metamitya ·
In Revelation 17, the apostle John records a vision he had received from “one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls.” Here, the elderly apostle is shown the state of the world in the last days, specifically the reigning power and false religion that governs the unredeemed before Christ’s promised return.
Like many visions recorded in the book of Revelation, chapter 17 contains several names and images that have puzzled readers for centuries. One name in particular, the whore of Babylon, is well worth discussing.
What Does the Bible Tell Us about the Whore of Babylon?
In John’s vision, the angel says, “come here, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who sits on many waters” (Revelation 17:1, emphasis added). In other translations, this “great prostitute” is referred to as “the great whore” (KJV) or even “the notorious prostitute” (CSB).
When John sees her, he notices that “and on her forehead a name was written, a mystery: ‘BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH” …when I saw her, I wondered greatly.” (Revelation 17:5-6).
But who is this whore, what does she represent, and what role will she play in the last days?
The good news is that for those scratching their heads after reading this passage, John confesses that he was just as bewildered by what he saw (John 17:6).
There are many things about the last days, including the exact nature of the whore of Babylon, that have yet to be revealed. That much is clear from Scripture (Revelation 17:5)
Regarding His own return, Jesus told His followers, “about that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone” (Matthew 24:26).
However, how things will play out in the end is not entirely unknowable. There are many things God has not only revealed but expects His followers to be prepared for. Jesus Himself taught Christians to “be alert” and “ready” at all times as they eagerly await His return (Matthew 24:42-44).
Christ also revealed, through the apostles, what Christians will encounter as the days grow darker and the world, under Satan’s influence, stages its final attack against the Son of God and His people before Christ returns and reclaims His throne.
Therefore, although some things about the whore of Babylon will be revealed in time, there are many things the Bible makes clear about her (Revelation 17:7).
Why Is Babylon Important in the Bible?
Before we can explore the significance of the whore of Babylon and what she represents, a little bit of context on Babylon is essential.
Babylon was a historical empire that conquered much of the known world and played a major role in the history of Israel in the Old Testament. It was the Babylonian Empire, under King Nebuchadnezzar, that first invaded the Southern Kingdom of Judah in 605 B.C., taking many of its people captive in the years that followed. The city of Jerusalem would eventually fall to Babylon in 586 BC.
King Nebuchadnezzar is also the king we read about in the book of Daniel and the one whose dreams Daniel divinely interpreted (Daniel 2). In one of his dreams, King Nebuchadnezzar was given a vision of a large statue with a head made of gold, a chest and arms of silver, a belly and thighs of bronze, and feet made partly of iron and clay (Daniel 2:31-35).
Daniel revealed that this vision related to the four world empires that would eventually overtake each other in succession (Daniel 2:36-43). These world powers would become Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome.
True to Nebuchadnezzar’s vision, the Babylonian Empire would soon fall to the Persian Empire in 539 B.C. The Greeks would eventually defeat Persia; Rome would overtake Greece.
Some biblical scholars have also concluded that the four empires of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream make up four of the seven kingdoms (or kings) described in Revelation 17.
“The seven heads are seven mountains upon which the woman sits, and they are seven kings; five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; and when he comes he must remain for a little while.” (Revelation 17:10)
Egypt and Assyria, in addition to Babylon, Persia, and Greece, are the five world empires that had fallen by the time Revelation was written. Rome, the ruling power when John was exiled to Patmos, was the current kingdom.
The final kingdom, the one that “has not yet come,” points to a last global empire, or one-world government, that will exist for a limited time under the dominion of Satan’s human puppet, the Antichrist (also referred to as the beast in Revelation), before Christ’s return.
For several reasons, the name Babylon is given to a prophesied world empire, the last and most powerful in world history.
We know from history that the actual Babylonian Empire was considered one of the ancient world’s greatest intellectual, cultural, and religious centers. Settled along the Euphrates River in present-day Iraq, Babylon was known for its laws, religion, and architectural wonders, including t…