Scripture:
- Isaiah 21:9 “Look, here comes a troop of men, riders on horses! And he answered and said, ‘Babylon is fallen, is fallen! And all the carved images of her gods He has broken to the ground.'”
- Revelation 14:8 “A second angel followed and said, ‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great, which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries.'”
- Jeremiah 50:8 “Flee out of Babylon; leave the land of the Babylonians, and be like the goats that lead the flock.”
- Jeremiah 51:6 “Flee from Babylon! Run for your lives! Do not be destroyed because of her sins. It is time for the Lord’s vengeance; he will repay her what she deserves.”
- Revelation 18:4 “Then I heard another voice from heaven say: ‘Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues;'”
- Revelation 17:5 “The name written on her forehead was a mystery: Babylon the Great, the mother of prostitutes and of the abominations of the earth.”
The opening scriptures of this article show us that Babylon the Great is destined to fall. The Lord does not want us to share in her sins or receive her plagues; therefore, He calls us to “come out of her.” However, there is a difficulty in this command: Babylon the Great is a “mystery.” The Bible’s use of the word “mystery” indicates that this matter is not immediately obvious. Nevertheless, it is not unknowable. If God reveals it, a “mystery” can be discovered through seeking before the Lord. If “that city” were completely indistinguishable, the call to “flee” would be meaningless. Warnings are meaningful precisely because the truth can be known, though it is not a superficial truth that can be seen at a glance.
Which of God’s truths can be obtained without paying a price? Of course, the price I refer to is not of this world, but the “denial of self.” May God have mercy!
In Revelation, there is a vision of a “woman sitting on many waters.” Although the text provides some explanation, it remains difficult to determine exactly where this great city of Babylon points based on those descriptions alone. However, since God explicitly calls her “Babylon the Great,” does this not point directly to Babylon? Some might say that the Babylon mentioned in the Old Testament is merely historical and long gone. Indeed, historical Babylon was destroyed. But have you not seen that God’s prophecies often have both a near-term and a far-term fulfillment?
Today, let us look at some of the clues and prophecies provided in the Bible regarding “Babylon.” May the Lord grant you light to see, and may He grant you strength to be courageous.
Characteristics and Power of Babylon
1. Babylon sits on seven hills (mountains)
Since a “mind with wisdom” is required here, this likely does not simply refer to a specific location with seven physical hills, but may have a deeper meaning. Approximately 71% of the Earth’s surface is covered by water, and the remaining 29% is land, which is categorized into “continents.” Coincidentally, there are exactly seven continents in the world. While no single physical city can sit on seven continents, since this great city “rules over the kings of the earth,” could it mean that Babylon’s authority is manifested across all seven continents?
2. Babylon is a place of many waters
“You who live by many waters and are rich in treasures, your end has come, the time for you to be destroyed.” (Jeremiah 51:13)
“Then the angel said to me, ‘The waters you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages.'” (Revelation 17:15)
Revelation explicitly explains that “many waters” represent peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages. However, it is also highly likely that she is a place that is geographically abundant in water or coastal. Both layers of meaning can coexist.
3. Babylon occupies a land that was not originally hers
4. Babylon is composed of diverse races and peoples
5. Babylon holds immense influence in global affairs
6. Babylon is the “hammer” of the whole earth with a massive military machine
7. Babylon is a major exporter of ideology, culture, and law
“For all the nations have drunk the maddening wine of her adulteries. The kings of the earth committed adultery with her…” (Revelation 18:3)
8. Babylon is a major power in shipping and trade, possessing extreme luxury
“The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her because no one buys their cargoes anymore.” (Revelation 18:11-13)
9. Babylon is arrogant and boastful
“Give her as much torment and grief as the glory and luxury she gave herself. In her heart she boasts, ‘I sit enthroned as queen; I am not a widow; I will never mourn.'” (Revelation 18:7)
10. Babylon is filled with religious confusion, astrology, mysticism, and idols
“Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great! She has become a dwelling for demons and a haunt for every impure spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal.” (Revelation 18:2)
“Babylon’s images are put to shame and her idols are filled with terror.” (Jeremiah 50:2)
11. The relationship between Babylon and the Beast
“Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns.” (Revelation 17:3)
“The dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads…” (Revelation 13:1)
The Destruction of Babylon: God’s Judgment
Disaster strikes suddenly, falling in a single day:
“Therefore in one day her plagues will overtake her: death, mourning and famine. She will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.” (Revelation 18:8-10)
God’s Call: Come Out of Her
Mystery Babylon currently appears secure because the time has not yet come, but His judgment will surely arrive suddenly. May God have mercy, so that we may see light in His light and come out of that city, for her end is terrifying.
The purpose of this article is not to point out exactly where Babylon the Great is; thus, the citations and analysis are limited by this intent. However, this is not a theoretical article about Mystery Babylon. Rather, it is a hope that through these scriptures and concise analysis, God will add more watchfulness to the heart He has already awakened in you.
If you have already established a standard in your heart that a certain place absolutely cannot be Babylon the Great, perhaps this article will be of little help to you. For whenever a person fixes their own position before receiving God’s light, they have already fallen into darkness.