There is much debate about this, with the Church as Spiritual Israel as much of a contender as some believe an alternative would be OT Israel in this description. But why can't it simply be a representation of Spiritual Israel, or the Church itself consisting of saved Jews and Gentiles both, Symbolically thru Mary, but not just Mary, but Symbolically thru the Church / Spiritual Israel as well?
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I agree with almost all of what you say (except a future interpretation of Daniel 9:26-27, it that's what you were saying) and want to comment on some of the parts, if I may, and also as to why I believe it helps us identify the harlot.
In Revelation the 12 tribes do not refer to the ancient nation, but symbolize the complete church (7:1-8).
Under this imagery, the “woman” of Revelation 12 would represent God’s pure church.
In the New Testament, the church is known as spiritual Israel, Zion and “the mother” Zion-Jerusalem was the idealized mother of the nation of Israel The metaphor carried over into the New Testament and was applied to the church.
The Jews and the church both have 12 stars.
Yes.
Revelation 21:12: "the names of the twelve tribes of the nation of Israel are written on the gates of New Jerusalem."
Revelation 21:14 "The wall of the city has twelve foundations, and on them are the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb."
What you say is true, but I want to stress that IMO there is no distinction between God's elect (Israel) of the Old Testament who like Abraham, believed (in the Word of) God, and it was counted to him (them) for righteousness, and God's elect (Israel) of the New Testament who believe (in the Word of) God, and who are Israel. As Israel we all know that the Word of God came in the flesh (Jesus).
There is only a distinction between the covenant God made with Israel "in the day He took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt", and the New Covenant He established with the house of Israel and the house of Judah in the blood of Christ (Jeremiah 31:31-34). As for the elect, Paul did not mention a "New Israel" being formed, either in Romans 9:22-29 or in Romans 11:17.
I do believe that one of the big mistakes many Christians make in interpretation of the scriptures is to fail to understand that the elect nation are, and always have been those who like Abraham, believe (in the Word of) God, but
the covenant has changed (not God's elect).
In the days of the elect nation
of the Old Testament, there were always those who claimed to be the elect, but
who played the harlot.
Nothing has changed in this regard. The imagery of the woman of Revelation 12 compared with the imagery of the harlot in Revelation 17 helps us to see who
the harlot represents:
The Revelation makes a thesis-antithesis comparison between New Jerusalem and Babylon the Great:
"And one of the seven angels who had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, Come here, I will show you the bride, the Lamb's wife." (Revelation 21:9)
"And one of the seven angels who had the seven vials came and talked with me, saying to me, Come here, I will show you
the judgment of the great harlot sitting on many waters" (Revelation 17:1).
In the Revelation, only these entities:
Jezebel of the church at Thyatira & her followers; and
The kings of the earth; and
The harlot,
are accused of fornication. No one else is accused of "fornication". The beast is not accused of "fornication". It's not part of the elect, he / it cannot be an adulterous woman.
We read that Jesus rules over
the faithful 'kings of the earth' (Revelation 1:5), and Babylon the Great rules over
the unfaithful kings of the earth (Revelation 17:18).
New Jerusalem is
a city of gold, precious stones and pearls (Revelation 21:10-11 & 18-21). The harlot is
"..gilded with gold, precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her FORNICATION" (Revelation 17:4).
The kings of the earth that committed fornication with Babylon the Great and
wept and wailed over her demise (Revelation 18:9) are not the same as the 10 kings who will hate her, make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh and burn her with fire (Rev 17:16).
The harlot is catholic (which means universal) sitting on many waters, which represent people, nations, tribes and tongues (Revelation 17:15).
Note: The word 'catholic' is not meant here to be associated with the Roman church or the Vatican, but with the international nature of Christianity. It's people from all nations, tribes, and tongues. The elect is catholic (not the church going by that name, but the people). So is the harlot.
The kings of the earth who commit fornication with Babylon the Great are the unfaithful kings of the earth, and are unlike the
faithful kings of the earth
seen in New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:24).
Ancient Babylon: The type of Babylon the Great, because of it's international nature:
Jeremiah 51:13
"O you
who live on many waters, rich in treasures, your end has come, and the measure of your unjust gain."
Revelation 17:1
"And one of the seven angels who had the seven vials came and talked with me, saying to me, Come here, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot
sitting on many waters."
Jeremiah 50:29
"Make the archers hear against Babylon. All you who tread a bow, camp against it all around; let none of them escape.
Repay her according to her work; according to all that she has done, do to her. For she has been proud against the LORD, against the Holy One of Israel."
Revelation 18:6
"Reward her as she has rewarded you, and double to her double, according to her works. In the cup which she mixed, mix double to her."
Jeremiah 51:63-64
"And it shall be, when you have made an end of reading this book,
you shall tie a stone to it and throw it into the middle of Euphrates.
And you shall say, In this way shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise from the evil that I will bring on her. And they shall be weary. So far are the words of Jeremiah."
Revelation 18:21
"And one strong angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, So on an impulse the great city, Babylon, will be thrown down and not at all will be found any more."
COME OUT OF HER
Jeremiah 51:6-8 & 45
6 Flee out of the middle of Babylon, and each man deliver his soul. Be not cut off in her iniquity, for this is the time of the LORD's vengeance; He will give to her a just reward.
7
Babylon has been a golden cup in the LORD's hand, which made all the earth drunk. The nations have drunk of her wine; therefore the nations are insane.
8 Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed.
Wail for her; take balm for her pain, if perhaps she may be healed.
45
My people, go out of her midst; and let each man deliver his soul from the fierce anger of the LORD.
Revelation 18:3
"because of the wine of the anger of her fornication which all the nations have drunk. And the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her. And the merchants of the earth became rich from the power of her luxury."
Revelation 18:4
"And I heard another voice from Heaven, saying,
Come out of her, My people, that you may not be partakers of her sins, and that you may not receive of her plagues."
Isaiah 1
(talking about Jerusalem of old, which is the Biblical type, the example to all):
21 How is
the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers.
24 Therefore says the LORD, the LORD of hosts, the mighty One of Israel, Ah,
I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies:
25 And I will turn my hand upon you,
and thoroughly purge away your dross, and take away all your tin:
27-28
Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness. And the destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the LORD shall be consumed.
It's clear that part of the elect nation are those who call themselves the elect, but are an harlot. And those who call themselves the elect, yet shed the blood of the elect, these are they whom God holds responsible for the blood of all prophets and of all saints that ever was shed by the harlot even while she was calling herself the elect (Matthew 23:29-38).
So the harlot that calls herself the elect and yet plays the harlot of New Testament Israel isn't any different to the harlot of Old Testament Israel, and the imagery of Babylon is used merely to show the catholic (international) nature of the harlot.
Babylon of old was "the beast" of that age, but Babylon the Great is not the beast. She rides on (is carried by) the beast, up until the day that the 10 kings of the beast turn on her. And the kings of the earth who weep and wail over her demise are not the same as the 10 kings of the beast that will hate her and destroy her.