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TRANSCRIPT
Babylon in the Apocalypse
Ekkehardt Mueller, Th.D., D.Min.
Babylon in the Apocalypse
I. Terms that Apply to Babylon
II. Characteristics of Babylon
III. Babylon Identified
IV. Babylon’s Relationship to God’s Church
V. Adventist Interpretations of Babylon
Terms that Apply to Babylon
Terms that Apply to Babylon
• Babylon (14:8; 16:19; 17:5; 18:2,10,21)
• Euphrates (9:14; 16:12)
• The Great City (11:8; 16:19; 17:18; 18:10,
16,19,21)
• The Harlot (17:1,5,15,16;19:2)
Babylon
• Babylon in the Old Testament
• Babylon in the New Testament (1Pet
5:13)
• Babylon in Revelation
1. According to Gen 10:8-10 Nimrod is the founder
of Babel or Babylon.
2. From the beginning the city is a symbol of
unbelief, apostasy, and rebellion against God.
Here the famous tower of Babel was built (Gen
11:4).
3. In this chaper the name is understood as
“confusion“ (Gen 11:9).
Babylon in the Old Testament
4. However, the Babylonians interpreted the name
as the “gate of the gods.“
5. There was an old Babylonian Empire as well as
the Neo-Babylonian Empire. The OT reports
primarily about the Neo-Babylonian Empire.
6. Nabopolassar was the founder of this empire. It
flowered under his son Nebuchadnezzar.
Babylon in the Old Testament
7. The city was so magnificent that Nebuchadnezzar
become proud and consequently insane for
seven years until he recognized God as the real
Lord and King (Dan 4).
8. Nebuchadnezzar repeatedly conquered
Jerusalem, deported the Jews to Babylon, and
destroyed the temple in Jerusalem (605, 597, 586
B.C.).
9. Under Belshazzar the kingdom fell into the hands
of the Medes and Persians (539 B.C.). They
allowed the Jews to return to Palestine.
Babylon in the Old Testament
10. According to Isa 14 Satan was the invisible King
of Babylon. Isaiah predicted the destruction of
Babylon and mentioned that it should remain
uninhabited (Isa 13:17-22).
11. After the Babylonians the Medes and Persians
reigned in Babylon, followed by Alexander the
Great. After him the city slowly decayed. At the
time of John it was already in ruins. Isaiah‘s
prediction had been fulfilled.
Babylon in the Old Testament
1. Already toward the end of the first century A.D.
Babylon represents Rome. Peter sends
greetings from Babylon (1Pet 5:13), which has
became a code name for Rome.
2. Revelation uses the characteristics of the old
Babylon to describe a symbolic endtime
Babylon. These characteristics are rebellion
against God, false religiosity/spirituality,
persecution of the people of God, etc.
Babylon in the New Testament
Babylon ist a symbolic and an endtime entity. The term
“Babylon” is found six times in Revelation, the first
time in Rev 14:8. There the fall of Babylon is
announced. The judgment on Babylon appears under
the sixth and seventh plagues. Rev 17 and 18 are more
detailed descriptions of these plagues. The message of
Babylon‘s fall (Rev 14:8) is repeated literally in Rev
18:2.
Rev 14:8 and 18:2:
“Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, . . .”
The Term Babylon
Babylon as City
Apart from the holy and beloved city, the new
Jerusalem/the church, Revelation knows of the
“great city“ or the “strong city,“ i.e., Babylon.
According to Rev 16:19 the great city is Babylon:
Rev 16:19
A The great city split into three parts,
B and the cities of the nations fell.
A' And Babylon the great was
remembered in the sight of God.
In addition to the phrase “the great city” in Rev 14:8;
17:5; and 18:2 a shortened form is found: "Babylon the
great.” Thus in Revelation Babylon is always
connected to the adjective “great”:
14:8 - Babylon the great
16:19 - Babylon, the great city
17:5 - Babylon the great
18:2 - Babylon the great
18:10 - Babylon, the great city
18:21 - Babylon, the great city
Babylon as City
Babylon as Harlot
Revelation knows different women figures but
only one prominent harlot (17:1,15,16; 19:2). She
is at the same time the mother of the harlots
(17:5). Jezebel is not directly called “harlot” /
“prostitute” but she lead others to prostitution
(2:20). The prostitute Babylon is also the “great”
harlot:
17:1 The great harlot
17:15 The harlot
17:16 The harlot
19:2 The great harlot
Two positive figures are contrasted with two
negative ones:
(1) Jezebel (Rev 2:20-23)
(2) The church(Rev 12)
(3) The harlot (Rev 17-18)
(4) The bride/wife of the Lamb (Rev 19:7;
21:2,9; 22:17)
The Most Important Women Figures of Revelation
Jezebel and Babylon
As Babylon is involved in fornication, so Jezebel too.
The church in Thyatira tolerates symbolic Jezebel in her
midst. Therefore, the judgment comes upon her and her
followers. The remnant in Thyatira have nothing to do
with her, just as the endtime remnant is distinct from
Babylon.
The passage may contain a definition of the term
fornication: The followers of Jezebel “have committed
adultery with her” (Rev 2:20,22). The others “do not hold
this teaching” and “have not known the deep things of
Satan” (Rev 2:24).
Jezebel in Rev 2 foreshadows Babylon.
The Woman Clothed with the Sun and Babylon
• Both are most frequently referred to as women.
• In both cases, their clothing is described first.
• Both women are mothers.
• The woman of Rev 12 is threatened by the dragon
who has seven heads and ten horns. On the other
hand, the harlot in 17:3 deliberately sits on a beast
with seven heads and ten horns.
• Both women have a certain connection to the
desert—12:6,14; 17:3.
• The woman of Rev 12 is persecuted, while the
harlot is a persecuting power.
The Woman Clothed with the Sun and Babylon
• Not only is the desert mentioned in connection
with both women, water is referred to as well.
• With both women time elements are specified.
• The woman of Rev 12 is closely connected with
God, the harlot stands in contrast to God.
• The woman of Rev 12 with her crown of 12 stars
alludes to a queen—12:1. The harlot thinks of
herself as a queen—18:7.
The Bride of the Lamb and Babylon
The chaste bride, the wife
of the lamb (21:2, 9).
Her splendor is the glory
of God (21:11-12).
The nations walk by her
light, which is the glory of
God (21:24).
The harlot, with whom the
kings of the earth have
committed fornication (17:2)
Her splendor comes from
exploiting her kingdom
(17:4; 18:12-13, 16).
Babylon corrupts the
nations and deceives them
(17:2; 18:3, 23; 19:2).
The Bride of the Lamb and Babylon
The kings of the earth
bring their glory into her
(21:24).
They bring the glory and
honor of the nations into
her (21:26).
Uncleanness, abomination,
and falsehood are
excluded (21:27).
Babylon rules over the
kings of the earth (17:18).
Babylon’s luxury and wealth
is extorted from the nations
(18:12-17).
Babylon’s abomination,
uncleanness, and
deceptions (17:4,5; 18:23).
The Bride of the Lamb and Babylon
The water and the tree of
life for the healing of the
nations (21:6; 22:1-2).
Life and healing (22:1-2).
God’s people are called to
enter the new Jerusalem
(22:14).
Babylon’s wine makes the
nations drunk (14:8; 17:2;
18:3).
Bloodshed (17:6; 18:24).
God’s people are called to
come out of Babylon (18:4).
The Euphrates River
• In Rev 9:13-16 the reference to the
Euphrates river and the gathering of an
army describe the immense power of
Babylon—sixth trumpet.
• In Rev 16:12 the Euphrates river dries
up—sixth plague.
Summary Historical section of Rev Rev 9 9:14 The Euphrates river (6th trumpet)
Rev 11 11:8 The Great City (end time perspective of the vision of the trumpets)
Rev 14 14:8 Babylon (end time perspective of the vision of the satanic trinity)
Eschatological section of Rev Rev 16 16:12 The Euphrates river (6th plague)
16:19 The Great City, Babylon (7th plague)
Rev 17 17:1 The Harlot 17:5 Babylon 17:15 The Harlot 17:16 The Harlot 17:18 The Great City Rev 18 18:2 Babylon 18:10 The Great City, Babylon 18:16 The Great City 18:18 The Great City 18:19 The Great City 18:21 Babylon, the Great City Rev 19 19:2 The Harlot
Information on Babylon in Rev 17
• She is involved in sexual immorality with the
kings and the peoples (17:1,2,4).
• She is found in the desert (17:3).
• She is sitting on a scarlet beast (17:3).
• Her clothes consist of purple, scarlet, gold, and
precious stones (17:4).
• Her name is Babylon (17:5,18).
• She is the mother of harlots and of all the
abominations on earth (17:5).
• She is drunk with the blood of the saints (17:6).
• The alliance between Babylon and the political
powers falls apart. The 10 horns and the beast
hate the harlot and kill her (17:15-18).
Angel: Babylon ist fallen (18:1-3)
Heavenly voice (18:4-20)
(1) Call: “Go out” and announcement of
judgment (18:4-8)
(2) Report about the threefold lament over
Babylon through kings, merchants, and
seafarers (18:9-19)
(c) Call: “Rejoice” and statement about
judgment (18:20)
Angel: Babylon will be thrown down (18:21-24)
Summary of Rev 18
The Charcteristics of Babylon
Characteristics of Babylon
1. Universal Influence
2. Wealth and Prosperity
3. Royal Claims
4. Prostitution
5. Deception
6. Blasphemy
7. Demonic Elements
8. Persecution
9. Sins and Iniquity
10. Time of Appearance
11. Fall/Judgment
12. A Religious Power
Characteristics of Babylon
1. Universal Influence
Babylon sits on many waters (nations and
peoples; 17:1,15). She reigns over the
kings of the earth (17:2,18; 18:3,9-10). The
merchants are dependant on her (18:3,11-
15), as are the seafarers (18:17-19), all
peoples (18:3) and thereby the earth
dwellers (17:2). Therefore, Babylon is
called the great and the strong city (18:10).
Babylon has enormous political power and
worldwide influence.
Characteristics of Babylon
2. Wealth and Prosperity
Luxury and wealth is attributed to Babylon
(18:3,7,9; 18:19; 18:17). Others became rich
through Babylon (18:3,15,19). In Revelation
wealth (ploutos) is only found with Jesus
(5:12) and Babylon (18:17). However,
Babylons wealth will be destroyed. The
Lamb‘s wealth remains. So Babylon is
opposed to the Lamb. Rev 18 is a kind of
economic criticism.
Characteristics of Babylon
3. Royal Claims
The harlot considers herself to be a queen
(basilissa; 18,7). She has a royal reign
(basileia) over the kings (basileis) of the
earth (17:18). However, the real King of the
nations is God (15:3), and Jesus is King of
kings (17:14; 19:16). So Babylon claims
divine status and exhibits self-glorification.
Characteristics of Babylon
4. Prostitution
Fornication (porneia) as the preeminent
characteristic (14:8; 17:1-5; 18:3,9; 19:2) is
to be understood symbolically in most
cases (Rev 2:20,21,24), namely as idolatry.
Kings cannot commit literal fornication with
a city (18:9-10). Rev 17:16 contains an
allusion to Eze 23:29. In Eze 23:35-39
fornication is: (1) to forget and reject God,
(2) to serve idols, (3) to sacrifice children
and shed blood, (4) to defile the sanctuary,
and (5) to profane the Sabbath.
Characteristics of Babylon
5. Deception
Babylon deceives (18:23), just as do
Jezebel (2:20), the dragon (12:9; 20:3.8.10),
and the false prophet (13:14; 19:20). Here
we have religious deception and the
enforcement of false worship. This
deception would also include false
doctrines and a false gospel.
Characteristics of Babylon
6. Blasphemy
Babylon sits on a beast with blasphemous
names (17:3). Sitting on this beast the harlot
seems to identify with it. In Revelation,
blasphemy is directed against God (13:6;
16:9,11,21) and possibly against his church
(2:9).
Characteristics of Babylon
7. Demonic Elements
According to Rev 18:2 Babylon has become
a dwelling place for demons and unclean
spirits. In Rev 18:23 the term pharmakeia is
used describing among other things
sorcery. So Babylon has a demonic-
spiritualistic dimension.
Characteristics of Babylon
8. Persecution
Babylon turns especially against God‘s
people (17:6). The harlot is drunk with the
blood of the saints and the witnesses of
Jesus. This is repeated in Rev 18:24.
Babylon is the great murderess who even
celebrates her shameful deeds.
Characteristics of Babylon
9. Sins and Iniquity
Babylon‘s sins reach to heaven, and God
remembers her iniquities (18:5). The
followers of Babylon manifest vices which
obviously are also Babylon‘s vices: murder,
fornication, telling lies, sorcery, idolatry,
cowardice, unbelief etc. (21:8,21; 22:14-15).
The magnitude of the sins requires a
respective punishment which is reported in
Rev 18.
Characteristics of Babylon
10.Time of Appearance
Revelation notes that in the endtime an
apostate religious power will lead humanity
to false worship. The elements of this
alliance exist longer or shorter, but unite
with each other and oppose the remnant.
The endtime remnant appears after A.D.
1798. From that time onward we can also
count on the formation and power of
Babylon.
11. Fall/Judgment
• In Revelation “fallen” is used in a literal
sense (e.g., 1:17; 6:13) and in a symbolic
sense (2:5).
• OT parallels (e.g., Isa 21:5) point to
judgment but the situation in Rev is
somewhat different.
• The Three-Angels Messages may follow a
chronological sequence.
• Only the Third-Angels Message uses the
future tense.
Characteristics of Babylon
12. A Religious Power
• Babylon is a prostitute.The term “Babylon“
has religious connotations.
• The OT background does not only point to
such entities as Tyre and Rome but also to
Judah and Israel.
• The contrast with the pure woman and the
bride of the lamb points to a religious
dimension.
• Babylon suffers the death of a priest‘s
daughter caught in sexual immorality (Lev
21:9).
Characteristics of Babylon
Babylon’s Identity
Babylon Identified
1. Babylon and the Satanic Trinity
2. The Dragon of Rev 12
3. The Sea Beast of Rev 13a
4. The Beast from the Earth of Rev 13b
Babylon and the Satanic Trinity
In the center of Revelation, Babylon is introducted
without further explanation. Obviously, John wants
to make clear that endtime Babylon is the union of
the three beasts of Rev 12 and 13.
With the sixth plague the Euphrates river is
mentioned (16:12). Nevertheless, dragon, sea beast,
and false prophet are enumerated (16:13). With the
seventh plague Babylon is directly named. Under
this seventh plague Babylon splits into three parts
(Off 16:19), obviously its original parts. Babylon is
the satanic trinity.
Babylon Identified
In Rev 12:9 the dragon is also called the old serpent
and is identified as Satan/Devil. This is the symbol
most clearly revealed. He is the first part of the
satanic trinity found in Rev 12-14.
The Dragon
The sea beast is modeled after the beasts of Dan 7.
The reversed order of beasts in Rev 13 indicates that
the sea beast of Rev 13 is identical with the fourth
beast of Dan 7, although it may include elements of
the other beasts.
The Sea Beast
Blasphemy, war against the saints, and the time
span of 42 months (Rev 13:5-7) lasting till A.D.
1798 remind us of the little horn power in Dan
7:20-21,25. There is a problem with the law in Dan
7:25, and there is a problem with the law in Rev
12-14, because the remnant are singled out as the
ones who keep the law of God.
The Sea Beast
The time frame in Dan 7, the connection to the
fourth beast, as well as the little horn’s character
and activities point to the power of apostate
Christianity during the medieval ages and
afterwards, namely the Papacy. The sea beast of
Rev 13 represents the very same power.
The Sea Beast
Within the Apocalypse the sea beast is understood as an imitation, parody, and counterfeit of the Lamb:
(1) The Lamb was slaughtered - One of the heads of the sea (5:6,9,12). beast was slaughtered (13:3).
(2) Jesus has come to life - The sea beast has come to life
(2:8; 1:18). (13:14).
(3) Jesus sits with his Father - The dragon gave the sea beast his
on his throne (2:28; 3:21). throne (13:2).
(4) Jesus has authority (12:10). - The dragon gave his authority to the sea beast (13:4).
(5) Worship is addressed to the - Worship is addressed to the sea
Lamb and God (5:13-14). beast and the dragon (13:4).
The Sea Beast
The beast from the earth starts out as a positive
entity. Its coming from the earth points to the fact
that it is a creation of God. It also resembles a lamb
which is the symbol for Jesus in the Apocalypse.
However, it develops a dragon like attitude and is
an agent of the dragon collaborating with the first
beast. It is called “false prophet” in the rest of
Revelation (16:13; 19:20; 20:10).
The Beast From the Earth
It becomes active after the deadly wound of the
first beast has begun to heal (some time after A.D.
1798). As false prophet its major goal is to deceive
humanity. For the end time Revelation predicts two
anti-divine figures. The two beasts of Rev 13
represent a false Christ and a false prophet, who
claims to be the last spokesperson of God.
The Beast From the Earth
The time frame of the vision, the description of the
second beast as well as the change from a positive
to a negative power suggest that the false prophet
stands for the major political power of our days, i.e.,
USA with apostate Protestanism. The enforcement
of universal worship of the first beast and its image
alludes to Dan 3 and from our present perspective is
still future.
The Beast From the Earth
The symbolic fire connected to the false prophet
may be a false Pentecost experience.
It may also remind us of the Carmel experience of
Elijah. However, this time fire comes down on the
false altar, that is, not on the side of God‘s people.
Therefore, this experience is extremely deceptive.
God‘s people have to rely on his Word indepent of
feelings and evidence which seems to support
apostate religion.
The Beast From the Earth
Babylon’s Relationship to the Church of God
Babylon’s Relationship to God’s Church
1. Babylon and God’s church are clearly
distinct in Revelation.
2. In Rev 18:4 “my people“ is still in
Babylon but is challenged to come out.
The remnant are not called by this term.
Adventist Interpretations of Babylon
Adventist Interpretations of Babylon
1. Papal Rome
2. Papal Rome and Apostate
Protestantism
3. The Adventist Church Is Not Babylon
Conclusion
Adventists are called to tactfully proclaim the full
biblical message which includes the call to come
out of Babylon. However, Adventists do not believe
in denigrating other churches and religions. They
believe that in God’s kingdom true believers of
different faiths are found. They also distinguish
between individual believers and apostate religious
systems. They respect religious liberty and
freedom of conscience. At the same time they
attempt to live in an intimate relationship with the
Lord, try to understand His Word, follow it, and
pass on the Gospel to others.
Babylon in the Apocalypse