Spiritual Babylon
Revelation 17:1-5
Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.” So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication. And on her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
God’s description of a spiritual apostate system compromising the truth.
Daniel 8:12
Because of transgression, an army was given over to the horn to oppose the daily sacrifices; and he cast truth down to the ground. He did all this and prospered.
The truth is cast to the ground.
Ephesians 5:31-33
For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.
The Bride of Jesus represents His church
Jeremiah 6:2
I have likened the daughter of Zion to a lovely and delicate woman.
The daughter of Zion is like a beautiful woman.
Isaiah 51:16
And I have put My words in your mouth; I have covered you with the shadow of My hand, that I may plant the heavens, lay the foundations of the earth, and say to Zion, “You are My people.”
Zion, you are My people.
Revelation 12:1-3
Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars. Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth. And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his head.
A beautiful woman appearing in heaven represents the New Testament Christian church.
Revelation 17:1,2
Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.”
The harlot of Revelation 17 represents the fallen church.
Revelation 17:4
The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication.
The colors of this fallen apostate church system are purple and scarlet, the very colors of the Roman church. Her headquarters are situated on the City of Seven Hills, or Rome (verse 9)
Revelation 17:5
And on her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
This apostate system is a revival of Old Testament Babylon.
Genesis 11:9
Therefore its name is called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth.
Babylon represents confusion. Here God confused the languages. Spiritual Babylon represents religious confusion.
Daniel 4:30
The king spoke, saying, “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?”
Babylon is a man-made system based on human tradition and achievement (Isaiah 45:22)
Jeremiah 51:47
Therefore behold, the days are coming that I will bring judgment on the carved images of Babylon; her whole land shall be ashamed, and all her slain shall fall in her midst.
Ancient Babylon filled her temple with idols and so will spiritual Babylon.
Exodus 20:4,5
You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me.
You shall not make any graven images.
Ecclesiastes 9:5
For the living know that they will die; but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward, for the memory of them is forgotten.
The dead do not know anything.
Psalm 115:17
The dead do not praise the Lord, nor any who go down into silence.
The dead do not praise the Lord.
Ezekiel 8:16
So He brought me into the inner court of the Lord’s house; and there, at the door of the temple of the Lord, between the porch and the alter, were about twenty-five men with their backs toward the temple of the Lord and their faces toward the east, and they were worshiping the sun toward the east.
Sun worship enters God’s temple.
Ezekiel 20:12,20
Moreover I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them….hallow My Sabbaths, and they will be a sign between Me and you, that you may know that I am the Lord your God.
The Sabbath is God’s sign.
Revelation 17:12-14
The ten horns which you saw were ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.
Spiritual Babylon will attempt to unite mankind, setting up an earthly kingdom of God to enforce a common day of worship.
Revelation 18:1
After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory.
The earth will be lightened with God’s glory in time of spiritual crisis.
Revelation 18:2-4
And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird! For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury. And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.
This is God’s final call to come out of Babylon.
1 John 3:4
Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, for sin is the transgression of the law.
Sin is the transgression or violation of God’s law. God’s final call is for His people still in churches breaking His law to leave and become part of His Sabbath-keeping people.
Revelation 14:12
Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.
“Here are they which keep the commandments of God” and have the faith of Jesus.
