Mystery, Babylon The Great

by PRASHER, G. | Category: Opened Secrets | Nov 2005

The Scriptural imagery

Among the things given by God to Jesus Christ to show His servants what must shortly take place was '"the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication"' (Rev.17:1,2). The fulfilment of this judgement was conveyed to the apostle John in a striking vision which he received after being carried away in the Spirit into the wilderness.

There he saw 'a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication. And on her forehead a name was written:

MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE

MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE

ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH'(Rev.17:3-5).

Babylon - key to her identity

Genesis chapter 11 links Babylon's origins with the attempted coordination of Noah's posterity to build for themselves a city and a tower to make for themselves a name and prevent wide dispersion to other areas. God forestalled that plan by confusing their languages so that they could not understand one another's speech. The building of the city and tower was not completed, but its name was called 'Babel' (verse 9). To those who attempted the project this doubtless was intended to signify 'Gate of God', reflecting their haughty intentions. According to Newberry, 'Babylon' is the Greek mode of spelling what in the Hebrew is uniformly 'Babel'. That the Mother of Harlots should he named 'Mystery, Babylon the Great' may well therefore suggest an end-time association with the location of ancient Babylonia.

It's true, of course, that Revelation 17:18 reads, '"And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth."' Linking this with verse nine, '"The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits,"' some have suggested that both verses refer to ancient Rome, and therefore regard the harlot as primarily related to that city. However, having regard to prophetic usage of verb tenses the 'great city' of verse eighteen could well mean a literal city of Babylon, rebuilt in the land of Shinar, from which world rule will be administered by the Antichrist.

This may be supported by the vision described in Zechariah 5:6-11. The prophet saw a woman called 'Wickedness' sitting in a basket. The angel who talked with Zechariah 'thrust her down into the basket and threw the lead cover over its mouth'. Then two women with wings like those of a stork lifted up the basket and carried it away. When Zechariah asked where they were carrying it to, he was told, '"To build a house for it in the land of Shinar; when it is ready, the basket will be set there on its base."'

It will be appreciated also that Babylon featured in Old Testament history as materialistic, arrogant and oppressive of God's people. Nebuchadnezzar's proud boast was characteristic: '"Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?"' (Dan.4:30). '"But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him"' (5:20).

The basis of her power

She is described as '"the great harlot who sits on many waters"' (Rev.17:1 ); the angel further explained to John, '"The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and tongues"' (17:15). This suggests that the harlot's power derives from extensive spiritual influence over many different peoples, rather than from national force of arms or political domination. May we not realistically envisage development of today's ecumenism to achieve a union embracing the world's major religious faiths? After members of the church the Body of Christ have been translated to heaven at the Lord's return to the air, the amalgamation of apostate religious groups would seem even more probable. In that fearfully intolerant era the exclusion and persecution of God-fearing believers would seem likely. This may well account for the fact that John 'saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus' (17:6).

The nature of her harlotry

She is described as, '"the great harlot ... with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication"' (17:1,2). A similar analogy between physical immorality and resort to false spiritual concepts occurs frequently in Scripture. To Israel God said through Ezekiel: '"And I will judge you as women who break wedlock � I will also give you into their hand, and they shall throw down your shrines and break down your high places"' (16:38,39). Similarly idolatrous cults and practices are time and again classed as 'abominations', as in Deuteronomy 27:15 ''Cursed is the one who makes any carved or molded image, an abomination to the LORD, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and sets it up in secret.'' Her fornication with the kings of the earth presumably implies resort to unscrupulous methods of worldly statecraft in denial of righteous principles which should have been upheld. As a result earth's inhabitants were made drunk with the wine of her fornication. Formal religious association with a spiritually bankrupt organisation led to confusion of mind, uncertainty of direction and evil conduct so typical of physical drunkenness.

Her attire, adornment and golden cup

'The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication' (Rev.17:4). The vision catches an impression of studied appeal to the natural heart and mind, readily captivated by external grandeur in contrast to true spiritual values. The golden cup, outwardly gleaming and of great value in human estimation, contained the poisons of false teaching and depraved standards of conduct.

The scarlet beast on which she sat

This fearsome looking monster 'was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns' (Rev.17:3). It is more fully described in chapter 13:1,2 and would seem to represent the end-time political empire on which the power of Antichrist will be based. The Antichrist himself is also referred to as the beast, directly referring to the monster seen by John in the vision - doubtless because he will attain supreme control of the political system, personalising its character and aspirations. The final phase of this frightful regime will take the form of ten kingdoms whose kings will '"receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast"' (Antichrist). '"These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast"' (17:12,13).

The harlot's doom

That the harlot is seen sitting on the beast (17:3) implies that her wide influence had been useful to Antichrist and his associates in establishing their political ascendancy. They had therefore cultivated her favour and support. But now world control was within their grasp. '"Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?"' (13:4). Moreover he 'opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God' (2 Thes.2:4). All other expressions of worship must therefore be eliminated, the Harlot and all she stood for must be destroyed. '"And the ten horns which you saw on the beast, these will hate the harlot, make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh and burn her with fire. For God has put it into their hearts to fulfil His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled"' (17:16,17).

The associated city

Revelation chapter 18 opens with pronouncement of judgement on 'Babylon the great', described in verse 18 as '"this great city"'. The emphasis of the chapter is on the city's immense commercial wealth and luxurious extravagance, but there is also indictment of her sins and iniquities (verse 5), her sorceries (verse 23), and that '"in her was found the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who were slain on the earth"' (verse 24). Yet the destruction of Babylon the great, the city, is different from that of Babylon the Great, the Harlot. She was destroyed by the ten kings and burned with fire. The city shall be thrown down like a great millstone cast into the sea (18:21), obliterated by a signal act of divine judgement. It would seem therefore that the apostate religious system represented by the 'Mother of harlots' will be closely associated with a great commercial and political centre in the land of Shinar, a future Babylon which will flourish at the time of the end, probably becoming the administrative centre of Antichrist's empire.

To faithful saints of God living and testifying at the time of the end this scriptural revelation regarding the Mother of harlots will be invaluable, as they recognize the unfolding of the events predicted by the imagery of the apostle John's vision. Meantime the principle of separation from the world and from unscriptural religious associations is strongly reinforced for believers today as they appreciate the predicted outcome of present trends.

PRASHER, G. | Nov 2005
Opened Secrets