Three Clues To Mystery Babylon

Euphrates River

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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Mystery Babylon

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