Here's the problem, everyone is guessing, when God never leaves us clueless, especially in these last days, if we will put down our own ideas and pick up God's true meanings which are always in the scriptures, we just have to wrestle with Gd to get the answers, via much study and prayers. Sadly, all too many pick this bunk about the RCC or the Islamic Anti-Christ, or a REAL Babylon being rebuilt, when the bible says it will b e a dead city forever more. TBH, this is so east when we just let God tell us who Babylon the Great is. Also, NOTICE: every time Babylon has fallen is mentioned it jibes with the same time that Satan gets locked into the bottomless pit. Now, here goes, one verse, plus another backing it up tells us who God Almighty says Babylon is, nit Ron, not Don, not "Lonnie the Loon" from outer space (Smile).
Rev.16:19 And the great city was divided into three parts(Jerusalem/Earthquake/Jesus lands), and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.
OK, who does God says is this Babylon the Great? Well, He says its the Nations who fell at the 7th Vial (meaning those who were defeated by Jesus as he lands on the Mt of Olives then zooms over to Armageddon). So, who are these Nations? Well, the 6th Vial informs us who the are. We don't have to guess at all. The 6th Angel sounds and the Three Frog Spirits (Satan/Ant-Christ/False Prophet) entices the masses to go to Armageddon to fight God !! AND THEY ARE WHO ? Lets see !!
Rev. 16:14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
So, God stated the Nations who fell was Babylon the Great well who fell? The WHOLE WORLD under Satan's Dark Rule falls. Stand ye this day on this side or this side Moses once uttered !! The Rev. 18 destruction of Babylon the Great, that Great City, is a metaphor for the whole wicked world under Satan's rule. Its not ONE CITY, its not the RCC, or Islam. You see the Harlot is ALL FALSE RELIGION of All Time, she is conjoined with the Gov. Beasts (rides its back) until the Last Beast and his 10 Kings (E.U.) ho kill her off but why? Because there is no other room for any gods but the Anti-Christ as far as he is concerned, he will demand to be worshiped as the only god. He will thus kill of Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Jupiter and Zeus worship et. al. But God will judge the World for 1260 days and will destroy Babylon when Jesus returns.
Osccam's Razor at work here.
He tells us, its just we dont want to listen to the plain truth. We get it clearly, when Peter wrote, "The church that is in Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you" (
1 Peter 5:13, KJV). In the Roman Catholic Douay Version of the Bible, the footnote to this verse says, ‘Babylon. Figuratively Rome.’ During the Protestant Reformation all leaders taught essentially the same, from Luther, in 1520, onward and they called for separation from Rome as this antichrist entity. We see the rise of the woman on the scarlet-colored beast which is Babylon, clearly the Papacy...
Revelation 17
3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
5 And upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery, Babylon The Great, The Mother Of Harlots And Abominations Of The Earth.
When Pagan Rome fell, the rise of Papal Rome was more of a transition into a religious-political government and is woman riding a scarlet-colored beast, and continued for 1260 years. It received the wound in 1798 when Napoleons general took the Pope captive and destroyed its temporal power, and yet it was restored with the Lateran Treaty, also called Lateran Pact of 1929, and prophecy tells us the Roman Church moves on until end with the kings of the earth committing fornication with her.
Today we see the kings, and the world, looking more and more to the pope for guidance in national and religious affairs. It is this mixing of the two that allows the advance the church's authority and develops the fornication of the kings or world powers with the church.
We went over this question today, and the system with political and monetary side has not fallen although the religious and spiritual side is dead or dying for the most part, you can see it in the empty cathedrals and catholic churches. So the Revelation 14 part seems to be pretty much coming to a close...
Revelation 14
7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
8 And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.
9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
But then you have the Revelation 18 part which seems to be more of the political and monetary side in which we still await its collapse..
Revelation 18
1 And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.
2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.
6 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.
7 How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, 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.
8 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.
9 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,
10 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.
11 And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more:
12 The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble,
13 And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men.
So this religious-political system is here to this day just as prophecy said it would be and soon will seeing its end and its destruction...