I am reevaluating this subject to see if I can find anything I missed previously. Rev 17-18. What are your best arguements and most to-the-point proofs one way or the other?
EDIT: Include NYC if you thing you can prove that case. So here are the best theories available:
1. Rome/ Catholicism
2. Mecca/ Islam
3. NYC/ America
It will likely become even more clear as things unfold, but examining the Text is part of obeying the command to "watch" given to us 9 times in the New Testament when talking about the end times/ eschatology.
Its not a City, a Nation, the RCC or Islam, as a matter of fact calling it Mystery Babylon is wrong from jump street. Its the Harlot that is being described and put on display for Judgment by God in Rev. 17, then John gives us FOUR DESCRIPTIONS of who she is !! Shes a Mystery BUT, we are about to be told what the Mystery is, see verse 7 where he EXPLAINS the Mystery !! Anyway, she is a Mystery, {referring to the Mystery Religions spread all around the ancient world where they always had a Sun god, Moon goddess and a Son of God that was REBORN. It's always a TRI HEAD !! But Mystery was just one description, then we had Babylon {Where this false Religion got started via Nimrod, who married his mother Semiramis and their son was Tammuz. Then of course we get two more descriptors of who the Harlot is, she is the Mother of Harlots {Mother of ALL False Religion}and shes an Abomination unto all the earth {Serving any god but God is an Abomination.
The Harlot is ALL FALSE RELIGION, the Four Descriptors just describe ALL FALSE RELIGION. That is why the water represents all Peoples, Tongues, Nations etc. She is killed off by the Kings in League with the Beast is Rev. 17:16, and that is because there is no room for any other gods in the Anti-Christs reign of terror !! He must be worshiped as the ONLY GOD, thus the Harlot is destroyed and a BEAST over Religion {False Prophet} is brought in, he will be a Jewish High Priest like unto Jason who bribed Antiochus to become High Priest, having his Pious brother Onias III, a High Priest, killed, then he tried to Hellenize the Jews but that brought forth the Maccabean Revolt. Thus Antiochus and Jason are the FORERUNNERS unto the real duo !!
John was REMINDED in verse 18 about WHAT HE SAW in the Vision, Babylon represents that city because the Harlot thrived in Babylon. But in the book of Revelation Babylon stands for the WHOLE WORLD, and we can see that in Rev. 16:19, where God calls the Nations He defeats BABYLON THE GREAT.
Rev. 16:19 And the
great city was divided into three parts Earthquake/Jesus Returns}, and the
cities of the nations fell: {Babylon FALLS} and
great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.
So God sees the NATIONS He defeats as Babylon, so who were they ? Lets look at the 6th Vial.
Rev. 16:12 And the
sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the
kings of the east might be prepared. 13 And I saw
three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
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.
Sothe Nations God DEFEATS are the E.U. and Beast, the Kings of the East and the Kings of the WHOLE WORLD !! So who is Babylon ? THE WHOLE WORLD !!
Now think of it like this, we have a TWO SIDED COIN, False Religion {Hatlot} and False Governance {Beast Governments}.......The Harlot RIDES the Beast !! GET IT ?
Rev. 17 is about the Harlot getting Judged, the Kings in league with the Beast kills her off, he demand t be the ONLY GOD WORSHIPED, which means he will kill of Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, chase Israel into the Wilderness and kill off the Remnant Church who missed the Rapture {Rev. 12:17}.
Rev. 18 is the Governments of the WHOLE WORLD {Babylon} getting judged.What better way to DESTROY Babylons COMMERCE than to hit her with the Seal, Trumpet and Vial Plagues ? The Seals are the Anti-Christ, he kills about 2 billion people via wars, famine via wars, murder etc. we see them under the Altar in Seal number 5, the Sixth Seal announces Gods Wrath supernaturally, but it starts with the First Seal.
Then the Trumpets burn all the grass and 1/3 of the trees, 1/3 of the sea is turned to blood and 1/3 of the sea creatures {shrimp/fish} die, 1/3 of the ships are destroyed, 1/3 of the fresh drinking waters are poisoned, then we have the Last Three Trumpets which are the Last Three Woes,A Demon Horde in Woe #1, a 200 Million angelic Army that slays 1.5 Billion people and the Last Woe is ALL 7 Vials !!
So of course the WHOLE WORLDS COMMERCE is destroyed in Rev. 18. And the World is become a Habitation of devils, Satan is cast to earth and Apollyon is released from the bottomless pit. And when God says come out of her my people, lest you partake in her sins and plagues, that is God calling Israel to Flee Judea unto Petra.
God Destroys Babylon in ONE HOUR.....Just like the Kings rule with the Beast for ONE HOUR {42 Months}. And in ONE DAY she is Destroyed the DAY OF THE LORD which last for at least 42 months of Wrath.
The Harlot = All False Religion.
Babylon = The Whole World or Satan's Dark Kingdom on earth.
The Harlot RIDES the Beast !!
