- Ancient Babylon And Spiritual Babylon
THE KEY POINT OF THIS CHAPTER: If the terminology, geography, and
history of ancient Babylon are used in a symbolic book of the Bible,
then it is very possible that the meaning is also symbolic or spiritual.
Spiritual Babylon would then be opposed to spiritual Israel instead of
end time literal Israel.
- What does the Bible say?
First, let´s consider what spiritual Babylon represents. Notice in the
following texts how many times Babylon is referred to as a woman.
- Revelation 18:
- 1 AND after these things I saw another angel come down
from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his
glory.
- 2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the
great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and
the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful
bird.
- 3 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.
- 4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come
out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye
receive not of her plagues.
- 23 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: for thy merchants were the great
men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.
Did you notice all the phrases that refer to Babylon as a woman? There
were "her fornication;" "MOTHER OF HARLOTS;" "the kings of the earth
have committed fornication with her;" "the abundance of her delicacies;"
"Come out of her, my people;" "her sins;" and "her plagues." In the
Bible a women is often used as a symbol to represent the church. A
harlot women represents an impure, false church and a pure women
represents God´s pure, true church. Notice in the following texts that
God´s church is referred to as a wife to be married to the Lamb (Jesus
Christ) and that she will "be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white."
The fine linen is the righteousness of the saints.
- Revelation 19:
- 7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for
the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
- 8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean
and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
- Jeremiah 6:
- 2 I have likened the daughter of Zion to a comely and
delicate woman.
- 2 Corinthians 11:
- 2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for Ihave espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste
virgin to Christ.
Notice in the following texts how God compared the children of Israel
and the way they had acted towards Him to that of a whore.
- Ezekiel 16:
- 3 And say, Thus saith the Lord God unto Jerusalem; Thy birth
and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan; thy father was an Amorite,
and thy mother an Hittite.
- 15 But thou didst trust in thine own beauty,
and playedst the harlot because of thy renown, and pouredst out thy
fornications on every one that passed by; his it was.
- 16 And of thy
garments thou didst take, and deckedst thy high places with divers
colours, and playedst the harlot thereupon: the like things shall not
come, neither shall it be so.
- 17 Thou hast also taken thy fair jewels of
my gold and of my silver, which I had given thee, and madest to thyself
images of men, and didst commit whoredom with them,
- 26 Thou hast also
committed fornication with the Egyptians thy neighbours, great of flesh;
and hast increased thy whoredoms, to provoke me to anger.
- 28 Thou hast
played the whore also with the Assyrians, because thou wast unsatiable;
yea, thou hast played the harlot with them, and yet couldest not be
satisfied.
- 30 How weak is thine heart, saith the Lord God, seeing thou
doest all these things, the work of an imperious whorish woman;
- 32 But
as a wife that committeth adultery, which taketh strangers instead of
her husband!
- 38 And I will judge thee, as women that break wedlock and
shed blood are judged; and I will give thee blood in fury and jealousy.
- Hosea 3:
- 1 THEN said the Lord unto me, Go yet, love a woman beloved of
her friend, yet an adulteress, according to the love of the Lord toward
the children of Israel, who look to other gods, and love flagons of
wine.
In Revelation the harlot women, named Babylon, represents a church or
system of religion that has been untrue to God. So why does God use the
ancient city of Babylon to represent a false, untrue system of religion
that exists in the end time? Let´s compare what the Bible says about
ancient Babylon with that of spiritual Babylon and I believe the answer
will be clear.
An Amazing Story About Ancient Babylon And The Euphrates River
In the old Testament, Israel was captured and taken to Babylon for 70
years. The city of Babylon was almost impregnable with a large wall
around it. The Euphrates river ran through the city, entering and
exiting through two gates which had bars reaching down to the river bed.
When the gates were shut, all entrance by invaders was impossible. At
the end of the 70 years of ancient Israel´s captivity, a Persian general
named Cyrus came against Babylon from the east. His army dug a
diversion trench into the Euphrates river just upstream from itsentrance into Babylon. One night, while Babylon was having a party,
some drunken guards forgot to close the two gates. As the river began
to go down under the city, Cyrus and his men crept underneath the bars,
attacking and conquering the, thought to be, impregnable city. Cyrus
later issued a decree allowing Israel to leave Babylon. Amazingly, this
entire story forms the true background for the book of Revelation´s
description of the destruction of spiritual Babylon at Armageddon and
the deliverance of spiritual Israel at the second coming of Jesus
Christ. Let´s compare the history of ancient Babylon with that of
spiritual Babylon.
Ancient Babylon Compared With Spiritual Babylon
John, in the book of Revelation, uses the geography, terminology, and
events of ancient Babylon applying them universally to Jesus Christ,
spiritual Israel, and spiritual Babylon at the end time. Notice the
following parallels:
Both Babylons Are Proud
Ancient Babylon was "most proud."
- Jeremiah 50:
- 29 Call together the archers against Babylon: all ye that
bend the bow, camp against it round about; let none thereof escape:
recompense her according to her work; according to all that she hath
done, do unto her: for she hath been proud against the Lord, against the
Holy One of Israel.
- 31 Behold, I am against thee, O thou most proud,
saith the Lord God of hosts: for thy day is come, the time that I will
visit thee.
- 32 And the most proud shall stumble and fall, and none shall
raise him up: and I will kindle a fire in his cities, and it shall
devour all round about him.
Spiritual Babylon is also very proud.
- Revelation 18:
- 7 How much she hath glorified herself, and lived
deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her
heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.
Both Babylons Make All The Earth Drunk With Their Golden Cup Of Wine
Ancient Babylon made all the earth drunk with her golden cup.
- Jeremiah 51:
- 7 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.
Spiritual Babylon is also making the whole earth drunk with her golden
cup.
- Revelation 17:
- 4 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:
- 5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT,
THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
- Revelation 18:
- 3 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:
- 6 Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto
her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled,
fill to her double.
Both Babylons Are Located Over Water (Euphrates River)
Ancient Babylon sat on the Euphrates river.
- Jeremiah 51:
- 61 And Jeremiah said to Seraiah, When thou comest to
Babylon, and shalt see, and shalt read all these words;
- 63 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:
- 64 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.
Modern Babylon, the great whore, sits on many waters (Euphrates).
- Revelation 17:
- 1 AND there came one of the seven angels which had the
seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will
shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many
waters:
- Revelation 16:
- 1 AND I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to
the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of
God upon the earth.
- 12 And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the
great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way
of the kings of the east might be prepared.
The waters (of the Euphrates) represent people around the world who
support spiritual Babylon.
- Revelation 17:
- 15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest,
where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and
tongues.
The Water Of Both Babylons Would Be Dried Up
Cyrus, God´s shepherd, was the man to free Israel. Over 100 years
earlier God called Cyrus by name and predicted that he would dry up the
river under ancient Babylon.
- Isaiah 44:
- 27 That saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy
rivers:
- 28 That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all
my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the
temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.
- Jeremiah 51:
- 36 Therefore thus saith the Lord; Behold, I will plead thy
cause, and take vengeance for thee; and I will dry up her sea, and make
her springs dry.
As a results of the river being dried up, Cyrus would be able to slip
under the two gates, which would be left open, providing him with a way
to conquer Babylon. It is amazing that God would not only call Cyrus by
name, but would reveal how he would conquer Babylon by going through the
two open gates on the dried up river bed.
- Isaiah 45:
- 1 THUS saith the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right
hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the
loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates
shall not be shut;
The sixth vial of God´s wrath dries up the Euphrates under spiritual
Babylon. This represents God´s wrath eventually falling on people who
continue to support spiritual Babylon (Revelation 17:15). Notice that
it is the "wrath of God" that dries up the river (people that support
Babylon) and not modern Turkey drying up a literal river as many
advocate.
- Revelation 16:
- 1 AND I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to
the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of
God upon the earth.
- 12 And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the
great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way
of the kings of the east might be prepared.
God´s Judgments Would Come On Both Babylons
Judgments were to come upon ancient Babylon.
- Isaiah 47:
- 1 COME down, and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of
Babylon, sit on the ground: there is no throne, O daughter of the
Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called tender and delicate.
God´s judgment will come on spiritual Babylon.
- Revelation 16:
- 17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the
air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the
throne, saying, It is done.
- 18 And there were voices, and thunders, and
lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men
were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.
- 19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations
fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her
the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.
- 20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.
- 21 And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent:
and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague
thereof was exceeding great.
Both Babylons Would Fall
Ancient Babylon would fall and be destroyed and her king slain.
- Jeremiah 51:
- 8 Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed: howl for her;
take balm for her pain, if so be she may be healed.
- Daniel 5:
- 30 In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans
slain.
Spiritual Babylon also has fallen.
- Revelation 18:
- 2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying,
Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of
devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean
and hateful bird.
Both Babylons Are Conquered By A King That Comes From The East
A man (King Cyrus) was to come from the east against ancient Babylon.
Cyrus was a type of Christ in that he freed God´s people from their
bondage. Notice that he is referred to by God as "my shepherd" and "His
anointed." Christ is also called a Shepherd and the Anointed One.
- Isaiah 46:
- 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient
times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand,
and I will do all my pleasure:
- 11 Calling a ravenous bird from the east,
the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken
it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.
- Isaiah 44:
- 28 That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform
all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to
the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.
- Isaiah 45:
- 1 THUS saith the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right
hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the
loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates
shall not be shut;
King Jesus (Son of Man, John 8:28 & Revelation 14:14) returns from the
east for the battle of Armageddon to conquer spiritual Babylon and to
deliver His spiritual Israel.
- Revelation 16:
- 17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the
air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the
throne, saying, It is done.
- 18 And there were voices, and thunders, and
lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men
were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.
- 19 And the
great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations
fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her
the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.
- 20 And every island
fled away, and the mountains were not found.
- 21 And there fell upon men
a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent:
and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague
thereof was exceeding great.
- Revelation 19:
- 11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and
he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness
he doth judge and make war.
- 12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on
his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew,
but he himself.
- 13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood:
and his name is called The Word of God.
- 14 And the armies which were in
heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and
clean.
- 15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he
should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and
he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
- 16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF
KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
- Matthew 24:
- 27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth
even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
- Revelation 7:
- 2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having
the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four
angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,
The word "east" means "sun rising." Notice in the following texts that
our Lord refers to himself as the "Sun of righteousness" not Son of
righteousness. The Sun of righteousness arises like the sun rises in
the east.
- Malachi 4:
- 1 FOR, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven;
and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and
the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it
shall leave them neither root nor branch.
- 2 But unto you that fear my
name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and
ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.
God´s People Called Out Of Both Babylons
Israel was called to flee out of ancient Babylon.
- Jeremiah 51:
- 44 And I will punish Bel in Babylon, and I will bring forth
out of his mouth that which he hath swallowed up: and the nations shall
not flow together any more unto him; yea, the wall of Babylon shall
fall.
- 45 My people, go ye out of the midst of her, and deliver ye every
man his soul from the fierce anger of the Lord.
Just like God called His ancient Israel out of ancient Babylon, even so
now God calls His spiritual Israel to come out of spiritual Babylon.
- Revelation 18:
- 1 AND after these things I saw another angel come down
from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his
glory.
- 2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the
great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and
the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful
bird.
- 4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her,
my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not
of her plagues.
God calls his people to come out. This is an important fact for all
those sincere Christians who are associated with spiritual Babylon. God
does have people that are in her, but now He calls them to come out so
they will not receive of her plagues.
Notice how widespread will be her influence over people. All nations
have drunk of her wine and have been deceived.
- 3 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.
- 23 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: for thy merchants were the great men of
the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.
Notice that this organization is a mother of harlots which means there
are several daughter whores. These would be organizations that came out
of their mother and also would have many people. God is calling His
people to come out of the daughter whores as well as the mother of all
whores.
- Revelation 17:
- 4 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:
- 5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT,
THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
Dwight Waterhouse is the compiler of this information.
Please feel free to send your comments and questions. David Waterhouse
is the Webmaster. You can reach both of us at the same E mail
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