wipe out those who serve God, and flock to help in his attack on Jesus Christ.  Resenting and fearing the influence of the religious world, they will turn on them, fulfilling God’s purpose of destroying the city and the religious power it represents.