Does the Bible identify "Babylon"?

[Hobie]

In Hebrew, whether its the tower, the city, the empire, and its meaning in prophecy down to the close of human history and Christs return, are all the same Hebrew word babel , Babylon. Babel is Babylon and Babel is confusion.

The name Babylon is derived from BAB-ILU which was “gate of the gods” or "the portal of the gods", and in a sense it thus portrays a means of access to the gods that is contrary to God's prescribed plan of salvation. Access is granted through the system and not by faith in Jesus Christ. It is a system where salvation by works replaces salvation by faith and the Protestant Reformers realized it and the system behind it.

The Babylonian system of worship has ever been a snare to God's people, as it is more in tune with human nature to rely on salvation by works than on salvation by grace. From the very beginning, these two systems of worship have been in confrontation with each other. The story of Cain and Abel illustrates this point. Abel listened to the divine directive and brought a lamb without blemish as an offering, but Cain brought the fruits of his labor. When the offering of Abel was accepted by God, the anger of Cain was aroused and ever since, this first confrontation between these two systems of worship, has been in conflict on this planet.

Ancient Babylon serves as a type of a much greater end-time confederacy of religious apostasy and intolerance that would seek to control conscience before the close of earth's history, and yet it will meet its end. We see in Revelation 14:8...
"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.'" Revelation 14:8

The Bible warns against Babylon, and urge God's people to come out of Babylon, and we see it also reflecting the spiritual decay of the system...

"And he cried mightily with a strong voice saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird." Revelation 18:2

The unclean and hateful birds appears to reference a counterfeit Holy Spirit that would power the system and lead people to believe that they are working with the power of God when it is a deception masquerading as truth. In verse 4, we see it with a warning..

"Come out of her My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues." Revelation 18:4

God would not urge His people to come out of Babylon if it were impossible for them to identify Babylon. During the early Christian centuries, Jewish and Christian literature referred to the city of Rome as Babylon. 1 Peter 5:13 also refers to Rome as Babylon, as Peter wrote these words whilst in Rome, and literal Babylon no longer existed....

"The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my son." 1 Peter 5:13

In Revelation 17, John is invited to witness the judgment of the great prostitute who sits on many waters, seductively deceiving the inhabitants of the earth. This woman is subsequently identified as “ ‘Babylon the great, the mother of harlots’ ”. In the scriptures, a prostitute symbolically refers to God’s people in their apostasy. The portrayal of the prostitute in Revelation 17 shows that she represents an entity that was once faithful to God before aligning herself with the end-time opponent of God and His faithful remnant. Babylon is thus a corporate name for an end-time apostate entity.

The Protestants of the Reformation knew who it was and referred to it as spiritual Babylon, the antichrist entity and enemy of God's people. The woman that rides the beast in Revelation 17 also has all the identifying features which make it easier to find...

"1 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: 2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication." Revelation 17:1-2.

The woman is first referenced to as sitting on “many waters” and according to Revelation 17:5, the waters upon which the prostitute was seen symbolize the civil, secular, and political powers of the world. Just as the ancient Babylon depended on the Euphrates River for its existence, so will the end-time Babylon depend on the civil, secular, and political powers of the world to enforce its plans and purposes.

"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: and upon her forehead was a name written: Mystery, Babylon the great, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth." Revelation 17:4-5.

In the Bible the symbol of a woman represents the church. Isaiah the prophet extends the symbol of a woman to that of a bride. The pure bride represents the pure church..

"As the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee." Isaiah 62:5.

We find in the New Testament the same symbolism is employed...

"...for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ." 2 Corinthians 11:2.

Babylon is described in Revelation 17:5 as the "mother of harlots" an apostate religious systems or church, "Mystery" and the "abominations of the earth". Obviously if God's people are the chaste woman faithful to her husband, then Babylon is the opposite of this symbol or that system of worship which is unfaithful to God, and has a mystery religion and teaches and practices abominations.

Its not hard to figure out who persecuted the saints, and brought in the paganism and abominable practices into the church...

 

[RR144]

The various prophecies of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel and the Apocalypse concerning Babylon are all in full accord, and refer to the same great city. And since these prophecies had but a very limited fulfilment upon the ancient, literal city, and those of the Apocalypse were written centuries after the literal Babylon was laid in ruins, it is clear that the special reference of all the prophets is to something of which the ancient literal Babylon was an illustration. It is clear also that, in so far as the prophecies of Isaiah and Jeremiah concerning its downfall were accomplished upon the literal city, it became in its downfall, as well as in its character, an illustration of the great city to which the Revelator points in the symbolic language of the Apocalypse (Chapters 17 and 18), and to which chiefly the other prophets refer.

The Revelator intimated that it would not be difficult to discover this great mystical city, because her name is in her forehead; that is, she is prominently marked, so that we cannot fail to see her unless we shut our eyes and refuse to look--"And upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots and abominations of the earth." (`Rev. 17:5`) But before looking for this Mystical Babylon, let us first observe the typical Babylon, and then, with its prominent features in mind, look for the antitype.

The name Babylon was applied, not only to the capital city of the Babylonian empire, but also to the empire itself. Babylon, the capital, was the most magnificent, and probably the largest, city of the ancient world. It was built in the form of a square on both sides of the Euphrates river; and, for protection against invaders, it was surrounded by a deep moat filled with water and enclosed within a vast system of double walls, from thirty-two to eighty-five feet thick, and from seventy-five to three hundred feet high. On the summit were low towers, said to have been two hundred and fifty in number, placed along the outer and inner edges of the wall, tower facing tower; and in these walls were a hundred brazen gates, twenty-five on each side, corresponding to the number of streets which intersected each other at right angles. The city was adorned with splendid palaces and temples and the spoils of conquest.

Nebuchadnezzar was the great monarch of the Babylonian empire, whose long reign covered nearly half the period of its existence, and to him its grandeur and military glory were chiefly due. The city was noted for its wealth and magnificence, which brought a corresponding moral degradation, the sure precursor of its decline and fall. It was wholly given to idolatry, and was full of iniquity. The people were worshipers of Baal, to whom they offered human sacrifices. The deep degradation of their idolatry may be understood from God's reproof of the Israelites when they became corrupted by contact with them. See `Jer. 7:9; 19:5`.

The name originated with the frustrating of the plan for the great tower, called Babel (confusion), because there God confounded human speech; but the native etymology made the name Babil, which, instead of being reproachful, and a reminder of the Lord's displeasure, signified to them--"the gate of God."

The city of Babylon attained a position of prominence and affluence as a capital of the great Babylonian empire, and was called "the golden city," "the glory of kingdoms, and the beauty of Chaldees' excellency." `Isa. 13:19; 14:4`

Nebuchadnezzar was succeeded in the dominion by his grandson Belshazzar, under whose reign came the collapse which pride, fullness of bread and abundance of idleness always insure and hasten. While the people, all unconscious of impending danger, following the example of their king, were abandoning themselves to demoralizing excesses, the Persian army, under Cyrus, stealthily crept in through the channel of the Euphrates (from which they had turned aside the water), massacred the revelers, and captured the city. Thus was fulfilled the prophecy of that strange handwriting on the wall--"Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin"--which Daniel had interpreted only a few hours before to mean-- "God hath numbered thy kingdom and finished it. Thou art weighed in the balance and art found wanting. Thy kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians." And so complete was the destruction of that great city that even its site was forgotten and was for a long time uncertain.

Such was the typical city; and, like a great millstone cast into the sea, it was sunken centuries ago, never again to rise; even the memory of it has become a reproach and a byword. Now let us look for its antitype, first observing that the Scriptures clearly point it out, and then noting the aptness of the symbolism.

In symbolic prophecy a "city" signifies a religious government backed by power and influence. Thus, for instance, the "holy city, the new Jerusalem," is the symbol used to represent the established Kingdom of God, the overcomers of the Gospel Church exalted and reigning in glory. The Church is also, and in the same connection, represented as a woman, "the bride, the Lamb's wife," in power and glory, and backed by the power and authority of Christ, her husband. "And there came unto me one of the seven angels... saying, Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. And he...showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem." `Rev. 21:9,10`

This same method of interpretation applies to mystical Babylon, the great ecclesiastical kingdom, "that great city" (`Rev. 17:1-6`), which is described as a harlot, a fallen woman (an apostate church--for the true Church is a virgin), exalted to power and dominion, and backed, to a considerable degree, by the kings of the earth, the civil powers, which are all more or less intoxicated with her spirit and doctrine. The apostate church lost her virgin purity. Instead of waiting, as an espoused and chaste virgin, for exaltation with the heavenly Bridegroom, she associated herself with the kings of the earth and prostituted her virgin purity --both of doctrine and character--to suit the world's ideas; and in return she received, and now to some extent exercises, a present dominion, in large measure by their support, direct and indirect. This unfaithfulness to the Lord, whose name she claims, and to her high privilege to be the "chaste virgin" espoused to Christ, is the occasion of the symbolic appellation, "harlot," while her influence as a sacerdotal empire, full of inconsistency and confusion, is symbolically represented under the name Babylon, which, in its widest sense, as symbolized by the Babylonian empire, we promptly recognize to be Christendom; while in its more restricted sense, as symbolized by the ancient city Babylon, we recognize to be the nominal Christian Church.

The fact that Christendom does not accept the Bible term "Babylon," and its significance, confusion, as applicable to her, is no proof that it is not so. Neither did ancient Babylon claim the Bible significance--confusion. Ancient Babylon presumed to be the very "gate of God"; but God labeled it Confusion (`Gen. 11:9`); and so it is with her antitype today. She calls herself Christendom, the gateway to God and everlasting life, while God calls her Babylon-- confusion.

 

[Marty fox]

In Hebrew, whether its the tower, the city, the empire, and its meaning in prophecy down to the close of human history and Christs return, are all the same Hebrew word babel , Babylon. Babel is Babylon and Babel is confusion.

The name Babylon is derived from BAB-ILU which was “gate of the gods” or "the portal of the gods", and in a sense it thus portrays a means of access to the gods that is contrary to God's prescribed plan of salvation. Access is granted through the system and not by faith in Jesus Christ. It is a system where salvation by works replaces salvation by faith and the Protestant Reformers realized it and the system behind it.

The Babylonian system of worship has ever been a snare to God's people, as it is more in tune with human nature to rely on salvation by works than on salvation by grace. From the very beginning, these two systems of worship have been in confrontation with each other. The story of Cain and Abel illustrates this point. Abel listened to the divine directive and brought a lamb without blemish as an offering, but Cain brought the fruits of his labor. When the offering of Abel was accepted by God, the anger of Cain was aroused and ever since, this first confrontation between these two systems of worship, has been in conflict on this planet.

Ancient Babylon serves as a type of a much greater end-time confederacy of religious apostasy and intolerance that would seek to control conscience before the close of earth's history, and yet it will meet its end. We see in Revelation 14:8...
"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.'" Revelation 14:8

The Bible warns against Babylon, and urge God's people to come out of Babylon, and we see it also reflecting the spiritual decay of the system...

"And he cried mightily with a strong voice saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird." Revelation 18:2

The unclean and hateful birds appears to reference a counterfeit Holy Spirit that would power the system and lead people to believe that they are working with the power of God when it is a deception masquerading as truth. In verse 4, we see it with a warning..

"Come out of her My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues." Revelation 18:4

God would not urge His people to come out of Babylon if it were impossible for them to identify Babylon. During the early Christian centuries, Jewish and Christian literature referred to the city of Rome as Babylon. 1 Peter 5:13 also refers to Rome as Babylon, as Peter wrote these words whilst in Rome, and literal Babylon no longer existed....

"The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my son." 1 Peter 5:13

In Revelation 17, John is invited to witness the judgment of the great prostitute who sits on many waters, seductively deceiving the inhabitants of the earth. This woman is subsequently identified as “ ‘Babylon the great, the mother of harlots’ ”. In the scriptures, a prostitute symbolically refers to God’s people in their apostasy. The portrayal of the prostitute in Revelation 17 shows that she represents an entity that was once faithful to God before aligning herself with the end-time opponent of God and His faithful remnant. Babylon is thus a corporate name for an end-time apostate entity.

The Protestants of the Reformation knew who it was and referred to it as spiritual Babylon, the antichrist entity and enemy of God's people. The woman that rides the beast in Revelation 17 also has all the identifying features which make it easier to find...

"1 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: 2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication." Revelation 17:1-2.

The woman is first referenced to as sitting on “many waters” and according to Revelation 17:5, the waters upon which the prostitute was seen symbolize the civil, secular, and political powers of the world. Just as the ancient Babylon depended on the Euphrates River for its existence, so will the end-time Babylon depend on the civil, secular, and political powers of the world to enforce its plans and purposes.

"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: and upon her forehead was a name written: Mystery, Babylon the great, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth." Revelation 17:4-5.

In the Bible the symbol of a woman represents the church. Isaiah the prophet extends the symbol of a woman to that of a bride. The pure bride represents the pure church..

"As the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee." Isaiah 62:5.

We find in the New Testament the same symbolism is employed...

"...for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ." 2 Corinthians 11:2.

Babylon is described in Revelation 17:5 as the "mother of harlots" an apostate religious systems or church, "Mystery" and the "abominations of the earth". Obviously if God's people are the chaste woman faithful to her husband, then Babylon is the opposite of this symbol or that system of worship which is unfaithful to God, and has a mystery religion and teaches and practices abominations.

Its not hard to figure out who persecuted the saints, and brought in the paganism and abominable practices into the church...

If you read revelation chapter 18 and the Ezekiel chapter 16 you will see who Babylon the great is.

 

[Patrick1966]

I suspect that the U.S. federal government is an intricate part of "Babylon".

 

[Aunty Jane]

The Bible lists Babel first when giving the ‘beginning of Nimrod’s kingdom.’ (Gen 10:8-10) Throughout the Hebrew Scriptures the ancient city of Babylon is featured prominently as the longtime enemy of Jehovah and his people. Even when his wayward people were exiled in Babylon, God later released them, and took Babylon down as a world power. He even named the one who would conquer this seemingly seemingly unconquerable people....."Cyrus".


Though Babylon became the capital of a political empire in the seventh and sixth centuries B.C.E., it was outstandingly prominent during its entire history as a religious center from which religious influence radiated in many directions.

It is this religious influence that permeates all worship in the world that is not directed towards the true God, Jehovah......
The core teachings of all "Babylonish" religion is the same no matter what label they wear, what country they live in, or what language they speak. The confusing of the language at the Tower of Babel took false religious ideas all over the world.

You will find the same core teachings in every false religious faith......a multiplicity of gods.....immortality of the soul, whereby a conscious part of man survives physical death to be transported to either a heaven of bliss, or a hell of eternal torment in flames....and a host of other non biblical ideas.

"Babylon" is also seen in its final form (Babylon the great) as the religious entity used by the political system to achieve its goals. There is no national celebration where the clergy are not featured supporting the political powers, especially of their own nation, defying the words of their Lord Jesus.....to be "NO PART of the world" (John 18:36) and to "love their enemies" (Matt 5:43-44).....instead we see them cozied up to the world in friendship (James 4:4) and salving the consciences of those who might have trouble understanding Jesus' words as they pertain to bloodshed in the modern world. The weaponry alone is so heinous and indiscriminate that blowing up innocent women and children is seen as mere "collateral damage." To a God who counts all lives as precious, how can that be ignored?

They have a problem with patriotism, having been indoctrinated from childhood to put 'God and country first'....but when it comes to obeying their "Lord", they opt to obey their political friends first....Christ and his teachings hardly rate a mention.

What did God tell his own people when they engaged in unsanctioned warfare...?
Isaiah 1:15...
"When you spread out your hands,
I will hide my eyes from you;
even though you make many prayers,
I will not listen;
your hands are full of blood."

You cannot be a patriot AND a Christian......you can be one or the other, but not both. This does not mean that you cannot love your homeland.......it simply means that you can't love it more than you love God, and it means that you obey God first and your government second.

When satan can divide our loyalties...he's got us. Look what happened in Eden....Adam knew what his God had said, but divided loyalty made him choose to obey his wife instead of his God, and the consequences for all his offspring are still echoing down through history.

Revelation identifies Babylon the great as "the mother of the harlots".....all are spiritual 'prostitutes' to their friends in the world.
It says that "she has a kingdom over the kings of the earth", who would have difficulty ruling without her support. In fact when God brings her down, the political and commercial elements actually lament her passing. (Rev 18:9-11) But it is God who moved the political elements to turn on her and strip her naked and devour her. If we don't want to be part of that, then we need to extract ourselves from that disgusting excuse for religious faith, no matter what part of the world we live in......Babylon the great is a global religious empire, whose teachings have permeated all false religion....even Christendom. We have to vote with our feet. (Rev 18:4-5)

 

[Davy]

....

"The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my son." 1 Peter 5:13

In Revelation 17, John is invited to witness the judgment of the great prostitute who sits on many waters, seductively deceiving the inhabitants of the earth. This woman is subsequently identified as “ ‘Babylon the great, the mother of harlots’ ”. In the scriptures, a prostitute symbolically refers to God’s people in their apostasy. The portrayal of the prostitute in Revelation 17 shows that she represents an entity that was once faithful to God before aligning herself with the end-time opponent of God and His faithful remnant. Babylon is thus a corporate name for an end-time apostate entity.

The Protestants of the Reformation knew who it was and referred to it as spiritual Babylon, the antichrist entity and enemy of God's people. The woman that rides the beast in Revelation 17 also has all the identifying features which make it easier to find...

"1 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: 2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication." Revelation 17:1-2.

The woman is first referenced to as sitting on “many waters” and according to Revelation 17:5, the waters upon which the prostitute was seen symbolize the civil, secular, and political powers of the world. Just as the ancient Babylon depended on the Euphrates River for its existence, so will the end-time Babylon depend on the civil, secular, and political powers of the world to enforce its plans and purposes.

"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: and upon her forehead was a name written: Mystery, Babylon the great, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth." Revelation 17:4-5.

In the Bible the symbol of a woman represents the church. Isaiah the prophet extends the symbol of a woman to that of a bride. The pure bride represents the pure church..

"As the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee." Isaiah 62:5.

We find in the New Testament the same symbolism is employed...

"...for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ." 2 Corinthians 11:2.

Babylon is described in Revelation 17:5 as the "mother of harlots" an apostate religious systems or church, "Mystery" and the "abominations of the earth". Obviously if God's people are the chaste woman faithful to her husband, then Babylon is the opposite of this symbol or that system of worship which is unfaithful to God, and has a mystery religion and teaches and practices abominations.

Its not hard to figure out who persecuted the saints, and brought in the paganism and abominable practices into the church...

Nah, that old Reformation doctrine is bogus, the Protestant Reformers erred. They thought the pope was the final Antichrist and that the 'end' was about to happen in their day. It did NOT happen.

And now, a bunch of Judaizers crept into certain groups of Christ's Church still push that old Reformer's doctrines against the pope and the Roman Church because the Roman Church persecuted many of the Jews throughout European history also. So false Jews have taken up the baton of the old Reformers against today's Roman Church and the pope.

And before anyone says I must be a follower of the Roman Church, they would be wrong. I am a Protestant Christian, and my ancestors fled from France in the 16th century to the Americas because of persecutions by the Roman Church in France!

The reason why I am pointing out that old Protestant Reformation doctrine with thinking the pope is the Antichrist for the end, and that the apostate Roman Church is the symbolic Babylon of Revelation is this...

In Ezekiel 16, God used the idea of Jerusalem in rebellion against Him as being like a HARLOT. In Lamentations, it even says how Jerusalem had become a "widow" when Jerusalem was in a state of God's past destruction upon her. That is a DIRECT link to the Revelation 18:17 verse where the Babylon Harlot says she is "no widow"!

And God's two witnesses are sent to prophesy for 1260 days against the beast at ROME??? at New York??? at Brussels?? Nope! They will appear in JERUSALEM for the end of this world to prophesy against the beast, as written in Revelation 11.

Thus the REAL Babylon Harlot of Revelation is about JERUSALEM IN A STATE OF IDOL WORSHIP for the end, not Rome and a pope.

So don't allow the Judaizers that have crept into some Christian Churches today deceive you about the endtime Babylon Harlot. It is JERUSALEM that will become apostate when the orthodox Jews there accept the coming Antichrist ("dragon") as their Messiah, and those Jews startup old covenant worship again there. Their Messiah that comes first won't be no pope, nor any flesh man, but the devil himself, on earth, in plain sight. That is why Revelation reveals it is the "dragon" that the whole world will worship at the end, not a pope (except for Christ's elect)...

Rev 13:4-8
4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.

6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.

7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.

8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
KJV

 

[Always Believing]

My take.

There is the spiritual and ministerial Babylon the Great, and there is that great city Babylon, and when she is fallen, then cities of the nation fall with her.

Ministerial Babylon is the Jews Religion, that rejects Jesus as Christ, and the Christian Religion, that only names His name.

The great city is Jerusalem, spiritually Sodom and Egypt, where both religions will be gathered into one world-wide organization of apostate churches built by the false gospel of the beast and his prophet.

Since cities were the places of worship in the OT, then the cities of the nations falling with the organizational head in Jerusalem, would be the churches that fall with the beast and his prophet.

It will be a global ministry of the false christ run by business principles, to generate much profit as well as proselytize souls. (Rev 18:13)

Those not loyal to the beast will be ostracized and forbidden to do any business where the churches have rule.

It will be on the manner of Mormonism, and JW's, and some extreme Pentecostal organizations.

The beast's organization will take rejecting dissenters to the final level of physical persecution, just as the old Catholic rule, and other protestant groups returning the favor to Catholics.

The main difference between old denominations becoming apostate and that of the beast, is that his organization will start with a false gospel, with himself as the founding false apostle and father. Much like a consul and first man of Rome, which became the Caesar with dictatorial powers for life. Such Caesars were then given god status with their own cults of worship.

The beast will practise his powers in the same brutal manner of old Rome, where he and his ministers will be past feeling as Paul calls it, and brute beasts as Jude says.

 

[Davy]

My take.

There is the spiritual and ministerial Babylon the Great, and there is that great city Babylon, and when she is fallen, then cities of the nation fall with her.

Ministerial Babylon is the Jews Religion, that rejects Jesus as Christ, and the Christian Religion, that only names His name.

There's your 1st error, by including "the Christian religion".

Now if you had said false ones among the Christian Faith, that would be acceptable. But you pointed to ALL those in Christ Jesus, including The Christ, because "the Christian religion" has its foundation from the Apostles and prophets, with Jesus Christ as the Chief Cornerstone (Ephesians 2).

The great city is Jerusalem, spiritually Sodom and Egypt, where both religions will be gathered into one world-wide organization of apostate churches built by the false gospel of the beast and his prophet.

Anyone who becomes an apostate is NO LONGER A MEMBER OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH. There again, see Ephesians 2 of what Apostle Paul taught about the Church. The Christian Church during that future time of tribulation will make a STAND FOR JESUS CHRIST AND THE GOSPEL. That is what God's "two witnesses" and the "two candlesticks" are about (recall Rev.1-3 that the seven candlesticks represent the seven Churches, and for only 2 of them Jesus had no rebuke.)

Since cities were the places of worship in the OT, then the cities of the nations falling with the organizational head in Jerusalem, would be the churches that fall with the beast and his prophet.

There you go pointing to the idea of 'churches' again, when you are obviously wanting to wrongly point to the Christian Church. So what are you, a Muslim, a Buddhist, etc.? What's your problem with the Christian Church??

It will be a global ministry of the false christ run by business principles, to generate much profit as well as proselytize souls. (Rev 18:13)

So, you hate the idea of businesses, i.e., capitalism? Are you a Communist?

FYI, God's Word shows that a pseudo-Christ is coming first in Jerusalem to play God, working great signs, wonders, and miracles to deceive, and how that false one will be Satan himself (the "dragon") with his angels coming to earth, in OUR dimension, to Jerusalem. He is to be setup as a global corporation? NOPE! He will be setup as KING over the whole earth, and will join ALL religions together as one, and will demand that all bow to him as GOD. This is the very matter that Apostle Paul warned about for the end in 2 Thessalonians 2. I'm amazed that so few read what all that chapter is about, and how it links directly to Christ's warning in Matthew 24:23-26 about a coming final Antichrist figure at the end in Jerusalem.

Those not loyal to the beast will be ostracized and forbidden to do any business where the churches have rule.

You mean 'synagogues', religious organizations controlled by false Jews of the "synagogue of Satan".

It will be on the manner of Mormonism, and JW's, and some extreme Pentecostal organizations.

The Mormon religion, Jehovah Witness, are not about Christianity. Pentecostals are, even though they too do have fringe groups.

The beast's organization will take rejecting dissenters to the final level of physical persecution, just as the old Catholic rule, and other protestant groups returning the favor to Catholics.

I guess you forgot to read what Jesus said in Mark 13 about some of His elect being delivered up, and how there will be strife between father and son, mother and daughter, etc. That's who will deliver up Christ's elect, their enemies being of their own household that are deceived by the false-Messiah. They will think they are doing Christ as service too by having their own delivered up that well know the first supernatural Messiah coming will be the "dragon" himself.

The main difference between old denominations becoming apostate and that of the beast, is that his organization will start with a false gospel, with himself as the founding false apostle and father. Much like a consul and first man of Rome, which became the Caesar with dictatorial powers for life. Such Caesars were then given god status with their own cults of worship.

Again, you are out of touch within God's Word, because the main false worship is going to involve the re-established old covenant and temple worship of the Jews as setup by the pseudo-Messiah in Jerusalem. Apostle Paul showed that false one will sit in the "temple of God", which is about a traditional Jewish stone temple in Jerusalem. Paul also said that false one will exalt himself over all that is called God, or that is worshiped (2 Thessalonians 2:4). Jesus said that false one will work great signs and wonders that IF IT WERE POSSIBLE, it would deceive even His very elect.

Well Christ's very elect are 'called' AND 'chosen', so they CANNOT be deceived. Thus by Lord Jesus pointing to the 'idea' of their ALMOST being deceived by that false one, it means what for those 'called' only that ARE NOT FOCUSING ON HIS WARNING about that false one? It means those will easily... be deceived by those great signs and wonders that pseudo-Christ is going to work in Jerusalem! So why aren't the majority of my Christian brethren talking about what that false-Messiah is coming to actually do in Jerusalem for the end??

The beast will practise his powers in the same brutal manner of old Rome, where he and his ministers will be past feeling as Paul calls it, and brute beasts as Jude says.

FUNNY! It was obvious to me from the start that you wanted to point DIRECTLY TO THE ROMAN CHURCH AND THE POPE.

Nah, the coming pseudo-Messiah will be 'claimed'... to come from the tribe of JUDAH. That is the REQUIREMENT to be setup in Jerusalem as their "king of the world". The kingline God ordained to be from the house of David of the tribe of Judah. The 1st-2nd century Church father Hippolytus noted this requirement about the final Antichrist also. Thus it ain't about no pope, nor Rome!

 

[Always Believing]

In Hebrew, whether its the tower, the city, the empire, and its meaning in prophecy down to the close of human history and Christs return, are all the same Hebrew word babel , Babylon. Babel is Babylon and Babel is confusion.

The name Babylon is derived from BAB-ILU which was “gate of the gods” or "the portal of the gods",

Is BAB-EL a confused god?

Babel was not abandoned itself with the scattering of the people. Nimrod may have lived and died there.

and in a sense it thus portrays a means of access to the gods that is contrary to God's prescribed plan of salvation. Access is granted through the system and not by faith in Jesus Christ. It is a system where salvation by works replaces salvation by faith and the Protestant Reformers realized it and the system behind it.

How do you know the paganism of Babylon was salvation by works?

The Babylonian system of worship has ever been a snare to God's people, as it is more in tune with human nature to rely on salvation by works than on salvation by grace. From the very beginning, these two systems of worship have been in confrontation with each other. The story of Cain and Abel illustrates this point. Abel listened to the divine directive and brought a lamb without blemish as an offering, but Cain brought the fruits of his labor. When the offering of Abel was accepted by God, the anger of Cain was aroused and ever since, this first confrontation between these two systems of worship, has been in conflict on this planet.

John speaks of Cain and Abel as a matter of righteousness and unrighteousness.

I believe Cain set the standard for persecution that the beast will spread worldwide. First talk about it, then kill the rebel.

Ancient Babylon serves as a type of a much greater end-time confederacy of religious apostasy and intolerance that would seek to control conscience before the close of earth's history, and yet it will meet its end. We see in Revelation 14:8...

Yes, the control of conscience is everything. His practice of combining conscience with business is already seen in woke democracies.

The Bible warns against Babylon, and urge God's people to come out of Babylon, and we see it also reflecting the spiritual decay of the system...

I believe this is Christians seeing the endgame of the beast's organization and scatter.

"And he cried mightily with a strong voice saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird." Revelation 18:2

The unclean and hateful birds appears to reference a counterfeit Holy Spirit that would power the system and lead people to believe that they are working with the power of God when it is a deception masquerading as truth. In verse 4, we see it with a warning..

Doves with power to destroy. The Lamb will return with His own power to return the favor.

"Come out of her My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues." Revelation 18:4

God would not urge His people to come out of Babylon if it were impossible for them to identify Babylon. During the early Christian centuries, Jewish and Christian literature referred to the city of Rome as Babylon. 1 Peter 5:13 also refers to Rome as Babylon, as Peter wrote these words whilst in Rome, and literal Babylon no longer existed....

I'm not so sure God has to hide the truth due to current politics. He had no problem prophesying judgment of Babylon, while His people were still there.

I think the main city on earth God prophecies about is Jerusalem the great city where He was crucified and called spiritual Sodom and Egypt.

"The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my son." 1 Peter 5:13

Why not just believe he is speaking of Babylon? It was still going strong as mostly a tourist city at the time.

In Revelation 17, John is invited to witness the judgment of the great prostitute who sits on many waters, seductively deceiving the inhabitants of the earth. This woman is subsequently identified as “ ‘Babylon the great, the mother of harlots’ ”. In the scriptures, a prostitute symbolically refers to God’s people in their apostasy. The portrayal of the prostitute in Revelation 17 shows that she represents an entity that was once faithful to God before aligning herself with the end-time opponent of God and His faithful remnant. Babylon is thus a corporate name for an end-time apostate entity.

I would say Corporate with a successful business model. The main thing about Babylon is the wealth by merchandizing the souls and livelihoods of the sheep.

The Roman model of business was all about power and profit without any sense of kindness or charity. Crassus was famous for bring his fire brigades to burning homes and making offers to buy super cheap as it burned.

That is why the beast in Daniel is call fierce and crushes any weakness it can profit from.

The woman is first referenced to as sitting on “many waters” and according to Revelation 17:5, the waters upon which the prostitute was seen symbolize the civil, secular, and political powers of the world. Just as the ancient Babylon depended on the Euphrates River for its existence, so will the end-time Babylon depend on the civil, secular, and political powers of the world to enforce its plans and purposes.

Like the spiritual and ministerial head of local rulers and even kings of nations.

The head of the Mormon church doesn't wield any power of his own, but people play nice where his churches rule. It''s of a kinder gentler sort these days, but it's still there, especially within the church itself.

In the Bible the symbol of a woman represents the church. Isaiah the prophet extends the symbol of a woman to that of a bride. The pure bride represents the pure church..

perhaps both church and ministry of Christ. Paul calls New Jerusalem the mother of us all. And Babylon is the great Mother of harlots.

I believe the last false ministry on earth will combine all past heresies into one great unlovable little devil of a corporate organization of churches being spread throughout the earth.

"As the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee." Isaiah 62:5.

We find in the New Testament the same symbolism is employed...

"...for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ." 2 Corinthians 11:2.

Babylon is described in Revelation 17:5 as the "mother of harlots" an apostate religious systems or church, "Mystery" and the "abominations of the earth". Obviously if God's people are the chaste woman faithful to her husband, then Babylon is the opposite of this symbol or that system of worship which is unfaithful to God, and has a mystery religion and teaches and practices abominations.

Which the Bible calls false gospels that overthrown the faith.

Its not hard to figure out who persecuted the saints, and brought in the paganism and abominable practices into the church...

That's nothing new and started with many antichrists from the beginning. It's just the last great one before Jesus returns.

Thanks. You've got good study here.

 

[Always Believing]

There's your 1st error, by including "the Christian religion".

Now if you had said false ones among the Christian Faith, that would be acceptable. But you pointed to ALL those in Christ Jesus, including The Christ, because "the Christian religion" has its foundation from the Apostles and prophets, with Jesus Christ as the Chief Cornerstone (Ephesians 2).



Anyone who becomes an apostate is NO LONGER A MEMBER OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH. There again, see Ephesians 2 of what Apostle Paul taught about the Church. The Christian Church during that future time of tribulation will make a STAND FOR JESUS CHRIST AND THE GOSPEL. That is what God's "two witnesses" and the "two candlesticks" are about (recall Rev.1-3 that the seven candlesticks represent the seven Churches, and for only 2 of them Jesus had no rebuke.)


There you go pointing to the idea of 'churches' again, when you are obviously wanting to wrongly point to the Christian Church. So what are you, a Muslim, a Buddhist, etc.? What's your problem with the Christian Church??


So, you hate the idea of businesses, i.e., capitalism? Are you a Communist?

FYI, God's Word shows that a pseudo-Christ is coming first in Jerusalem to play God, working great signs, wonders, and miracles to deceive, and how that false one will be Satan himself (the "dragon") with his angels coming to earth, in OUR dimension, to Jerusalem. He is to be setup as a global corporation? NOPE! He will be setup as KING over the whole earth, and will join ALL religions together as one, and will demand that all bow to him as GOD. This is the very matter that Apostle Paul warned about for the end in 2 Thessalonians 2. I'm amazed that so few read what all that chapter is about, and how it links directly to Christ's warning in Matthew 24:23-26 about a coming final Antichrist figure at the end in Jerusalem.


You mean 'synagogues', religious organizations controlled by false Jews of the "synagogue of Satan".


The Mormon religion, Jehovah Witness, are not about Christianity. Pentecostals are, even though they too do have fringe groups.


I guess you forgot to read what Jesus said in Mark 13 about some of His elect being delivered up, and how there will be strife between father and son, mother and daughter, etc. That's who will deliver up Christ's elect, their enemies being of their own household that are deceived by the false-Messiah. They will think they are doing Christ as service too by having their own delivered up that well know the first supernatural Messiah coming will be the "dragon" himself.


Again, you are out of touch within God's Word, because the main false worship is going to involve the re-established old covenant and temple worship of the Jews as setup by the pseudo-Messiah in Jerusalem. Apostle Paul showed that false one will sit in the "temple of God", which is about a traditional Jewish stone temple in Jerusalem. Paul also said that false one will exalt himself over all that is called God, or that is worshiped (2 Thessalonians 2:4). Jesus said that false one will work great signs and wonders that IF IT WERE POSSIBLE, it would deceive even His very elect.

Well Christ's very elect are 'called' AND 'chosen', so they CANNOT be deceived. Thus by Lord Jesus pointing to the 'idea' of their ALMOST being deceived by that false one, it means what for those 'called' only that ARE NOT FOCUSING ON HIS WARNING about that false one? It means those will easily... be deceived by those great signs and wonders that pseudo-Christ is going to work in Jerusalem! So why aren't the majority of my Christian brethren talking about what that false-Messiah is coming to actually do in Jerusalem for the end??



FUNNY! It was obvious to me from the start that you wanted to point DIRECTLY TO THE ROMAN CHURCH AND THE POPE.

Nah, the coming pseudo-Messiah will be 'claimed'... to come from the tribe of JUDAH. That is the REQUIREMENT to be setup in Jerusalem as their "king of the world". The kingline God ordained to be from the house of David of the tribe of Judah. The 1st-2nd century Church father Hippolytus noted this requirement about the final Antichrist also. Thus it ain't about no pope, nor Rome!

You have a serious pride issue without knowledge and a ready tongue for blaspheming others. When you want to learn what I mean about anything you can ask. Politely. In the meantime I have no use for you.

 

[dev553344]

Babylon may be a reference to Pompeii. It was a city that was destroyed by a volcano near Christs time. It was a coastal city which kind fits the description of the destruction of Babylon. There is some descrepancy as to the date that the book of Revelation was written and the fiery destruction of Pompeii. But who knows.

 

[Always Believing]

Babylon may be a reference to Pompeii. It was a city that was destroyed by a volcano near Christs time. It was a coastal city which kind fits the description of the destruction of Babylon. There is some descrepancy as to the date that the book of Revelation was written and the fiery destruction of Pompeii. But who knows.

The Bible does say Babylon will be cast into the sea. Maybe the Tyrrhenian sea?

I only hope it's not Athens. I want to go there someday.

 

[dev553344]

The Bible does say Babylon will be cast into the sea. Maybe the Tyrrhenian sea?

I only hope it's not Athens. I want to go there someday.

Yeah that would make it difficult.

 

[Marty fox]

This is a study I did for Babylon the great a few years ago

Is Babylon the great that the book of Revelation talks about really the same Babylon that Isaiah 21 and 47 or Zechariah 2 prophesied about? If so then why is it called mystery Babylon?

Below are 10 points from the bible that show us that first century Jerusalem is the Babylon the great of the book of Revelation.

1) Ezekiel 16 and Revelation 18

If you read Ezekiel chapter 16 you will see that God mentions that Jerusalem prostituted herself to the nations. See how it resembles Revelation chapter 18 as God judges that great prostitute who the kings of the earth commit adultery with. There are many similarities between Ezekiel 16 and Revelation 18.

2) The woman in the wilderness.

In Revelation 12:6 & 12:14 the woman Israel is taken into the wilderness for protection for a set time. We then find a women in the wilderness in Revelation 17:3 sitting on a beast as John is taken into the wilderness to see her. This woman is called the great prostitute. The name on her forehead is

Babylon the great
the mother of prostitutes
and of the abominations of the earth.

If this wasn’t the same woman in Revelation 12 then what happened to the woman in Revelation 12 after the set time?

3) The great city

Babylon the great is called the great city in Revelation 17:18 and Revelation 18:21. Not a great city but the great city. A great city could be one of many cities but the great city could only be one city. Revelation 11:8 says that the great city is the city where our lord was crucified. Jesus was crucified in Jerusalem.

4) 1 Peter 5:13 states she who is in Babylon greets you.

This shows that the saints knew who Babylon was at that time. It has been said that the she in Babylon was the church in Jerusalem where it is believed that Peter lived at that time.

5) The woman dressed in scarlet and gold.

In Revelation 17:4 the woman is dressed in scarlet, gold and precious stones. Jeremiah 4:30 also says that Jerusalem is dressed in scarlet jewels and gold.

6) Your lovers will despise and kill you.

Both Jerusalem in Jeremiah 4:30-31 and Babylon the great in Revelation 17 are killed by her lovers.

Some people believe that Babylon the great will be the city that a future antichrist
known as the beast will rule from. In Revelation 17:16-17 it says that the beast and
the 10 horns will hate the prostitute and bring her to ruin because God had put it into
their hearts to accomplish his purpose. Why would the beast destroy the city or
empire that he rules from? Rome who I believe to be the beast did destroy Jerusalem.

In 70AD Rome did destroy Jerusalem for Gods purpose.

7) The nations will mourn

Jeremiah 4:28 says the earth will mourn at the destruction of Jerusalem. Revelation 18:9,11,15 and 19 all say that the kings, merchants and all who work on the seas will mourn at the destruction of Babylon the great.

8) The cup of Gods wrath

Both Jerusalem and Babylon the great drink the cup of Gods wrath. Isaiah 51:17 & Revelation 16:19

9) A queen and a widow.

In Revelation 18:7 Babylon the great says I sit as queen I will never be a widow. n Jerusalem in Lamentations 1:1-2 is described as a queen who is now a widow. Both Babylon the great and Jerusalem’s friends betray and destroy them.

10) All who have been killed on the earth. This is the most important point.

Revelation 18:20
20 “Rejoice over her, you heavens!
Rejoice, you people of God!
Rejoice, apostles and prophets!
For God has judged her
with the judgment she imposed on you.”

Revelation 18:24
24 In her was found the blood of prophets and of God’s holy people,
of all who have been slaughtered on the earth.”

Revelation 18:20 says that Babylon the great killed both the saints and the prophets. Revelation 18:24 says Babylon the great is responsible for all of the blood of the saints and prophets and all that have been killed on the earth.

Only Israel is responsible for killing both the prophets and the saints.

Now read what Jesus said in Matthew 23:35 as he was prophesying about the destruction of Jerusalem

35And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.

Jesus was saying that Jerusalem just like Babylon the great is responsible for and will be judged of all the blood that has been shed on the earth. They must be one and the same. This is prophecy fulfilled.

At the time on Matthew 23:35 the saints where not yet killed. The Jews shortly there after started their persecution of the saints.

 

[Always Believing]

This is a study I did for Babylon the great a few years ago

Is Babylon the great that the book of Revelation talks about really the same Babylon that Isaiah 21 and 47 or Zechariah 2 prophesied about? If so then why is it called mystery Babylon?

If it's a false ministry then Paul is speaking of it as the mystery of iniquity made out of the doctrine of Christ. I've always looked at it as sort of head scratcher like why in the world would someone mess up the Bible like that? The reason would be to have our sin cake on earth and eat it on the way to heaven.

Below are 10 points from the bible that show us that first century Jerusalem is the Babylon the great of the book of Revelation.

1) Ezekiel 16 and Revelation 18

If you read Ezekiel chapter 16 you will see that God mentions that Jerusalem prostituted herself to the nations. See how it resembles Revelation chapter 18 as God judges that great prostitute who the kings of the earth commit adultery with. There are many similarities between Ezekiel 16 and Revelation 18.

2) The woman in the wilderness.

In Revelation 12:6 & 12:14 the woman Israel is taken into the wilderness for protection for a set time. We then find a women in the wilderness in Revelation 17:3 sitting on a beast as John is taken into the wilderness to see her. This woman is called the great prostitute. The name on her forehead is

Babylon the great
the mother of prostitutes
and of the abominations of the earth.

If this wasn’t the same woman in Revelation 12 then what happened to the woman in Revelation 12 after the set time?

3) The great city

Babylon the great is called the great city in Revelation 17:18 and Revelation 18:21. Not a great city but the great city. A great city could be one of many cities but the great city could only be one city. Revelation 11:8 says that the great city is the city where our lord was crucified. Jesus was crucified in Jerusalem.

Good point. It's a certain city, not just any city.

4) 1 Peter 5:13 states she who is in Babylon greets you.

This shows that the saints knew who Babylon was at that time. It has been said that the she in Babylon was the church in Jerusalem where it is believed that Peter lived at that time.

I still don't know why this Babylon can't be the city itself. It was a good tourist place at the time with the hanging gardens still in tact. Babylon was just as popular as the other cities with one of the wonders of the world like Ephesus and the temple of Diana.

Maybe it just shows that babylon city is nothing more than any other city for God to save souls in.

5) The woman dressed in scarlet and gold.

In Revelation 17:4 the woman is dressed in scarlet, gold and precious stones. Jeremiah 4:30 also says that Jerusalem is dressed in scarlet jewels and gold.

6) Your lovers will despise and kill you.

Both Jerusalem in Jeremiah 4:30-31 and Babylon the great in Revelation 17 are killed by her lovers.

This is another good point. I thought immediately of rev 17 when I saw your reference to Jerem 4.

Some people believe that Babylon the great will be the city that a future antichrist
known as the beast will rule from. In Revelation 17:16-17 it says that the beast and
the 10 horns will hate the prostitute and bring her to ruin because God had put it into
their hearts to accomplish his purpose. Why would the beast destroy the city or
empire that he rules from? Rome who I believe to be the beast did destroy Jerusalem.

In 70AD Rome did destroy Jerusalem for Gods purpose.

Right. Jesus prophesied it.

7) The nations will mourn

Jeremiah 4:28 says the earth will mourn at the destruction of Jerusalem. Revelation 18:9,11,15 and 19 all say that the kings, merchants and all who work on the seas will mourn at the destruction of Babylon the great.

And another good point.

8) The cup of Gods wrath

Both Jerusalem and Babylon the great drink the cup of Gods wrath. Isaiah 51:17 & Revelation 16:19

I like these comparisons. I haven't seen anyone do it before.

9) A queen and a widow.

In Revelation 18:7 Babylon the great says I sit as queen I will never be a widow. n Jerusalem in Lamentations 1:1-2 is described as a queen who is now a widow. Both Babylon the great and Jerusalem’s friends betray and destroy them.

10) All who have been killed on the earth. This is the most important point.

Revelation 18:20
20 “Rejoice over her, you heavens!
Rejoice, you people of God!
Rejoice, apostles and prophets!
For God has judged her
with the judgment she imposed on you.”

Revelation 18:24
24 In her was found the blood of prophets and of God’s holy people,
of all who have been slaughtered on the earth.”

Revelation 18:20 says that Babylon the great killed both the saints and the prophets. Revelation 18:24 says Babylon the great is responsible for all of the blood of the saints and prophets and all that have been killed on the earth.

Only Israel is responsible for killing both the prophets and the saints.

Now read what Jesus said in Matthew 23:35 as he was prophesying about the destruction of Jerusalem

35And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.

Exactly. Good job.

And of course there's the Rev 11 quote that the great city is where the Lord was crucified.

The great city is Jerusalem.

Good work.

 

[Always Believing]

When I talk about an organization of churches that employs business practices to wring every last dollar and time from it's members, it's from personal experience. That is why I equate so easily with the beast's own Christian religion of organized churches built with his own hands and gospel. Rev 18 says that great Babylon will be awash in merchandize and the souls of men. It's a perfect description of the one I was in for about a decade.

So when I say Christian religion being corrupt it's the same thing as the Jews religion that corrupted itself by rejecting Jesus Christ. They have made their own religion and synagogues for themselves, and so do people calling themselves Christians such as JWs and Mormons. Jesus calls the Jews' synagogues of Satan and I would not call the churches of Mormons, the churches of God.

Just as the beast will have his own brand of Christian religion and churches, that Christians will need to flee and not be defiled by his gospel, so do Mormons have Christians that need to flee and not be defiled by their super secrets of the inner sanctorum.

So when I speak of their churches and religion I am not speaking of the churches of God and His pure religion that is undefiled with doctrines, traditions, and commandments of men.

Jesus and His apostles never condone false Christians that give lip service to His name any more than the false Jews that give lip service to the God of Israel. The real Christian and Jew is the one with circumcision of Christ by His Spirit and not the one sitting in pews one day while rioting with the world the rest of the week.

To suggest there are no Christians in name only is ignorance of the apostles' letters and books. We don't look for fault in one another but we are also not ignorant of the devil's ability to make tares grow in our churches. We don't try to pluck them up nor doing anything with them personally but just let God take care of things in His body.

I would say the beast's organization of churches in the Christian religion would be tares on steroids uprooting the wheat because he's the worst tare of all.

 

[Always Believing]

A point about mystery Babylon comes to mind. It could be like all cults that have their own secretive little doctrines and rules that aren't in the Bible. They are a mystery to the uninitiated and they are kept secret until it's time to reveal them to visitors becoming established members. I've seen that firsthand and it's called waiting until they are 'all the way in'. They call it having 'wisdom' not to spill the beans too soon and run off normal objective believers who know trash when they see and smell it.

 

[Mark51]

In Hebrew, whether its the tower, the city, the empire, and its meaning in prophecy down to the close of human history and Christs return, are all the same Hebrew word babel , Babylon. Babel is Babylon and Babel is confusion.

The name Babylon is derived from BAB-ILU which was “gate of the gods” or "the portal of the gods", and in a sense it thus portrays a means of access to the gods that is contrary to God's prescribed plan of salvation. Access is granted through the system and not by faith in Jesus Christ. It is a system where salvation by works replaces salvation by faith and the Protestant Reformers realized it and the system behind it.

The Babylonian system of worship has ever been a snare to God's people, as it is more in tune with human nature to rely on salvation by works than on salvation by grace. From the very beginning, these two systems of worship have been in confrontation with each other. The story of Cain and Abel illustrates this point. Abel listened to the divine directive and brought a lamb without blemish as an offering, but Cain brought the fruits of his labor. When the offering of Abel was accepted by God, the anger of Cain was aroused and ever since, this first confrontation between these two systems of worship, has been in conflict on this planet.

Ancient Babylon serves as a type of a much greater end-time confederacy of religious apostasy and intolerance that would seek to control conscience before the close of earth's history, and yet it will meet its end. We see in Revelation 14:8...
"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.'" Revelation 14:8

The Bible warns against Babylon, and urge God's people to come out of Babylon, and we see it also reflecting the spiritual decay of the system...

"And he cried mightily with a strong voice saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird." Revelation 18:2

The unclean and hateful birds appears to reference a counterfeit Holy Spirit that would power the system and lead people to believe that they are working with the power of God when it is a deception masquerading as truth. In verse 4, we see it with a warning..

"Come out of her My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues." Revelation 18:4

God would not urge His people to come out of Babylon if it were impossible for them to identify Babylon. During the early Christian centuries, Jewish and Christian literature referred to the city of Rome as Babylon. 1 Peter 5:13 also refers to Rome as Babylon, as Peter wrote these words whilst in Rome, and literal Babylon no longer existed....

"The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my son." 1 Peter 5:13

In Revelation 17, John is invited to witness the judgment of the great prostitute who sits on many waters, seductively deceiving the inhabitants of the earth. This woman is subsequently identified as “ ‘Babylon the great, the mother of harlots’ ”. In the scriptures, a prostitute symbolically refers to God’s people in their apostasy. The portrayal of the prostitute in Revelation 17 shows that she represents an entity that was once faithful to God before aligning herself with the end-time opponent of God and His faithful remnant. Babylon is thus a corporate name for an end-time apostate entity.

The Protestants of the Reformation knew who it was and referred to it as spiritual Babylon, the antichrist entity and enemy of God's people. The woman that rides the beast in Revelation 17 also has all the identifying features which make it easier to find...

"1 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: 2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication." Revelation 17:1-2.

The woman is first referenced to as sitting on “many waters” and according to Revelation 17:5, the waters upon which the prostitute was seen symbolize the civil, secular, and political powers of the world. Just as the ancient Babylon depended on the Euphrates River for its existence, so will the end-time Babylon depend on the civil, secular, and political powers of the world to enforce its plans and purposes.

"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: and upon her forehead was a name written: Mystery, Babylon the great, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth." Revelation 17:4-5.

In the Bible the symbol of a woman represents the church. Isaiah the prophet extends the symbol of a woman to that of a bride. The pure bride represents the pure church..

"As the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee." Isaiah 62:5.

We find in the New Testament the same symbolism is employed...

"...for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ." 2 Corinthians 11:2.

Babylon is described in Revelation 17:5 as the "mother of harlots" an apostate religious systems or church, "Mystery" and the "abominations of the earth". Obviously if God's people are the chaste woman faithful to her husband, then Babylon is the opposite of this symbol or that system of worship which is unfaithful to God, and has a mystery religion and teaches and practices abominations.

Its not hard to figure out who persecuted the saints, and brought in the paganism and abominable practices into the church...

In support of your post, the following scriptures in Revelation support that Babylon the Great (Harlot) is primarily the world empire of false religion. Compare Revelation 17:1, 2, 5, 15-18; 18:9, 11, 15, 23, 24.

 

[amigo de christo]

I suspect that the U.S. federal government is an intricate part of "Babylon".

as are the nations of the world . the whore sitteth over many waters . All who partake of the all inclusive social gospel
are already under her influence . And her influence reaches into all false religons as well as the secular realm .
All inclusive , false love , she is huge on these words . To bring all to be as one mind , one heart , one people under the dragon
and unto the beast .

 

[amigo de christo]

She promotes a rainbow but its a dark one
She promotes doing some good works but NOT the dire need to BELIEVE IN JESUS , for she accepts all paths
She promotes unity but not under CHRIST but under the beast , the dragon .
She is world wise and knows how to decieve . Her love is contrary to TRUTH , to GOD , to HIS LOVE
beware her for she has many workers within ALL REALMS who do her bidding .