A Second Babylon Is Prophesied By Jesus Christ
This future Babylon will be both religious and political. The woman represents a false church that will control a revival of the Roman Empire, which will for a short time be an economic superpower.
In the book of Revelation Jesus Christ reveals to the apostle John a woman called Babylon the Great, who rides on a beast and is also a great city which reigns over the kings of the earth . This future Babylon will be both religious and political. The woman represents a false church that will control a revival of the Roman Empire, which will for a short time be an economic superpower.
For more information about this woman, the beast she rides and the city that reigns over the kings of the earth, please read our articles Mystery, Babylon the Great and Who Is the Beast?
The 18th chapter of Revelation first gives a warning to believers and then goes on to describe how this second Babylon will fall. The warning says, Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues . Jesus Christ, through the apostle John, warns millions of deceived people who have become a part of this religious system to come out of her before she receives her punishment.
The Lament Of The World
We saw in Revelation 17:16 that the world turned against Rome. Rome deteriorated from the inside as the empire turned against the rule of Rome. However, they do not realize the massive impact of Romes fall. They do not understand that Romes fall will be the end of the prosperity of the world. The world will end up wailing at the fall of Rome. The merchants of the earth will mourn because all of those trade routes will be lost. No one will be buying and selling across the earth any longer. The goods listed in verses 12-13 are a sampling of the many goods that traded through the might of the Roman Empire. Their economy is crushed. All the luxuries and splendors that the people enjoyed are gone.
The Lament Of The Kings Of The Earth
18:9-10 And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning, Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.
The destruction of Babylon in its political and economic aspects described in the preceding verses is now the subject of a lament by the kings of the earth. These kings are a wider designation than the ten kings of 17:12,16, who participated in the destruction of the harlot. Here there is lament over the destruction of that which remained. The time is the second coming of Christ at the end of the great tribulation. The very kings who participated in the wickedness and wealth of Babylon now mourn her passing, symbolized in the burning of the capital city. The lament of the kings over Babylon is most emphatic in the Greek by the repetition of the article: literally the city the great, Babylon the city the mighty. It was great in its extent of power and accomplishment and mighty in the strength of its rule. In spite of its greatness and strength , it nevertheless falls in one hour.
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Babylon In Bible History
This is the third in a series of seven articles in consecutive issues of Awake! that discuss the seven world powers of Bible history. The objective is to show that the Bible is trustworthy and inspired of God and that its message is one of hope for an end to the suffering caused by mans cruel domination of his fellow man.
Artists rendition of the ancient city of Babylon
SITUATED on a fertile plain some 50 miles south of modern-day Baghdad, the ancient city of Babylon was truly magnificent. With massive double walls and a surrounding moat, Babylon seemed impregnable. The city was renowned for its majestic temples, hanging gardens, and temple towers. As one of the greatest cities of the ancient world, Babylon has recently been dubbed the city of wonders.
In the Bible, it was named Mistress of Kingdoms and was the capital of the third world power of Bible history. Like the Egyptian and the Assyrian empires before it, the Babylonian Empire played a prominent role in Bible history, enabling us to compare what the Bible says about it with what secular sources say.
Prepare For End Times By Renouncing Your Sins
Daniel 4:27 Nebuchadnezzar worshipped his own greatness. He ordered the people of Babylon to bow down and worship a golden statue he created. Daniel told the King to turn away from his sins and do what is right. The King was sent away for seven years and his kingdom was taken from him. He was humbled and praised God for turning him away from his sins.
In Acts 2, Peter tells the new believers to turn from their sin, to repent. Believing in God is not enough, you must turn away from the sins that keep you chained to another god.
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Babylon And The End Times
While many people disregard the prophecies of the Bible, those who have studied their fulfillment believe that the fall of Babylon will take place as it is written. Some people claim our world is approaching the end times however, we have no way of knowing when that time will come. What we can do is prepare ourselves for Christs return whenever it may occur.
Babylon of the Old Testament and the New Testament shared a common downfall. Idol worship was their main sin. Babylon idolized itself and it did not acknowledge or glorify God in any way.
This is no different from today. We are constantly consumed with multiple idols that turn our focus away from God, His faithfulness, and plan for our lives. Idol worship leads to immorality when you are so consumed with the worship of other gods instead of the one true God.
We can become obsessed with worshipping money, careers, economic status, education, or politics. When you become focused on striving for success in these areas and not on God, you begin to rely on their role in your life rather than Gods provision.
The Medes Grow In Power
A few years later, in 559 B.C., Cyrus the Great became king over Persia, a region under the rule of Media. The Persians were a tribe of people closely related to the Medes. Cyrus father was a Persian prince, and his mother was the daughter of the king of Media . In about 550 B.C. Cyrus overthrew his grandfather, the king of Media, and became the king of both Media and Persia. Cyrus quickly began to build an empire. In 546 B.C. he conquered the Greek kingdom of Lydia . In 539 B.C., Cyrus army came to fight against Babylon.
Babylon was a very strong city. Two thick walls and a large moat protected the city, making it extremely difficult for an enemy to attack. However, Babylon was divided into two parts. The larger part of the city was built on the east bank of the Euphrates River, and a smaller part of the city was on the west bank of the river. Babylon had strong walls, but it also relied on the Euphrates River and the moat around the city to protect it.
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The Indictment Against Babylon
18:6-8 Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double. How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliriously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.
In keeping with the enormity of her sin, the voice from heaven now calls on God to reward Babylon even as she rewarded the people of God. The verb means literally to pay a debt or to give back that which is due. It is the law of retribution sometimes called lex talionis. Divine justice exacts the eye for an eye and the tooth for a tooth.
The normal law of retribution, however, is here doubled in recognition of the enormity of the sin of Babylon. Accordingly the voice demands, Double unto her double according to her works. In keeping with this principle, the cup of iniquity which Babylon filled is now to be filled twice with the measure of her judgment. There is no mercy for the utter apostasy found in Babylon in all her phases of operation. The verb translated fill is literally mix or mingle as in the preparation of a drink. The same verb is used in 14:10 in connection with the wine of the wrath of God.
Rejoicing In Heaven Over The Fall Of Babylon
18:20 Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets for God hath avenged you on her.
In contrast to the grief overtaking worldly rulers and merchants by the destruction of Babylon, those in heaven, who are mentioned later in 19:1, are called upon to rejoice at the righteous judgment of God. The address is to the saints and the apostles and the prophets rather than to the holy apostles, with the article repeated each time. The expression hath avenged is literally God hath judged your judgment on them, that is, God hath inflicted your judgment on them, thus bringing to bear upon Babylon the righteous recompense for her martyrdom of the saints. It is another case where the righteous ultimately triumph as victory follows suffering.
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The History Of Babylon Was Told In The Bible Hundreds Of Years Before It Happened How Did The Prophet Isaiah Know The Future
Isaiah was a prophet who began to prophesy the year that King Uzziah of Judah died, which was around 740 B.C. . One of his predictions was about the city Babylon.
In the Bible, Isaiah 13:1Isaiah 13:1The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see.American King James Version×says, The burden against Babylon which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw. At the time of Isaiahs prediction, Babylon was one of the largest and most important cities in the world. This is what God told Isaiah would happen to Babylon:
Isaiah claimed that God told him that Babylon would be completely destroyed.
Why Is The Fall Of Babylon Important In The Bible
Babylon represents Rome, all those unworthy of the Christian empire. The seven heads of the scarlet beast identified them as successive persecuting kingdoms, starting from the Christian persecutors to the Saracens. He warned that the judgment of Roman Christianity would fall on the sons of Babylon within the Roman Church and the Roman Empire. Babylon now includes the apostasy of the Protestant daughters. Sabbatarian Adventists generally agreed with the Millerites, although they maintained that the eighth head of the beast is papal Rome.
The fall of Babylon in biblical history and the Bible is mentioned in several Old Testament books.
It is significant because, after the fall of Babylon, the Jews were allowed to return home. The prophet Daniels interpretation of the kings dream was that the statue represents the four successive kingdoms.
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I The History And Meaning Of Babylon
Discussion Questions
- When will these things take place?
- What is Babylon the great?
- Is the description that it is a dwelling place of demons figurative or literal?
- What does that teach us about the spiritual warfare we are involved in?
- How should knowing Babylon will fall affect us today?
Cross-References
James 4:4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
1 John 2:17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
Teaching Points
Revelation 18:1 Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great.
1. The history and background of Babylon This chapter is all about the fall of Babylon the great. To fully understand the significance of this, we need to go back and trace the history of this city and its meaning in the Bible.
It was started by Nimrod.
Genesis 10:8-10 Cush fathered Nimrod he was the first on earth to be a mighty man. He was a mighty hunter before the Lord. Therefore it is said, Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before the Lord. The beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.
The name Nimrod means Let Us Revolt or Let Us Rebel. And the city lived up to its founders name.
God commanded people to Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth
But the people of Babel had a different idea.
So we see three things about Babylon historically.
What Is Babylon A Symbol Of In The Bible
The dogmatic decision of the IV Ecumenical Council of Chalcedon has as its introduction the Nicean-Constantinopolitan Symbol. And then the following words. So this wise and saving Symbol is sufficient. For the full knowledge. And also strengthening of the right faith. But since those who have undertaken to suppress by their heresies. The preaching of the truth also has given birth to false words. Therefore the present holy and great Synod wishes to exclude any of their seditions against the truth. And also keeping the preaching from the beginning unchristianized. This is a decision, which does no more than expound more directly what is in the Symbol.
According to the Holy Gospel of Johns Revelation, Babylon is the symbol of wickedness, evil and supreme sin.
That is why God will destroy the political and economic Babylon. And then the religious one. However, we must know that the Lord does not give the Church new truths, but asks her to guard the once-given one, who is infinite.
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The Role Of Revelation 17
The angel’s interpretation of the Euphrates in Revelation 17 serves to guard us against a relapse into the Middle East application of Babylon’s river. Whenever God dried up a literal river or a “flood” of enemies in Israel’s history âlike the Red Sea or the Jordan River, or the flood of invading Euphrates people âit always signified a providential judgment on the enemies of God’s people. The drying up of Babylon’s great river during the future sixth plague will be no exception.
This judgment will be set in motion when the political rulers and multitudes of all nations suddenly realize God’s verdict on religious Babylon and unitedly withdraw their support from Babylon. They will even dramatically reverse their loyal support into active hate, into such a hostility that they will completely destroy Babylon. This is the sudden dissolution of Babylon that in God’s providence destroys Babylon.
When Cyrus had dried up the waters of the Euphrates, the way was prepared for all the kings from the east to enter the capital and to take over her world government. Thus, the handwriting on Belshazzar’s banquet hall was fulfilled: “Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians” . However, prophecy did not find its complete and exhaustive consummation when Cyrus overthrew ancient Babylon and with Israel’s subsequent return to Jerusalem .
The Prophecies Of Ezekiel Concerning Babylon
Ezekiel echoes the prophecies of Jeremiah relating to the Babylonian captivity and like Jeremiah predicts the conquering of Egypt . Added is the prediction of the destruction of Tyre in Ezekiel 26:7- 28:19.
It is obvious from these many passages in the prophets that Babylon occupies a large place in the prophetic program of the Old Testament for the nations surrounding Israel. It is with this context that Daniel the prophet takes up the theme and relates Gods dealings with Babylon to His ultimate purpose of bringing all nations into subjection unto the Son of God.
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Destruction Of The Neo
Following the death of Ashurbanipal around 627 BC, civil war broke out in the Neo-Assyrian Empire, causing it to weaken. Many subjects of the Neo-Assyrian Empire seized this opportunity to revolt. One of these was a Chaldean chief by the name of Nabopolassar, who formed an alliance with the Medes, Persians, Scythians, and Cimmerians. This coalition succeeded in destroying the Neo-Assyrian Empire.
Having gained independence from the Assyrians, Nabopolassar established the Neo-Babylonian Empire, with Babylon as its capital. When he died, he left his son with immense stores of wealth and a strong Babylonian city. This ruler set the groundwork for the impressive Neo-Babylonian Empire, leaving his son Nebuchadnezzar II with the ideal circumstances to bring Babylonia to the forefront of ancient society. And that is exactly what the son did.
The Neo-Babylonian Empire reached its zenith during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar II , who succeeded Nabopolassar in around 605 BC. During Nebuchadnezzar IIs reign, which lasted until around 562 BC, the Neo-Babylonian Empire was in control of Babylonia, Assyria, parts of Asia Minor, Phoenicia, Israel, and northern Arabia.
Even more exciting and controversial is the proposal that this king ordered the construction of the Tower of Babel, but not by that name. The closest candidate for this construction is said to be the Etemenanki of Babylon . This was a ziggurat dedicated to , the patron god of Babylon.