Three Clues To Mystery Babylon
Three clues to mystery Babylon are only part of the evidence for identifying the mysterious women in the prophetic book. In Revelation 17, we are introduced to a harlot woman enshrouded in a mystery. We are never explicitly told who this woman is. Nevertheless, there are three clues to mystery Babylon in Revelation which easily solve this mystery. In fact, there are several clues but
three are sufficient for our purpose.
Years ago when my son was about 11 or 12 years of age, among
other things, we bought him a Rubics Cube as a gift. I tried without success to solve the mystery of the Rubics Cube.
On the other hand, within minutes, my son twisted, turned, paused for a reflective gaze, then as though a light bulb turned on in a dark room, he twisted, turned and paused again, repeating this several times.
Finally, he smiled, held up the Rubics Cube, showing all sides with all colors matching. Our entire family never figured it out. We concluded that it must have been because he was left handed! Like the solving the mystery of the Rubics Cube, many never understand who mystery Babylon is in Revelation. However, the following three clues remove all the guesswork.
In the few minutes it takes to read this post, you will have solved the major mystery to the Revelation message. Further, it doesn’t matter whether you’re left handed or not.
Clue Number One: Mystery Babylon is the Great City of Revelation.
Major attention is given to the great city in the book. In chapter 18:10, it is called that great city Babylon.
Many are thrown off track by this designation. Why? It is because they immediately begin looking at “literal Babylon” often ascribing modern day Iraq, the U.S. or the ancient city which sat near the Euphrates River as the great city of the Apocalypse.
However, the word “mystery” should caution against this approach. A mystery is something which cannot be known until it is revealed.
Since the message of Revelation spoke about events which were imminently future, i.e. which had drawn near and were shortly to come to pass, Ancient Babylon nor modern day Iraq would fit those parameters.
In addition, Ancient Babylon is accounted for in Revelation in the image of the beast described in chapter 13:1–2. Remember the lion, bear, and leopard imagery from the prophecy in Daniel 7:4–6?
The difference here is that the order is reversed. The lion represented ancient Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar.
It became a part of the beast (Roman Empire) through conquest being conquered by the Medo-Persians, who fell to the Macedonians, who subsequently were defeated by Rome.
However, the “great city” (mystery Babylon) is the “harlot woman” of chapter 17:16, depicted as “sitting” on the scarlet colored beast. The ten horned beast will hate the harlot, make her desolate and naked and naked, eat her flesh and burn her with fire.
The imagery follows the same pattern as that in Lamentations in the Old Testament when God destroyed the ancient Jerusalem and temple by Nebuchadnezzar in the 6th century B.C.
See again in Revelation 17:18, where the woman is called the “great city” distinguishing her from the beast upon which she sits. Thus Mystery Babylon equals the harlot woman and great city of Revelation.
Clue Number Two: Mystery Babylon is Drunken With The Blood of the Saints and Martyrs of Jesus.
Here we find the crime of which the harlot woman, styled the great city was charged and found guilty. “I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw here, I marveled with great amazement.” (Rev. 17:6)
This description carries through to chapter 18:2, 10, 16, 18, 21, which expands upon the charges against the harlot city. Her hands are stained with the blood of prophets and saints and of all who were slain upon the earth (land meaning the great city), Rev. 21:24).
Clue Number Three: Our Final Clue Ties All The Above Together With Accuracy in Revealing Mystery Babylon
“And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified,” (Rev. 11:8).
Here, we learn that the great city, is the place where our Lord (Jesus Christ) was crucified. Note also the allusions to her harlotry by the description of Sodom, a designation for immorality and uncleanness.
Being spiritually characterized as Egypt denotes bondage. Each of these designations point to only one city, Jerusalem in the first century.
- The Lord was crucified in Jerusalem, Matt. 21:18; Lk. 24:18–20.
- Christ said it was not possible that a prophet perish outside of Jerusalem, (Lk. 13:33).
- Jerusalem was charged with the blood of all the prophets from Abel to Zacharias, for which she would be brought to judgment within the first century generation, (Matt. 23:36–37; 24:34; Luke. 13:34).
- Paul wrote that first century Jerusalem was a type of Egypt and was in bondage with her children, Gal. 4:24–25).
Together, these three clues point to first century Jerusalem as Mystery Babylon in Revelation.
For more detailed analysis and thorough study of Revelation and Mystery Babylon, I highly recommend “Who Is This Babylon?” by Don K. Preston of Preterist Research Institute. Click here to order.
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Excellent Job. Finally people are searching for the answers. Kudos.
I would Like to add to it this. The Jews and hence Israel, Were the only Nation to have a covenant with YHWH, and so we can also see that throughout history the covenant was continuously broken, even to the Denial of the Messiah Jesus Christ.
So… the Name ‘Harlot’, Fits.
Taking it a step further for those who might not get it yet.
What would you call your ‘Wife’ If she cheated on you?
Thanks again,
Anthony
As a Christian fundamentalist i.e born again I take a more literal interpretation of scripture and you need to understand that the book of Revelation starts out…
Revelation 1
1The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which “must shortly come to pass”; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:
and in verse 19Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;
So Jerusalem was destroy in 70 AD by the Romans and John wrote the book between 80-95 AD long after the destruction, remember Jesus said to Him to write the things which are, and the things which “shall be hereafter”;
Things future…
Well you can lead someone to the truth, but you can’t make them think…
Take a look for yourself: http://thechristianworldview.com/tcwblog/archives/1810
This would stay a Mystery until the time of the end.
First, a fundamentalist would stick more closely to the text and demand internal evidence rather than appealing to a more liberal view of external evidence.
Secondly, in the Greek text verse 19, reads , “Write the things which you saw and the things which are and the things which are ABOUT (mellei) to take place.
Therefore, John, keeps this verse in harmony with Rev. 1:1, 3, which you agree says he was shown things which must “shortly come to pass” for the time had drawn near. Shortly from en tachei does not have enough elastic to span for centuries in the future from the time written.
Thirdly, the question is whether you are correct in assigning the book to the Domitianic reign of AD 80-95. That testimony is based upon “external” non-biblical evidence from Irenaus, Bishop of Lyons, who reportedly saw Polycarp, a disciple of John, who reportedly claimed he saw John or the Apocalype near the end of the Domitian’s reign.
However that statement is very unreliable. Scholars have questioned the integrity and translation of it. They are more in agreement that Polycarp says John, the Apostle was seen close to the end of Domitian’s reign, not the Apocalypse. Any credible research on the topic will reveal this.
Fourthly, Ireanaus also stated that Christ lived to be “50” years of age. Thus, his testimony is very suspect based on those grounds.
Fifthly, from a historical point, there is no evidence that any worldwide persecution ever took place under Domitian’s reign, which was surely the backdrorop of Revelation.
Sixthly, the destruction of Jerusalem is never mentioned as a past event in the scriptures. That is indicative of the fact that all books of the N.T. were written before A.D. 70, Revelation is therefore included.
Seventh, the internal evidence of the book points to the reign of Nero, who reign about 54-68 A.D. He was a known persecutor of Christians. It is well documented that he set fire to Rome, and under the influence of the Jews, blamed it on Christians who were persecuted as a result. Most scholars agree that his name represents the mark of the beast 666.
Eighthly, the “great city” of the book is the city where our Lord was crucified. That can be no other than Jerusalem, (Lk. 13:33). who was about to be destroyed by Rome. A major portion of the book is devoted to the destruction of the harlot, in whom was found the blood of the saints and of the martyrs of Jesus.
Finally, Christ predicted that all things written would be fulfilled when Jerusalem was destroyed in AD 70. So to hold your position requires one to contradict the simple words of Scripture.
If we are in the end times, meaning the times immediately prior to the tribulation and Christ’s return, then Mystery Babylon is crystal clear to all who are not spiritually blinded. Many generations have had the famines, plagues, but not the extreme level of earthquake activity which we are now experiencing. That alone is not enough, the prophecy concerning the rebirth of Israel in 1948 (with the recapture of Jerusalem in 1967) indicates that we are very close, as the generation that witnesses this event shall not pass before the return of the king.
Although the third temple has not yet been rebuilt, we can make an educated assumption that we are very close because of prophecy which has been fulfilled.
After reading Revelation, Jeremiah 50,51 and the Book of Isiah, it is obvious to even the most feeble minded that the United States of America is Mystery Babylon.
With all due respect in my opinion, especially for those who claim to know the
scriptures, if America is the Mystery Babylon of the Bible, that conclusion is the
result of feeble minds. See our studies on Mystery Babylon or get a copy of
Don Preston’s “Who is This Babylon?” available at this site.