Session 16 Babylon the Great

We have studied many prophecies between the bookends of the Rapture and the Day

of the Lord (Christ’s Second Coming). There is one more major prophecy that is

included within these bookends that will take place during the Tribulation. In this

study we will give a review of Babylon the Great.

One of the reasons we have saved the story of Babylon the Great for later in our study

is because the book of Revelation has centralized the bulk of the prophecy in one area

of scripture, and the prophecy is heavily symbolic. There is so much symbolism that it

has created a lot of diverse interpretations of who or what is being referred to. The

first mention of Babylon the

Great is in Revelation 14:8.

Please read that passage.

1. How would you describe Babylon’s type and level of sin?

The sin of adultery has been used

by God in the book of Hosea to

describe a country that should be

devoted to God, but has

abandoned him for other pursuits.

Please read Hosea 1:2 to see God’s explanation to Hosea concerning this symbolism.

2. Not only has Babylon the Great abandoned God for other things to worship it

has _________________________________________.

It appears that whatever this entity is,

they once were identified as being

devoted to God and then fell away, and

then, worst of all, drew others to

abandon God as well. A betrayal of the

highest order.

The vast majority of the story of Babylon

the Great is found in 3 chapters in

Revelation. These are chapters 17-19.

There is a vast amount of information in

these chapters but we will first try to

identify what or who Babylon the Great

is. Please read Revelation 17:1-6.

This verse has a lot of symbolism so let’s

break this down step by step.

Revelation 14:8 NIV

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.”

Hosea 1:2 NIV

2 When the Lord began to speak through Hosea, the Lord said to

him, “Go, marry a promiscuous woman and have children with her,

for like an adulterous wife this land is guilty of unfaithfulness to the

Lord.”

Revelation 17:1-6 NIV

One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to

me, “Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute,

who sits by many waters. 2 With her the kings of the earth

committed adultery, and the inhabitants of the earth were

intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries.”

3 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. 4 The

woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with

gold, precious stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand,

filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries. 5 The

name written on her forehead was a mystery:

BABYLON THE GREAT

THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES

AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

6 I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of God’s holy

people, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus.

3. Looking at how this character is dressed, what is something you can clearly

describe about them.

4. Surprisingly, who does she ride in on? We have seen this character before at

the beginning of the Tribulation.

Whatever this entity is must be

very wealthy, powerful and

promoting great

abandonment from God, at

the beginning of the

Tribulation.

Before we go too far, we need

to clarify more about who

Babylon is riding. Please read

Revelation 17:8-11. This again

is very symbolic so we need to break it down some more. Here is our understanding

of this passage. The seven hills described in verse 9 identify exactly where the woman

sits: Rome. Rome was founded on 7 hills. By the way, each hill even has a name

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The confusing language about what once was, now is not and yet will come is talking

about the timing of the political infrastructure supporting the Antichrist. Verse 10 is

the clearest description of the timing of world empires. At the writing of Revelation,

five empires had fallen, one was existing (Biblical Rome) and one was to come for a

“little while” (The 7-year Tribulation World Empire).

5. So here is a hard question. Babylon the Great comes into power and rides

upon specifically the _______________ of the Antichrist.

The identity of this beast she rides will be astonishing because it will be like Old

Rome (once was), but not exactly as biblical Rome (now is not), and yet will then

exist having the same identity as Rome (and yet will come).

There is more detail about this

beast that Babylon the Great

rides that is interesting. Please

read the passage Revelation

17:12.

6. Apparently, there are ten rulers that are part of the political system of the

Antichrist that have a single purpose to do what?

Revelation 17:8-11 NIV

8 The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and yet will

come up out of the Abyss and go to its destruction. The inhabitants

of the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life

from the creation of the world will be astonished when they see the

beast, because it once was, now is not, and yet will come.

9 “This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven

hills on which the woman sits. 10 They are also seven kings. Five

have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; but when he does

come, he must remain for only a little while. 11 The beast who once

was, and now is not, is an eighth king. He belongs to the seven and

is going to his destruction.

Revelation 17:12-13 NIV

12 “The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received

a kingdom, but who for one hour will receive authority as kings

along with the beast. 13 They have one purpose and will give their

power and authority to the beast.

There are some more details

about Babylon the Great

aka the “prostitute” that

might help identify what “she” is. Please read Revelation 17:15.

7. The presence of Babylon the Great can be seen where?

By the size of “her” influence/presence we clearly see that this entity is not a single

person or spirit. “She” is much bigger than that. However, we also see that there

apparently is a representative

location for Babylon the

Great. Please read Revelation

17:18.

8. What is this focal point or center of power for Babylon the Great?

At this point we need to address the shocking future of Babylon the Great because

more evidence of what “she”

is can be found. Please read

Revelation 17:16 for more

information on this.

9. What is the fate of Babylon the Great?

So apparently whatever Babylon the Great is she becomes a victim of the Antichrist

consolidating his power. The one that is running the political activities during the

Tribulation apparently will have no more purpose for it at this point. I find the

description of cannibalism to be interesting. Keep this in mind as we form a theory of

what Babylon the Great

really is. In Revelation

18:2-3 we hear an angel

describe the falling of

Babylon the Great and more

description of its focus

location.

10. Babylon the Great became something. What has it become?

The city that exemplifies this entity has become so excessively wealthy, and has made

other nations wealthy by sharing its evil ways. It has also become so evil that demons

and every form of impure evil and unclean creature will take up residence there.

Revelation 17:15 NIV

15 Then the angel said to me, “The waters you saw, where the

prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages.

Revelation 17:18 NIV

18 The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of

the earth.”

Revelation 17:16 NIV

16 The beast and the ten horns you saw will hate the prostitute.

They will bring her to ruin and leave her naked; they will eat her

flesh and burn her with fire.

Revelation 18:2-3 NIV

2 With a mighty voice he shouted:

“‘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. 3 For

all the nations have drunk the maddening wine of her adulteries.

The kings of the earth committed adultery with her, and the

merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries.”

There are two main theories about Babylon the Great. One says that there are two

manifestations of Babylon the Great. One is religious and the other is commercial.

The other theory is that there is one manifestation

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. I tend to think that if there were

two things they would be named differently. We see one name Babylon the Great the

Prostitute. It is my theory that Babylon the Great is what is currently referred to today

as the New World Order and the future religious aspects of it (A one world religion).

A desire for a New World Order has been in existence for quite some time. We can see

this desire nearly 30 years ago in 1991 when George H. W. Bush stated: “And now,

we can see a new world coming into view. A world in which there is the very real

prospect of a new world order.”

It seems that the timing of events points to the Antichrist and the New World Order

come upon the world stage at the same time. In the end the destruction of the NWO

will be at the hands of the Antichrist. The cannibalism reference in verse 16 would

suggest to me that perhaps part of the political structures of the NWO will be

recycled/rebranded to be controlled by the Antichrist political powers (The 10 heads

of state under the Antichrist).

What about the

city/location that represents

or exemplifies this new

world order? Let’s look at

another hint that might

identify this place. Please

read Revelation 18:18. This

will be a harbor city where great wealth will be traded via shipping. It will apparently

be the financial capital of the world if we understand Revelation 17:18 to refer to the

city ruling over kings

(financial control?).

Political control will be in

the hands of the Antichrist

so financial control might

be the power of Babylon the

Great City (until destroyed

by the Antichrist).

11. How is the city

destroyed?

12. How fast is the city destroyed?

Please read Revelation 18:21-24 to get a better picture of this destruction.

Revelation 18:18 NIV

18 When they see the smoke of her burning, they will exclaim, ‘Was

there ever a city like this great city?’ 19 They will throw dust on

their heads, and with weeping and mourning cry out:

“‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,

where all who had ships on the sea

became rich through her wealth!

In one hour she has been brought to ruin!’

Revelation 18:21-24 NIV

21 Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a large

millstone and threw it into the sea, and said: “With such violence

the great city of Babylon will be thrown down, never to be found

again. 22 The music of harpists and musicians, pipers and

trumpeters, will never be heard in you again. No worker of any

trade will ever be found in you again. The sound of a millstone will

never be heard in you again. 23 The light of a lamp will never shine

in you again. The voice of bridegroom and bride will never be heard

in you again. Your merchants were the world’s important people. By

your magic spell all the nations were led astray. 24 In her was found

the blood of prophets and of God’s holy people, of all who have

been slaughtered on the earth.”

13. How complete is the

destruction? What might

cause this?

There is a lot of activities in this

“great city”.

Perhaps one more piece of

evidence might help identify

what city we are talking about. Please read the passage Revelation 18:11-12.

14. What is special about the things being traded in this city?

The very long list here seems to

signify that all possible items to

be traded will be traded in the

city. There is one interesting

passage in Revelation 18:4 that might help identify this city as well.

15. In the bible who is God’s chosen people?

Remember this is during the time of the Tribulation also known as Jacobs trouble.

Why would God take time to call out from heaven to “my people” to get out of the

city? Perhaps because there is a large Jewish population there?

Let’s itemize the potential characteristics that we see for the Babylon the Great City:

a. The financial capital of the world. (Revelation 17:18)

b. A harbor and trading port on the ocean. (Revelation 18:18)

c. Trade in anything imaginable in this financial center. (Revelation 18:11-12)

d. Connections to the New World Order. (Revelation 17:15,18)

e. Potential Jewish population that God will call to for evacuation before they

take part in the sins of the city and before the destruction starts. (Revelation

18:4)

f. A history of Occult activity that might connect to the end times. (Revelation

18:2)

g. It is almost always mentioned as a “great city” (big?) and there are many of

activities going on before it’s destruction. (Revelation 18:21-24)

After reviewing these items and finding other scholars/people that agree

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, we

humbly suggest that New York City seems to be the identity of the focal city of

Babylon the Great. You may disagree with my conclusion after analyzing these items

Revelation 18:11-12 NIV

11 “The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her

because no one buys their cargoes anymore— 12 cargoes of gold,

silver, precious stones and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk and scarlet

cloth; every sort of citron wood, and articles of every kind made of

ivory, costly wood, bronze, iron and marble; 13 cargoes of

cinnamon and spice, of incense, myrrh and frankincense, of wine

and olive oil, of fine flour and wheat; cattle and sheep; horses and

carriages; and human beings sold as slaves.

Revelation 18:4 NIV

4 Then I heard another voice from heaven say:

“‘Come out of her, my people,’[b]

so that you will not share in her sins,

so that you will not receive any of her plagues;

and potential existing cities in the world. Also, since there is no clear-cut name of this

city (besides Babylon the Great) we cannot say we know the answer of what city is

being referred to. Next, we provide some evidence from history and current events to

correspond to the previous list of characteristics (Each capital letter corresponds to the

lower-case item letter):

A. Quote from Investopedia: New York, commonly regarded as the finance

capital of the world, has been ranked first in the World’s Financial Centers

by the Global Financial Centers Index (GFCI).

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B. Quote from Wikipedia: New York Harbor is at the mouth of the Hudson

River where it empties into New York Bay and then into the Atlantic Ocean

on the east coast of the United States. It is one of the largest natural harbors

in the world.[1] Although the United States Board on Geographic Names

does not use the term, New York Harbor has important historical,

governmental, commercial, and ecological usages. It is the largest part of

the Port of New York and New Jersey.

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C. Quote from New York Public Library: New York City is undoubtedly one of

the most important centers of international trade in the world. Every day, all

kinds of consumer goods, commodities and professional services are

exported and imported by New York City companies and through the

metropolitan area's air- and seaports.

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D. The UN is located in New York. The UN is directly tied to the New World

George H. W. Bush gave his 1991 speech to the UN in New York City.)

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E. According to www.simpletoremember.com World Jewish population shows

the USA has more Jewish people than Israel

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! New York State has the more

Jewish people than any other city in the USA

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. Nearly all of the Jewish

people of New York State live in New York City with 1.1 million Jewish

people living in the five boroughs

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F. In an interview with Mitch Horowitz an expert on occult matters we see this

quote: New York played a very special role as a springboard for alternative

spiritual ideas. We tend to think of California as the birthplace of the "new

age," and that's certainly true in terms of recent decades, but in the 19th

century New York was this avant-garde religious capital.

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It sounds like

New York City was the historical source of a lot of occult ideas.

G. New York City is the largest city in the USA with a population of over 8

million people so it is certainly a “great city”

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. As far as a lot of activities

New York City is nicknamed the City that Never Sleeps. One look at

arts-ny.com online and you will be convinced of emphasis on music and the

arts in NYC

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. Certainly, Broadway comes to mind.

Wrap up

The prophecy of Babylon the Great like other prophecies that we have studied can be

depressing to learn about. We don’t like to think about our country, even one of our

largest cities, playing such a pivotal role in the horrors of the Tribulation and being

destroyed. It should again remind us that we need to do our best to bring the good

news to our friends and family so they will not have to endure the plagues and

destruction presented here. Now we prepare for our final session which will apply

directly to Christians: The Millennial Reign of Christ.