Babylon, the Great City, is a prominent theme in Revelation as the prophecies begin to hone in on the very last days. It is referred to by other names, as well – Babylon the Great, the prostitute, and Mother of prostitutes. It is visualized to John, “in the spirit”, as a woman sitting upon a scarlet beast, which beast had seven heads and ten horns. This beast is the same beast as in Revelation 13, but in chapter 17 the beast has this great harlot riding on its back. The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, glittering with gold, precious stones, and pearls, and holding a golden cup filled with her filthy abominations and adulteries (Rev 17:3-4).
The
mention of Babylon the Great is scattered over chapters 14 to 19 in Revelation.
It is very helpful to bring these together in one flowing compilation to see
and understand what God has to say about this great city of the end of the age,
New York City, the heart and soul of America.
A second angel followed and said, ‘Fallen!
Fallen is Babylon the Great, which made all the nations drink the maddening
wine of her adulteries.” (14:8).
God remembered Babylon the Great and gave her the cup
filled with the wine of the fury of his wrath. (16:19). The name written on her
forehead was a mystery: Babylon the great; the mother of prostitutes and of the abominations
of the earth. (17:5). The beast and the ten
horns you saw will hate the prostitute. They will bring her to ruin and leave
her naked; they will eat her flesh and burn her with fire. (17:16). With a mighty voice {the angel} shouted: “Fallen! Fallen is Babylon
the Great!’ She has become a dwelling for demons and a haunt for every impure spirit…. For all the nations have
drunk the maddening wine of her adulteries. The kings of the earth committed adultery with her, and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive
luxuries.” (18:2-3). Terrified at her torment, they will stand far off and cry:
“Woe! Woe to you, great city, you mighty city of
Babylon! In one hour your doom has come!” (18:10). The
merchants… will weep and mourn and cry out… When they see the smoke of her burning, they
will exclaim, ‘Was there ever a city like this great city?’…. “Rejoice
over her, you heavens! Rejoice, you people of God! Rejoice, apostles and
prophets! For God has judged her with the judgment she imposed on you.” Then
a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a large millstone and threw it
into the sea, and said: “With such violence the great city of Babylon will
be thrown down, never to be found again” (18:15-21).
Babylon the
Great is not merely symbolic. It is a literal, specific city of the last days.
The name may be symbolic, obviously, but not the city. Just as historical
Babylon was the capital city of the Babylonian empire, each of the seven beast
nations has had a capital. The seventh beast, the beast of the last days, has
as its “de facto” capital New York City. NYC is the great city that has
dominated the world for the last century or more. NYC is the great city being
spoken of in Revelation. How do we know that? Because it is destroyed by the
eighth beast, the ten-horned beast, the Arab-Islamic coalition of the very last
“hour”. So, The Great Babylon of Revelation 17-18 must be the capital city of
the seventh beast, America. And for those of you who might believe that Babylon
the Great is referring to a historical Babylon, rebuilt in Iraq. you need to
consider the prophecy of Jeremiah (51:37,64), saying that Babylon would be
destroyed, never to rise again. Besides, there is not enough time before the
very soon end of the age to rebuild a world-class city in the deserts of Iraq.
NYC will be destroyed, both by the eighth
beast (Rev 17:16), and by the hand of God (Rev 16:19; 18:8). Its destruction is
judgment for the adulteries, abominations, and bloodshed that brought it such
great wealth and power. Hard to believe, yes! When it happens, though, we
should not be surprised. It is one of the events of the end of the age that
must happen (Rev 1:2). Americans, are we ready for the judgment that God has
ordained? Are we ready to endure death, mourning, and famine (Rev 18:8)?
