What is Babylon The Great in Revelation?

Answer 1

A symbol for the Roman Empire, which was killing Christians at the time Revelation was written. That is how it has been interpreted throughout Christian history.

It is a type of writing called "Apocalyptic literature" which ALWAYS uses symbolism to deal with a PRESENT crisis. The number "666" works out by a rather simple number-letter substitution to "Nero Caesar." And it is very clear that the original author intended the number to be understood by his original readers - not to be a conundrum for 2000 years.

Although some anti-Catholics equate "Babylon" with the Catholic Church, that idea did not exist until the mid-1800s, and the vast majority of Christians throughout history knew nothing of it. There is nothing in the text to even SUGGEST that it is referring to a church; and the idea is especially foolish when you realize that it is the Catholic Church that placed the Book of Revelation into the Bible in the first place.

Do you think Mystery Babylon The Great could be the USA, as many of the prophecy teachers of today are saying? If it is, it doesn't look well for the US in the end of this age, which I believe we are entering in, if not already there.

Answer

There is a "special" text in Revelation 18 which gives us a clue as to who Babylon the Great is. In Revelation 18:23 it says ... "the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee." ... What does the light of a candle and the Bridegroom represent in the Bible? The light of Jesus Christ. The Bible elsewhere identifies Jesus as being the Bridegroom, and we Christians are the bride.

So if the voice of Jesus is not to be heard ANY MORE in Babylon, then He must have been heard at some stage in her. Which means Babylon MUST BE a professing Christian church. Because no other religion or institution proclaims Jesus Christ as the Saviour and "light" of the world. Only Christianity does.

So let's look at the rest of the description of Babylon in Revelation 17:

- Sits on many waters (supported by many people)

- Kings have committed fornication with her (kings have helped her commit her crimes)

- Inhabitants of earth made drunk with her wine (earth deceived by her doctrines)

- She sits on beast with 7 heads (she sits on a place of 7 hills/mountains)

- She is arrayed in Purple and Scarlet (her main colours are Purple and Scarlet)

- She is decked with Gold and Precious stones (She is rich)

- She is the MOTHER of harlots (she is regarded as the MOTHER church)

- She is drunk with the blood of the saints (she has killed many Christians)

- She reigns over the kings of the earth (she has power over the leaders of other nations)

Only one professing Christian church matches this description, and that is the Papal Church of Rome.